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.
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Happy listening!
Neo
Email: neo@neoloop.com
The second LP from Portland-based psych-rock outfit Unknown Mortal Orchestra is a shimmering-psychedelic masterpiece. Opening track From the Sun could have been an old T-Rex tune while lead track So Good At Being In Trouble hooks it's melody firmly into the subconscious and begs for the repeat button. Retro sounds of surf-pop California and 60's brit-pop make it sound like an old long lost LP from that era. The absolute stormer One At a Time mixes The Beatles psychedelic Revolver vibe with added Sly and the Family Stone soul and Pink Floyd sonics. No Need For A Leader has a storming guitar riff that Van Halen would be proud of. Faded in The Morning introduces more heavier guitars and slamming riffs while still staying suitably stoned.
An absolute triumph - Highly Recommended
Another cool groove of downbeat electronic experimental pop from Lusine, Seattle-based producer Jeff McIlwain, a track from new album The Waiting Room. Looping synths and summery melodies make a vision of warm colourful splendour. The Waiting Room is his third full-length release for Ghostly International under the moniker Lusine, and his first album since 2009's A Certain Distance.
Ghostly records sums it up perfectly…
As a whole, this is an album that's both cerebral and visceral, a record that's both rewarding of a serious headphone session and also warm and melodic enough to make listening as engaging in an emotional sense as it is in an intellectual one. Many artists flirt with these two extremities of electronic music; few tie them together as well as McIlwain does.
Also includes a cover of Electronic's Get the Message!
Arab Strap's Aidan Moffat has just released a new LP under his alter-ego L. Pierre, the album is titled 'The Island Come True' (a chapter from Peter Pan apparently!). This is his fourth album as L.Pierre and is probably the most accomplished of the four, the added atmospheric cracks and pops are Moffat's comfort of making it sound like an old vinyl record and adds a warmth and feeling of a long lost soundtrack to a forgotten movie. Self samples, lush strings and piano loops make Harmonic Avenger quite haunting, I love the smokey organs that slide in and out of this track, just beautiful. Sad Laugh, The Grief That Does Not Speak and The Kingdom all conjure up images of wonder and fantasy. An LP that most recommended for those dark and cold evenings.
Psychedelic pioneer Kevin Ayers, a founding member of Soft Machine, died this week. Ayers passed away in his sleep, on February 18 at home in France. He was 68. Ayers collaborated with Brian Eno, John Cale, Nico, Syd Barrett, and many more throughout his distinctive and colourful career. This epic song is the title track of his 1971 solo album Whatevershebringswesing - regarded as one of his most acclaimed albums. it was recorded with Mike Oldfield's guitar accompaniment and Robert Wyatt’s wracked harmonies and would become a template for Ayers subsequent 70s output. It's along track with Ayers superb lyrical style set to the max, a real classic. Cheers Kev!
LA's Local Natives' follow-up their 2010 debut, Gorilla Manor, with Hummingbird this month. Tune of choice is the uplifting Heavy Feet, building a steady rhythm before pausing for breath the song continues to cascade in a rainbow of colour, hand-chaps and harmonies, and subtle guitars intersperse before bursting into strobe lights of sound. Great Track from a brilliant 2nd album.
My Killa tune from Harlem's A$AP Rocky's Long Live A$AP, right now is Fashion Killa. Invest in the rest without disapointment! Available now.
Pumping out the disco groove today, here's a skanking disco number from Kellerkind from the beginning of last year still sounding good. Peppered with bursts of jazz the hypnotic ska-loop beats pull you into the groove, topped off with a funky organ finish, Triple Distilled to perfection. You can't help moving your body to this one.
From Kellerkind's Disco On The Dancefloor EP and the album Basement Story.
Solange's latest EP has been well reviewed in alternative music circles, all praising her for not simply following in her older sisters footsteps. But then I just think well why would she, Beyoncé has sold millions of records as a mainstream RnB diva what would be the point in competing with that.
What Solange does really well is to come at it slightly left-field with an early 80s pop-RnB retro edge that sounds very fresh with today's production values. Signed to Brooklyn indie label Terrible Records, home to Grizzly Bear and Chairlift, on this EP she worked with Dev Hynes, aka Lightspeed Champion.
She sounds a bit Mariah Carey on Lovers in the Parking Lot, but its the production and underlying groove that makes this a refreshing and unique sound. Lead single Losing You is all over the radio now and is probably the most 'mainstream' pop tune on the EP, sounding like it could have come straight off Madonna's True Blue album. Solange certainly has a better voice than Madonna though. Some Things Never Seem To Fucking Work the EP's stellar moment with a sweeping drum loop and an infectious pop-hook melody. Solange doesn't go for the big chorus, each song tells a story and maintains a progressive high throughout. A clever mix that begs for continuous plays. Highly Recommended.