BBC Sound of 2012

in an exercise of self-fulfilling prophecies, BBC's sound of 2012 has just announced London soul singer Michael Kiwanuku as being at the pinacle of acts that they are tipping for the top this year

UK based 'tastemakers' are polled for their favourite acts that look ready to break though in the upcoming 12 months, yet it hardly seems surprising that most years have seen these people plump for those that are already riding on a considerable amount of hype

the voting system that it is founded on is basically a glorified popularity contest, with those topping the pile being the acts that are increasingly harder to avoid come November as record label's PR's must have become increasingly savvy to the elevated profile that the poll has garnered in recent years, and the timing of their client's game-plan will no doubt be scheduled with this in mind.

perhaps it is cynicism or the fact that the record industry is becoming more transparent with it's business activities, but in many cases it only serves to heap more hype on an already hyped act and sealing their fate of chart supremacy with that little extra nod.

with that said, perhaps we are looking at the most leftfield choices yet that seem to skirt some of the more obvious radio fodder

with genres bouncing around from the cool electro-pop of Swedish trio, Nikki and The Dove to the smack-in-the-face screeching dubstep of Skrillex landing at fifth and fourth place respectively, and the lurid rhymes of the already much-hyped Azealia Banks in third, we seem to have quite a mixed melting pot ready to be served to us this year.

 stream: Avicci - Levels (Skrillex remix)

second placed Frank Ocean is personally my favourite of the listed acts announced, the best thing about Odd Future, who were themselves heaped with unfathomable hype last summer, Ocean has been operating under the rader writing for Beyonce and John Legend, and made a transitional shift with his productions on Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch The Throne following on from his own unique nostalgia,ULTA mixtape that i have not been able to get enough of and have had on repeat in the months when the sun still shone, after delving deep and finding it languishing unheard on my generic mp3 player.

which brings us to the 'winner', Michael Kiwanuku, who i must admit to being rather ignorant of until december just past, and although he may not be as abrassive as Azealia Banks and Skrillex, nor as innovative as Frank Ocean, i can't help but like him.

perhaps i am mellowing as time passes ever faster, but Kiwanuku's music that i have heard so far is soothing and evocative, and a welcome change of pace from dance-hip-hop hybrids that clog the airwaves and a real 180 degrees about face from last years winner, Jessie J's upbeat urban-pop



musically, Michael Kiwanuku sits somewhere between Jack Johnson and Damian Rice in terms of style and may signal a revitalised male singer-songwriter presence in the mainstream, following on from the success of Ed Sheeran and wrestling attention away from the dominating female forces of previous winners Adele and Elle Goulding and 2009 runner-up Florence and the Machine.

releasing his music via the Communion label that was set up by Mumford and Sons' Ben Lovett (who were inescapable in 2010) and having supported Adele on tour in 2011, Kiwanuku will surely be on the right track for replicating the track records of both of these acts in 2012.

looking forward: 2012

the last big hurrah/biggest let down (delete as applicable) of the year is almost upon us, and once the clock has struck midnight on 31st December 2011, we shall all of a sudden find ourselves engulfed in 2012 for a whole twelve months.

traditionally, most blogs and websites will be telling you what were the best things to have been listening to in the year just gone, and also informing you of who you will undoubtedly be listening to in the new year fast approaching.

i'll only touch on the latter briefly, with more pressing concern on sharing good music with you, no matter what current trends on social practice may dictate.

and there are a couple of collaborations that are helping to wave off the soon departing MMXI AD in a rather twee fashion before we get too far ahead of ourselves

there must be thousands of these type of videos sprawled all over youtube, you know the ones, bedroom, webcam, guitar, but not many of them feature the delightful pairing of Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt melting hearts with their hipster pleasing duet




and another team-up in the form of Frank Turner, who has gone from strength to strength this year, hooking up with country singer and past collaborator, Jon Snodgrass, for a little ditty that was knocked out together in about half an hour, and was shared by Turner via his soundcloud

 download: Frank Turner and Jon Snodgrass - Happy New Year

now we look towards the future

a lot of anticipation is building to see what The xx will deliver when they release their second album after creating a slow building buzz with their emergence and praised debut which carried with it a new wave of electronic-shoegaze in it's wake.  early clues from the band hint at a more upbeat direction, yet this teaser demo, for two and a half minutes at least, suggests otherwise

 download: The xx - Open Eyes (Demo)

also making a return in 2012 will be Scissor Sisters, who provided a sleazy assault on the senses when they burst onto the music scene, but have since seemed to have lost their way a little.  perhaps in an attempt to induce some shock tactics, they have teamed up with Azealia Banks for the single 'Shady Love' that will debut on January 2nd 2012.

