Today’s Track: Eddington Again – ‘Petrify’

February 10, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Eddington Again in a recent promotional photoshoot for MusicAlternatives.com (2021) (Photo via PR)

Good Morning to you! You’re tuned into One Track At A Time and you are reading the words of Jacob Braybrooke, and I’m here to present yet another daily track to your eardrums on the blog, since it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! One voice that you need to hear right now is the husky vocals of Eddington Again, a multi-instrumentalist and producer who fans of Yves Tumor or Alfa Mist are likely going to get a little kick out of. Currently based in Berlin, but native to Los Angeles, Eddington Again’s music typically dabbles in sound collage elements with Post-Rock and Noise-Rock influences to form a crescendo of Experimental Rock soundscapes which tackle a diversity of personal and intimate themes courageously. Eddington began their musical career as a crucial figure in LA’s queer underground, and they have cited. Bloc Party, SZA, Santigold and Sampha as a handful of their biggest influences. In addition to this, they have performed alongside Flume, Charli XCX and Dam Funk on the live touring circuit. Support has also poured in from i-D Magazine, Mixmag and Boiler Room 4:3 over the years since Eddington first surfaced in 2015 as an emerging artist. One of their strongest singles is ‘Petrify’, which was recently featured on an episode of BBC Radio 6 Music’s ‘The New Music Fix’ curated by Tom Ravenscroft – the son of the late-great BBC Radio 1 host John Peel. It arrives via Friends Of The New – a division of Majestic Casual. Let’s check it out below.

‘Petrify’ was accompanied by a cinematic music video that was directed by fellow LA-native artist 011668, a close friend of Eddington’s back home, and Eddington brings context to the single by stating, “Petrify is a story based on experiences dealing with fragility in lovers and the people closest to me”, in a press note, explaining, “Not having a place to fully be transparent about my past, gifts and heightened awareness leading me to dwell and cultivate my power alone in the dark”, in their own words. Starting off with a dark tone, Eddington pulls us into their haunting flood of emotions with “I don’t wanna petrify you, I just want to tell you my secret” with a half-spoken and half-rapped delivery that is paired to a driving, but ethereal, guitar sample and a percussive drum work-out that is played on a loop continuously, conveying the disorientation that Eddington feels when they expose others to their own fragility. Shuffling hi-hats and a snappy, stuttering Snare pick up the nervous energy of Eddington’s voice that leaps and bounds around a hazy Baritone vocal that floats between reverb-drenched guitar strums to the motion of soulful R&B beats that complement his vocals with a mix of tender emotion and a sense of danger. The abstract visuals of the attached music video are compelling too, but there’s a great mix of straight to-the-point lyrics and a brisk pace to the instrumentation that make the emotive layers feel convincing, with Eddington’s vocals eventually breaking into a lovesick croon as the sonic production becomes more energized and the rhythm becomes a floating mix of underground dance influences and light Hip-Hop intricacies. Overall, ‘Petrify’ represents Experimental Pop at it’s most effective, with the track showcasing the knack for emotive lyrics that Eddington has and a very unique fusion of influences that bound together to create an intimate, gripping single.

Pictured: Eddington Again in a professional photoshoot for his artist page on Simbi.com (2018) (Photo via PR)

Thank you for checking out my latest post on the blog, and please feel free to join me again tomorrow as we take an in-depth look at one of the weekend’s hottest new album releases by sampling a single from it and, this time, we’re listening to a single that was recently promoted by KEXP’s Song Of The Day podcast. The album itself comes from a bold Danish film composer who once headlined the Orange Stage at Roskilde Festival in front of 60,000 people with a set design created by Henrik Vibskov.

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Today’s Track: Alt-J – ‘Hard Drive Gold’

January 29, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Joe Newman (Lead Vocals/Bass Guitar/Rhythm Guitar), Augustus Unger-Hamilton (Keyboard/Synths/Percussion) and Thomas Stuart Green (Drums/Backing Vocals) (2021) (Photo by Rosie Matheson)

Good Morning to you! You’re tuned into the text of writer Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for us to plug our eardrums into yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! I really enjoy promoting music from lesser-known artists during the week, but it’s also nice to check out some new material from slightly higher profile names that still fits the Alternative brand of my work at the weekend, and so we’re going to be listening to the latest single from Alt-J today. Alt-J are certainly seen as reliable veterans of the Indie Pop and Art Rock genres in the UK’s indie rock scene, and they have been garnering acclaim from the music press since they began releasing material as Dajit Dhaliwal and Films in the mid-2000’s. Currently operating as a trio, Alt-J won the Mercury Prize in 2012 for ‘An Awesome Wave’ – their debut album – and the follow-up, 2014’s ‘This Is All Yours’, quickly reached the top spot of the UK Albums Chart. 2017’s ‘Relaxer’ also debuted at #5 on the Billboard Album chart in the US. Alt-J’s fourth studio LP release – ‘The Dream’ – is set to arrive on February 11th via Infectious Music, and the album’s cover artwork features a drawing by the artist Joel Wyylie. The latest single is ‘Hard Drive Gold’, which is accompanied by a music video directed by the band’s own lead vocalist Joe Newman in association with his partner Danny Wallace. The gifted musician has always been involved in Alt-J’s visual output to date so far, but this directorial role marks a certain step up for Newman. Let’s check it out below.

