New Wave

Today’s Track: Katarína Máliková – “Vodník”

January 3, 2020 — Leave a comment

Here’s a new track for you to hear while you’re taking down those Christmas decorations before heading back to work next week, if you haven’t done so already…

  • Pictured: Katarína Máliková at the Radio Head Awards (2016)

Jacob Braybrooke here! Since it’s the 3rd January, a rather nothingless day since we all haven’t quite got back into the swing of returning to our normal working lives. Have you eaten all your Christmas chocolates yet?, I thought it would be a great chance for me to showcase something truly unique and different on the blog. Today’s musing is on “Vodník” by Katarína Máliková, a track which I discovered from KEXP’s Song Of The Day podcast a few weeks ago. Máliková is a Singer-Songwriter from Slovakia, who has been causing a lot of positive buzz in Slovakian indie circles. On “Vodník”, she wisely dodges any-and-all comparisons to the Eurovision Song Contest. Instead, she opts for an intriguing mix of Orchestral folk and dark synthpop melodies!

On “Vodník”, Máliková displays a wonderful prowess of emotionally moving lyricism with dark new-wave synths that stutter and crash into each other, with the track sounding like music made in the magic hour throughout. The lyrics are Slovakian, which evokes a distinct ambiguity for English-speaking listeners. It sounds orchestral and theatrical, with a folklore vibe which is comparable to Björk’s style of vocal performance and electronic production on 2001’s “Vespertine”, with an industrial beat-driven backdrop full of IDM-eque distortions and reverb-drenched drum snares, often comparable to the 80’s-influenced soundscapes found on Bat For Lashes “Lost Girls”, which was released last year. It isn’t such a far cry from Peel-branded acts such as Joy Division and New Order, but it does definitely have a unique flavour of Polyphonic and experimental sounds that makes it feel unlike anything else in direct comparison, although the evocative, Scandonavian-inspired synthpop falls between the category of Grimes and KKA Twigs in equal measure. Overall, I feel the vocals work harmoniously with Máliková’s bold sense of electronic instrumentation to complete a brave and intimate track. The track is available to buy or stream from her sophomore LP, “Postalgia”, which was released in November via the Sinko Records label. Judging from how fresh and powerful she sounds, combined with a strong layout, on “Vodník”, I really hope that 2020 is going to be absolutely massive for her!

  • Pictured: Katarína Máliková performing a live set at Pohoda Music Festival (August 2017)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at the new track from an English synth-pop/dance group who, in an interview in 2010, told the press that none of them knew how to drive, as the band got around the old fashioned way – on their own two feet, instead! Also, don’t forget to check out the blog on Sunday, as it’s almost time for my first Scuzz Sunday post of the new 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: Phoenix (feat. Bill Murray) – “Alone On Christmas Day”

December 12, 2019 — 1 Comment

It may be difficult to really think about, but this festive season isn’t a very nice time for absolutely everybody out there, so why not give the gift of love to those less fortunate than ourselves this christmas? That said, it’s time for your midweek musing!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Alone On Christmas Day” (2015) (Single Release)

Another one of those bands that I grew to know and love around the time of school in 2014-15 where I was first dipping into the expansive world of alternative music, French indie electro-rock outfit Phoenix have become a band that will always mean something to me and they will always have a deer place in my heart. Although “Ti Amo” is my favourite album of theirs, it’s a difficult back catalogue to really pick favourites from since the 4-piece have a real knack for evolving their sound a little bit differently on each LP, while still managing to keep the cohesive qualities of their signature sound in tact. It turns out that, in December 2015, Phoenix released an outlier, a seasonal track called “Alone On Christmas Day”, with a guest collaboration from actor, comedian and international treasure Bill Murray of all people. It is a cover version of a torrented Beach Boys track, of the same title, as it was scrapped during production and circulated as a bootleg instead. You learn something new every day!

