The Underground of Happiness

Keep the pop gems coming in this wet steamy summer. Playlist Mambo Noir Trio – Matador (Oona Records) Laurence Pike – Dance of the earth (The Leaf Label) Kingo Dia Ntotila – Mutwashi (Fancy Cat Remix) (Pussyfoot Records) Purple Mountains – Margaritas at the mall (Drag City) Bananagun – Do yeah (Full Time Hobby) Corey King – Fertility filter (Def Pressé) Cross Record – The fly (Ba Da Bing) Alasdair Roberts – The evernew tongue (Drag City) Drahla – Pyramid Estate (Captured Tracks) Gruff Rhys – Pang (Rough Trade) Hochzeitskapelle – Sonido Amazonico (Gutfeeling Records/Broken Silence) Manu Louis – Internet (Igloo Records) Mermaidens – I might disappear (Flying Nun) Sarathy Korwar – Bol (The Leaf Label) Band of Holy Joy – Electric pilgrims Terry – Spud (Upset The Rhythm) Twen – Damsel (Frenchkiss Records) Cabogato – Drive on dust (Hidden Shoal) Solo Collective – By the tower, at nightfall (Nonostar Records) Dubi Dolczek – Tangerine Moon (Stolen Body Re...

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 ga...

A fresh and hopeful New Year to all. Apparently it's spring already (and there's revolution in the air) - in Ireland usually marked by the return of Wind. Some tunes following, which have been doing a great job of making us forget about the dodgy central heating at UOH HQ. They should keep the most reptilean among you warm, and the most revolutionary cool. All albums, unless otherwise noted. The Phoenix Foundation - Buffalo (Memphis Industries) Cracking opening single from album of same name by the Wellington, New Zealand band. The tune is equal parts giddy, joyous and amiably psychedelic (let's face it, the plot concerns a seafaring buffalo), with an irresistible "woo-hoo" middle eight. The jangly guitars, high-fretted bass and spot-on arrangement make me think of fellow kiwis The Chills (something everyone should be made to do, daily). The whole thing is as fresh as a daisy and tends to remind you why you fell in love with pop music. Practice singing along w...