emm-yew-ess-eye-see

m-u-s-i-c

[emmyewesseyesee]

a big live 2017

ok, so i’m currently in the process of making final tweaks to my 17′s for ‘17, but in the meantime, i thought i’d share a playlist of artists of the gigs i’ve seen live across this rather busy year.

newly empowered by the fabulous, fee-free dice.fm, this tap-and-go approach has meant i’ve had the privilege of seeing some wonderfully talented and eclectic artists in 2017, and totted up just over 40 gigs across the year. (thanks also to songkick for helping to keep tabs on such a busy schedule!)

people will undoubtedly ask my gig of the year, but in all honesty, they’ve all been great, and it’s always a pleasure to see such talent on its travels around the globe. from the youthful precociousness of billie eilish to the mesmeric panache of sevdaliza, from the birthday night-terrors of pharmakon to the endearing generosity of elvis depressedly, from the slinky invitation of kali ùchis to the punchy provocation of sheer mag, from the wide-eyed exuberance of litany to the assured and epic immersion of sigur rós, and plenty more besides.

while it hasn’t perhaps been as strong a year for live drummers as previously, to get to see the power-packed trio of victoria smith, blake davies and igor cavalera backing the mighty soulwax was an astonishing and memorable experience. plus the kick-off to the year opportunity to witness the up-close technique of the stunningly talented fay milton separated by the merest of gauze curtains as she insistently hammered away to martin dubka’s pulsating moog and ayşe hassan’s pneumatic bass as part of moog sound lab uk in conjunction with the lsff was a very special and humbling honour indeed – so perhaps it’s not been that bad a drum-year after all.

in fact seeing such close-up talent and technique is always hugely energising, whether it’s susanne sundfør or felicita caressing the piano or margaret chardiet screaming in your mate’s face, and there is similar fascination in electronic intricacy too, from marie davidson’s deft syncing and looping to noga erez’s clipped vocoder styles, and the footwork of hassan, ema, torres and kwong should be applauded no less, while the vocal harmonies of ider, girlpool, lowly and grizzly bear have been equally divine.

crowd-wise (and we all know how aloof london crowds can sometimes be) superorganism's was the most eagerly anticipatory, eilish and ùchis’s the most fanatically amped, boy harsher and (sandy) alex g’s the sweatiest, litany and ema’s the most supportive, and torres’s arguably the most discerning.

venue-wise special mentions should go to the dome, the courtyard theatre, electrowerkz and oslo for keeping it real, scala continues to delight, while the arrival of the aesthetically theatrical omeara has made for some beautiful and intimate gig experiences, and k á r y y n’s choice of the thoroughly impressive, grade ii listed grand entrance hall to isambard kingdom brunel’s 1843 thames tunnel was simply sublime – which reminds me, lucinda chua was perhaps the most enchanting support act i’ve seen this year.

to close, i just wanted to thank all the artists for their ongoing commitment to creating their music, picking up their instruments, jumping aboard aeroplanes and ramshackle vans, and traveling to faraway places to play for us all and share their craft. life is all about broadening horizons not closing down borders, and you can read how ema’s work has inspired me to consider the wider, more important role of these extraordinary musical ambassadors in fostering better social cohesion and understanding here.

you can also read about the two most moving songs i think i witnessed live this year courtesy of girlpool and chastity belt (albeit torres’s intense face-to-face performance of “concrete ganesha” came a pretty close third) here.

as a final treat, you can listen to both the above the rest of the artists i’ve seen this year courtesy of the chronological spotify playlist: emm-yew-ess-eye-see's 2017 live. you’ll hopefully find it vibrant and uplifting, because i guess i’ve enjoyed elements of classical, pop, electro, jazz, rock, punk, hip-hop, r’n’b, industrial, noise and folk along the way. so stick with it and maybe you’ll find something inspiring and new for you to go and see in 2018. have fun out there, people, and be nice to one another yeah?

[emmyewesseyesee]

ema – extraordinary musical ambassador(s)

2017′s largely been a year of eclectic and fun live music for me – some 40+ gigs this year in fact – and the first week of october was particularly hectic with four in just five days. set on the middle wednesday was the mighty ema (aka erika m. anderson) rising high between the suburban grizzly bear at the start of the week and the northern litany and intrepid superorganism towards the end.

i’d last seen ema at the garage some three years ago and in the flesh she remains a truly spellbinding performer with her mesmeric presence just about managing to stave off any sense of apprehension or gawky self consciousness at having to perform her most assured and provocative manifesto of arresting noise and evocative message to the next room full of darkened strangers.

this time out, it’s a manifesto newly empowered by latest album, exile in the outer ring, a most incisive, striking and thought-provoking commentary on the politically and socially disenfranchised who find themselves not only on the fringes but also somehow vilified in a trump-electing yet rejecting america. the album is brooding, sinister, angry, staggeringly well observed and disarmingly humbling and empathetic in its stark portrayal and analysis of the people and circumstances faced in this outer ring – it rightly takes the lion’s share of the main set and will undoubtedly prove to be one of my top three albums of 2017 as it’s a truly epic and incredibly moving piece of work.

as if to highlight ema’s own triumph of temerity over timidity and her smart knack of narratively juxtaposing herself and her surroundings, the set itself opens with the woozily somber introspection of “where the darkness began” before giving way to the more transient who-care nihilism of “i wanna destroy”. in addition, both album and performance succeed in comprehensively spanning all viewpoints from me to you, them to us, the individual, the collective, the cause and the consequence, both instinct and impact and plenty in between, demonstrating an incredibly deft and attuned ability to position herself as first, second and third person subject, narrator and observer with equal aplomb. whether presenting her own demons or others’ struggles, anderson’s delivery comes across as utterly genuine, compelling and convincing, her sympathetic instrumentation and eloquent intonation allowing the listener to truly confront these observations, opinions, sentiments and sensations themselves for real.

for those open-minded and willing enough to listen and learn, this range and voracity of storytelling make for a most insightful, instructive, educational and evocative experience, with ema your generous teacher, your (very) high priestess and on-stage sage, your guide and mentor through her suburban sprawl. she takes her time, she provides succinct explanations with clarity and patience, she uses both smart metaphor and personal case study as support material, and thereby captivates her audience with consummate vigour, rigour and revelation.

aside from her sheer musical and oratory prowess, one thing you notice about anderson is how she views herself as part of the societal mainframe while challenging us all to confront our own opinions, prejudices, responsibilities and actions. it’s this precise and perceptive addition of perspective that gives such power and authority to her words. moreover, in a world where we increasingly look to define ourselves purely by the relativity of what we definitely (and defiantly) are not, and rush to castigate anyone who might dare to proffer any outspoken opinion of their own (never once pausing a moment to consider any context or circumstance which may have led to another person’s view), it’s refreshing to hear from someone who is not only confident enough to express their own innermost feelings and thoughts, but humble, compassionate and ultimately interested and invested enough to consider the reasons why others might think, feel and do the things that they do.

