Welcome to NEOLOOP


Step in to the Neoloop, have a look and listen!

You'll find a cornucopia of tasty tunes to bounce off your eardrums. I update with new tunes, art and photography every week, depending on what I'm doing and listening to at the time, old and new. I'm based in London UK but I love to travel and discover new music along the way and share my musical journey on neoloop.

Please support the artists and buy their music. If you are or represent an artist being featured on here and want me to remove something, email me.

Happy listening!

Neo

Email: neo@neoloop.com
  Heavy Rotation
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  Albums of the year
Aug 31st, 2015 20:48pm

Rising sun on a secluded beach

French duo Polo & Pan were brought to my attention via the epic soundtrack LP for Eden, where their excellent track Rivolta appears. Then this track pops up which is even more up my street.

The plucky guitars complimented by the ethereal singing and wonky organs underpinned by the sweetest balearic beat. There is something of a tribal feel too as the singing turns to chants. My only negative is that it’s not short!

Let’s hope we hear more from Paul Armand Delille et Alex Pan very soon.

May 4th, 2015 01:03am

O' I know

LA PRIEST (pronounced ‘Lah Pree-st’) is a project from reclusive electronic musician Sam Dust, aka Sam Eastgate, who we last heard fronting Late of the Pier. Having previously used the moniker for a 12" release on Erol Alkan's Phantasy label in 2007.

Oino, Dust's new single, is the first material to surface from the artist since the hiatus of Late Of The Pier and has this infectious electro-reggae vibe that loops around your head. Psychedelic guitars stab through the pulsating rhythms concocting an exciting new sound. love this.

Jan 7th, 2015 00:03am

Neoloop’s TOP 50 LPs from 2014

 

  1. D’Angelo and The Vanguard: Black Messiah
  2. Caribou: Our Love
  3. Royal Blood: Royal Blood
  4. Todd Terje: It’s Album Time
  5. War on Drugs: Lost in the Dream
  6. Aphex Twin: Syro
  7. Future Islands: Singles
  8. Sébastien Tellier: L'Aventura
  9. Martyn: Air Between Words
  10. Mark Barrott: Sketches from an Island
  11. The Black Keys: Turn Blue
  12. Beck: Morning Phase
  13. Quantic: Magnetica
  14. East India Youth: Total Strife Forever
  15. Mac Demarco: Salad Days
  16. Real Estate: Atlas
  17. Run the Jewels: Run the Jewels 2
  18. Moodymann: Moodymann
  19. Late Night Tales Presents After Dark: Nightshift
  20. The Grand Budapest Hotel Soundtrack
  21. Juan MacLeanIn a Dream
  22. Beach Diggin’ - Vol.2 Guts and Mambo
  23. Clark: Clark
  24. Illum Sphere: Ghosts of Then and Now
  25. Tensnake: Glow
  26. Warpaint: Warpaint
  27. Chet Faker: Built on Glass
  28. Paqua: Akaliko
  29. Pharrell Williams: Girl
  30. St Vincent: St Vincent
  31. Pallbearer: Foundations Of Burden
  32. Shabazz Palaces: Lese Majesty
  33. Lone: Reality Testing
  34. Kindness: Otherness
  35. Thievery CorporationSaudade
  36. La Roux: Trouble In Paradise 
  37. Mica Levi: Under the Skin
  38. Cloud NothingsHere And Nowhere Else
  39. SpoonThey Want My Soul
  40. Damon AlbarnEveryday Robots
  41. Leon Vynehall: Music for the Uninvited
  42. Julian Casablancas+The Voidz: Tyranny
  43. Kitsuné Trip Mode
  44. Rayko: Rebirth
  45. Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1
  46. Ariel Pink: Pom Pom
  47. SBTRKT: Wonder Where We Land
  48. ScHoolboy Q: Oxymoron
  49. The Antlers: Familiars
  50. Mayra Andrade: Lovely Difficult


Categories: Neo's top choices
Dec 27th, 2014 12:51pm

Lost in the Dream

The War On Drugs third LP Lost in a Dream was released to widespread critical acclaim back in March. Since then the album has featured in practically every top ten albums of the year lists, if not topping them.

The LP has been a slow burner for me since it’s release and like all great LPs it’s opened up and blossomed with new discoveries and a record that I keep coming back to. Red Eyes, the first single released at the end of last year, a driving beat that brings with it a heavy influence of 1980s rock was an instant hit and a quality stamp that ushered in the album that followed. Lost in a Dream flourushes with many reference points from classic rock, but this record has a contemporary edge that demands attention and repeated listening. The long tracks serve as epic journeys that create a monumental and memorable LP that will stand the test of time.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Like this try: Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Kurt Vile, Sharon Van Etten

Dec 24th, 2014 18:38pm

Black Messiah

Out of the blue comes Black Messiah, D’Angelo’s much-anticipated third full length LP (co-credited to his backing group, The Vanguard) and it’s quite astonishing. As with Brown Sugar and Voodoo, Black Messiah is best heard in its entirety. Saying that, all these songs could stand alone. Ain’t That Easy, Sugar Daddy (both co-writen with Q-Tip and Kendra Foster), Really Love, Back To the Future (Part I), The Door would all make great singles.

After a good few listens the quality of Black Messiah just opens up and D’Angelo’s layered vocals together with organic beats and killa grooves creates a captivating and atmospheric soundscape. What’s most astonishing is how fresh and modern it sounds even when channeling obvious influences, Marvin Gaye, Sly And The Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Funkadelic, Prince, The Crusaders it’s all in there. 

A highly charged political message, "All we wanted was a chance to talk 'stead we only got outlined in chalk" - a lyric from the song "The Charade." co-writen with Questlove and Kendra Foster.

At the LP’s launch D’Angelo explains the title - ”For me, the title is about all of us. It's about the world. It's about an idea we can all aspire to. We Should all aspire to be a Black Messiah.... Its about people rising up in Ferguson and in Egypt and in Occupy Wall Street and in every place where a community has had enough and decides to make change happen. It's not about praising one charismatic leader but celebrating thousands of them."

All year we’ve been waiting for an album with an otherworldly experience like this, with no-shows from Kanye and Frank Ocean; D’Angelo fills the void with ease.

I pity all the people that have already compiled and published their albums of the year charts as this LP would surely feature in most top tens if not top of the whole list! It’s a landmark LP that will sit along side classic albums like Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On, Sly And The Family Stone: There’s A Riot Goin’ On,  Bob Dylan: The Times They Are A-Changin’, Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, you get the picture.

Dripping with infectious funk throughout it’s really hard to single out any one track, the quality maintains an optimum setting from start to finish at just under an hour it’ a magnum opus!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Buy it NOW on iTunes

Nov 30th, 2014 20:55pm

Organic electronic

Clark’s new self-titled LP for Warp shows an electronic artist sitting at the top of his game. Seven albums in and going strong, full of delightful melodies that collide with sinister beats and unsettling sharp stabs of electro pulse. Banjo, The Grit In The Pearl and Beacon explode with emotional spendor and beauty. Elsewhere we get mellower moments Winter Linn, Snowblind, Strength Through Fragility, that intersperse with slower dirty beautiful sounds and textures. 

The beat driven hypnotically brilliant Unfurla is positively mesmerising with every turn in an intricate landscape. Finishing with the ethereal Everlane this is an LP that you don’t wanna miss, a masterclass that rivals Aphex Twin's similarly excellent Syro. Highly Recommended.

Nov 23rd, 2014 23:14pm

If you had to live your life all over

Written by Johnny Bristol this 1976 track originally appeared on Coke Escobedo’s 2nd album Comin’ At Ya!

