Categories
Reviews

Review: 2000 Trees Festival 2010

Image courtesy of VirtualFestivals.com

It was different this year. As 2000 Trees entered its fourth year it would appear that it is starting to become ”˜known”™. So much so that for the first time since the festival”™s start, they managed to sell out tickets to the event before it started.

The problem with selling more tickets is that there are more people to get into the site and this means queues. And it”™s in a queue that I found myself on Friday morning when Maybeshewill took to the stage. While I may not have been able to see the stage, thankfully I was able to hear them as I waited to enter the site. The people in front of me in the queue may not have been fans of the soft post-rock meanderings that wafted over us, thinking that it all sounded the same (I didn”™t want to point out that it was in fact just one long post-rock epic) – they didn”™t appreciate the sounds that gently caressed us and made the hour long queue a bit more bearable.

Post rock was to be a bit of theme for me for the entire weekend which is good as it”™s a genre I have a fondness for as can be seen in my post rock playlist. But before my next instalment of post rock there were some other acts to see.

Bags dropped off at the campsite we first made a move to the Leaf Lounge to catch part of the David Goo Variety Band set followed by Midnight Mile – two bands that, thanks to The Cheltenham Underground and I Started The Fire, I had seen before and two bands that produced solid sets. David Goo is an act that is extremely hard to categorise: imagine if you grabbed a bit of every genre and mixed it together with a bit of theatre and you”™d start to get an idea of what to expect. Midnight Mile are much easier to describe, being part of the I Started The Fire folk based label you know where their roots are but mixed with a bit of soul and acoustica to produce a deep soul felt sound.

But there was no time to hang around the Leaf Lounge as there was an appointment to be kept at the Green House for the performance of Spotisfaction hero Men Diamler. A solo performer that has more power than many bands I have seen Men Diamler truly has to be seen to be believed. Wandering on and off stage as the whim takes him Men Diamler doesn”™t need a sound system to be at his best and many an audience member will get a very close, and sometimes intimidating, look at his performance. I have seen Men Diamler a few times in the last few months and his performances just seem to be improving. A mix of own songs and traditional spiritual songs, hymns and shanties this is a sound that can divide the opinion of the listeners as much as his antics can physically divide the audience.

Then time to hit the main stage for one of the acts I really wanted to see and yes it was a bit of post rock. And So I Watch You From Afar may sound like something a stalker would say but it”™s also more words than you”™ll hear in an entire set from the band. An entirely instrumental set may not be everyone”™s cup of tea but these guys pulled it off with aplomb. The band were tight and the sound was phenomenal, this was post rock excellence being performed for our pleasure. With a sound much heavier than some of their post rock counterparts, this quintet from Belfast stormed through a flawless set full of swooping guitars and thrashing drums that is much more tightly structured then it may appear to the casual listener. The sheer forcefulness of their sound is proof that while lyrics can move you, music alone can get you moving.

A break for some food, and some more cider, as well as a wander around the site to check things out before heading back to the main stage to check out the headliners.

First up were Errors, more post-rock musing but this time with a much more electronic, synth laden feel. Melodic and tuneful, the Glaswegian four piece effortlessly blend their playful synth refrains with post-rock guitars and frantic drumming. There is comfortable cohesiveness amongst the band that creates a sound that almost rolls off the stage and over the crowd, settling comfortably into the spaces around everyone. This music isn”™t in your face, it”™s more subtle, tempting you in to investigate more.

Next we had Metronomy and quite frankly this was one of the best sets of the weekend. Full of energy and, of course, with a funky light show, Metronomy”™s current line up lit up the stage both literally and metaphorically. A mixture of smart electro pop and experimental new rave Metronomy can be hard to categorise but when they put on a show like this genres mean nothing. Pumping tunes like Heatbreaker and You Could Easily Have Me into the audience, the crowd responded with some highly energetic dancing that lifted the mood of the festival above the rain that had fallen during the day.

And finally there was headliner Frank Turner”¦
”¦hmm yeah I think I”™ll just leave that one there

[Kev]

Categories
Features

Feature: Gig Rig

Howdy folks, and merry Friday to one and all!

Monday”™s feature, Tomorrow”™s Sounds Today, included reviews for the latest releases from I Am Kloot and Lissie, both of whom have gigs coming up at Thekla in Bristol in September and October respectively. If you liked what you heard then why not check them out live.

In the run up to their appearance at V Festival and following the success last year of their latest album, West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum, Kasabian will be performing a one-off gig at the O2 Academy in Brixton. Definitely worth a look-in if you live in the London area.

Fenech-Soler and Hurts are two artists that make an appearance on Kitsuné Maison Compilation 9: Petite Bateau Edition, the latest instalment from the French electronic music label Kitsuné. They have already had a decent amount of airtime on the radio and with a bit of luck will be destined for great things.

As always, hit the link for listings.

Continue reading “Feature: Gig Rig”
Categories
Reviews

Review: Captain Horizon – Captain Horizon


Following our interview with these guys earlier this week, we review their eponymous four-track debut EP Captain Horizon.

Listening to Captain Horizon, I get it.  I feel like the band are introducing themselves to us, shaking our hands, and loosely highlighting their surface ideals – a handful of steady, light influences to engratiate themselves and spark some dialogue, without really getting into the nitty gritty of their deeper, more thoughtful, individual abberations.

The EP starts with Poker, a barn-storming alt-rock showpiece.  The intro appears reminiscent of Oasis”™ The Shock Of The Lightning, but any allusions to the indie plebs are shot out of the water as soon as the main grunge-tinted riff kicks in, driven by the furious bass work of the consistently compelling Alex Thomson.  The opening gambit from singer Steve Whittington – a gutteral screech pitched somewhere between Chris Cornell and Steven Tyler – tells us where we are: this is classic, stadium rock, and you”™re going to feel every drop of Whitty”™s blood, sweat and lyrical spit.

It”™s not until the final 20 seconds of the song that we notice the band have a drummer at all.  For the preceding 3 minutes the beats have been simple 2/4 measure; sure, the occassional fills were air-tight, but there”™s a niggling question as to why rhythm is being avoided altogether.  It”™s not until Whitty raises the roof on the final rendition of the chorus that drummer James Merrix takes control, stretching us over an aching triplet fill that drops into half time, brilliantly drawing out the pulse and bringing a taut ending to an upliftingly tense conclusion.

Next up is riff-laden Fall Like That, a nod to Audioslave that never quite matches the distinction set by Poker.  Thomson continues to power the band, his bass runs during the chorus focussing our attention, and later holding together an otherwise disappointing solo section.

By far the EPs highlight is third track What”™s Going On?.  The four-piece dove-tail each other to marvellous effect, blending their influences and talents into one fantastic composition.  Merrix and Thomson provide suitably understated backing for guitarist Joshua Watson”™s exquisite guitar lines.  While the solo on Fall Like That seemed restrained and by-the-book, it”™s on What”™s Going On? that the melodic flow of Watson”™s legatto style comes to real fruition.  Watson and Thomson trade riffs until, on 3 minutes, the chorus comes back and Watson”™s musical voice is given some airtime – and when the chorus comes back with the band in full swing, we”™ve been treated to the best 30 second of the EP.  Watson and Thomson also provide great vocal support to Whittington, who shows his fantastic vocal capabilities the most here – honest but restrained in the verses, angry but dignified in the chorus.

Tears From The Eye is the bands attempt at a bluesy ballad, and it”™s here that I appreciated what the aim was for this EP – each song is a standard of some sort, aimed at showing the various nuances the band are capable of.  In this respect, each of the songs are successful.  Tears From The Eye is well paced and well balanced.  Where it falls down, perhaps, is that it”™s a little too standard – in trying to avoid calling a song ”˜Tears”™, it”™s called Tears From The Eye, leading to the question.. where else do tears come from?  The outro riff brings a nice change of pace to the song and a definitive end to the EP, but the riff just isn”™t all that fun”¦

Now these boys have fleshed out all these ideas and they know what works, I think the next release will provide a better indication of the direction Captain Horizon is going in.  Here”™s a group of 4 talented and ambitious guys, now we want to hear them have a little fun.  The band are currently working on a new EP, and we look forward to a full-length in good time, where they”™ll have room to showcase their range of talents without the worry of squeezing it all into 4 tracks.  Garnering praise for their live show as well, we also recommend you see Captain Horizon at a gig soon.

