Photo: Oksana Linde (Credit: Mardonio Díaz)
BEAUTIFUL THINGS PLAYLIST
WEEK 15th - 19th AUGUST
RIPSHIP - ‘RIPSHIP IS ONLINE’
I love this one. Ripship’s (Callum Lincoln and Eva-Rae McLean) brand new track has all the ingredients for a beautifully-cooked bowl of kosmische soup; a hypnotic bassline, chaotic out-of-the-blue guitar bursts, spacey synths and monotonous spoken-word vocals, all happening effortlessly over interchanging time signatures. Phew - they make it look so easy.
You can find Ripship on Bandcamp here.
FAZERDAZE - ‘BREAK!’
Fazerdaze is back with a bang. Alongside the announcement of her upcoming EP Break! comes the title track from the EP (which will also feature the recently released single 'Come Apart'). The song is an instant hit with an incessantly catchy chorus over unabating guitar strums. It is an anthem about letting go, and within the song’s strength you can really get a sense of Amelia’s emotional resilience through the act of breaking free from toxicity and as a result, taking control.
You can pre-order Fazerdaze’s upcoming EP Break! via the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
HANNAH EVERINGHAM - ‘SO LONG UNDERGROUND’
'So Long Underground' is the debut single from Ōtautahi-based singer songwriter Hannah Everingham, and the first to emerge from her upcoming album Between Bodies (coming later to us this year). The track was recorded in St. Martins with Thomas Isbister, who features instrumentally on the song along with Mark Menzies on violin. The track is a charming tune featuring an assortment of sweet textures, such as horns, melodicas and pillowy finger-plucked guitars underneath Everingham's honeydew voice. It is a lovely listen, and according to Hannah (via her Instagram) you should "enjoy it with cake, beer, something illicit, pick your boat".
You can find Hannah Everingham on Bandcamp here.
ARESKI & BRIGITTE FONTAINE - ‘RAGILIA’
French experimentalist Brigitte Fontaine’s third collaborative effort with Areski is the album L’Incendie which features the song ‘Ragalia’. It is a song brimming with so many textures it’s almost impossible to know what to lock your ears into at first. The instruments tinker and dance wildly around Fontaine’s slinky melodies, amalgamating one, chaotic-ly ambient piece. Just close your eyes and let the sounds fill your brain.
You can find the album L’Incendie by Areski & Brigitte Fontaine via the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
HAMID AL-SHAERI - ‘AYONHA’
Now this compilation is one worth having in your collection, bringing together some of the best music from the Middle East and North Africa. My favourite from the lot is by Hamid Al-Shaeri, whose contribution ‘Ayonha’ is as dreamy as it is groovy. Little guitar/key tinkles and his sweet, mesmerising melodies create a beautifully timeless track and one I won’t stop listening to anytime soon.
You can find this song on the compilation Habibi Funk (An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World) via the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
WAJATTA - ‘MARMITE’
Do you want to dance? Ok! I have a song for you. Wajatta is the joint effort of comedian/musician Reggie Watts and producer John Tejada, who in 2020 released their album Dont Let Get You Down, full of punchy house anthems. 'Marmite' is just one of them; Reggie Watts seems to move so effortlessly between characters atop the bouncy, angular beat. I mean, it’s a song about Marmite, so of course it’s going to be a little bit funny, but boy does it make me want to get up off my desk chair.
You can find the album Don’t Let Get You Down by Wajatta via the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
OKSANA LINDE - ‘PLAYA CARIBE’
Venezuelan/Ukranian artist and composer Oksna Linde is one of the forgotten pioneers of electronic music. After working as a chemical researcher until the age of 33, Linde began experimenting sonically, and what she created was somewhat of a marriage between science and sound. Her pieces went mostly undiscovered until the release of her album Aquatic and Other Worlds, comprising of recordings from between 1983 and 1989. ‘Playa Caribe’ certainly captures the deep blue of the aquatic, exploring space and drawing lines between the immensity of both the cosmic and oceanic worlds.
You can find the album Aquatic and Other Worlds by Oksana Linde via the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
JULIA JACKLIN - ‘LOVE, TRY NOT TO LET GO’
Julia Jacklin’s new record Pre-Pleasure is like a warm hug; lovely, empathetic, familiar, and just what you need after a difficult day. ‘Love, Try Not To Let Go’ is one of my favourites. Despite its drifting breeze, the track uncovers a deep, gripping melancholy that plays a mighty-strong chord on your heartstrings.
You can find the album Pre-Pleasure by Julia Jacklin via the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
CATE LE BON - ‘SAD NUDES’
I’m not sure how Cate Le Bon does it, but every word she sings is captured sonically with effortless ease. 'Sad Nudes' is a lonely song; a song about momentary self-indulgence in the wake of isolation, brought together by melancholic piano ascending phrases, tear-jerking guitar slides and vocal cries. Each element is so well thought out and perfectly placed, although it never veers too far to the side of being “too perfect” - in fact, the subtle clumsiness makes perfect sense.
You can find the album Reward by Cate Le Bon via the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
ROBERT SCOTT - ‘TOO EARLY’
Robert Scott (The Clean/The Bats) needs no introduction to Flying Nun fans. I will admit that it took me a while to listen to his 2010 record Ends Run Together - I’d often simply stare at the cover and admire the artwork. Turns out I was missing out - this record really has everything, from driving guitar rock to dream pop. ‘Too Early’ encapsulates a little bit of both; the guitars fill the space so beautifully, steering the track along with Robert’s voice floating and whispering above. I only wish it was a little longer, but that’s what repeat buttons are for, right?
You can find the album Ends Run Together by Robert Scott on the Flying Nun Record Shop here.
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