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: Khruangbin – “Christmas Time Is Here”

December 13, 2019 — 3 Comments

It’s not here yet, but we’ve only got 12 days to go! It’s time for your festive Friday post!

Pictured: Laura Lee (Bass Guitar), Mark Speer (Lead Guitar) and Donald “DJ” Johnson (Drums, Percussion)

One day removed from a, let’s say, very eventful snap General Election poll in the UK, it seems like a very weird day for the nation where we’re all very slowly getting back to grips with reality and slowly beginning to resume our normal lives, but there are still loads of current affairs events happening in the background that can be difficult to escape from in the 24/7 and social media society we’re living in today. What better chance, then, than to sit down with a hot mug of cocoa, coffee or tea and listen to some chilled soul/world vibes from Khruangbin? A band from Houston, Texas who manage to blend elements of classic Soul, Neo-Psychedelia and Jamaican Dub/Rocksteady to create a very unique and earthly sound. A track that I really enjoy listening to from this band is “Maria Tambien”, an almost entirely instrumental funk rhythm that feels like a journey through several different West African countries at a frantic pace. I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m giving a listen of a festive offering from the band, “Christmas Time Is Here”, a single released in time for last year’s festive season.

“Christmas Time Is Here” is a very interesting and curiously appealing mix of classically composed ambient sweetness, organic instrumentation and a slow-paced funk groove which calls back to old-school soul and psychedelic lo-fi rock. It’s a cover version of a classic track written by Vince Guaraldi for “A Charlie Brown Christmas”, a TV film starring the Peanuts Gang released in 1965. There have been countless covers since, from the likes of Chicago, Jars Of Clay and Sam Sparro. However, it’s a testament to the unique sound of Khruangbin how they manage to adapt the original format and make it sound original to them. This cover is almost an instrumental jam session by the US trio, with a beat-driven style which encompasses the Jazz roots of the original track and marries it with a luscious acoustic direction. It evokes a hypnotic effect as a result, which is created by the gentle guitar chords and the quiet vocal arrangements, along with a natural simplicity to the lyrics. It is composed beautifully and it’s an effort that helps with relaxation at this hectic time of year. Overall, it’s a track which manages to pull genres from a Magician’s hat and the band successfully mixes them together with a sound that is ultimately vintage, classic and laidback, with a broad roughness and an edge that makes it sound fresh and inspired.

Pictured: Khruangbin performing a live set at the “Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival” (April 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! Tomorrow, I’ll be taking a break from the alternative Christmas vibes to shine a spotlight on a new R&B/Soul artist from Ireland who used to work as a dealer in Poker and got her name from a Pizza menu! 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: Greentea Peng – “Mr Sun (Miss Da Sun)”

November 12, 2019 — 2 Comments

I’m pretty sure that a lot of colleagues in your work staff room would agree that Green Tea is Peng! This artist certainly does! Good evening! It’s time for your Tuesday post!

Greentea Peng is a 24-year-old singer-songwriter from South East London, where she was born, who currently releases her music under the Different Recordings record label, in association with TENNNN Records. “Mr. Sun (Miss Da Sun)” is a track from her latest EP, “RISING”, which was released on November 1st. The track is currently getting airplay from BBC Radio 6Music as part of their B-list of output. This track is a very laid-back soul ballad that has a very stripped-back sound, with a drowsy set of lyrics about bathing in sunshine and wishing for happiness as a result of a warmer atmosphere or climate. It can often feel like a response to inner city life: “He told me sorry dear/I had to go away/But never have no fear/I’m always back again”, as well as a birdsong or a direct conversation with the world in a third-person sense: “Mr. Sun I need you/I’m only happy with you/No one lifts me like you do/You really are a vital dude, aren’t you?” are questions that are pondered at a relatively gradual pace, which adds a level of soulful psychedelia to the proceedings as the background layers of the sound continue to flow with low-pitched saxophone lines and a hypnotic emotion, which swells around you, with the light synthpop production and the blissful feeling of warmth and reassurance. Overall, it’s a track that may take time for some audiences to connect with due to the format of the vocals and the experimental nature of the fundamental chilled sound, but I feel the drowsy sense of pacing and the purity of the vocals blend cohesively with the soulful sound. It’s a winter warmer!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “RISING” (2019) (EP)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look a new track from an Underground reggae/hip-hop group from Birmingham who are gaining a lot of traction in their local scene! 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: The Ethiopians – “Engine 54”

October 31, 2019 — Leave a comment

It’s time to get ready to rock steady with another Jamaican classic from the 60’s! Oh and Happy Halloween, by the way, I guess… On that note, it’s time for your new post!

