The Underground of Happiness

A playlist for Spring. Things growing. There is sun but in this part of the world it's still weak. A cooling sun (with thanks to Jessica Risker , see below). Enjoy. Playlist 487 – May 2018: A cooling sun Modern Studies – Young sun (Fire Records) ( playing The Lexington, London, May 28 ) Nightports w/ Matthew Bourne – Exit (The Leaf Label) ( Matthew Bourne playing Leeds Jazz Festival, July 22 ) Jack Hayter – The mulberry tree at Abbey Wood (Gare du Nord) Sebastian Reynolds – Mahajanaka (Remix by Emseatee) Laurence Pike – Cloud and wires (The Leaf Label) Alasdair Roberts, David McGuinness, Amble Skuse – Long a-growing (Drag City) ( Alasdair Roberts, playing Campfire Club, London, Sept 14 ) Spindle Ensemble – Panic amongst the dragonflies (Adderwell Music) ( playing The Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol, May 20 ) Moondog – Voices of spring (CBS/BGO Records) Death & Vanilla – Free Design Kung-Fu (live, The Tenant) (Fire Records) Ennio Morricone with the Czech Nat...

Surf noir they’re calling this and the reality is as good as that label sounds. There are somewhat expected guitar breaks over a major to minor foundation. Mysterious dream laden vocals carry a message of desire? transcendance? other things? However the core of the tune is an absolutely killer bass line so good it keeps me coming back every time on its own. It’s the definition of stalking but somehow not threatening. Propulsive certainly. Savage momentum without doubt. You’ll be humming along to it within 5 seconds upfront and centre in the mix as it is. Honourable mention to the excellent churning organ stabs which ride shotgun and complete the picture. Catch this wave now.

A bit of a baroque kick on the show this week. Lake Ruth is a Brooklyn 3-piece with wonderful flourishing melodies and shimmering arrangements around treble-y basslines and analogue synths. Jean-Claude Vannier – famous collaborator with Serge Gainsbourg – patented a brand of baroque pop with those up front basslines once again. This is one of his vault treasures as issued by the Finders Keepers label some years back. Charlotte Gainsbourg has a new album full of great melancholy arpeggios. A kind of downbeat baroque pop. Also some exotica. From the past Eden Ahbez . A dream of a life of freedom that shimmers. From the present The Saxophones . A dream of pop music with flutes. More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 481 Tues Mar 6 2018 11.00am-12.00pm (repeated on Tuesdays 8...

A couple of surf references in this week’s show which is nice on the cusp of winter/spring. La Luz are a 4-piece from Seattle (or I’ve also seen LA) and their tune ‘Cicada’ is a brilliantly propulsive piece of surf noir, that’s what they’re calling it. Sven Libaek soundtracked a surf documentary in 1968. Here we had the wonderful theme from that OST which sounds a little like The Byrds gone lounge. (What a lost opportunity says you.) Also Nightports with Matthew Bourne making beautiful piano (re)shapes. Tune Yards going full soul diva on the excellent ‘Heart attack’. Brickwork Lizards carving a space for Egyptian fusion in Oxford. And a little Petula Clark to show everyone how to make perfect pop music. More on these pages. The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Twitter: UndergroundOfHappy Playlist 479 Tues Feb 20 2018 11.00am-12...