Emeli Sande wins Brits Critics Choice award 2012

Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sande has won the Brits Critics Choice award, which rewards up-and-coming talent.

The 24-year-old, who gave up medicine to pursue her career in music, has already scored hits with solo singles Heaven and Daddy.

She also appeared on Professor Green’s number one hit Read All About It, and is currently supporting label mates Coldplay on their European tour.

Sande will pick up her prize at the Brits ceremony on 21 February, 2012.

Previous winners of the critics choice award include Adele, Jessie J and Florence And The Machine.(BBC report)

Of course our Favourite artist is a Winner:Check music/videos at EMN from Emelie HERE

Burial – Ashtray Wasp (Rinse FM rip Listen)

Kindred EP, out soon via Hyperdub.

Alex Highton ‘Woodditton Wives Club’ (The Local Label)

Alex Highton ‘Woodditton Wives Club’ (The Local Label)
Release date: 27th February 2012

Alex Highton’s debut album ‘Woodditton Wives Club’ is released by The Local Label on 27 February 2012. Set to lush orchestration, the album chronicles Al’s move from the city to the country; collecting his songs of simple life observations played with refreshing, heart-breaking honesty.

From ‘Village Life’ – “probably the first song I wrote when I got to Woodditton, figuring that there would be a darker underbelly to what on the surface seems a bastion of respectability. Turns out I was right, to a point the song was apocryphal and now half the village don’t believe it didn’t just spring from my imagination” – to ‘(Kids) On The Corner’ – “it’s about a fella topping himself, due to his lonely existence in the urban sprawl. This was kind of inspired by all the things that made me want to leave London. It had slowly beaten me down. I was genuinely losing my mind” – to ‘Little Rocks – “it’s about my wife. She is the centre of all things Highton. Our planets revolve around her sun” – Al says he feels uncomfortable explaining the stories behind the songs.

“Why would tales of rural S&M, mental, emotional and economic collapse and salvation through love make anyone uncomfortable?” replied a friend to this admission on Twitter.

From home in Liverpool, university took Al to London where he studied performing arts. This is a surprise when you meet him; there is none so modest and self-deprecating. This is no actor. Honesty should be his middle name. Particularly when it comes to talking about himself.

“I always feel my music is too middle-of-the-road for some tastes and too weird for others – its middle-of-the-weird – but there’s something in it that resonates with people. When you state your inspirations as Harry Nilsson and David Ackles, I’m sure it doesn’t set the hearts of the major record companies fluttering.”

Moving to rural Cambridgeshire after losing his job, the demos for ‘Woodditton Wives Club’ mark one were recorded on a single microphone in his garage. Somehow, Hollywood superstar Ashton Kutcher heard Al’s music on Myspace and Tweeted a link to his millions of followers. The following day saw a gazillion additional listens. This ever growing dedicated grass roots fan support was invaluable; studio recording, manufacturing and marketing was paid for via fan-funding websites Sellaband and Pledge Music.

London based music promotion and management agency The Local became involved after Al approached old friend Howard Monk for management advice. “I’m really excited to be working on this as it feels more and more important the more I listen” says Howard.

“Frankly it’s a real boost to discover a genuine world class practitioner who restores your faith in the genre” Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music

alexhighton.com
thelocal.tv

SID Chip Sounds – The Music Of The Commodore 64(Robot Elephant Records)

V/A
‘SID CHIP SOUNDS – THE MUSIC OF THE COMMODORE 64’
(ROBOT ELEPHANT RECORDS)

Release date: 20th February 2012
Format: 2 X LP / CD / Digital

The ever enigmatic Robot Elephant Records release ‘SID Chip Sounds – The Music Of The Commodore 64’, a compilation of music from classic Commodore 64 computer games. The 18 original pieces of music have been remastered for this release on gatefold double vinyl, CD and download.

When people talk about “Commodore 64 music”, it’s easy to forget they’re not talking about a musical style: they’re talking about a delivery mechanism. What that convenient phrase hides is the sheer amount of originality and creativity that went into creating the music for games on the Commodore 64.