The EP is available to listen to on Spotify now.

6.7/10

Categories
Playlists

89 Spotisfaction Friday – 23rd July 2010 – Woody Whyte

Afternoon, folkens. How goes it?

Apparently, it”™s Friday today. This means that we are due a weekend. What you guys doing this weekend? I”™m planning on heading over to The Swan in Cheltenham for Swanfest, an annual music alldayer comprised of local talent. Amongst this years acts are the fantastic Juey, John Madden & Tom Mitchell and Stressechos. I”™ll be there from 2pm, what about you?

Today”™s playlist is something that is going to take many of us back a number of years to simpler, more romantic times. The innocence of youth, eh? It”™s Woody”™s college rock playlist. I hopeth you enjoy.

Also: Send More Playlists.

89 Spotisfaction Friday (22 Jul) – WWhyte

Playlist:

  1. Pavement – Cut Your Hair
  2. Weezer – Say It Ain”™t So
  3. The Breeders – Cannonball
  4. REM – The One I Love
  5. Violent Femmes – Kiss Off
  6. Pixies – Gigantic
  7. Jane”™s Addiction – Been Caught Stealing
  8. Nirvana – About A Girl
  9. Third Eye Blind – Semi-Charmed Life
  10. Nada Surf – Popular
  11. Sonic Youth – Kool Thing
  12. L7 – Pretend We”™re Dead
  13. Drop Nineteens – Winona
  14. The Replacements – Here Comes A Regular
  15. Weezer – Island In The Sun
Categories
News Reviews

News: Foals


Image courtesy of Amazon.co.uk
Following their Mercury Prize Nomination, Foals”™ Total Life Forever is now available to listen to on Spotify.

The Spotify release includes a 23 minute interview with Yannis, speaking about the new album, his childhood, his growing interest in subversive culture and music, and a revealing commentary on the growth of the band since the first album. Listen to this, now!

Taken from my Foals Glastonbury review:

“The new album, Total Life Forever (Transgressive, 2010), was a realisation of the growing maturity in the band. The songs are louder, deeper (take a bow, Mr Sitek), more balanced, more energetic. It”™s still definitely downtempo, but you sense, when you see Foals live, that they”™ve got their craft exactly right now – explore songs and dynamics on record, but see them live to truly understand the band.”

Categories
Playlists

Playlist: Tramlines Festival

Here’s Rhys (in his own, unapologetically unique style) with his take on this weekend’s free Tramlines Festival in Sheffield. If you’re going, let him know in the comments below – he’ll be the crazy person, you won’t miss him.

*Dons Ringmaster Costume*

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls. Roll up. Roll up for a free festival in the fine Yorkshire city of Sheffield. You heard me right, Madam. Free. For You. In Sheffield. This Weekend. That’s right, this weekend of the 24th to the 26th of July. What’s that Sir? The Queues? You have heard correctly, Sir, that last year Queues were a problem but worry no more! We have rectified this problem and the result is less waiting and more entertaining!

We have a cavalcade of artistes and troubadours for your delectation and delight. Take a look at this e-flyer for details, and as a sneak peek take a listen to this Electronic Concert I have complied for you of our Biggest Names. All you need do is click here.

More details of the concert performers and some of their songs after the jump!

Tramlines 2010 Playlist:

  1. Echo And The Bunnymen – The Killing Moon
  2. Mystery Jets – Lorna Doone
  3. Simian Mobile Disco – Tits & Acid
  4. 65daysofstatic – The Major Cities Of The World Are Being Destroyed One By One By The Monsters
  5. Toddla T featuring Mr Versatile – Rice And Peas
  6. Blood Red Shoes – Don’t Ask
  7. Rolo Tomassi – I love Turbulence
  8. Dum Dum Girls – Longhair
  9. Craig David – What’s Your Flava? – Radio Edit
  10. Darwin Deez – The Suicide Song
  11. Oris Jay – Trippin (Original Mix)
  12. The Hoosiers – Worried About Ray
  13. Focus – Harem Scarem
  14. The King Blues – Save The World, Get The Girl
  15. Pulled Apart By Horses – I Punched A Lion In The Throat
  16. Three Trapped Tigers – 6
  17. Macka B – I Don’t Like Reggae
  18. The Twilight Sad – That Summer, At Home I Had Become The Invisible Boy
  19. Dinosaur Pile-Up – Opposites Attract

So just click here to hear them. And remember the big performance is this weekend. Come one, Come all.

Categories
Features Reviews

Feature: New to Spotify

[Editors note: This was supposed to be published on Monday 19th July. However, due to circumstances beyond our control it was delayed until this evening. We have decided to leave this article intact and not change anything as to uphold the writers integrity. So when you read this (and I honestly suggest you do) please make pretend it is in fact, Monday 19th. We extend our deepest apologies for the delay.]

Greetings travellers and welcome to the section of Spotisfaction that deals with all that is new and improved! In this series our aim is to get our hands dirty with what”™s new and unheard in the vast waters of Spotify and to give you our tasters and recommendations based on those findings on a fortnightly basis. We hope you enjoy what you read and what you hear, with any luck it will lead you to new artists and sounds.

All of the selections in this fortnightly musical smorgasbord have come up in recent days in the “what”™s new” section in Spotify. To make life easier for you the consumer, the Spotisfaction team has done what it does best and listened through them all and selected for you what we feel are some of the best bits. Enjoy!

1. I Am Kloot ”“ Sky At Night
If you”™ve never listened to I am Kloot before this album is a great place to start. Tuneful, melodic and mellow with great storytelling. Clever feelgood tales encapsulated in subtle strings, soulful piano and glorious harmonies. It is sometimes difficult to draw parallels in albums and often unfair to encapsulate people. This album contains such rich variety both musically and lyrically that it almost defies encapsulation. Its an album to give your undivided attention in some “you” time. To give it a casual listen doesn”™t give it justice, a great antidote to life outside. Grab a drink and your cans and let the stories become a part of you.

2. Laura Marling ”“ Mumford & Sons, Laura Marling & Dharohar Project
A short EP but in my mind, great musical progress. If you haven”™t heard Laura”™s most recent album, I would strongly recommend it but this EP mixes a great blend of folk guitar, vocal craftsmanship and indian music. Its a mix on paper you would never think as one that would work but the resultant effect is one so strong it begs a whole album. The lead track is a remix of the excellent Devil”™s Spoke but sufficiently different to avoid the feeling of short-changed.

3. The Roots ”“ How I Got Over
I”™m sure most of you are no strangers to the excellent, boundary-pushing work done by The Roots and this album is no different. It”™s not often that an artist can demand a listen without justification but this is another of those excellent efforts. So many styles and instruments come to blend and served with that unmistakable beat craftsmanship they are famous for, a top choice.

4. Belle & Sebastian ”“ Push Barman To Open Old Wounds
This 25 track epic can”™t be accused of not being value for your hard earned! The concept of “double albums” seems to have waned over the years and the move into the digital age has made many lazy in commerical record land, knowing they can get away with 7 tracks or extreme filler. Musically this album screams positivity without ramming it down your throat or becoming sugar coated saccharin. Some of the tunes are not conventional happy but every time I listen to it I feel summer , I want to take to open space with a picnic blanket, some shades, this album and just let the world go by while I feel good in my little bubble. Echoes of Velvet Underground, hints of the Undertones, an album I”™m sure the great JP would have loved!

