House

Today’s Track: Elkka – ‘Make Me’

March 23, 2024 — Leave a comment

Femme Fatale is for the artists with more than just a pretty face. Time for a new post!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Prism Of Pleasure’ (Available from May 3rd, 2024) (via Ninja Tune)

Pleasure. Sexuality. The glare of desire that blurs out everybody else in the room. The look of love at first sight that paints an immediate picture of that one you want to be with regardless of a physical connection. These are all common human themes that feel relatable within the results of Ellka’s latest track ‘Make Me’ which has, over the past couple of weeks, grown on this exhausted music journalist like the wings slowly forming on a caterpillar which turn it into a beautiful butterfly as it manifests over the course of approximately 4 weeks on average. Elkka is the release name for the Cardiff-born DJ/Producer Emma Kirby who is currently making a name for herself on the EDM scene in London. Following years of being widely supported by peers including Four Tet, Caribou, Sofia Kourtesis, Jon Hopkins, SHERELLE and Floating Points, Kirby is set to unleash her first full-length album record ‘Prism Of Pleasure’ onto the public on May 3rd via Ninja Tune. She also won an AIM Award for Best Remix for her work on a ‘Megapunk’ remix, a track which was originally produced by one-woman Emo/Punk orchestra Ela Minus. A 10-track project written over the course of 18 months, ‘Prism Of Pleasure’ is a bold, vibrantly textured exploration of intimacy and identity within the LGBTQ+ community that explores her gradual rise to day-to-day music production as a lucrative career. The cover artwork is rooted in this concept, which features a photograph of Elkka taken by her wife Alex Lambert who is also an artistic collborator that represents the ideology of the female gaze that has always been prevalent in the media. ‘Make Me’ is the sensual and ambitious lead single of the long-awaited album that promises to stand as a token of her personal evolution as an artist. Spin it below.

“Make me love you, make me love you, make me love you” is a hypnotic refrain that reverbarates through the four-to-the-floor rhythmic pattern of the track and, in its straightforward essence, gets the pure pleasure that has rested in Elkka’s mind across to the listener as an emphatic statement of lust and attraction. “Make me is one of the first tracks I wrote for this project. It really sums up the album for me. Its about connection and vulnerability you feel with someone whilst laced with this uncontrollable intensity and pattern“, Kirby has told the press about the single in her promotional materials which makes it clear to her fans that ‘Make Me’ is an emblematic assertion of the album’s main drive. The hefty, continous drum beats and the opaque, substantial synth notes mesh beautifully with the straightforward, fleshy vocals to create the substantial amount of intensity that can be heard in the new, glistening track. At one point, the dense crescendo is relaxed and the vocals have a more disco-esque feel to them that allow a flirtatious quality to merge through the foundations. By the end, it’s clear that a mixture of warm intentions and simple sexuality are rubbing against each other to create a beautiful dance anthem that is so sonically varied that it pulls you in unexpected directions while remaining consistent to its core of displaying pure passion in a romantic situation. Overall, I love ‘Make Me’ due to this zealous and excitable style and while it isn’t hitting you around the head with its LGBTQ+ themes, they feel integral and necessary to the tune in a natural way.

Pictured: Emma Kirby (Elkka) showing off her pandemic studio set-up (2021) (Photo via TheVinylFactory.com)

That’s all for now! Thank you for joining me on the recent reunion tour for One Track At A Time after I went on a hiatus and please join me again next week where I will be showcasing another one of my favourite recent releases. Next time, it is coming from a Belgian electronic music producer who has been stepping out of the shadows of a Charlotte Adigery collaboration to shine in his own solo spotlight. I look forward to it!

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Today’s Track: Jitwam – ‘Brooklyn Ballers’

May 5, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Chalo co-founder Jitwam in a promotional photoshoot for ‘Brooklyn Ballers’ (2022) (Photo via PR)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has come for me to give a shout-out to the Broolyn Ballers and each of the readers from elsewhere as we get prepared for yet another daily track on the blog, since it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A self-described “Psychedelic Soul Savant” who was born in North-East India, now based between New York and Sydney, moved to New Zealand and Australia to spend his formative years there, later living in monasteries in Thailand and washed-out apartments in London, Jitwam is the co-founder of Chalo, an ambitious creative project alongside Dhruva Balram that supports up-and-coming Indian, Pakistani and Kashmiri artists, with a full-length self-titled album being released via The Jazz Diaries in 2020 that had its proceeds donated to the Human Rights Law Network and the Zindagi Trust. As a solo artist, however, he’s released a string of EP’s and a few albums, with 2019’s ‘Honeycomb’ serving as his latest LP. Jitwam has also collaborated with numerous artists including Dam Swindle, Mike Bloom and renowned Broken Beat maestro Kaidi Tatham. Other career highlights include his placements on Moodyman’s DJ-Kicks compilation series, embarking on a national NTS Radio tour in India, touring across the US and Europe, and opening a show for the acclaimed Funk virtuoso Roy Ayers with his full live backing band. His brand new single – ‘Brooklyn Ballers’ – is a one-off release from what I gather, but it offers an energetic ode to his passion for (just) one of the area’s that he has lived in throughout his eventful lifetime. Give it a spin below.

