Much like its predecessors, the final part of The Weeknd’s trilogy arrives completely unexpectedly to close off what’s been a huge year for the singer.
I was a little disappointed with Thursday, and whilst there were a couple of excellent tracks, it lacked the cohesiveness that made House of Balloons such a great listen. Early signs suggest Echoes is an improvement in that sense, and hopefully his recent exposure to pastures new by featuring on one of the year’s best selling albums will see further evolution stylistically. With the trilogy now closed off, it’s fair to assume he’ll now be focusing on his official debut album, with which I’m sure he’ll experience much success in 2012. For now, grab Echoes of Silence below.
I’m glad it does, as Gambino fan Jason Yang takes the time out to put his to great use with a fantastic cover of Heartbeat. From the offset, it’s clear we’re in for an excellent treat as the soft vocals of the intro are covered smoothly by the violin work, before the cover really explodes into life as the original does. The first ‘verse’ has a couple of moments where the string work goes ever so slightly offbeat, but Yang recovers it instantly and brings his best once again on the hook.
A very sharp, original take on Heartbeat and certainly worth a watch for fans (and really, who isn’t?) of the original. Read a review of Childish Gambino’s Camp here, stream the album here, and buy it here.
Along with Frank Ocean, The Internet (at this stage) looks like the next entity to emerge from OFWGKTA with some genuine longevity about them. Their music boasts a much wider, more mature and probabaly more lucrative appeal than the violent Odd Future raps, and we’re now treated to a trailer for their upcoming Purple Naked Ladies album, set to be released on 20th December.
One of my favourite elements about The Internet is Matt Martian’s continuation of the atmospheric, slightly trippy style he utilised heavily on The Jet Age of Tomorrow’s Journey to the 5th Echelon, and it certainly lends itself to the soft, soulful vocals of Syd the Kyd. This trailer captures both factors well, opening with a lovely ambience, and closing with mellow yet vibrant vocals that synergise excellently with the production. Very excited for this album, and hopefully it matches the quality of their previous two releases.
My love of ‘winter music’ has been far from secret here on OTU, and several discussions with music fans of various tastes have led me to believe many OTU readers share that appreciation.
We’re all about satisfying the fans, so welcome to our new 5-part feature. Each edition features a selection of tracks that are taior made for the dark winter period, and in keeping with OTU’s diversity code, expect some old tracks, some modern tracks, with a vast range of genres represented (in no particular order either; for example, Vol. 1 doesn’t necessarily have all of the best tracks!)
Just to really drive those frosty vibes home, we’ll even provide you with fresh, original artwork for each ‘EP’ for you to download at your pleasure and finish off those playlists. Kind aren’t we? Without further ado, click below for 5 tracks to get your winter started. → Continue Reading OTU Presents The Winter EP: Volume 1
Difficult to believe considering his popularity, but these are the first official visuals from The Weeknd, aptly set to the opening track on his first mixtape. He’s opted to debut in style with a mini-movie, and though this may be unpopular with his new mainstream fans, I suspect the earlier followers (who I’m assuming to be a little more artsy) may enjoy it.
The video is undoubtedly a little bizarre, but patience and focused viewing reveals it to be a good visualisation of the dark, ethereal nature of the audio. The video centres around the The Weeknd and a female who once shared a ‘world’, with the subsequent seperation causing The Weeknd’s world to to crumble. The female then steals his heart and unsuccessfully attempts to crush it, ending with her world then beginning to crumble, and a satisfying bit of closure as he finally ‘lets go’.
The visual effects used throughout are excellent, with the 2D ‘Jankyvision’ creating a mixture of realism and animation that adds surrealness to the apocalyptic scenes, whilst the space setting adds a real sense of importance and atmosphere, and the dark colour palette enhances the unsettling vibe around certain scenes. The often-subtle pointers toward the lyrics of the song are a nice touch, infusing a touch of regularity to counter-balance the unusual goings on throughout. One that needs to be viewed properly for full effect, and an enjoyable watch once you’ve done so. Grab this track on his House of Balloons mixtape here.
One of my favourite songs from their thoroughly-excellent Neighborhoods album, and certainly one of the more mainstream-ready tracks.
