Premier: Mechanical Sparrow - Atella feat. O. Martin

Atella's Mechanical Sparrow is the latest release from Eskimo, and with warm synths and a soft vocal delivery from O. Martin they have created a gorgeous electronic record.

Hailing from Bergen, Sparrow smacks of Norwegian cool - perfectly understated production that pushes all the right buttons to give off an effortlessly refined sound. Summer-sounding jazzy keys and gorgeously muted guitars call to mind Röyksopp at their best. The whole record gently opens up much like the wings of the mechanical sparrow it depicts - purposeful, electronic and perfectly weightless.

In addition to the gorgeous original, a slightly toughened up club mix is included in the release, adding an elastic bassline to a funked up version of those same keys. It's a perfectly pitched reimagining of the original, just as good but a little different. Finally the Man Power remix strips the track back to the bones, focusing all the attention on the instrumental sophistication. Mechanical Sparrow is a track that benefits from the scrutiny, making all three mixes pretty much essential.

Listen to the original version of Mechanical Sparrow below. The full EP is available online now.

Out now on Eskimo Recordings. http://newsrecords.lnk.to/mechanicalsparrow Deep in the depths of Norway (Bergen to be precise), https://soundcloud.com/atella and O. Martin have been brewing up ‘Mechanical Sparrow’ for Eskimo recordings, with club remix and rework from Man Power. The original gives a nod to their expansive environment and the sounds of Air or Royksopp, sweeping melodies, majestic vocals, and luscious French “Phoenix” guitar. The Atella Club Mix is friendlier for those seeking out the ebbs of the night, while Man Power’s remix reveals the bare bones of ‘Mechanical Sparrow’, it’s delicate wings in pensive flight contemplating a divine dreamstate, in the style of Mount Kimbie and Bonobo. Atella are Magnus & Johannes who hilariously stumbled upon each other at a piggy back race. They have remixed fellow Norwegian Lindstrom and indie-electronica outfit Lemaitre. They debuted on Eskimo with ‘The Monster’ back in 2014, a track that was recently featured in ‘Scream’, the TV series spin off from the film trilogy. Back then they were remixed by UK electronic darlings, Stubborn Heart, while Atella’s latest release features a remix from another UK aficionado, Man Power, the elusive producer for his work on Correspondent and John Talabot’s Hivern Discs. The track features O. Martin, a close musical ally of Aurora (infamous for the music on the current John Lewis Christmas ad) which gave life to this collaboration, as Atella explains “When Atella and O. Martin met in the studio in Bergen, Norway, there was chemistry right away. They just started jamming, recorded several acoustic instruments and then brought in the organic-electronic sound. O. Martin composed text and melody and Mechanical Sparrow was born.” TRACKLIST 1. Atella feat. O. Martin - Mechanical Sparrow 2. Atella feat. O. Martin - Mechanical Sparrow (Atella Club Mix) 3. Atella feat. O. Martin - Mechanical Sparrow (Man Power Remix)

Album Review: Neon Grey - L.A. Girlfriend

Neon Grey is the latest album from L.A. Girlfriend, who first came to my attention back in 2014 when she released her EP Varsity. Inspired by the 80s sounds of New Order and Iron Maiden that she grew up with, L.A. Girlfriend is the musical project of L.A. based artist Sydney Banta. 

Whilst previous album VIVA was concerned with externalities - reactions to people, places and time - Neon Grey is a more inwardly focused. In Banta's own words, "[Neon Grey] is VIVA‘s introspective counterpart; a story of consequences, documenting an aftermath of emotions".

That album title perfectly encapsulates the L.A. Girlfriend sound, a pit of gravel topped off with a bucket of candy. Banta's vocals and lo-fi delivery create the sort of no fi anti-folk sound more akin to Courtney Barnett or Kimya Dawson, but she marries those to fuzzy, shoe-gaze aesthetic that at times boarders on abrasive. 

Little Do I Know pounds with mechanically precise harsh drum beats and raw synth sounds. XIV accelerates through a wall of scratchy guitars, seemingly unable to slow down. Closely Subliminal Fantastic is dream-like, the half-remembered snatches of a night long since past. Banta's music captures a sentiment and a sense of an emotion before she has even uttered a word.

Neon Grey is out now and can be streamed in full on Soundcloud below:

Neon Grey LP By L.A. Girlfriend Release date: February 3, 2016 http://lagirlfriendmusic.com/ http://lagirlfriend.bandcamp.com/ http://facebook.com/lagirlfriend http://twitter.com/L_A_Girlfriend https://www.instagram.com/lagirlfriend/ Available on Spotify & iTunes ©L.A. Girlfriend 2016 | Bantakat

Stream: Unstoppable - Paperwhite

Paperwhite first came to my attention back in 2014 when they unveiled Pieces and their subsequent debut EP Magic... Both were packed with infectious hooks and earned them the title of "Most Blogged Artist" twice.

I've been looking forward to hearing what brother and sister duo Katie and Ben Marshall come up with next and Unstoppable is the second track to come out on the run-up to their second EP Escape. This is Paperwhite at their best - doused in neon optimism. In the band's own words Unstoppable is "a reminder to find strength in the chaos and beauty in the unknown."

Written, and Produced by Paperwhite Mixed by Chris Zane Mastered by Joe LaPorta at Sterling Sound Artwork by Taylor Lucas www.facebook.com/paperwhitemusic Twitter - @paperwhitemusic Instagram - @paperwhitemusic

Stream: Wounds - Ryan Vail

Derry-based musician Ryan Vail is inspired by both electronic and modern-classical music. Having previously released three EPs, soundtracked an entire BBC2 documentary The Longest Night and jointly released the album Sea Legs with Ciaran Lavery, Vail is now about to release his debut solo  album For Every Silence.

Wounds comes ahead of that debut album and features a restrained soft-electronic style of production, suiting the hushed tone of the track and its vocals perfectly. It sounds like a track gentle spun out of the night-time mind of a wandering insomniac.

‘For Every Silence’ – Released 25th March via Pledge , 1st April General Release in stores Ryan Vail is a musician and composer with vision and ideas. The Derry-born artist draws his inspiration from the worlds of electronic and modern classical music, bringing them together with unique instrumentation and an emphasis on the immediacy of live performance above all. So far he has released three EPs on Belfast label Champion Sound and a collaborative album with singer-songwriter Ciaran Lavery – 'Sea Legs' was released on Quiet Arch and nominated for the 2015 Northern Ireland Music Prize alongside eventual winner SOAK, Duke Special and Tim Wheeler of Ash. In 2014 he composed the soundtrack for a full-length BBC2 documentary entitled The Longest Night', part of the BBC's True North series. The following year, he composed a solo piano piece for World Piano Day, which was chosen for composer Nils Frahm’s Piano Day playlist on Soundcloud. Ryan has had radio play or performed live sessions with Zane Lowe, Annie Mac, Tom Ravenscroft, Tom Robinson, Phil Taggart and Other Voices, and he has performed alongside many international live acts, including Nils Frahm, Jamie xx, Jon Hopkins, Tycho, Todd Terje, Luke Vibert and Orbital. Now he's ready to release his debut solo album – and it's 89 years in the making. It's the story of a piano that was made in England in 1927, shipped to Derry in Northern Ireland, cherished by Ryan's wife's family and restored for use on a stunning debut album, where the warm, well-loved character of the instrument takes centre stage. Today Ryan shares the first cut off of his debut album ‘Wounds’, of which he says “the track is about a piano who wants to be played but is ignored in his own room, the previous owner was a radio enthusiast so this explains the radio sample. It’s one of the most electronic tracks on the album. “ That's not to say that Vail has completely left behind his signature sound of vintage synthesisers, tense electronic beats and his own hushed vocals, but in recent years he has developed a passionate interest in artists that blur the lines between electronic music and modern classical – the likes of Nils Frahm, Jon Hopkins and Max Richter. With this old piano, he found a new muse that brought him closer to that world while allowing him to remain true to himself. The piano's story is brought to life in a number of ways. There are haunting instrumentals, such as the opening 1927, which also features the violin of Belfast musician Rachael Boyd, and the delicate closer My Mechanical Insides. There is poetry written and read from the piano's own perspective by Seattle poet and visual artist Hexxr – "Your hands seduce me easily," it suggests, early in the album. The chiming synth arpeggios, surging basslines and steady beats on Wounds and Never recall producers like Jon Hopkins and Matthew Dear, while Derry singer Eoin O'Callaghan (aka Best Boy Grip) turns in a jaw-dropping performance on the track Under The White Wash, his voice layered upon itself to create a stunning choral effect. Ryan's wife Katie plays flute on the track Faces and sings on Mirrors and, significantly, there's a recording of a rousing speech by her uncle, the late Joe Cosgrove, a prominent doctor and peace campaigner in Derry, and the original owner of the piano. In using all of these different collaborators and sample sources, and combining them with his own acoustic and electronic compositions and recordings – always recorded live in as few takes as possible – Ryan Vail has achieved something very special, telling a story through his music. For Every Silence is an innovative, moving and beautiful piece of work by a hugely talented artist. Notes for Editors Ryan is currently running a pledge campaign where the album , alongside limited goodies such as original artwork, signed copies and limited 7” singles can be ordered http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/foreverysilence

Stream: Wildfire (Autograf Remix) - Seafret

Autograf has just put out this remix of Seafret's gently emotive folky ballad Wildfire, and it's a stormer. Having worked with Odesza, Faithless, Lorde, Fat Boy Slim and Avicii, Autograf have a track record of turning out popular remixes. Here they translate the gently strummed original into a taught electronic pop epic.