23Music Music Editor: Jon Bauckham • Deputy Editor: Mike Hine

Epigram - 11.10.2010

Exploring the psychic chasmsJon Bauckham discusses “sonic gibberish”, the end of the world and defining the “c-word” with Neon Indian

Music Listings: 11th - 25th OctoberGROOVE ARMARDATuesday 12th October / 02 AcademyAfter fourteen years of touring, Groove Armada have recently an-nounced their retirement from live shows. Playing in support of sixth studio album Black Light, this date will be one of the last ever opportuni-ties to see the London dance duo in this unique incarnation.

CORINNE BAILEY RAEWednesday 13th October / 02 AcademyGrammy and BRIT-nominated soul star Corinne Bailey Rae brings her subtle, jazz-influenced singing tal-ents to the Academy. Rae will be performing songs from her second album The Sea, released in the wake of her husband’s death, on what is guaranteed to be an evening of high emotion and musical catharsis.

Epigram’s Pick of the Fortnight:

DOOMSDAY: DOOM/MADVILLAIN/DANGERDOOM

02 AcademySaturday 16th October

Daniel Dumile aka DOOM appears with frequent collaborators Madlib and Danger Mouse in what is set to be one of the most exciting under-ground hip-hop line-ups Bristol has

borne witness to in recent years. Having recently dropped the “MF”

prefix from his name, DOOM is responsible for a host of critically

acclaimed albums, including 2003’s Vaudeville Villain under the Viktor Vaughn alias. In one of only four

UK shows this autumn, this is a rare chance to catch the elusive artist.

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEMSaturday 23rd October / 02 AcademyStopping off in Bristol as part of their world tour in support of the critical-ly acclaimed American Slang album, The Gaslight Anthem are sure to de-liver with their trademark brand of punk rock. Chuck Ragan supports on a night showcasing a new genera-tion of American songwriters.

THE EXSaturday 23rd October / The CroftLegendary Dutch anarcho-punks return to Bristol after an astonish-ing show with Brass Unbound at The Fleece back in January. Having released over twenty full-length al-bums since their inception in 1979, they show no sign of stopping any time soon. Local heroes Zun Zun Egui provide support once again.

Just under two years ago, Texan electronic musician Alan Palomo entered a period of self-imposed creative isolation with the intention of writing and recording songs that did not fit the frame of VEGA, the synth pop act he fronted with friends Ronald Gierhart and Jason Faries. Rather than emerging from the forest with a barrage of break-up songs like a dishevelled Justin Vernon, the first result of these sessions was ‘Should Have Taken Acid With You’, a joking musical apology to a friend after bailing on a three-way date with the notorious hallucinogenic. Adopting the Neon Indian moniker, this period of seclusion marked the beginning of a creative catharsis with further lo-fi, synth-driven songs being conceived on a daily basis. Mere months later, the blogosphere grew dizzy with excitement as the first formative MP3s found their way online. With a decisive decimal endorsement from Pitchfork and a network of Tumblr hacks reposting to their hearts’ content, the release of full-length record Psychic Chasms last October continued to perpetuate the existing hype.

The resulting transition from modest bedroom project to a live touring band was certainly an abrupt one: “The upbringing of Neon Indian was very much a scatterbrain evolution,” says Alan. “First it went from being a record that I didn’t have any applications to perform live, then to suddenly touring it for eight months.” Despite being just twenty-one at the time of its conception, Neon Indian marked Palomo’s third musical project in two years, having been the frontman of now-defunct college band Ghosthustler in addition to VEGA, whose members, along with the addition of keyboard player Leanne Macomber, now make up Neon Indian as a live entity. “It was

more a process of exploration that often led to goofy, happy accidents – there was a lot of sonic gibberish. I could never fit these ideas into the other projects, but when Neon Indian came along I could use a whole bag of tricks.”

