Heretics are a new synth pop band from bath with hints of post-punk, shoegaze and electro. They are currently working on their debut album but in the meantime you should check out their video to 'Don't Be Late' above. Think Frankie Goes To Hollywood getting into a fight with Gary Numan.
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Either way, some of BlackPlastic's favourite music is the stuff that sounds like it has been made for listening to whilst wearing sweaters and hugging cute girls on dance floors. And that is exactly the type of music that James Yuill makes.
Stuck midway between Hot Chip and Metronomy, Movement In A Storm is a needy thinking man's electronic soundtrack bliss. Last year's popular Prins Thomas mix of 'This Sweet Love' is as good an introduction to Yuill's work as any. It doesn't feature here but the same considered melodies run throughout 'Foreign Shore' and beyond.
What makes Movement In A Storm so great is the combination of musical flourishes - check the the twinkling bells and crunchy thick bass lines that open 'On Your Own' - and gut wrenching lyrics. These really are songs to well-up to: 'Ray Gun' is without doubt the sweetest song BlackPlastic has heard that is named after fictional weaponry and it is Yuill's lyrics that betray his innocence as he croons "Never was my ray gun on you". Geeky, sure - but that is kind of the point.
Movement In A Storm lacks the utterly irresistible immediacy of it's predecessor Turning Down Water For Air insofar as there being nothing quite as thrillingly head-over-heals-in-love as 'Left Handed Girl'. Yet what you do get is, in essence, more of the same with a bit less instant accessibility but a bit more consideration. And when it is this good BlackPlastic won't complain - we'll be on the dancefloor in a cardigan.
On that note, if you haven't checked out 'Left Handed Girl' then you really should - it is on Spotify.
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Filled with interesting time signatures and whispered vocals this really delivers a level of subtlety that their previous material was screaming for. 'Stay Wild' is the sound of the world enveloping you in chaos at the point where you realise that to fight it would just be futile, and we think it's kind of lush - the IDM feel has been really ramped up on this one.
The artwork, designed by Kevin Nelson for Constructiv Art and Design, is kind of ace too and fits the track perfectly.
You can listen to the full track over at KNIIFE PRRTY's Bandcamp - remember to pay for it if you like it.
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Hopefully wherever you are this weekend the weather is as good as it is for BlackPlastic this weekend. Whilst soaking up the sun few things are better than a soundtrack of dubby house and as such we're extra stoked to be able to share this track from Greg Paules' What's Mine Is Yours EP.
Paulus originally got into jazz music via samples in hip-hop, listening to records by A Tribe Called Quest and J Dilla, and his listening habits manifest themselves in the playful rhythms and warmth of this record. James studied music and culture in Havana, Cuba, before moving to New York to continue studying jazz and classical where he has spent time studying and working with James Brown drummer Jabo Starks and Lauren Hill.
Following a period on tour with band Beirut Paulus has now settled in Brooklyn and is focusing on electronic music. He also records as Just One Night with Gadi Mizrahi of Wolf + Lamb, founder of Double Standard Records, on which this EP is released.
'Water's Edge' isn't a full on club track - take this one and keep it with you for poolside lounging and days on the beach... It's perfect for soaking up the summer sun to.
Download Greg Paulus' 'Water's Edge' on MP3 [right click, save as].
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The What's Mine Is Yours EP is out now on Double Standard Records.
Hailing from Bordeaux Alba Lua are a three-piece comprising of Pepo Durantez (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Pascal Hoerner (lead guitar, backing vocals and bass) and Renoi Jacob Mathieu (drums and percussion). 'Valley of Abra' is taken from their debut EP Ballad of Joseph Merrick, which was recorded in Barcelona a couple of days after the band saw Neil Young, My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth play at the Primavera Sound Festival. Tellingly 'Valley of Abra' features a thrilling mix of shoe-gazey pop and blissed-out summer sunshine.
The press release for this mentions that Vice described it as 'Syd Barrett sound tracking a spaghetti western, i.e. eccentric, reverb-heavy, dreamy pop music' and whilst BlackPlastic generally think Vice are a bunch of twats when it comes to music reviews they kind of got Alba Lua on the money. We have spent the last few days wandering around in Rockstar's rather ace Red Dead Redemption video game, set in the Wild West, and 'Valley of Abra' would make a fantastically psychedelic addition to the soundtrack.
Alba Lua are currently working on a new EP and an album is expected in early 2011.
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How very 'meta'. Breton's music video for 15X features them actually making (as in manufacturing rather than recording) their forthcoming Sharing Notes EP, including the packaging. In fact, since the release is limited to 50 numbered copies, if you get number one then that is the one being made in the video. The release includes a printed circuit board which can apparently be built into a synth. Nice.
The song itself is math rock in a similar vein to the Battles but a bit spikier. But don't take our word for it - check it out above.
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Lazy Habits are an eight piece hip-hop collective who have already been getting a bit of love from the likes of 6music and 1extra. And based on the video for 'Memory Banks' it is a justifiable reaction. Featuring sultry guest vocals from Baby Sol, their first single is a lovely low-down piece of summer soul that deserves to make it onto your barbecue playlist this year.
The single is already out as a digital download and it will be followed up by an album towards the end of the summer.
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