“Brooklyn Ballers is a homage to the city in all its hustle and bustle“, Jitwam explains about the far-reaching notes of the track which are delivered below the soulful and radiant instrumentation, adding, “The magic in the air, that can make dreams come true and can turn your fears into your worst nightmares“, in his own single’s product description on the Bleep website. The opening reminds me of one of Skule Toyama or Night Tempo’s modern Chillwave records, where the summer atmosphere shines right through thanks to the raucous sampled guitar hook that induce the nostalgia of the 70’s Disco-Rock era, before the track soon evolves into more of a Detroit House style of record with additional elements of Hip-Hop and World Fusion music. The lead vocals have a spoken, but catchy and rhythmic, delivery to them where subtle nods to Guns ‘N’ Roses ‘Paradise City’ and Joe Smooth’s ‘Promised Land’ creep in due to the lyrics and the key song structure. A myriad of styles, including Psychedelic Soul and Vaporwave, make their way into the instrumental-driven sections of the track. Jitwam melds together the Gospel-esque backing vocals, some Madlib-style sampling and some Maribou State-style cues of World-Funk and Dub into the mix too to finalise the package, which plays out as a chilled soundtrack to his simple love for the location and a very deep, percussive groover that acts as an ode to some of New York’s most respected producers. The area’s energy is almost embodied by the Jazz inflections and the Detroit House influences, creating a laid back shuffle that gradually builds and draws upon various elements to expand it beyond the original state. A chef’s kiss.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Brooklyn Ballers’ (Single) (Released on March 23rd, 2022) (via Roya Records)

That’s all for now! Thank you for checking out my latest blog post, and I’ll be ready to take you through a new entry of ‘New Album Release Fridays’ tomorrow as we take a quick preview of one of the weekend’s new and notable album releases. The record in question comes from the Prog-Jazz and Electronica sides of the Alternative Music spectrum by a duo made up of two members from The Comet Is Coming. The duo’s drummer has also toured with Sons Of Kemet, Melt Yourself Down, and Yussef Kamal.

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Today’s Track: Lou Hayter – “Telephone”

May 29, 2021 — Leave a comment

I’ll be working in a Call Centre if my MA degree fails. That’s my calling. New post time!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Private Sunshine” (LP) (Released on May 18, 2021) (via Skint Records)

Good Morning to you! It’s Jacob Braybrooke here, as always, with your daily track on the blog. Don’t forget that it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! It’s been a long time coming, but yesterday saw the release of the first full-length solo record from Lou Hayter. I loved ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’ on the blog last November, and the London house scene figurehead has been building up to the release of her retro-futurist Pop delight ‘Private Sunshine’ with a steady stream of singles up to this point. Hayter’s not a newcomer to the business, and she’s already built up an imposing list of credits to her profile. These include her time as the keyboardist of New Young Pony Club, and her time collaborating with Jean Benoit-Dunckel from Air on the experimental Dance-Punk project Tomorrow’s World, which led to their self-titled debut album in 2013. One of her most notable single offerings was ‘Telephone’, a slinky 80’s-esque Synth-Funk jam that fits together with the slow burn promotion of Hayter’s latest LP. Let’s take a ‘Telephone’ call below.

“I started making Pop tunes in a hip-hop kind of way by sampling and looping, and then it opened up a whole new world of making music for me”, Hayter said on the ‘Telephone’ single in it’s respective press notes, before she added, “Telephone is one of the first ones I made like this. I love the vibe it has, it’s a nice laid-back summery tune. The Sax solo was the cherry on top”, to expand on it’s development and post-production. The vocals come in quickly after the repetitious guitar hook, with Hayter crooning: “If it was right, you wouldn’t have to think twice/I know it’s hard but you were just my type/When there were two hearts in this house but one broke” over the top of retro, late-70’s Funky bass guitar licks and strutting Drums which get a slowly bumping bassline moving along. Lines like “Remember when you used to hold me tight/It doesn’t matter if the sun shines bright/’Cause there are raindrops falling on my head without you” that are delivered more poetically. The bridge of “Now, I’m walking in the rain without you” continues to peel back the layers, as Hayter’s lyrical themes of lamenting some missed opportunities to kick-start a relationship come to the forefront of the soundscape. Speaking of the soundscape, it’s decorated with intriguing samples of telephone blips and sultry rhythms of distorting Synths that weave in and out of the fray, while a more involved chorus places the focus on the glossy production choices of Hayter’s vocals. She delivers these lines with a charming and flashy delivery, before it’s all rounded off by the bustling Saxophone solo that adds an unexpected Jazz element to the sound. There’s not any real emphasis on modernity here, and although the well-produced vocals don’t quite feel dynamic enough to entirely hit deep in emotional heft, the sashaying rhythms of the Funky instrumentation and the unexpected Jazz touches cut it. A well-inspired affair that reminded me strongly of La Roux, with a 00’s House feel that reminds me of some of the music that I used to hear around me, and in the charts, when growing up. It’s a sexy, summery and sentimental Pop sound with enough creative flair to hit the mark.