The majority of games produced for the Commodore 64 made use of the machine’s revolutionary SID chip, devised by engineer Bob Yannes who later co-founded the Ensoniq digital synthesizer company, and named by PC World Magazine as one of computing’s most important inventions. Although it was advanced for the time composers had to overcome many challenges. For example, the hardware only allowed three voices at once so composers assigned one voice to play quick arpeggios so listeners believed they were hearing sustained chords. It’s well documented that humans are at their best when overcoming limitations or under deadline, and the classic C64 composers pared music to its essence. They had their own sounds and their own way of playing them.

Revolutionary composers such as Martin Galway, Rob Hubbard, David Whittaker and Ben Daglish rose to prominence during the 80s for their technology defying masterpieces whose sounds ranged from simple clicks and beeps to complex musical extravaganzas. Included on this compilation is some of their most celebrated work including music from games ‘Arkanoid’, ‘Comic Bakery’, Last Ninja’ and ‘Sanxion’.

Influence in modern music is widespread. The sub genres of 8-bit, chiptune, gabba; the lo-fi sounds of DJ Scotch Egg, the rapid arpeggios of Rustie, Crystal Castles’ warped glitches and even the beats of international pop hits such ‘TiK ToK’ by Kesha are all informed by developments made during the early years of home gaming.

As relevant as ever, ‘SID Chip Sounds – The Music Of The Commodore 64’ is a vital collection for fans of remarkable electronic music whether retrospective or modernist.

Tracklisting:
A1 Ben Daglish – Last Ninja (Wastelands)
A2 Ben Daglish – Last Ninja (Wilderness)
A3 Ben Daglish – Trap
A4 Chris Huelsbeck – Giana Sisters (Intro)
B1 Chris Huelsbeck – Katakis (Song 3)
B2 David Whittaker – Glider Rider
B3 David Whittaker – Panther
B4 Tim & Geoff Follin – Gauntlet 3 (1)
B5 Tim & Geoff Follin – Gauntlet 3 (2)
B6 Tim Follin – LEDStorm (Title)
B7 Jeroen Tel – Cybernoid 2
C1 Martin Galway – Wizball [*vinyl only]
C2 Martin Galway – Comic Bakery
C3 Martin Galway – Parallax
C4 Martin Galway – Arkanoid
D1 Matt Gray – Dominator (Song 2)
D2 Matt Gray – Last Ninja 2 (Song 2)
D3 Rob Hubbard – Commando
D4 Rob Hubbard – Sanxion

robotelephant.co.uk

Diskotopia Various Artists Volume One (Diskotopia)

V/A
‘DISKOTOPIA VARIOUS ARTISTS VOLUME ONE’
(DISKOTOPIA)

Released date: 6th February 2012
Format: CD / Digital

Coming at the start of a second year of releases, ‘Diskotopia Various Artists Volume One’ is a showcase of the Diskotopia sound.

The label has been grouped together with labels like Night Slugs, Numbers, Hessle Audio, but Diskotopia take a more borderless approach to electronic dance music. Not just for the club, but also made to be appreciated in any setting, the artists represented on this compilation reference a variety of styles from house, techno, UK garage, post-rock, boogie, R&B, grime and even jazz. Although standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the most current and cutting-edge music around, the Diskotopia output has a strong sense of timelessness, meaning that as well as being very “now”, the sound has a longer shelf-life. The label has rapidly been gaining great support and high praise from likes of Addison Groove, Hyetal, Om Unit, Rinse FM, Boomkat, XLR8R, Fact, Numbers.

Set up by UK ex-pat Matt Lyne (A Taut Line) and Japanese female DJ Am Rhein in Osaka in 2005 as a DJ and visual collective, Diskotopia ran frequent events for four years before moving to Tokyo in 2009. BD1982 joined the crew in late 2010, and helped evolve it into a record label. The ethic behind the label comes directly from the premise of the Diskotopia events: a barrier-free approach to quality music. In 2011 Diskotopia released singles and EPs by A Taut Line, Hong Kong In The 60s, BD1982, Visionist, Greeen Linez and Slackk. Diskotopia remixers have included Optimum + Ikonika (Planet Mu, Hyperdub, Night Slugs), Starkey (Ninja Tune, Planet Mu), 80s legendary post-punk act Dominatrix, Royalty, BNJMN (Rush Hour), Photomachine, Murlo, Pacheko.

