singles
BABY QUEENS ****
Life Goes By (Strangetown)
Released on Daf Ieuan and Cian Ciaran’s
Strangetown Records, meaning what could be
a run-of-the-mill r’n’b/hip-hop release has a
Furry-esque tinge, a Placid Casual glint. Not to
take anything away from BQs: the vocals and
harmonies are excellent, indeed the foundation
has merely been laid to play on top. JE
CATTLE & CANE ***
Pull Down The Moon (Toasty)
To this untrained ear,
the instrumentation,
syrupy sweet melodies
and overall tone are so
reminiscent of THAT
group of all-conquering
folk-lords, that your
reaction to THEM will define how you take to
Cattle & Cane. There’s a lot to like for sure,
and you would expect that many will do just
that. NM
local scene with this
latest 12”, released by the
Detroit Swindle folks –
who aren’t from Detroit,
much like The Organ
Grinder isn’t a real organ
grinder. Three tracks
move from sorta-but-not deep house to druggy
earworms (“repetition... with tiny changes all
the time”) to stripped back, unhurried techno.
NG
Y PENCADLYS ****
Mae Pawb Yn Haeddu Glawn Yn Waeth Na
Fi (Peski)
The best way to
experience the highly
singular vision of
Y Pencadlys, a solo
keyboard manipulator
named William, is to see
him live. This two-track
single captures as much of the idiosyncrasy as
could reasonably be expected, though, rushing
80s minimal synth and dramatic vocals offering
an unlikely Welsh counterpart to Swedish
project Lust For Youth. NG
COTTON WOLF *****
Catapelt EP (Strangetown)
THE UNDIVIDED ***
Like the desert scene
that adorns its cover,
Catapelt is a unique
sonic environment, and
similarly serene and
brutal; where blessed-out
angelic chords compete
with eerie synth and guitar melodies, offset by
driving percussion and surging basslines. To
the electronically minded it is a pleasure. Highly
recommended. DW
South Wales rock outfit The Undivided have
secured funding from the Welsh Arts Council to
release their forthcoming first album, with this
single showcasing their high-energy brand and
attention to detail. Their positive sentiments and
musicianship showcase them as a tight unit and
future candidates for classic rock status. RH
THE CORRESPONDENTS **
Fear & Delight (From Our Own)
Mashing together
elements of jazz, ska,
hip-hop, electro, indie
and dubstep, The
Correspondents can’t be
accused of failing to push
the boat out. But Fear
& Delight is all a bit bouncy and cheerful for
my liking (think The Fratellis), and Mr. Bruce’s
high-pitched MCing/singing really grates. PM
IRRELEVANT ****
Little Figurines (Kokeshi)
Future dub producer
Irrelevant is really
anything but. While
Burial is a clear
influence, Little
Figurines manages to
stand on its own two
feet. A deliciously ominous bassline carries
the weight of the skittering percussion, while
ghostly vocal samples haunt every corridor.
Thrilling stuff. IR
JOSH RECORD ***
Bones (Virgin)
Having secured a name
for himself with the likes
of 6 Music and the NME,
Josh Record follows The
War EP with a similarly
melancholic single of
floaty loveliness. It’s
quite seasonal in its approach, with ethereal
tones and talk of clothing bones. Remixes come
from FTSE, Fryars and Thom Alt-J. RH
THE ORGAN GRINDER ****
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