News / Stream: My picks for the Glastonbury ETC Longlist

As announced in January, BlackPlastic.co.uk has once again featured in the panel of bloggers that judge the initial submissions of artists for the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition. Judging the competition is always tough - this year I had 153 bands to consider and whittling that down to just three is incredibly difficult, but I'm delighted to be able to confirm my final three choices.

In no particular order, my three choices:

1. Over My Soul - IISO

A very mysterious one, and sadly there is no public link, but you can get a sense of what they are about on their Facebook page. Anyway, trust me - subtle, emotive and sublime.

2. A Thousand Miles From Home - Aelius

Again, the track isn't public, but you can check out the band's last (self-titled) EP below. Like post-rock seen through the eyes of the lead character from Drive.

Written and Produced by AELIUS Mixed by Martin Roberts and Lee Tyler Mastered by Phil Joannides @ PushTheFrequency.com www.WeAreAelius.com www.facebook.com/WeAreAelius twitter.com/WeAreAelius - - - - - Aelius have recently launched their debut self-titled EP, where dynamic, ethereal electronics crash into the bones of Post-Rock. The haunting debut track 'Echoes...' has been met with fiery hot response from blogs, heralding it a "magisterial beauty" and a "blazing synth anthem". The four-piece is headed by songwriters Martin Roberts and Lee Tyler, who are responsible for all aspects of the records production; programming, recording and mixing everything within the enclaves of their East London studio. Having played sold out shows at both The Barfly and The Garage at the end of the year, the band has been met with a huge response after unleashing an impressive live show. Aelius are now hard at work on their forthcoming album.

3. AMILLION - Black Gold Buffalo

Lush. R&B influenced pop that sounds like it was beamed into my ears from Mars. Expect more from these guys soon.

Check out the full longlist here, and Glastonbury have a Soundcloud playlist with every public song here.

Single Review: Jealousy - Roisin Murphy

With Roisin Murphy About to unleash her new album Hairless Toys, the first since 2008's fantastic Overpowered, it feels like the perfect time for this new release on Crosstown Rebels.

Jealousy isn't featured on the new album - instead it is somewhat of a one-off tribute from Murphy to fans of deep house and disco. Cowritten and produced by DJ Parrot AKA The Crooked Man (formerly of Sweet Exorcist and All Seeing I), this is a bit of a meeting of minds for the two Sheffield legends. In Murphy's own words, "Parrot understands dancing music and he understands me. This is fast and furious; he says it's roller­disco music. The backing track sounded so frantic, the lyric wasn't long coming to me, all I had to do was try to create a vocal as demented as the music!"

The track features in two forms, and I find it impossible to decide which is my favourite. The house mix is sinister and minimal, Murphy's vocal deranged and striking, the bass hook irresistible.

In comparison the disco mix plays like a pitched up Nile Rodgers production, packed with glamour, funk guitar riffs and strings. Murphy's vocal seems to taunt the listener with the insistent repetition of the track's title. My only complaint would be it could do with slowing down just a little... Like, what's the rush guys?

Still - Murphy demonstrates her continuing taste and Parrot demonstrates Sheffield's still got it... What's not to like?

‘Jealousy’ is recorded especially for Crosstown Rebels and additional to Roisin's forthcoming album. This is an unashamed slice of dance-floor hedonism from the acclaimed singer, featuring Roisin’s compelling vocals in both a house and disco workout. Co-written and produced by the great-unsung modern day house hero, The Crooked Man AKA DJ Parrot, formally of Sweet Exorcist (Warp) and All Seeing I amongst many other aliases, he has been a bastion of the Sheffield sound since the late '80's. The single is also mixed by the legendary Eric Kupper, who was a production partner with Frankie Knuckles and Dave Morales and whose K-Scope releases were a staple of 90's American NY House. "Parrot understands dancing music and he understands me. This is fast and furious; he says it's roller-disco music. The backing track sounded so frantic, the lyric wasn't long coming to me, all I had to do was try to create a vocal as demented as the music!" Roisin Murphy Murphy has become one of the most competent, enduring and influential figures in the pop, disco and electronic music worlds. The Irish singer-songwriter originally broke into the charts as the front woman for Moloko, delivering music that was leftfield electronic and pop-orientated. Her consequent output, two stunning solo albums, and the beautiful EP with The Vinyl Factory alongside guest vocal presence on labels like Hot Creations and Permanent Vacation have ensured Roisin’s enduring legacy and constant evolution as an artist.