a case for the extraordinary musical ambassador…

it was probably a combination of ema’s erudite ability to engage her audience in such a way alongside my own general disdain for the current state of social and political debate in the world right now (plus a couple of cheeky ciders) that prompted this post and the idea of anderson and other touring musicians in the role of extraordinary musical ambassador.

as the wonderfully discerning comedian daniel kitson has previously proposed, we tend as a species to “live in our lives” yet merely to “exist in the world”, with those occasions where our lives “bump into each other” becoming evermore fleeting as we prefer instead to ignore one another via our head-down hand-helds while frequently resorting to the self-same devices to frequently lambast  and knee-jerk pronounce on each other without the slightest rhyme, reason, respect or reflection – increasingly “because i can, i will, and everyone else is doing it, so i’m clearly definitely right”. against such a backdrop of reactionary venom and pervasive outrage, it’s little surprise that our capacity for debate has atrophied to such primitive, divisive, vitriolic and downright offensive levels.

sadly faced with this combination of ignorant hostility and stubborn intransigence, our respective positions become yet more entrenched, our resolve yet steelier, our denial of any potential evidence to the contrary utterly impenetrable, as we resort to playground name-calling and abusive undermining from the relative comfort of our blinkered, fortified, self-serving echo-chambers. we function as if the world exists in spite of us, as if we’re merely its disgruntled (and no doubt delayed – yet again, dammit!) passengers, firing off our “the service on this planet is an absolute disgrace!” volleys with impunity in the vain hope that they’ll make things better. they won’t. and in the meantime, we’ve lost or simply chosen to dispense with the patience,  diplomacy, wisdom, tolerance and understanding to see things from a different point of view.

i remember barack obama’s farewell address with great fondness, not least because amidst all the wailing and gnashing of teeth at the election outcome, he rose above it with his signature statesmanship, calm, generosity and class. i also remember it for his most valuable and seemingly prescient closing warnings and calls-to-action: firstly he called for the upholding of healthy debate and positive discourse to engaging with those with different viewpoints and ideas, warning of the dangers of “corrosive political dialogue” and the “alienation” of certain portions of the country that might hold contrary beliefs; secondly, he spoke of the importance of participation, face-to-face dialogue and action in really making a difference.

“if you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try talking with one of them in real life”

yet one year on from that speech with the incoming administration having been largely built on the flimsy foundations of brash platitudes, fake-news rhetoric and late-night tweets, one might argue that the populous or democratic opposition has singularly failed to heed his advice, falling instead for this meagre bait and the seductive lure of each chance to be indignant, outraged and contemptuous anew via the same shallow, inciteful and anonymous channels, without taking the time to find out more or engage in any form of constructive or meaningful debate. this breeds stasis and increasing mistrust, whereas if we truly desire change, ultimately we have to play our part, to get involved, to listen and learn and engage – on other people’s terms – because real change demands this of us.

in the meantime, our inaugural extraordinary musical ambassador has taken it upon herself to present a thoroughly honest, engaging and affecting expression on the state of the forgotten in this suburban exile, and taken it out on tour to share with the world at large – no doubt including those more liberal hand-wringers who inhabit their own outer ring of the disunited states within their bubble of blissful ignorance, assumed superiority, and implicit disdain for those less fortunate at the beating heart of the country. she has listened to her surroundings, looked inside her heart, offered up her views, and generously shared her words and song and ideas to many people around the world.

why we need them more than ever…

in assessing this vital contribution, i’d go as far as to say that our extraordinary musical ambassadors are largely better equipped than most of our elected officials to provide this level of insight in appraising the pervading human condition and its relative health, happiness, misery or hardship.

where our politicians tend to fear and avoid ‘the great unwashed’, our emas will tend to operate at at the coal-face, down at the underbelly, amongst the misfits, the disenfranchised, the creators, the passionate, the young and importantly (and perhaps fortunately) the future shapers of our planet, even throwing  themselves directly into their arms with implicit trust in their heartfelt connection and fervent support. they enjoy a healthy and emotional dialogue with their audiences, often meeting them face-to-face before or after the gig to share stories, trade wares and touch lives. of course, the higher echelons of rockstar might look to build walls of protective entourage around them, but deep down these emas and their followers thrive on human connection and the vital intersection of people, ideas, creativity, emotion and exchange.

but perhaps the most telling credentials that our extraordinary musical ambassadors possess are actually the ambassadorial requirements of frequent travel and non-judgemental tolerance to go with this innate approachability and exchange. on tour, they will often arrive in a town overnight, spend the next day fast-experiencing it (often via the social network suggestions of its residents), give themselves and their ideas over to its people that evening, before late-night / early-morning disembarkation for the next far-flung destination. they land, they assimilate, they propagate daily, soaking each new experience up like a sponge to inform their wider perspectives and incorporate into their future art and exchange. indeed, they witness such diversity and warmth from such a wide range of people (admittedly connected through their love of the artist) and locations that it gives them an unprecedented view of the state of society at large and an unrivalled ability to understand the populous’s pervading themes, assess the relative mood and circumstances of countries and individual towns within those countries, and share ideas and inspiration quickly and emotionally around the globe – in person.

in a world where we are increasingly and immediately connected to this rich tapestry of interrelated experience, we somehow find ourselves strangely lacking in empathy towards those elements of it that we simply cannot abide. it seems counter-intuitive: to be better connected and yet lesser connected than ever before. perhaps then it is time for these extraordinary musical ambassadors to set the example not only to the populous but to the powers-that-be for a progressive culture that is far more humble, inspiring, empowering, embracing, connected, exchanging and conversing rather than one based on bluster, fear, rhetoric, difference, control, division and greed. and if music can teach us anything, it must surely be to listen, to accept, to enjoy, to share, to get involved, to see things from a different point-of-view and try to understand. so get amongst it, listen to something new, and reach out to other people, because they might like what you hear. after all, true progress can only be achieved by improving our connections, expanding our horizons, and better understanding and appreciating each other. we all need to take responsibility for that.

if you’ve made it this far, thank you for your patience in reading these rather expansive words. as a reward, i’ll leave you with a couple of tracks from exile in the outer ring below: the delicately moving elemental dismantling of “blood and chalk” and the disturbingly pounding menace of “breathalyzer”. as a bonus, should you wish to listen to a track from each of the artists whose gigs i’ve attended this year, you can do so courtesy of emm-yew-ess-eye-see's 2017 live playlist here. enjoy!

ps thank you and credits to andré haberman for the ema gig photos for neølyd (münchen, sep. 2017)

[emmyewesseyesee]

most moving live songs #2sum

girlpool – “it gets more blue” + chastity belt – “bender”

ok, so i know that sometimes i can perhaps get a little overwrought when it comes to writing about music (well, when not quite so ‘fallow’ and 'intermittent'), but ultimately the things that really move me tend to be those that are rooted in a heady combination of exquisite care, craft, musicality and technique on the one hand and richly moving emotion, love, sensitivity and sentimentality on the other – moreover, witnessing such exquisite and moving combinations in the flesh can be a somewhat overwhelming experience and occasionally bring with it some tears.

