For The Record: October

So 2010 feels like it is winding down already. People are planning Christmas parties, end of year polls are being compiled and yet there are two whole months of the year left. October has been a big month for album releases and whilst it lacks the A-List pulling power of November (Kanye, Rihanna) there is more than enough to get your teeth into here.

Album of the month this month has to go to Warpaint for their stunning debut 'The Fool'. If you're a fan of spectacular melodies and brain frying psych meanderings then I can't recommend it highly enough. To stream the album then do click here.

October's highlights.

Warpaint - The Fool (Album of the month)
James Blake - Klavierwerk EP
Tinie Tempah - The Disc-Overy
Magnetic Man - Magnetic Man
Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner
Kisses - Kisses
Spectrals - EP
Sufjan Stevens - Age Of Adz
Antony & The Johnsons - Swanlights
Belle & Sebastian -Write About Love

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SEVEN DAY SLUMP

Hello, welcome to another dose of new stuff rounded up in a weekly fashion. Am writing this in a bit of a rush as I'm heading off to see HEALTH and Crystal Castles shortly, I have a really bad headache so those two should relax me and make things normal again, right?

So, first up is some news...

Rivers Cuomo has teamed up with Best Coast to work together. Hopefully it will result in some good music and not just a load of stoned jokes about cats and internet memes involving the cast of Jackass 3D. (Pitchfork)

Nicki Minaj has revealed her album artwork, it shows her with no arms. I've always thought she was 'armless enough etc etc.

Robyn has given us a listen to her brand new single 'Indestructable':

Whilst Mount Kimbie are giving a live version of their track Ruby for free, grab it below:

Elsewhere, Kanye West did a 'reverse Skream' by making La Roux's 'In For The Kill' sound a bit shit with his remix whilst Joe Goddard remixed Kisses self titled track from their wonderful new album which is out this week. Be sure to check them out as I believe they're in the country at the moment. That track is available at Stereogum.

Finally, some videos. Warpaint did nothing to stop people assosciating them with Hollywood by getting band sister and actress Shannyn Sossamon to direct their clip for 'Undertow' whilst Holy Fuck joined Klaxons, Wavves and Best Coast by combining indie with cats to great effect on their video for 'Red Lights'.

Video, track, moment and everything about this week has revolved around James Blake. I've prattled on about him enough on here so will just leave you with the spinning fruit in the official video to his Feist cover 'Limit To Your Love'.

Img: Jared Boger

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JAMES BLAKE

Later on this month James Blake will release his latest EP 'Klavierwerke', though it is available to stream on Spotify now. Seemingly not content with being one of the most forward thinking, boundary pushing producers in music today however - James also boasts one of the most soulful and fractured voices too. Combining the two is where his sweet spot lies such as on the track 'Measurements' from earlier in the year and again on 'Limit To Your Love' - the Feist cover which burrowed overground last week. Where Blake sees his future lying is anyone's guess (he is notoriously difficult to track down for press) but you can't help feel that an album of this sparse, stripped down vocal tranquility mixed with the warped, futuristic bass music he's so well known for could be a magnificent treat in a Burial meets The xx kind of way. Listen to Blake's take on 'Limit To Your Love', everything about it is perfect.

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James Blake - Measurements

Last month I talked about James Blake's CMYK and the way in which it rubbed disparate sounds up against one another, creating unique visions in the impending friction. Well who knew that upstairs from the laboratory in which Aaliyah and Kelis were being welded to one another lay a bed of roses and tranquility? 'Measurements' shows more than a new side to Blake, it shows us a whole new dimension. Stripped back to its very barest bones his voice, heard here for the first time, aches with soul and hangs heavy in amongst the acapella backdrop. Where this mad talent is leading Blake is anyones guess, trailing in his wake is going to be what it's all about.

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James Blake - CMYK

If most young guys wanted to cut bits of Kelis and Aaliyah up and rub them together then they'd be rightfully taken away under medical care. James Blake is not most men though, precociously young and even more so talented when he's not playing with Mt.Kimbie he's stepping out under his own moniker. With Blake being a student at Goldsmiths University it'd be easy to say his music is esoterical and cerebral, it is however it comes more from the heart with surges to the feet. CMYK is the first major taste of his work, taken from the forthcoming R&S Records released EP. Go listen and take it apart, not too much mind - you'll never be able to put the pieces back in quite the same way.

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