Five Must-listen Albums of The Week (20.01)
From baroque-pop to stellar disco. From ambience to nu-folk. Last week brought us plenty of decent music. We tried to focus on the most succulent records! Enjoy
Foxygen “Hang”
Everything comes in cycles. Music and fashion are the upper most evidences of comeback trends. And frankly, it is truly hard not to bring pieces from here and there to create something new. Foxygen are not scared of adopting. They know their job well enough to base its entirety on classic art-rock. What is important though is how band adopts their influences for 21st century. How all the bedroom pop, all the structural baroque-ness is turned into a well-crafted work that is not old-dated and doesn’t seem stolen. Take “Avalon” from instance, it does sound a lot like pop-driven T.Rex, then it takes ragtime piano and returns to 1970s. Retrospective? Yes. Secondary? Probably. But at the very same time, Foxygen give a different look at retromania, that got the hell out of everyone. Hang is consistent. It is theatrical, it stands a pose and it somehow does more then a recollection. But a wonderful revival of epochs.
Blackfield “Blackfield V”
In 2015 Steven Wilson released his fourth album Hand. Cannot. Erase. and it appeared to be better then Blackfield’s two latest to date (2nd and 3rd) albums combined. Shameful, ha? For sure. One of the possible reasons for that decline might happen to be the change of leading roles in project, when Aviv Geffen took the lead. And apart from being a talented musician and singer, Aviv’s approach was harmful. It soaked everything dry. On Blackfield V, however, Steven came back to save the day. New album’s concept lies in the ocean, taking its start with waves of the opening track “A Drop in the Ocean”. And then Steven’s distant voice brings us back to the glory fo the first two albums this instant. Lushly orchestrated, reminiscent of Blackfield II, new record peaks with “Lately”, hitting hard. “From 44 to 48” is nostalgic and synthed to the core. A perfect closure for the album. Blackfield are back on track. But that’s very crucial to understand if it is their swan song or not. Blackfield V is for sure far from the early albums, and it band might never reach their highlights. We’ll see.
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Rose Elinor Dougall “Stellular”
Rose Elinor Dougall is a burning example of vigor and persistence. After leaving the Pipettes, she teamed up with many projects, released solo album, guested on albums of acts like We Are Scientists, Rufus Wainwright and Mark Ronson to establish her own label and release on of the most addictive record of 2017 so far! Stellar is packed with space-pop melodies, disco rhythms and beautiful Dougall’s voice. Dancy guitar riffs of “Strange Warnings” will keep you up, whenever you are. And “Dive” with Boxed In’s Oli Bayston on vocals gives a stargazing experience to drive into the night after.
Kid Koala, Emiliana Torrini “Music to Draw To: Satellite”
What makes Music to Draw To so truly outstanding for Kid Koala’s catalogue is a simple. yet amazing fact, king of turntables did not use ANY of samples on this record, doing all the instrumental part himself. Unprecedented and astonishing by result. This ambient pop album is could become a masterful experience already, but Emiliana Torrini’s voice makes Satellite complete and inspiring. Quiet melodism of “Transmission 3" expands into emotional revelation — one of album’s best parts. Beauty as it is.
Alex Clare “Tail of Lions”
Londoner Alex Clare stormed music Olympus in 2011 with his debut album, which connected nu-folk and electronica in the most peculiar ways. Taking a lot from Ray LaMontagne and James Blake, Clare created picturesque and vivid work only to fall from a curse of the second album… However, his latest effort Tall of Lions is finally a comeback we’ve all been waiting for. From trip-hop waves of “Get Real” to overdriven hardbeat on “Surviving Ain’t Living”. Alex tears the monotone music canvas of January with his new album. Technically, Tall of Lions was released in Autumn in UK, now this time Alex hit US stores to get the hearts of American listeners. And no doubt her will succeed. Just take a spin of “Open My Eyes” and that will do the trick. An amazing comeback.