Having previously released ‘U&ME’ and ‘Get Better’ as two singles from the upcoming album, ‘Hard Drive Gold’ adds a third entry to that list, and the band’s Joe Newman explains, “Hard Drive Gold is a slightly tongue-in-cheek song written at what we thought was the height of the Cryptocurrency gold rush. It’s the story of the ultimate childhood fantasy, the schoolboy who becomes a millionaire overnight, and the different interactions he has with people in his life from teachers to neighbours”, adding, “How ironically you interpret it’s message is entirely up to you…”, to offer another tease of the new LP’s creative direction. Kept at a concise three minute length in terms of duration, ‘Hard Drive Gold’ kicks off with a synth-driven drum machine workout that makes quotable lyrics like “Gimme that gold, straight into my hard drive” and “Gimme that fire” a strange and odd feel that gives Newman’s processed and chopped vocals an amusing ring to them, while he sets up the narrative with fairly descriptive refrains like “Oh mama, did you tell Sue that I’m a millionaire now, baby/Trading that crypto” and “My teacher took me to one side and told me I was (Scum), I left then googled neo-liberal” that feel witty and even a little sardonic, while Newman delivers the lyrics with a husky vocal style that feels like a twisted subversion on the Rock ‘N’ Roll peak of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s – think Elvis Presley and Django Django chucked into a blender and you’re halfway there. It is intriguing lyrically, but the instrumentation is still firmly rooted in the Art Rock blueprints of Alt-J, as well as London-based indie bands from the same original era like Everything Everything or the aforementioned Django Django, with Groove-centric Drum rhythms that gradually incorporate wacky sound effects and a sleek set of glistening Keyboard riffs into the equation, before we go a little off-the-rails with a dazzling keyboard solo that feels 80’s and deliberately out-of-place in its effect, and this mix of witty, bouncy vocals and unpredictable instrumentation make for a highly derogatory piece that mocks the ‘fad’ trends of digital retailers and notable current electronic trends. An effective and catchy, while controllably chaotic, mock-up of the idiots who peddle NFT’s and try to break big on Cryptocurrency, which is amusingly also the target audience for Alt-J’s new record, in a way. This is such a lot of good fun.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘The Dream’ (LP) (Available from February 22nd, 2022) (via Infectious Records)

That leaves me with little else to write other than to thank you for checking out my latest post and that your support is truly appreciated. I’ll be back tomorrow for a new weekly edition of our ‘Scuzz Sundays’ feature, as we remember a still active Seattle-based Pop Punk band who found commercial success when their 2005 track ‘Always You (Good Times)’ was featured on the soundtrack for ‘Burnout 3: Takedown’ in 2004.

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Way Back Wednesdays: The Beta Band – ‘Squares’

January 26, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Steve Mason (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Richard Greentree (Bass Guitar/Keyboard), John Maclean (DJ/Samples/Producer) and Robin Jones (Drums/Percussion) (Date n/a) (Photo via NME.com)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has come for us to take a break away from the new year of new music releases by revisiting a small sample of the seminal sounds of the past as we go ‘Way Back’ for Wednesday on yet another daily track on the blog, given that it is my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A late-1990’s and early 00’s Alternative Rock group who have been remembered as “The self-destructive pop saboteurs who did it all wrong in all the right ways” by James McMahon, a writer for NME, in 2018 – The Beta Band are the rare case of a band that were, perhaps, a little misunderstood by the contemporary critics of their heyday, and they have only really been seen as highly influential in more modern times. Known for their experimental blend of Folktronica, Trip Hop, Plunderphonics, Psychedelic Rock and Progressive Pop, The Beta Band were praised by Oasis and Radiohead, eventually opening up for their live shows in 2001 and went on to build a healthy cult status with audiences alike. In 2001, in a very strange coincidence, both The Beta Band and Sheffield-based indie pop duo I, Monster decided to add a vocoder and some beats to The Gunter Hallam’s Choir’s ‘Daydream’ to form their own sample-based tracks of ‘Squares’ and ‘Daydream In Blue’, respectively, and the tracks melodies seem similar enough at first glance as to listeners being confused between the two but, upon a further inspection, ‘Squares’ has a more edgy, nightmarish feel in comparison to I, Monster’s more commercially successful adaptation of the 60’s piece. It was taken from The Beta Band’s sophomore album – ‘Hot Shots II’ – which was included in the 2010 edition of the book ‘1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die’ and it also reached #13 on the UK Albums Chart and it was co-produced by Colin Emmanuel. Let’s revisit the music video below.