The track was released by Phoenix as the soundtrack for a Murray-led film on Netflix, “A Very Murray Christmas”, which came about since the director, Sofia Coppola, is married to Thomas Mars from the band. How cute is that? I feel the track deserves recognition and credit for dealing with an offbeat topic of suffering from a heartbreak over the christmas period, a contextual theme which is often overlooked among the uplifting melodies of a typical seasonal treat. Mars recognises the harsh feeling of being alone on the big day, as he croons, with a strong French accent, “When your love and you are parted/and all Christmas cheer departed/It’s sad I say, when you’re away/from love on Christmas Day”, although it sounds pretty Scroogy on the surface, Mars also begins to sense a glimmer of hope, a ray of light, in the bleak midwinter: “Time is mending (you gotta move on)/Pain soon has its ending (keep moving on)/Know in your heart it soon will be gone”, as he realizes that it’s a situation he’s going to overcome and that he’s been in rougher patches than this. Despite the melancholic, if hopeful, writing – it’s being sung over a simple keyboard melody and the sound of Jingling bells. I gotta stop making these puns! The drum beat is traditionally exuberant for a yuletide track and the harmonies aren’t overly indulgent like a mince pie for some, leading to the track becoming a somewhat conventional festive offering, but with a slight difference which makes it stand out compared to it’s similar counterparts. The track sounds unique enough to stand on it’s own two feet and the band seem to go for the untapped potential of a more acoustic sound than the electro-punk found in their chronological releases. However, I don’t feel that Bill Murray adds very much to the track. It’s that time of year, so I’ll give that small gripe a pass. Did I mention that all of the proceeds went to UNICEF, so it’s worth snapping up or the small cost of 99p. How long has it been since we had some good quality in music to raise funds for charity? It’s well worth adding to your playlist over Christmas!

  • Pictured: Thomas Mars (Vocals), Deck “The Halls” D’Arcy (Bass Guitar, Keyboard), Laurent Brancowitz (Lead Guitar) and Christian Mazzalai (Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals and Percussion)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with a look at another lesser-known festive single from an American alternative rock group who have a seemingly pessimistic view of the holidays, with a track that was used in Jim Carrey’s 2000 christmas classic film “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”! It’s like a musical advent calendar! 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: La Roux – “Gullible Fool”

December 6, 2019 — 1 Comment

Brand new from La Roux – It’s time to feel that feel-good feeling with your Friday post!

  • Pictured: Elly Jackson (La Roux) in a promotional photoshoot for “Supervision” (February 7th, 2020)

It appears that a Christmas miracle has come early – as just six weeks after the release of her belting comeback track “International Woman Of Leisure”, Elly Jackson has just released another new single from her highly-anticipated third LP record, “Supervision”, which is slated for it’s release on February 7, 2020 via her own label, Supercolour Records. “Gullible Fool” is a 7-minute pop-tastic ballad which is speculated to be about a ten-year long relationship for Jackson with a partner, which ended during the production stages of the new record. It also completes a technicolour vision-filled music video, where she comes off as a cross of George Michael and Elton John, as Jackson prepares to be the Off The Wall of this generation!

The music video, which is a more user-friendly 4 minute and 20 second edit of the full album version of the track, reminds me a little bit of A-Ha’s “Take On Me” video, due to the technicolor art style in the key formula change of the track, which takes a keyboard-based composition instead of the typical synth-based approach that I’ve come to really appreciate from Jackson. She channels her inner Morten Harket as she powerfully chimes: “Just pack your things and go/Honey don’t pretend you didn’t know”, after she takes a sentimental value with the chorus: “Lies/But I Will Believe In Anything/Oh I Will Believe In You/Gullible Fool”, as Jackson makes a sarcastic remark for her time wasted holding on to a breakup that wasn’t healthy. The track is a comeback story for our narrator, as she finds the courage to answer a new calling to move on with her life as an individual, ready and healthy enough to tell her partner to leave her and start looking for a more meaningful life. She isn’t quite ready for a new relationship yet, but she feels ready – and excited – to start over. The lyrical content is intriguing and I feel that it has been written with a certain style of charisma and balance in check, blending with the percussive harmonies and minimalist production of the track. I don’t feel it elicits the short-fuse groove that “International Woman Of Leisure” does, as it ditches the electronic-based instrumentation of that track and it goes for a more emotive, acoustic texture instead. I’m trying to think of a better word than “grower” – but I can’t think of one. It’s certainly a track which showcases Jackson as one of the UK’s premier pop talents, as it is smartly written and the uptempo vocals have an infectious style to them. It reaffirms that Jackson is a very dynamic artist who has a very admirable flavour of loyalty and integrity to her sound!