  • Pictured: Lou Hayter DJ-ing with Henri at a BAFTA-Netflix party (2016) (Photo courtesy of Twitter.com)

There was your ‘Pure Pop’ moment of the weekend here on the blog. If that isn’t enough for you, however, then you can still ‘Pop’ along to my other Lou Hayter-featured post on the site to discover what ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’ has to offer. Check it out here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/11/17/todays-track-lou-hayter-my-baby-just-cares-for-me/

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “My Baby Just Cares For Me” (Single) (Released on August 25, 2020) (via Loaded Records)

That’s all for today. ‘Scuzz Sundays’ is on track for tomorrow morning, as per usual, as we turn our attention back to the very cheesy Pop-Punk throwbacks from the late-1990’s through to the mid-2000’s, that will most definitely take you back to THAT phase of your Emo teenhood. This week’s pick comes from one of the scene’s final big acts that we have yet to cover on the site so far. It comes from an American Heavy Metal band from Los Angeles, who, other than the guitarist Dino Cazares, no longer have any of the original members as a part of their line-up. The track is a cover of Gary Numan’s original, with the cult UK music icon pulling a guest appearance on the reworking. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

New Album Release Friday: Django Django – “Glowing In The Dark”

February 12, 2021 — Leave a comment

…and I’ve got a name proposal for the follow-up – Django Unchained! New post time.

  • Pictured: David McLean (Acoustic Drum Kit/Producer), Vincent Jeff (Lead Singer/Rhythm Guitar), Jimmy Dixon (Bass Guitar) and Tommy Grace (Synthesizers/Drum Machine) (in 2013) (Photo by Sonic)

Good Afternoon – and I wish a happy half-term to any teachers reading this! I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to get typing up on the blog for your daily dosage of recommended music listening, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Of course, it’s Friday – and we traditionally have another crop of new releases to sift through. This week feels a little quieter than the last few instances. I’m suddenly looking forward to hearing Claud’s debut full-length release after discovering them basically just days ago, there’s also a return LP from mid-00’s childhood favourites The Pretty Reckless, there’s daytime-friendly Country from Florida Georgia Line, and Pale Waves are adding to the ‘Indie’ genre. As I went down the obvious route last week with a peak at the new album from Dave Grohl’s group of megastars, I felt that a more leftfield and not so familiar choice would suit us nicely this week. “Glowing In The Dark” is the fourth studio LP to come from Django Django, an Art-Rock quartet who formed together in London after the four producers met each other through their studies at the Edinburgh College Of Art in 2009. Their material has previously been handpicked for video game soundtracks including Grand Theft Auto V and FIFA 13, and the band’s self-titled debut album was nominated for the Mercury Prize following it’s release in 2012. Signed to the Because Music label, Django Django have made waves in the Dance Music scene through collaborations with Hot Chip and Roisin Murphy. Their new album, “Glowing In The Dark”, is rooted in the themes of escaping from despair, from constraints, from small-town life, from dreams, and just living on Earth. Let’s give the title track a stab below.