The Beta Band’s music was memorably featured in a scene of the 2000 Romantic Comedy/Drama hybrid movie ‘High Fidelity’ that was based on the Nick Horny-authored novel of the same title. In an iconic clip from the film, a record store owner portrayed by John Cusack states “I will now sell five copies of The Three EP’s by The Beta Band” and he dances around to a full minute or so of ‘Dry The Rain’, a scene that exposed the cult Scottish group to a wide range of new listeners, especially in the US and internationally, and so there’s a fun slice of trivia for you. Back to the task at hand, we start with the immediately familiar lyrics of “I’ve seen the demons, but they didn’t make a sound” and “They tried to reach me, but I lay upon the ground” that get repeated later on, with Steve Mason sounding positively forlorn as he murmurs about seeing darkness trying to control him. You get the sense right away that things are off, with a very glitched Hip-Hop beat meandering and playing with the pitch of the melodies by itself, and a traditional beat only forms barely until the iconic String loop of the sampled track bursts through. The iconic lyrics of “Daydream, I fell asleep beneath the flowers” and “I saw miles and miles of squares, where’s the feeling there?” are met with Faust-like towered Drum backing beats and a neat Kosmiche guitar solo in the final half, forming an ankle-deep Electronica groove that is disorienting textually, almost as if Mason is simply wending through a humid fog but he is neither cynical or clueless. ‘Squares’ by The Beta Band and, also, ‘Daydream In Blue’ by I-Monster have two nearly identical hooks, but while ‘Daydream In Blue’ came and went a little more after it’s initial impact on pop culture, this revision of the sampled track by The Beta Band feels remembered more often, and I think that it has stuck simply because of a better use of sampling. ‘Daydream In Blue’ was memorable for adding a vocoder and a beat-driven style to the track, but that was largely it. However, ‘Squares’ just has more depth to it when you read between the lines. It features the usual hallmarks of The Beta Band in terms of it’s Radiohead-like experimental rock approach, but it also feels more minimalist in it’s light blending of R&B, Hauntology and Hip-Hop elements that are small, but stand out. The darkly psychedelic sounds feel like they’re playing off what you’ve heard before to give it a more nightmarish context that comes with the alienated fear of an awful acid trip. The risk pays off, and we get a half-remembered track that feels strong for this effect.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Hot Shots II’ (LP) (Released on July 16th, 2001) (via Regal Recordings)

That’s all for today! Thank you for being the companion to my Doctor Who with our throwback post today, and I’ll be back tomorrow with some more music, of the fresh variety, that you’re hopefully going to enjoy. We’re looking at a recent single from the London-born DJ and Writer Chris Menist, who began the project of Awkward Corners when he was living in Islamabad. His releases have since spanned record labels like Boomkat, and early recordings were made with local artists from Thailand & Pakistan.

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Today’s Track: Lo Moon – ‘Dream Never Dies’

January 25, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Matt Lowell (Guitars/Vocals), Crisanta Baker (Synth/Bass/Samples), Sam Stewart (Bass Guitar) and Sterling Laws (Drums/Percussion/Occasional Backing Vocals) (2022) (Photo via Twitter.com/Strngr Recordings)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, as you will be already aware if you’ve read the blog before, and the time has come for me to write up about some wistful sounds with yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of new music every day! Comprised of Matthew Lowell, Crisanta Baker, Sterling Laws and guitarist Samuel Stewart – who is the also the son of Eurythmics’ David A. Stewart and Bananarama’s Siobhan Fahey – Lo Moon are a nice California-based outfit known for their wide-eyed explorations of uplifting Dream Pop and melodic Indie Rock who have previously been signed to major label Columbia Records after forming in 2016, where they released their self-titled debut album to positive reviews in 2018. Although they seem like a fairly low-profile name, Lo Moon will be supporting The War On Drugs on tour soon. They have also opened for a wide variety of more familiar bands – including Phoenix, Glass Animals, CHVRCHES, Air and London Grammar – along the way. You may have also seen them cap off these rigorous touring schedules with their solo sets at festivals including All Points East in London, Lollapalooza in Chicago and Governor’s Ball in New York City as well. Two years after their debut LP was released, their sophomore album has recently been given a title and a release date. You can hear ‘A Modern Life’ from February 25th – this time via the Strngr Recordings label, and so any die-hard fans of Lo Moon’s little universe will be very excited in just a month’s time. The first single – ‘Dream Never Dies’ – was co-produced by Yves Rothman (Yves Tumor, Miya Folick) and the accompanying music video aims to take you, as the listener, through the broad architecture of ambitions and expectations, as directed by Michael Hili (The Killers, John Carroll Kirby, Lemon Twigs). So, lets check out ‘Dream Never Dies’ below.

Prior to the second new single ‘Raincoats’, ‘Dream Never Dies’ marked an important statement for Lo Moon as it was their first new material in three years. Vocalist Matt Lowell says about this track, “As I get older, I’ve become more and more nostalgic about my youth. I had way less anxiety, I didn’t fear losing the people closest to me, or have to face the bigger questions of life”, adding, “Hope and optimism were just a little bit easier back then. I work hard not to let the complexities of life suck the hope out of me. This song, if nothing else, is a reminder to try my best and not let that happen”, to his press release. Kicking off with a floating array of rich Piano accents, the beat settles into a groove with deep percussion as Lowell recites motivational lyrics like “Locking eyes, late at night butterflies, hold me the rest of my life” and “Let this go, what’s the use?/The more you know, the more we lose” as he mimics swift poetry with a soaring style of vocals that punctuate the verses, and later, the chorus. Later on, the soundscape develops further with cinematic Synths backing up his warm vocals and a sprawling guitar solo that continues to widen the scope of their sound. The chorus, meanwhile, feels nostalgic and radiant as open lyrics like “What happened to all the east days of summer/Back when we were younger” and “Radio still blasting, heaven’s everlasting” ascend momentarily above some reverb-drenched instrumentals and some amplified Strings, before Matt Lowell uses some nascent refrains like “If I could bring you back/All I have to do is close my eyes” to complement the beautifully moving, and often cinematic, Chamber-esque melodies. There’s certainly a Talk Talk-like motif to Lowell’s towering vocals here, where the 00’s Brit-Rock elements and the ache of summer nostalgia collide to create an exciting, if a little basic, lyrical theme that we can all relate to. A wholly personal affair that sounds stunning, ‘Dream Never Dies’ is a powerful and poetic piece that will keep you awake.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘A Modern Life’ (LP) (Available from February 25th, 2022) (via Strngr Recordings)

That brings us to the end of another daily post on the blog! Thank you for helping my dream not to die by checking it out, and I’ll be back tomorrow for a new iteration of ‘Way Back Wednesdays’ as we revisit a beloved Scottish Experimental Rock band who achieved a cult following with their pioneering brand of ‘Folktronica’ in the late-90’s until disbanding in 1994. The band’s music, and a name-drop of them, was used in a famous scene starring John Cusack as a record shop manager in 2000’s ‘High Fidelity’.

