Album Review: Talk/Brag - Philco Fiction

Oslo duo Philco Fiction have been drop feeding us with tracks from their sophomore album midway through last year. Here together as a full album are singles Bodies, June 17, the title track Talk/Brag and Runimals, and they come alongside four new tracks to round out the release.

Which is to say Talk/Brag doesn't hang around and it certainly doesn't overstay it's welcome. The album is less than 40-minutes long, and with so few tracks it is hard not to want more, yet everything here is pretty much spot on. Carefully constructed and played Scandinavian pop music. Careful, understated and gorgeously infectious.

The previous singles still shine. June 17 maintains its smouldering sound and Turid Alida's soaring vocal, creating a track that sounds like it looks you in the eye as it empties your wallet. It's the aural equivalent talking to the smartest guy in the room. Runimals is both slow moving and funky as hell, the brass stabs in the bridge a stark contrast to the track's gently flowing verse.

The title track is still the sound of the band at their absolute best, an eighties riffing pop masterclass, Alida's vocals gently reverberating in the midst of strong drum kicks and smooth electronic soundscapes that feel part sassy pop, part meticulously plotted hi-fidelity dad rock.

The new tracks hold up their end of the deal. Move On Frank is moody and sparsely plotted, the lyrical harmonies betraying a sensitivity that recurs throughout the band's work. Album closer 2pm is a thrilling conclusion - a tale of dissatisfaction and malaise that descends into an extended electronic finale, pounding drums recreating the dance music Alida's vocals appear to be trying to avoid. It punctuates the album like a heavy-set exclamation mark, and leaves me wanting so much more.

Talk/Brag by Philco Fiction is out today via Killing Moon Records. You can currently listen to the album in full on Soundcloud below:

Stream: Direction - Hugh

Direction is the latest song from Joshua Idehen's band Hugh, and it's probably their most personal record to date. In Idehen's own words:

"I thought I'd share a track I wrote a few years back, around the time I was falling out of love with my own christian beliefs. I'd been following the LGBTQIA movement online and I thought the catholic stance on same sex marriage was kind of sad: I'd grown up believing 'God is Love' and it didn't make sense to include a 'terms and conditions' to it."

The song took six months to complete and it's writing concluded at the time in his life when Idehen realised he no longer believed in god. It's a beautiful record that portrays the inner conflict we feel when two fundamental beliefs, here religion and freedom and equality, are at odds. The middle section, featuring the line "Do you believe, believe in love? In all kinds of love?", gives me goosebumps every time. Over the past few years I've become even more aware of the importance of respecting the rights of others to love who they want to love and I admire the honesty and bravery on display here.

a song about losing faith. from hugh, to you. www.hughlovehugh.com

Stream: Body - Elle Watson

There are some seriously sultry vocals and big space at play here on Body by new artist Elle Watson. The track was written in Stockholm and deals with Stockholm syndrome - influenced by the novel You by Caroline Kepnes, the song comes from the troubled perspective of someone who is stalked and confined only to fall in love with their captor. A dark and troubling but cinematic track.

EP Review: We Can Talk - Satin Jackets feat. Emma Brammer

We Can Talk is the latest release on Belgium's brilliant Eskimo from Satin Jackets. Featuring Emma Brammer on vocals, it's a straight-up house-influenced pop record and it comes with the announcement of the duo's debut album. On the release German producer Time Bernhardt and lead performer Den Ishu said:

"We Can Talk sets the pace for the upcoming album … the album itself will be diverse and versatile. Two years of our heart and soul poured into it so it’s going to be the full listening experience."

The track layers looped piano melodies, string effects and tight percussion together with Brammer's gorgeously infectious vocals. The London-based artist explains the lyrics behind the song as dealing with your first love when things go wrong:

"I was hooked on the track [from] the first time. The lyrics are about the exciting and painful first love maybe it's not so good for you but it feels historical. Loved working with Tim just good vibes and good tunes."

The original is classic Eskimo stuff - sunny and melodic. Packaged up with it in this release is a remix from Munich-resident, Portuguese-native Moullinex. He deconstructs much of the original to create a more-cosmic sounding version with lots of space given over to that vocal. It culminates in a deep, acid-soaked crescendo complete with a cool punk-funk bassline. Finally German producer Larse rounds out the release with a darker dub version.

Stream: Heading Home - Gryffin Ft. Josef Salvat

New York artist Gryffin has just unveiled Heading Home, his debut single featuring Australian vocalist Josef Salvet, coming out via Darkroom/Interscope Records. Griffin has already made a name for himself on the remix scene having racked up 100 million streams in the past year. This marks a new moment for the musician as he focuses on his own material.

Heading Home is itself an epic slice of electronic pop - pumping synths build the record to a climax whilst Salvat's vocals create a huge emotional hook... It's a thrilling start to Gryffin's solo career and to 2016!