Tracklisting:
01) BD1982 – Sunshine
02) Visionist – Tropics
03) Savage – I Want It All (BD1982 Refix)
04) RLP – Kreep
05) Optimum – Ghost House
06) Shy One – 40,000
07) A Taut Line – Clouds At Night
08) Hong Kong in the 60s – You Can Take A Heart (Diskotopia Dub)
09) Awa – She Sea
10) Greeen Linez – Sallot Ski
11) Bun / Fumitake Tamura – Ri
12) LDFD – Wumpa Fruit
13) DJ Maar – Acid Clapperz (Diskotopia Dub)
14) Greeen Linez – Feel The Pressure (The Phantom Remix)
15) Lamin Fofana – Nia Long
16) 80kidz – Miss Mars (Diskotopia Dub)
17) Greeen Linez – Feel The Pressure (Nites Remix)
18) BD1982 – VHS Nite (Starkey Remix)

http://diskotopia.com

Midnight Davis ‘Aftershocks’ (Five Easy Pieces)

Midnight Davis ‘Aftershocks’ (Five Easy Pieces)
Release date: 23rd January 2012

‘Aftershocks’ is the debut EP from new London act Midnight Davis. It will be released digitally by exciting new London label Five Easy Pieces on 23rd January 2012.

The EP is a fascinating melting pot of influences old and new. It splices together production elements of London bass music with the anthemic chamber hall indie of The Horrors, the raw emotion of Joy Division and the expansive, experimental dubby soundscapes of Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. These disparate influences are channelled into one very cohesive sound. In the artist’s own words, ‘it’s the sound of being in the middle of London, of taking all those rhythms and frequencies in’.

The EP has a very heartfelt central theme of love and loss. A sense of confusion, frustration, anger and longing seeps through every note. It is a mix of samples, synths and live instrumentation, with confessional vocals echoing over the top.

‘I was moving away from listening to electronic “scene” music and listening to truly classic albums by real pioneers – Joy Division, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, The Cure, Liquid Liquid. This is about songs, while remaining interested in the electronic production methods I have developed’.

Listen Midnight Davis – Timely

“Bass music with added emotional ennui. Really good to listen to when you’re feeling let down by love” Dummy Mag

“A thick mass of gloomy atmospherics, a disconsolate shadow hanging over his fatigued vocals” Abeano

Dog Ears ‘So It Goes’ (Proper Songs)+free download

Dog Ears ‘So It Goes’ (Proper Songs)
Release date: 16th January 2012

Dog Ears, the solo project of Mat Baynton of Special Benny, releases his debut EP in November on Proper Songs.

Inspired by artists such as DM Stith, Jason Molina, Bowerbird, the songs were written and recorded at his home in Greenwich with contributions by Mat’s band mates. Ben Gates contributed arrangements for ‘The Howling’ and ‘Like Rain’ and played drums, piano, trumpet, sax and melodica, while Tom Corbett mixed and mastered the EP.

Download Dog Ears – Mrs Winchester

The distinctive cutout book sleeve image was created by Rachael Edwards after a conversation struck up on Twitter about ‘The Art of Looking Sideways’.

http://dogears.org
http://facebook.com/iamdogears

Princess Superstar “Xmas Swagger” Video, Single Out Now

Princess Takes It to the Streets of NYC for the Holidays!

The incomparable Princess Superstar is back with a new video just in time for the holidays! From 125th St. to Rockefeller Center to the bodega, there is no neighborhood left behind as Princess serenades the streets of NYC with a carol for those of us who think about beaded sweaters and Chippendales with Santa hats on when we think of Xmas.