in my recent long line of live gigs (totalling some 40+ this year), there have been two particular moments that have come along and especially shaken me to the core in such a way, with the first perhaps slightly more expected than the second, yet both utterly tear-jerking nonetheless.

on 7th september, i ventured to the village underground to enjoy the extremely talented and gawkily humble girlpool. they played an absolutely charming and endearing set, including improv dizzee rascal riffs. there’s a heartfelt, loving tenderness and humility to their lyrics, while their natural musical talent is both strident and assured, whether as touring five-piece or stripped-back two-piece.

as if to highlight this consummate craft and effortless class, with harmony tividad’s microphone having seemingly packed up towards the end of the set, she was forced to share cleo tucker’s mic, which in turn made for a yet more charming performance for the last few tracks as they duetted and guitar-neck-sparred with each other into the encore. i’d been especially awaiting “it gets more blue”, the penultimate track of both the set and the album, powerplant, as it’s a sheer delight of gently unfurling guitars and deftly rising choruses, and when it arrived it didn’t disappoint.

its general demeanour is one of wistful melancholia which immediately sets the emotions on edge, the hollowed out drums and gently strummed guitars setting a precious and fragile scene. yet as it rises strangely undaunted and resolute from the serenely somber into the chorus, it sparkles with devotion and defiance – indeed, the second stanza’s “…and i’m still here, i’m digging through the trash…” utterly flaws me every time with its steadfast harmonies and indomitable resilience. it’s truly an absolutely beautiful and incredibly moving musical moment, and it was truly a most poignant privilege to hear it live.

just a week to the very day later on 14th september, the highbury garage played host to the slacker-supreme chastity belt, and while less aware of their catalogue to date, i’d certainly girded myself for one of the tracks of the year, “different now”, the rangy, resonant opener to latest album, i used to spend so much time alone. its simple high-low bass, cymbal shimmered rhythms and melodic guitars frame julia shapiro’s inimitably loafing vocals to perfection – and it was wonderfully performed too.

however, two things become particularly clear during the gig: the first is how attuned and intuitively in-sync they are as a band, so effortlessly and empathetically colliding and intertwining; the second is how clearly the song-writing duties spread across the four-piece, with both gretchen grimm stepping from behind her drum kit (replaced temporarily by shapiro herself) to perform vocals and otherwise guitarist lydia lund leading out on occasion too.

and it was when lund stepped up to perform what i’d later discover to be the track “bender” that the tears began to flow. from its gently strummed in opening line “i haven't picked up in over two weeks...” it is a captivating tale of sorrow and heartache that’s underpinned by a similar resilience and defiant self-awareness that is cathartic, inspiring, preservative, protective and uncannily self-aware and assured. it touches your soul and makes you realise that we’re all a part of life’s shitty damned rich tapestry, and how if we start to lose that sense of who we are and stop loving ourselves in the face of others’ unkindness, judgement and selfish actions, then we are truly lost, and we are all far better and more deserving than that.

lydia lund’s vocal manages to span both fragile confessional and instructive therapy with a fascinating mix of detached diffidence and deep meaning that serves to set out the reference points for the pending journey she hopes to travel from the space in which she finds herself now to a future one she would rather inhabit. despite her current inner-world fragility (“'cause i want to be free, from the hurt that i caused you to cause me”), you’re left in little doubt that she’ll make it one day soon as she manages to re-group with intrepid self-realisation (“i am a liar and a freak, so what? i'm just like everybody else”) begins once more to stick two fingers back up at the world that has let her down (“i will never be good enough for you, but i'm already good enough for me”). lyrically it’s an absolute masterclass, musically it’s both touchingly sensitive and carefully supportive of lund and her quest, and to see it live was once more extra-special.

i’ll leave you with both of these gorgeously emotive tracks below – both are blessed with a beguiling sense of vulnerability, jeopardy and strength in adversity – and at some point i’ll hopefully get around to curating a “gigs i’ve seen this year” playlist for your delectation too as part of my year-end wrap-up. here’s hoping for plenty more music and movement in 2018. oh and thank you to chris almeida for the delightful girlpool photo.

[emmyewesseyesee]

hannah diamond – soon i won't see you at all

while much of the pc music fanbase seemingly devoting the bulk of its attention to the eagerly anticipated follow-up to charli xcx’s number 1 angel with tomorrow’s release of pop 2 (fuelled by its array of pcm-and-related production talent inc. a. g. cook, easyfun, life sim, lil data and SOPHIE), hannah diamond has managed to stealth-like slip in under the radar with a most incisive and impressive 3-track mix of her own: soon i won’t see you at all. and while xcx’s relative profile, following and notable guests will naturally attract disproportionate attention, there’s an argument that diamond’s long-overdue offering may well be the more essential pcm-based release of late 2017.

it is diamond’s release schedule that has probably suffered most at the hands of a. g. cook’s time invested in artistically directing charli xcx: it’s been almost a year since her last release, “make believe” (december 2016) and she didn’t even get to make an appearance on the pc music all-comers' may month of mayhem.) in the meantime, she’s undoubtedly been busy writing and preparing music, and her fine photography continues to shimmer (her work for gfoty’s gfotybucks greatest hits was simply divine), but as she finally escapes her (trapped in a basement?) musical hibernation, it’s clear she’s unfurling her wings anew with a fresh maturity set to the very best of cook’s untempered, untamed, provocative pc music sound.

interestingly, i think this might be the first time that pcm have deployed external mixing talent with geoff swan on fader duty over agc’s production, and this seems to bring more atmospheric richness and warmth to his trademark epic, expansive and experimental composition and hannah’s angelic solos and vocoder-enriched choruses. in fact, the production retains the glitchy, restless and irreverent edge of the best pcm releases with the generous mix serving to provide a vast and impressive sonic cathedral of reverb and wonder into which cook can pour his intoxicating mix of insanity, sincerity and genuine pop candour.

indeed, it’s a cathedral brimming with invention and emotion, a stunning journey across just 12.5 minutes, and as per usual it sparkles from start to finish with pristine colour, clarity and the expertly cut facets of only the highest carat diamonds. it opens with the achingly sentimental a. g. and hannah-penned “never again” with an intrusively blunt keyboard beep accompanying diamond’s plaintive vocal overture before melting into a background of deliciously dripping glockenspiel arpeggios as her song continues. when the orchestra drops out at the 2:05 mark, an exquisite vocoder choir arrives to carry the track to its gorgeous reverberating conclusion – as per usual, never satisfied with the usual, the augmented semitone f# in the (dmaj7?) chord at 2:09 with it subsequently reverting to f (dmin7?) is just supreme – and the juxtaposition with diamond’s lo-fi closet practice verse is a sheer delight, the absent-minded ‘tra-la-la’ trail-away over thunderstorm reminiscent of trevor horn’s smart outro to pet shop boys’ “left to my own devices”.

