For The Record: July

Whilst everybody was out and about playing festivals, getting sunburned and generally enjoying the Summer they appear to have forgotten to release any decent albums. Still, we did manage to get a stellar third album from a band fast emerging as one of Britain's finest, the UK release of one of pops most engaging new stars and the solo debut from Outkast's Big Boi - one that sees him emerge from Andre 3000's shadow and possibly even usurp him as the true star of that duo.

Mystery Jets - Serotonin (Album of the month)
Health - Disco (2)
Big Boi - Sir Lucious Left Foot... The Son Of Chico Dusty
Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
M.I.A - Maya
Mount Kimbie - Crooks and Lovers

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VIDEO: The Count & Sinden - After Dark

The song of the Summer now has a video. Nobody rocks pastel shades quite like those Mystery Jets...

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Boringmix 002: Summer

So not too long ago I made a little playlist and it went down fairly well so I've had another go at it for the Summer season. There is no rhyme or reason to these songs, just a handfull of things that I think fit well together and should sound good at anything you might be getting up to over the next few months.

The tracklisting is as follows:

Hercules And Love Affair – Blind (Frankie Knuckles Remix)
Kelis – 4th Of July (Fireworks) - Club Version
Delorean – Stay Close
Rusko – Hold On
Kele – On The Lam
Major Lazer – Pon De Floor
Lil Wayne – A Milli
JJ – Ecstasy
Animal Collective – My Girls
Yeasayer – Ambling Alp (Memory Tapes Remix)
Janelle Monae – Tightrope - Feat. Big Boi
The Very Best – Warm Heart Of Africa (Feat. Ezra Koenig)
Mystery Jets – Dreaming Of Another World
LCD Soundsystem – All My Friends
The Tough Alliance – Neo Violence
Phoenix – Rome - Neighbours with Devendra Banhart
Caribou – Sun
Sébastien Tellier – La Ritournelle

and the link to listen to the playlist is HERE

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Count and Sinden Feat: Mystery Jets - After Dark

I don't like to think of a song being 'the song of the Summer', surely music can make you feel like the sun is shining when winds are howling and toes are biting and vice versa? Having said that, sometimes a song comes along that is just Summer in crystaline form and this might just be it. Loopy, trip-heavy pop courtesy of Count & Sinden and featuring Mystery Jets guitarist William Rees, 'After Dark' is a relentless romp through sweaty fields and bouncing tents and hopefully set to feature on many a sunburnt playlist. Also, Mystery Jets - share out the pop hooks with your friends, nobody likes a greedy guts!

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Mystery Jets - Dreaming Of Another World (Video + Remix)

Indie pop sweet hearts Mystery Jets return with another bellowed lungs, sing-along smash. Check the video of 'Dreaming Of Another World' to see what Mad Men would look like if it was set in Camden and then make sure you grab the incredible remix c/o Wooden Shjips. Resisting the air guitar is futile.

MP3: Mystery Jets - Dreaming Of Another World (Wooden Shjips Remix) via Pinglewood

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Mystery Jets - Flash A Hungry Smile

There are very few bands more fun than Mystery Jets. They return with their third album 'Seratonin' later this year, this is the first single to be taken from it. Flash A Hungry Smile's low key but incessant melodies hint at another collection of brilliantly eccentric British pop hits with a new found lyrical playfullness telling of "The birds and the beas" and their STD's.

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Field Day 2009

For This Is Fake DIY

As synonymous with organisational problems as anything else Field Day has struggled in the two years since its birth. Any worries of a repeat of the Great Toilet Wait of 2008 were soon allayed this year as an abundance of portaloos were dotted around the site, this teamed with the excellent bar service and excellent sound throughout the site mean that Field Days detractors are going to have to find something new to moan about next year.

Chances are it will be the weather as for a second year running Victoria Park has bore witness to apocalyptic rain and whilst it may be funny to watch a hipster drown nobody can claim to have enjoyed the various drenchings throughout the day. Luckily however, much of the day’s best action happened in the tents. Starting off with much hyped The XX who staked their claim as the most talked about new band of 2009 by filling their tent to bursting point and keeping many watching from the outside. At the time of going onstage the weather was much better and if there is one band who don’t suit the sun it’s the itchy and nocturnal XX. Despite being at odds with their surrounding the young band play through their delicate and brittle hits with ‘Basic Space’ and ‘Stars’ particularly impressing. You half suspect this band might be best suited to 3am home listening however given some time and a different atmosphere The XX will shine live.

Moving from the introverted and subtle to the ambitious and direct Temper Trap is a big jump. The Australian outfit play a brand of FM ready rock that is ill at ease with this festivals aggressively uncommercial nature and as a result the band come off looking a bit silly. It is odd how the band who emerged in late 2008 with a raft of catchy songs seem to have axed their good material in favour of a series of mid-paced croons and moments reminiscent of best forgotten The Fray. The Temper Trap’s set today is like so much they do, sleek and professional but more than a bit cold.

As The Horrors take to the stage the daylight suddenly becomes all the more illuminating. Not because of the sun, that’s long gone, but because seeing The Horrors in anything other than pitch black is just wrong. The majority of ‘Primary Colours’ is aired today and whilst ‘New Ice Age’ and ‘Who Could Say’ sound good Faris Badwan and co. are missing their mojo today. Offering very little in the way of charisma or stage presence is unlike The Horrors but it’s a crime they are guilty of today. A performance to forget.

Currently hijacking the critical acclaim train that The Horrors have ridden for 6 months are Wild Beasts. Their new album ‘Two Dancers’ is getting critics hot under the collar and as they take to the stage you can see why. ‘The Fun Powder Plot’ and ‘Hooting and Howling’ get an early airing and go to show just how special a band Wild Beasts are, weird and beautiful they have the world at their feet. There is just time to hear ‘The Devil’s Crayon before dashing over to the Bugged Out! Tent to hear Little Boots reviving the ghost of Billie Piper and the Venga Boys. Perhaps it’s harsh but there is something missing in Victroia Hesketh’s arsenal, something critical. The songs are all fantastic as a celebratory ‘Click’ and the ever-brilliant ‘Stuck On Repeat’ show but much of the performance feels like a façade, an episode of Faking It dragged into reality. One day Victoria Hesketh will write a decade defining song however on today’s evidence it won’t be for herself.

Around 7pm the heavens truly open and the rain pours incessantly. A dripping wet mass descend upon The Big Pink to hear their intense set of industrial lullabies. Today working as a three piece the band are uncompromising in their aggression but do more than cater to the casual viewer with a series of sing along choruses and hit singles. Kicking off with ‘Too Young To Love’ the trio then descend into a sludge of feedback and beats which grind together in a wistful fashion. Perhaps the setlist is mismanaged as many album tracks are played in sequence before a crashing finale of ‘Velvet’ and ‘Dominos’ but The Big Pink get away with it. Of all the new bands on display today The Big Pink seem most likely to rapidly work their way up the pecking order over the next 12 months.

Headline time brought something of a conundrum. Do you go for the earnest and epic Mogwai or the fun but frivolous Mystery Jets? Despite knowing Mystery Jets will be more enjoyable there is a part of you that thinks you need to see Mogwai, to be educated in the ways of post rock and how not to be a silly indie boy. However after 45 minutes of punishing and relentless intrumentals the brain begins to turn to mush and the sounds of Eel Pie Island become all the more enticing. Running headlong into the Mystery Jets throng we hear the biggest sing-along of the day for ‘Two Doors Down’ and a celebratory ‘Behind The Bunhouse’. Blaine Harrison et al leave the stage victorious and the grinning crowd leave Victoria Park for another year with fingers crossed for a day of sunshine this time next year.

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Singles of 2008 (24-11)

11.Mystery Jets- 2 Doors Down
12.Santogold- L.E.S Artistes
13.Vampire Weekend- A-Punk
14.Dels- Lazy
15.Florence & The Machine- Kiss With A Fist- LIVE REVIEW

Santogold- 'L.E.S Artistes'

16.Bon Iver- Skinny Love
17.Fleet Foxes- White Winter Hymnal
18.Metronomy- Radio Ladio
19.Golden Silvers- Arrows Of Eros
20.Young Knives- Turn Tail

Bon Iver- 'Skinny Love'

21.Late Of The Pier- Focker
22.Bloc Party- Mercury
23.Kings Of Leon- Sex On Fire
24.Weezer- Pork and Beans
25.Magistrates- Make This Work

Weezer- 'Pork and Beans' (Funnest. Video. Ever)

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