This new single from singing songwriting troubadour Ward-Murphy is a must for fans of Crowded House and the like. It comes from Until The Morning Light, his début album, which was released earlier this year and was entirely financed by almost a thousand fans. Each invested a minimum of $10 towards recoding and manufacturing via the Sellaband.com website.
www.danielwm.com
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Daniel Ward-Murphy - She’s a Knockout
Various - Structures That Belongs To One - Week 1
Experimental Portuguese electronic label Monocline is one year old and - to celebrate - July saw a special series of digital releases. Each week in July they released a new four track EP with, they promise, "four original tracks from our artist rooster and tracks from some special friends of the label.". The first had only appeared as we went to press, and included material from Zhao, Psyk, Oliver Dodd and Octave
www.beatport.net
Various - Download 2009
The Download festival has decided to give those who attended - and those that didn't - the opportunity to relive all performances from this year's event ‘on demand’ for the next three months. Fifteen artists, including all headliners, and an extensive 38 full songs will be available. Lots on offer here for rock fans... the debut festival performance in more than 11 years from Faith No More, plus Limp Bizkit, Def Leppard, Slipknot, Korn and Pendulum.
downloadfestival.co.uk
Andy Nice - The Secrets of Me
The latest instalment from pioneering UK label Front & Follow comes from Andy Nice, cellist with Tindersticks, who has performed across Europe and the US with them, and featured on their last album, The Angry Saw. Delightful, dark and ambient, you can get a feel for Andy's work via www.myspace.com/andynicecello.
www.frontandfollow.com
Modernaire - Faites Vos Jeux
Having supported both Friendly Fires and fellow Mancunians The Ting Tings on tour, we predict great things for this four-piece and, as Time Out described it, their "Glacial Gameboy pop." This three-piece effort is split across download and 7" vinyl, a perfect combination.
myspace.com/modernairetheband
Monday, June 22, 2009
Nigel of Bermondsey - This Is How It Feels
Two curious tracks on a download-only single from this XFM Award-nominated artist. The A-side (virtually-speaking) is a cover of the Inspiral Carpets' This Is How It Feels and has been described as "lovely" by its writer, Clint Boon. And the B-side, Something's On Fire, is written in collaboration with Jim Irvine, from ethereal 80s brilliant minds, Furniture. Hear more at www.myspace.com/nigelofbermondsey.
Incubus - The Vault
As the band gear up to release their two-disc Best Of, Monuments and Melodies, they've also put together a massive download archive of pretty much everything they've ever recorded. According to Columbia Records, "No longer will any fan of the band have to search online for rare and unreleased content as it will all be conveniently available at enjoyincubus.com." They've assembled over 100 rare or unreleased MP3s, live tracks, previously unavailable studio tracks, more than over 100 rare and unreleased videos, and TV appearances. There's also the banned version of Wish You Were Here and a complete concert from the band's December 12, 1996 Whiskey performance in Los Angeles. This is one of those multiple download packages like No Doubt's that we covered a couple of issues ago that are almost impossible to review. Suffice to say that if singles like Black Heart Inertia were up your street, then The Vault will be your download of the year.
enjoyincubus.com
Graham Coxon – Sorrow's Army
A fantastic song and a fantastic idea from Graham Coxon, announced just before he rejoined his Blur band-mates. Coxon has been getting back to his art-school roots with a new website and revived interest in painting, as seen at www.grahamcoxonart.com. He's also put together a new limited edition art print - the only physical format of his new single Sorrow’s Army for Transgressive Records (www.transgressiverecords.co.uk). Buy one of these 1000 hand-numbered original prints (on Tintoretto Gesso paper, whatever that is, at 210mm x 210mm) and you'll get a unique code giving access to a download of the track.
www.grahamcoxon.com
AudioFuel – Rollercoaster
Quite a bizarre idea, this, but apparently it works. AudioFuel claims to be a new type of music specifically composed with a beat fast enough to match the pace of a runner - 190 beats per minute. Howie Saunders - last heard playing with big beat aficionados Lunatic Calm (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunatic_Calm) makes all the music for AudioFuel, and it's all mixed to this special running pace. Rollercoaster is by far the best so far, but there are various others to choose from and they've also told us that "we are talking to one or two well known bands about the idea of re-mixing their tracks to create new AudioFuel."
audiofuel.co.uk
Friday, May 22, 2009
Tori Amos - Maybe California
Shiny Toy Guns - Major Tom
Lady Gaga - Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say) (Pet Shop Boys Remix)
The Pet Shop Boys have been remixing all sorts of people lately, from Yoko Ono to Madonna. But their mix of Lady Gaga's Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say), is only available as a free download from AOL Music UK. An absolute must for Petheads, find it here: music.aol.co.uk/exclusive-lady-gaga-download/article/20090217132209990001.
Heads We Dance - Work It Out (feat. Little Boots)
We're proud to proclaim “you read it here first” every time the much-hyped Little Boots gets a mention. She's now collaborated with electro-poppers Heads We Dance whose When The Sirens Sound is getting much-deserved breakthrough airplay on Radio 1. This is the B-side, which is available as an official, "totally guilt-free download" from the US Arjan Writes music blog at www.arjanwrites.com/arjanwrites/2009/04/exclusive-free-download-heads-we-dance-featuring-little-boots-work-it-out.html.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Wave Machines - Keep The Lights On
Disco, synths and dance influences seem to be flooding back into indie music this year - praise the lord - and a prime example is the new single from Wave Machines. one of the most hyped bands of the year so far, they've been described as "like Hot Chip dipped in Hot Chocolate" and, impossibly, "polished, accomplished, budget disco." Keep The Lights On is their third single and is available as a limited edition 7" vinyl (Rough Trade, £3.99) or as a completely free download from their website.
www.wavemachines.co.uk
The Streets – Trust Me
Here's a reason to jump on board the Twitter bandwagon, if you're a Streets fan that is. Mike Skinner has been posting free MP3s – as well as lots of chat and random musings - from his studio via the new microblogging platform. First up was a track called I love My Phone which the Guardian Music Blog jumped on for its “chipmunk vocals, crashing snares and text message bleeps.” Then came Trust Me, which is an endearing knockabout fusion of Massive Attack and Karel Fialka. Like everything on Twitter it's gone in seconds, so download while you can.
twitter.com/skinnermike
Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe
Not so much a download, but well worth a mention: digital distributor We7 has struck a deal to stream the new Depeche Mode album in its entirety on NME.com. If you go to the URL above you can click through every track, like the stripped down industrial opener In Chains, and the buzzing, dirty Wrong. It's covered in adverts – both visual and audio – but worth a go.
www.nme.com/news/depeche-mode/44025
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