The name Azealia Banks should not be new to anyone by now, being one of the most hype-inducing artists of previous months and featuring highly in many websites tips for 2012, including the highly debated BBC sound of 2012 poll.

She will no doubt continue splitting opinion throughout the new year if she continues in the same way she started.

Merry Christmas from Desperately Seeking Susan Boyle

it's the most wonderful time of the year (or so the song goes) and although i hate the fact that the first smattering can be heard as early as late October some years, i genuinely love Christmas songs

there have been occasions where i have been driven to the brink of losing my sanity as the same songs repeat over and over and over by the 24th of December, but with enough ducking and diving through the festive period, it is possible to get through it mentally unscathed.

i'm still filled with joy when i hear the likes of The Waitresses, Wizzard and Wham (and other festive favourites that have not been brought to us by the letter W) but my coping mechanism over the past few years has been to invest in a couple of alternative Christmas albums (i would suggest James Brown's Funky Christmas for a rather chilled one, or the rather rare xfm cool cool Christmas compilation), compile my own seasonal playlists and to have a good hunt around for any other jolly holiday records that are unlikely to see as much airplay as Mariah Carey and Slade.




i've even had a stab at recording my own Christmas single in 2008, taking a rather cynical stab at all the things that seem to make up our modern vision of what Christmas is to so many people in our current culture.

but this year, i do decree that i have found two absolute crackers (please forgive me for the awful pun, it just comes so naturally this time of year) that stand up to the kind of repeated plays that as all the old standards that get trotted out each year, just don't expect Radio 2 and office parties to pick up on these at all, we're keeping it pretty niche.

first up is an artist that i make no secret of being a fan of, Akira The Don, who joins the likes of Michael Buble this year by releasing his own Christmas album which could be dropping down your digital chimney before Santa is doing his rounds tonight.

yes, it is true that i get a shout out over the outro of the release, but there is no bias when i recommend the tongue in cheek auto-tuned romp of Sexmas featuring Envy, which turns up the heat while it is cold outside, stuffed with some rather ludicrous innuendo yet utterly irresistible with it.

 stream: Sexmas ft Envy by Akira The Don
from the album, Saturnalia Superman

and pushing the limits of what is acceptable in a Christmas song even further is a free download from L.A duo, The Connects, who take the absurd and crank it up to 11 with an anthem that should by all rights be heard all the world over, but under no circumstances is it a suitable stocking filler for young children or easily offended grandparents.

 download: Christmas in the Club by The Connects
from the free EP, How The Connects Stole Christmas

Worst Case Scenario

in a band?

broke?

don't worry about it.

shunning expensive studio time, Worst Case Scenario show local bands how it should be done, self recording and self releasing their debut EP.

'Lost In The Element', available through iTunes, is a clear indication of a D.I.Y ethos prevailing and proving how a clear talent and determination can shine through and give hope to other bedroom musicians.

Formed in 2005, Worst Case Scenario have garnered six years of experience performing live and becoming a well respected act amongst Enfield's musical community, and it is these years, along with a recent roll-call shake-up that has lead to the long overdue recording of 6 tracks, that were released in late October.

A laptop with Cubase was set up, a microphone was borrowed, £10 was invested in a pop-shield, a mic-stand was improvised by taping the microphone to the side of a door, and some friends and family were roped in to provide shouted vocal takes that were recorded onto a phone before being added to the final mix

and yet, aside from the EP's interesting and inspiring creation, the music speaks clearly for itself.

Mostly a mid-tempo affair with a number of crowning flourishes, the tracks featuring on 'Lost in the Element' connects the dots between a number of disparate influences, touching on the sounds of Red Hot Chili Peppers, Paramore and KT Tunstall amongst others.

As the EP plays through the opening 'Intro' and into 'Point of No Return' the band lay down their wares as a serious band with considerable talent, showcasing a tooled-up acoustic sound that permeates throughout the release.

with 'Save Myself' and 'This Is Your Truth' the strength of these mature songs, belying the youthfulness of the band, holds strong, whilst the musical direction simmers down until it reaches the stripped back, yet overwhelming, stand-out track, 'Whole Again'.

The EP seems to hinge on 'Whole Again', taking in the listener as the the pace has eased through four tracks out of six, only to be hit by a breathtakingly beautiful track that is all the more fragile through the sliding contrasts that have lead to that very point.

leaving us with only the closing salvo of 'Throw It Away' to once again kick things up a notch and round out an accomplished EP that signposts a promising future for Worst Case Scenario.

It may not have the professional sheen that these songs are clearly deserving of, but this is only the cherry on the top of a very pleasing cake that is missing,  it is still a powerful set of songs recorded and released in a manner that is a testament to one young band's capabilities and conviction.

 stream: Worst Case - Whole Again

The Stone Roses

so, y'all heard the news right?

after 15 years, and many repeated denials that it could or would ever happen, the Stone Roses have finally reformed.

and to be honest, i couldn't really care less.

now i realise that this is a music blog and perhaps i should be praising the higher powers that be that such a revered indie band are returning, but this is my music blog, which means you shall be afflicted with my opinion.