Given the habit of certain online faculties to bury an emerging artist at the first glance of a negative review on any semi-influential, Polaroid-plastered blog, the attention has not been without its risks: “Although I leaked the tracks myself, I wanted to make it an anonymous project,” explains Alan. “I just didn’t want to be judged pre-emptively as a ‘trippier Vega’ for instance.” With terms such as ‘hypnagogic pop’, ‘glo-fi’ and of course, ‘chillwave’ being applied so haphazardly, attempting to categorise Neon Indian’s music can certainly be a sore point.

Nonetheless, it is a subject that Palomo is still willing to discuss: “I have no problem with it, but to be asked to define it as if I’m the ‘Kerouac’ of chillwave seems a little silly. What I find fascinating is that I’ve never heard so many people talk about something so carelessly, but without ever defining what it is. In the act of being so apprehensive, it becomes a legitimised topic of conversation.”

But similarly, many critics have been keen to highlight the shortcomings of pigeonholing new bands in the same manner, noting that artists such as Paw Tracks contributor Ariel Pink were delivering chillwave-worthy cassette demos long before it was recognised as a genre. Even when the Internet makes it possible for a new zeitgeist to be declared on a weekly basis with an increasing sense of the ridiculous (see: Witch House), strong releases from Washed Out and Toro Y Moi have ascertained longevity.

With a similar level of acclaim, and now enjoying an international release via Palomo’s own Static Tongues label, Psychic Chasms is a beautiful lo-fi pop record bathed in nostalgia. Through a haze of cassette tape compression, what comes across as particularly credible is Palomo’s philosophy behind sampling, each sample carefully chosen to represent a specific time and place in the artist’s life. He pays tribute to Todd Rundgren by using ‘Izzat Love’, lifted from 1974’s Todd album, on sun-soaked anthem ‘Deadbeat Summer’: “The initial concept of the record was an audio collage and Todd Rundgren’s music was the soundtrack to so many of those past experiences I had, such as listening to him while in college. I wanted it to be so personal, in that any of the found material would come from a place of being relevant to me.” Palomo even references the

music of his own father, Jorge, who found minor success as a popstar in his native Mexico during the early 1980s. Sampled on 6669 (I Don’t Know If You Know)’ and album closer ‘7000 (Reprise)’, it was a fitting homage: “My first attempt to make electronic music was actually with a Casio RapMan that my father bought for me, complete with a fake scratch pad,” laughs Alan. “I remember running it through some distortion pedals and oddly enough making something like that Neon Indian is doing now, but in a less actualised form.”

But now the focus has shifted to looking forward and assessing the future. In the short space of time since the initial release of Psychic Chasms, Palomo has been busy recording, releasing one-off single ‘Sleep Paralysist’, a collaboration with Grizzly Bear’s production wizard

Chris Taylor (“It’s always interesting when you have two cooks in the kitchen”). After completing the first VEGA album, the focus will switch to Helsinki where the second Neon Indian record is to be recorded. “I don’t really see myself having a break in the next year,” he explains. “One of my primary motivations is to just pretend that the world really is going to end in 2012. If I just had one year to write the better of two possible outcomes at this particular juncture in my life, I know that the new record will be something I definitely stand by.”

As a college film student on hiatus, Palomo’s tastes are probably more erudite than Roland Emmerich’s recent disaster movie (in both genre and execution), but given the standard of Neon Indian’s existing output, the next direction is assured to be fascinating, wherever it leads.

MELT-BANANAThursday 14th October / TheklaThe Japanese noise rock legends take charge of the Thekla for what will un-doubtedly be a bizarre and energetic display of the more extreme reaches of experimentation. Expect the in-tensity of a hardcore punk show, en-hanced by the unpredictable theatri-cality that the band is renowned for.

CRYSTAL CASTLESSunday 17th October / Anson RoomsThe Toronto glitchcore duo com-posed of Alice Glass and Ethan Kath bring their frenzied live show to the Students’ Union on the back of their second eponymously titled al-bum released this summer. Support comes from from LA noise punk quartet and longtime collaborators, HEALTH.

THE CHARLATANSTuesday 19th October / 02 AcademyThe survivors of the heady, drug-ad-dled days of the Madchester scene take to the stage in support of new album Who We Touch. Expect dance-oriented rhythms and psychedelic keyboards. Support comes from no-toriously volatile Happy Mondays icon Shaun Ryder.

