ONE TO WATCH: PIONAL
October 3, 2011 by Editor
Filed under MUSIC, ONES 2 WATCH
AT THE BEGINNING OF LAST YEAR, A YOUNG SPANISH PRODUCER CAUGHT OUR ATTENTION HERE AT AGENT2. AFTER HEARING A DEEPLY HYPNOTIC TRACK CALLED ‘IN ANOTHER ROOM’, RELEASED ON BARCELONA-BASED HIVERN DISCS, WE INSTANTLY WANTED TO HEAR MORE. SO, WE DID AND WE WERE HOOKED. A YOUNG MAN BY THE NAME MIGUEL BARROS AKA PIONAL SOON BECAME ONE OF OUR FAVOURITE EMERGING ARTISTS.
We scraped around and managed to find a few of his old tracks online, but over the past 12 months new releases and remixes have been springing up left, right and centre. One track that stood out in particular was the epic ‘We have Been Waiting For You’, which cropped up in clubs and DJ mixes the world over.
Pional has worked closely with the likes of Jon Talabot and Gavin Russom and it looks like the world is starting to pay attention to his unique sound. And so they should. His latest release comes courtesy of German label ‘Permanent Vacation’ where he joined forces with Hunee, Slow Hands, Session Victim and several other great artists to produce the critically acclaimed ‘If This Is House I Want My Money Back 2’ compilation. It is virtually impossible to pigeonhole Pional’s style, so we won’t do him an injustice by trying.
We caught up with the man himself to find out more.
You have several releases under your belt now. How did you get started with producing your own tracks?
It all started two years ago when I met the people from Hivern Discs. Actually, I’ve been making music for 10 years now, but I never took it that seriously. It wasn’t professional, just a hobby.
Looking through your back catalogue, it’s extremely difficult to put a genre to the sound. How would you describe your music and where does it all come from?
I tend to like making clear sounds. I often make the music that influences me and the music that I listen to, but at the same time I like the fact that my music sounds different to everything else. I don’t usually think about the clubs when I make my music. I think that the perfect mixture is a blend between home and dance floor.
I could describe my music as ‘slow-house’? ‘Electronic/alternative/pop-house’? (Laughs)
I have many influences; I have no prejudices about it. Right now you can catch me listening to Katy B’s new album and yesterday I was listening to St. Vincent. So, my influences could be kind of…freaky?
Do you give any time to DJing or do you spend all of your time in the studio?
My first ever live show last month in Copehagen, so I guess you could say that I spend most of my time in the studio! I’m not a DJ. Most days, when I get home I’ll normally spend around six hours making music.
You mentioned the live show. How did it work and did it go down well with the crowd?
Yes, I had a great time. There were no problems and I was very comfortable technically with the equipment that I took. I had great feedback from people; they really liked it (or so I think).
Do you look to anyone for inspiration for your live show? Who do you enjoy to watch perform live?
No, I don’t look to anyone for inspiration when it comes to my live act. Honestly, the acts that I generally see just have a laptop, a midi controller and nothing else. I would prefer to see interesting shows.
Right now, I don’t know who I’d like to see. I guess, like many others, I’d like to see a James Holden live act.
Yourself and Jon Talabot seem to be flying the flag for Spanish electronic music at the moment. Why do you think your music is so well received abroad?
Yeah, it’s cool! I guess it is well received thanks to the internet and word of mouth. Hivern has managed to achieve something that very few Spanish labels have in the past; people are talking about them, and that’s very cool.
‘We Have Been Waiting For You’ took everyone by surprise and got a lot of people talking about Pional. What’s the story behind that track?
Well, I made that track four months before I sent it to the Hivern boys. The track originally had a very poppy drum kit and it didn’t have a 4/4 bass, clips or anything like that. It was basically a pop tune that lasted 3 minutes. The lyrics are taken from the TV show ‘Lost’. In fact, the title is the last sentence spoken by John Locke.
Have you got any new releases in the pipeline? An album perhaps?
I just finished several remixes, so right now I want to focus on preparing new material. For 2012 I plan to work on the album; I’m looking forward to it!