track two is a redolent and reverent yet no less challenging cover of gareth emery and christina novelli’s 2012 dance banger “concrete angel”. from the outset, it manages to combine claps-on-two-and-four tick-along authority with enchanting tenderness and mystery, before diamond’s vocal climbs to new levels of eloquent expression via her “if you keep building these walls, brick-by-brick towers so tall…” perfectly clipped syllables. then as she gives way to a touching quotation of “an incredible sense of peace” and being “in the presence of angels”, cook decides to unleash last every ounce of demonic mayhem left over from may. he dials up the tempo from an already punchy 130 (via 65) bpm to a frenetic 170bpm and conjures a heady mix of slam-echo drums, fantastical flanged vocoder harmonies, astonishing rave crescendos and tumbling sub-bass. the final 30 seconds is up there with the most deranged, brutal ruckus of anything pcm has produced to date.

diamond and cook’s “the ending” closes proceedings with head-nodding pop aplomb of the highest order, its shuffle-step beat teasing mellifluous keys and delightful harmonics along to fabulously innocuous yet addictive effect. hannah’s introspective stream-of-consciousness narrative is as deliciously naïve yet utterly heartfelt as ever. on the one hand, the playful “got your text” is greeted with the most subtle of mobile notifications (and props for keeping this so low in the mix!) while the gravity of “stop my heart sinking” is matched by its own darkly ominous, slapped saw-tooth bass-line, and the resolution via the “going or going or going or gone” round is clickingly hypnotic.

perhaps the most impressive thing about this release is that, despite the clear ambition to grow and develop hannah diamond’s perfect pop sensibility, a. g. cook resists the temptation to shy away from the more acerbic angles, anarchic composition, eclectic key changes, harsh overtones and arresting beats towards the more contentious fringes of his repertoire, and this serves to add yet more heft to diamond’s output and more radiance to her impeccable clarity of vocal. in fact, i believe that it’s this steadfast, undiluted and unapologetic defence of craft matched with an incredible sense of control that is truly setting new benchmarks for pop accessibility.

should you wish for more hannah, you can read emmyewesseyesee’s review of “fade away” here and listen to the mix below.

[emmyewesseyesee]

autumn live-on write-off

another brief apology for the lack of news and updates throughout the autumn, but a number of passing distractions combined with a somewhat daunting urge to somehow refresh my writing in both frequency and vocabulary has meant for this hiatus.

i’m not sure i’ll necessarily sort the latter – the tendency to write about the things i enjoy the most alongside my own love of craft will more often than not result in a certain style of writing. moreover, when you make a decision to immerse yourself more in a work, there is an innate sense of wanting to do it justice, and so more expansive prose (particularly when it comes to eulogising longer formats) naturally brings with it longer prose. unintended consequences become half-finished pieces, delayed reviews, and sometime paralysis in committing words to screen.

that said, while music writing may have taken something of a back-seat, music listening and enjoyment, predominantly via live exposure, has continued unabated. over the last couple of months, i’ve managed to witness all of the following wonderful acts live across an array of enchanting venues: queen kwong, andrew hung, susanne sundfør, greta isaac, girlpool, chastity belt, allie x, sigur rós, marie davidson, grizzly bear, ema, litany, superorganism and (sandy) alex g. all of these have been truly delightful in their own individual ways, and have stimulated new ideas and inspired new thoughts about art, travel, culture, transience, accessibility, spontaneity, friendship, generosity, perspectives, exchange, diplomacy, debate, acceptance, and plenty more besides.

indeed, since originally scribing this post, i’ve also managed to take in further live fabulousness courtesy of japanese breakfast, torres, girl ray, k á r y y n, lowly (once again) and boy harsher. the school-hall appeal of the dome in tufnell park, the exquisitely finished omeara in southwark, the seductively sweaty shacklewell arms, and the ever-stalwart scala have all continued to prove most inviting homes – and one should never underestimate the power of the venue itself to provide complementary ambient context to the magical musical content.

i’ll hopefully find time to write about some of this in the coming days and weeks, and fingers-crossed i’ll stumble across a slightly more accessible short(er)-form long-form rhythm that allows for more regularity of sharing, review and inspiration. who knows. either way, i thank you in the meantime for your passing comments, appreciation and patience in reading these words and hope they continue to occasionally entertain and delight. your feedback and support remains most special.

[emmyewesseyesee]

jim-e stack – “forgiven”

jim-e stack appears to be something of a master in wrangling tantalising snippets of sound into touching mini opuses of the highest order.

about a year ago, i reviewed the truly inspiring, life-affirming, smile-inducing delights of “deadstream” (and you can read those words here) and a few weeks ago this laid-back, brooding number arrived, once more with video accompaniment courtesy of dillon moore – albeit of a more understated, moody and mysterious vein this time out.

“forgiven” enters via a woozy “yea-yay-yeaay” overture set to rising, minimalist, time-keeping percussion, before being joined by its signature angular, tin-pan, tilt-panned wah-wah guitar riff and a growling, guiding, smooth-synth bassline. stack then modulates the vocal to make it yet more indistinct, before layering in another faraway male descender and ushering in a similarly gnarly saxaphone riff to joust with the guitar. he achieves so much with so relatively little.

indeed, in his smart sample curation and instrument selection, jim-e stack manages to create a sound that’s both disconcertingly otherworldly yet somehow reassuringly familiar, that seems to come from nowhere yet everywhere, that feels sublimely anonymous yet painstakingly identifiable. this combination of transience and meaning, this timelessness brings with it a peculiar bond and gives his work a most compelling, strangely recognisable quality, almost as if pieced together from fragments of memory, of times and places and people past, of the human condition, and everything that serves to connect us all deep down in some unfathomable way, shape or form.

where dillon moore‘s visuals previously celebrated the eclectic nature of these very fragments, here his focus on a similarly anonymous, late-night, low-lit, ed ruscha-esque rectangular space evokes all our memories of night-time journeys home and deserted forecourts. the beat-and bass-driven focal shifts and tremors merely add to that sense of desolate alienation.

so here’s a couple of extras to ensure you get home safely, y’all: the deliciously shuffling “moments noticed”, and the rostam batmanglij and charli xcx duet re-versioning of “deadstream”. excitingly, his new e.p. it’s jim-ee arrives in a couple of days on 4th august. until then, stay safe out there, people.