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Today’s Track: The Mushroom Herders – ‘Gainesville Square’

January 20, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘HERE!’ (LP) (Released on December 18th, 2021) (via 2189610 Records DK)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, as per usual, and it’s time for us to invest just a little bit of time into yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A self-described “North Georgia Cat” as per his Bandcamp profile, The Mushroom Herders is the underground indie rock project of singer-songwriter Christopher James Estrada, who has spent time in a few places like Colorado and Atlanta, but has always returned to his “original stomping grounds” of the Northern Georgia area. Introduced to the likes of Cypress Hill, The Offspring and AFI by his close brother at twelve years old, Estrada became enamored with the acoustic guitar and fell in love with genres like the 60’s Psych scene, the 70’s Punk scene and the late-80’s Alternative scene in his young adulthood. He likes to describe his music as “music for the common people” and says he thinks “It’s always been about inspiring others to feel the motivation to create their own world” when reflecting on his own work in recent times. He released his latest LP – ‘HERE’ – on 19th December, 2021 via 2189610 Records DK, a collection of recordings that he’s been producing and writing since 2016. After a few years, he re-discovered the rough recordings on a burned disc in his car and retrieved the files via his PC’s hard drive and, after feeling nostalgic about the length of time the unreleased material has been kicking about, he has decided to publish it for the world. I loved ‘Gainesville Square’ when I first heard it, which gets the music video treatment below.

“Gainesvile Square means a lot to me. There are stomping grounds for me. It’s wild. I first started performing it on the square out of convenience. It didn’t seem to bother anyone that I would play my loud, silly music here”, Estrada says about his productive live experience in the video’s description, adding, “Eventually, I started bringing out actual amplifiers and playing louder music, and even that didn’t seem to bother people, surprisingly. This allowed me to flourish creatively. It gave me an open space to try out weird, strange sounds in the public eye. It allowed me to really discover what I wanted to play and perform for people”, as he comments on the connection between the outdoor environment and musical influences of the track. Kicking off with a modulated vocal sample that progressively gets warped and just surrounds the listener with an atmospheric gloom reflective of the informality of the track’s title location, we soon get a driving drum loop that kicks into gear and raises the tempo with percussive handclaps. The vocals are screwed and chopped, providing a hazy and psychedelic 90’s backdrop for the delayed pedal effects to create a buoyant melody from. The lyrics are difficult to hear in the mix, but the soundscape is detailed with helicopter sound effects and drowsy backing beats that feel a little trippy, continuously adding more intensity to the layered melodies that each reflect the sprawling, open and public setting of the track’s title. A strange groove of playful keyboard riffs and hazy guitar loops is created as the buoyant Synth riffs and the glistening Keys merge together to provide an overall psychedelic shine of production that makes the leading hook of the chorus of “Just sitting around on Gainesville Square” feel very triumphant and not mundane as it may appear on paper, but it feels relaxed and calm because the tone of the rhythms are positive and high-spirited in the mood they evoke. The lyrics are simplistic yet very bright, with sequences like “There’s leaves on the ground, and leaves all around” that describe the scene in a catchy flow, while other lyrics feel more wide-eyed and observational in delivery, as “There’s cars and there’s people too, and there’s me and you” that address you in the second person tense and make you feel more believably absorbed into the scene. Overall, it becomes not only a track about finding cheer and joy in your current surroundings, but a light commentary on the philosophy between making music and where you perform it. By the sounds of it, it is also a location that I really want to visit.

Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Midnight Outings & Blacklight Showers’ (LP) (Released on August 16, 2011) (Self-Released)

That’s all for now! Thank you for checking out my latest post and giving ‘Gainesville Square’ a few minutes of your time, and I’ll be back tomorrow to celebrate one of the weekend’s most exciting album releases for ‘New Album Release Fridays’ as we mark the debut album release of a Leeds-based indie punk 4-piece who have admittedly featured on the blog a few times before, but there’s a huge air of anticipation about their first LP. They have been supported regularly by BBC Radio 6 Music for the past eighteen months and they are included on BBC’s ‘Sound Of 2022’ poll. I also got the chance to see this band perform live at The Portland Arms (Cambridge) in September.