We’re guessing that your diary is will be filling up pretty quickly as the word begins to spread about your music. Have you got any more shows planned?
(Laughs) The truth is, that I have several interesting shows coming up around Europe (TBA).
Will you be making an appearance in the UK?
Not that I know of, but hopefully soon.
And finally…If you could banish one song to hell for all eternity, what would it be?
Black Eyed Peas – The Time (Dirty Bit)
Interview Dan Howell
APPLE CART FESTIVAL REVIEW
THE UK FESTIVAL SCENE MAY SEEM AN OVERLY CROWDED MARKET BUT APPLE CART, HELD IN EAST LONDON ON 7TH AUGUST, PROVED THAT THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE. APPLE CART TOOK PLACE THE DAY AFTER THE MORE ESTABLISHED FIELD DAY, RUN BY THE SAME TEAM AND IN THE SAME PLACE BUT THE ATMOSPHERE COULDN’T HAVE BEEN MORE DIFFERENT. THE CROWDS OF YOUNG EAST LONDONERS WITH INTIMIDATINGLY FASHIONABLE HAIRCUTS WERE REPLACED BY FAMILIES WITH PUSHCHAIRS AND GROUPS OF FRIENDS WITH PICNICS. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A VILLAGE FETE AND LATITUDE, THE DAY AIMED TO PLEASE BOTH ADULTS AND KIDS ALIKE WITH AN ALMOST OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF ENTERTAINMENT ON OFFER.
As it happens, it turned out that adults and children aren’t so very different in their tastes. Considerably more grown-ups than infants were taking part in the traditional fair games although they were a little too energetic for me to be entirely comfortable with on a Sunday. Similarly, although children made up the primary audience of the prestigious Magic Circle run tent there were plenty of adults (myself included) hanging round self-consciously at the back in a desperate attempt not to be asked to take part.
A little less child friendly was the comedy tent; in a brilliant scene stealing moment an outraged toddler heckled Mark Steel for swearing too much. Boasting a stellar line-up that made it one of the most popular areas of the festival, the tent was consistently overcrowded throughout the day. I was already familiar with Marcus Brigstocke’s brand of brilliant satire but Doc Brown’s mix of rap culture and subjects such as David Attenborough was a hugely pleasant surprise. The chance to see Kevin Eldon in stand up mode had clearly got a lot of people excited and although the crowds moved in to try and get as many of the festival goers out of the rain as possible those of us stuck outside to get wet didn’t really mind at all. Jon Richardson, in typically self deprecating mode pointed out that you’d have to be really terrible to have people leave the tent and brave the pouring rain outside but he needn’t have worried; I suspect the tent would have been just as full during his set if it had been blazing sunshine. As his career continues to gather momentum at a startling rate the chance to see him in such an intimate venue was not to be missed. The main comedy draw for most, however, was Tim Minchin who played the main stage having clearly gotten too big for the (perhaps too) tiny comedy tent. He played with all his usual charisma and wit, although the very mixed audience meant that his unique brand of musical comedy seemed to miss the mark with several punters.
Earlier on in the day the always flamboyant Patrick Wolf took to the same stage shrouded in a hooded cloak which he threw off to reveal one of his trademark iconic outfits; a stunning red three piece suit to match his vibrant hair and bags of stage presence. In a touchingly earnest moment he dedicated the song ‘Black is the Colour’ to his friend the late Amy Winehouse, whom he toured with back in 2007. Later on in the afternoon a summery set from the The Magic Numbers cheered the rain drenched crowds and fitted the atmosphere of the day perfectly, as did the gorgeous electronic pop of Saint Ettiene who closed the festival as darkness set in across the park and Monday morning became more of a reality. The folk stage, curated by scene stalwarts SWN, Communion and Fence was hidden away in a peaceful corner of the site, with sofas to recline in whilst enjoying the lush sounds of such artists as Peggy Sue, Cate Le Bon and Michele Stodart (of The Magic Numbers).