[emmyewesseyesee]

wolf alice – “yuk foo”

this is hellishly good. a brutal, acerbic, arresting, vivid, unrelenting aural assault from the fabulous wolf alice to kick off the journey to their second album, visions of a life, which is out 29th september.

where previously i’ve personally tended to find wolf alice a little more alice-like polite, this by comparison is the snarling, gnarly, growling, fouling, off-the-leash wolf baring its sharp teeth and revealing a thoroughly refreshing and visceral side to the band.

aside from its curt spoonerism, “yuk foo” is combative and provocative from the get-go, yet by the same token it’s also hugely empowering and gorgeously defiant. it announces itself with some considerable intent, clattering drums and rolling toms colliding with driving bass and screaming guitars to rouse the rebellion, before a cut-loose ellie rowsell launches into her fabulously irascible, one-woman “you bore me!” tirade, backed by her mighty, mechanical, belligerent, bullet-proof battle-tank of noise. her sinewy, sinful delivery takes no prisoners. its fire and immediacy sears like lightning through the surrounding thunder with unerring precision and maximum devastation. indeed, the unleashing of such raw power across just two spellbinding minutes is hugely impressive.

in conjunction with producer, justin meldal-johnsen, wolf alice have managed to extract maximum menace, cleverly constructing and concentrating the instrumental mayhem in such a way as to deliver the most direct, destructive, awesomely unapologetic wall of sound, while at the same time still allowing rowsell’s exciting vocal to take centre stage and dictate proceedings. her rangy, raging pitch and savage intonation are utterly captivating, each and every syllable spat with true venom and vengeful satisfaction.

since the original lyric video, which itself crackled with beautifully typeset, hot pink profanity, director adam powell has added yet more visual mania through strobe-fuelled dereliction, rock band abandon, and rowsell’s own deliciously tiger-like-prowling predatory and provocative expressions. she’s fierce, fearsome, ferocious, and her “shit shit shit” barked incantation and borderline unhinged “and now i'm fucked, and that fucks you too – ha!” sneer are both wonderfully dispatched. this is the kick-ass explosive video to match such a taut, incendiary, kick-ass tune, and must have been an absolute blast to make.

meanwhile, perhaps just as exciting as this irrepressible tour de force is wolf alice’s follow-up “don’t delete the kisses”. while slightly more even-tempered, it’s similarly immersive, enticing and pristine in its production, and you really get a sense that visions of a life will arm itself with a truly epic and eclectic mix of sounds from the lush and lavish to the restless and obnoxious – all from a band that’s intriguingly evolving and maturing at every turn. until the album arrives, you can enjoy this extra sweet delight below.

[emmyewesseyesee]

susanne sundfør & john grant – “mountaineers”

my second on the bounce courtesy of gemma samways’ mighty-fine underachievers please try harder recommendations, this expanding, evolving, enchanting wonder from susanne sundfør and john grant is taken from the former’s upcoming album, music for people in trouble, which is due on 25th august through bella union.

aside from the delightful title of the album itself (much as i was almost disappointed to find that other tracks weren’t titled in honour of different intrepid expeditioners who might potentially find themselves in difficulty), “mountaineers” takes us on a fascinating journey from the drone-like singular sustenance of grant’s hypnotic base-camp dirge via the companionship of sundfør‘s gently lilting, tenderly guiding, pathfinder encouragement, right through to the gorgeous unfurling of the vivid, radiant landscape that awaits us at the summit.

this transport from melancholic lament to heavenly ecstasy is exquisitely handled and hugely rewarding, and the heady combination of two of the most captivating voices in music right now alongside the most wondrously emotive and immersive orchestral arrangement beautifully corrals this impressive soundscape across three astonishing movements.

the first part sees grant in monk-like solitude, dedicated, solemn, resolute in his diligence, any deviation designed purely to add yet more mystique and intensity to the root note played out by the insistently tremolo low-register strings. it’s a mesmeric opening, a call to humble observance, meditation even, and his brooding tone serves to both convey and invoke a real sense of deep thought and import on his and the listener’s behalf.

when sundfør enters, her voice seems to somehow act as a dual foil to grant’s faithful dirge. on the one hand, she generously shares in and enhances his reverie and supplication, while on the other she seems to offer succour to his burden, lifting any anxiety from his tired and drawn shoulders and transferring it to her own to raise up and re-imagine. indeed, the subtle baton-pass between them feels strangely abrupt yet uncannily intuitive, because just as grant’s words appear to suddenly give up and fail him mid-sentence, she is there, all lithe, lustrous and energetic, to pick up the pieces with neither fuss nor hesitation and transport his prayer to new levels of ascendancy.

indeed, whatever troubles or demons were weighing so heavily on grant, they serve instead to inspire and reinvigorate sundfør as she expands her lungs, sprouts magnificent wings, and soars majestically into the skies like the proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes. in this redemptive act of care and mutual support – perhaps one of the most moving demonstrations of “i’ve got this for you” selfless love and attentiveness you might ever wish to hear in song – she is transformed, his exit breathing new life deep into her soul. this third movement sees her shed her more tentative and delicate timbre and metamorphose into an epic and invincible siren accompanied by her triumphant army of angelic choirs, swelling keys and expansive organs to bring such an indomitable hymnal force to bear on all who might stand in her way.

whether fuelled by loss, empowerment, vengeance, resilience or simple defiance, her power is absolute, her resolve unswerving, her plea heard, her tale told, her mission complete. and we are all surely the richer and more enlightened for it.

should you care for further enrichment, susanne sundfør has compiled a fine playlist of inspiration for music for people in trouble which you may discover here. let it gently wash over, nourish and rekindle you.

[emmyewesseyesee]

hercules & love affair – “omnion” (ft. sharon van etten)

in appreciating the wonders of this tune, i should suitably nod to the most perceptive new-sounds-earsmith that is gemma samways of london in stereo, and her daily inspiring “tracks of the day” via her underachievers please try harder blog – always intriguing, challenging, stimulating, eclectic, lovely, and very much appreciated.

admittedly, my own more intermittent musings leave me approximately three weeks behind her in bringing this to your attention, but the passing time has meant i am able to attach the accompanying video to my post. disarming reds, watery blues, ambiguously sacred robes, never-ending staircases and transformational portals all combine to paint a surreal and reflective journey through life’s experiences, influences and incarnations, and a striving for child-like innocence and re-birth. crown & owls’ rich visuals explore the complexity of identity in a soft and understated way.

but it was hercules & love affair’s gorgeous musical expression that first drew me to this track – it’s so very beautifully and cleverly constructed. it exudes a questioning ambiguity throughout via a really subtle melding of major and minor, never quite allowing itself to slip completely into one or other – indeed, at times this restlessness is maintained by seemingly running both major and minor in tandem, gorgeously piped chords shimmering incandescently between the two. it’s enigmatic, mercurial, and inspiring in its ability to intrigue and provoke yet return you to the warmth of home.

similarly enticing is sharon van etten’s wonderful vocal that wastes no time in arriving to generously surround and protect like a silken shield of incredible strength. it’s sylph-like and transcendental in its heavenly tone, and clever use multi-tracking and pan gives it a crystal clear, striking siren quality as it wraps itself reassuringly around its instrumental core. the pristine precision in van etten’s tuning adds to the major-minor frisson, and she unfurls into the bridge and chorus with a rich, redemptive warmth.

andy butler’s impressive instrumentation seems to accompany somehow from within, providing support and serenity through the deftest use of cross-faded, flange-aided, breathy bottle-neck flutes and gently convincing brass. while there’s a somewhat fragmented and jittery air to its structure, it never feels anything other than a compelling and cohesive whole, and the clip-clop percussion coaxes things along to perfection. it’s a really smart piece of composition that serves to both stimulate and soothe in equal measure.