The video is comprised of live show and backstage footage, much like the last video, and though it’s disappointing to not have a ‘real’ video, there’s no doubt that this still captures the essence of the track. Full of action and energy, there’s plenty of performance shots alongside the customary funny moments (there’s lots of crotch thrusting), packed around the vibrancy of the live crowds. Unfortunately (and annoyingly), they’ve not made it available for embedding, so you’ll have to click below and head over to get182.com to watch the clip.
Blink-182-Wishing Well Video
It’s been a very long time coming, but finally J*Davey have come through with their first full album, and have (sort of) made it available for free. To elaborate, all you need to do is buy The Liner Notes digital booklet from the below link and the album comes for free: considering the grand total is $2.99, it’s a very small price to pay for music from one of the most diverse, genre-bending duos in the music game.
There are a couple of tracks that mildly dedicated followers will be familiar with, including the excellent Mama’s Back, the recent duo of Whatchalookin@ and Kill 4 Fun, and a couple of others. I’ve got no doubts that there will be a few more gems on this album, and I’m thoroughly excited to give it a go. Grab it for yourself below.
Sampling The Roots’ excellent A Piece of Light interlude from their How I Got Over album, Blue grabs hold of the soft, soulful production to let loose his first slice of solo material, and does a solid job throughout. A barrage of honest raps ensues, and whilst inevitably many will search for any shots or references to his former bandmates, credit should be given to some good introspection and insight, solid wordplay and a steady, consistent flow. The gentle production contrasts nicely with the raps, and the melodic vocals towards the end add a nice flash of diversity to the track, making this an easy listen that will slide onto many playlists.
Several people have recommended this song to me today, so it only seemed right to give it a listen and see what all the fuss was about. Frankly, I’m not really buying into the hype.
It’s not a bad song by any means, but truthfully I’m struggling to distinguish the sound from the myriad other hipster ‘indie-folk’ favourites doing the rounds, and ultimately it sounds like yet another band singing high notes in a bittersweet song. Again, that doesn’t make it a bad song as that’s generally a pretty engaging combination by all accounts, and credit goes to the instrumentation which has a powerful progression that infuses a little energy and intensity to the track, blending well with the passionate vocals.
The video is simple and effective too, having a stripped back yet vibrant style that puts lots of emphasis on organic elements, with various eyes, nudity and so forth shown. Worth a listen for the more ardent alternative fans, but those who just loosely flirt with the genre won’t find much to shout about here.
Benji and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte fame appear to be branching out and have enlisted the services of many upcoming and established hip-hop acts for a mixtape that could end up being a half-decent listen, assuming the Maddens don’t start rapping.
It’s difficult for anyone to claim to be a true Good Charlotte fan with a straight face, but they’ve occassionally shown flashes of quality, with The River in particular being an excellent song. It is on the quality of that track I hold hope that the project might be decent, and features from the likes of The Cool Kids, Wiz Khalifa, Kreayshawn, Casey Veggies and many more are also encouraging signs that this could be worth a listen. The 12-track tape is available to both stream and download for free below.
A welcome change of pace from the hip-hop domination of the last week!
Flow Machines are an upcoming group from Manchester who have recieved plenty of critical acclaim for past remix works, and are now set to break out on their own with this fusion of electronic, pop, alternative and dance into one cohesive sound.
The synth work really anchors this track, and constantly shifts the dynamic of the song into the various genres the group looks to incorporate, creating an almost freeform track that has a very unique style and appeal. Backed by additional melodies and a soft percussion, the production is an atmospheric listen that intertwines with the lonely, isolated vocals for a mellow, easygoing track that will quietly rack up a few plays for many. The video is a solid watch too, progressively incorporating more dramatic light and action to match the pacier style of the final third.
I’m absolutely obsessed with Florence Welch – in fact I think my love for Florence + the Machine is 76% percent about the music and 24% about her, and I challenge anyone not to have loved Lungs. So imagine my joy when I finally got my hands on Ceremonials, the follow-up album from this flame haired Amazonian (she’s a very impressive 6ft).
Florence has an unbridled talent that the vast majority of UK female ‘pop’ artists can only dream about, but she had some MASSIVE shoes to fill after Lungs. Ceremonials is certainly a lot ‘bigger’ than its predecessor – most of Lungs was recorded in a series of obscure locations, such as an empty swimming baths and a Synagogue, and I genuinely think that lent to the sound.