As if the offerings of music, magic, comedy and games weren’t enough there was also the chance to design your own book cover with Penguin, buy some canned feeling of unease over at Monster Supplies from the Ministry of Stories, take in some culture with the Art Car Boot Sale and enjoy a seemingly endless variety of food on offer from Venn Street Market that made me a little disappointed it wasn’t possible to try it all. The Cabaret tent provided actual tables and chairs in a very civilised move for a festival but it was popular enough to ensure it was difficult not to end up standing, especially for singer, pianist and all round entertainer Chilly Gonzales and DJ sets from the likes of Andrew Weatherall and Kevin Rowland.
It’s a testament to the success of the day that even the torrential downpouring of rain couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the festival goers; running to the trees for shelter with a group of strangers actually added a sort of odd charm. If anything, unpredictable shifts in weather couldn’t have been more appropriate for such a typically British festival as Apple Cart turned out to be, in the best possible way.
Words Tamsin Worrad
REVIEW: BEN & JERRYS SUNDAE
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FESTIVAL GOERS TURNED UP TO CLAPHAM COMMON ON SUNDAY 24TH JULY TO CELEBRATE PEACE, LOVE AND ICE-CREAM AT BEN & JERRY’S SUNDAE ON THE COMMON.
A very family friendly festival in the style of an old summer fete, artists such as Maximo Park and Gary Numan battled to win the crowd’s attention against a mass of other attractions. On entering the park a farmer appeared herding several pantomime cows through the throngs of people and it set the tone for the day nicely. Equally bizarre, but no less enjoyable, were the toe wrestling competitions, knock out competitions with giant foam bars, air guitar bands and mystic moo (telling fortunes from palms and empty ice cream tubs). On a serious side, the festival did much to raise the profile of such worthy causes as Fair Trade, ethical farming (including the new RSPCA ‘Think Pig’ campaign) and Oxfam, whose ‘Pants to Poverty’ group were running a bouncy bungee run (in their pants, of course). A large portion of the range of food stalls present offered organic and free-range food, with free samples being given out by ethical brand Devon Cereals as well as the chance to win prizes through their wheel of fortune.
Of course, for a festival put on by Ben & Jerry’s the main attraction was bound to be the free ice cream with over 150,000 scoops given away during the weekend in both Manchester and London. Each fair trade flavour was represented on it’s own stand, with queues proportional to demand. New flavour Coconutterley Fair proved extremely popular (and very delicious), as did perennial favourites Cookie Dough and Phish Food. Considering the crowds the speed at which ice cream was served was very impressive and nobody had to queue for long.
The petting zoo from Vauxhall City Farm proved almost as popular as the ice cream, with children and adults alike queuing up to meet Alpacas, Sheltand ponies and tiny newborn chicks. Also popular with all ages were the fairground rides with the queue for the famous Helter Skelter stretching far back into the park, although I preferred the beautiful old-fashioned carousel. All rides are free, although donations were been taken to help Vauxhall City Farm with it’s running costs.
Headliners of the day Maximo Park proved that they’re as popular as they were when they started with a large crowd gathering to watch them finish the day, but the highlight in my mind was Gary Numan (despite most younger festival goers being baffled until he got to ‘Are Friends Electric?’, famously sampled by the Sugababes in 2001). Earlier in the day saw Little Comets, Stephen Fretwell and The Duke & The King take the stage whilst festival goers fought to get the treasured spots in the shade of the burning sun (the first aid tent were forced to put up a ‘no suncream here’ sign early on in the day).
All in all, the festival was an enjoyable day and well worth the £17 ticket price if just for the ice cream and rides alone. The line-up was not the most spectacular of the summer, but it was an enjoyable and fun day out with something for a whole families to appreciate.
Words Tamsin Worrad
FESTIVAL BEAUREGARD
NOT YET AS WELL-KNOWN AS GLASTONBURY OR READING, BUT GETTING MORE POPULAR EVERY YEAR, THE FESTIVAL BEAUREGARD OFFERS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY A UNIQUE FEAST OF LIVE ACTS AND ALSO TO VISIT THE ROMANTIC NORMANDY REGION, TASTE THE EXQUISITE FRENCH CUISINE AND HAVE A GLASS OR TWO OF CALVADOS (APPLE BRANDY).