“omnion” looks set to be the title track of hercules & love affair’s album due on 1st september, and having reviewed their chunkily chugging faris badwan collaboration “controller” here, it’s already two-for-two and looks set to be an album of enchanting contrast and magical melodies, so i just can’t wait for it to arrive.

[emmyewesseyesee]

vero – “hello”

very hello indeed. this is a chuggingly thuddingly good pop song courtesy of sweden’s vero, a trio comprising amanda eddestål on bass, clara gyökeres on guitar, and julia boman on vox.

another delight courtesy of the most discerning isabelle, this kicks off with an extreme wah-wah geetar that’s mimicked by a deliciously aloof, breathy and exposed unison “wow!” to connect intro and opening verse. having already announced its brash and unapologetic intent, the production is reassuringly sharp and direct, and features some fabulously kitsch and retro-infused touches, including almost keytar-like pedal-work, tight orchestral hits, energetic flange and pan, and the most subtle deployment of 80′s electro-toms.

"hello” is a well constructed, well intentioned wall of sound, and boman’s vocal manages to span the drama with quite some poise and a matching assertiveness of stride – indeed, you sense something of an irrepressible force to their collective spirit, super-hero stances, super-model shades, imperious glances and dismissive gestures set to destroy everything in their path with a no doubt playful if suitably unrepentant pizazz.

while sweden’s reputation for great pop production somewhat precedes it, it’s nice to hear a bit of rock guitar-squeal and brazen synth-punch to add that head-nodding insistence to proceedings. there’s something almost inxs-y about it, much as vero’s thud is more drum machine driven, but the fact that it hangs so convincingly together is surely testament to vero’s fine and incisive song-writing and some chord progressions.

let’s hope there’s lots more to come from vero following this most confident of “hello”s, and in the meantime, let it infuse your bones with a fearless and courageous swagger to take on all-comers.

[emmyewesseyesee]

greta isaac – “comfortable”

this really is an absolute masterpiece of kinetic analogica from south wales’s greta isaac. while there’s quite a bit of jittery cut-up composition out there right now, what with the advances in editing, looping and sample release technologies realising an artist’s ability not only to create but also to perform such wonders, by its very nature as a more fractured and reconstructed art-form, such work can often come across as somewhat glitchy and disjointed.

not so here.

on “comfortable” isaac has truly excelled herself in two hugely technical fields. firstly, she's managed to create a thoroughly compelling and cohesive whole by weaving the most lush and lavish of musical tapestries in such a way that her painstaking craft and intricate stitching simply melt invisibly into the background. yet were you to approach and further examine the reverse of the piece, you’d be utterly astounded by its sheer complexity, her finely honed dexterity, and the undoubtedly long woman-hours which have gone into making it.

this is a triumph of expert joinery: neat edges, smart veneers, exquisite dovetails. the production is extra-special. picking instruments with a natural resonance and reverberation has itself helped to smooth and soothe the flow, with the lolling double-bass and energetic acoustic strum forming a wonderfully effective glue, and isaac certainly isn’t afraid to add bold layers of organic, ambient and electronic noises to further propel and enhance the composition to richer, more rewarding levels. in fact, it is probably these carefully chosen flourishes that somehow generate such a convincing unity through diversity. it really is a most elegantly constructed and enthralling treat.

her second field of excellence lies in the mastery of her louds and quiets, the light and shade, the relative intensity of her vibrant palette. i believe dynamic is a technique that is far too oft overlooked by musicians, particularly those of a more computer-aided compositional bent, yet isaac manages to bring an impressive expressive range to both her vivid instrumental colours and her supple vocal tones. she travels this sumptuously immersive cloth with thrilling panache and immaculate control shown not only to her exhilarating crescendos but also her delicate diminuendos.

this is some achievement, and seems to be a function of an innate synchronicity with isaac seemingly able to treat her voice as just another instrument in her imaginative repertoire. she displays an uncanny confidence in allowing it to come to the fore as much as to recede with similar emphasis to the accompaniment that surrounds it, rather than resorting to the more standard need to push the vocal up higher in the mix. while her “they say…” opening admittedly leads out ahead of a more sparse and spartan backdrop, each new instrument enters with no lesser pluck nor importance. indeed, the “i’m comfortable…” section from 0:33 to the 1:00 release is an absolute masterclass in ‘zero to hero’ expansion, with the final few seconds demonstrating her genuine comfort in allowing her voice to be gorgeously subsumed and wrapped up in the surrounding swirls of layered harmonies and precocious pipes to incredible effect.

these more ebullient sections are handed extra impetus by the intervening quiets, which in turn are handled with just as much finesse. they drip with delight, coaxing charming accents from isaac’s ethereal voice with delicious glockenspiel rain and distant refrain, before fast-expanding once more into the next exquisitely unapologetic climax.

all-in-all, this is a fabulous and fascinating tune from a hugely talented artist, and it’ll be very interesting to see just what greta isaac unleashes next. her previous two outings in the form of “you” and “intro (creatures of habit)” below suggest there’s plenty more where that came from, and her fine artwork aesthetic adds yet further intrigue. there’s much inventiveness and potential here to get excited about and look forward to.

[emmyewesseyesee]

claap! & santana – “summertime” (yuksek remix)

bouncier and housier grooves than my last recommended summer tunes this time courtesy of yuksek’s funked-up, golden-sunshine-tinged re-versioning of claap! & santana’s “summertime”.

opening with tumbling toms, claps on two and four, cricket-like percussive chirrup, and a generously hovering and enticing hi-hat, it evokes the summer from the get-go, well before the breezily laid-back “summertime” vocal and fatly-funked bass arrive.

this is a delightfully french affair, both stylistically and linguistically, and yuksek’s rising keys quickly transport you to the shimmering azure seas and hot white sands of the atlantic or mediterranean with their too-fast-melting ice creams and oh-so-bronze tans. it’s light and relaxing, refreshing and recuperative, and deliciously head-nodding and life-affirming.

but the thing i probably like most about it is the thought of my shade-donning, short-sporting, summertime aficionado, christoph, and his infectious grin at these laid-back, balearic summer vibes. such beats tend to bring happy enthusiasm and uplifting joy, so i thought i’d take this opportunity to share another couple of sunshine classics in the form of john talabot and delorean performing “sunshine” and caribou’s “sun” courtesy of playground and ebtv respectively. it’s quite special to see such passionate collectives getting so into the connected swing of these addictive, arpeggiated summer grooves – both are simply scintillating.

you can enjoy claap! & santana’s original version of “summertime” as part of their far more horizontal, chilled out and sumptuous dune ep here, meanwhile, yuksek’s clearly one for the sunshine, no matter the year, and if you’re craving yet more of his summer grooves post “summertime”, here’s last year’s summer tape 16 for your extended listening pleasure - keep cool and enjoy! 