  • Pictured: Still image from the “Gullible Fool” music video (December 2019)

In case you’ve missed it, don’t forget that you can still read my thoughts on the previous single, “International Woman Of Leisure”, by clicking here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/11/01/todays-track-la-roux-international-woman-of-leisure/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Supervision” (February 7th, 2020)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at a new track from a highly prolific American EDM artist who started off his career by experimenting with a four-track recorder while he was still attending high school! 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: Massive Attack (feat. Shara Nelson) – “Unfinished Sympathy”

December 2, 2019 — Leave a comment

Robert “3D” Del Naja, Grant “Daddy D” Marshall and formerly “Mush” (Andy Vowles) comprised the original lineup of Massive, a Trip Hop group from Bristol. Later renamed as Massive Attack, the name which stuck, the band have become Massive-ly (sorry!) influential force in the history of British dance and alternative music. “Unfinished Sympathy”, one of the lead singles from their 1991 debut LP, “Blue Lines” was later voted on many end-of-year and best-of-all-time lists, particularly since the track was named as the 63rd best song of all-time by NME in 2014. The single also reached #13 in the UK Singles Chart upon it’s original release. It came accompanied with a music video directed by Baillie Walsh, , which saw Shara Nelson, the guest vocalist, walking through a grimy street in a neighbourhood in Los Angeles, California – oblivious to the events going on around her in the surrounding area. Recently, Massive Attack have been featured in the news, as they have announced a study into the effects of climate change on live tours. As a result, the band, in their press release, have commented on making a pledge to: “map thoroughly the carbon footprint of band tour cycles, and to present options that can be implemented quickly”. In respect of this brave move, I’ve decided to take a look back at “Unfinished Sympathy” and discuss why the track, nearly 30 years on, still manages to hold up in this day and age!

“Unfinished Sympathy” was one of the group’s earliest recordings and it has become a huge cornerstone in the career of an, arguably, underrated group who have gone on to sell over 13 million copies worldwide in their career. Even now, when you revisit the sound of the track, there’s actually a grand variation of different styles here. There are plenty of vocal and percussion samples, there is an acid house influence created by the drum machine programming and even an orchestral influence being created by the string-based arrangement, which was an effort composed by Will Malone. Some of these elements were created digitally, while other elements were composed by natural instruments. The orchestral composition was later sampled for The Verve’s later hit, “Bitter Sweet Symphony”. A fun fact! Back to the task at hand, it also has a soul-ska vibe created by the tribal backing vocals and the bleakness of the tone. Nelson lyricises about the ubiquity of unrequited love, over a slow-paced bassline and a sumptous melody created by the light elements of House and Techno. It’s not really a song that you would get up and dance to, but it was one of the first electronic tracks written with the people who prefer to sit down in mind, as one of the first examples of Deep Listening subgenres. Towards the end of the track, hip-hop disc scratches are present, which leads to the Violin and Cello becoming the main melody of the track, in a direction that is fearless and smart. It allows the impact of the ambient textures to shine through and for the cerebral bass melody to sink into the psyche of the listener. Overall, this is a track which deserves the universal acclaim it received at the time of release. When looking back at the reflection of the track through an audible mirror, it’s a track that will always have an audience and it should be recognised by a generation who are only given the sexually immature dance records being churned out by the system. This is coming from a 21-year-old student…

  • Pictured (original lineup): Robert “3D” Del Naja, Grant “Daddy D” Marshall and Andrew “Mushroom” Vowles

You can read up on more info about Massive Attack’s music study into the environmental impacts of touring here: https://pitchfork.com/news/massive-attack-launch-major-study-of-music-industry-carbon-emissions/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Blue Lines” (1991) (Physical CD Format)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a recent track from a lesser-known British punk band formed in 2010 in Exeter, who have previously been featured twice on KEXP’s Song of The Day podcast! 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: Girl Ray – “Girl”

November 27, 2019 — 1 Comment

The girls of North London are finally back in town! It’s time for your Wednesday post!