A crate diggers delight, a rare groove, latin funk number that keeps you’re body moving.

It begs the question, would you change a thing if you had to live your life all over?!

One things for certain it sounds great when you play it again and again all over!

Oct 26th, 2014 12:22pm

Singles

Future Islands, a synthpop band based in Baltimore, Maryland, signed to 4AD and causing a bit of stir over here with the release of their 4th LP Singles. I have to confess not hearing them till now and was introduced to them by my mate Dave after watching the band on YouTube, a live show which showcases lead singer Samuel T. Herring’s unique performance and singing style.

The whole LP has many 80s synth-pop references combined with Samuel T. Herring’s soulful croon and freestyle vocal. Each tune is as good as the last proving that by calling your LP Singles states all these tracks are worthy of single status. I have to say I agree with the band and this is a sure fire shot for Album of the Year. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

But it here on iTunes

Official website

Sep 17th, 2014 23:54pm

Living in a Dream

oh wow, I love this tune! I love this album, a major contender for album of the year.

The utterly brilliant Nancy Whang takes centre stage on this captivating new Juan MacLean LP In a Dream. Nancy sings on most tracks, it's like a mordern take on Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder making timeless dance music.

More of an extensive review to follow...

Aug 12th, 2014 00:06am

Keep on riding on

Hot Natured’s massive 2012 club anthem returns with 4 remixes of the classic floor filler Benediction in a new EP.

Now, I still love the original, but the pick of the remixes for me is the Lxury Remix which surfaced earlier this year, it totally deconstructs the original, chucks most of it away and reassembles what’s left to create a completely different track, and it’s genius. 

Looping one line of the lyrics - Keep on riding on - it dispenses with the rest of the vocal, doesn’t even include the Benediction chorus, but it does’t need it and the melody loops that he’s added to replace the old classic strings are fresh and euphoric, barely recognisable from the original and it’s just superb.

Lxury, aka Andy Smith from Croydon, has since released his Playground EP to much excitement and also a banging new remix of Jungle’s Time. There’s no stopping the London producer.

Hot Nature’s LP - Different Sides of the Sun, the album that features Benediction is still getting a regular airing two years later. The other Benediction remixes on the EP are from GRADES, Nic Fanciulli and No Artificial Colours.


Aug 10th, 2014 14:51pm

Obscure Disco

Late Night Tales Presents After Dark: Nightshift

Nightshift is cult DJ connoisseur Bill Brewster's second outing in Late Night Tales' After Dark series following on seamlessly from the dubby grooves of the first After Dark compilation. Bill picks out another fine selection of Slo-tempo disco funk, slowly brewed to form another top class musical journey of discovery. Old and rare tracks rub shoulders with new and exclusive previously unreleased tracks. The Grid & Robert Fripp A Cabala Sky is one of five exclusive tracks to feature throughout this emphatic collection, a superb deep and dubby disco chugger that oozes a groovy baseline.

Bonafide dance-floor-fillers from Mugwump and Hubbabubbaklubb ensure the After Dark off-shoot series stays true to the quality output of that we expect from the LateNightTales series. Highly and Totally Recommended.

Aug 3rd, 2014 19:11pm

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Yes, a little late watching this movie, but it was the soundtrack that first caught my ear and prompted me to watch it. The first track that I heard was Daylight Express to Lutz - Alexandre Desplat, the melody evokes those classic soundtracks to Jean-Pierre Jeunet movies like Delicatessen, Amélie and The City of Lost Children. Like those films The Grand Budapest Hotel soundtrack carries an overarching melody that takes on the many moods of the film. On Daylight Express to Lutz it’s at it most jolly and significant. Following his work on previous Wes Anderson pictures (Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr. Fox), The Grand Budapest Hotel is largely scored by the prolific Alexandre Desplat. 

Desplat is probably better known for his soundtracks for mainstream films such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, The Twilight Saga, Kings Speech, Godzilla etc. But if you dig a little deeper into his discography you find it’s brimming with delightful obscurities - Coco avant Chanel, Girl With a Pearl Earring, Argo and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium all have those quirky little gems peppered throughout.

The film follows the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous Hungarian hotel between the first and second World Wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

After seeing the film to which a soundtrack accompanies it’s always an entirely different experience knowing what visuals the soundtrack is portraying. Mr. Moustafa is another highlight, and sounds great even if you haven’t seen the character himself in action. Desplat also drops in a couple of old pieces by Osipov State Russian Folk Orchestra & Vitaly Gnutov to magnificent effect. The Society of the Crossed Keys is a rousing drum piece, while Canto At Gabelmeister's Peak revisits the Daylight Express to Lutz melody again with added choir arrangements. Cleared of All Charges is just beautiful, followed by The Mystical Union it rounds off a unique soundtrack before the closing credits featuring Kamarinskaya and Traditional Arrangement: "Moonshine”.

The film and it’s soundtrack is highly recommended.

Jun 1st, 2014 22:00pm

Pizzazz

Get your disco on, heard this in a bar the other night and I'd forgotten just how great this is. Patrice Rushen done some great tunes over the years.

Haven't You Heard was originally released on the 1979 LP Pizzazz (her second album for Elektra Records) and later as a single way back in 1980. Certainly one of her biggest hits after the perennial sampled track Forget Me Nots.

Sounds very Chic!

Categories: Disco, Neo's top choices
Jun 1st, 2014 02:23am

Magnetica!

Wow, love this tune! Skanking beats and mega trumpets, what more do you need.

Magnetica is the first studio album from Quantic under his main solo moniker since An Announcement To Answer in 2006 He has, of course, been far from quiet in that time, with releases from many significant side-projects including The Quantic Soul Orchestra, Quantic and his Combo Bárbaro, Flowering Inferno, Quantic & Alice Russell, and Ondatrópica, and a host of thrilling live bands to match.

The Magnetica album i a truly exciting listen, taking in all the influences that trailblazing troubadour Will Holland has soaked up from his travels - including the last seven years spent living in Colombia - and collaborations with musicians from Latin America, Africa, the Caribbean and beyond; blended with the innate talent for trend-setting electronic club music that has always made him one to watch.

The eclectic array of guests to appear on the Magnetica album also includes Alice Russell, Shinehead, Nidia Góngora, Dereb The Ambassador, Thalma De Freitas and Anibal Velásquez.

Turn it up!

Categories: Neo's top choices, World
Jan 4th, 2014 14:06pm

Doom Dub Mystic

From British producer Forest Swords (aka Matthew Barnes) outstanding Engravings album from last year is still getting regular playbacks here at Neoloop.

One of the standout tracks Thor's Stone gets a make-over from legendary Black Arch dub maverick Lee “Scratch” Perry. Making a stand against evil energy Perry is on top form here adding a heavy dub underbelly to the mystical soundscapes of the original. Chatting his usual nonsense all over it Perry has lost none of his madness, as a whole the collaboration is meant to be, creating a sound that is very reminiscent of Leftism era Leftfield.

If you don't own the Engravings album yet, get it here on iTunes

Jan 1st, 2014 19:42pm

These are the top 30 LPs that rock our world last year. 