5 – Two Door Cinema Club ”“ Tourist History
These guys were completely new to me when I first put this album on to play and my immediate thought was “Bloc Party”. That in my opinion could not be a bad thing but on a second listen I realised that was unfair. They borrow a little of the style but there is so much more to it. Brilliantly layered tracks with an unmistakable flow, hints to other bands hear and there but it all comes together in a bright, clean, pacey extravaganza that will not leave you disappointed.

6 – Lissie ”“ Why You Runnin”™
A sneaky little EP for the end and another folk one. It seems that Folk is in a difficult place in many ways, lots of people associate the word with different things but I think there are a strong breed of female folk artists out there at the moment, with this being another great example. Essences of Joni Mitchell vocally and lyrically but with a glorious guitar backbone running through subtly augmented with Piano and a whole cavalcade of instruments and voice. If you only listen to one of my recommendations this month, please try this one and give this style of music another try.

I hope you enjoy our choices, A playlist containing this and a few other subtle picks not listed is below if you don”™t want them on a per album basis. See you in 2 weeks!

New to Spotify – July 19th 2010

Battinski

Categories
Features

Interview: Captain Horizon

Spotify is, as we”™ve said before, a great tool for sharing music. It”™s affordable, it”™s legal, the artists are recognised, and millions of people all over the world are using it. As a tool to spread music, it”™s unmatched, and up-and-coming artists are recognising it as so. We spoke to Captain Horizon, an unsigned band who are using Spotify and other digital media tools to promote their music, alongside successful festival appearances at Glastonbudget and Sonic Rock Solstice this summer, about their approach to digital promotion.



Spotisfaction: Hey guys, hope you”™re all well. How”™s life?

Captain Horizon: It”™s good thanks, we just won a battle of the bands last night so we”™re all in a pretty good mood today :D – though we”™re also helping Alex move house so we”™re sitting in an empty room, on the floor, huddled round the laptop!

SF: You won! Fantastic. To introduce you guys to the readership, who are you, where are you from, and what are you up to? Tell us about the gigs you”™re doing atm and the competition you won yesterday.

CH: Big question! We”™re Captain Horizon, a four piece alt-rock band from Birmingham consisting of front man Steve “Whitty” Whittington, Guitarist Joshua Watson, Bassist Alex Thomson & Drummer James “Mez” Merrix. We”™re gigging around, just trying to get our songs out there and build up a bit of interest and excitement. At the moment we”™re mainly gigging in the Midlands – Brum, Nottingham etc. We did a couple of festivals this summer, Glastonbudget and Sonic Rock Solstice, both were awesome and we”™ve been having a blast playing to new people.

The competition we won yesterday was the Evesham battle of the bands, it”™s been a really awesome competition because it”™s judged on the music, stage presence and performance rather than how many of your mates you can clobber into coming down to support you. It”™s been really refreshing and the crowd down there are all awesome and really warm and supportive. The prize was £750 quid which really helps us with rehearsal space costs and all that.

SF: Have you been able to use the competition, and your other gigs, to promote your digital space? By that I mean, you have a visible presence on MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, and your EP is on Spotify, so do you find yourself just giving out CDs, or do you make more of an effort to advertise your Spotify/MySpace content? Is there a strategy to combine the two?

CH: Well, [we] try and use a combination of both really. Simply because we don”™t want to alienate the older generation of music lovers who won”™t tend to use these services as much as the younger generation. We have the usual presence on the various social sites, such as MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. We”™ve found that most of our fans tend to follow us and communicate with us on our Facebook fan page, which we tend to channel more effort into that particular area than some of the other sites.

During gigs we always hand out flyers which always point people to our website, which is the central hub for everything that we have online. We”™ve got plans to extend this further – to integrate the experience of these social sites into ours and to allow us to connect all of our fans together. It will be something which when implemented will be a benchmark for other band websites to follow.

But something to remember is that it”™s not just about promoting the digital space – the web is an awesome tool for promoting our music and gigs, and that”™s the focus!

SF: Well exactly. As mentioned, your EP is on Spotify, which is great tool to get your music heard. How has that been?

CH: It”™s been great to get new people to listen to the music – you can just send them a playlist link or people just using the search often come across us. Oh and the royalties help too!

SF: Could you tell us more about the process? How did you decide Spotify was right for you, how did you go about doing it, and has it proven worth it? Will you be using it for your forthcoming material, and would you recommend other unsigned bands follow your suit?

CH: Well, when the EP was finished, making it available online was going to be an essential part of getting our music out there to anywhere in the world through anyones preferred retailer. We found a digital distribution service called Ditto Music – who were able to help us get our music onto a number of websites (and make it chart elligible!) and fortunately enough, Spotify was one of the places they were able to distribute our music to.

We”™ll definitely be using it for the next EP which should be coming out later in the year if all goes well. And for sure it”™s a great service for unsigned bands, if only because it makes it so easy for new people to hear the music, which is what you want at the end of the day. The other thing is that it”™s extremely affordable for unsigned bands.

SF: Tell us more about your self-titled EP. How long were you working on it?

CH: Well the songs were worked [on] over a few months – when we started the band we only had three or four originals so it was really fun working up the material for a decent EP as quickly as possible. When it came to recording, we decided to use a studio rather than record it ourselves, as we had been for our demos. We wanted to go to a cool place where we could focus on the performances without having to keep our engineer hats on at the same time. The place we chose was Vale Studios in Evesham (we love that place!). It”™s in a big 14th century country mansion which was incredible to stay in, and the studio is all fitted out with vintage gear – old valve equipment and a huge mixing desk.

Once we”™d got the tracks recorded we took it back to our practice studio for mixing and Josh worked on it for about a month while mez designed the artwork and got the website geared up for promoting the finished CD. The finishing touches were added by mastering engineer Andy Jackson, who got a grammy for Pink Floyd”™s “Division Bell” so that was pretty cool!

SF: How did you find working with such an influential engineer? Was he receptive to your vision for the sound of the EP, or did you defer to him a lot (hell, I would have done!)?

CH: Well as the mastering engineer he kind of had to work with the mixes we gave him, which was pretty nerve racking for Josh! But the whole point of a mastering engineer is a fresh set of ears and a fresh room, so you”™ve kinda got to trust their opinions. We did say we didn”™t want it to be too over-compressed and loud because that crushes a lot of the life out of the music, and he was more than happy to listen to that! The recording engineer was called Chris D”™adda, he was really excited about the band from day one – he”™s so into rock music it”™s almost silly, when you start playing and see this big grin from the other side of the glass you know you”™re in good hands, especially when you listen to the playback and know he”™s captured what you wanted to put across as you played the song.

We didn”™t want an overproduced record and there”™s nothing on the EP we can”™t pull off live. We felt that was important for a debut EP – show people what the band is about, rather than how well we can polish ourselves.

SF I think you”™ve done that, the EP sounds earthy and like a band, rather than in-your-face production for the sake of it. And you”™ve hinted at more material later this year, what can we look forward to?

CH: Well we”™ve had more time to refine our sound and explore what we”™re about, so I think the new material is going to be a bit more defining for us – the songs are different but you can hear they”™ve been written by the same four guys. We”™re possibly moving towards something a bit more modern – fast tempos, atmosphere and cool riffs and a little less “classic rock” than the likes of “Fall Like That” from the debut EP. We also think it”™s important to keep evolving. Most of the big name bands that we enjoy have done that, exploring new ground and trying new things. It keeps it interesting and it keeps you on the edge which is where the excitement is! We”™ve got this new song, “Stop”, and it”™s so much fun to play, it”™s a bit like a roller coaster for us. There”™s a slide solo in the middle. Josh loves slide. We”™re also going for more big dynamic changes – the kind of stuff that makes listeners go “what was that!?”

SF: We look forward to that! Where can we see you guys next, and where can our readers find out more about you?

CH: Well, we”™re at a place called the Tap and Tumbler in Nottingham on 23rd July and heading to another venue called the Actress & Bishop in Birmingham on the 20th August. We”™re also going to be doing a couple of charity gigs for ”˜Help for Heroes”™.