  • Pictured: Poppy Franklin (Guitar, Vocals), Iris McConnell (Drums) and Sophie Moss (Bass Guitar)

Girl Ray, made up of Poppy Franklin (vocals, guitar), Iris McConnell (drums) and Sophie Moss (bass guitar), are an alternative pop group formed in their home of North London in 2015. They later released “Earl Grey”, their debut LP record, back in August 2017. The follow-up, “Girl”, was released on 22nd November via the Moshi Moshi label. No, not Moshi Monsters! The trio love to specialise in small-scale psychedelic punk, with the girls releasing their first track, “Ghostly”, on Soundcloud while studying for their A-levels. The girls have cited the likes of Cate Le Bon and Rundgren as influences for their new record, a sophomore lo-fi critical darling that gives you a sugary sweet texture with electro-synth hooks and ambitious songwriting. “Girl”, a staple of the daytime BBC Radio 6Music playlist, is the title track of the new LP record.

Naming themselves as a pun of low-key Avant-garde icon Man Ray, Girl Ray have since been headstrong in their pursuit of experimental pop vibes and a sonic juxtaposition between cool and receptively geeky. It’s a sentiment that can be found on “Girl”, a single which is full of glossy electronic production work and endearingly imperfect percussion. Lyrically, this is a wistful indie-pop metaphor of adolescent romance and subtle youtful angst. Franklin recites: “I’ve got a lot of love to give/You’ve got a lot of love to give/And we can have fun, play games/Or you can just hold my hand” and “Course of true love never did run smooth/I wanna move right up next to you/Wear my t-shirt by the pool/I love the way you work that room so cool”, establishing an indebted tone of playfulness and a sensual tone. It reminds me of Haim and The Beach Boys, but Girl Ray take a creative boldness to up the synth work, as Franklin croons: “Girl won’t you be my…” and conveying a rhythmic harmony with: “You’re my high school sweetheart prom-queen babe/And I’m the nerdy boy that the jocks all hate”, a playful R&B-like jive that feels instantly recognizable for a young audience. The lyrics are each delivered under the sounds of funk-laden guitars, 1980’s keyboard melodies and groove-ridden, new-wave percussion. Although the overall style is more polished than some of the band’s prior efforts, I feel this track doesn’t quite find it’s own identity and the cracks of the group still finding their feet as a new artist are still present. This is because, although the song isn’t afraid to pull electronic influences from a couple of different genres, I feel the lyrical content doesn’t quite reach into a higher gear, lacking a cohesive quality that blends the different styles into one package more neatly. I think it’s down to their work on the new record with Ash Workman, a producer who’s been credited to the likes of Christine & The Queens, Metronomy and Stealing Sheep. I get the sense that he’s not quite the right collaborator for Girl Ray, as the production work seems a little bit makeshift and they sound much like these other acts. However, “Girl” is still an overall enjoyable track that has a very charming pastiche style and an intoxicating combination of nostalgia and beauty. The group are very talented, but I think they are capable of a little better.

  • Pictured: Girl Ray in a promotional photoshoot for “Earl Grey” (November 2015)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at one of the tracks from Beck’s new LP, “Hyperspace”, which was released on Friday! It has not been released as a single though! 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: Prince & The Revolution – “Raspberry Beret”

November 26, 2019 — Leave a comment

“If you don’t own your masters, your masters will own you”! That’s my favourite quote from the master of re-invigoration himself! It’s time for your Tuesday blog post!

  • Pictured: Collage Artwork of Prince’s different re-incarnations throughout his career (Credit: Pinterest.com)

The aforementioned quote is a true statement of Prince’s rebellious attitude and his pure dedication to actively creating good music which rebels against the established materialism of the chart-pop industry. He changed the face of music forever and there was a sense of pure horror in the air as he passed away from us on April 21, 2016. “Raspberry Beret” is a track from his 1985 album, “Around The World In A Day”, which he produced with The Revolution. The album saw Prince experiment with a more zany style, such as elements of psychedelic rock and opulent soul ballads. It was famously released with very little publicity, as requested by Prince, with none of the singles being released until after a month since the album’s release. It was still a massive commercial success, eventually reaching the #1 spot on many charts around the world (but it took more than a day) and eventually going double platinum, with audiences responding to the overall sound being more creative than previous record.