  1. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories
  2. The Limiñanas - Costa Blanca
  3. Kanye West - Yeezus
  4. Footprintz - Escape Yourself
  5. Matthew E. White - Big Inner
  6. Empire Of The Sun - Ice On The Dune
  7. Saâda Bonaire - Saâda Bonaire
  8. Unknown Mortal Orchestra - II
  9. Arcade Fire - Reflektor
  10. Bonobo - The North Borders
  11. Devendra Banhart - Mala
  12. Forest Swords - Engravings
  13. Daniel Avery - Drone Logic
  14. John Grant - Pale Green Ghosts
  15. Bill Callahan - Dream River
  16. Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of the City
  17. Washed Out - Paracosm
  18. DJ Koze - Amygdala
  19. Blood Orange - Cupid Deluxe
  20. Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest
  21. Foxygen - We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace & Magic
  22. My Bloody Valentine - mbv
  23. Taragana Pyjarama - Nothing Hype
  24. Jon Hopkins - Immunity
  25. Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
  26. Darkside - Psychic
  27. Deafheaven - Sunbather
  28. M.I.A - Matangi
  29. Proviant Audio - Drift Days & Disco Nights
  30. Classixx - Hanging Garden
Blog entries for each album are in the right column for reviews and sample tracks.


 

Dec 31st, 2013 11:38am

Beautifully Stunning

Burial takes his unique musical template further into the unknown with new EP Rival Dealer. The swooning sounds manage to be dark and mysterious and beautifully melodic with a sense of euphoria with a deep emotional undercurrent running beneath the intense structures all at once. 

It's amazing how far the Burial sound can go, stretching in multiple directions, the subtleties of sub-genres layered throughout are astonishing. The originality of William Bevan has no boundaries, the London producer pours in so much soul into his electronic compositions like no other artist, he's created his own genre of music, Burial music. The epic 13 minute closing track on the EP Come Down to Us is just stunning, whoa!

Highly Recommended.

Dec 15th, 2013 22:12pm

Take It All In and Check It All Out

Listening to old Bill Withers albums you soon realise just how funky his riffs are, every tune, even the ballads are marinated in funk. From 1971 to 1979 Withers produced some of the greatest R'N'B of the highest calibre.

Right from his debut album in 1971 - Just As I Am (produced by Booker T. Jones) Withers created massive hits Ain't No Sunshine and Grandma's Hands (as utilised by Dr. Dre on BLACKstreet's No Diggity).

But it was his 1972 sophomore LP Still Bill that I think he really made his mark and is my all time favourite Bill Withers album, who can argue with an LP that contains the ultra funky Use Me and the worldwide smash Lean On Me, as well as massive favourites Lonely Town, Lonely Street, Who Is He (And What Is He To You?) and this track Kissing My Love

Later LP's +'Justments, Making Music and Menagerie (which spurned smash hit Lovely Day) are also well worth an airing. If your not already, do yourself a favour and get familiar with Bill Withers.

Categories: Neo's top choices, Soul
Nov 17th, 2013 20:04pm

Back to the future

For years this superb exotic disco-noir tune was a mega rare 1984 12”. One-hit German beauties Saâda Bonaire have now made this and 11 other unheard tracks available on digital download via Captured Tracks, Saâda Bonaire’s debut LP was recorded nearly 30 years ago and apart from this track have not seen the light of day until now. The dub-disco sound on the self titled LP could almost be a lost Grace Jones album. 

Originally signed to EMI in 1982, their first and only single, You Could Be More As You Are was produced in Kraftwerk’s studio by legendary Matumbi, Slits and Pop Group producer Dennis Bovell. Composed of DJ Ralf Behrendt, Stefanie Lange, and Claudia Hossfeld plus a plethora of musicians that he picked up working in a immigration centre. EMI budget contraints led to the LP being shelved and the band disbanded soon after.

Full of quirky dubbed out disco, 80's synths and bongos with Middle Eastern flutes and sitars laid over African beats and Moroder style electronics. Even though it was recorded in the eighties it still stands up today like a brand new retro-future LP. Highly Recommended.

But it on iTunes

Nov 10th, 2013 23:55pm

Fire on the dancefloor

So the Montreal band have abandoned alternative rock and made an alternative dance album! The influence of the former LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy on co-production duties has surely shaped the double LP into a masterpiece that LCD Soundsystem may have made had they not called it day in 2011.

To be honest I like Arcade Fires previous 3 albums, but I've not been completely blown away by them. With the slight change in direction I've been convinced of their brilliance. Afterlife is about as 'LCD' as it gets and is a magnificent song. Elsewhere we get to pick out all the other great influences that Murphy shares with the band, from Sound and Vision era Bowie (and his vocal contribution obviously) to 80's era Prince and Michael Jackson to the seventies disco beats and G-funk to Talking Heads and Velvet Underground. It's an altogether interesting record that throws up different highlights on every listen. Recommended.

Jul 28th, 2013 21:47pm

Psychedelic electronics

Copenhagen's Nick Eriksen aka Taragana Pyjarama makes lush and melodic sounds that transcend you into utopia. New mini-LP Nothing Hype is nothing short of beautiful bliss, magical dreamscapes and kaleidoscopic euphoria. Rar is a particular highlight, bubbling disco synths and floaty notes of happiness. Following on from last years debut Tipped Bowls, the journey continues on a similar tip. Nothing Hype needs more hype, it's so good. Highly Recommended.

Like this?, why not try: Todd Terje, Prins Thomas, Lindstrøm

Jun 16th, 2013 21:43pm

Slow groovers and funky movers

Late Night Tales have established themselves as the go to mix masters with an outstanding back catalogue of artist curated compilations of exceptional eclectic quality from a diverse selection of compliers. The classics that get plenty of repeat plays include Groove Armada (vol.1 and 2), Rae & Christian, Air, Nightmares on Wax, Zero 7, Fatboy Slim, Midlake, Trentemøler, Lindstrom and Friendly Fires

So, now they are slightly diversifying into an additional series (well I hope it's a series) with After Dark, their website calls it a tangent, let's hope it's the first of many. The first journey then is compiled by expert compiler Bill Brewster. They say: After Dark is New York at 4am, with the lights off and the strobes flaring. It’s a Dalston basement with slow chugging basslines propelling a dancefloor. It’s a starlit night on the coast of Croatia with glittery girls and burnished boys grooving to 110bpm anthems.

A dedicated mission to unearth the unreleased, the impossible-to-find and the darn-right-funkiest music this side of the Dardanelles. I can certainly say this is all achieved with honours. A fine selection that sounds equally as good during daylight hours and after dark, some names you will have heard of, Jamiroquai, Doves, Zed Bias, Toddla T of but the tunes and versions you probably haven't. Slow groovers and funky movers, slinky beats and infectious rhythms set the tone for cosmic drive into the darkness. Highlights include this ultra rare disco tune Love The Way You Love Me by Marti Caine, the super funky Philip Zdar mix of Machistador by –M–, Koolade by Zed Bias feat Toddla T & MDcL and The Love (Exclusive new mix) by Linus Loves and the Previously Unreleased All Around And Away We Go (Hotel Motel Mix) by Twin Sister. Altogether, a Highly accomplished and HIGHLY RECOMMENDED mix. Bring on the next one please!

Download now from iTunes, Checkout Bill's selection process on the LateNightTales website here.

May 6th, 2013 06:49am

Neomix Volume Two

Finally after so many people bugging me, I've put together another mixtape in the Neoloop series Neomix (I guess I can call it a series now there is a second volume!). Volume Two is as eclectic as the first and covers all the stuff we love on Neoloop.

