When this first came on I wasn’t so excited. The intro feels a bit disjointed – over-tricksy, over-sampled. Too Future Classic-y.
But after a while the threads begin to come together and what this track really hangs on is the strength of the main sample*. The bass underlines it, and the synths bring out the flavour. Sing it with me, “Me and My Heart, we’ll make it, we’ll make it through”.
This track is about as fucking beautiful and powerful as it gets. It was written by the artist (David Balfe) as a tribute to his recently departed best friend and bandmate Paul. Super raw.
Oh and if you needed the emotion of this track reinforcing, here is a live performance with Jools Holland. Christ. Expect big things from David in 2021.
As you might have been able to guess it is 5 years since Bristol-based label Shall not Fade entered the scene. To celebrate, their 5th compilation. There is a lot to like packed into the 16 track double-LP (with 5 bonus tracks on the digital version).
My picks are Everything You Need by Module One & Soela, Welcome Aboard by DJ Psychiatre and T Garden by the ever-impressive Lxury.
I know everyone goes on about the Spotify annual round-up (I love it too, don’t get me wrong). But sometimes Soundcloud bangs. Check out a playlist of HarrysMusicalEmporium’s top played tracks this year, right here.
Unlike Spotify, it features a bunch of artists I don’t know so well. Just really nice vibes for the weekend. Enjoy.
“Heyy I’m Jess, I make tunes about my life. i grew up in Spain but i’m Irish and living in London. dunno if you care about any of that but was told I should make a bio so hope that was alright lol x”
So says Jess Smyth, aka Biig Piig, and I think we’d better listen up.
This is a really interesting album to listen to. Tracks are scattered from 81 to 147 bpm. I get that that might not sound like an appealing prospect to some people. But I think this is one worth a little effort. Each track feels like an event – they weave together in way that shouldn’t work but does.
You’ll know what I mean from the first two tracks The Relic and Star – they have more than a touch of Jacques Greene about them – building R&B vocal samples into a broody electronic aural landscape – but they go into a darker place than Jacques tends to. The album then swerves into over the top brass and hip-hop with Freddie Gibbs on the vocals, before reaching my top pick, Wait 4 U. It is neat and uncomplicated, like an early Ramadanman track. My other top pick is Believe in U is Wait 4 U‘s upbeat twin. A final mention goes to 1000 Miles, featuring Sub Focus.
Bonus track: this is what got Machinedrum onto my radar back in 2014. It’s his emotional remix of Kelis, and it’s a banger.
Do you remember nightclubs? This video will take you right back, trust me. Exactly how it happens. 100% just the same as always. Just a normal night in a normal club. You know how it is.
The inimitable Irish songstress Róisín Murphy back with her first album for 4 years.
The whole release has a really fun, chuggy, funky feel with heavy disco influences. As always, her vocals range from the sultry to the melodramatic in a way that only she can pull off.
There are some great tracks on the album (Simulation, We Got Together and Murphy’s Law are my picks) – but what really stands out is the quality of the package. The mixing has been given so much attention and love. Each track flows into the next in a natural, but original and exciting way. Maybe it is a bit of nerdy thing to call out, but it all comes together to create a very cool 54 minute experience that’ll give you a good lift.
Sidenote, she released this on her own label which is called Mickey Murphy’s Daughter. That has to be one of the best label names going.