3 days, 2 stages, 1 castle… Festival Beauregard is a pop & rock affair where a total of 33 groups, from established bands to up-and-coming artists, get together to celebrate music, entertain and have a wild time.
The festival is near Caen, a vibrant and dynamic city that attracts visitors worldwide for its Romanesque architecture, numerous parks and gardens and attractive surrounding areas. The quickest way to get to Caen is by train on the Eurostar London to Paris and then two hours on the bus to Caen, but a more enjoyable way of travelling can be by ferry, from Portsmouth to Caen in around 7 hours.
Now, the last time I was on a ferry for such a long time I was 14. I took a ferry from Barcelona to Mallorca and for 8 dreadful hours I felt dizzy and seasick and I had to stay laying down on a sofa… But, to my delight, this time it was a very pleasant journey where I had time to sleep in my cabin, sunbathe, have lunch and relax. And not a sign of seasickness, total bliss!
After arriving to Caen, I head to the festival Beauregard where the band Pop The Fish is playing electronic songs mixed with an acoustic guitar. The atmosphere is vibrant but relaxed (probably because it’s early in the evening…) and everyone seems to be having a good time. There are two main stages and a castle at the entrance which make the location ooze French chic and rock & roll glamour. The next act is by the Male Performer of the Year, Gaetan Roussel, a talented singer and songwriter whose intense songs made the audience go crazy.
The next day I take part in a “treasure hunt” to discover the little secrets of the main districts of Caen’s historic centre. Despite the terrible bombings the city suffered on the 6th of June 1944, Caen has managed to preserve its magnificent architectural heritage and culture.
One of its main historic sites is the Caen Castle, built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century. This castle is the main symbol of Caen and one of the largest medieval enclosures in Europe. It’s currently being restored to enhance the site and develop cultural and museographical activities.
Along the back of the castle, there is a sculpture park which features fantastic (and kind of disturbing) animals created by the Chinese artist Yong Ying.
Caen is also well-known for its two abbeys: the Men’s Abbey and the Ladies’ Abbey. The Men’s Abbey, built in 1063, houses Romanesque and Gothic features and, in the heart of the church, you can contemplate the tomb of its founder. The Ladies’ Abbey is another great example of Norman Romanesque architecture and also includes the abbey church dedicated to the trinity and monastery buildings.
The best way to explore Caen is by walking through its narrow streets and old districts lined with lively shops, bars and restaurants. Classicism and modernity are a constant mix in this city where history can be found at every corner: half-timbered houses, private mansions and courtyards etc.
During the night, the quay, Quai Vendeuvre, is the place to be if you would like to enjoy a late night in a nightclub or in their charming cafes and pubs.
To enjoy pure French romanticism I head to Cabourg, a picturesque resort full of Belle Epoque villas and Anglo Norman mansions that will make you feel like stepping back to the France of the 1920s.
The first stop is at the restaurant Le Baligan where I enjoy a succulent plate of grilled sea bass, accompanied by a glass of white wine and a delicious crème brulee for dessert.
The Grand Hotel is Cabourg’s most emblematic building and where the famous writer Marcell Proust found the inspiration to write his masterpiece ‘In remembrance of the things past’. Nowadays, many French movies and series are shot inside its sophisticated interiors and it’s a very popular hotel amongst actors, musicians and la crème de la crème of French society.
Cabourg’s golden period was at the end of the 19th century when sea bathing became fashionable. Its 3 kms of fine sandy beaches, spectacular promenade, elegant villas made of limestone and brick, refurbished casino and stylish boulevards make Cabourg the most elegant and cosmopolitan place in the Normandy region.
Cabourg is also renowned for its Film Festival which, since 1983, has attracted the biggest names in European and international cinema. This year, for its 25th anniversary, the festival celebrated love, passion and romance.
After Cabourg, I go back to Caen to have dinner at the restaurant El Olivo, where I try for the first time tartare de boeuf. My first impression when I see this enormous dish of raw beef with a raw egg in the middle is frightening but once I try it, I realise it definitely tastes much better than it looks. French food is truly delightful and it’s difficult to get a wrong dish wherever you go.