People can find us by going to http://www.captainhorizon.co.uk. They can also find us by searching for ”˜captainhorizon”™ / ”˜Captain Horizon”™ on various social networks or other band related websites.

SF: Great stuff, we look forward to hearing the new material and congratulations again on winning the Evesham Battle of the Bands. Thanks for taking the time with us today!

CH: No problem, it”™s been great talking to you! Now we have to go back to helping Alex move house. Save us.

Captain Horizon are available on Spotify, Facebook, Twitter and all the latest information is available on their website. Look out for a review of their EP later this week.

Categories
Playlists

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4mbAhmbkydOvUCLd3wLrsp

Bonjour et mercredi heureux. Apportez la discoth̬que! TodayӪs playlist is one of mine and is a combination of funky tracks that have got me through the last few days of stressful moving and acts that played 2000trees festival. All in all, itӪs a pretty good mix. Check it.

As an aside, we”™re really short staffed at the moment. So if you”™ve submitted something please bear with us. We will try and get back to you as soon as possible.

88 Spotisfaction Wednesday (21 Jul) – TLavelle

Tracklist

  1. Terry Poison – Comme ci comme ca (The Twelves Remix)
  2. Goldheart Assembly – King Of Rome
  3. Klaxons – Forgotten Works
  4. Errors – A Rumor In Africa
  5. Trentemoller – Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!!
  6. 65daysofstatic – Dance Dance Dance
  7. Abe Vigoda – House
  8. Tubelord – Night Of Pencils
  9. Sleigh Bells – Infinity Guitars
  10. Desaparecidos – Popn”™ Off At The F
  11. Little Fish – Am I Crazy
  12. Sky Larkin – Octopus ”˜08
  13. The Xcerts – Home Versus Home
  14. And So I Watched You From Afar – Set Guitars To Kill
  15. Vessels – Altered Beast
  16. Three Trapped Tigers – 6
  17. Maybeshewill – He Films The Clouds Pt. 2
  18. Daft Punk – Too Long (Gonzales Version)
  19. Air – So Light Is Her Footfall
  20. Metronomy – Love Song For Dog

Haven”™t got much to say about this playlist. I just knocked it up as I fancied listening to a few tracks. Kicking off is The Twelves Remix of “Comme ci comme ca”, which in typical Twelves style brings the disco. If you”™ve never heard these Brazillian love bastards at work, this is a fantastic place to start. I slipped Goldheart Assembly”™s “King Of Rome” in next because it just feels good, you know? Let”™s keep things happy for now, eh?
Tubelord were at 2000trees, unfortunately I missed them. To make up for it, I”™ll just leave “Night Of Pencils” here. I also missed Sky Larkin at the recent Broken Social Scene gig, which is a shame as they are fantastic – “Octopus ”˜08” highlights this, then underlines it. Then draws a lightening bolt behind it. Kickin”™ rad aces.

And So I Watched You From Afar were one of my favourite acts I did see at 2000trees. They were tight, they were vibrant and “Set Guitars To Kill” really sets the scene for the second half of the playlist.

Gonzales has a knack for picking fantastic tracks to re-imagining, and I”™m sure you”™ll remember the reworking of “Too Long” from Daft Punk”™s catalogue.

Closing this playlist is Air”™s sublime “So Light Is Her Footfall” and Metronomy”™s “Love Song For A Dog”, which to be fair feels a little out of place, but I just wanted to end with it. They were fantastic at 2000trees and I know for a fact made a few converts to their cause with their sublime set.

For now, for then, au revoir.

Bonjour et mercredi heureux. Apportez la discoth̬que! TodayӪs playlist is one of mine and is a combination of funky tracks that have got me through the last few days of stressful moving and acts that played 2000trees festival. All in all, itӪs a pretty good mix. Check it.

As an aside, we”™re really short staffed at the moment. So if you”™ve submitted something please bear with us. We will try and get back to you as soon as possible.

88 Spotisfaction Wednesday (21 Jul) – TLavelle

Tracklist

  1. Terry Poison – Comme ci comme ca (The Twelves Remix)
  2. Goldheart Assembly – King Of Rome
  3. Klaxons – Forgotten Works
  4. Errors – A Rumor In Africa
  5. Trentemoller – Silver Surfer, Ghost Rider Go!!!
  6. 65daysofstatic – Dance Dance Dance
  7. Abe Vigoda – House
  8. Tubelord – Night Of Pencils
  9. Sleigh Bells – Infinity Guitars
  10. Desaparecidos – Popn”™ Off At The F
  11. Little Fish – Am I Crazy
  12. Sky Larkin – Octopus ”˜08
  13. The Xcerts – Home Versus Home
  14. And So I Watched You From Afar – Set Guitars To Kill
  15. Vessels – Altered Beast
  16. Three Trapped Tigers – 6
  17. Maybeshewill – He Films The Clouds Pt. 2
  18. Daft Punk – Too Long (Gonzales Version)
  19. Air – So Light Is Her Footfall
  20. Metronomy – Love Song For Dog

Haven”™t got much to say about this playlist. I just knocked it up as I fancied listening to a few tracks. Kicking off is The Twelves Remix of “Comme ci comme ca”, which in typical Twelves style brings the disco. If you”™ve never heard these Brazillian love bastards at work, this is a fantastic place to start. I slipped Goldheart Assembly”™s “King Of Rome” in next because it just feels good, you know? Let”™s keep things happy for now, eh?
Tubelord were at 2000trees, unfortunately I missed them. To make up for it, I”™ll just leave “Night Of Pencils” here. I also missed Sky Larkin at the recent Broken Social Scene gig, which is a shame as they are fantastic – “Octopus ”˜08” highlights this, then underlines it. Then draws a lightening bolt behind it. Kickin”™ rad aces.

And So I Watched You From Afar were one of my favourite acts I did see at 2000trees. They were tight, they were vibrant and “Set Guitars To Kill” really sets the scene for the second half of the playlist.

Gonzales has a knack for picking fantastic tracks to re-imagining, and I”™m sure you”™ll remember the reworking of “Too Long” from Daft Punk”™s catalogue.

Closing this playlist is Air”™s sublime “So Light Is Her Footfall” and Metronomy”™s “Love Song For A Dog”, which to be fair feels a little out of place, but I just wanted to end with it. They were fantastic at 2000trees and I know for a fact made a few converts to their cause with their sublime set.

For now, for then, au revoir.

Categories
Playlists

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0HSijIB7UDRu0p62muBkic

Good afternoon to you all. Today”™s playlist was a little delayed. Hopefully the sheer brutality of it will distract you from the fact that I”™m not going to apologise for the late update.

Today”™s playlist is a metal collaboration between regulars Paul “Fozz” Foster and James TAE and you can hear it right here, whenever you wish.

87 Spotisfaction Monday (19 Jul) – PFoster&JTAE

Playlist Title: MetalAffliction

  1. Planetary Duality I: Hideous Revelation – Faceless
  2. The Naked And The Dead – Mnemic
  3. Light – Periphery
  4. Toxicity – System of A Down
  5. 5 Minutes Alone – Pantera
  6. God Send Death – Slayer
  7. Demanufacture – Fear Factory
  8. Duality – Slipknot
  9. Pollution – Limp Bizkit
  10. Did My Time – Korn
  11. Battle Ready – Otep
  12. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse – Dimmu Borgir
  13. Minerva – Deftones
  14. Pet – A Perfect Circle
  15. Weight – ISIS
  16. The Drapery Falls – Opeth
  17. Flying Whales – Gojira
  18. Pineal Gland Optics – Meshuggah
  19. CAFO – Animals As Leaders
  20. Inferno (Unleash The Fire) – Symphony X
  21. Laid To Rest – Lamb Of God
  22. Mid-death Crisis – Stampin”™ Ground
  23. Sabbra Cadabra – Black Sabbath

Collaboration by Paul “Fozz” Foster (Contributor) and James Cook (Curator)

Blurbalicious:
Both Fozz and JC had begun independently working on a Metal playlist, and discovered their simultaneity (boom) just before submitting to Spotisfaction. We decided to merge the two lists together in as fluid a fashion as possible, creating one list that retained the character of both originals. We hope you like it.