‘Jealousy’ is recorded especially for Crosstown Rebels and additional to Roisin's forthcoming album. This is an unashamed slice of dance-floor hedonism from the acclaimed singer, featuring Roisin’s compelling vocals in both a house and disco workout. Co-written and produced by the great-unsung modern day house hero, The Crooked Man AKA DJ Parrot, formally of Sweet Exorcist (Warp) and All Seeing I amongst many other aliases, he has been a bastion of the Sheffield sound since the late '80's. The single is also mixed by the legendary Eric Kupper, who was a production partner with Frankie Knuckles and Dave Morales and whose K-Scope releases were a staple of 90's American NY House. "Parrot understands dancing music and he understands me. This is fast and furious; he says it's roller-disco music. The backing track sounded so frantic, the lyric wasn't long coming to me, all I had to do was try to create a vocal as demented as the music!" Roisin Murphy Murphy has become one of the most competent, enduring and influential figures in the pop, disco and electronic music worlds. The Irish singer-songwriter originally broke into the charts as the front woman for Moloko, delivering music that was leftfield electronic and pop-orientated. Her consequent output, two stunning solo albums, and the beautiful EP with The Vinyl Factory alongside guest vocal presence on labels like Hot Creations and Permanent Vacation have ensured Roisin’s enduring legacy and constant evolution as an artist.

Stream: Trabajar - LTO

The No Pasa Nada EP is a heady cloud of greyscale sound design, ghostly timbres and deep sonics. It is at once challenging and mesmerising, crafted in part from found sound and field recordings, treated and disguised beyond their origins. The result is a production neither fully organic nor mechanic, with a nocturnal miasma and a fierce intellect. The No Pasa Nada name and track titles - common Spanish verbs - are informed by LTO’s backpacking travels through South America, as much a field recording excursion as a cultural tour. pre-order: injazerorecords.bandcamp.com/releases www.facebook.com/ltomusicuk

I've been meaning to post this track from Bristol musician LTO for a few days but have only just really got around to it. There's a lush loose and flexible sound to Trabajar that you can't help but want to move to - it's gorgeously mechanical and yet also feels so alive. There's more than a hint of Autechre and Ricardo Villalobos to this...

Having first rose to attention as part of the Old Apparatus Collective in 2011, LTO is a solo project. Trabajar is taken from LTO's second solo release, the EP No Pasa Nada, which is due on Injazero Records soon. The titles Trabajar and No Pasa Nada are both Spanish verbs and the influence of LTO's journeys across South America is clear not just in the titles, but in the sound and atmosphere of this music. Trabajar is intricately planned and thrillingly alive. Love.

Stream: Borders - The Half Earth

The Half Earth has just released this lovely breathless track on Soundcloud in advance of his forthcoming EP Light Breaks In. The Half Earth, real name Conor Stephenson, is a native Sheffield musician and this is the first track to be previewed from the EP since Glass, a track that gained over 20,000 plays on Soundcloud when it was put online ten months ago.

During that time Stephenson has been busy working with producer Rich Cooper, who has previously worked with Mystery Jets and Banks, to turn early demos into fully formed numbers like Borders. Expect swirling orchestral emotions with touches of electronic and folk-influenced production.

You can catch The Half Earth on tour with Lucy Rose (see the dates on her Facebook page).

Album Review: Ripe 4 Luv - Young Guv

Young Guv seems to have come a little out of nowhere this year, and relative unknown with a confusing backstory and huge potential. When not Young Guv, Ben Cook play guitar in Canadian punk band Fucked Up or ghost writes material for Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson amongst others. Yep, you read that right.

Ripe 4 Luv isn't Taylor Swift, but then it sure isn't abrasive punk either. Instead it is part Prince, part-glossy 70s AOR but more than anything this is wonderful slightly psychedelic pop music. Alongside Ariel Pink and Blood Orange, Cook seems intent to recontextualised some of the best moments of pop and soul from the past 40 years or so, and the result is a treat. 

