The Maccabees – Empty Vessels ft. Roots Manuva
Delphic
We’re not even a month into the new year and already there’s an album that could well be a contender for one of the best records of 2010 (but it’s a little early to make any shotgun presumptions).
Delphic’s Acolyte, released yesterday in the UK, feels like a sharp and crisp yet warm electronic kiss which is just what I need during this frosty time.
We posted their first single Doubt in August and since then we’ve seen some great festival performances as well as some beautifully directed music videos and a stand-out performance on Jools Holland.
They’re on tour which crosses the UK and Europe in this month and the next so if you can make it down to a gig, do it!
Easily one of our stand out tracks from the album is Red Lights but they’re all fantastic and well worth downloading!
Delphic – Red Lights – Buy from 
Delphic – Halcyon (Live on Jools Holland)
We Heart Kitsuné
Finally back after a busy Christmas plus a 10 day ski-trip to France so it’s time to get into the swing of things for 2010.
Apologies for the delay!
Let’s start the year then with a Kitsuné flavoured track from Two Door Cinema remixed by Whatever Whatever.
Last year in March we picked up on the Irish 3-piece who have since gathered some serious attention from everyone – they’re definitely ones to watch this year and it’s absolutely no surprise that Kitsuné got in as early as they did.
Two Door Cinema Club – Undercover Martyn (Whatever Whatever Remix) - download
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Two Door Cinema Club – I Can Talk
Watch Listen Tell – Golden Silvers
You may remember our little feature on a lovely London based video production company who film some really strong bands in and around the capital.
Bombay Bicycle Club was the video we featured last time but their YouTube Channel has exclusive acoustic performances by artists like Florence & The Machine, Speech Debelle and Peggy Sue And The Pirates.
Finally a new one has arrived and Golden Silvers deliver a nice raw version of Magic Touch.
Golden Silvers – Magic Touch –
We want more guys!
Ian Brown Returns
Ian Brown is back and he’s returned with one of his strongest songs to date.
Stellify is the first single from the upcoming album and the original monkey man has blown me away.
The video is as definitive as the song itself. Brown is trooping through Manchester with a full marching band behind him like a musical army. He’s never strayed too far from where he grew up and that’s one of the most important things after you ‘make’ it. Northerners are as loyal as the bloody Gurkhas!
This has been added to my ‘Best songs of 2009′ list.
Ian Brown – Stellify –
Kiss Of Life
August 2009. London, United Kingdom. Dull summer.
The sun hasn’t properly shown its cocky bright face for weeks now, and the capital is greyer than ever. I was about to surrender to the dark forces ruling weather in Britain and say goodbye to any chance of feeling warm again (oh dear, what a dramatic intro). Then I saw the video for Friendly Fires’ Kiss Of Life.
Although I felt slightly jealous at the sight of the band dancing on a beach, I couldn’t help but get hooked by the filthy carnivalesque beats of the song. And there I was, alive again. Seriously, the band made a great track, perfect dance tune. Singer Ed McFarlane’s contagious dance moves must be seen – it looks cool, but I think only he can get away with them. I’ll try them on a night out and will let you know how it goes.
So, yes, I think each Londoner needs a good kiss of life every now and then, and this track’s a good way of getting out of the city’s numbing torpor raging these days.
Friendly Fires – Kiss of Life –
Guest written by Christian P. (Follow me on Twitter here: Eluard)
Check the video for the song on the Friendly Visual Delight post.
The Kitsuné Effect
Uplifting is the first word that I associated when I first heard Delphic on the radio last night.
It was great driving around Central London with the volume turned up just below breaking point and the front windows down.
I love this single – it progresses perfectly into an electro-indie single with quick paced but gentle vocals – very radio friendly but completely uncommercial.
There’s absolutely no surprise that this is being released via Kitsune who, each year, have some of the most diverse and exciting bands come through their label.
Let’s compare Kitsune and the major record labels to high street fashion stores.
Kitsuné is the slightly run down fashion store at the quieter and slightly more run down end of the street whilst up the road it’s huge and shiny competitors beam to the public with big ad campaigns.
It’s Kitsuné however that constantly have their ear to the ground on what’s hot and release some incredibly fashionable things that get the undying attention of it’s competitors.
The big shiny fashion stores finally catch onto this really late in the day and a cheap lookalike with no real quality is released that the majority of the high street shoppers go for – unaware that a genuine piece is sitting pretty in the quiet Kitsuné shop.
And for the few of us who shop at Kitsuné, we are undoubtedly, the most satisfied customers on the high street.
Here’s the song – out on August 31st.
Delphic – This Momentary –