JC highlights:
Periphery, the brainchild of Misha Mansoor, is a shining example of how far you can get through the online community. He built his name by showing his own tracks on music forums, Soundclick, YouTube and various other social media. Gaining a name for himself, he eventually formed a band, got a label and after 5 years releases the eponymous debut Periphery.

Animals As Leaders is another 1-man brainstorm. Tosin Abasi is perhaps one of the most talented guitarists alive at the moment. Mixing metal chops, jazz sensibility and Stanley Jordan inspired tapping techniques, he has created one of the most exciting prog releases of last year.

The playlist is a bit longer than I usually do, but I felt that was necessary to get across the character of a dual-mix, and also because there hasn”™t been much metal on Spotisfaction up to now. I”™ve tried my best to keep similar styles together where possible – there are notable nu-, thrash- and prog-metal sections for instance. Hopefully it works as a mix!

Fozz says:
Most of the tracks I chose for the playlist are bands I used to listen to about 10 years ago during my mid teens when I went through a bit of a metal phase. The most notable tracks for me are the Pantera and Slayer tracks, both of whom are powerful and dominating forces of the genre, and it couldn”™t really be called a metal playlist without them.

I”™m not really a massive fan of some of the more well known prog metal bands (Iron Maiden, Dream Theater and such like) but fortunately there are quite a few exceptions to the rule. Opeth and Isis are prime examples of this, with their blissful mix of soaring riffs and floaty vocals.

Stampin”™ Ground are a hardcore metal band from Cheltenham who I saw play at the Guildhall when I was in sixth form, and it was probably one of the most ferocious and insane gigs I”™ve ever been to.

Good afternoon to you all. Today”™s playlist was a little delayed. Hopefully the sheer brutality of it will distract you from the fact that I”™m not going to apologise for the late update.

Today”™s playlist is a metal collaboration between regulars Paul “Fozz” Foster and James TAE and you can hear it right here, whenever you wish.

87 Spotisfaction Monday (19 Jul) – PFoster&JTAE

Playlist Title: MetalAffliction

  1. Planetary Duality I: Hideous Revelation – Faceless
  2. The Naked And The Dead – Mnemic
  3. Light – Periphery
  4. Toxicity – System of A Down
  5. 5 Minutes Alone – Pantera
  6. God Send Death – Slayer
  7. Demanufacture – Fear Factory
  8. Duality – Slipknot
  9. Pollution – Limp Bizkit
  10. Did My Time – Korn
  11. Battle Ready – Otep
  12. Progenies Of The Great Apocalypse – Dimmu Borgir
  13. Minerva – Deftones
  14. Pet – A Perfect Circle
  15. Weight – ISIS
  16. The Drapery Falls – Opeth
  17. Flying Whales – Gojira
  18. Pineal Gland Optics – Meshuggah
  19. CAFO – Animals As Leaders
  20. Inferno (Unleash The Fire) – Symphony X
  21. Laid To Rest – Lamb Of God
  22. Mid-death Crisis – Stampin”™ Ground
  23. Sabbra Cadabra – Black Sabbath

Collaboration by Paul “Fozz” Foster (Contributor) and James Cook (Curator)

Blurbalicious:
Both Fozz and JC had begun independently working on a Metal playlist, and discovered their simultaneity (boom) just before submitting to Spotisfaction. We decided to merge the two lists together in as fluid a fashion as possible, creating one list that retained the character of both originals. We hope you like it.

JC highlights:
Periphery, the brainchild of Misha Mansoor, is a shining example of how far you can get through the online community. He built his name by showing his own tracks on music forums, Soundclick, YouTube and various other social media. Gaining a name for himself, he eventually formed a band, got a label and after 5 years releases the eponymous debut Periphery.

Animals As Leaders is another 1-man brainstorm. Tosin Abasi is perhaps one of the most talented guitarists alive at the moment. Mixing metal chops, jazz sensibility and Stanley Jordan inspired tapping techniques, he has created one of the most exciting prog releases of last year.

The playlist is a bit longer than I usually do, but I felt that was necessary to get across the character of a dual-mix, and also because there hasn”™t been much metal on Spotisfaction up to now. I”™ve tried my best to keep similar styles together where possible – there are notable nu-, thrash- and prog-metal sections for instance. Hopefully it works as a mix!

Fozz says:
Most of the tracks I chose for the playlist are bands I used to listen to about 10 years ago during my mid teens when I went through a bit of a metal phase. The most notable tracks for me are the Pantera and Slayer tracks, both of whom are powerful and dominating forces of the genre, and it couldn”™t really be called a metal playlist without them.

I”™m not really a massive fan of some of the more well known prog metal bands (Iron Maiden, Dream Theater and such like) but fortunately there are quite a few exceptions to the rule. Opeth and Isis are prime examples of this, with their blissful mix of soaring riffs and floaty vocals.

Stampin”™ Ground are a hardcore metal band from Cheltenham who I saw play at the Guildhall when I was in sixth form, and it was probably one of the most ferocious and insane gigs I”™ve ever been to.

Categories
Playlists

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/13tndktNgQwxgFyB0979ID

Another Friday, another weekend to look forward to.  Especially if you”™re at 2000 Trees this weekend.  Holler us at Twitter with your tips and tricks for the forthcoming festival.

Todays playlist is by Rhys Howell, a guy who clearly does not muck about.  He”™s stripped things back and gone blurbless for this one; a mixlist of some of the best covers ever put to record.

86 Spotisfaction Friday (16 Jul) – RHowell

“Theme is pretty apparent in my opinion so I”™ll leave it up to you to work it out. No more waffling blurb here. Just a link to the songs.” – Rhys

  1. Mr Hudson & The Library – On The Street where You Live
  2. Nina Simone – Here Comes The Sun
  3. Nouvelle Vague – Love Will Tear Us Apart
  4. Seu Jorge – Life On Mars?
  5. The Holmes Brothers – Everything Is Free
  6. Opium Jukebox – Iron Man
  7. Wall Of Voodoo – Ring Of Fire
  8. Fear Factory – Cars
  9. Gretchen Lierberum – Do You Realize?
  10. Tori Amos – Smells Like Teen Spirit
  11. Hot Chip – Sexual Healing
  12. Taken By Trees – Sweet Child O”™ Mine
  13. Placebo – Running Up That Hill
  14. The Postmarks – Five Years
  15. Johnny Cash – Hurt
  16. Orgy – Blue Monday
  17. Booker T. – Hey Ya
  18. The Blue Man Group – Baba O”™Riley
  19. Ministry – Bang A Gong
  20. Queen of Japan – I Love Rock”™n”™Roll
  21. Maggie Kim – Raspberry Beret
  22. The Bad Plus – Comfortably Numb
  23. Amanda Rogers – No Surprises

Another Friday, another weekend to look forward to.  Especially if you”™re at 2000 Trees this weekend.  Holler us at Twitter with your tips and tricks for the forthcoming festival.

Todays playlist is by Rhys Howell, a guy who clearly does not muck about.  He”™s stripped things back and gone blurbless for this one; a mixlist of some of the best covers ever put to record.