At just 32-minutes long Ripe 4 Luv doesn't stick around for long, but it does a lot with that time. Opener Crushing Sensation pairs clipped guitars and a drum-machine rhythm with Cook's falsetto vocals and plenty of dreamy 'Oooh ooohs'. The title track feels like a cruise down a Californian highway as the sun sets, overdubbed vocals shimmering as the chorus rolls out. It's a restrained yet staggeringly warming listen.

Such moments of unadulterated pop joy contrast to the album's more experimental moments. Aquarian's fuzzy drum set rhythms and half-heard keyboards compliment the dream like vocals. Dear Drew is a urgent panic attack of clattered rhythms and vocal harmonics that feels like the intro to a bizarre early 80s sitcom that the world missed out on.

Ripe 4 Luv closes with the 7-minute plus Wrong Crowd, which is exactly the sort of swirling soul-influenced pop it feels like Young Guv is building to the whole time. Cook's delicate vocals tell the story of a man wrongly convicted of a robbery as he writes to his wife. It's bizarre and beautiful, and as it ends it is hard not to be confused by the rapidly paced slew of ideas you have just consumed. Ripe 4 Luv feels like it is halfway between a demo and a proper album - the ideas feel quickly created and yet at times the production is sublime. Like the best albums, it is both alienatingly different to everything else you will hear this year, and instantly enjoyable.

Ripe 4 Luv is released through Slumberland on 10 March. Available for pre-order from Amazon.co.uk on CD, LP and MP3 [affiliate links].

Taken from the album "Ripe 4 Luv." Out March 10th on Slumberland Records. Pre-order iTunes: http://smarturl.it/ripe4luv Pre-order LP/CD: http://www.slumberlandrecords.com/catalog/show/282 From: Harry Winklebottom To: Social Media/Marketing/Sales Re: who is Young Guv and why is he ripe for love? Who's @youngguv? He's still underground, but everyone will know him soon. Right now, he only has 1500 followers, so we need to get this kid a checkmark as soon as possible. Here's the rundown: He's a white boy in a backwards snapback with fake Emoji neck tattoos. He's ripped bald kid fronting one of the most important and successful hardcore bands in Toronto history. He's a ghostwriter eating pasta as he pens al dente tunes for the likes of Sum 41, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, a few Canadian Idols, Snow, a slew of hardcore bands, Maroon 5 and one or two OVO affiliates. He's a tortured artist turning down Katy Perry's edits to his tunes because she didn't like his babies as they were. He's a child actor playing Ryan Gosling's sexy little brother. Do I need to go on? @youngguv is Ben Cook, and he's putting out an album, "Ripe 4 Luv," on one of the greatest labels ever, Slumberland Records. Having been around for a minute, Guv has decided to put together a set of pop tunes that shows off his range as a performer, singer, songwriter, style icon and retweet-worthy pop star. I've heard the album, and its ready to head to marketing. We don't need a billboard for this one, all we need to do is release a single and get it trending worldwide. We're going to break Nielsen SoundScan. We're going straight to #1 on iTunes! Guv got it right the first time with his band No Warning, one of the only Canadian hardcore acts to achieve recognition from major labels in the U.S. He parlayed this experience into a successful career as the creeper peaking through the curtain as better-looking people sing his songs to an appreciative audience. In addition to writing for pop royalty and no-name punk acts, Young Guv has spent the last 7 years playing guitar in fellow Toronto legends Fucked Up, selling 10's of 1000's of singles recorded in various bedrooms, and helping put the East End back on the GTA's music map with his Bad Actors imprint. Guv has been around for a while, and now he's helping new, young talent get around and release classic records. How could you not like this guy? He's got the bone structure to go viral at any moment. "Ripe 4 Luv" is a beautiful album for beautiful people. Plus, it really shows off his range. There's only one way to describe this record: Guv sings like Prince into expensive audio-nerd mics over power pop backing tracks that evoke Big Star after they got some nookie but before they became depressed about their failure to appeal to the right audience. If that's not good enough for you, then it sounds like Cheap Trick produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Or how about Drake's producer 40 manning the boards for a Hall & Oates session? Any of those will help sell this record to the blogs, just pick one and run with it.  That's it, that's what you get when you stream "Ripe 4 Luv" on Spotify. I'm telling you, this album is just perfect for Billboard's Trending 140 chart. We're going to be rich!