KLAXONSThursday 21st October / Anson Rooms2007 brought New Cross nu-ravers Klaxons to the forefront of the Brit-ish music scene, lodging the Mercury Prize for debut album Myths of the Near Future. Three years later, the Day-Glo has been brought out of the cupboard once more as the newly ex-panded quartet tour new album Surf-ing the Void.

Music 24Epigram - 11.10.2010

With their recent signing to legendary indie label Rough Trade, Wilder are going from strength to strength. “Being signed to Rough Trade was the biggest launch for us,” grins bassist, Joe. “It’s an instant seal of approval being taken on-board by such a prestigious company; some of our favourite bands such as The Strokes started out there, as well as The Libertines and Arcade Fire.” But however many times they’ve been asked about the honour, it still feels that the enormity of their change in circumstance from unsigned band to Bristol’s representative on one of the most celebrated indie institutions has yet to sink in. “We had a gig at Start the Bus which our managers attended, and they asked us afterwards if we wanted Rough Trade to represent us,” explains Joe. “They invited a string of massive labels, like Island and Universal, to our practice. Rough Trade were the first label to come down and they were the most enthusiastic; there was no bullshit with them. The whole summer was a whirlwind experience.” Bec, the band’s drummer, smiles knowingly, “We actually fell in love with each other a little bit”.

The relationship between Wilder and Rough Trade is quickly becoming a productive one, with a debut LP nearing completion. Due for an early 2011 release, the band have also recently finished filming the promo for their second single, Skyful of Rainbows. “It was directed by Joe Cross, who has done a lot of videos for bands like Heartbreaks and Hurts,” explains Joe. “He was a really inspirational director and brilliant to work with. Our first single, Girls vs.

The wild, wild west

Boys, was only on a limited release, but this is the full thing. This’ll be the making of us...” Bec interjects: “...or the breaking of us. It’s so exciting.”

With 22 dates already announced, Wilder are about to take their live performances across the country. When asked about his feelings towards such a large tour so soon, Joe remains relaxed but ever quick to highlight the more mundane realities of touring as a small band. “It really is quite a hefty schedule. Half the dates are on the NME tour and the rest are our own headline shows. We get to explore the Travel Lodges and Premier Inns of our beautiful country’s big cities – which will be fun.”

Fittingly for a band that considers itself Bristolian in origin, the tour begins with a gig aboard Thekla. With regards to playing such a landmark venue in their home city,

Bristol’s addition to the Rough Trade roster meets Tom Rudrum

their enthusiasm is obvious. “It will be strange that people are going to be there especially for us,” says Bec. Joe expands on his love for all things Bristol: “There is such a huge music scene in the city, but it’s mainly dominated by electronic music, although that has definitely influenced us musically. I’ve seen some of my idols play here, like Jack Beats and Aeroplane; Crystal Fighters in a few weeks. The local band scene isn’t massive, but we hope that the fact we are now signed might help change that. Who knows? We might even help start a band-related musical revolution – I know it’s a bold claim, but I’m going to stick with it!”

Preview: Oxjam 2010

Promised WorksEach fortnight, an Epigram writer waxes lyrical about an underrated album that changed the way they listen to music. Mathew Pitts surveys Life Without Buildings’ first and last studio album, Any Other City

Life Without Buildings feel like one of those bands, the kind that should be renowned in the right circles. And they’ve got the credentials: only one studio album, little in the way of biographical detail, a painfully short career (1999-2002) and a singer that was, and is, by trade a visual artist. Instead, they largely dropped off the radar, which is rather a shame, because that one album, 2001’s Any Other City, is something of a gem.

Honesty is probably the best policy here: I’m willing to wager your response to this album is going to hinge upon whether the singer annoys the hell out of you. Sounds obvious, right? The vocalist normally plays a pretty huge part in determining whether a listener likes a band. Well, hold that thought – the thing about Sue Tompkins’ vocals is that they are really very striking;

subtract them from this album’s equation, and you’re left with rather pleasant, vaguely Krautrock, slightly post-punk tracks. Add the vocals back in, however, and what you have is a rather different proposition: the compositions coalesce around this ever changing, unique body of work.