86 Spotisfaction Friday (16 Jul) – RHowell

“Theme is pretty apparent in my opinion so I”™ll leave it up to you to work it out. No more waffling blurb here. Just a link to the songs.” – Rhys

  1. Mr Hudson & The Library – On The Street where You Live
  2. Nina Simone – Here Comes The Sun
  3. Nouvelle Vague – Love Will Tear Us Apart
  4. Seu Jorge – Life On Mars?
  5. The Holmes Brothers – Everything Is Free
  6. Opium Jukebox – Iron Man
  7. Wall Of Voodoo – Ring Of Fire
  8. Fear Factory – Cars
  9. Gretchen Lierberum – Do You Realize?
  10. Tori Amos – Smells Like Teen Spirit
  11. Hot Chip – Sexual Healing
  12. Taken By Trees – Sweet Child O”™ Mine
  13. Placebo – Running Up That Hill
  14. The Postmarks – Five Years
  15. Johnny Cash – Hurt
  16. Orgy – Blue Monday
  17. Booker T. – Hey Ya
  18. The Blue Man Group – Baba O”™Riley
  19. Ministry – Bang A Gong
  20. Queen of Japan – I Love Rock”™n”™Roll
  21. Maggie Kim – Raspberry Beret
  22. The Bad Plus – Comfortably Numb
  23. Amanda Rogers – No Surprises
Categories
News

Photo courtesy of The Ocelot Big up The Prodigy, who have been voted the most influential dance act of all time in a recent poll by GlobalGathering. With 29% of the votes they stormed ahead of Daft Punk (13%) and the likes of Faithless (11%), Kraftwerk (5%) and the Chemical Brothers (3%). It seems only befitting of a band that created a truly unique sound, morphing drum & bass, techno and rock into a menacing beast that would draw a new generation into electronic music, sell more than 20 million records over 20 years and pave the way for the live dance acts of today. The Top 10: 1. Prodigy (29%) 2. Daft Punk (13%) 3. Faithless (11%) 4. New Order (9%) 5. Orbital (7%) 6. Kraftwerk (5%) 7. Paul Oakenfold (4%) 8. Carl Cox (4%) 9. Fatboy Slim (3%) 10. Chemical Brothers (2%)

Photo courtesy of The Ocelot

Big up The Prodigy, who have been voted the most influential dance act of all time in a recent poll by GlobalGathering. With 29% of the votes they stormed ahead of Daft Punk (13%) and the likes of Faithless (11%), Kraftwerk (5%) and the Chemical Brothers (3%).

It seems only befitting of a band that created a truly unique sound, morphing drum & bass, techno and rock into a menacing beast that would draw a new generation into electronic music, sell more than 20 million records over 20 years and pave the way for the live dance acts of today.

The Top 10:

1. Prodigy (29%)
2. Daft Punk (13%)
3. Faithless (11%)
4. New Order (9%)
5. Orbital (7%)
6. Kraftwerk (5%)
7. Paul Oakenfold (4%)
8. Carl Cox (4%)
9. Fatboy Slim (3%)
10. Chemical Brothers (2%)

Categories
News Playlists

2000 Trees

Ok, so it”™s not Glastonbury, but over the last three years 2000 Trees has grown to become quite a well respected little festival. It”™s fourth outing kicks off tomorrow, with early entry for some lucky ticket-holders today. Held every year at Upcote Farm near Cheltenham, 2000 Trees was started by a group of friends as a reaction to the spiralling costs of the mainstream festivals and the desire to create a more ethical alternative. 2000 Trees is one of the more environmentally-friendly festivals, winning a ”˜Greener Festival Award”™ for its efforts. Electricity is produced from locally sourced bio-fuel, there is onsite recycling, food and drink is locally sourced where possible and there are travel incentives for car sharing and using local transport. Musically the festival has no restrictions, offering music from various genres including rock, metal, indie, folk and pop, but with an emphasis on promoting home grown talent. The organizers even hold a Battle of the Bands each year to give local bands a chance to win a slot on the main stage. This year”™s line-up is headlined by Frank Turner, Metronomy, The Subways and Bombay Bicycle Club with other acts including Kill It Kid, 65Daysofstatic, Maybeshewill, Tubelord, And So I Watch You From Afar, David Goo, Jim Lockey & the Solemn Sun, and Spotisfaction favourite Men Diamler. Following a successful day at the festival last year, where we discovered the awesomeness that is Imperial Leisure, Thom and myself are heading there for the entire weekend this year so look for some reviews from us next week (or whenever we recover).

[Kevin]

2000 Trees

Ok, so it”™s not Glastonbury, but over the last three years 2000 Trees has grown to become quite a well respected little festival. It”™s fourth outing kicks off tomorrow, with early entry for some lucky ticket-holders today.

Held every year at Upcote Farm near Cheltenham, 2000 Trees was started by a group of friends as a reaction to the spiralling costs of the mainstream festivals and the desire to create a more ethical alternative.

2000 Trees is one of the more environmentally-friendly festivals, winning a ”˜Greener Festival Award”™ for its efforts. Electricity is produced from locally sourced bio-fuel, there is onsite recycling, food and drink is locally sourced where possible and there are travel incentives for car sharing and using local transport.

Musically the festival has no restrictions, offering music from various genres including rock, metal, indie, folk and pop, but with an emphasis on promoting home grown talent. The organizers even hold a Battle of the Bands each year to give local bands a chance to win a slot on the main stage.

This year”™s line-up is headlined by Frank Turner, Metronomy, The Subways and Bombay Bicycle Club with other acts including Kill It Kid, 65Daysofstatic, Maybeshewill, Tubelord, And So I Watch You From Afar, David Goo, Jim Lockey & the Solemn Sun, and Spotisfaction favourite Men Diamler.

Following a successful day at the festival last year, where we discovered the awesomeness that is Imperial Leisure, Thom and myself are heading there for the entire weekend this year so look for some reviews from us next week (or whenever we recover).

[Kevin]

Categories
Playlists

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6nwQak2thvImN25kKBGqQX

Afternoon, kids. Just a quick one to let you know that our normally brim-full submissions inbox is starting to run a little dry, so if you”™re working on a playlist (or if you fancy creating one), then please get it to us. You can either email it to playlist@spotisfaction.com, paste it into the box at https://www.spotisfaction.com/submit, or click on the little pencil icon on the top right of this page. All submissions will be published, and I can tell you from experience that even if you feel yours isn”™t good enough, several of our readers will love it. No excuses! If you”™d like to know a little more about what the process entails, feel free to email Thom or I.

Today”™s is the third part in Ben”™s “Soundtrack To My Life” series (see here for parts 1: 2006 and 2: 2007) and is his best yet, in my opinion.

Later,
[David]

85 Spotisfaction Wednesday (14 Jul) – BHawling

Hit the link for tracklist and Ben”™s blurb.

  1. The Electric Soft Parade – Start Again
  2. The Killers – Romeo And Juliet
  3. Common – Play Your Cards Right
  4. Nerina Pallot – Jump
  5. Hot Chip – Hold On
  6. Ben Folds Five – Kate
  7. Daft Punk – Around The World/ Harder Better Faster Stronger
  8. Guillemots – Clarion
  9. KT Tunstall – If Only
  10. Panic At The Disco – These Green Gentlemen [Things Have Changed]
  11. The Delays – Friends Are False
  12. Bell Biv Devoe – Poison
  13. Bell X1 – In Every Sunflower
  14. Death Cab For Cutie – Your New Twin Sized Bed
  15. Ting Tings – That”™s Not My Name
  16. Pendulum – Visions
  17. Groove Armada – Superstylin”™
  18. Coldplay – 42
  19. Soulwax – Conversation Intercom
  20. Supergrass – Sun Hits The Sky
  21. Grandaddy – So You”™ll Aim Toward The Sky
  22. I Remember – Deadmau5
  23. Ben Folds – Brainwascht
  24. Keane – Black Burning Heart
  25. Bloc Party – Biko
  26. Patrick Wolf – The Bluebell
  27. Will Young – You And I
  28. Das Pop – Fool For Love
  29. Radiohead – Like Spinning Plates (live)

This is the Soundtrack To My Life: 2008.

January – March

In many ways, my 2008 started off light and got gradually darker”¦.kind of the inverse to Micheal Jackson.