One of the band’s co-founders – lead vocalist Vincent Jeff – has billed the new record as “a creative rebirth for the band of sorts” and the track listing includes a collaboration with Charlotte Gainsbourg. In addition to this, the 4-piece Alternative Rock band have enlisted the help of New York-based graphic designer Braulio Amadio, who created the animations for the technicolor-themed music video that you’ve just watched. So far, the new album is a critical win, and their plethora of electronic sounds manage to sound just as vibrant as the colours of Amadio’s visual work. “Glowing In The Dark”, the title track, matches the lively images nicely. Most notably, it goes back to the electronic 90’s sounds of bands like OMD and New Order, with a half-spoken and half-sung series of vocals ascending above a slick, polished bassline and a propulsive set of drum loops that control the push-and-pull tempo of the sonic Synths. A harmonic backing vocal and a UK Garage-inflicted bass beat seem to propel the electronic beats forward at an emerging, and then retreating, pattern. The lyrics touch on a need to find escapism, and a search for adventure in life. Vincent Jeff delivers the refrains of “Give me a remedy, a hand, a guide, and now we see” and “My senses taken leave, I need a space to breathe” with a catchy rhythm, and the accompanying Synth loops seem clean and clear. A simple “Now we’re glowing in the dark” leads the repeating chorus, as a punchy set of two-step drum beats put the pedal to the medal, and gradually layered electronic keyboard riffs punctually enter the fray, shuffling the mixing and adding a glitched quality to the sound that makes Jeff’s vocals stutter, and add a quirky set of wonky production to the soundscape. Overall, I really enjoyed this. It’s the first time that I’ve properly taken note of Django Django’s work, and I’m walking away impressed. This would have been a solid fit for music festivals, with a euphoric sound that crosses a range of genres with a decent amount of depth, and on the whole, it shows the band to be a solid class of tinkerers.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Glowing In The Dark” (LP) (Released on Feb 12th, 2021) (via Because Music)

That’s all for now – Take care of yourself, and get digging through that backlog of yours. Scuzz Sundays is our next weekly feature, and a new addition to that library is set to arrive at the usual time. Before then, why not reconvene with me tomorrow? I’ll be taking a deep dive into the most recent album release to come from a well-established Synthpop group from Australia. The band are probably best known for their third album that came out in 2011 – which ultimately earned the awards for “Best Dance Release” and “Artisan Award for Best Cover Art” at the ARIA Music Awards of the same year. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: High Contrast (feat. LOWES) – “Rhythm Is Changing”

December 4, 2020 — Leave a comment

I can play this every night – but the beat don’t feel the same! It is time for a new post!

  • Pictured: High Contrast (Lincoln Barrett) at Let It Roll Open Air Festival (2015) (via Hospital Records)

Good Morning to you – It’s perhaps a bit early for this one, but that’s the way that my schedule goes! I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to get writing up about your daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to get typing away up here about a different piece of music every day! Grammy-nominee High Contrast, the project of Welsh Drum-and-Bass artist Lincoln Barrett, is a name with a long resume – including remixed treatments for the likes of Kanye West, The White Stripes and, even, Adele. He also curated some music for the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in London. He is an artist who I have a little deal of familiarity with – I liked the throwback feel of “The Beat Don’t Feel The Same” and the semi-soulful vibe of “Remind Me”, two singles which have added a good share of variety to his back catalogue in recent years, but he is not really a guy who I’ve personally ever sat down and listened to a full-length album, front to back, from. “Rhythm Is Changing” was sent to me by a music plugger, of all sources. “Notes From The Underground” is out today – his ninth studio album release which features guest spots from the likes of Kae Tempest, Anita Blay and Ady Suleiman by the 3Beat Productions record label. He explores 90’s Dance revival, especially on “Rhythm Is Changing”. Let’s stream it below.

Barrett strikes me as a producer who always wants to engage with his instincts, whether that takes him down an experimental or pop-based approach, as he detailed in the making of his new record: “I used to think you could be more prescriptive making an album”, explaining, “I realized you can’t control it all in advance, you’re better off just following your heart and not overthinking it. Music is an escape from linearity and language and from a whole lot else”, per a statement on Primary Talent’s artist biography. “Rhythm Is Changing” takes a spontaneous route, with a series of electronic beats that unpredictably change every time the hook comes in, delivered by Northern Soul 4-piece group, LOWES. It starts off with a 90’s-centric Piano piece, before a sweep of Horn samples lead to a crescendo of Jungle beats and strobe effects that come into play when the vocal loop of “An I feel like the rhythm is changing” builds momentum for the bassline to kick in. There are some robotic, glitched Horn samples that come in at the next vocal intersection, before a Heavier tempo of drum beats and looped male vocals provide the next turn. You end up with a track that unashamedly takes cues from the Big Beat rave era of the late 90’s that housed names like The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. The production feels notably subversive however, and it adds a sequenced layer of complexity beneath the surface. This is quite interesting because the music at the time was often dismissed as “cheap” and “disposable” fare to make for a “fun night in the club” and not much else, but it was later being established as an art form of music in it’s own right, and deservedly so. With “Rhythm Is Changing”, you get a cool track which sounds really impressive and appealing because it manages to consistently re-invent itself with it’s instrumentation and production. It’s also a gutsy move to be releasing this style of music when the government have actually closed the settings where you’re supposed to take it in and enjoy it more fully – but Barrett has still created a full-on club banger.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Notes From The Underground” (Album/LP) (Released on December 4th, 2020) (via 3Beat Productions)

Thank you for reading my new post! As always, I’ll be back tomorrow – and we are going to be getting festive again for the Christmas season now that we are officially into Advent! This is an older track from a collection of five EP’s worth of Christmas carols and Festive-themed tracks, all of which were recorded by an established American singer/multi-instrumentalist who has received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for “Mystery Of Love” from the 2017 film, “Call Me By Your Name”. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Lou Hayter – “My Baby Just Cares For Me”

November 17, 2020 — 1 Comment

Rainbow Drops. Betamax. Those would be the days – If I was born! It’s new post time!

