REVIEW: The Killers – Battle born

Well, after finally getting round to listening to The Killers latest album; it isn’t bad at all.
… their writing has remained; with a very full sound, basic progression glued to their brains and good, clean-cut production.

For me, this isn’t an awful album at all, in fact i quite enjoyed it.
but, i enjoyed hot fuss when it was originally released, sawdust and day & age
(other one was a bit desperate.. fucking disgusting actually).

The thing is, i can’t see me wanting to listen to this album many more times in fairness.
maybe a month later (being hasty) i’ll hear it in McDonalds or Topman, as expected; and i think it might have potential to bring that little bit of sick into your throat and will force one’s eyes to roll and exhale strongly.

In short, it isn’t interesting and developed enough to keep playing, therefore- becoming a classic, consistent product of music.
There are two or three tracks that, perhaps in the future; i will sway with my arm round a buddy, whilst pissed, singing along incorrectly…
but nothing more, due to being a generic, chart pressing.
I respect the band and production team; because they haven’t attempted to be anything other than the above.’The Killers’ have worked very hard and will please a very huge audience with ‘battle born’; not my cuppa’ though.

With regards to hearing these tracks live; i would personally prefer to hear them at an open-air gig or at best, a very large, stadium venue;-
– I think anything smaller would not support the sound that they thrive on creating; which sells and is executed very well.

[My personal favourite track from this album]

REVIEW: Bat For Lashes – The Haunted Man

 

 

A third album has been pressed  by the incredible ‘Bat for Lashes‘.

Being a fan from the first album ‘Fur & Gold‘, i feel everything about this artist is a fine example of how music can be altered and matured, yet retained in it’s own original self-glory.

 

This particular, new album will need time to grow on me, just like the previous –

– LP ‘Two Suns‘. 

But I have to admit that the first listen was indeed a pleasure; ‘The Haunted man‘ offers so many different corners to approach and turn; like a huge maze of sound – fused together with enigmatic prosperity. 

What i’m trying to portray, is the fact that each track progresses with such delight; I was left always wondering what will come next or if  there would be an enlightening change, or will this piece be left to simmer out to fill some time.

 

Everything about this album flows in the right direction; making it easy to listen to, yet very interesting at the least.

 

Natasha Khan’s vocal range is incredible and she isn’t afraid to take an alternative approach to singing.

It’s so nice to see a British artist give birth to a decent, thought-about, popular piece of music. And that is exactly what ‘Bat for Lashes’ has delivered, with all of her albums.

 

Going back to this specific pressing, released in summertime this year (“12); definitely satisfied me, but there were one or two tracks …
(not naming any names; as i wouldn’t want to discouraged you readers from having your own opinions on these tracks when you get to them, thus SPOILING, what probably will be a different experience of you) that dragged on a bit too much and needed some of that, correctly-input: ‘interesting sampling’, to sneak out on me here and there. But each to their own and this aspect certainly didn’t water-down the album for me personally, as it were.

 

I feel ‘Bat for Lashes‘ have yet to break into a mainstream market; but quite clearly has the ability to do so.

I’m no businessman; but i think her career lies within the superior-levels of niche music, for artists and ‘music-lovers’… not iPod shuffling, NOW 6045billion compilation purchasing… people(?).

 

This album somewhat reminded of Bjork and imogen heap’s former sounds.

So ultimately, i recommend the new album; if you haven’t already, get down to hmv, rough-trade or wherever and dig this little gem out of the dirt.

 

Genre: ELECTRONICA>POP>VOX>AMBIENT>

[My personal favourite from the album]

REVIEW: ONS Studios – Local Urban Talent [Vol.01]

 Initially, I would like to mention that the production within this entire compilation is at a very high standard.

Not being my typical choice of music to deconstruct; this album proved difficult to weigh the pros and cons.

Although, I comprehend the standard formula for modern urban music and a majority of these tracks ticked all of the boxes.

 

So to begin, It was great to hear some decent drum and bass again; as a youngster this was the material that spread like a virus around thousands of cassette decks, at most parties. Although i feel there was a loss with this genre, due to the production values being out of date and pure repetition of each artist. 

Hardcore fans, of course, continued to buy into the genre.

The track i am strongly regarding is ‘it’s the ricochet‘ which proves that the hardcore fans, previously mentioned have invested into the genre, keeping drum and bass lit and this track most certainly shows me there is still huge potential, for the younger audience again; without having to sift through the old classics. 

 

I am a complete fiend for quirky production and i am ecstatic to see that local musicians are “using their loafs“; to create a sound which tears away, from what could indefinitely become a regurgitated part of the music industry, into something genuinely musical and pondered upon, in and outside the studio.

The tracks that waved these facts under my nose, were; 

‘L Rayz ft RaKnowledge – don’t need proof‘: whilst maintaining the generic structure for UK rap, this manages to apply a fantastic use of sampling, for example; the haunting sounds of that, almost farr-eastern, high-pitched-humming; which is what really kept me nailed down to this tune.

A sound that reminded me of mid to late-90’s hip-hop mainly produced in the states; which again, shows thought and natural flow, inspired by a previously popular style of writing for urban music.

‘Heavy duty ft Bat Nate Hussein – Today‘ was another one of the tunes on this compilation which was very attention grabbing for me.

The sampling and mixing in this track gave me the aura of something BIG and upcoming in modern music today; a nice steady flow combined with such a full, developed and exciting sound.

 

Although, It’s also nice to keep hold of a darker, more-gritty, colder style of production too. With drops and bars that will appeal to the UK underground scene; sweeping across the streets with great haste. 

The tracks that gave me a sense of social realism within common areas of the UK, were the more grimy beats; for example, ‘Shuuks – get doe‘ and 

‘Rman – Voice of the streets‘.

As much as i feel there is a huge market for this within a youthful, modern society; the tracks didn’t grasp me as much as the beautifully constructed songs by ‘Skrabl‘…

This artist has handed me the confirmation for an original, cultured and diverse use of sound that holds a vintage edge, whilst managing to retain the core-feeling of UK hip-hop.

As extensive as my library of urban music is; i wouldn’t expect to find much of this style outside of the states and central Europe (Amsterdam, Berlin, Paris etc.) and to actually discover this amongst, which i so wrongly assumed to be,-  another cacophony of bass-driven grime, twigged that something fresh is upon the horizon.

Still referring to ‘Skrabl‘, I stand corrected and astonished; these three tracks alone have given me so much confidence in the future of local-based music.

 

To conclude my thoughts on this compilation; i must again give kudos to the hard work gone into production.

The writing skills of these artists have also shone a new light on the growth of the UK music scene, as a whole.

 

Prior to listening to this selection of tunes, i was becoming bored of the everlasting, tedious repetition, that is ‘urban-music‘ beyond the late 90’s.

And i think this dull realisation of ‘no new doors being opened’ within the 

sub-genre’s of rap music, have now dawned on the modern scene and are being anchored towards more of a vast audience.

 

I applaud the fact that; to maintain the angle of the song’s portrayal with more ‘experimental’ samples and beats, is probably rather difficult.

But to separate the cold, grimy sounds from the typical swan-song; being the fact that life for most of us is shit and gloomy, with no sign of a future in our miserable lives and making the most of what we do actually have or what we as a community have to do to survive today;– has exceeded beyond my expectations of upcoming, fresh, new urban music to follow.

 

It’s good to see local artists take on board the change in what we as a consumer, want out of these types of sounds nowadays and to use their skills to concoct something very new and very exciting.

(Click here, to listen to my personal favourite from ONS comp)

By: Myles Goode – Editor / Content Manager