I'm certainly aware of Stone Roses standing within the history of modern music, and that is simply what they are to me, just a part of a rich history, and they were before my time.

When i was at an age when music became a revelation to me England was in the thralls of the heady wave of Brit-Pop that was dominating the charts and the pages of Smash Hits.

and even though the shadow of the Stone Roses and Madchester looms large across the likes of Oasis and their contemporaries, the fact remains that the release of Second Coming in 1994 (along with Oasis' own Definitely Maybe) was not at all on my radar, and wasn't until my musical awakening with (What's The Story) Morning Glory? that bands and albums even began to matter to me, by which time the Stone Roses had been firmly usurped and their split in 1996 went completely unnoticed by me.

This is not to take anything away from the band, their fans and their legacy, but aside from singing along from a handful of singles that still get spun on Xfm from time to time, i just can't claim to hold them very dear to my own heart.


 Download: Stone Roses - Fools Gold (SmoochGroove Stoned Fool Re-Edit) by Victor Berghmeister

Steve Jobs

although he will be sorely missed by technophiles, Steve Jobs rich legacy made a massive impact on the lives of music fans too.

when he departed this plain of existence on October 5 2011, he left behind a history-changing array of accomplishments.

and while your day may be spent editing your photos on fatbooth and playing angry birds on your smartphone, it is worth remembering just how apple has pushed technology to evolve in recent years.

i certainly remember my stack of 90 minute tapes that i'd made, and how i'd have to choose which ones to carry with me to listen to on my walkman, it seems bewildering that i now nonchalently carry 720 hours worths of music on my iPod, that is nearly enough music to play continuously for a whole month straight.

i remember the aftermath of Napster, and how music changed from being about CDs and were suddenly considered as files that could be shared and downloaded, and how the iTunes store blazed a trail as peoples attitudes towards downloading (and paying for) mp3s changed.

Apple's own Garageband programme should not be forgotten either, for it created a unique recording environment that has encouraged creativity with its intuitive interface, providing a plethora of loops, instruments and effects.

i have witnessed lo-fi electronic artist George Pringle performing live, with her own self-produced Garageband backing tracks being relayed from her iPod plugged straight into a PA system.

  Stream: George Pringle - Physical Education (Part 1)

the freedom and simplicity of trying out new ideas isn't just reserved for bedroom producers either.

Damon Albarn used his iPad and a number of available music apps in order to record Gorillaz latest album over 32 days whilst on tour in North America.

Although it may not be as star-studded an affair as Plastic Beach was, The Fall is quite an astonishing collection of 12 low-key tracks that lean towards experimentation whilst still retaining a a high standard considering it could quite have easily been a handful of haphazard demos.

It only stands to prove that, being more than just an evolution of the laptop for you to check your facebook on, the iPad, with it's unique touchscreen functions, can prove to be a powerful music production tool.

through his part in the creation of the iPod, the iTunes music store, the iPhone and the iPad, Steve Jobs was not only creating new products, but sometimes creating entirely new markets that were kick-started by his products.

quite simply, the world as we know it right now wouldn't exist if it wasn't for Steve Jobs.

 Download: Gorillaz - Revolving Doors (Henry's Mashup)

glasswerk review roundup: september

sadly, it has been a rather slow month for my own glasswerk activities.

and i think most of it can be attributed to the recent departure of an editor that during has tenure had managed to keep on top of mailing out promos and weeding out the type of music that was distinctly appealling to my eclectic tastes.

since his leaving, there have been no more care packages of dizzyingly bizarre CDs dropping through my letterbox, there have been no more opportunities for live reviews, and even my recounting of Crystal Fighters outstanding performance at Shepherds Bush Empire, which i arranged myself, never did make it onto the glasswerk website, so i took the liberty of posting it up earlier in september for my own readers.

meaning there are just two reviews to point you in the direction of.

first up was Gazelle Twin's surreal set-piece at an old metal works building in Islington.  The album launched at the show is a magnificent long-player displaying otherwordly qualities, how would this rich and vastly textured music translate live?

find out what i thought in my review.

Gazelle Twin live review here.




and the second review is a different take on my review of The Others live return, that has already been discussed on the pages of Seeking Susan Boyle.  You may notice a couple of similarities between the articles, but i do strive to give a different and slightly more impartial stance for my glasswerk piece.

The Others live review here.

and that is it i'm afraid, and unless things take a sudden and drastic change for the better, i wouldn't hold out too much hope for a review roundup at all covering october.