The only really apt point of comparison is probably Horses-era Patti Smith. Both clearly owe a great deal to the beat poets in terms of delivery, but whilst Smith’s focus is upon stories, Tompkins hones in on the “wuurds”. She simply revels in them.

The traditional verse/chorus pattern is totally abandoned - purely verbal digressions abound, pulling words apart into syllables. She twists back upon herself constantly, too: phrases emerge, are repeated, forgotten, half-repeated, altered, picked apart, and

variously howled, sung, whispered or simply spoken. And she’s almost unique, in that quoting her lyrics outside of the song does little to aid understanding them: they defy easy deconstruction; demand to be listened to.

If you want a laugh, check out the transcriptions on the Internet: alone, they’re ridiculous, but when heard with musical accompaniment, they make perfect, obtuse sense. Standout track ‘Sorrow’, for instance, has the guitar continually ramping up, fading out and dropping back in, providing an anchor for Tompkins’ external/internal monologue which covers pretty much everything. It is, quite simply, astounding. Any Other City has that rare kind of brilliance; it just demands repeated listens. So long, of course, as you like that voice.

ANY OTHER CITYLife Without BuildingsApril 2001Tugboat RecordsProducer: Andy Miller

Oxjam’s Bristol Takeover talk to Mike Hine

Wilder release new single ‘Skyful of Rainbows’ on

November 22nd via Rough Trade. Available in the UK on 7” and

digital.

Those of us who manage to get out to gigs regularly in Bristol know there is no shortage of local talent spanning the entire spectrum of modern music. Whether it’s in one of the many venues in the bustling city centre or in the darkest recesses of Stokes Croft, there is always a host of Bristolian bands around offering up a variety of sonic delights. Oxjam Bristol’s Sarah Gough and Ian Pook spoke to Epigram to explain the motivation behind Oxjam, the music festival that celebrates local music whilst raising money for charity.

“Our plan has basically been that we make it a showcase for the best Bristol bands. We have to use local music, that’s one of our criteria.” The ‘Bristol Takeover’ – taking place across the city on October 24th – is just one of 32 simultaneous events across the country. The idea behind Oxjam is simply to raise as much money as possible for Oxfam whilst also providing a platform for local talent. Although it is clear that the Bristol team are primarily driven by the “warm, fuzzy feeling” they get from raising money for charity, they are also keen to promote the music that will attract the crowds: “We’ve got over 2000 capacity. Standing watching all these people enjoying themselves – it should be a fantastic day.”

Sat outside the Fleece before one of several Oxjam fundraisers in the build up to the festival itself, there is a palpable sense of anticipation. The team’s enthusiasm in putting together this event is inspiring, as is their ambition in what it can achieve: in October alone they hope to raise £9,000. “Absolutely every penny of it goes to Oxfam. Everybody volunteers, all the venues give their time for free, all the artists play for free,” says Sarah, Oxjam Bristol’s Regional Manager. She is hard pressed to pick out a favourite band of the festival, happily reeling off a long list of names she feels elated to have on board: “Lazy Habits [pictured below], We are Tokyo, Out Like a Lion, the Goodness, Kill It Kid, Centrefolds, Sonic Youth Club, loads!”

Indeed the team have been overwhelmed by the response from local musicians, adding, “It’s the sheer amount of bands that have been interested in playing that have made this extra special for us.” It’s certainly

a testament to Bristol’s music scene that so many of the city’s well-established bands are willing to come out and play for free, all for Oxfam. Another thing that is instantly striking about Oxjam is its value for money. The 8 venues in use on the day include the Big Chill, Mr. Wolf ’s, The Cooler and Mother’s Ruin. “We actually appear to have a lot more venues than the other festivals...we’re being quite ambitious!” remarks Ian Pook, Oxjam’s Marketing Co-Ordinator. All these venues, and 12 hours of live music starting from 2pm will set you back only £7, less than £1 a venue. Ian adds that, “all the venues are in walking distance so you can move in between; come and listen and pop into a gig, if you’re a fresher as well, you’ll want to check out all the venues.”