Ceremonials doesn’t feel as personal to the listener as their previous album – I’m Not Calling You a Liar felt like it was being sung in to your ear, and My Boy Builds Coffins was haunting.
Compared to these tracks, most of the songs on Ceremonials feel like Florence has been told to just ‘let go’. Gone are the whispered promises of her previous tracks – Florence means business and she’s giving it everything she’s got.
This is certainly not to say that I don’t like Ceremonials. I actually love it – it’s just different. Tracks to watch out for are Shake It Out, What The Water Gave Me, and Leave My Body – all are fantastic and totally encapsulate what this group are all about. I genuinely think that Shake It Out is possibly the best song that they have ever released. Yes, better than Rabbit Heart.
If anyone can deliver the ceremony and melodrama required to pull off these big, turbulent songs it’s Florence. I don’t think there’s any stopping this band, and I’ll be whipping this album out at every available opportunity over the coming months.
The first official video from their upcoming debut album, New Designer Drug, and we’re treated to that wonderfully-diverse J*Davey sound that’s just so difficult to pin down.
Whatchalookin@ opens in an atmospheric, harmonic style that evolves into an electronic soul track, with smooth vocals from Jack accompanied by sharp synths, hints of edgy, alternative elements and a steady percussion. The outcome is a well-rounded track that’s anchored by a catchy hook, and also a track that contrasts excellently with the more experimental Kill 4 Fun. It’s one that will throw a lot of people off with dominating synth and electronic pulses, whilst the free-form nature of the vocals adds further anarchy. It’s a track that matches the rebelliousness of its title, and whilst it isn’t as immediately listenable as Whatchalookin@, the video for it exhibits Jack’s charisma a little more and makes for more light-hearted viewing.
Looking forward to that debut album, and hopefully this is the start of more frequent material.
Following on from the superb DJ Premier and Berklee Symphony Orchestra track from a few days ago, the second track from the ReGeneration concept brings together a fantastic range of artists to infuse the wonderful New Orleans jazz style with a little hip-hop and soul.
Badu sounds as interested as I’ve heard her in a long time, as she comes through with a phenomenally addictive performance from start to finish, with vocals full of vibrancy and bounce that spans the range of genres to anchor them together in a cohesively funky sound. Zigaboo is relentless on the drums as he drives the track along, whilst Trombone Shorty provides energetic bursts of his horn that blend with the instrumentation brought by the Dap Kings to create a lovely feelgood vibe, with the overall combination proving a genuinely exceptional backdrop to Erykah’s vocals.
Another absolutely fantastic track from the ReGeneration project, and I hope this inspires more to try these styles out. In a music scene increasingly devoid of true character and worth to the music, the passion and purity of the music here makes for a brilliantly refreshing listen.
Since our inception in 2009, it’s been no secret that OTU’s favourite band were DC quartet The Five One. An eclectic band of diverse influences, they were a great embodiment of the OTU mentality and it’s a real shame to announce they are a four-piece no longer.
However, from the ashes of bad news rises RDGLDGRN (Red, Gold & Green), intent on continuing the band’s style and success with the release of their wonderfully-titled single. The track kicks off with an instantly-memorable guitar riff, followed by crashing percussion and melodic work from Green with a singing/rapping hybrid, the overall result being a heavier punk influence than The Five One’s material, without sacrificing the hip-hop sensibility. Regardless of influence, the track boasts energy and enthusiasm, all grounded in bittersweet lyricism for a combination likely to win over those disappointed by the aforementioned breakup.
The video involves ladies having a little fun playing, singing and dancing along to the audio, interspersed with performance and personality shots of the band for a solid video. Much more to come soon, and let’s see how this new project develops. Grab the track for free here.
Yet another show of admirable diversity from Patrick Stump, as he stops by Billboard to cover Big Boi’s excellent Shutterbugg.
It’s a good take on the track, paying good homage to the fast-paced effort by managing to keep up the lively pace of the song, but with enough originality to make it quite distinguishable in its own right. Admittedly, the passionate vocals start to grate on you after hearing the same delivery style from 2/3 minutes, though it’s certainly better to hear too much of a good vocal rather than listening to someone stumble their way through, and credit needs to be given for managing to deliver the vocals at such a frenetic pace.
Patrick’s Soul Punk album was released this week, and hopefully it cements him as one of the leading talents in the pop/alternative world. Grab it here, or go here to watch the lead single.