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Way Back Wednesdays: Massive Attack – ‘Karmacoma’

January 5, 2022 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Robert “3D” Del Naja, Grant “Daddy D” Marshall & Andrew “Mushroom” Vowles (Date n/a) (Photo via Classical Album Sundays)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke and, of course, it’s time for the return of ‘Way Back Wednesdays’ on the blog as we remember some seminal (or simply hidden) gems of yore to help me fulfill my goal of writing up about a different piece of music every day! Massive Attack are recognised as one of the most important and influential acts in 90’s British Music history as the original Trip Hop trio of Bristol, and so they are a great choice to kick off our regular throwback fixture again. Having won two Q Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, a BRIT Award for Best British Dance Act, as well as placements on greatest-of-all-time lists compiled by NME and Rolling Stone, Massive Attack were also a really successful commercial crossover act having sold their way to over 13 million records worldwide. ‘Karmacoma’ is one of their signature closing tracks during live performances and it was originally issued as the final single off their second LP – ‘Protection’ – that earned critical acclaim in 1994. ‘Protection’ saw the group lean into the Dub and Trance aspects of their pre-established sound, as well as seeing Tricky joining 3D and Grant Marshall on their musical journey by joining their ranks. DJ Mad Professor created a remixed version of the album that was released one year later, and ‘Protection’ was included in the book ‘1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die’ in 2011. 3D and Tricky say that most of the lyrics for ‘Karmacoma’ were written while high on a drug trip while backstage at a music festival somewhere in England and the music video saw the debut of British film director Jonathan Glazer – who went on to direct 2013’s ‘Under The Skin’ as well as music videos for Radiohead and Jamiroquai. Let’s remember ‘Karmacoma’ below.

‘Karmacoma’ – known for a wild and experimental music video that probably freaked a few poor children out during the mid-90’s – was so popular that Tricky later recorded his own solo version of the track that he renamed as ‘Overcome’ for his debut solo album ‘Maxinquaye’ that he created in 1995. Full of bizzare cinematic references to ‘The Shining’ and ‘Reservoir Dogs’ among other titles, Massive Attack have also name-checked Patrick Swayze in the lyrics for the enigmatic track and they say it was dedicated to him. I find it difficult to believe that the bass-heavy, middle eastern Drum beat that runs throughout the track was entirely manufactured at the hands of the Bristolian group because it sounds so authentic, and yet, it creates a catchy but cerebral groove that understandably gained some mainstream attention for the band at the time. The lyrics are very discreet and give next to nothing away, but powerful lyrics like “I won’t lie and say this love is best, leave us in emotional peace” and “Your troubles must be seen to see through money” that seemingly form a social commentary comparing the interests of lovers to the authorities of the world in some way or another, to the best of my guesswork. Either way, the instrumentation was quite spellbinding as the thunderous snare sample sounds very realistic and the group keep introducing more elements, such as the alluring Bass melodies and the loping rhythm, that maintain an unpredictable feel to the record although the main loop gets very hypnotic as the duration progresses. The most alluring line of all comes when “I must be crazy/see I’m swazy” as the key cinematic reference comes to light. The lyrics, with hooks like “Karmacoma, Jamaican aroma” and “You’re sure you wanna be with me I’ve nothing to give/Take a walk, take a rest, taste the rest” are almost erratic at times, complementing the psychedelic oscillation of the unique pacing. The dynamic between Tricky and 3D, however, still feels new, as they recite their sequences with a mild Spoken Word feel that delves into a gently Poetic flair while the trippy instrumentals keep the proverbial room spinning. They form the important adhesive to the track that melds the laced looping of the relentlessly spiraling Drums and the adventurous songwriting, for the lack of a better term, together thematically. While reclusive and challenging, ‘Karmacoma’ was an off-kilter anthem that gives you just enough time to get used to the ongoing melodies before another strange, but key, element flips the switch halfway again. A chilling spectacle.

Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Protection’ (LP) (Released on 26th September, 1994) (via Circa/Wild Bunch Records)

That’s all for now! Thank you for spending the beginnings of your new year with me, and I’ll be back again tomorrow for some more unique music from a Canadian Ethnotronica group who blend Instrumental Hip Hop, Reggaeton, post-00’s Dubstep and Moombahton together with elements of First Nations music for their own brand of “Stadium Pow-Wow” sounds. Their earlier name was a nod to A Tribe Called Quest.

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Today’s Track: Terry Presume – ‘Act Up’

December 17, 2021 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Terry Presume in a recent photoshoot for a Q&A feature with Notion (2021) (Photo by Grant Spainier)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for you to read all about yet another track on the blog as we swoop in for a refreshing change of pace away from the Christmas-themed coverage, not forgetting that it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A self-described “walking question mark”, the 26-year-old Nashville-based rapper-songwriter Terry Presume is an artist who simply refuses to box his music into any one genre and he’s been open as such with this mission statement in several interviews. Raised in the neighborhood of Golden Gate by a single Haitian mother, he first made waves as part of the South Florida Hip-Hop scene, which he’s even published his own guide about for Acclaim. Praised by MTV News, New York Times and Fader – Terry has a wide range of influences including Andre 3000 and Robert Johnson and he began writing poetry at the age of 8, eventually doubling down on his talents as a solo artist and creating bodies of work that were led by his personal emotions and lived experiences – instead of genres. His latest release is ‘What Box?’, a 6-track EP that follows his tumultous escape to Los Angeles with only high risk ambitions and less than $200 in his wallet. Released on July 29th via September Recordings – the short-form release was co-produced and also mixed by his longtime friends Alessandro Buccelati and Giancula Buccellati and, once again, he draws from a wide array of inspiration and he refuses to restrict himself to conventional genre molds. Lyrically, Terry explores deeply universal emotions and pushes up against social norms with an impact that forges new spaces for people who don’t quite fit into pre-existing labels. Three weeks ago, a new music video for the lead single – ‘Act Up’ – which was created by Overcast. This animated visualizer perfectly matches the Funk-oriented single with a narrative that follows the vibrant journey of a woman unable to get Terry out of her mind. Give it a watch below.

