Internet Songs of the Week
This week can be defined by disappointment.
George Osborne named an N.W.A. show as one of his favourite ever, Andrew WK put his stamp of approval on an album by a magical cat, Drake tried and failed to fund another series of Top Boy and, the biggest tease of all, CoS reported LCD Soundsystem were getting back together before giving us the big ol’ “LOL JK” treatment.
Sigh.
At least there’s ISOTW to cheer us up. Here’s what our musical luminaries have been mulling over this week.
Tarquin Manek - Sassafras Gesundheit
Blackest Ever BlackWhile celebrating “five wretched years” of their gothic aesthetic, Blackest Ever Black have lined up a formidable series of releases from the likes of Regis, Tropic of Cancer and striking newcomers F ingers. Their latest is another walk down ambient’s dark alleys with this track from Tarquin Manek’s. Sassafras Gesundheit is a gloomy nocturne with a sense of unending forward motion, its haunting arpeggio driving through a mist of echoed sounds.
Typically gripping stuff.
Briana Marela - Dani
JagjaguwarSeattle’s Briana Marela is a master of quiet. Her breathy, glassy vocals lend themselves sublimely to this Alex Somers-produced track. Working with the Sigur Ros producer on her latest album has lifted Marela onto a celestial plain of melodramatic key changes and soaring choruses that could only come with the Icelandic touch.
Dani has been on heavy rotation here in the office ever since we got a sneaky preview of the album and I’m just bloody chuffed we can finally share it with the world.
Pinegrove - New Friends
Run for Cover Records“I resolve to make new friends, I liked my old ones but I fucked up so I’ll start again”, croons Evan Stephens of Hall of Pinegrove in their most recent single New Friends.
The bittersweet sentiment is infinitely relatable – everyone’s had that fear of screwing up beyond repair at least once, right? Right? There is an underlying sense of hope in the song conveyed in Evan’s fantastic vocals, warm power chords and the playful banjo that lingers in the background. By the end of the three minutes you can’t help but feel that everything is going to turn out just fine.
Evan has been writing introspective, personal songs that are instantly empathetic for the last five years. Now Pinegrove are signed to the Boston indie darlings Run For Cover Records you’ll be hearing a lot more of them. High five!
Day Wave - You Are Who You Are
House Arrest RecsDay Wave makes the kind of music that makes you nostalgic for something impalpable, because you’ve not even lived it. You’re being nostalgic for someone else’s life, you kook! You can’t help it though, so I forgive you.
This song conjures crisp leaves, your breath hanging in the cold air, and hanging out in the cosy indoors – basically all the mellow trappings of autumntide.
I do wish his name was Davy Wave though, because that would be much better.
Ciara - Paint It, Black
It gives me no, erm, satisfaction to agree with the kind of grumpy old blokes who refer to The Rolling Stones as “The Stones”, but this is a load of shit.
To be fair, it’s for the soundtrack of the next Vin Diesel film, so I’m not going to judge Ciara for nailing the brief.
This week can be defined by disappointment
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