The Underground of Happiness

And so Part 2 of this end of year series. There seems to have been less up tempo electronic music on my radar this year, hence a few crop up in this mostly-guitar set. (There are some ambient and other electronic cuts to come in the final part of the round-up.) Let's not get hung up on that. Enjoy. 1. Future Islands – Seasons (Waiting on you) (4AD) With all due respect to Hozier (who owed a lot in turn to the work of Feel Good Lost, plus maybe ‘Take me to church’ was more of a 2013 thing in any case?) and Kim Kardashian’s buttocks, here was the true thing that broke the internet this year. It showed the power to light up the world of sheer chutzpah – a short, barrel-chested man who can sing his heart out all night and dances like he doesn’t give a fuck who’s watching. On paper those are not the most promising ingredients, perhaps, but Sam Herring turns them into gold, when combined with the thrumming, soaring melodies of Will Cashion and Gerrit Welmers. Funnily enough,...

Glorious combination of pitch-perfect arrangements and swoonsome vocals, with just enough bite to keep you on the edge of your seat, from husband and wife duo Patrick Riley and Alaina Miller. You need go no further than lead track ‘Mean steets’, unrolling on an exquisitely languid groove in keeping with the subject matter ("summer up in the Catskills baby, singing just for the thrill"). If the electric piano and beautifully slurred vocal delivery aren’t enough for you, check the drop-dead bridge – a gorgeous fog of organ stabs and the most appealingly sunny, chiming guitar line in years. It all makes for blue-eyed soul of the highest order, brimming with pent-up emotion. Coming a close second is ‘Dimming light’, making like a slowed-down, drowsy Supremes off-cut, with a distinctly ambiguous heart beating amongst the jangly guitars and ringing piano. To die for.

Back this week (no show last week as I was away at funerals) with new music from Laetitia Sadier , to go with her sublime duet with Benjamin Schoos . Tennis are on heavy rotation round UOH Towers these days with their gorgeous brand of blue-eyed soul. The Elwins are also in there, a beautiful sunshine pop cut. Wussy have a new album, it's great as you'd expect. The War on Drugs , another satisfying blue-collar feel to that band. Then Arch Garrison and Stars in Battledress , two English folk duos flirting with the avant garde brilliantly (and sharing James Larcombe in common). Boa Morte play a rare gig in Cork this week, with Barry McCormack . And Automat , featuring the distinctive vocals of Genesis P-Orridge , a sultry slice of dub electronica. Apr 29 2014 w/ Laetitia Sadier,Sabina,Wussy,Boa Morte,Automat,Red Snapper,Arch Garrison++ by Theundergroundofhappiness on Mixcloud The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.the...

The new single from The Altered Hours was first up this week with their upcoming new single on Art For Blind , sounding great the live fave 'Dig early', along with Eat Lights Become Lights , driving krautrock at its best, fast and loud. A couple of Record Store Day releases from Thrill Jockey , two different shades of guitar folk tune from Glenn Jones & Alexander Tucker . New music from Tennis , love that sepia 60s vocal group sound; Beck channelling Gainsbourg, and Italians The Vickers with some lovely psych rock stylings, for fans of Tame Impala for sure. And Prescott , feat. Kev Hopper ex Stump , making what I can only call wonky jazz. Great. Apr 8 2014 w/ Altered Hours,ELBL,Glenn Jones,Alexander Tucker,Tennis,Beck,The Vickers++ by Theundergroundofhappiness on Mixcloud The Underground of Happiness uplifting pop music of every creed www.theundergroundofhappiness.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/theundergroundofhappiness Playlist 306 Tues Apr...

New releases on the ATP label are always worth keeping an eye on. They've just announced the signing of Denver's Tennis , with first single from new album Young and old , Origins , due out this side of the world on Feb 13th. And you'll have to travel a long, long way to find a finer slice of alternative pop. Shades of Stereolab in the pulsing organ and fuzzy bass riff, with the female vocals leaning more towards a Lykke Li -style delivery. And backing vocals. Off the beat and so much more than just backing. Overall, intoxicating would be a word. And on the other side of the double-A is this beauty. Jesus, that woman's voice does things to me. Good things. For those interested, the video, directed by Scott Laidlaw & Frank Rinaldi , also features two pretty girls holding hands, walking through the fields and playing with each other's hair. Tennis - Deep In The Woods from ATP Concerts & Recordings on Vimeo .