[emmyewesseyesee]

showtime goma – smiley face

this is an absolutely uplifting delight, and probably for now (alongside mathew lee cothran – yeah, i know, i need to get around to writing about that one too!) my favourite album of the year thus far.

for those that don’t know (and neither did i), showtime goma is the solo project of jen goma of a sunny day in glasgow amongst other notable acts, and smiley face is her first release under this new moniker. it’s a quite fabulous debut.

under the buoyant, eclectic stewardship of deerhoof’s greg saunier, it bristles with energy, bombast, invention and wonder throughout. moreover, there’s an unapologetic enthusiasm about smiley face that makes it thoroughly smile-inducing and rewarding. it’s confident, proud, punchy, rich in ideas and delicious in its daring.

jen goma delivers her voice, her heart, her soul with such a genuine passion as to leave you just wanting to hang out with her always. she presents her joy, her loves, her fears and foibles with equal relish and no small amount of chutzpah, and it’s so very refreshing to hear this powerful joie-de-vivre imbue the album from top to toe. her naive and intrepid spirit is both infectious and instructive in its call to don your own smiley face as you traverse this wonderful if oft-flawed planet of ours. it’s a gorgeous attitude borne of curiosity, discovery and celebration, and it shouts out: “here’s life, it is what it is, take it and enjoy it, no matter what it happens to throw at you.”

what makes this album extra-special and really takes it to the next level is the successful matching of this potent sense of adventure with the perfect production partner in crime to truly embrace and realise its ambition. in the mightily syncopated saunier she has found just that, and they spar with such dynamism and vitality to create an utterly compelling and awesome spectacle that leaves you newly inspired and emotionally enhanced. indeed, one senses the album must have been an absolute blast to make: in the red corner, our sprightly and impetuous challenger, jen goma, nimble, fleet-of-foot, and ready to unleash her whirlwind of playful effervescence and unconventional moves; in the blue corner, pound-for-pound the undisputed prince of pugnacious percussion, greg saunier, his rangy and rambunctious style ideally suited to keeping this precocious power-pack at arm’s length and soaking up her energetic assault only to return it with added relish.

it’s a perfect frisson, an exciting meeting of minds that succeeds in realising this intensely stimulating experience as goma pours every last one of the zesty fruits of her lively imagination into this soulful mixing bowl for saunier to stir up a similarly piquant and invigorating instrumental recipe in return. you can envisage them both dancing around each other, tossing in fresh ingredients with such “let’s try this here” gay abandon, almost as if challenging the other to pick up the next “yeah, we can make that work” thrown-down gauntlet. goma’s high-rising melodic vocal soufflés and saunier’s clattering utensil-driven rhythmic concoctions are delivered with equal fervour, as is everything in between, but rather than wrangle with super-slick, over-equalised, hi-def production, the whole thing reverberates with an inclusive and all-embracing sense of spontaneity, improvisation, and gorgeously makeshift yet heartening resourcefulness. it favours endeavour over perfection, joy over precision, human over quantised, instantaneous over fastidious, emotion over equation, and is all the better for it.

in embracing imperfection and resisting the temptation to smooth off all the rough edges, goma and saunier have unearthed beauty and charm in every single song on the album. in fact, i could name you a personal “oh my!” moment in each track that moves me to either cheers or tears: from the delicate vocal handling of “propel” and “how r u?” to the tumbling experimental soundscapes of “oh shit” and “chug”, the pristine pop of “what’s a fight look like”, the brash swagger of “big disaster”, the gospel highs of “distract me from the work”, and in “type move”, as goma contemplates her ultimate “when i think about being dead, all the dirt on the top of my head” demise, the key-change euphoria at her “but mostly, i’ll miss you” revelation is especially moving. it’s a breathtaking journey that culminates in two of the finest, most heart-warming and exhilarating tracks with which you might ever wish to close an album: the bouncily optimistic “come know me better man” and the life-affirming, truly triumphant drama of “secret nrg”. smiley face sparkles with brilliance from beginning to end.

music is an intrinsic part of life, and we all know how life rarely runs smoothly. in acknowledging this, showtime goma has served up an album of real honesty, intimacy, humility and serendipity that's packed full of love, inventiveness and sheer guts. her “hey, here it is, take it or leave it” attitude to everything that this life might throw at is a lesson to us all: it's defiant, hopeful and most of all happy, and let's face it, we all need a smiley face sometimes just to get by.

in closing, i’ll leave you with a couple of her accompanying videos, as they serve to present similarly endearing “here’s where my songs fit in with my life” glimpses via their delightfully touching and wistful introductions. the wonders contained in “secret nrg” and “propel” should encourage you all to want to get out there and amongst life and grab all you can get. enjoy it to the full!

[emmyewesseyesee]

litany – “bedroom”

this really is an absolute gem courtesy of litany, a youthful and deftly talented her-and-him duo hailing from harrogate, deep in god’s own country.

beth cornell and jack nicolaides combine to wonderful effect on both this track “bedroom” and their wider, self-explanatory debut 4 track ep from which it stems. the instrumentation is crisply produced with a rich and rewarding analogue swoosh to its delicious bass-lines, guiding keyboards and reverentially retro electro-tom breakdowns. indeed, in taking such time to seemingly choose just the right tones, it succeeds in cleverly spanning both the charm of home-spun bedroom production and the control of a more assured and experienced studio sound – it’s a hugely impressive and really compelling duality.

on “bedroom” itself the drums are neat and compact, the keyboard chords wobbly and warm, the soft and squelchy bass extra-special in its subtle yet effective anchoring of the track, while steel-drum shimmers and cymbal-shaker teasers provide exquisite top-end counterpoints to cornell’s delicate song. this pursuit and presentation of the emotional and sentimental qualities of life, loves and losses via softer, more understated synth-pop is really quite lovely and reminiscent of the output of the similarly tender ider, who continue to impress. moreover cornell manages to elicit genuine beauty from the humdrum via her deceptively mature and utterly convincing vocal performance. her range sparkles higher and supports lower, and while there’s a natural fragility at play, at times she takes on the charmingly idiosyncratic flair, edge and confidence of a róisín murphy-esque chanteuse.

the rest of 4 track ep is equally fabulous, and i’d encourage you to take in its delightful 17 minutes here. aside from the four tracks themselves, there are four personal and touching interludes which set the scene for each song and convey a lovingly intimate glimpse of their shared story. it’s truly a gorgeous e.p., one of the best this year so far, and i can’t wait to see them perform in the autumn.