Talking to Amplify about the recent release, Terry Presume says, “Never allow yourself to be repressed by any societal borders, whether that be emotions, thought patterns, way of life or anything that intrigues you that may be deemed abnormal for your ‘standard’. Escaping the limiting stereotypes this world has provided is what ‘What Box?’ embodies”, in his press notes. Terry taught himself to write and produce his music when he was just 11 years of age, and he always used music – as the medium – to navigate the world and the different cultures he encountered as he straddled it. ‘Act Up’ feels like another pretty solid encapsulation of his ideas as an artist, matching poetic lyrics like “Love the lesson though I hate the pain/My hearts investment surely left a strain” and “You choose your weapon, nearly hit a vain/But I can see sadness in you” to match a voice of strength found by his admission of vulnerability over the top of a zany, psychedelic and soulful backdrop. Later lyrics like “I won’t be the reason why your heart broke/Even though my love is icy that’s cold” tackle heartbreak and vengeance as topics, while the proud declaration of “I’m gonna make you act up today/I’m going to make you wish you never left” during the chorus is a more hook-based affair, introducing some catchy Pop flair into the fray. The emotions that he writes this track about are all very human and relatable ones, and the production is bolstered by a light white noise hum that crafts up an illusion that the music is being heard through a crackling Vinyl, which also brings a retro style to the fold. The guitar melodies are full of late 80’s Funk licks, and the light distortion of the riffs during the bridges have a distinctly Post-Punk feel to them. There is a lot of different influences and varied styles going into this, but it’s held together by Presume’s charisma as a performer and the easily accessible material that he writes his lyrics about. The vocals feel energetic and the drums are met with a two-step garage beat feel which give them a Punchy rhythm underneath the stretching samples and the sparse R&B delivery. Overall, the likes of sorrow and spite through heartbreak aren’t topics that anyone finds very cheerful, but they are feelings worth honoring and anticipating for Terry Presume, an exciting artist who likes to keep his music as a diverse listening experience for his audiences. His music isn’t perfect by typical Top 40 radio genre standards, but his concept is that life isn’t always fair and comes lunging at you with problems fairly fast, which is still something that we can all relate to. I like this artistic side to him and his music appeals across a broad spectrum.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘What Box?’ (EP) (Released on July 29th, 2021) (via September Recordings)

That’s all for now! Thank you for checking out my latest post on the blog, and I’ll be back tomorrow to continue our ‘Countdown To Christmas’ for the year as the big day draws near with a late-90’s Brit-Pop number that appeals more to the novelty side of music. They weren’t really a group per-say, but more of a media project including a trained musician, a visual artist and a comedic actor who are all pretty famous. They were probably best known for recording an unofficial theme tune for the 1998 FIFA World Cup that reached #2 on the UK Singles Chart due to its memorable music video.

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Today’s Track: NoSo – ‘Suburbia’

December 9, 2021 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Suburbia’ (Single) (Released on September 28th, 2021) (via Partisan Records)

Good Afternoon to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to introduce you to some music that I wish I had gotten around to writing about sooner, because it has always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! As we approach mid-December, the time has come for me to tell you about some music that I discovered earlier in the year that still deserves some praise on the blog. ‘Suburbia’ is certainly one of them, a melodic Art Pop track created by the Asian-American indie/alternative singer songwriter Abby Hwong – who releases her music under the alias of ‘No/So’ – who has recently signed to Partisan Records. She was also a finalist of NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest in 2019 with her intimate and acoustic track ‘Abbie’. The 24-year-old musician says that she writes “from the perspective of a queer Asian-American navigating through different environments and relationships, and the confusion, pain and beauty that arises from it” in her music, citing everyone from Ben Howard and Blood Orange to Bruce Springsteen and 90’s K-Pop as her influences. Hwong also graduated from USC’s music department with fellow alumni including Remi Wolf, King Princess, MUNA and Jensen McRae. Even her name of ‘No/So’ is a nod to her Korean roots and the question of “What Korea are you from?” that she says many Americans have been said to ask people of her ethnicity. She is also aware of the lack of representation for her heritage across the entertainment industry, saying, “Growing up, I didn’t see many people who looked like me in music and TV and that was disheartening; I was worried the experiences I had were too uncomfortable and niche” in a very important interview with The Line Of Best Fit. Although now based in Los Angeles, Hwong grew up in the suburban outskirts of Chicago that the popular 2004 comedy drama film ‘Mean Girls’ was based upon, and ‘Suburbia’ – released back in September – reflects upon this upbringing. The Chantel Simpson-directed music video for the single was also inspired by a photograph of an 8-year-old Hwong dressed up for Halloween. ‘Suburbia’ is a diverse track that really cements her voice as one that needs hearing from her upcoming album. Give it a spin.