I got into two great bands over the 2007 – 2008 Christmas holidays; The Electric Soft Parade and The Spinto Band. ”˜Start Again”™ by the former was constantly in my head as I travelled to and from Oxford for work, and when I returned to Oxford for uni in January. I”™d got hold of the ”˜Sawdust”™ album by The Killers over the holiday also and loved their cover of ”˜Romeo And Juliet”™ so much that it made its way onto a January playlist I had at the time, also featuring ”˜Start Again”™, ”˜Jump”™ and ”˜Play Your Cards Right”™ by Common. This track features at the end of the Smokin”™ Aces movie, which I saw at Christmas, and somehow makes me feel wealthy whenever I hear it. I went and saw Hot Chip at the end of Feburary that year. I went with a girl, Kate, who was simply a friend at the time who I knew through one of my then housemates. Following that gig, and our shared love of great music, we went out with each other and my most significant relationship ever began. Its really weird, but the Ben Folds Five track seems to have been written about her, its uncanny! My first gift to her was a copied cd i made featuring the fucking amazing ”˜Alive 2007”™ album by Daft Punk, which we both loved!

April – June

Both KT Tunstall”™s album and Panic At The Disco”™s new albums came out at this time, and both tracks featured here sum up the new happy, ”˜loved up”™ state I was in, ”˜If Only”™ kindof saying a big fuck you to all the girls gone before. One of Kate”™s favourite songs to dance to was ”˜Poison”™, so, naturally I heard this song all the time around then.The song perhaps acting as a subtle message to me for the times ahead, hmmmmmm. We also went and saw The Delays around this time. She once played me ”˜In Every Sunflower”™ by Bell X1, and I didnt really think much of it. But when we then broke up, this rather depressing song was all I listened to all that week. I think its all about breakups. Having loved Death Cab For Cutie for a long while, I bought their ”˜Narrow Stairs”™ album the day it came out, and I remember going for long walks around Oxford”™s Port Meadow listening to this album, trying to get over the breakup.

July – September

”˜Thats Not My Name”™ by Ting Tings came out in the summer of 2008 and I originally hated it. I then ended up loving it, and still do. Its a happy, bouncy song that smells of sunshine, so there. I bought my first Ipod in July of that year, and Pendulum were heavily present on it at this time. Me and my afore mentioned housemate went to Wakestock festival that summer, and one of 2 anthems that stood out for me that weekend were ”˜Superstylin” and ”˜Sun Hits The Sky”™ by the closing headline act, Supergrass. I”™d waited four years to see Supergrass live for that song alone, and I finally got to experience it, woop!

The epic and experimental album by Coldplay,  ”˜Viva La Vida”™ came out, and I bought it on the Thursday it came out, first thing in the morning, because I was soo excited to hear it. It did not disappoint. I also got to see 2 Many Dj”™s that summer, with Soulwax supporting. Fucking amazing gig, apart from the fact that my ex was at the same gig, grrr. All my housemates left our house for the summer, so I was left alone for about 3 months, wallowing in self pity, still trying to get over the harsh breakup. One of my all time favourite albums was discovered amoungst this mess, Grandaddy”™s ”˜The Sophtware Slump”™. Its darkness and intimacy really comforted me over the long dark summer.

September – December

Me and my sister Jo, and Jim King went to The Big Chill Festival that summer, and I was instantly converted to dance music. That was the start of my fascination and exploration into all genres of dance, and one of the first tracks that hit me was ”˜I Remember”™ by the then unheard of Deadmau5. Me and Jo and Jim then went to see Deadmau5 in Oxford in September, and we were blown away! Ben Folds released his new album that autumn and ”˜Brainwascht”™ was my favourite track off it. Another one of my favourite bands, Keane, also released new material that October. I initially didnt like the ”˜Perfect Symmetry”™ album, but learned to love it as with all of their work.

As November set in, and the nights got darker, tracks with haunting refrains seemed to creep into my brain, including ”˜Biko”™ and most of Patrick Wolf”™s material. On my birthday, November 6th, I turned 21, and I remember being in an underground indie club at midnight, alone at the bar waiting for a drink. Somone put none other than Will Young”™s ”˜You And I”™ on the jukebox, which instantly made me smile, and sing along. It was distinctly at odds with my birthday head state, but seemed to work. As New Year grew closer, and as my stack of Mixmag magazines grew taller, the almighty Soulwax compiled a Mixmag cover cd, which was fucking awesome. One key track on there was ”˜Fool For Love”™, which again summed up my head space that year. My favourite all time Radiohead track was ”˜Like Spinning Plates”™ on the Amnesiac album, until some wise soul played the live version to me. This is now my favourite Radiohead track, and quite possibly my favourite track ever. Its beautifully intimate, delicate presence has an enchanting etheral quality to it, bookending my year perfectly.

So that was my 2008; A year of woe, drunken antics and the occasional smile and sunshine. All in all, the good times far outweighed the bad, but at the time I guess you tend to only focus on the negative. The true existence of fate or whatever lay in the specific tracks that hit me and stayed with me throughout the year. If only I”™d caught wind of what they were really saying earlier on, maybe things would have turned out different. But then again, It was always meant to be that way, wasn”™t it? Then again, thats what a true soundtrack is; a collection of sounds and messages that tell your story. 2008 was my most influencial mixtape, and still gets played to this day now and again. Probably because it doesn”™t just exist on a page, or in an Ipod; it is real!

Nuff said!

Ben Hawling

Afternoon, kids. Just a quick one to let you know that our normally brim-full submissions inbox is starting to run a little dry, so if you”™re working on a playlist (or if you fancy creating one), then please get it to us. You can either email it to playlist@spotisfaction.com, paste it into the box at https://www.spotisfaction.com/submit, or click on the little pencil icon on the top right of this page. All submissions will be published, and I can tell you from experience that even if you feel yours isn”™t good enough, several of our readers will love it. No excuses! If you”™d like to know a little more about what the process entails, feel free to email Thom or I.

Today”™s is the third part in Ben”™s “Soundtrack To My Life” series (see here for parts 1: 2006 and 2: 2007) and is his best yet, in my opinion.

Later,
[David]

85 Spotisfaction Wednesday (14 Jul) – BHawling

Hit the link for tracklist and Ben”™s blurb.

  1. The Electric Soft Parade – Start Again
  2. The Killers – Romeo And Juliet
  3. Common – Play Your Cards Right
  4. Nerina Pallot – Jump
  5. Hot Chip – Hold On
  6. Ben Folds Five – Kate
  7. Daft Punk – Around The World/ Harder Better Faster Stronger
  8. Guillemots – Clarion
  9. KT Tunstall – If Only
  10. Panic At The Disco – These Green Gentlemen [Things Have Changed]
  11. The Delays – Friends Are False
  12. Bell Biv Devoe – Poison
  13. Bell X1 – In Every Sunflower
  14. Death Cab For Cutie – Your New Twin Sized Bed
  15. Ting Tings – That”™s Not My Name
  16. Pendulum – Visions
  17. Groove Armada – Superstylin”™
  18. Coldplay – 42
  19. Soulwax – Conversation Intercom
  20. Supergrass – Sun Hits The Sky
  21. Grandaddy – So You”™ll Aim Toward The Sky
  22. I Remember – Deadmau5
  23. Ben Folds – Brainwascht
  24. Keane – Black Burning Heart
  25. Bloc Party – Biko
  26. Patrick Wolf – The Bluebell
  27. Will Young – You And I
  28. Das Pop – Fool For Love
  29. Radiohead – Like Spinning Plates (live)

This is the Soundtrack To My Life: 2008.

January – March

In many ways, my 2008 started off light and got gradually darker”¦.kind of the inverse to Micheal Jackson.

I got into two great bands over the 2007 – 2008 Christmas holidays; The Electric Soft Parade and The Spinto Band. ”˜Start Again”™ by the former was constantly in my head as I travelled to and from Oxford for work, and when I returned to Oxford for uni in January. I”™d got hold of the ”˜Sawdust”™ album by The Killers over the holiday also and loved their cover of ”˜Romeo And Juliet”™ so much that it made its way onto a January playlist I had at the time, also featuring ”˜Start Again”™, ”˜Jump”™ and ”˜Play Your Cards Right”™ by Common. This track features at the end of the Smokin”™ Aces movie, which I saw at Christmas, and somehow makes me feel wealthy whenever I hear it. I went and saw Hot Chip at the end of Feburary that year. I went with a girl, Kate, who was simply a friend at the time who I knew through one of my then housemates. Following that gig, and our shared love of great music, we went out with each other and my most significant relationship ever began. Its really weird, but the Ben Folds Five track seems to have been written about her, its uncanny! My first gift to her was a copied cd i made featuring the fucking amazing ”˜Alive 2007”™ album by Daft Punk, which we both loved!