 

Tracklisting is as follows:

  • 1. Get Free: Major Laser
  • 2. Why: Carly Simon
  • 3. On and On (Ruined by Rick Rubin): Justice
  • 4. Big Love: Matthew E. White
  • 5. Without You: Behling
  • 6. I Walk This Earth: King Biscuit Time
  • 7. I'm on Fire (Cousin Cole's Bad Desire Remix): Bruce Springsteen
  • 8. Hamjam (Tofu Mix): The Soul Session
  • 9. Social Studies (Plastic Plates Remix): Body Language
  • 10. So Good At Being In Trouble: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
  • 11. Big Shot: Dr.John
  • 12. Bombay: El Guincho
  • 13. Tear Club: Moullinex
  • 14. Chip Off The Old Block: Chic
  • 15. Destiny: John Talabot
  • 16. Le Grand Sommeil: Ginger Ale
  • 17. Get Lucky: Daft Punk
  • 18. Utopia: Footprintz
  • 19. Juicy Onion: Brusco
  • 20. Benediction: Hot Natured & Ali Love
  • 21. Bourgie Bourgie: John Davis & The Monster Orchestra
  • 22. Inspector Norse: Todd Terje
  • 23. Lost: Frank Ocean
  • 24. Sea: Roosevelt
  • 25. Done and Over It: Marie Madelenine
  • 26. Goblin City (Holy Ghost Remix): Panthers
  • 27. Island: The Whitest Boy Alive
  • 28. La La La: Snoop Lion
  • 29. Fashion Killa: A$AP Rockey
  • 30. Perfidia: Phyllis Dillon
  • 31. The Baddest Man Alive: The Black Keys
  • 32. Blue Skies: Willie Nelson
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

 

 

Nov 25th, 2012 23:15pm

Late Night choice

One of the best Late Night Tales compilations for a while, the compilation series that maintains a quality output have chosen the effervescent Friendly Fires, an inspired choice as it turns out. The selection covers many genres as well as uptempo house, obscure indie, disco-funk, art-pop and ambient chill. This tune is a stand-out, fourth track in, anthemic porn-disco Fly Like An Eagle by Dennis Parker. And it's not just the old stuff that makes for an impressive collection, Melody Echo Chamber's Endless Shore is a welcome addition from a great artist. Friendly Fires’ exclusive cover version of the ’78 electronic classic Why Don't You Answer by Eberhard Schoener and Sting sounds like one of their own.

Surprise choice perhaps is Olivia Newton-John's cover of the Elton John classic Love Song from Tumbleweed Connection, an amazing version that I've never heard before. Also includes choice cuts from Cocteau Twins, SBTRKT, Iron Galaxy, Bibio, Stereolab, Slowdive, Joe Simon and Sonna

Definitely one of the best comps of the year and certainly one of the best Late Night Tales comps ever, no mean feat considering it's on it's thirtieth edition. Highly Recommend.

Buy it now on iTunes

Nov 10th, 2012 18:54pm

Tiki Tropical!

Former Concretes' frontwoman Victoria Bergsman released her third album last month as Taken By Trees. Following the excellent Eden LP which Bergsman recorded in Pakistan she's now been to Hawaii to record the follow-up Other Worlds. I love the whole Hawaiian sound of steel guitars and tropical beats mixed with Bergsman's soft laid back vocal style. Produced by Henning Fürst this album is the perfect accompaniment to to the summer, so listening to this in the cold autumn months soon warms you up inside deeming of hotter climates.

Intro song Horizon starts with the sound of the sea while coconut shells clip clop out the beat and the first sounds of Hawaiian steel guitars subtly twang in the background. Highest High drifts with ease and grace, filling your head with beautiful sounds of tiki wooden percussion, whirring guitars and Augustus Pablo-esque melodica. Dreams sets off into a faster pace with balearic beats and more luscious steel guitars.

Pacific Blue adds to the tropical mood with ocean-breeze steel pans and a easy going carnival beat. Only You sounds like a lost Cure song re-imagined by Bergman. Large ups the pace once more for a skanking ska beat with horn section and intricate percussion giving us a calypso flavour. Dub reggae tune Indigo dub is pure horizontal relaxation and blends nicely into reggae tinged I Want You. The album finishes with Dreams (Coconut Cut) bringing the sound back to where it started laying in a hammock on the beach sipping on a planters punch. Wonderful. Highly Recommended.

Buy it on iTunes here.

 

Oct 28th, 2012 23:22pm

Temptation

Time for an soul old track, this tune from Eddie Kendricks wasn't a big on it's release back in 1973, he had success with better know tunes like Keep On Trucking, Boogie Down and the expansive, eight minute Girl, You Need A Change Of Mind. Darling Come Back Home has everything I love about good old soul music, great orchestral arrangements, rumbling bass, soaring violins and steel pans. Kendricks voice is sounding as good as his Temptations days. Taken from his self-titled third album. Eddie Kendricks was an American singer and songwriter, noted for his distinctive falsetto singing style and being a co-founder of The Temptations, and was one of their lead singers from 1960 until 1971. He made 13 solo albums and also one with fellow Temptation David Ruffin. He died in 1992 from lung cancer. A true soul legend.

Like this? Try: The Temptations, Gil Scott-Heron, Al Green, Shuggie Otis

Categories: Neo's top choices, Soul
Oct 15th, 2012 22:12pm

Iron Fists

RZA unleashes the opening track for his upcoming The Man With The Iron Fists soundtrack. 

The Baddest Man Alive is a collaboration between RZA and The Black Keys, and it's a badass slab of rock, up there with the best tracks from the Blakroc album, The Black Keys previous venture into Rock/Hip-Hop crossover.

Aside from The Black Keys, The Man With the Iron Fists soundtrack also features new compositions by Kanye West, Ghostface Killah, Pusha T, Raekwon, Wu-Tang Clan and Talib Kweli, as well as RZA collaboration Flatbush Zombies. The soundtrack hits officially on October 23rd, while the film lands in theaters at the start of November. 

The film stars Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, RZA, Rick Yune, David Bautista, and Jamie Chung. RZA‘s takes on his directorial debut.

Apr 29th, 2012 22:53pm

Wonky Disco

Sébastien Tellier returns with new album My God Is Blue, produced by Mr Flash. Looking more like the messiah with every release Tellier's trademark beard and long messy hair is symphonious with his own brand of sexy-disco electronica. The frenchman's music remains in the high quality bracket, all the usual influences are omni present, the old styles of Philippe Nicaud, Serge Gainsbourg and Jean-Claude Vannier to the contemporary sounds of Air, Daft Punk and Bertrand Bergalat. Cochon Ville is the lead single released with a suitably erotic video of naked dancers in gods own disco. Tellier always does just enough to remain on the right edge of kitsch with an electro-pop sound that could have been released anytime in the last thirty years or far into the future. Future-retro maybe?! Sedulous is my choice pick of this LP, a slow jam that Serge Gainsbourg would be proud of, a dramatic drum roll strolls into a slow digi-funk beat with a waltzing horn section and funky quitar stabs. Good to have you back Sébastien! HIGHLY RECOMMEDED!

Out now on iTunes

 

Dec 29th, 2011 21:41pm

The Black Keys - El Camino

Ten years and seven albums down the line The Black Keys latest long player strikes solid gold. Out last month El Camino has rarely left my speakers or headphones since. It's another pummeling throb of retro-blues-rock-stomp of course, but having Brian Burton (AKA Danger Mouse) back to co-produce and co-write the entire album The Keys are primed and aimed for the mainstream. I can highly recommend all the previous 6 albums, the early LP's are naturally rough and raw with grimy rhythm and blues. The last three, Magic Potion, Attack & Release and the breakthrough Brothers have been edging towards big arena domination the world over. 