‘Suburbia’ is a personal and vulnerable document of the narrow-minded nature of a one-dimensional environment that Hwong grew up in, and she notes, “I was a very weird kid growing up because the environment was predominantly white and hetereonormative. I stood out like a sore thumb, even though I deeply wanted to conform”, in her conversation with The Line Of Best Fit. Regarding her sexuality, No/So also tells them, “Throughout middle school and early high school, I was teased for being Asian and Queer (even though I was closeted). I was called ‘lesbian’ as a slur, girls asked me out as a joke etc, it was heinous”, in the article. Thankfully, Hwong turned to writing music during her formative years with a keen interest in playing the guitar. Part indie rock ballad and part melodic Synth Pop diary entry, Hwong tries to accept the hardships of her past while holding on to the nostalgic times with her friends. She uses lyrics like “Rich kids and boutique drugs/And I miss you like it’s enough” to call back to the innocence of youth with her tongue slightly in her cheek. Small anecdotes like “We sit outside the pharmacy/Eating golden Oreo’s” recall the small but profound moments of her teenage years that you never quite register until you move forward in time. She also discusses the absurdities and the norms of her suburban life with lyrics about mum’s gossiping about their teenage children and the other laughing stock of those seasons. Her instrumentation is radiant and eminently listenable, with a hazy and spacious vibe coming off the back of some slacker rock guitar melodies. The different layers build quite slowly, but the tone is blissful and the vocals seem poetic throughout. Combining her unique experiences of growing up in a different environment that wasn’t immediately accessible to her with some quips about the indignities of reaching your adulthood after two decades of suburban life, ‘Suburbia’ feels like a well-proportioned slice of Desert Rock charm that features a rousing chorus and feels like a better fit for the title of the track than the Pet Shop Boys’ chart-topping recording of the same name from the late-80’s. Gorgeous vocals set against well-rounded production with a catchy chorus – ‘Suburbia’ feels essential.

Pictured: NoSo (Abby Hwong) in a photoshoot for a We All Want Someone To Shout For interview (2018) (via PR)

That’s all for now! Thank you for supporting the blog and favoring independent creatives like No/So, and I’ll be back tomorrow to mark the return of one of our recurring favourites on the blog as we continue the ‘Countdown To Christmas’ as the festive season rolls along like a reindeer strapped up to a sleigh. The artist is a 90’s Alternative icon with several Grammy Award wins and nominations to his name. ‘Odelay’ and ‘Sea Change’ were both ranked on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums Of All-Time and he co-created the amusing credits song for The LEGO Movie 2.

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Today’s Track: Porij – ‘Can’t Stop’

November 30, 2021 — Leave a comment

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Baby Face’ (EP) (Released on September 22nd, 2021) (via Oat Gang Records)

Good Morning to you! My name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for us to shuffle along to the beat of yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! An Art-Rock 4-piece from Manchester, Porij are a comically named act who formed while studying and staying in halls together at the Royal Northern College Of Music in 2016. Since then, they have supported Cory Wong at Manchester’s 02 Ritz and have received positive reviews from publications like Clash, NME and FADER. The likes of Radio X’s John Kennedy, BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and the BBC Radio 6 Music daytime playlist have also given them airplay. During the summer, they impressed us all on the blog with their peaceful protest anthem ‘Nobody Scared’, which was inspired by a documentary about Jack The Ripper that the boys saw on Netflix, and it was their call out to violence against women. If you are a fan of bands like Alt-J and Everything Everything – or even Glass Animals and Django Django – I think you’re going to really like this Experimental Pop project. The boys were at it again with the release of their new ‘Baby Face’ EP in September, which featured some previously released singles and new original tracks. The lead single – ‘Can’t Stop’ – was written by drummer Tom almost two years ago as an attempt to bring focus to his over-active imagination, and it arrived with a music video and a plethora of UK tour dates. Let’s give it a spin below.

Porij said in a statement, “Can’t Stop is a super intense, pretty relentless dance tune, about uncertainty, changing your mind and being completely consumed by your thoughts – but all while having a pretty sick time” when they released the track, which is built upon some House-like qualities with an occasionally manic Garage beat, which is complemented by some intentionally dodgy Synth patches and processed vocals that sometimes drift into an energetic auto-tuned frenzy. The band also say that it matches a quirky UKG drum and bass influence to some neat synthetic Pop elements, and it becomes clear from the infinitely tinkered fusion of late-90’s dance music facets and late-00’s indie rock motifs that the band have created a fun track that is sure to brighten up your day. The lyrics, with rhythmic sections like “I feel out of control, got me thinking/Spent a night on your own got me thinking” and more spoken word-like bridges including “Hold me in, push the time on/In your room, take my eye off” sound conventional for a modern indie dancefloor anthem, but their mode of delivery is playful and off-kilter, and so the vocals capture the overarching theme of questioning your own surroundings and sanity with a decent amount of weight to them. In terms of the instrumentation, Porij become known for looping strange Synth sounds and bulky, hefty basslines pretty early on in the track. They contrast the dance elements with a good mix of neatly woven production and more unpredictable melodies through the keyboard riffs later on. Some Jamiroquai-esque guitar riffs and a small touch of percussion round the equation off, and we are left off with a psychedelic number that treats us to the daring bounds of Porij’s creativity once again. While I would have liked for more of their serious social commentary to come through more clearly, as with ‘Nobody Scared’ that was a nod to the ‘Reclaim The Night’ movement for street safety, I think ‘Can’t Stop’ is a catchy and infectious single that would make me get up and dance in a night club with no difficulty. Generally, I really like how Porij approach each of their singles at a ‘case-by-case’ basis because it makes their discography feel quite fresh and diversified, and I like how the Manchester-based act are comfortable with the fact that different directions require different tools to others. In conclusion, ‘Can’t Stop’ is a crowd pleasing and danceable single that appeals to both indie dancefloor fans and club attendees alike.

