Featured Reviews
Learn more about your favourite artists; find out what they are up and keep tabs on what interests you.
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Let You Go
Chase & Status Feat. Mali |
Best known for their drum & bass output, Chase and Status come up with yet another brutal cut on 'Let You Go'. Although it's not really quick enough to be considered D&B there's no denying the raw power behind this track. Opening with a vocal line from guest singer Mali, who has certainly got a decent set of lungs on him, the track builds up making good use of an ominous bass rumble and high pitched wobbles. Despite the drop being signaled way ahead of time it's still eminently satisfying when the track kicks into gear properly and blasts its way to a conclusion, Mali's powerful voice making its presence felt throughout. Subtlety may not be not a key factor in forging a blistering track like this, but the occasional dub-step breakdown serves to highlight the duo's technical production skills. Fans of The Jeremy Kyle Show will appreciate the accompanying video although perhaps Kyle himself may be less than impressed. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved |
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Let's Go Surfing
The Drums |
2010 proved to be a big year for The Drums. After months of seeing themselves on virtually every 'Next Big Thing' list (NME, Pitchfork, BBC all noted their untapped potential) they finally released their debut album and let the public judge for themselves. Fresh from support slots with Kings Of Leon and Florence & the Machine they dropped their self-titled album in June, bolstered by the single 'Let's Go Surfing'. The title alone invites comparisons with The Beach Boys and the reverb soaked vocals and close harmonies don't do anything to dispel the similarity. A descending bass pattern repeats throughout the whole track acting as an anchor for a super-catchy whistled motif and suitably twangy guitars that evoke the spirit of the sixties. Originally included on the 'Summertime!' EP, 'Let's Go Surfing' gained a justified re-release, winning fans with its deceptive simplicity and retro styling. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved |
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Bang Bang Bang
Mark Ronson & The Business Intl Feat. Q-Tip & MNDR |
After putting himself firmly on the map with 2007's 'Version' - which went triple platinum in the UK - Ronson put together a new band; The Business Intl. The first single from the crew was 'Bang Bang Bang' a collaboration with Amanda Warner from New York electro outfit MNDR and legendary hip hopper Q-Tip. Something of a departure from Ronson's past soul pop re-jigs with the likes of Amy Winehouse and Daniel Merriweather. 'Bang Bang Bang' is based on a super-funky staccato keyboard line, a rolling drum pattern and two great individual performances from the vocalists. While Warner provides the main melody with her almost school-ground like chanting, Q-Tip provides an ice cool counterpart, blending in effortlessly with the jumpy electronics. A taster for the album 'Record Collection', it shows that as a producer Ronson is equally at home with hook ridden urban funk as he is with his beloved horn sections. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2010. All rights reserved |
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Saint Or Sinner
Aggro Santos |
Following on from the success of his top five debut single 'Candy', the Brazilian born Yuri "Aggro" Santos changed tack, going all retro with a virtual check-list of old school musical elements. House pianos, classic drum loops and Black Box style disco diva vocal samples all make an appearance in a track that could have come straight out of the 90's. Streatham based Santos sounds completely in his element as he keeps his lyrics flowing over a stripped back backing track, with only a few synth flourishes hinting at the tracks real (modern) provenance. 'Saint or Sinner' suggests Santos has been following The Prodigy's recent re-visitation of the old rave scene with interest. The fact that he has Gary Barlow's Future Records label backing suggests he has the tools to make an impact in the same way as the likes of Dizzee Rascal or N-Dubz. Early 2010 saw him expand his fanbase markedly, touring with Britain's Got Talent winning street dancers Diversity. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved |
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Green Grass
I Am Arrows |
You can count the number of drummers who've gone on to make good records on the fingers of one hand. Dave Grohl and Phil Collins jump out, but it's tough to think of more. So when the former drummer of Razorlight (themselves something of a polarising force) announced he was releasing an album, critics weren't exactly gagging with anticipation. However Andy Burrows and his band have in fact made a very likeable record. Performing as I Am Arrows, Burrows has opted for a growing a beard, forgoing a haircut and producing some laid back 70's style acoustic grooves. He's definitely got an ear for a decent melody and 'Green Grass' combines some sweet vocal harmonising with catchy guitar lines to make for a surprisingly enjoyable tune that could have been written on the west coast of the USA circa 1968. 'Green Grass' was justifiably made BBC2's record of the week, an assured debut from an possibly unlikely source. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved |
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Crossfire
Brandon Flowers |
When Brandon Flowers announced that he was about to release a solo album, Killers fans across the world feared the worst - would this be the end of the band? Subsequent reassurances have eased their concerns however and Flowers has taken every opportunity to state that the band are merely on a break, and that he and the other members are still on speaking terms. However those longing for another Killers release would have to make do with Flowers solo album 'Flamingo' in the meantime. Not much of a hardship given that the first single 'Crossfire' could just as easily be a track by the band. The swapping of the usual synthesisers for piano is probably the only clue that this is a solo release, as the big chorus and sure fire melodies are typical of the Killers output. So good news then - it's business as usual. The video also has its good points, namely an inversion of male/female stereotypes, Charlize Theron and an infestation of ninjas. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2010. All rights reserved |
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Love Drunk
Loick Essien |
The latter part of the 2000's saw the UK music scene in rude health with the likes of N-Dubz, Chipmunk, Ironik, Tinchy and, by then revered elder statesman of the scene, Dizzee Rascal all cranking out hits like there was no tomorrow. The grime/pop/R&B crossover scene was indeed a fertile ground in which to dig up emerging artists, and who better to don the gardening gloves of discovery than Britain's Mr. Talent Simon Cowell. For it was Cowell himself who signed up one Labrinth, a producer responsible for Tinie Tempah's 'Pass Out' and this single from new kid on the block Loic Essien. Already being touted as UK's answer to Timbaland after just a brace of singles there's no doubting the talent oozing from Labrinth's knob twiddling fingers. 'Love Drunk' mixes up elements of dubstep and commercial R&B with a hefty dollop of club sensibility and tops the package off with some enjoyably bonkers keyboard lines. Essien, although emboldened by the inevitable Auto-Tune, sounds on the money and extremely assured on this, his first outing. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2010. All rights reserved |
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Spaceship
Benny Benassi Feat. Kelis, APL & Jean-Baptiste |
An Italian house DJ/Producer with a list of huge club tunes as long as your arm, Benassi is probably best remembered for his 2002 smash 'Satisfaction' in which various scantily clad young ladies demonstrated the finer arts of DIY with a range of dangerous looking power tools. 2010 saw him in much the same mode with 'Spaceship'. This time around he teams up with Kelis, fresh from her own dancefloor success with 'Acapella', while Black Eyed Peas apl.de.ap and producer Jean-Baptiste take on rapping duties. Although the DIY girls have disappeared the beats are still very much in evidence as Benassi shows off his production talents, creating a monster tune with filters zipping up and down over a highly melodic contribution from Kelis. apl.de.ap and Jean-Baptiste put in professional performances but it's really the vocals that make the track stand out, adding another layer to Benassi's rock solid electronics. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved |
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Magic
B.o.B Feat. Rivers Cuomo |
B.o.B aka Bobby Ray Simmons Jr crashed into the mainstream with his ultra smooth hit 'Nothin' On You' rocketing to the number one spot on both sides of the Atlantic. Those expecting another slice of silky soul got a bit of a surprise when the next release toughened things up markedly with some up-front production and Paramore's Hayley Williams popping up on guest vocals. The chart positions didn't change much though and B.o.B had another smash hit on his hands. On 'Magic' we see yet another approach. This time Weezer vocalist Rivers Cuomo is the featured artist, and the music switches to three chord distorted guitars, chunky drums and throbbing keyboards. B.o.B takes care of the verses with his quickfire easy-on-the-ear rapping style while Cuomo's distinctive voice provides some contrast in the choruses. The result is a bouncy and infectious party record which shows there's a lot more to B.o.B than first meets the eye. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2010. All rights reserved |
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Factory
Band Of Horses |
It takes a special skill to make candy bars, snack machines and elevators sound cinematic but that's exactly what Band Of Horses have done on 'Factory' a taster track from their third album 'Infinite Arms'. With a wash of instrumentation including a brace of trumpets, trombone, tuba and strings the track sets out its stall straight away, heading directly into epic folk ballad territory and letting the music do the talking. The first release on a major label, and the first with a full complement of musicians on deck to help out with the song-writing, it could have signaled a change in direction for the band, but fans were reassured by the typically Americana tinged soundscapes. The album also became their most successful, peaking at number seven in the US and performing well around Europe, showing that a major label release needn't necessarily lead to musical compromises. ~Martin Gadgil. Copyright (c) Shazam Entertainment Limited 2009. All rights reserved |
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