The “Xmas Swagger” single is available on iTunes now.

iTunes
www.princesssuperstar.com
www.twitter.com/psuperstar
facebook

LAL ‘LAL’ (Urbnet)

LAL
‘LAL’
(URBNET)

Format: CD / Digital
Release date: 16th January 2012

Canadian trio LAL – vocalist, poet and activist Rosina Kazi, sound designer, composer, DJ and producer Murr and bassist Ian de Souza – releases their self-titled fourth album on Public Transit Recordings.

The band’s latest recording is the embodiment of their hopes and fears. ‘LAL’ is a look at their lives through electronic music fused with their past and their future sounds. Combining pop, jazz, soul, international and electronic music to create their own distinct Toronto sound. The album is a response by the band, as artists, community members and as activists, to a world that they see as being swept up by a conservative agenda. An agenda that is pushing people to the margins, fuelling the growing gap between the rich and the rest of us, threatening those who tend the land and all of us who depend on it, and making living with dignity increasingly impossible for the majority of society.

Yet, for LAL, concerns that society is headed in a terrifying direction goes head-to-head with an unrelenting faith in the human spirit’s ability to keep creating in the midst of struggle. In response to this perceived crisis, LAL brings together filmmakers, visual artists, poets, dancers, musicians, actors, activists and community members to collaborate and work together to educate, to create, and to build something powerful and wonderful together. Instead of seeing the future as bleak, LAL celebrates the right now and works to inspire a socially just and environmentally sustainable future with a soundtrack of dub poetry, soul, folk, roots, jazz and a definitive dancefloor aesthetic. LAL’s dynamic live show channels all of this into a glorious exploration of the depths of humanism.

Rosina and Murr began collaborating as LAL in 1998, experimenting with stacks of equipment and wild poetics. In the early 2000s, they created two politically-charged and critically acclaimed electronic albums, ‘Corners’ (2002) and ‘Warm Belly, High Power’ (2004) – the latter earning them the distinction of 2004’s Best Soul Album by Canadian music bible, Exclaim! Magazine. LAL’s dynamic live show channels all of this into a glorious exploration of the depths of humanism Canadian tours and growing media attention followed, and accomplished bassist, Ian de Souza, joined the fray. ‘Deportation’ followed in 2008, inspired by the events surrounding and following September 11, 2001, and the fate of several deported friends in particular. The album was a personal treatise on the international sounds and textures of Toronto, on migration and movement, a challenge to militarism, dangerous love, and the stories of those silenced by (ill)legality.

Ignited by the injustice that burrows deep into the fabric of society and by hearts burning with the fire for justice for all, LAL rips apart words, notes, and rhythms, while helping to build the kind of community that will lead us towards a brighter future.

2012 UK live dates to be announced.

lalforest.com

Artifact ‘Archaic Line’ (Deadplate)(preview)

Artifact ‘Archaic Line’ (Deadplate)
Release date: 16th January 2012

Format: 12” / Digital

Rising new label Deadplate Records drop their second release: the first vinyl offering by Artifact, with a remix by Graphics.

Artifact is the main moniker of Bristol’s Ryan Bonfield; an exciting new producer that merges the hard hitting sounds of dubstep with the swung rhythms of 2-step. With tunes signed to the likes of Pollen, Fortified Audio, Hyperboloid and Car Crash Set, those familiar with Bristol’s offerings to the UK dance scene will already be familiar with Artifact’s music. If you’ve ever heard one of his dubs on a dance floor, you will have known – it’s hard not to take notice when they drop. The original tracks here are perfectly complimented by a remix of ‘Archaic Line’ by Oxford/London DJ and producer Graphics.

Deadplate Records is a hotly tipped new label coming out of the London underground dance scene, releasing a hard hitting, percussive sound that sits somewhere in between house, UK funky, UK garage and dubstep. With releases lined up featuring works from Hackman, James Fox, Hodge and the first release featuring Lung, Maxx Roach and Randomer Deadplate Records is gaining strong recognition as a future stalwart. With support coming from DJs such as Blawan, Dark Sky, xxxy and Raffertie, it’s fair to say that Deadplate have started very strong and look set to go on to becoming a household name in the UK underground dance scene.

Artifact – Archaic Line (Graphics Remix) [Mary Anne Hobbs radio rip]

http://www.deadplate.com/