April – June

Both KT Tunstall”™s album and Panic At The Disco”™s new albums came out at this time, and both tracks featured here sum up the new happy, ”˜loved up”™ state I was in, ”˜If Only”™ kindof saying a big fuck you to all the girls gone before. One of Kate”™s favourite songs to dance to was ”˜Poison”™, so, naturally I heard this song all the time around then.The song perhaps acting as a subtle message to me for the times ahead, hmmmmmm. We also went and saw The Delays around this time. She once played me ”˜In Every Sunflower”™ by Bell X1, and I didnt really think much of it. But when we then broke up, this rather depressing song was all I listened to all that week. I think its all about breakups. Having loved Death Cab For Cutie for a long while, I bought their ”˜Narrow Stairs”™ album the day it came out, and I remember going for long walks around Oxford”™s Port Meadow listening to this album, trying to get over the breakup.

July – September

”˜Thats Not My Name”™ by Ting Tings came out in the summer of 2008 and I originally hated it. I then ended up loving it, and still do. Its a happy, bouncy song that smells of sunshine, so there. I bought my first Ipod in July of that year, and Pendulum were heavily present on it at this time. Me and my afore mentioned housemate went to Wakestock festival that summer, and one of 2 anthems that stood out for me that weekend were ”˜Superstylin” and ”˜Sun Hits The Sky”™ by the closing headline act, Supergrass. I”™d waited four years to see Supergrass live for that song alone, and I finally got to experience it, woop!

The epic and experimental album by Coldplay,  ”˜Viva La Vida”™ came out, and I bought it on the Thursday it came out, first thing in the morning, because I was soo excited to hear it. It did not disappoint. I also got to see 2 Many Dj”™s that summer, with Soulwax supporting. Fucking amazing gig, apart from the fact that my ex was at the same gig, grrr. All my housemates left our house for the summer, so I was left alone for about 3 months, wallowing in self pity, still trying to get over the harsh breakup. One of my all time favourite albums was discovered amoungst this mess, Grandaddy”™s ”˜The Sophtware Slump”™. Its darkness and intimacy really comforted me over the long dark summer.

September – December

Me and my sister Jo, and Jim King went to The Big Chill Festival that summer, and I was instantly converted to dance music. That was the start of my fascination and exploration into all genres of dance, and one of the first tracks that hit me was ”˜I Remember”™ by the then unheard of Deadmau5. Me and Jo and Jim then went to see Deadmau5 in Oxford in September, and we were blown away! Ben Folds released his new album that autumn and ”˜Brainwascht”™ was my favourite track off it. Another one of my favourite bands, Keane, also released new material that October. I initially didnt like the ”˜Perfect Symmetry”™ album, but learned to love it as with all of their work.

As November set in, and the nights got darker, tracks with haunting refrains seemed to creep into my brain, including ”˜Biko”™ and most of Patrick Wolf”™s material. On my birthday, November 6th, I turned 21, and I remember being in an underground indie club at midnight, alone at the bar waiting for a drink. Somone put none other than Will Young”™s ”˜You And I”™ on the jukebox, which instantly made me smile, and sing along. It was distinctly at odds with my birthday head state, but seemed to work. As New Year grew closer, and as my stack of Mixmag magazines grew taller, the almighty Soulwax compiled a Mixmag cover cd, which was fucking awesome. One key track on there was ”˜Fool For Love”™, which again summed up my head space that year. My favourite all time Radiohead track was ”˜Like Spinning Plates”™ on the Amnesiac album, until some wise soul played the live version to me. This is now my favourite Radiohead track, and quite possibly my favourite track ever. Its beautifully intimate, delicate presence has an enchanting etheral quality to it, bookending my year perfectly.

So that was my 2008; A year of woe, drunken antics and the occasional smile and sunshine. All in all, the good times far outweighed the bad, but at the time I guess you tend to only focus on the negative. The true existence of fate or whatever lay in the specific tracks that hit me and stayed with me throughout the year. If only I”™d caught wind of what they were really saying earlier on, maybe things would have turned out different. But then again, It was always meant to be that way, wasn”™t it? Then again, thats what a true soundtrack is; a collection of sounds and messages that tell your story. 2008 was my most influencial mixtape, and still gets played to this day now and again. Probably because it doesn”™t just exist on a page, or in an Ipod; it is real!

Nuff said!

Ben Hawling

Categories
Playlists

Perfume Genius - Learning Image courtesy of Amazon.co.uk. Nobody loves an album of gloomy, haunting music about abuse, addiction and domestic turmoil more than this particular reviewer. You can imagine, therefore, my joy at discovering the debut album Learning by Mike Hadreas, 26, from Seattle who performs under the name Perfume Genius. Evoking similarities to singer-songwriters such as Antony and the Johnsons and Cat Power, Perfume Genius has written a heartbreaking yet wondrous record. The opening lyric on the title track and album opener, ”˜Learning”™, sets the ominous tone: ”˜No one will answer your prayers, until you take off that dress”™. The lyrics throughout are sinister tales of a damaged upbringing but are delivered with a fragility and innocence that is both endearing and captivating to the listener. Instrumentation is kept minimal with plonky-piano and breathy vocals and the occasional synthesizer. This creates an intimate listen, much in the same vein as The xx. When other elements come into play, such as the distorted vocal noises at the end of ”˜Perry”™, they are used to great effect, bringing a beautifully chaotic ending to a song about a broken and abusive relationship. The conflict between the dark subject matter and the light, strangely ethereal music is what gives the album a life span far greater than most releases. The arrangements on songs such as ”˜Mr Peterson”™ are simple, yet when you listen to the lyrics, their bluntness is chilling. ”˜He made me a tape of Joy Division / He told me there was a part of him missing / When I was sixteen / He jumped off a building”™. Learning, like the best albums, is not only beautiful but has a depth which will resonate for years with its listeners. It”™s what lies underneath the veil of black – the fragmented world of Perfume Genius – which makes this album truly outstanding. 9/10

Perfume Genius - Learning
Image courtesy of Amazon.co.uk.

Nobody loves an album of gloomy, haunting music about abuse, addiction and domestic turmoil more than this particular reviewer. You can imagine, therefore, my joy at discovering the debut album Learning by Mike Hadreas, 26, from Seattle who performs under the name Perfume Genius. Evoking similarities to singer-songwriters such as Antony and the Johnsons and Cat Power, Perfume Genius has written a heartbreaking yet wondrous record.

The opening lyric on the title track and album opener, ”˜Learning”™, sets the ominous tone: ”˜No one will answer your prayers, until you take off that dress”™. The lyrics throughout are sinister tales of a damaged upbringing but are delivered with a fragility and innocence that is both endearing and captivating to the listener. Instrumentation is kept minimal with plonky-piano and breathy vocals and the occasional synthesizer. This creates an intimate listen, much in the same vein as The xx. When other elements come into play, such as the distorted vocal noises at the end of ”˜Perry”™, they are used to great effect, bringing a beautifully chaotic ending to a song about a broken and abusive relationship.

The conflict between the dark subject matter and the light, strangely ethereal music is what gives the album a life span far greater than most releases. The arrangements on songs such as ”˜Mr Peterson”™ are simple, yet when you listen to the lyrics, their bluntness is chilling. ”˜He made me a tape of Joy Division / He told me there was a part of him missing / When I was sixteen / He jumped off a building”™.

Learning, like the best albums, is not only beautiful but has a depth which will resonate for years with its listeners. It”™s what lies underneath the veil of black – the fragmented world of Perfume Genius – which makes this album truly outstanding.

9/10