All El Camino's songs are written and composed by Singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney and Brian Burton. In contrast to some of the slower, quieter tracks from Brothers, the songs on El Camino are more uptempo and riff-driven. It has been said that during the tour for Brothers, Dan and Patrick realised that many of Brothers songs were too slow to translate to a live setting, which led them to write more uptempo material for El Camino. Carney said, "This record stemmed from that, the fact that it's easier for our songs to come across well live if they are fast. So we were just trying to make a guitar rock album that was more upbeat than anything we've ever recorded"

So we find ourselves with one hell of a heavy slab of rock here, first single Lonely boy kicks off the album in full throttle with a Duane Eddy 50's rock foundation before it absolutely bulldozes into the next track Dead and Gone with a new found fury. The sound then goes head first into this track Gold on the Ceiling, which sounds like T-Rex jamming in a dirty strip club. All glam-nasty rock and big bombastic choruses with plenty of Bolan Boogie. Little Black Submarines slows things down to a blues ballad, until two minutes in that is, then it bursts into a distorted Tom Petty-esque riff. The last three but one tracks are sure fire crowd pleasers from Hell of a Season, a big arena-rocking tune, to the shimmy shimmy pomp of Stop Stop and the standout track Nova Baby which will have the crowd singing in unison with their hands in the air.

The Black Keys are determined to reinvigorate rock’n’roll from the roots up and with El Camino they are succeeding. The best rock record of 2011 Highly Recommended.

 

Dec 24th, 2011 23:51pm

I heard that you like the bad girls, honey, is that true?

Undoubtably one of this years most blogged tunes, Lana Del Rey has made her mark in 2011. Seemingly coming from nowhere, the power of the internet launches another star, the gangsta Nancy Sinatra has earned a faithful following and deservedly so as the B-side Blue Jeans and forthcoming single Born To Die proves she's not a one hit wonder. There's a good few versions of Video Games, Chicago house legend Mr. Fingers mesmerising house mix, Kasabien's live cover and Bombay Bicycle Club. So far my favourite mix is from the night-stepper Jamie Woon. Lana's vocal never sounded better over Woon's intense dark beats, a pop-noir delight.

Official site

 

Nov 23rd, 2011 21:52pm

Histoire de Melody Nelson (40ème anniversaire)

Hard to believe Histoire de Melody Nelson is 40 years old. But given it is also 20 years since Serge Gainbourg's death it puts it into perspective. Widely regarded by critics and fans alike as Gainsbourg's most influential and accomplished album. It certainly stands the test of time, a classic not just for Gainsbourg but as a piece of music made in the early seventies. 

Thanks to a big budget following international success with 1969's Je t'aime... moi non plus Gainsbourg's 1971 collaboration with Jean-Claude Vannier proved to be the ultimate magnum opus in a prolific career that covers over 3 decades. It's the young Vannier's lush, deep orchestrated string and choral arrangements composed with Serge that make this album truly unique. Never before had pop-rock songs, slow funk and soul been produced with such extravagant orchestration. Add to this Gainbourg's brooding narration and Jane Birkin's (Melody) sweet and innocent voice and you get an incredibly grandeur sound. But that's what Monsieur Gainsbourg was all about, constantly pushing boundaries and making new music and sounds that had never been done before.

Many musicians have marked the LP as a major influence, David Holmes based the majority of his second album Let's Get Killed on remakes of Melody Nelson compositions. Beck, whose 2002 track Paper Tiger from Sea Change is extremely close to the distinctive Histoire de Melody Nelson sound. Air, Jarvis Cocker, Portishead and Daft Punk have all been inchanted by it's magic.

I first discovered the album during the mid-nineties and it's remained a constant favourite ever since. Histoire de Melody Nelson is essentially a concept album based on the Lolita-esque pseudo-autobiographical plot involving the middle-aged Gainsbourg unintentionally colliding his Rolls Royce Silver Ghost into teenage nymphet Melody Nelson's bicycle, and the subsequent seduction and romance that ensues. 

The original album is under 30 minutes long and starts and ends the epic tracks Melody and Cargo Culte clocking in over seven and a half minutes each. Now available in a new 40th Anniversary edition with outtakes and alternative versions. Also there is an interesting documentary by Sebastien Merlet about the making of the album with interviews from Jane Birkin, Jean-Claude Vannier, Jean-Claude Charvier, Tony Frank and Andrew Birkin.

Occasionally imitated but never matched, truly exceptional and highly recommended.

Buy it on iTunes

Oct 20th, 2011 19:41pm

Neoloop Mixloop Volume 1

Thought it was about time I posted up some mixes for you, here's a new 2 hour mix I've put together for your listening pleasure. It's an eclectic mix of tunes that have featured on Neoloop over the last 2 years. You can just download it by clicking the little download button next to the player or play it here. Sit back, relax and enjoy, Cheers! Neo

 

Track listing ...

  • The Look - Metronomy
  • Close Your Eyes (feat. Lucy Liu & Jay Electronica) - The Bullitts
  • Light Seep - Bibio
  • Rain Showers (7" Edit) - Sizzla
  • Midnight Sun featuring Elodie Rama (Prince Fatty Version) - Natural Self
  • P.I.M.P - The Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band
  • Bluebird - One Self
  • Benzie Box - Cee-Lo and Danger Doom
  • Hangin' On A String - Loose Ends
  • Insane In the Brain (feat. Horseman) - Prince Fatty
  • Before I Move Off - Mount Kimbie
  • Senseless (Original Mix) - Maya Jane Coles
  • Muskrat Love (T2MM Beta Edit) - America
  • You Put A Smell On Me (Breakbot Remix) - Matthew Dear
  • The Warriors (Cristoff Remix) - Barry De Vorzon
  • I Wanna Dance (Todd Terje Tangoterje Edit) - Claudja Barry
  • VCR (Matthew Dear Remix) - The xx
  • Around (Solomun Vox) - Noir & Haze
  • Fun Girl (Keinemusik Remix) - Jessica 6
  • Home - LCD Soundsystem
  • Gli impermeabili - Paolo Conte
  • Demolition Derby - Bertrand Burgalat
  • Sweet - Black Affair
  • Walkin' - Thundercat
  • Santa Fe - Beirut
  • Waiting for a Train - Flash & the Pan
  • Colourless Artibella - Major Lazer & La Roux
  • Tungstène et Bakélite - Pierre Robin
  • Le Vieux Piano De La Plage - Charles Trenet

 

Sep 18th, 2011 23:35pm

ACTION ADVENTURE!

I can't get enough of Jeymes Samuel's The Bullitts, I've posted tunes previously by The Bullitts but this superb track is a defining moment in their growing catalogue. It first surfaced at the end of last year and the more you hear it the more you get mesmerised by it's charms. Featuring a narrative by KILL BILL star Lucy Liu who plays an ice-cold murderess called Amelia Sparks awaiting execution on death row and it also features a sublime rap from Jay Electronica

Have you ever had that feeling like you been falling for weeks in a well? I was on the verge of dying like E.T. in the bald spot in the forest, right next to the speak and spell…

The full debut album THEY DIE BY DAWN & other short stories is finished and due to drop anytime soon. The album features some amazing artists including Tori Amos, Jay Electronica and Mos Def along with character cameos from Lucy Liu and Edris Elba. Release date TBC. The Bullitts played the Big Chill last month and according to Jeymes Samuel's twitter they will be doing some live dates soon.

Each release comes with unique movie inspired videos and cool film poster artwork, love this one...

 

Aug 30th, 2011 23:58pm

Remastered releases for The Jesus and Mary Chain

Since Psychocandy was first released in November 1985, The Jesus And Mary Chain's seminal debut album has received a massive amount of critical acclaim and is now widely regarded as a classic. Influenced by the likes of The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, and The Shangri-Las, brothers Jim and William Reid's milestone LP went on to influence further generations of bands, the LP also includes a young Bobby Gillespie on drums. Psychocandy is a wash with feedback distortion, fuzz and a gothic undertone, the Mary Chain's wall of noise is immense. In particular Just Like Honey, a single from the LP still sounds amazing today and nowadays it's better know for being included on the soundtrack to Sofia Coppola's Lost In Translation.

