Random Tuesday Reviews

Yann Tiersen – I’m gonna live anyhow (Mute, from the album Skyline)
Welcome to a world where circus music meets pop, featuring an unruly arrangement made up of electronic tambourines, mouth trumpets, falsetto choirs, no-nonsense gorgeous melodies and the winningest refrain.



Gruff Rhys feat. El Perro del Mar – Space dust #2 (Turnstile, single)
Irresistible duet between the Super Furry Animals’ frontman and the Swedish singer. Hints of Tropicalia in the brushed samba beat, as well as the gloriously over the top lyrics recounting love at a conference – “When I saw you at the seminar/Raindrops and fireworks flow/When I saw you at the seminar/Active volcanoes aglow”. Superb.
*The single is backed by Whale trail, which comes accompanied with aye-Phone app features. Anybody know the Welsh for bonkers?



Crystal Stilts – Dark eyes (Sacred Bones, from the Radiant door EP)
Knockout opening tune from the New York band’s new EP, which splits itself (as if unable to choose) between garage rock and sunshine pop. A beautiful swirling organ, a handclap-assisted drumbeat, echo-chamber vocals and a liquid bass are just some of its treasures.

Crystal Stilts - Dark Eyes by sacredbones

Mickey Moonlight – Interplanetary music (Ed Banger Records/Because Music, from the album Mickey Moonlight and the Time Axis Manipulation Corporation)
Winning cover of the Sun Ra tune, combining global percussion, electronic squiggles and a “sick” saxophone solo. It all sounds quite Tom Tom Club and I’m not complaining about that.

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