When it comes to listening to albums, it often takes me a while due to a rather heavy backlog. On getting around to Ed’s debut LP last week, this was the first track I played and I’ve not listened to the rest of the album; this was so utterly outstanding, I’ve not stopped playing it since. Soft guitar melodies and wonderful vocals from Ed blend together exceptionally, each complimenting the other: The relaxing guitar strums enhance the soothing yet emotional vocal work, whilst the songwriting capitalises on the wistful nature of the production with an emotional, memorable set of lyrics. It’s a spectacular piece of alternative music by virtue of being so simple.
Fellow famous ginger Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) plays the lead role in the video, filling in for Ed Sheeran in his regular daily routine of couch surfing, building Lego masterpieces, performing for hordes of fans and more, mirroring the audio by virtue of being such a simple concept. The video takes a darker twist halfway through as Rupert’s positive demeanour takes a negative turn, followed by the revelation that he’s in fact an obsessive follower of Ed’s, with the previous scenes of the video shown in a new perspective (both physically and metaphorically), making for a thoroughly excellent plot twist. The superb misdirection is held together by some excellent acting, and blends with the thoughtful audio for an incredibly engaging audio-visual experience. Absolutely worth a watch, and one of the better videos in recent months. Grab the audio on Ed’s album now.
Jamie xx and Quayola recently brought their creative vision to life, live in Shoreditch. Using two 15-metre HD screens, Quayola and his team, Abstract Birds, created live sound visualisations of Jamie xx’s set using their bespoke Partitura software.
A fantastic bit of technology here, and probably the closest thing I’ve ever seen to simulated synesthesia: you almost see the sounds come to life, as the visualisations have a very anthropomorphic quality in their movements and pulsations. It’s essentially the basic concept of a visualiser, but amplified via some very abstract thinking, and of course is aided by an excellent instrumental from the talented Jamie xx. Blending together soft bass hums, airy synths and a mixture of electronic sounds, Jamie creates a mellow and intricate production that only has one flaw: it’s far too short. Hopefully an extended version surfaces soon, but for now enjoy this unique audio-visual.
From a musical perspective, it has to be said that winter is the best season. Ambient, atmospheric music really comes into its own during the dark, cold months and it’s always a perfect synergy of environment and audio.
Odd Future’s latest collective arrived a week ago with a mellow effort that had a wonderful ethereal quality, and we’re now treated to another R&B/alternative/soul crossover. The production blends sharp percussion with soft synths and samples, making for an atmospheric yet lively backdrop, whilst Syd flexes her sultry vocals, with a soft, enchanting delivery that works the production well. Newcomer Tay Walker brings forth some good vocals of his own, crooning in a real classic R&B style that adds some diversity and contrasts nicely with Syd’s work. A fantastic effort that justifies the love for winter music.
Some brand new material from The Weeknd, released in typically unexpected, sudden circumstances just under an hour ago.
A very dark effort, the most notable feature is the heavy pitch distortion on his voice throughout the track, altering his voice from a deep, demented style to a lighter, more harmonic style, with flashes of his own unfiltered vocals also creeping through intermittently. It’s a little disorienting on first listen, but a few listens unveils the effect’s intention to create a jagged, perpetually moving style, one that blends with the crashing percussion and light vocal samples to decent effect.
It also works to increase listener engagement in the lyricism, as the distortions require a close, focused listen to really catch everything on offer, with the lyrics displaying a marked improvement on some of his earlier efforts. Certainly one of his more alternative, experimental efforts, and one that may not resonate with his entire fanbase, but could certainly see new fans getting on board. No (approved) download link just yet, but there’s enough free material available with the Thursday and House of Balloons albums.
Having given his debut album a listen a few months ago, I’m admittedly rather underwhelmed by Blake’s material, but remain fully aware that he’s a very popular act. Unfortunately, I’ve struggled to see the appeal as the album seemed far too disjointed and attempted to cram in one too many influences, resulting in an album that sounded more messy than diverse.
However, I’m one to give artists second chances and having recruited the superb Bon Iver to help on one of the tracks, I’m hoping this one has a stronger sense of direction. You can stream the entire EP for free in the widget here, and pre-order the EP (released on Monday) if you’re impressed.
A collaboration that will set faux-hipster eyes alight. The promising radio rip originally surfaced last week after Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 premiere, and the track officially made its way to iTunes last night.