Look, I know. It’s Thursday, October 31st. I know it’s Halloween. OOOOOOH! Spooky… Look, I’m just like Ebenezer Scrooge when it comes to Halloween! Bah Pumpkins! I’ve never really “done” Halloween to be honest, in fact, the traditional Halloween house decoration of the Braybrooke household is the sign from the local police saying “No Trick Or Treaters here thank you”. I just don’t get it. It’s so much hassle, encourages greed and vandalism. The most frustrating thing it boils down with for me is: What is it we’re even celebrating? Ghosts? Regardless of my grumpiness, if you are going out tonight, I hope that you have a great time and that you stay safe! On the blog, however, instead of doing the obligatory spooky track, I thought it’d be nice to do something lighter to counteract the witches in the dark as we cap off Black History Month with another Jamaican Rocksteady classic from 1968!

“Engine 54” is a track by The Ethiopians, who were one of the first Jamaican reggae groups to perform widely in the UK! The group previously had a hit with “Train To Skaville”, an even more upbeat anthem which barely touched the UK Singles Charts at #40 in it’s ’68 release. It didn’t receive lots of attention from the press, but it gained commercial success on the dance club scene, where it became very popular. As the title suggests, the main beat of “Engine 54” rolls along at an inseparable pace like a steam engine train. It builds up to be a slow number filled with male harmonies and a story based on leaving from a Kingston train station to ventures anew. The vocals of each male narrator blends harmoniously and neatly, which plays up to their strength of chemistry as a group. The track also has a slight soul ballad sensibility to it, which is created by the steady, highly melodic, rhythm of the steel drum beats and the woozy humming of the train noises from the vocals. It’s a track that doesn’t take itself incredibly seriously and it’s highly fun to bop your head along to. It may come across as a little “fuddy duddy”, as I like to say, due to the age of the record feeling a little bit outdated in this day and age and the quality of the record’s playout due to the old age of the media files, which have been digitally restored with care and attention to detail, but it’s still a groovy number that plays up to the strong vocals well and it’s a signature track of a genre which, although it may not seem like it at first, has left a significant mark on the mainstream pop formats that we’re all used to hearing today.

Pictured: Cover Art for “Engine 54” (1968)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with an in-depth look at a new track that I’m personally very excited about, as it’s only being released today and it’s the new track from one of my god-tier artists who is releasing her first new material in just over 5 years! 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: Desmond Dekker & The Aces – “Fu Man Chu”

October 26, 2019 — Leave a comment

Are you into Reggae? I’m going to rock you steady with a Jamaican classic from 1968!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Action and Intensified” (1968)

Over the last week, myself and the rest of the commitee of my student radio station have been importing loads of reggae tracks into our music playout system as a way of freshening up the diversity on the station and filling a void of world-based music to experiment with our timely curated playlist. It comes courtesy of the music scheduling head, who bought around 3 different compilation box-sets the other day. Bless him! I proceeded to call most of them “fuddy-duddy” (old-fashioned and a bit pompeous) as a typical 21 year old male naturally would. However, there is one track which really stood out among the pack for me, which is a 1968 rocksteady banger called “Fu Man Chu” by Desmond Dekker & The Aces, Dekker being one of the first Jamaican exports to gain a decent amount of attention outside of the Kingston scene.

Even after 51 years, the track teaches a timeless lesson on true happiness stemming from being kind to others and being grateful for what you have, which is communicated through Desmond’s soft and delicate vocals: “It make no sense, at all, to say where we used to work” and “It makes no sense, at all, to say how much you used to earn”, with the former line coming across like a subtle reference to slavery or racism in Jamaica a very short time before the track would have been recorded, as it’s way before my time, but it’s still a decipherable message that’s relevant today. It has a very slow and steady rhythm, with an almost entirely acoustic style of instrumentation and a simple kick drum melody, but the real stand-out is the gentle humming midways through the song, which gives the track a very uplifting tone which keeps the vocals from feeling preachy. It’s simply a nice message, with references to “Fu Man Chu”, a fictional heroic character from China, who sported the trademark long and thin moustache that is still seen prominently within Asian media and African culture to this day. This is a warm ray of sunshine and the perfect tune to liven up the particularly rainy October that we’re currently experiencing in the UK. It may be “fuddy duddy”, but it feels so in a way which is infectiously groovy and catchy!

Pictured: Desmond Dekker on-stage for a live performance (unknown location and time)

Thank you for reading this post! Of course, it’s Sunday tomorrow, so I’m going to be re-evaluating a punk classic from the 00’s that I remember from seeing on Scuzz TV, a now-closed music video TV channel, for my weekly themed series of Scuzz Sundays posts! 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/

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