The second night at the festival brought on the charismatic duo, Aaron, formed in 2004 by actor Simon Buret and musician Olivier Coursier, who played electro pop ballads mixed with rock influences, followed by the legendary Texan group Zz Top. Their iconic long beards, Stetson hats and cowboy boots were seen for the first time in Normandy and didn’t disappoint. Their electrifying performance, powerful voices and unique image captivated the audience, who embraced the rock and roll spirit and didn’t stop dancing.
The French love wandering through markets so I follow the French way of life browsing the local market in Caen, where you can find fresh vegetables and fruits, local specialties, Calvados, the finest cheese… The best day to visit the market is on Sunday morning.
Golf is becoming a very popular sport in France so I decide to pay a visit to the latest golf club opened in Caen three months ago: The Golf Compact de Louvigny, which offers a new generation in golf practice thanks to its eco-friendly synthetic greens. I have only played golf twice in my life and I am not a golf –lover but the short course (a 6-hole course including both par 3 and par 4 holes, along with a 28-bay range) provided by this club is an excellent introduction to learn the basics or to improve your swing if you already are an experienced player.
The third day at the festival offered the dazzling performances of EELS, who played nostalgic yet provocative tunes from pop to jazz and blues, and The Kooks, whose catchy songs, roaring guitars and variety of styles (from reggae to soul, funky rhythms, rock and acoustic ballads) were a total success among the public.
After a hearty dinner at the restaurant Le Boeuf Ferre, where I enjoy a 5-course feast of crab, Calvados sorbet, rabbit, camembert and chocolate, I sail back to Portsmouth but it feels like a piece of my heart is still in Normandy. J’adore La France as the French would say. I’ll be back.
INFORMATION
- The Festival Beauregard is a 3-day musical event just outside Caen, in Herouville-Saint-Clair (from 1st to 3rd of July 2011). This year a 3-day pass cost 90 Euros. For more information visit: www.festivalbeauregard.com
- You can travel from Portsmouth to Caen by ferry from £89pp return. Please visit: www.brittanyferries.com
- To obtain more information about Normandy contact:
Normandy Tourist Board
00 33 (0)2 32 33 79 00
RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS AND ACCOMODATION
- Hotel Best Western La Mare o Poissons, www.lamareopoissons.fr
- Restaurant Le Baligan in Cabourg, www.lebaligan.fr
- Restaurant El Olivo in Caen
- Restaurant Le Triplex in Caen
- Restaurant Le Boeuf Ferre in Caen, www.boeuferre.com
BEN AND JERRY FESTIVAL
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN IT’S SEVEN YEAR HISTORY, BEN AND JERRY’S DOUBLE SCOOP SUNDAE FESTIVAL WILL BE TAKING FAIRTRADE FUN TO THE NORTH AS WELL AS THE SOUTH.
Previously held exclusively in London’s Clapham Common, this year the action will be simultaneously taking place in Manchester’s Heaton park, with bands alternating their headlining days. Maximo Park, Gary Numan and Little Comets will be on stage in Manchester on Saturday July 23rd and London on Sunday 24th July with Ocean Colour Scene, Ash and Fun Lovin Criminals in Manchester on the 24th and London on the 23rd. As well as the more famous names, the ‘Be Herd!’ competition will be allowing two unsigned acts to play at the festival. As well as music, the Double Scoop Sundae will involve fairground rides, social activism, the ever popular petting farm and of course, the chance to sample all of Ben and Jerry’s Fairtrade flavours. The ice cream makers, originally founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield in 1978, are currently in the process of converting all ingredients possible to their fairtrade equivalents, with the intention of eventually being fully Fairtrade across their whole range of flavours.
Tickets and more information are available at www.benjerry.co.uk/sundae.