The Weeknd adds his trademark dark, ambient spin onto the powerful, emotive vocals of Florence with a series of experimental samples, attention-grabbing percussion hits, and a soft key melody floating in the background. The hook adds a little more verve and energy, with a driving synth and vocal distortions that add a somehwat paradoxical chaotic melancholy, and whilst The Weeknd doesn’t seem to actually contribute vocally, his distinctive sound is all over this one. Very good remix that effortlessly floats across alternative and pop. Grab it on iTunes below.
A longer episode this week, with plenty of R&B’s luminaries making appearances this week, including Frank Ocean, Ne-Yo and Trey Songz, alongside a track from the latest group emerging from the Odd Future collective.
Nothing to recap on from the week gone by, so go ahead and treat yourself by clicking below and gorging yourself on the treats within.
Blink-182 follow up their comeback album’s release this week with brand new visuals for what is probably the most energetic, fast-paced track from the fantastic Neighborhoods album.
The track followed Up All Nightas one of the first released from the album, and the video follows suit. Unlike the aforementioned video, this is comprised largely of live show footage, which makes for a much-needed personal touch and sense of collaboration from the band: whilst the music has been genuinely great, many Blink fans have missed the fun, togetherness and camaraderie of the group, and there are certainly instances of those elements in this video as the group appear to have a little fun throughout whilst performing.
A thoroughly excellent collaboration. Mansions on the Moon bring their atmospheric, night pop style to the track, creating a powerful yet ambient aura with their ethereal vocals throughout, whilst Work Drugs play on that style with a beautifully dreamy synths and a driving percussion. Filip doesn’t disappoint with his gravelly raps sliding into the vibe of the track nicely, whilst his ambitious lyricism also fits well. Really enjoyable effort, perfect for some winter listening, and one of the more rounded tracks in recent weeks.
Amidst interestingly-timed rumours that he’s been ousted from Bloc Party, Kele Okereke releases new visuals from his upcoming EP, The Hunter.
The production has the electro-dubstep blend that characterised his slightly disappointing debut solo album, though its utilised much more effectively here with atmospheric synths and energetic bass pulses creating a paradoxical style that blends ambience with intensity, and successfully so. The vocals are enjoyable from both artists, as Lucy Taylor dominates proceedings throughout the track with some very smooth deliveries, with Kele confined to sharing the hook. Interesting strategy, but it makes for an enjoyable song that could see some mainstream success by virtue of having a friendly, accessible female vocal lead.
Visuals are simple enough, focusing on one character at a time, with that role played by Kele, Lucy and various dancers throughout. Nothing that particularly enhances the audio at all, but its an easy watch and the simplicity of it helps to soften the relatively complex nature of the audio. The Hunter EP is released on 7th November.
Presented by the illustrious Mick Boogie and the ultra-talented Broke Mogul, we’re treated to an hour long mix with tracks set to feature in the upcoming season of the superb How To Make It In America.
Season 1 brought the upbeat Shooting Stars into my library, a really enjoyable track that I would have otherwise never have come across, and similarly, the previews for season 2 have delivered Theophilus London’s enjoyable I Stand Alone. Much more to be unearthed on this mix, and you can grab it for free below.
The audio was previewed way back in June, and Stump finally releases the visuals for the ode to his (and Lupe’s) hometown of Chicago.
As per the audio review, it’s a really bright, uplifting song that boasts an incredibly infectious positivity that radiates from Stump’s monumental vocals. The heavy pop influence isn’t a bad thing here, as the soaring, progressive production style blends with Stump’s vocals superbly, and accentuating that Michael Jackson influence in his work. The video does a simple enough job of sticking relevant with shots of Chicago, whilst throwing in splashes of colour for a little diversity and richness. The more pop elements are toned down for a very enjoyable Lupe verse that’s delivered with some real style (when did he grow his hair out that much?!), and the video follows suit with a slightly darker, more focused style.
Definitely a pop track that I’ve got time for, and it can be grabbed on iTunes right now.
Taken from their upcoming official debut album, Laser Beams boasts a considerably more rock/alternative influence than most of their previous material, having a very spiky edge to the production that works very well with the memorable hook in particular. The instrumentation for the verses isn’t quite as good, but this is certainly worth a listen for the real quality in the chorus.
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