The track instantly starts with a “1-2-3-4!” chant before the funky synthpop beats work their way around the melodic vocal hook of the track. The track immediately engages the listener before, as with the rest of the album, it combines several different elements of multiple genres with solid precision. The track incorporates pop, punk, disco, neo-psychedelia and new wave, as it creates a world-infused, “international” effect by focusing on acoustic instrumentation, such as the violin string-based arrangement, as well as a Cello and a Harmonica being used in extended versions of the track. It tells a lyrical story of a teenage wash-up having a first-love encounter and a sexual experience with a girl wearing the titular “Raspberry Beret” hat. It’s simple and more in the pop vein than other, less-radio friendly, tracks from the album. However, it’s effect is still fairly original and effective. He starts: “I was working part-time in a five-and-dime/my boss was Mr. McGee”, which has a Bryan Adams-esque pop hook, and he continues to tell the story until the end, stating: “She wore a raspberry beret/the kind you find in a second hand store”, simply ending the chorus with: “I think I love her”. It’s a very colourful and vibrant track, with a sense of very sweet romanticism. It’s a good track, but the context behind it definiely brings it a step forward. After 1984’s “Purple Rain”, fans were expecting a sound that was heavier in a rock context and maybe a little bit more sexualised, but instead, he wrote material that was delicate and light-hearted, as he cleverly played around with his fans’ stereotypes and in a sense, their loyalty to following him as an artist. The risk paid off dividends, further asserting Prince as one of the all-time greats. We miss him!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Around The World In A Day” (April 1985)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at an explosive techno-pop track from a new London indie group who once produced a cover version of a Carole king song by Elizabeth Price, although not explicitly admitting to doing so! 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: Gorillaz – “On Melancholy Hill”

November 22, 2019 — 1 Comment

A rock band with an “animated” lineup! Literally… It’s time for your Friday blog post!

  • Pictured: Promotional Artwork for “Plastic Beach” (2010)

Gorillaz certainly have a very animated sense of character to them. The most famous virtual rock band in the world, with Blur’s Damon Albarn at the helm in the real world, have made quite a name for themselves in the music industry ever since the 00’s, successfully translating an experimental style of rock to the mass audiences, always gaining high popularity with each LP release due to the significant lore and fantasy-building created by James Hewlett, the designer and VFX artist of the cartoon compadres. I still remember the hype around their return from a 7-year hiatus with “Humanz” in spring 2017, with the album selling out in days and gaining record-breaking pre-order sales, of which I bought the physical CD copy to share with my friends. They’re not really my all-time favourites in the wide scheme of things, but it’s still a musical project that I admire and I get very excited for with each subsequent release. “On Melancholy Hill” is a track that I remember hearing for the first time on “The Singles Collection 2001-2011” compilation CD, but it’s the third single released from 2010’s “Plastic Beach”, which is the third official full-length LP credited to Gorillaz. This is a lesser-known track from the band, which reached #78 on the UK Singles Chart upon it’s original release. It was later ranked as #152 on Pitchfork’s top 200 songs of the decade so far and #5 on BBC’s list of the “Best British Songs Of 2010”.

“On Melancholy Hill”, according to creator Damon Albarn, exists as the one “genuine pop moment” on the 2010 record. It starts off immediately, with no fading, with a glowing electro-synth line that fuzzes above a set of twinkling keyboard patterns, before Albarn sings his woes beneath a Falsetto: “Up on Melancholy Hill, there’s a plastic tree/Are you here with me/Just looking out on the day of another dream/Where you can get what you want, but you can’t get me/So let’s set out to sea (love)/’Cause you are my medicine when you’re close to me” as it becomes somewhat of Gorillaz’ one true love ballad. There is a dream-like quality to the romantic themes of the lyrics, which is established through downtempo electronic instrumentation that sounds miles apart from the hip-hop influences found on 2005’s “Demon Days” or the experimental art-rock sound on the 2001 self-titled debut LP. However, it’s also dominated by a somber, more mindful, texture which conveys the comfort of a physical touch, but also the distance of a crush that’s destined not to work out. It ties into the concepts and themes of the album, as it feels reminiscent of travelling to an idyllic location outside of a harsh pre-Brexit (yes, I just said it!) political climate, which works in this audible concept as a beach with dream-like qualities. The sound is boosted by a four-step pitch and a chordal string-based arrangement that twinkles and glistens at every turn. Overall, I think it’s obviously not necessarily Gorillaz’ most uptempo tune, but I really enjoy listening to how the tone flips between light and dark in different sections of the track. The track is maddening, but it’s also saddening.