Words Tamsin Worrad
PARKLIFE WEEKENDER 2011 ADDS TO LINE-UP
FESTIVAL SEASON IS WELL AND TRULY ON ITS WAY AND USUALLY SENDS THE AGENT2 OFFICE INTO A SPIN AS WE ARRANGE OUR WARDROBE OF PERFECT FESTIVAL ATTIRE AND THE HOTTEST WELLIES WE CAN GET OUR HANDS ON. THIS YEAR HOWEVER THE AMAZING PARKLIFE WEEKENDER ONCE AGAIN LANDS ON OUR DOORSTEP MEANING THE BIGGEST THING WE HAVE TO GET IN A TIZZ ABOUT IS BOOKING THE CAB TO TAKE US THE 5 MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD TO PLATT FIELDS TO GET OUR FILL OF SUMMER FESTIVAL FRIVOLITIES’.
This year’s amazing line-up was revealed earlier in the year and has this week added more to its already massive line-up as Saturday’s headliner Two Door Cinema Club and Everything Everything join 90+ artists across two days. Despite only being on sale for six weeks 65% of tickets have now been sold for the summer’s best value for money festival, at only £58.50 per weekend pass. Live theatre, art installations, workshops and all manner of fringe attractions also on offer on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th June in Platt Fields Park, Manchester.
Northern Irish indie trio Two Door Cinema Club will headline The Parklife Weekender’s main stage on day one of the festival, Saturday 11th June 2011. Having bagged the Choice Music Prize in Ireland for their debut release ‘Tourist History’ and a nomination in the BBC Sounds of 2010 poll the band are on a meteoric rise to success. Next to join the main stage are the Manchester based alt rock outfit Everything Everything, with outlandish lyrics and genre defying tracks their album ‘Man Alive’ has wowed critics. Both acts join a line up of over 90 bands, DJs and performers who between them represent the biggest and best in electronic, independent and cross over sounds.
There is little time to lose for festivalgoers wishing to bag tickets for Manchester’s only event worth attending this summer as 65% of tickets have now been sold. For only £58.50 fans receive true value for money with two days full of premier talent. For the second time in its two year history The Parklife Weekender is way on its way to another sell out.
Image: Sebastian Matthes
As well as the mind-blowing array of music on offer The Parklife Weekender will also play host to attractions including live theatre, art installations and sporting competitions. The festival has confirmed an all new Treehouse arena, a Tetris Light Box installation, circus performers and will be laying on both The Parklife Olympics and The Parklife Talent Show amongst many more weird and wonderful attractions.
The Parklife Weekender takes place Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th June 2011 in Platt Fields Park, Manchester.
Parklife Weekender Tickets, priced at only £58.50 for a full weekend, are on sale now.
Check out AGENT2′s great Parklife competition to win a pair of weekend tickets here.
ALEX TURNER – SUBMARINE EP
IT’S BEEN HARD TO IGNORE ALL OF THE PRESS COVERAGE CURRENTLY BEING GIVEN TO RICHARD AYOADE’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT SUBMARINE, WHICH IS TO OPEN IN CINEMAS THIS FRIDAY.
A comical “coming of age” story set in Wales, the film is adapted from Joe Dunthorne’s novel of the same name and has been causing a bit of a stir with those ‘in the know’ for quite some time.
Accompanying Ayoade’s vision on scoring duties is Arctic Monkey’s front-man Alex Turner who features six songs in the film, all of which have just been released as an EP. A stripped down, other worldly acoustic effort that sets the tone for the film perfectly, as an EP this sounds a complete and coherent work from start to finish. The songs whilst individuals, all clearly point towards a much larger work, obviously, not a great surprise when you remember why these songs exist. The sense of completion however does improve the listening experience considerably.
Forgetting for a second that they have been written for a film, as a collection of songs this is an impressive record. As someone who isn’t enormously enamoured with the Arctic Monkeys and had previously found Alex Turner’s song writing a bit charmless, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by this record. But, that said, for all of the accolades and sycophancy bestowed upon this man over the past few years, I’m not sure that these 6 songs have convinced me that I was completely wrong about him and that he actually is the greatest song writer of our generation.