Pictured: ‘Eggy’ (Lead Vocals/Keyboard), ‘Tommy’ (Rhythm Guitar/Occasional Backing Vocals), ‘Jammo’ (Bass Guitar/Percussion) and Tom (Drums/Occasional Backing Vocals) (in 2021) (Photo courtesy of PR/DIYMag.com)

If you’re feeling frightened, here’s a reminder that Porij wants ‘Nobody Scared’ with their previous single ‘Nobody Scared’, which has already been covered on the blog: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2021/06/15/todays-track-porij-nobody-scared/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Nobody Scared’ (Single) (Released on April 21st, 2021) (via Oat Gang Records)

That’s your lot for the day! Thank you for continuing to support my content on the blog each day, and I’ll be back tomorrow to resume our ‘Countdown To Christmas’ for the year because it will be December 1st, after all. It still feels a little early for me, and so we will be going for something that’s a little more winter themed in general than specifically festive. However, it comes from one of my favourite pure songwriters in the industry. He fairly recently completed the unique ‘Correspondence’ side project with Tracey Thorn from Everything But The Girl, and had a Swedish #1 album in 2007.

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Scuzz Sundays: Skunk Anansie – ‘Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)’

November 28, 2021 — Leave a comment

Pictured: ‘Skin’ Deborah Dyer (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar/Theremin/Chief Songwriter), ‘Ace’ Martin Kent (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals), Richard Lewis (Bass Guitar/Unclean Vocals) & Mark Richardson (Drums) (2020) (via PR)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke and, for a final time this year, the time has come for us to revisit some of the Pop-Punk ghosts of the decades past for ‘Scuzz Sundays’, not forgetting that it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! This is the last installment of the trashy weekly feature because I have something special planned for December instead – which is still on-theme and on-brand – but I’ve been conspiring with a special guest who may (or may not) have some involvement with these plans. Therefore, we need to round off the latest year of ‘Scuzz Sundays’ on a high note and the multi platinum-selling 90’s Brit-Rock group Skunk Anansie are certainly a fit for the grand task. They were particularly significant for their own frontwoman, ‘Skin’ (aka Deborah Anne Dyer OBE), who was crucial to black music history because, sadly for the time, it was highly unusual for an androgynous black woman with a trademark bald look to front a well-known Punk Rock band in the mainstream. However, in 2004, they were ranked as one of the most successful UK chart acts between 1952 and 2003 by the Guinness Book Of British Hit Singles & Albums, having spent a total of 142 weeks on both the UK Singles and UK Albums chart. A single synonymous with Skunk Anansie was ‘Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)’ – a top 20 hit in several countries including the UK, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Germany and Iceland. Written about a tough breakup, the music video caused some controversy when shots included two girls kissing. Another sign that Skin and company were ahead of their time. Let’s revisit the similar sights below.

Often grouped as part of the 90’s Brit-Pop boom, Skunk Anansie were more precisely an Alternative Rock and Hard Rock outfit who were popular for numerous other hit singles like ‘Weak’ and ‘Charity’ that made a mark on the charts internationally. Their name of ‘Skunk Anansie’ also derives from the Akan folk tales of ‘Anansi’ who was the spider-woman of Ghana, and the band added the title of ‘Skunk’ at the front to, as they simply noted, “make the name nastier”, flowing with their signature sounds to give them a harsher Punk edge over their contemporary competition. ‘Hedonism’ has become a frequent favourite with their fans at live performances and Skin has often been known to perform the single at solo gigs too. Starting with a somber tone using lyrics like “I hope you’re feeling happy now” and “I wonder what you’re doing now/I wonder if you think of me at all” that establish Skin’s narrative who appears not to be ‘over’ their ex-lover despite their bad behaviour following a split, Skunk Anansie complement her shy and willowy vocals with some muted guitar beats, followed by mid-tempo Drums and a harsher bassline, in a fashion that feels reminiscent of a rock opera ballad. They still resemble a Pop band on the more alternative side, however, as the downtempo mood still resembles that of a more moderate Rock song. The focus, here, is on the vocals. Skin uses emotive lyrics like “Does laughter still discover you?/I see through all those smiles that look so right” that feel open and revealing to her character, which are contrasted by highly distorted guitars in a particularly memorable guitar solo in the middle. The drums and the bass are very tight and consistent, while the dynamics and subtleties are left intact because Skin’s vocals are never compromised by the heavier guitar melodies, which leaves plenty of wide space for the lyrics to come through nicely. Confrontational yet slightly tinged by vulnerability, Skin’s vocal performance is rich and well-recorded. In conclusion, ‘Hedonism’ is a solid single with crossover appeal between slightly different genres that still holds up today. Kept simple and effective, yet complex enough, it is a good testament to the credibility of the 4-piece despite their larger mainstream popularity.

Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Stoosh’ (LP) (Released on October 7th, 1996) (via One Little Indian/Epic Records)

That brings us to the bottom of the page! Thank you for continuing to support my content every day, and I’ll be back tomorrow to kick off a new week’s worth of posts that includes a fairly strange mixture of Christmas recordings and new alternative favourites, but it’s that bizzare time of the year again. We kick off with new material from a wildly experimental duo who met each other at the Guildhall School Of Music and Drama. They have released a crop of singles and an EP on the forward-thinking Warp Records label, and their new single marks their signing to Rough Trade Records.

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