POW! // Four Tet
Four Tet , real name Keiran Hebden, has long been one of Mahogany’s favourite music producers. For the last decade Four Tet has been creating some of the most beautiful underground ambient electronica – fusing influences from jazz, blues and acoustic folk with gritty electronic sounds. His music weaves the crackle and hiss of electronic equipment and sounds that sing like feedback into his beats.
Four Tet – Angel Echoes
More recently, Four Tet’s output has become increasingly dance floor friendly, but he hasn’t lost any of the musicianship of his earlier music. Even tracks that are more bass driven, such as his recent release ‘Pinnacles’, retain the ability to send you deep into thought.
Four Tet – Pinnacles
The UK dubstep and bass-music scene seem to have been the biggest influences on Four Tet’s recent music. His collaborative productions with the media shy producer Burial have resulted in some of Four Tet’s most interesting tracks in recent years. The combination of the two producer’s personal styles work together to create a sound sitting somewhere between ambient electronica and heavy bass music.
Burial & Four Tet – Moth
Four Tet also has an incredible remix reputation. Across the years he has remixed everyone from Bloc Party, Sia, Explosions in the Sky, Matthew Dear amongst a raft of others. More recently his rework of The xx’s ‘VCR’ has shown how Four Tet is able to deftly put his stamp on seemingly untouchable tracks.
The XX – VCR (Four Tet Remix)
Pelican
We were pretty excited this week to see brand new material from the Maccabees land in our inbox. The Brighton band’s performance was a highlight of Lovebox 2010 and both Colour It In and Wall of Arms have had a serious amount of play on the Mahogany stereo. So, without further ado, here is their latest track Pelican. Typically gorgeous swift vocal harmonies race over tightly thrashed guitars and a dancing rhythm. Its pretty a much a given to be all over indie dance floors in the new year. ‘Pelican’ is the first single to be released from their new album Given To The Wild out on 9th January.
The Maccabees – Pelican
The Maccabees are touring the UK in January – catch them at one of the below dates.
22nd Jan – Lemon Tree, Aberdeen
23rd Jan – QMU, Glasgow
24th Jan – Newcastle Academy, Newcastle
26th Jan – Brixton Academy, London
27th Jan – Birmingham Institute, Birmingham
28th Jan – Ritz, Manchester
Red Sun (Remixes)
Until the Great Escape festival in Brighton earlier this year, I’d never seen Saint Saviour play live. All previous experiences had been through her music videos, some of which are absolutely stunning (like the one below) and we really got the full works that day with a fantastic Mahogany session in the afternoon, followed by a full live gig alongside her band at a stunning church in the city centre.
Since then all her releases, remixes and videos have been closely watched and more often than not I’m left in awe at the atmosphere she manages to create with her voice and overall storming productions.
Saint Saviour aka Becky isn’t signed to a major label, nor is she managed by a large agency. She’s an entirely a self-made musician with complete creative control and you can see that so clearly which in itself is massively refreshing and no doubt rewarding for her. Despite that, she still needs a label to make her music heard around the world because she has something very special, it’s just relying on some small platforms to gain it traction.
These two remixes of her track Red Sun are so so good and listed in order of preference, the Echo Lake one is a clear favourite for us.
Saint Saviour – Red Sun (Echo Lake Remix)
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Saint Saviour – Red Sun (Behling Remix)
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Check out her video for Fallen Trees and a track (remixed above) for the session we filmed with her.
Saint Saviour – Fallen Trees
Saint Saviour – Red Sun
Lion, Zion, Pion!
Deep House is as much a weakness of mine as Galaxy chocolate bars, fortunately there’s no aggressive weight gain associated with bingeing on beats and Pion has been my house fix this week.
The Serbian producer only as a handful of tracks on his SoundCloud page and little information but there’s no need at this junction for a full blown biography – the music is doing all the talking needed.
Pion – Past Summer
Pion – The End Of The World
Have a great weekend!
LazyTalk // Mahogany Session
You might have never heard of London’s LazyTalk until today but we truly believe that you’ll start to hear a hell of a lot more of them as we move into the new year.
These are boys who despite playing the standard drums, guitars, bass and vocals – never let their passion for drum and bass fade and that’s why they’re so distinctive.
We headed down to their book shop in North London and they played two outstanding tracks that are currently doing the rounds online and the film crew were blown away!
LazyTalk – Memories // Mahogany Session
LazyTalk – She Loves Me Not // Mahogany Session
The One That Got Away
The pension fund is shaping up nicely for Plastic Plates as his succession of rather major remix commissions continues and this time it’s Katy Brand, I mean Perry who get’s a tasty reworking.
Plastic Plates has found his feet pretty firmly in the pop section, slapping his own almost trademark sounds to everyone from Adele to The Human League.
Katy Perry – The One That Got Away (Plastic Plates remix)
Straw With That?
Keith and Hollie are a happily married couple from Portland, Oregon who aside from taking part in the typical marital activities, create some dreamy music together.
Currently being pushed out on the independent label Village Green, the duo split responsibilities with Hollie providing the angelic vocals and Keith takes good care of the keyboards and distorted guitar and the result is inspired, made even more genuine given the pairs connection.
Aviary came out toward the end of the summer whilst the (creepy) official video for Why Don’t We came out last month.
Mint Julep – Aviary
Mint Julep – Why Don’t We
Dems
At first listen, London based 3-piece Dems aren’t the most obvious choice to have supported Azealia Banks at her debut London live show earlier this month. Their sound is worlds apart from Azealia’s bold MC style, but the quality of Dems’ output is equally exciting and even with the din of people waiting to see Azealia, their emotional vocal electronica cut straight through.
Their ‘House’ EP offers an accomplished lead track, but the heart-wrenching b-side ‘Down On You’ is particularly special. Featuring remixes from Evil Nine and Jean Nipon, the EP is out now.
Dems – House
Dems – Down On You