  • Pictured: Lou Hayter at the Skate at Somerset House Launch Party in London (2019) (via GotCeleb.com)
    Pictured: Lou Hayter at the Skate at Somerset House Launch Party in London (2019) (via GotCeleb.com)

Good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for you to check out today’s track on the daily blog, since it has always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Lou Hayter’s “My Baby Just Cares For Me” is a nostalgic Synthpop single which I hoped to get the chance of writing about a little sooner. Although it gained a little airplay from BBC Radio 6Music and John Kennedy’s X-Posure on Radio X, it sadly didn’t seem to get the mainstream attention that I feel it probably should have received. The track comes from London-based DJ and producer Lou Hayter, who started making music as the keyboardist of a Mercury-nominated electronic group, New Young Pony Club. Since then, she’s been a part of the duo of Tomorrow’s World with the French DJ and producer JB Dunckel. She’s also been in the duo of The New Sins with Nick Phillips. She’s released little of her own solo music, but she’s performed DJ sets for clients like Chanel, Paul Smith and Damien Hirst in his “Treasures Of The Wreck Of The Unbelievable” art exhibition in Venice – and at the Cannes Film Festival. This single, “My Baby Just Cares For Me” is the first sample of her upcoming debut solo album, which encompasses her love for 80’s Pop, Disco, Yacht Rock, Electro Pop and Acid House, and it is currently scheduled for release sometime in 2021. Let’s take a listen to “My Baby Just Cares For Me” below.

The accompanying music video takes the form of a Sophisti-Pop 80’s collage, directed by Alice Kunisue, who Lou Hayter feels perfetly captures the main essence of the single, saying: “I saw Alice’s work with Ed Banger and I loved it straight away. It’s made up of moving collages, which is kind of a visual representation of how the record was made: I cut up a sample I found and I played around with it” in a press release. Judging by how Kunisue affirmed: “Lou is as sweet and beautiful as her music, it was such a pleasure working with her”, it really sounds like the collaboration is a match made in heaven. The track gives me a vibrant sense of the London fashion world: With beats that sound unashamedly 80’s and undeniably Pop, along with lyrics that toy around with ideas of trophy wives and dolly relationships for the camera as Hayter sings: “Call me every single day and I hear you say, I’m not with you, I don’t take it serious ’cause you love me the most, I know it’s true” during the opening lines, as it becomes clear that disingenuous love is a key theme. The lyrics also feel very glamorous and very sexual, as Hayter rhymes: “You speak in English, but your kiss is French” in the bridge, and “When I look at you I see, The future you and me” with an innocent and mellow delivery. A sharp 80’s Future Pop sound pushes to the forefront, with Hayter crooning: “No sweat, ‘Cause we’re tied like that” in the chorus. The main sample gets pushed-and-pulled to the upbeat rhythm of the heavy 80’s Synth-led instrumentation. “Tried other boys, but baby you’re the best” is another slick line that really emphasizes the quirky and seductive vocal characteristics. The production is kept fairly simple, but the Celestial Funk synths and the 80’s R&B, melodic influence keeps things moving with a nostalgic vibe. I also like how the soft vocals and the subtle Electro-Soul patterns seem to be showing a sweet and lighthearted nature, but it actually holds a darker melancholy of unrequited love within – lyrically. The radio edit feels a bit short and sweet at 3 minutes, and I think it could have done with being a little longer – but if my only real complaint is that I wish it was longer – You’ve got what should be a radio hit on your hands. I’m pretty sure that any other writer has probably said this about the track – but I think it’s very retro, and very cool. Reminds me of the sound that La Roux would explore in the very late-00’s, in quite a good way. Overall, this is a cooing, rhythmic and sexy throwback which is well worthy your time.