  • Pictured: 2-D (Vocals, Keyboard), Murdoc (Bass, Drums), Noodle (Guitar) and Russell Hobbs (Percussion)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at the brand new track from a Bisexual Australian singer-songwriter often likened to Lana Del Rey and Morrissey, who relocated to London from Sydney and released his debut LP record, with each song being written from an ambiguous, gender-neutral viewpoint, in early 2016! 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: Bat For Lashes – “Desert Man”

November 14, 2019 — Leave a comment

I’m coming right back at you with a fresh Thursday blog musing like a Bat Out Of Hell!

  • Pictured: Natasha Khan in a photoshoot for a Stereogum interview (2019)

A two-time BRIT award nominee, Natasha Khan, under the pseudonym of Bat For Lashes, has been releasing a large variety of subversive pop and folktronica records, most of which have sonically bordered on cosmic fairy tale sounds and folklore renditions of her own personal events, to universal critical acclaim and prestigious awards consideration, such as receiving Mercury Prize nominations for “Fur and Gold”, her 2006 debut LP record, and later in 2009 for “Two Suns” and 2016 for “The Bride”. A very gifted art-pop songwriter, Khan uses her intriguing descendent from an English mother and a Pakistani father to uniquely integrate the two cultures into her own sound, which has since gone on to capture the hearts and the attention of many. She has recently released her fifth LP record, “Lost Girls”, which explores a cinematic 1980’s sound, being inspired by film soundtracks of the time and the pioneering classical composers of the time. “Desert Man” is the new single, which follows “Kids In The Dark”, a track that I can’t wait to hear in the end credits of the next season of Netflix’s TV hit “Stranger Things”. Listen to it and you’ll instantly know we’re going to!

“Desert Man” is a track with a slightly more upbeat and dance-influenced sound than Khan’s previous counterpart, with the vocals being drenched in reverb and the drum melodies are very melodic as they create a synth-pop layer to surround the echoes of Khan’s vocals and the heavy 80’s-esque style of the new-wave rock hooks. The track takes a more aggressive turn when Khan cues up a burst of swooping trance energy with “It’s hard to get it high with you/And I’ll go alone, I’ve waited so long to/Take it slow, desert man”, as a line of synthpop riffs and high-pitched vocal harmonies add more ice to the tempo of the proceedings. This is a track that relies on a nostalgic formula and it bring a lot of unfamiliarity to break new ground, but it isn’t a bad thing at all because Khan uses this formula in an exciting and intriguing way – as the synth-bass repetition and the powerful vocal hooks are a delight of pure 80’s joy. As the dust clears, you feel the sense that she couldn’t possibly be any more 80’s if she tried!

  • Pictured: Natasha Khan in an interview on “Lost Girls” with NME (2019)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at a forgotten single from a cult alternative 80’s group who were, at first, turned down by every major record label, so they set up Candle Records and then went on to sell over 10,000 copies of their very first single, which was their first song to be written, recorded and produced.  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/

Todays Track: The Pet Shop Boys – “The Pop Kids”

November 4, 2019 — 1 Comment

I’m going west with a recent-ish track from iconic veterans for your Monday blog post!

Having received the BRIT Award in 2009 for Outstanding Contribution To Music and being named the most successful British dance duo of all-time, according to the Guinness Book Of World Records (I reckon The Chemical Brothers would have something to say about that!), Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, otherwise known as the ‘Pet Shop Boys”, have been on a tear since the early 1980’s by releasing hits – both mainstream and niche – left, right, front and center. They recently made a surprise guest appearance during The Killers’ headline set at this year’s Glastonbury Festival, as Brandon Flowers’ wanted to pay tribute to the British acts who have inspired him to make music. They’ve been particularly notable in the LGBT Community, with rumors of the two dating having been surfacing throughout their entire career. To be perfectly honest with you, I SHIP IT!!! I’ve never been a massive fan personally, but I admire and respect everything they have done, having brought joy and happiness to masses of people over the years. My Dad’s a massive fan, but I love a bit of “West End Girls” as a wind down on a night out. “Heart” and “What Have I Done To Deserve This?”, featuring Dusty Springfield, are also dance-floor classics. “The Pop Kids” is the leading single from 2016’s “Super”, their thirteenth LP release, released in April 2016.