The whole JAMC catalogue - six studio albums, are to be reissued as double CD's plus DVD, including B-sides, live recordings, BBC sessions and more later this year.

Aug 15th, 2011 00:37am

Jay Electronica teams up with British collective The Bullitts  (AKA  Jeymes Samuel) in this French noir set short film titled, Run & Hide. ELISA LASOWSKI IN: FUIR ET SE CACHER (RUN & HIDE)

This comes off The Bullitts’ free EP, Mos Eisley. I'm loving everything the Bullitts are doing and this tune samples David Bowie to great effect. Love his old style film poster too...

Aug 11th, 2011 00:35am

Retro-futurist electro-pop!

John Maus new album We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves is an interesting record. Heavy synth-led songs of retro-futurist electro-pop intwine a wealth of influences from The Doors, Kratfwerk and  Joy Division to Daft Punk, Jan Hammer and Giorgio Moroder. Over these freak-beat workouts and soaring synth's is Maus deep and brooding voice telling strange stories. Head For The Country is a great track, also Hey Moon and Matter of Fact are highlights. Recommened.

Buy it now on iTunes

Feb 9th, 2011 00:59am

The Stepkids a Connecticut trio of singer/songwriters who make what they call futuristic electro soul, recorded on a reel-to-reel.

I'm definitely feeling their brand of soul! They certainly have the right mix of classic soul, neo soul and psychedelic funk. There is some serious influence of psychedelic-era Temptations, Silver Apples, Sun Ra and Roy Ayers. Thanks to Rach for the heads-up on this one. Check-out the full story on Stonesthrow.com

Bands place in MySpace

 

Oct 31st, 2010 18:53pm

Any excuse to put up some Sebastian Tellier, listening to Darkstar track Dear Heartbeat below reminded me of this tune from Sebastian's Sexuality LP - His third studio album which was produced by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo of Daft Punk, a classic album that I never get bored of. 

Sebastians's done a few classics in his time including the seminal orchestrated hit La Ritournelle and his Eurovision entry Divine. Born in 1975 in Paris the songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is currently signed to Record Makers, a French independent record label. He sings in English, French and Italian.

Check out all his albums, cool stuff!

Like This? Try: Bertrand Bergalat, Yuksek, Etienne de Crécy

Official site, buy on iTunes


 

Sep 23rd, 2010 00:16am

It's really cool to hear an album that is fresh and new yet still embraces the sound of classic soul. Aloe Blacc has made a cracker of an album, oozes influences of Marvin Gaye, Al Green and Sly and the Family Stone and mixes it up with a nu-soul adroitness. Good Things, co-written by the versatile vocalist and songwriter in conjunction with the in-house production team at Truth & Soul Records, Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman.

I Need a Dollar — commissioned by HBO as the theme music for the series How to Make It in America — because ultimately, that is how to make it in America. Other standout tracks on the album include the cool reggae funk of Miss Fortune, the smooth laid-back groove of Femme Fatale and the Sly Stone sounding You Make Me Smile. RECOMMENDED. Aloe Blacc, new the new Marvin Gaye? Maybe or just perhaps Aloe Blacc new soul sensation!

On Stones throw, Aloe on iTunes, Official Site, His place in MySpace

Categories: Neo's top choices, Soul
Jul 11th, 2010 19:29pm

The ever engaging Brooklynites School Of Seven Bells first single Windstorm is taken from the forthcoming album Disconnect From Desire, released 12/07/10 on Full Time Hobby. This remix takes to original track in an altogether darker place while retaining the beautiful background harmonies of sisters Claudia and Alejandra Deheza and adding a banging kick drum. I actually think this is better that the album version, excellent.

Like this? Try: Their first album Alpinisms

May 17th, 2010 00:23am

David Holmes releases his greatest hits this month, a true pioneer DJ, producer, musician and composer who'se made some outstanding tunes under his own name. This new LP The Dogs are Parading pulls together all the singles and other stella album tracks, remixes and rarities. He's produced many great soundtracks Out Of Sight, Ocean's Eleven and last years The Girlfriend Experience all of which feature on The Dogs are Parading. The track featured here is from his album Let's Get Killed and is Holmes's retake on Serge Gainsbourg's Melody from Histoire De Melody Nelson LP, considered to be one of Gainsbourg's finest works and featured orchestral arrangements of Jean-Claude Vannier. Holmes's classic version is pretty sympathetic to the original, bringing it up to date. All of Holmes's great tunes in one place with a few obscure remixes thrown in can't be bad, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Like this? Try: Serge Gainsbourg, Massive Attack, Unkle, DJ Shadow

Buy it on iTunes, Official Holmes site here.

May 11th, 2010 01:14am

Outstanding! Coming in from the leftfield, Jamie Lidell releases a new LP next week Compass. Ever the experimentalist Lidell has ventured into many musical directions with varying results, R&B and electronica have been very fruitful. This new LP is produced by Beck and you can really hear the Beckisums in there, it has a real raw quality to the whole album, nothing is to polished and all the better for it. Lidell's soulful voice is rattled around clanging and banging percussion and sounds incredible, fluctuating from soul and R&B to folk and funk with a a new found swagger. There are so many influences in here, I'm hearing Prince, George Clinton, Tom Waits, Nick Drake, Gonjasufi and Chris Cornell of Soundgarden and of course Beck. This LP features some impressive guests too, including Beck, Feist, Grizzly Bear's Chris Taylor, Daniel Rossen, and Chris Bear, Wilco's Pat Sansone, legendary R&B drummer James Gadson, soul belter Nikka Costa, Beck keyboardist Brian LeBarton, and Gonzales. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Like this? Try: Beck, Prince, Chris Cornell, Bibio

Pre-order on iTunes, Official Site

 

May 9th, 2010 00:19am

The excellent Foals are back with a new album on Monday 10 May titled Total Life Forever, the follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut Antidodes. And I'm please to say the new LP carries on from where they left off only raising the bar higher, it's full of potential singles and it will undoubtably propel them in to the mainstream arena. The Oxford band possess an extra edge that they didn't have before, a mature sound that really fills up your headphones to bursting point. One thing they always did well was percussion and Jack Bevan's drumming is immense, the driving force behind an incredibly accomplished second album. 

Even frontman Yannis Philippakis's vocals sound better than ever, often big albums feature one or two epic tracks, Total Life Forever encompasses 4 big blow-out numbers - opening track Blue Blood, Black Gold, Spanish Sahara and After Glow each build into an exhilarating euphoria that is just amazing. In-between these are perfect pieces of hands-in-the-air sing-a-long pop such as this excellent title track. A captivating masterpiece that is surely a massive contender for one the best LP's this year. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 

Like this? Try: Friendly Fires, Late of the Pier, Battles

Buy on iTunes, Official Site

Apr 26th, 2010 00:40am

Following an excellent gig by LCD Soundsystem on Friday night I've been listening to all their old stuff and been digging a bit deeper into some old Disco influences. When you listen in very closely to James Murphy's arrangements you hear a plethora of old Disco nuances, it's no secret that James loves his old disco collection, some of which was showcased on the excellent Fabriclive 36 mix he did with Pat Mahoney. This track from A Taste Of Honey was an old favourite of mine back in the day and I remember dropping it in my old sets to great appreciation. We've Got The Groove was never really big hit, they were of course best known for their 1978 hit Boogie Oogie Oogie from their self titled debut LP. Because of the massive success of that seminal disco tune they were often passed off as just a one hit wonder, but they did record some great tunes on 4 albums. This tune is from the 1982 LP Ladies Of The Eighties (Not to be confused with The Roy Ayers produced band of the same name). The subtle cowbell on this reminds me of a few LCD tunes.