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for "My Baby Just Cares For Me" (12" Single) (Released on 25th August, 2020) (via Loaded Records)
    Pictured: Cover Artwork for “My Baby Just Cares For Me” (12″ Single) (Released on 25th August, 2020) (via Loaded Records)

Thank you very much for reading my latest blog post! As always, I will be back at it again tomorrow – as we finally mention the “C” word for the first time of the year…. And that is the only little tease that I’m going to let you in on… for now. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: PlanningToRock – “Jam Fam”

September 7, 2020 — Leave a comment

Strawberry, Blackcurrant, Apricot… Oh, not that kind of ‘Jam! It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Jam Roston (a.k.a. PlanningToRock) in an official publicity shoot for her official website (2018) (via PR)

Good Morning! I am Jacob Braybrooke and, as per usual, I’m writing about your daily track on the blog, because it is always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Kicking off the new week’s worth of posts is Planningtorock, a Bolton-raised electronic music producer who is currently now based in Berlin, who first made her mark on the club circuit over Europe as part of the electronic ensemble Chicks On Speed, who had a hit in 2006 with “Have It All”. Roston has since remixed tracks for the likes of The Knife, Peaches, Robyn, Telepathe and AUSTRA. Roston now has three critically acclaimed studio albums to her name, and she continues to build up a dedicated following with every album release on DFA Records. It has since been bought to my attention, courtesy of BBC Radio 6Music’s Daytime Playlist, that Roston has unveiled her latest project, “PlanningtoChanel”, an EP full of compositions produced entirely for Chanel’s Autumn-Winter 2020 Fashion show. The EP contains five tracks created by Roston in conjunction with Michael Gaubert, the Fashion label’s sound director. Gaubert told the media: “I always felt that Jam incorporates operatic and cinematic elements into their unique sound”, later continuing, “The Chanel show was inspired by French cinema from the 70s and 80s and Planningtorock blessed the show with their sound and gave birth to ‘PlanningtoChanel’”. Without any more ado, let’s stream the single “Jam Fam” below.

Roston said: “With ‘Jam Fam’ I wanted to create an authentic 1980s sound, so no big kick or bass and plenty of high swimming synths. I recorded my voice and sung lots of ‘ohs’ and ‘ahs’ and then pitched them each individually to create a vocal melody. I wanted the track to be super up in feeling and fun and classic sounding”, before announcing that a portion of proceeds from all future Planningtorock releases will be donated to anti-racist organisations. Revenues from “PlanningtoChanel” will specifically be donated to the Marsha P Johnson Institute, which advocates on behalf of black transgender people in the US. It’s nice to see Roston making a lovely contribution to society through her work and it’s just as well that “Jam Fam” is a nice piece of work too. There are no vocals to be heard whatsoever, but there is the odd “oooh’s” or “ahhh’s” thrown in to add solid variation to the 80’s-leaning disco sound. The core melody reminds me a little of Lipps Inc. “Funky Town” hit from the 70’s, with a few Violin string sections to intersect a feel-good, joyous feeling to the two-step drum beat and the recurring loops of bouncy, upbeat Synths and natural, organic instrumentation. There’s some shaking Maraca’s in play through the duration of the track, and a glistening Synth rhythm which adds a lustrous shine to the cohesion, giving across a quality that feels cinematic and grand. Although the melodies are repetitous and continous, they never seem tiresome or monotonous due to the core beat forming an entertaining, recursive funk groove that adds rich infusions of Disco, Ambient House and Euro-Dance. The results feel very dense and, overall, it nails the visual connotations of Fashion and Glamour through it’s old-school New-Wave Pop sensibilities. This is a (mostly) instrumental treat, with a well-developed retro flavour.

  • Pictured: Jam Roston with Nemone for “The 6 Mix” in the BBC Radio 6Music studio (in Feb. 2019) (via BBC.co.uk)

As I mentioned in yesterday’s clues, as to who the identity of today’s artist is, I mentioned that I have previously covered another track from Roston on the blog before. That post is still alive and kicking, and you can still read up on my thoughts of “Beulah Loves Dancing” here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/02/05/todays-track-planningtorock-beulah-loves-dancing/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Beulah Loves Dancing” (12″ Single) (Released on October 30th, 2018) (via DFA Records)

Thank you very much for reading this post! Don’t forget that I will be back tomorrow, as promised, with an in-depth look at an emerging singer-songwriter who recorded her debut album with Portishead’s Geoff Barrow in Bristol and supported The Sleaford Mods at a live gig on their recent tour. She told NME in a recent interview: “In a world of Yes Men, I’ll be a No Woman, thanks”. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Lynks Afrikka – “How To Be Successful”

August 12, 2020 — Leave a comment

It’s fair to say it feels like we are all living in Afrikka under this heat. It’s new post time!