“The Pop Kids” is a glittering 90’s disco-style floor-filler that feels like a stroll down memory lane for the two legends, making lyrical references to a strong relationship and an unhealthy lifestyle for two partners bouncing in different clubs and attending different club nights, which is always referred to in the past tense, with a simple verbal line of “I Loved You” proving to be one of the most emotional vocal performances provided by Tennant in the discography of the duo. The track also has musical elements of trance and dance-rock, as the vocals take momentary breaks for the Hacienda bassline and the new-wave synth beats, which break apart the overall themes of pop passion and nightlife in a past decade, when the narrators were younger. It proves to be a very effective track and one of my favourite songs to ever be recorded by Tennant & Lowe, although it only managed to reach #128 in the UK Singles Chart (I had no idea it went past 100 either!). “The Pop Kids” is a very 80s-esque track which is irresistibly funky and seems to have a good amount of heft behind it’s writing. It’s a thumping trip down memory lane that maybe should have been given more recognition, although the niche skew is a big part of the charm here.

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at a British female solo artist who produced the score for the recent series of BBC’s hit political crime series, “Peaky Blinders” and was nominated for this year’s Mercury Prize award for her latest album! 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: La Roux – “International Woman Of Leisure”

November 1, 2019 — 2 Comments

It’s been a long wait for 5 years but she’s finally back! It’s time for a Funky Friday post!

Yesterday, for me, was a very glorious day! It was a day that I had described to my colleagues as “the musical event of the decade”, according to myself, of course! That’s because it was finally the day which English Synthpop artist, La Roux, also known as Elly Jackson, released her first new material since July 2014’s “Trouble In Paradise”, a massively underrated piece of art led by a groovy, tropical vibe, with a sense of melancholy with each lyric. It remains, to this day, as my single favourite LP record of all-time. But, to be, honest, I wasn’t too interested in just hearing a song. Now that her former co-producer Ben Langmaid is not involved in the production process of the project at all, I was just overexcited to find out how she would completely reinvent herself this time around. Her third LP record, “Supervision” will be releasing on 7th February 2020 via Elly’s new independent record label – Supercolour Records!

After weeks of teasing with a clever futuristic secret-agent marketing angle, Jackson finally released the music video for her first new single at 7.30pm last night, titled “International Woman Of Leisure”. It’s very different to “In For The Kill” and “Bulletproof”, two big mainstream hits, but still excellent, which, rightly so, provided Jackson with her first breakthrough on a commercial level. The sound of “I.W.O.L” sits proudly between the funk-soul influences on “Trouble In Paradise”, but also a modern take on an 80’s new wave sound. The vocals are sassy, but they’re very catchy, with a narrative based on moving forwards after a break-up and embracing a new, vibrant life as an individual who doesn’t need a partner. “Oh, you want me to go on, that’s my pleasure” and “No, I don’t ever want to see your face again” are full of Jackson’s trademark style on her very first few tracks, but instead, they’re delivered with an effortless psychedelic groove behind them and a talent for harkening back to classic 60’s & 70’s synthwave riffs, while having a real sense of freshness, longevity and imagination to it. It took me a few listens to adapt to her new and original, although somewhat borrowed, style from her previous record, but it’s an incredibly rewarding banger that definitely has a market for it out there. Can we also talk about the last 48 seconds of the track? OH MY GOODNESS!!!!! The track takes a completely synth-based turn, with an ambient electro-pop section, which is a blissful channeling of disco and early 90’s synthpop. The video is also brilliant and very well-directed, with a good theme, complete with the aesthetics and the outfits. Overall, this is an absolutely triumphant return from La Roux and it’s already one of my favourite singles of the entire year so far. I LOVE IT and I don’t think I’ve ever been more excited for a new album. She no longer feels underrated and there’s no shame in being a fanboy over it.

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Supervision” (February 7, 2020)

Thank you very much for reading this post! It’s almost time for another weekly themed Scuzz Sundays blog post, but first, I”ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a lost 80’s track from a Scottish alternative disco duo who were known for their flamboyant clothing, sporting bows and polka-dots. 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/  https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/