There were moments on the first play-through when I found myself pausing a song for one reason or another and completely forgetting that I’d been listening to anything, which isn’t the behaviour of someone immersed in a work of genius. If anything on repeated listening it’s easy to find the tracks a little boring and I did constantly find myself looking for reasons to hit the pause button. Considering this it’s easy to say that the EP is a lot less than sum of it’s parts and whether the EP will retain any of its initial charm once the film leaves our cinema screens will remain to be seen.
The film isn’t out for a few days, and I was already pretty excited about it. Having now listened to part of the soundtrack and better understood how it will work and enhance the film, I am now going to spend the rest of my week trying to find things to do until Friday.
4/5
Words Luke McGee
Follow me on twitter
Buy the Submarine EP now by clicking here.
For more reviews click here.
ALBUM REVIEW: WHAT WOULD JESUS DRIVE, BLACK AND BLUE
BAND: WHAT WOULD JESUS DRIVE
ALBUM: BLACK AND BLUE
RELEASE: 28TH MARCH (DIGITAL), 30TH MAY (PHYSICAL)
CONSIDERING THAT PANCAKE DAY HAS ONLY RECENTLY PASSED, I THINK IT MIGHT BE NICE TO TALK ABOUT PANCAKES FOR A SECOND.
Now, as a meal there is nothing inherently wrong with pancakes at all. In fact, you could say that their pros easily outweigh their cons. They are easy to make, they comprise of simple ingredients that you almost always have and they take no effort to eat. You could easily slop one down when on a hangover with minimal vomit potential or make them a full on meal with lots of hearty toppings. They are sweet but equally delicious savoury and taste fine on their own without toppings and extra additions.
What Would Jesus Drive are similar like that. They taste absolutely fine on their own. But could they benefit from the addition of something else a little more interesting? Yes. Yes they could.
Black and Blue is not a horrible album and is actually fairly listenable but not at all memorable. It’s the kind of thing that you might find slung into the middle of an indie playlist in a shit hole club that you’ll never remember the next day. They follow the tried and tested formula of mildly accented vocalisations mixing it up with spoken word and shouty romps ala Art Brut and Los Campesinos! Only, they don’t have the lo-fi charm of Art Brut, or the musical chops of the ever expansive Los Campesinos! (Apparently the exclamation mark is essential, which I agree is very annoying).
Truthfully – and I say this with a heavy heart because their name is fantastic – there is really very little to WWJD. Just like pancakes. They bring nothing new or particularly original to the table and we have already heard it all before. Most likely in the band that you yourself formed aged 16 and why would you listen to that on a album when you could listen to something a lot better by…I don’t know… those funny indie failures that never did anything – The Oxfam Glamour Models. At least they, whilst being tragic and terrible had a genuine fire to them. WWJD just seem forced. Like The Wombats, and the only time that was ever acceptable was in 2007. Of course I might eat my words when they release their new album later this year but something tells me I won’t have to. Something tells me it will either sound nothing like their debut or be absolutely rubbish. WWJD just sounds like an angrier version of Wombats and that’s not great.
Still, I bet they’re banging live and fun to dance to, which is probably their real aim anyway. I hope. Now where did I leave my pancakes.
2/5
Words Jordan Waller
Follow me on Twitter
For more reviews, click here
ÓLÖF ARNALDS – SINGLE ‘SURRENDER’ AND LIVE SHOW
THERE’S A VERY GOOD CHANCE THAT YOU’VE NEVER HEARD OF ÓLÖF ARNALDS. THIS IS BECAUSE AS A GENERIC WESTERN CONSUMER, YOU’RE SO PRE-OCCUPIED WITH FINDING THE NEXT BUCKET OF DRIVEL SERVED UP BY BRITAIN OR AMERICA, YOU’VE LITTLE TO NO INTEREST IN ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING IN ICELAND. ESPECIALLY SINCE THEIR ENORMOUS CONTRIBUTION TO OUR ECONOMIC CRISIS, YOU PROBABLY DON’T THINK WE CAN TRUST THEM.
Well, luckily for your I’m here to point you in the direction of an artist so whimsical and exciting in equal measure that on her most recent album Bjork featured as nothing more than a backing singer and her only UK show currently scheduled for this year has already sold out.
