STACK Jun #128

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094 JUNE 2015 JB Hi-Fi
Shilpa Ray
Last Year's Savage
It’s terrifying when you hear a relatively new artist and
then try your darndest to kick yourself in the head for
not knowing them earlier. A throat emitting so much
honesty and aggression with a sassy sadness you’d
swear it was owned by a young Stevie Nicks, incognito,
holding court in a last-drinks karaoke bar having shot
an ex-lover earlier that night. A bloodletting cabaret of regret and reflection
(Pop Song For Euthanasia) with sudden bursts of joyous clarity (On Broadway);
no matter it’s still embedded and stinging you long after, like a bee’s final gift.
Then there’s Nocturnal Emissions. SOLD! Buy this album, kids. No, it’s not your
usual fair of radio-friendly shite that excites for 15 minutes, akin to one of those
wretched burgers sold by a clown; instead you must chew upon it diligently,
like an olive, avoiding irreversible teeth carnage. Bravely ingesting this robust
and sensory offering, knowing the indisputable fact one will never be the same
afterward, is the penultimate goal we all seek – if indeed you’re a true seeker
of all that challenges and bolsters an already insatiable desire to run faster, jump
higher and live fuller than all in your wake. (Red Eye/MGM) Chris Murray
Bob Moses All In All
Bob Moses isn't a person: it's
the collaborative project of Tom
Howie and Jimmy Valance, and
collectively they have enough ideas
for a whole team of producers. All
In All is an excellent opportunity
to catch up on their extensive and
imaginative output. It rounds up
the duo’s early EPs and singles,
showcasing an interest in a range
of modern dance, experimental
pop and electronic styles. There’s
the blues-inflected post-club jam
I Ain’t Gonna Be the First To Cry,
plenty of deconstructed club beats,
and spacious R&B influences
throughout. It’s a successful
balance of melancholic and
energetic moods, finding
a path between haunting ambience
and upbeat grooves.
(Domino/Unversal)
SimonWinkler
Leftfield
Alternative Light Source
Now down to lone member
Neil Barnes, seminal English
dance act Leftfield return with
their first album in a decade
and a half. It’s flooded with
frazzled warmth and features
guest vocals from TV on the
Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe,
Poliça’s Channy Leaneagh,
and Sleaford Mods. The sheer
strength of the vocal tracks,
like the terse spoken-word of
Head and Shoulders and the La
Roux-esque Bilocation, actually
make Dark Matters and the title
track feel like instrumental filler
by comparison. But despite
its lulls, this is still a worthy
comeback.
(PIAS/Liberation/Universal)
DougWallen
Herbert
The Shakes
It's difficult, if not impossible, to
adequately describe the creative
range and ingenuity of Herbert’s
work. His career in music is
innovative in every sense, from
conceptual to technical. He’s
an expert producer, articulate
provocateur, and an electronic music
revolutionary. It was no surprise
he was named Creative Director
of the re-launched BBC Radiophonic
Workshop – an institution known to
push boundaries. So any new release
is greeted with anticipation, and The
Shakes is no exception. It’s a return
of sorts to Herbert’s dance music
roots, combining intricate sound
design with irresistible rhythms;
percussive and playful tracks written
in singular style. It’s pop, and a
redefinition of what pop can be.
(Caroline/Universal) SimonWinkler
The Vaccines
English Graffiti
West-London power pop
is seemingly alive and well – it’s
The Kinks for the iPad generation
with simple catchy hooks and
all the right FX pedals. But will
you be still listening to it in 50
years? The secret to this sound’s
longevity is fiery angst and
subliminal subversiveness.
The Vaccines are wearing
boat shoes without socks and
spending a lot of cash on hair
care products to truly exude a
timeless ‘hit’ that will stand the
test of time and space. Still, it’s a
great soundtrack to browsing the
Internet for the latest trends while
you text all the URLs to your BFF
for validation.
(Sony) Chris Murray
Gateway Drugs
Magick Spells
Wow – what a lovely razor-cut of
slick, seductive and loose garage-
groove richness are these four
LA pranksters. Is it power-pop, is
it rock, is it fun? Yes to all, as you
slide through a ripped-shirt night of
abandon scored to an impending
wall of guitar hailstones. Sonic Youth
arm-wrestling for food with BRMC
is the welcome mood experienced
on Mommy, then you’re flung to
the back of the pseudo doo-wop
bus with ‘Till You Come Home.
Seemingly able to conjure dark
wonder at every step, Black Wine
of the Owl is a prime example of
extreme polish with manic strains of
skin-scraping sexuality. Get it before
everyone wants one!
(CookingVinyl/Universal)
Chris Murray
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Hudson Mohawke
Lantern
After producing for huge
names like Drake and Kanye
West, Hudson Mohawke
returns with an aptly titled
album full of neon synth hooks.
Even the grimier tracks yield
an expansive brightness, and
most of the guest vocalists go
for big emotional release. That
makes for painfully sentimental
entries from Ruckazoid and
Miguel, though it’s fascinating
to hear Antony Hegarty’s
swooning purr lodged in
distorted beats on Indian
Steps. Hud Mo shows off his
range by flirting with classical
music on Kettles, but much
here could have more weight.
(Warp/Inertia)
DougWallen