[emmyewesseyesee]

2017 summer jams #2sum

kali ùchis (ft. jorja smith) – “tyrant” + ray blk – “doing me”

ok, i know it’s only early summer, but it’s gorgeously hot out there, so it more than makes sense to share some fine summer grooves. in fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if these two tracks ended up as stand-out tunes of the summer by the time it eventually departs. colombia’s finest meets london’s finest in this fabulous #2sum as these excitingly fast-rising stars deliver perfectly on point.

kali ùchis‘s lo-rider, lo-slung groove is sultry and close, steaming with south american sass and seduction from the get-go with its opening hazy piano echoes and tantalising spanish overture, while the bass-hump provides the most divinely laid-back yet insistent backbone to kali‘s siren song and jorja smith’s mid-section rhymes with equally reassuring panache. it’s simple yet effective and succeeds in creating space for some sweetly layered harmonies, tenderly strummed guitar and teasingly cute drum-rolls. hectic’s the last thing you need on a long hot summer's day, and “tyrant” is perfect antidote to nod your head to as you drive top-down into the evening or unwind by the pool. drink it in like a summer cocktail, let it fan you like a cooling sea-breeze, whatever, just give in to its delicious down-tempo delights.

meanwhile ray blk’s “doing me” delivers a peppy shot of playfully endearing mischief with no less catchy appeal. her enchanting london brogue slip-slides effortlessly along to coaxing piano chords, warmly plucked bass and neat tap-a-tap snares. both rhymes and chorus are fresh and effervescent, and propel the track along with such youthful energy and enthusiasm that it’s hard not to get caught up in it and find yourself grinning from ear to ear. this is brit-summer at its finest with us all reaching for our less oft-flaunted short-short styles and i-spy shades at the merest hint of the sunshine and just doing our thing as the world goes by. there’s just so much new to see and do, fun to be had, skin to be shown, tans to be honed, sights to behold.

so however you’re planning on spending your fine and hopefully carefree summers, be sure to get kali and ray right up in your playlist grills. they’re both essential summer staples whether park-life or beach-bound, uk or beyond, their vivid colours and must-have signature “woo-woo”s and “la-la-la” sing-along flourishes guaranteed to get you noticed. get sassy, stay cool, smile at passers-by, maybe say “hi”. enjoy your wonderful summers, people!

[emmyewesseyesee]

shamir – hope

this is a very special, heartfelt and generous gift indeed.

and it says so much about the man that has bestowed it upon us: his generosity of spirit, his kindness of heart, and his extra-special vocal gift—all of which clearly know no reasonable human bounds. his smile, his love, his performance are all just truly humbling and infectious in their completely altruistic and unequivocal goodness.

i began writing these words around a month ago when shamir’s hope first arrived, but various things got in the way. however, its spirit of immediacy, its hope, the honesty in its flaws are all still just as vital, perhaps now even more so—indeed, with life so relatively short, maybe done is far better than perfect—and while that might feel uncomfortable for someone like myself who wrangles far too much over choosing just the right words to deploy and aesthetics to present, it does chime with my own view that life is fundamentally flawed and thereby music should similarly represent the crackle-and-pop of its surface noise and grime.

in this vein, hope feels direct, unencumbered, fresh, cathartic, humble and downright decent. throughout, shamir bailey presents his achingly beautiful falsetto with all its power as well as its fragility, its resonance, its range, its dynamic, its fluctuations and inconsistencies, and as such it comes across as a thoroughly endearing, genuine and very human instrument. by surrounding it with his own ramshackle entourage of dirtily buzzing overdrive, affectionately plucked bass, joyfully jangly guitar, rewardingly rickety piano, cavernously fat toms, tightly flat-packed and laconic percussion, he creates a true sense of there being an ‘always there to catch me should i fall’ camaraderie to this one-man collective. even his own occasional overdubbed choir strives to makeshift re-attach the wings to this fallen angel as he once again strives to fly and ultimately soars.

throughout, the songs are presented with such tenderness and simplicity, and there’s a compelling tension between existing ennui and demons and signs of future hopes and dreams. it’s not overwrought nor overthought, simply delivered, as is, hands held open in an unconditional ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ offering, and is all the better for it. it’s the lo-fi hum, the way each song enters and exits (so keen to share and be heard as they tumble delightfully into each other), the keen enthusiasm and real emotion that provides the real window into shamir’s soul. and this is true soul. who needs the polished and the pristine when you’ve got a real soul that shimmers and sparkles with raw energy and good intentions, care and devotion?

in a way, i kinda didn’t want to load too many of my own words of review onto such honest intentions for fear of them forming a part of the critical mechanism that perhaps serves to deconstruct and constrict the artistry, but hey, i only tend to choose to write about the things i love and enjoy, so i certainly hope my own positive take on such a labour of love is deemed supportive, encouraging, well-intended and welcome. suffice to say, from “hope” right through to “bleed it out” the album is an absolute pleasure to listen to, and the fact that it was recorded from start to finish in a single weekend is even more impressive.

shamir’s sheer humility, creativity, dedication and application has undoubtedly resulted in an utterly stunning body of work that is precious, touching, refreshing, empathetic, moving, sincere and just wonderful on the ear. yet the fact that it might have simultaneously in some vital way helped to lift him from his own despair at the way he feels he has to present himself to share his astonishing talent is surely the most important exercise this particular weekend has served.

stay special in all that you do, shamir bailey, and keep on keepin’ on, because the magical things you create will always find a loving home…

[emmyewesseyesee]

may write-off

i certainly wish; let’s hope in short time the planets and personalities suitably align.

that particularly depressing subject aside, when it comes to the month of may, i’ve been a little remiss in updating in these parts despite there being plenty of fine music around. maybe a hiatus was in order, perhaps pc music’s own month of mayhem sucked up a little too much time, delight and attention, but whatever the reason, i apologise for this temporary break in transmission.

one of the challenges i raised at the start of the year is certainly finding the time to write, and while at the time i wrote about the need to embrace a little more efficiency in my commentary, the resulting tension between such brevity and doing something proper justice (in my own mind) remains.

that’s not to say there hasn’t been some fantastic music around, and i try to repost some of the delights i find on the soundcloud for when writing time doesn’t allow. it’s also a handy catch-up tool. in keeping fresh and catching up, it might well mean i have to tack a little more between shorter snippets and longer prose just to get through it all, but hope to still be able to share enough of the things i like nonetheless.

in the meantime, i’ve been continuing to enjoy live music with fun outings with friends to the wonderful and varied pharmakon, elvis depressedly, pc music, drab majesty, sevdaliza and nots, and have plenty more eclectic delights lined up in the not too distant future to keep me suitably stimulated and entertained. i’ll perhaps try and share more of these in due course too.

for now, i’ll leave you with some of the reviews i have managed to get down to writing this year as artists express their responses to some of the challenges that the world faces right now: the need for connection, the pursuit of money, the arrogance of warfare, and the indiscriminate nature of disease. “transmission”, “hallelujah money”, “aleppo” and “evening prayer” each provoke and engage in their own inspiring way, and let’s hope that we can aspire to more progressively debate, discuss and develop as a society with an inclusivity and empathy to value, benefit, connect, protect and support all. maybe shamir’s humble and uplifting hope best represents that generous spirit of the future.