Like This? Try: Chic, Heatwave, LCD Soundsystem, Mtume, Mary Jane Girls

Buy on iTunes

 

Categories: Disco, Neo's top choices
Apr 18th, 2010 01:30am

A new LCD album is a very exciting prospect, I've been a massive admirer of James Murphy's project since Daft Punk was playing at his house. LCD's first album was brimming with original ideas and formula's for uniquely crafted songs, Losing My Edge, Tribulations, Too Much Love and the momentous Daft Punk Is Playing At My House all contributed to one amazing LP. Then we had Sound Of Silver which didn't disappoint either with - North American Scum, Someone Great, the hypnotic Get Innocuous, the brilliant Time To Get Away and the euphoric All My Friends marked LCD's second LP as 2007's album of the Year. 

So the big question is can he do it again? Well, I've given the 3rd album, titled This Is Happening a good listen and all I have to say is a resounding HELL YES! This tune, the opening track is the first of 7 epic tracks all clocking in over 7 minutes and beyond. Starts as a slow paced easy little jam intro before clashing in at 3 minutes with a pounding electro beat that is pure LCD at heart, next up is the shortest tune on the album Drunk Girls which was the first track to be released as a single, bringing in a bit of garage punk it's the new Daft Punk is Playing at my house. But while the album has the unique LCD flavour it still breaks new ground and treats us to some magical moments. One touch sounds like LCD remixing an old long lost Depeche Mode track while All I Want sounds like what David Bowie should sound like now with soaring guitars and pop hooks a plenty. I Can change is The Human League jamming with Kraftwerk on an electro-ballad with heart felt words of love. You Wanted A Hit is all about writing hit records and or their accidental hits, a low-slung bass epic, 9 minute groover. Pow Pow is the new cousin of Losing My Edge, followed by Somebody's Calling Me which is like Iggy Pop's Nightclubbing for the future-disco kids. The album ends with Home, a long catchy groover with a baseline reminiscent of Losing My Edge, a nice mellow end to another outstanding LCD Soundsystem LP. Can't wait for the live show next week at Brixton Academy.

Like This? Try: Hot Chip, The Juan MacLean, The Rapture

Released date for the album This is Happening is 17 May

Buy on iTunes, LCD Soundsystem's Official site

Mar 25th, 2010 01:15am

Absolutely loving this new track from the mighty Black Keys, whistles in with a light air before Patrick Carney’s drum beat comes banging in and Dan Auerbach heavy whiskey soaked croon and you think it's business as usual, but this has more polished sound to the previous raw edged production courtesy of Mr. Danger Mouse. But fear not the the heavy blues riffage is all there and the track just builds and builds into a Black keys monster the key changes bring a new psychedelic edge pulled through an echo chamber with maximum effect, glorious! 

Taken from their forthcoming album Brothers set for release 18 May, with just this track produced by Danger Mouse it will be interesting to hear how the rest of the album sounds. It's self produced by the Black Keys and mixed by Tchad Blake who mixed the Blakroc album and includes a cover of the Jerry Butler classic Never Gonna Give You Up.

Like This? Try: Blakroc, Dan Auerbach, Broken Bells

Bands place in MySpace, Check The Black Keys back catalogue on iTunes

Jan 12th, 2010 01:19am

Clanging drums and wonky tonk piano... A grand masterpiece of crazy pop... Heaven Can Wait.

Following on from her excellent album 5:55 from 2006, Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin's daughter has collaborated with Beck to make IRM, her best album to date. Full of Beck's distinctive style and lyrical nonchalance, who himself is massively influenced by Serge Gainsbourg. And it's all in there, it's an eclectic mix of tunes that hang together well, Charlotte is sounding more and more like her mother, although Charlotte does has a better voice, not to say I don't enjoy Jane Birkin's songs as she has made some quality pop with Monsieur Serge.

It's sounds practically like a new Beck album but with Charlotte doing all the singing, Beck does chip in with background vocals here and there, apart from this track which is a full on duet. So Beck plays Serge to Charlotte's Jane, and in true style of the legend they have also managed to maintain Serge's forward thinking pop while plundering from his past. It's very early indeed to think about albums of the year, I just hope come the end of the year it won't be forgotten about as it really is a magnificent album. With such talented parents the expectation bench mark is set very high, Charlotte has a lot to live up to, with IRM I think she has achieved it… The old man would have been proud. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Like This Try: Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, Beck, Jean-Claude Vannier, Bertrand Burgalat

Charlotte's Official Site, Beck's Official Site, Buy it on iTunes

Dec 30th, 2009 23:49pm

A pounding heavy slab of white noise, yet strangely melodic, distorted sounds crash and collide beating each other up until the most powerful one pushes to the fore until it get smashed away by another creating a captivating chaos. You need to turn the volume up to stun on this one. If you imagine My Bloody Valentine jamming with Giorgio Moroder in a dark heaving disco you come close, The main riff is oddly reminiscent of Sly & the Family Stones' Into My Own Thing (as sampled by Fatboy Slim on Weapon of Choice). Die slow is taken from their 2nd album Get Color, out now. LA's HEALTH are best known in the UK for their collaboration with Crystal Castles on hit dancefloor filler Crimewave, something of a disco departure from their usual brand of ear punishing cacophony. Also available is an album of remixes, HEALTH//DISCO featuring new versions of first their first album. Check out the video for Die Slow, pretty gruesome!

Like this try: No Age, Atlas Sound, Wavves, My Bloody Valentine

Official Site, Bands place in MySpace, Buy all HEALTH albums on iTunes

Dec 6th, 2009 22:54pm

Fantastic expectations, amazing revelations… went to see Ian Brown at Brixton Academy last night, amazing gig with all his hits rounding up with an epic version the Stone Roses classic Fools Gold. His new material sounded really good, Stellify and new single Just Like You standing out the most. Marathon Man suffered from a few sound problem which was a shame. Overall Mr.Brown delivered rip roaring performance, he is real a Legend. Ian's classic tune F.E.A.R is just a lyrical masterpiece, posted here on neoloop for your pleasure although I'm sure you already own this!

For each a road, For everyman a religion, Find everybody and rule, For everything and rumble, Forget everything and remember, For everything a reason, Forgive everybody and remember...

Final eternity arouses reactions, Freeing excellence affects reality, Fallen empires are ruling, Find earth and reef, Fantastic expectations Amazing revelations

Final execution and resurrection, Free expression as revolution, Finding everything and realizing... You got the fear.

Ian's website, Buy Ian Brown on iTunes

Nov 29th, 2009 20:32pm

After seeing the Specials live again this week, I've been listening  to a lot of Specials. This tune hasn't featured in their new live sets, which is a shame as it's one my top fives! Way ahead of it's time I think.

Nov 21st, 2009 00:36am

While the Dirty Projectors Bitte Orca album has been well raved about since it's release earlier this Summer, I've found it to be a slow burner that just gets better with every listen. It's hard to highlight one individual track, in the world of mp3 it's easy to just pull out the popular tracks and never listen to rest of the album. So it takes a really good album stand up in its entirety. With Bitte Orca it really is a complete listening experience required. However, No Intention is a captivating listen, even if it does sound better at track 7 nestled in as part of the whole LP. 