So, the album is already out and her only UK gig you won’t be able to get tickets for, so why on earth am I telling you about this person?
Ólöf Arnalds is an artist achieving both critical acclaim and relative fame at an unusual stage in her career. Although she has toured with a number of other artists and has for some time been a member of the experimental band Mum, it’s only now at the age of 31 and as a solo artist that Ólöf is receiving the individual attention that she so clearly deserves.
Her 2010 album Innundir Skinni was written after giving birth to her first child, an experience Ólöf described as inspiring her to have a lot of beautiful ideas from being in a blissful state.
Next month she will release another single from last year’s album, and to promote it she has added another date to her European tour, one day after the sold out show at London’s Vortex Jazz Club.
You could do far worse than to check out the upcoming single ‘Surrender’ by watching the video beneath this post however, please be aware that it has some moderately graphic scenes and should a bit of human flesh be too much for you then you can listen to the single on SoundCloud by clicking here.
The single is a beautifully intimate folk lullaby that is stripped down to such a degree that you could easily believe the performance to be taking place in the room with you.
Bjork provides a haunting backing vocal that are understated enough not to overpower the song’s core, but adds an ethereal dusting to the extraordinarily personal performance from Ólöf.
She has already been tipped by The Guardian, NME, Mojo and Q magazine to cause a bit of a stir in 2011. Well, as much of a stir as someone seemingly so reclusive can muster.
You can book tickets for the London show by visiting this website and if you’ve decided to do that, you might as well buy a copy of Innundir Skinni, which is avaliable on iTunes.
Follow me on twitter @monkeyhotel
Words Luke McGee
MIRRORS: LIVING IN ELECTRIC DREAMS
February 9, 2011 by Editor
Filed under MUSIC, ONES 2 WATCH
HAVING JUST BEEN PLUCKED UP BY HMV AND NME AS THE NEXT BIG THING AND DESCRIBED AS A SOMBRE DEPECHE MODE BY STEVE LAMACQ, BRIGHTON- BASED BAND MIRRORS HAVE BARELY HAD TIME TO SIT BACK AND REFLECT ON A VERY BUSY MONTH.
Having already supported OMD, Fenech- Soler Hercules and Love Affair and the ever popular White Lies, this band can almost be described as living in electric dreams.
I spoke to the Mirrors about their influences.
There is obviously an 80′s sound running throughout your music. Who are your inspirations?
We are certainly influenced by many of those bands that flourished in the wave of creativity that was ushered in after punk; bands such as Joy Division/New Order, Cabaret Voltaire, The Human League, Depeche Mode, but, like many of those 80′s acts were then, we, in turn, take a lot of influence from the electronic music made by pioneering artists from even earlier, like Tangerine Dream, Kraftwerk, E.M.A.K
And though we are musicians, we find inspiration in many other places. For example, we literally build our music, and so architecture is a great influence. We try, through our live visuals, our image, and indeed everything we show of ourselves, to be creative, and to be more than just a band, so artists like Gilbert and George, who live their very lives as art, are a great inspiration. I could go on and on all day!
What was it like supporting OMD in Paris and how did it come about?
OMD contacted us and said that they liked our music, and kindly asked us if we would like to support them on their tour. The opportunity to play our music in front of thousands of electronic pop music fans was very welcome.
Do you think your overall look and visuals in your performance are as important as the music?
Everything that we present is of equal importance. The visuals are there to enhance the music, and vice versa. Likewise, our neat, smart image is great because it instantly sets up an expectation in people’s brains, which we then aim to fulfil. We wish everything to be special.
What can we expect next from Mirrors?
Our album is coming out on the 24 February and we are having an album launch at The Green Door in Brighton that day. We are already working on our next album, which, though in the early stages, is set to be rather different from this one. We are really excited to be writing, but also hope to play various festivals in the summer. We are also touring with fellow Brightonians Fujiya this February. We would like very much to see you all there.
www.myspace.com/mirrorsmirrorsmirrors
Words Jennifer Butler