  • Pictured: Lynks Afrikka in a publicity shot to promote the release of “Smash Hits, Vol. 1” (EP) (2020) (via LynksCorp)

Good Morning! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m typing up your daily post on the blog, as per usual, since it is routinely my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Lynks Afrikka is the pseudonym of the Bristol-based English EDM producer, Elliot Brett. Brett is an LGBT artist who has been gaining popularity virally on YouTube and social media, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community, by releasing his own music under his self-produced “LynksCorp” label, accompanied by quirky music videos with enjoyably low production values that have been garnering a cult following. “Smash Hits, Vol. 1” marks the release of his first EP, a compilation of his previously released singles including “On Trend” and “I Don’t Know What I Want” alongside new tracks, including his most recent single, “How To Be Successful”. He has sold out headlined live shows across London, Edinburgh and Margate, alongside supporting Goat Girl, Sorry and Shygirl on tour. On his unique alias, Elliot told DIYMag.com: “I’m worried Lynx Africa are going to sue me and I don’t even want to be called Lynks Afrikka because it’s only called that in England, so everywhere else, I just look like this random white drag queen with Africa in their name,” grimacing as he mocks British millennial culture in his Electronic Dance tracks. I first caught wind of Lynks Afrikka by hearing the new track on X-Posure, John Kennedy’s evening show on Radio X. Let’s hear some life advice as he tells us “How To Be Successful” down below.

Using the aesthetic of a deranged Children’s TV show in the self-isolation produced music video to illustrate his self-frustration of young people feeling pressured to lead a successful life by going to university, getting a marriage, kids and a job, Elliot mocks the “ideal millennial life” with sharp wit and intentionally low-quality Electro-Rock beats, paired with a harsh synth line. I can only describe it as “Heavy Pop”. The lyrics (Or should I say.. Lyrix?) are very sarcastic, while keeping an upbeat tone intact. He provocatively hints at the “Conveyor Belt” life pressures with a tongue-in-cheek view of an older person, with the bridge “Oh! 80.96 years on average/Your life, you have to manage” and later challenging the traits with “Your life feels wasted/Your kids have vacated your family home/You should have faced this years ago”, with an earlier verse emphasizing these points with use of repetition: “Now Ruby goes to uni/Then Alex goes to uni/Then Curt does an Art Foundation/and then goes to uni” that feels quirky, but there’s a charming semblance of Pop-Punk with the hint of angst. Melodically, it starts off with a glossy synth line that bubbles underneath the reverb-drenched vocals, and the synthesizer riffs gradually become more danceable and evocative, eventually forming an Acid Techno Instrumental that feels buoyant and energetic. “Cause’ now it’s the end of the show” signals a breakdown which gives across a 90’s “Club Anthem” feel. Scattered dance breaks around the video and lines like “What can you show?, from years and years and years ago?” take the effervescent British humor up a notch. This probably falls into a specific niche and I feel he’s put his hands on the Auto-Tune machine a little bit too much here, but it really makes me laugh and the instrumentation is good fun. At a time like this, I couldn’t really ask for a lot more.

  • Pictured: Physical CD copy of “Smash Hits, Vol. 1” (EP) (Released on July 1, 2020) (via LynksCorp) (via Bandcamp.com)

Thank you very much for reading my new post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as per usual, for an in-depth look at the popular new single from an Oxfordshire-based singer-songwriter who told NME in a recent interview: “When I was dropped I remember thinking, ‘You idiots – I’m the next Paul McCartney’”. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Joe Goddard & Hayden Thorpe – “Unknown Song”

August 3, 2020 — Leave a comment

What on Earth is this?, you might ask. I really couldn’t tell you. It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Joe Goddard (Hot Chip) and Hayden Thorpe (ex-Wild Beasts) in a press image (2020) (via Pitchfork.com)

Good Morning, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing up your daily track on the blog, as per usual, because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! Forgive me if you’ve never heard this one before, it seems to be a pretty “Unknown” song, apparently. Jokes aside, this one-off single is a collaboration between Joe Goddard, of Hot Chip, and Hayden Thorpe, the former frontman of Wild Beasts (an indie rock band who disbanded in 2018). This single was released a few months ago, and the collaboration came together after Goddard and Thorpe linked up following a shared career-long appreciation for each other’s work, and it marks the first time in which both of these UK-based musicians have worked together. “Unknown Song” was heavily inspired by the global closure of clubs and dancefloors, as Goddard & Thorpe reflect on a new-found sense of connectivity between society, and “a synchronicity with our fellow beings”. Goddard & Thorpe elaborated on this, on a press statement, posting: “In the absence of touch, music is that sensual meeting point”, with Goddard concluding: “We are in the midst of a crisis but gaining the new appreciation of dancing together is a small positive that I hope to hold onto after all of this”, positioning the collaborative track as a soundtrack for awaiting an energetic return to the dancefloor after the pandemic, at long last. Let’s stream the track below.