For new first-years, Oxjam is one of the best opportunities in the first term to explore the city centre and get a feel for what makes Bristol so exciting and diverse. Getting involved at the festival would be another great way to do this: “We need volunteers, if you want to come and help, plus you can even get a free wristband.” Put simply: ‘It’s a really great thing for Bristol as well as for Oxfam, and for the price of a just couple of pints. It’s on a Sunday so it’s very student friendly really. Come down and have a brilliant time and make some money for charity.’

Oxjam has many volunteering opportunities that will be

rewarded with free entry. For more information, you can find Oxjam Bristol online by searching Face-book and Twitter, as well as at

www.oxjambristol.com.

A

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y Wilsh

ire

Music 25Epigram - 11.10.2010

Calypso, chainmail and riot choirs MR MOTIVATORBestival“Let’s sort out morning TV!” exclaims a triumphant Derrick Evans as he leaves the Sunday afternoon main stage to rapturous applause from the Isle of Wight crowd. Decked in the characteristically tight-fitting Day-Glo garb of his carefully crafted alter ego, Mr Motivator has just delivered the performance of a lifetime. Doing away with the senile convention of a DJ, the Motivator operates his own CD player at the back of the stage, firing up a spicy calypso number to stretch out the aching muscles and craned necks resulting from the previous night’s psychedelic juggernaut of the Flaming Lips. Replete with giant laser hands, bear suits and ample yonic imagery, all set over proggy drones and ecstatic jams, the sheer scope of their show does not translate easily to the written word. Theirs is a display of pure energy matched only by LCD Soundsystem’s effortlessly cool post-midnight closing slot the following night, rocking the crowd into a boozy stupor.

Matt Grimble

MODDIEnd of the RoadOne of my favourite moments of End of the Road came completely unexpectedly, in a small corner of the festival site called ‘The Enchanted Forest’ where you can find an oversized games area, a tree library and an open stage decorated to look like an old-fashioned living room. It was during Iron & Wine’s set when my friends and I decided to take a wander and discovered Moddi playing an acoustic set in the forest. Frontman Pål ‘Moddi’ Knutsen appeared on the small stage with a guitar and

an accordion, accompanied by a cellist and percussionist. As we all sat cross-legged on the grass, they gave an intimate yet passionate performance containing originals, Norwegian folk songs and even a Joanna Newsom cover. Moddi offered obliging Norwegian charm, unabashed passion and haunting lyrics that could only come from the remoteness of the Arctic Circle.

Tom Holcroft

DIRTY PROJECTORSGlastonburyBrooklyn-based experimental outfit Dirty Projectors played the penultimate slot on the Park Stage to an enthusiastic, if small, audience. Those who had elected to miss the beginnings of Stevie

Wonder and Orbital, though, were treated to around half an hour (due to technical issues) of bandleader Dave Longstreth’s out-there freakrhythmed guitar work, and sweet R&B-influenced harmonies from Amber Coffman, Haley Dekle, and Angel Deradoorian. Despite the lack of time the band manage to fit in Bitte Orca highlights ‘Stillness is the Move’, ‘Useful Chamber’ and ‘Temecula Sunrise’ as well as squeezing older tracks like 2006’s ‘Fucked For Life’ into the setlist. The whole performance is soaked in a sunny, euphoric atmosphere reflecting the weather and similar to the vibe given off by Vampire Weekend, whose lead singer Ezra Koenig is a former member.

David Biddle

THESE NEW PURITANSGreen ManThe first band of the festival to take the initiative and say “fuck it” to polite invitations, These New Puritans drag us into a flurry of chainmail and un-ironically hideous typefaces, packing every available space in the tent with their pseudo-rap and unconventional dance beats. The lighting in the Far Out Tent suddenly makes sense, as These New Puritans fire through what I can only think to describe as what it would sound like if John Williams were told to soundtrack a Haunted Mansion ride in the style of Liars. If this comparison sounds totally ridiculous, it is because it is the only way I can think to describe how you could simultaneously

evoke the feeling of electronic jolts in your chest whilst floating through dizzying cinematic heights. Although it feels like skulky, hand-in-pockets music when heard through headphones, there is a striking confidence to their set, even within a festival bill that is dominated by acoustic guitars and heartfelt lyrics. It is exactly this lack of apology on unfamiliar territory that makes These New Puritans an indisputable highlight of the weekend.

Leah Pritchard

GAGGLELeeds FestivalThe end of the festival is nigh, the paper cups have been collected, and the stars have come out to complete the growing sense of peace which is now descending on the campsite. And yet, some bands are still awaiting their half hour slot, hoping to achieve some degree of recognition amongst the predominantly adolescent revellers. One such band at Leeds Festival was the 22-strong alternative girls’ choir, Gaggle, performing on the Festival Republic stage as the festival drew to a close. Adorned with colourful, tribal headdresses and political banners, somewhat reminiscent of a deranged United Colors of Benetton advert, the ‘riot’ choir launched into a frenzied set that included recent singles ‘I Hear Flies’ and ‘I Like Cigarettes’. The latter, with ritualistic chanting and a screaming climax demonstrated raw vivacity, injecting the entire tent with enthusiasm for this newly established group, ensuring that even the most exhausted of those in attendance were enlivened.

Laura Curry

Round the moon and back again with Summer Camp Summer Camp, aka London duo Elizabeth Sankey and Jeremy Warmsley, are not a band that could be accused of laziness. Prior to October 2009, the two had never even played music together. Within hours of uploading their first demo (a treacle-sweet cover of doo-wop classic ‘I Only Have Eyes for You’), the couple were discovered by the trend hounds at the Transparent label’s blog.

Since then, they have toured with The Drums and Slow Club, and are now co-headlining a string of dates with literate Sunderland indie band Frankie & The Heartstrings, as well as playing a number of festival shows. On top of that, the singles Ghost Train and Round the Moon have seen national rotation on NME Radio and BBC 6 Music with debut EP, Young, being released on the influential taste-making label Moshi Moshi. Not bad for a year’s work, and standing in stark contrast to Jeremy’s 4-year solo career and short-lived stint in band Acres, Acres. “It’s not strange, more

really, really nice. It feels great!” he says, “Summer Camp is so different to my solo stuff – I’ve been dreaming of someone I can really collaborate with for years. I always wanted to be in a band. If you listen to my solo records... it was a big messy mix of lots of different sounds. That’s one of the reasons I really like being in Summer Camp – we have a real specific ‘sound’ which I find really exciting.”

The sound in question is romantic, nostalgic, and rather appropriately, summery, bringing the listener into its utterly fictional, rose-tinted vision of the 1980s. It is a world of heartache, teen magazines, longing, Molly Ringwald and crushes on boys named Corey, channelling the likes of Cocteau Twins, Altered Images and The Go-Go’s, as well as visual influences including teen movies and oversaturated old photos. “We like the way they did pop back then” Elizabeth states, “But we also love loads of bands from loads of different

eras, so we’re not solely obsessed with the 1980s. When we started writing last year, Heathers, John Hughes movies and anything with a young John Cusack, were big influences on our songwriting, but more as a way into what we were doing than as a direct era we wanted to recreate.”

The Hughes influence is obvious; two of the tracks on Young, ‘Jake Ryan’ and ‘Veronica Sawyer’, are named after characters in Sixteen Candles and Heathers respectively, while dialogue samples can be found on several of the tracks on the EP and on the band’s MySpace. Veronica Sawyer references Teen Wolf and is reminiscent of the party scene in Mean Girls. The band name itself is evocative.

Everything about Summer Camp, albeit a couple of slightly incongruous references to texting in ‘Jake Ryan’ will draw you into their world, and it’s a great place to be. To quote one song from Young: “Baby, why don’t you stay?”

Having recently released their debut EP on Moshi Moshi Records, David Biddle talks to Jeremy Warmsley and Elizabeth Sankey, the London duo better known as Summer Camp

Leah

Pritch

ard

Epigram writers who braved the muck and mire at this summer’s largest music festivals select their highlights

MusicEpigram - 11.10.2010

26

Reviews

“This, my excavation, and today is Qumran,” the opening line to Bon Iver’s ‘Re: Stacks’, refers to the place in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947, a discovery that changed the entire course of Christianity. Whilst some chose to ignore or accept the finding, for others it completely destroyed their faith. It is used, in this case, as a metaphor for new beginnings - as Vernon puts it, “Everything that happens is from now on.”

The same revelation is expressed in five words on Swanlights’ opening track, “I cried everything, everything is new.” By the end of the song the stage is set. You’re back at zero. If your emotional understanding of the world could be contained within a building, Antony would be Tyler Durden, blowing it to the ground. The distinct sadness of Antony’s voice alone has had this disarming effect since he started winning hearts with his music ten years ago, but it seems especially apt that he should start with a song like this on an album that contains some of his most simple lyricism yet.

From this point, ‘Thank You for Your Love’ needs nothing more than for Antony to repeat the title twenty times in order to convey pure elation with stunning conviction. Similarly, it allows him to deconstruct the most complex of topics to heartbreaking effect, speaking of eternal life on ‘The Great White Ocean’ as an “ocean of death”: “We must try to find a way that we can see each other’s faces in the sea.” On ‘Salt Silver Oxygen’, he speaks of a deity who punished those who disrespected her, “Elect the salt mother/For she is a selective Christ.”

The sacredness of nature might not be the most affecting topic on Swanlights, but it is here that the album’s fusion of chamber pop and minimalist musical themes is epitomised with heart-wrenching orchestration – if you are prone to bawling, here’s your cue. Closer ‘Christina’s Farm’ harks back to the beginning, “Everything was new.” His use of the past tense might imply resignation, but the fact that we can return to track one surely suggests otherwise.

Leah Pritchard

In the increasingly vast and internet-orientated music world we find ourselves, true originality and innovation are often difficult to come by. On the surface, London’s Wolf People could be accused of being retrogressive with their brand of late 60s/70s blues rock. However, it becomes apparent over the course of several listens that debut album Steeple is more than a mere imitation of the Woodstock generation’s sound.

The band uses a familiar formula but adds its own distinct trademark. Gritty guitars and a pummelling rhythm section combine to create infectiously catchy grooves and riffs, perfectly exemplified on a track like ‘Tiny Circle’; the flute-driven lead single evokes all the energy of early Jethro Tull, but suffers from none of the twee drawbacks. The band’s ambition is clearly evident on other songs such as ‘Castle Keep’, building from its soulful introduction into a melee of towering riffs over the course of seven minutes. Wolf People wear their influences on their sleeves but build upon them, resulting in a 21st Century update of a well-known approach.

Mike Hine

STEEPLEWolf PeopleOctober 11 2010Jagjaguwar

The latest offering from LA’s Brainfeeder label, Teebs’ Ardour certainly lives up to its name. Recorded during a turbulent two years defined by pennilessness and death, the album somehow manages to provide the great intensity and warmth that its title promises. With a mammoth depth of emotion pervading throughout, Teebs has taken his digital medium and given it an analogue soul. You can even hear that same cosy crackling of vinyl that pretentious faux-audiophiles are always talking about. There is a danger of inaccessibility with this breed of electronic music, comparable with that of a modern art gallery, surely something that Teebs, also a respected visual artist, is familiar with. Yet Ardour, with the unabashedly melodic ‘Long Distance’, understated grooves in single ‘Why Like This’, and swirling textures in ‘Lakeshore Ave’, remains engaging even to the most casual of listeners.

Let’s just hope Teebs is not simply dismissed as merely Flying Lotus-lite by the press as this lush debut promises so much more.

Nathan Comer

ARDOURTeebsOctober 11 2010Brainfeeder

Don’t believe the hype: when Maps & Atlases say their debut LP is ‘more pop’ than earlier EP releases, it doesn’t mean much; they won’t be Top 40 any time soon. They are still as inscrutable lyrically: what is a “Perch Patchwork” supposed to be (a fish mosaic, perhaps?), why is being greeted by a pigeon so portentous?

But underneath those strange, nasal vocals, Perch Patchwork presents itself as an incredibly busy record: stop-start guitars, unexpected but innovative drum and bass guitar interplay, strings, the occasional parping of a brass section, what appear to be pan-pipes – it’s surprising and adventurous.

Take the ‘The Charm’ with its multi-layered drum-led crescendo, or the absurdly catchy ‘Solid Ground’, the whole record feels like Maps & Atlases flexing their song writing muscles. The result? It’s a marriage of experimental waywardness, hook-laden pop songs and pretty much brilliant to boot: equally obtuse and accessible.

Mathew Pitts

PERCH PATCHWORKMaps & AtlasesOctober 04 2010Fat Cat

London-based grime artist Tinie Tempah follows his recent onslaught of the UK charts with his first full-length release, featuring contributions from Swedish House Mafia and Kelly Rowland. With lead singles ‘Pass Out’ and ‘Frisky’ still filling dancefloors, there is certainly enough new material on Disc-Overy to suggest further chart success; super-slick production from Labrinth ensures that the record maintains pace musically as long as Tinie’s bravado lasts.

However, as much as Disc-Overy works as a pop record, it is difficult not to be distracted by the way in which Tinie’s tired, clichéd aspirations of girls and great wealth are vanquished by their juxtaposition with the banalities of an evening spent in front of The X Factor: “I’m just about to clean up like a Dyson/’Cos I just say it is like Simon/I like the taste of alcohol/I got wine gums”. Aside from lyrical faux pas and some failed collaborative experiments (Ellie Goulding), Tinie should retain at least some grasp on the grime-pop sceptre for some time yet.

Jon Bauckham

DISC-OVERYTinie TempahOctober 04 2010Parlophone

When Belle & Sebastian announced Write About Love, they implored their fans to go scrawl the slogan in chalk on walls, pavements, anywhere in public. It was a neatly defiant gesture for their return after a four-year absence: they’re still going to be as obnoxiously sentimental as they like. As such, their eighth album is full of wistful fantasy and breezy melodies, low on surprises but big on tunes.

Write About Love is going to be familiar for anyone who’s been following the B&S story: it feels like a natural successor to 2006’s divisive The Life Pursuit, their first produced by Tony Hoffer who returns here. It’s slightly more sedate than that album’s booming, brassy sound, but builds on its retro, soulful vibe through tracks like the divine ‘Little Lou, Ugly Jack, Prophet John’, a Motown-esque duet between band leader Stuart Murdoch and Norah Jones. But they’re at their best when they tone things down – the synth-led ‘I Want The World To Stop’, with its slinky bassline and call-and-response lyrics, is one of the best things they’ve done since those mythical and untouchable first

couple of albums. And yep, they’re writing about love all right, albeit tinged with plenty of melancholy and fantasy. Lines such as “What a waste, I could have been your lover/What a waste, I could have been your friend” tread the fine line between familiarity and cliché, but the endearingly earnest songwriting makes sure it stays on the right side.

The album’s middle section reveals a great sense of escapism: the bored office worker in the title track – sung by Carey Mulligan, no less – and the ditzy daydreamer of ‘I’m Not Living In The Real World’ are both rewarded with sweet, upbeat pop melodies to get lost in. The album fails to keep this spark going until the end, though – as seen in trudging acoustic number ‘Read The Blessed Pages’, complete with misplaced flute solo. But these missteps are outnumbered by instantly likeable and insanely catchy pop songs.

For the most part, Write About Love scribbles out a familiar but most definitely welcome message.

Mike Mantin

SWANLIGHTSAntony and the JohnsonsOctober 04 2010Rough Trade

WRITE ABOUT LOVEBelle and SebastianOctober 11 2010Rough Trade