Surely a front runner contender for album of the year. Intricate melodies, epic landscapes stripped bare to reveal beauty in it's most simplistic and triumphant form. Frontman Dave Longstreth's lead vocal is strangely jarring at times but it works, add to that the female harmonies of amber coffin, angel deradoorian and haley dekle you end up with a unique record.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Buy Bitte Orca on iTunes, Bands place in MySpace

Oct 19th, 2009 00:04am

Following on from the last post about AIR sounding like Bertrand Burgalat, what better time than to share a bit more bert. You'll find other tunes by bert in previous months. This is his superb collaboration with Robert Wyatt, a little late for summer but a classic bert tune, taken from the album Cheri B.B. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Official site - tricatel.com

Berts place in MySpace - myspace.com/tricatelburgalat

Buy Bert - iTunes

Oct 18th, 2009 23:10pm

Amour, Imagination, Rêve - Absolutely love this track from Air's new album Love 2. Sounding more and more like Bertrand Burgalat these days the duo from Versailles always have to live up to that outstanding debut, I think this new album comes close without a doubt.

Bands place in MySpace

Sep 13th, 2009 23:37pm

Infectious hypnotic groove

I can't stop listening to this tune, it's so incredibly catchy it's off the hook! Featuring guest vocals by Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip. Last month I posted up Cruel Intentions SMD's collaboration with Beth Ditto, the whole album is brilliant mix of vocal talent. Get it!

Get it on iTunes

Sep 7th, 2009 00:11am

Can you dig it!

Beyond the wizards Sleeve should have some new tunes out very soon. In the mean time we'll have to keep playing their debut (Ark 1) to death. I can't get enough of them. Very hard to get hold of nowadays, this is a great companion for the Meanderthals Desire Lines album. Also check out the Re-Animations Vol.1 B.T.W.S excellent remix compilation.

 

Bands place in MySpace

B.T.W.S Official site

Sep 1st, 2009 00:36am

Life is just a moment so enjoy it!

A big slab of classic funk from the vibraphone master Roy Ayers. I love this tune, a real feel good vibe. Gives you an extra spring in your step! Perfect for a late night funk session.

Categories: Funk, Neo's top choices, Soul
Aug 19th, 2009 23:45pm

MMmmm... Please me, I don't want to do it with.

What can I say about Bertrand Burgalat other than he is a genius! He's made 6 albums, all brilliant. Impossible to pick one track from Bertrand as there are so many great tunes. This is from the Portrait-Robot album (2005). I'll post some more in time.

Burgalat is well-known for his cool, breezy 1960s-style pop sound, something he has lent to his production work with Air. His musical influences include the "ye-ye" sound of French pop made famous by France Gall, Françoise Hardy and Brigitte Fontaine, as well as the singers Jacques Dutronc and Serge Gainsbourg.

Official site - tricatel.com

Berts place in MySpace - myspace.com/tricatelburgalat

Buy Bert - iTunes

 

Aug 16th, 2009 22:17pm

Driving along to the rhythm of the sun.

Imagine yourself cruising in an old open top sports car along a winding road high in the mountains on a bright sunny day, the wind in your hair, designer shades and the sound of this floating out the speakers. A new album from KOC is due this September, looking forward to that!

Official site - kingsofconvenience.com

 

 

 

Aug 15th, 2009 00:22am

She's Strange and I like it!

A classic bit of funk, still sounds fresh today as it did in 1984. Drum machine beats, wonky synths, strange sirens and Larry Blackman's 'Owww!!'  Unmistakably Cameo. Pure classic!

Buy it - iTunes

Jul 31st, 2009 00:29am
Skanking Banjos!

Just a great mix of kooky instruments, this little tune swans along to a ska beat, twanging banjos and moody clarinets.
Love it!

Jun 30th, 2009 02:04am

Lazer guided Killa riddims and baselines from Babylon!

Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do, the new album from Major Lazer is just gonna blow up, buy it, beg for it, steal it... A massive contender for album of the year. Electro squelches, sirens and Nokia ringtones sprinkled over Basslines booming with intensity and distortion, digital dancehall for the future, but the future is already here! Bags of special select guests make it an eclectic affair.

Major Lazer is a Jamaican commando who fought in the “secret Zombie War of 1984” and lost both arms in combat. Then the U.S. military equipped him with experimental lasers that double as prosthetic limbs. That's the pitch, but it's really Diplo and Switch!

A bands place in MySpace

Jun 13th, 2009 16:29pm

Bar grooves and Mojito's!

I was out last night in very cool little bar in Soho and the DJ was spinning some great stuff, mainly on hip hop tip. This track went down a storm, a great party vibe from a class act. I've been hammering this album in the car for the last couple of months.

Q-Tip has definitely found his mojo on The Renaissance, his latest long player offering. This track also features vocals from Amanda Diva. 

 

Official site for Q-Tip - q-tipnetwork.ning.com

Official site for Amanda Diva - www.amandadiva.com

Buy it - iTunes

Jun 6th, 2009 16:43pm

The Specials are and always will be the greatest band ever for me.

Following the last blog entry of Terry Hall's collaboration with Mushtaq it only seams right to follow the loop with a Specials track. Doesn't Make It Alright - is from their debut album The Specials.

The Specials had the perfect combination of fucking great tunes, impeccable style and attitude, they are just as important to the Ska revival as what the Sex Pistols were to punk and the Clash were to bring Reggae to a punk generation. The Specials first toured the UK in support to the Clash back in 1979. I was ten went I first heard the Specials debut album on a tatty old record player I shared with my older brother. By default my brother always used to introduce me to latest tunes during the late 70s and early 80s - Fellow 2 Tone acts Madness and the Selector were also skanking on the stereo along with The Beat and Bad Manners. The Specials started it all, the great Ska revival as it was dubbed at the time covering old 60s Jamaican Ska which was irresistible for those who founds punks sartorial alienation just that bit too alienating. After two amazing albums and various EPs The Specials spit in 1981 following their crowning moment when Ghost Town was at number one in the UK charts during the run-up to the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer.

Now 30 years later their music is still relevant, the landscape has changed but the message is still the same. If you don't own a copy of the Specials (1st Album) and More Specials albums, buy them quick, become a convert and make out you've loved them all along!


 

Categories: Neo's top choices, SKA
May 29th, 2009 07:36am

Brigitte Bardot was born in Paris to Anne-Marie 'Toty' Mucel (1912-1978) and Louis 'Pilou' Bardot (1896-1975). Her father had an engineering degree and worked with her grandfather in the family business. Toty was sixteen years younger and they married in 1933. Brigitte's mother enrolled her and her younger sister Marie-Jeanne ('Mijanou', born 5 May 1938) in dance. Mijanou eventually gave up on dancing lessons to complete her education, whereas Brigitte decided to concentrate on a ballet career. In 1947, Bardot was accepted to The National Superior Conservatory of Paris for Music and Dance and for three years attended the ballet classes of Russian choreographer Boris Knyazev. (One of her classmates was Leslie Caron). By the invitation of her mother's acquaintance, she modeled in a fashion show in 1949. In the same year she modeled for a fashion magazine "Jardin des Modes" managed by another friend of her mother, journalist Hélène Lazareff. She appeared on a 8 March 1950 cover of ELLE and was noticed by a young film director Roger Vadim. He showed an issue of the magazine to director and screenwriter Marc Allégret, who offered Bardot the opportunity to audition for "Les lauriers sont coupés" thereafter. Although Bardot got the role, the shooting of the film was canceled, but it made her consider becoming an actress. Moreover, her acquaintance with Vadim, who attended the audition, influenced her further life and career.

Categories: Lo-Fi, Neo's top choices