Joe Goddard and Hayden Thorpe are both signed to Domino Recordings, via their own respective acts, but it’s unclear whether this is a one-off deal, or if they plan to join forces again in the near future. It’s a mesh between their two established styles, as Thorpe’s Falsetto vocals get delivered on top of a thumping electronic beat that evokes Erasure and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark. Thorpe recites: “Unknown Song, where all the lost chords belong” and “Unknown Song, how do the words go on this one?” over a synth groove that shimmers along to a hand-clapped drum machine loop. It rolls along to the bridge, where the beat violently trips as Thorpe adds: “Got no method, but I’ve killer intuition” before a more pop-oriented chorus that evokes a slick 80’s pop feel, and a warm Summer-primed feeling. A cut-up “Damn right” vocal effect accompanies Thorpe’s euphoric vocals in the chorus. The overall sound of the track evokes 80’s Prog-Synthpop and 90’s EDM in equal measure, and the lyrics have a slice of comedic quirk to them. A playful set of verses remind me of New Order, and the heavy-pop chorus feels like a love letter to the Pet Shop Boys. On the flip side, the structure gets a little flimsy towards the end, with a more commercial feeling to the chorus that marks a stark contrast to the House-oriented style of the verses, but it just about holds itself together due to the clear range of influences, that flow quite well together. In the end, I think it’s fair to write that – more people should know this song!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Unknown Song” (Single) (Released on 8th May, 2020) (via Domino Recordings)

Thank you for reading this post! As always, I’ll be back tomorrow. We’ll be taking an in-depth look at a recent single from an English indie rock group who were known for a similar time period to Hot Chip. The band used Star Trek voice samples to work the time-bending themes of one of their most popular albums, and the band have also been met with critical acclaim that includes earning a total of five nominations for The Ivor Novello awards. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Today’s Track: Man 2 Man (feat. George Parish) – “Male Stripper”

July 1, 2020 — 2 Comments

Novelty classic, or “Stripped” of it’s quality in the years since? It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Man 2 Man: Hits & Rarities 1985-1990” (Released in 1995) (via Retro Disco Hi-NRG)

Good Morning to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing up about your daily track on the blog – just like always – because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! I’ve been looking at a lot of very serious, big new releases for the last week or so, and so I thought it would prove to be a nice palette cleanser to kick off the new month, of July 2020, with a look back at a novelty club classic that became a big hit in the golden age of 1980’s dance and disco music. “Male Stripper”, by Man 2 Man Meet George Parish, was originally released in late 1986, prior to it reaching #4 in the UK Singles Chart after a re-release in 1997. The project originally started as a New York Punk-Dance band called The Fast, it was part of the HI-NRG movement of uptempo and risky club music around the time, but two brothers who were part of the band – Miki Zone and Paul Zone – continued the act as a duo, teaming up with cult electro-pop producer George Parish to record “Male Stripper”, a song which gained big steam on the European club circuit, under the aliases of Man 2 Man. Sadly, Miki Zone became a victim of the AIDS Epidemic and died in 1986, shortly after it’s release. Since then, Paul continued as a solo producer under the name of Man To Man, and released a few tracks that had moderate success, but didn’t trouble the Top 40 singles charts very much. However, Paul Zone did even get to perform “Male Stripper” on Top Of The Pops with George Parish, so it’s not entirely awful. Let’s have a listen back to “Male Stripper” with the original music video below.

Magic Mike will be pleased. You can have that for free, Channing Tatum. A single that sounds almost like the quintessential European disco club classic from the late-1980’s because it more or less was, “Male Stripper” aimed to draw a crowd to the dancefloor, and it succeeded. Beginning with the funny, recognizable Horn sounds, the Zone brothers take the lead with an upbeat synth groove which they interweave with a robotic backing vocal which repeats “I was a male stripper in a go-go bar”, before Paul Zone recites lines such as “Ripples on my chest/I never got an address” and “A modern day jock, A jock with an act” over looped, bouncy drum machine sequences and echoing Vibraphone melodies, with a neat Conga Drum solo added in the bridgefor the good measure. The chorus is absurd: “Strip for me, babe, Strip for you/Strip for you cause’ I want you to”, completed with dueling female backing vocals and the odd “OOh” or “Ahh” from Miki Zone. More gloriously moronic lines: “Built like a truck/I’d bump for a buck” and “Tips in my G-string/I made my living” add humor, layered over the consistently repeating drum machine hooks and synthesized instrumentation sounds. Whilst it’s clearly not designed to be an emotionally challenging display of fine art, it’s entertaining to listen to, and it stands out as a relic because nobody would really write a club track about a gay Male Stripper in this present era, because it’s seen as risky in the sense of modern cultural representation. Conclusively, it sounds like the quintessential 1980’s club track. It is, but it’s good fun.

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Male Stripper” (Single/UK Mix) (Released in late 1986) (via Recca Record)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow, continuing to kick off the month in style, with an in-depth look at a track from a Grammy-winning American singer-songwriter and producer from California who is a huge fan of the Dragonball Japanese Manga/Anime series, and he uses it as a big part of his brand. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime