EP Review: Holiday's Over EP - Tom Demac vs. Silverclub

Canada's My Favorite Robot seem to be having a bit of a run at the moment with a series of strong releases over recent months. This one just might be my favourite.

The hot humid summer sun seems to have finally descended on London as I write this and perversely the dubby electro of 'Holiday's Over' feels very appropriate. This release sees producer Tom Demac team up with Manchester band Silverclub to create something loose feeling electronic record.

And you can tell this is a band rather than just a producer, the two original tracks here sounding much more like songs than you get from the usual dance releases on twelves. 'Holiday's Over' has layers of bass and synth that create a heavy, tangible feel whilst Silverclub vocalist Duncan Edward Jones' vocal croons his way to a broken heart. 'Throat Trip' takes things up a notch, a melange of massive Prince-style drums and the vocals of a sexual-aggressor.

Both tracks have a slightly oppressive muggy feel to them that isn't entirely inappropriate given the weather. The synth heavy funk feel combines with the dark lyrical tone to great effect too - like early Nine Inch Nails but without the obviousness of the guitars and the screaming angst.

Two remixes are on offer alongside the originals. Buzzin Fly's Flowers & Sea take 'Holiday's Over' to an even more dubby place that retains the vocals but focuses more on the spooky ambient atmospherics and drums. The Tiger Stripes mix of 'Throat Trip' shuffles to a slightly tighter, more minimal groove that makes it the most dance floor friendly track here - it isn't quite as catchy as the original but it creates a nice tight twist on it all the same.

Holiday's Over is released on My Favourite Robot Records on 28 May on 12" and 4 June digitally.

Video: Into Midnight - Jon Porras

Jon Porras is one half of Barn Owl but this video is taken from his recent solo side project, the album Black Mesa. I'd strongly urge you to check out the video above and give the album a listen - it's a spellbinding 45-minute journey.

Black Mesa was inspired by searching for hope in a barren land and it hits the nail firmly on the head. The combination of guitar and feedback perfectly distills disconcerting wandering through a desert wasteland. I've mentioned Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption before and this sounds like it is purpose built for that games rainy storms and desert rides. The soundtrack was one of the best things about that game for the way it built atmosphere. Here Porras creates music that almost hurts to listen to it's so atmospheric and emotive. Brilliant.

This video staring Porras himself fits the song perfectly too - all grainy and weirdly horrific.

Album Review: Human Woman - Human Woman

I'm a little bit in love with Iceland. The geography, the culture and definitely the music. For an island with a population of approximately 300,000 it really has far more interesting music than it ought to. Björk, Sigur Ros, Mum, Jóhann Jóhannson. The best thing about Icelandic music is nothing ever feels phoned-in. No-one is ever just riding the latest bandwagon. Every single Icelandic artist I ever heard did something they clearly cared about and usually it'll end up pretty unique.

One of the most under-exposed Icelandic bands in recent years was Trabant. Making a noisy hyper-sexualised racket that sounded like Prince singing a Freddy Mercury number backed up by the Clash, yet they somehow never really caught on, even when Norman Cook picked up their debut album for Southern Fried. And this despite playing for the Icelandic president, as seen in this bizarre sequence from the fantastic Icelandic music documentary Screaming Masterpiece.

Human Woman is the new project from Trabant's Gisli Galdur Thorgeirsson, together with producer Jón Atli Helgason, and whilst it isn't quite as downright messy as Trabant it is still pretty fabulous. There is a lot melodic bass work and tight percussion here that calls to mind the baggy trousers of Madchester and the Stone Roses via Fujiya & Miyagi. As an album Human Woman blends this with some heavy electronics to make something that has moments of dubby, detailed introspection next to choruses and lyrics from a pop song, as demonstrated by the twisted mid-section of 'White Night'. That kind of combination could feelawkward but there are no such problems here.

There are moments that veer a little more in either direction but the overall album is well balanced. 'Einn Eftir', complete with strings and a jumble of drums, may be less dance floor focused but the production is still fantastically layered to make a complex sounding whole. 'Lazer & Magic' is stretched out and disorientating whilst 'DDDI' throbs and bristles with steely guitar strums and waves of distorted melodies.

Human Woman closes with 'Sleepy', a swirling cacophony of melody, before a neo-classical ghost track. It is a conclusion that highlights both similarities with Thorgeirsson's earlier work (ambition and an 'anything goes' attitude) and yet also contrasts greatly. You cannot help but miss some of the flamboyance and the scuffed edges of Trabant even though this is perhaps the more completely realised album.

Human Woman is out now on HFN, you can order it on Amazon.co.uk on CD and LP (out of stock at time of writing) [affiliate link].

Album Review: Mathias Stubø - Mathias Stubø

Image source: Adressa.noHailing from Norway and at just 18 years old Mathias Stubø's new self-titled album is a lovely collage of electro, tight punchy drums, whirling melodies and loose moments of free-falling jazz. Both of Stubø's parents are jazz musicians and his early years listening to jazz and fusion records provide the muse for much that is offered here.

It feels like some time since we heard a left field record quite like this - a record that is so packed full of joy, with kitchen-sink eclecticism and a happy-melodies-a-plenty. Think Röyksopp and Mr Scruff rummaging through a set of old Blue Note records whilst DJ Shadow focuses on making a few beats in the back room. And beats there are, for while this isn't a dark record it can still rock hard, as on psychedelic, bass-heavy 'Fly With Me'.

This is an album arranged into two halves. Part one is entitled High Frequency Feelings and is a bit grittier with hard beats and heavier bass. Part two, Soul Touch, is where more of the soul and jazz influences break out, as on the snappy freeform drums, stuttering piano and vocal snatches of 'Oss To'.

Whilst this is clearly an album of moments and ideas rather than songs there are still some stand out moments. The big spaces and fuller vocal of 'Soon a Brighter Day' have already seen it confirmed as a single and it obvious why. The penultimate 'Knock On My Door' also leaves a lasting impact, a hopeful prayer of a song with glimmering melodies.

Mathias comes across most comfortable when the jazz flows forward though, as on 'Don't Look Down'. The bass may be large and loud but it is the trumpet work that steals the show, creating a timeless beauty within this record.

Mathias Stubø is released soon on BBE, you can pre-order it on CD from Amazon.co.uk now [affiliate link].

Listen to 'Soon a Brighter Day' on Spotify:

Video: Heartbreak - Age of Consent

Some eighties influenced electro for you here. It's very Depeche Mode and the production is pretty tight, the distortion heavy interplay between synths and vocals about two thirds in is particularly good. The percussion is also pretty good - hard and electronic yet funky.

No surprises this was produced by Luke Smith who has previously worked with Depeche Mode and Foals. 'Heartbreak' is released as a single on 11 June but you can pre-order and get the digital download imediately here.