Streaming below is “Coast 2 Coast” an excerpt from Melbourne AU artist Mike Katz a/k/a Harvey Sutherland’s new “Expectations” EP. The six-track EP will be released a week from today (3/24) on Sutherland’s own label Clarity Recordings. “Coast 2 Coast” is a rhodes-driven bit of beachside funk topped off with just enough mellowness in its syncopations to set the right vibe at nearly any hour of the day.
Luunes are the Australian duo of Sam Litchfield and Anna Milat. On “Torrents”, the twosome operate in an idiom of vibe-y R&B-tinged dream pop boosted up by A+ production and arrangement ideas (we love the little bits of percussive guitar in the choruses particularly).
We’re digging the feel good Sunday afternoon R&B of “Save Your Love” from Italian-Danish newcomer Mikala. “Save Your Love” excels on it’s spot-on alto main vocal and fresh production that gets the old head noddin in a hurry. We love.
Dark and sultry artist Jamie Isaac is coming to the US to tour for the first time since releasing his stunning debut album Couch Baby via Marathon Artists. His lush new sound of hauntingly mesmerizing and romantic electronic ballads, tinged with jazz and hip hop throughout makes this brilliant debut one of our favorite new albums. The South East London native got a chance to re-visit the album for a re-release of Couch Baby which features covers, remixes and collaborations with Allan Kingdom, Denzel Curry, Salomon Faye, and Wiki and Sporting Life (formerly of RATKING). Before heading out on tour this Thursday, Jamie Isaac spoke to us about creating the album, his early influences shaping his sound, and what he’s looking forward to most with his upcoming US tour.
How has it been since releasing your debut Couch Baby?
It’s been great, a fully refreshing and relaxing time, when you spend so much time writing and recording an album like I did sometimes it’s hard to see the bigger picture in terms of where you would like the music to go, but as soon as it was sealed and in a physical form in my hands you can start experimenting again with genres and styles.
When do you know a song is finished? Do you still ever look back and have new ideas for old songs?
Sometimes you never really know, there are points where I listen back to the album now and think ‘I could have done this there’ but you have to have the confidence in yourself to say that sometimes less is more, you can add and add to a song forever if you wanted to but sometimes there is beauty in the simplicity.
On a related note, how was it being able to revisit the album/ add new remixes, songs and covers with the new re-release via Marathon Artists?
It was again very relaxing, it was a pleasure finding and asking so many other artists like Allan Kingdom, Wiki, Denzel Curry etc- artists I respect and have wanted to work with for some time now. hearing their take on the music was a great feeling and the additions of all the features on this album have lifted the tracks.
What helped you find and form your sound when creating Couch Baby? Has it changed since then with any new music you are creating?
I was listening to a lot more recent music, a lot of early 2000s R&B and kind of wanted to make an album that had all the emotion and style of a Chet Baker record but updated and maybe sometimes more aggressve. I wanted to make an album that could be performed live well, and have an impact when people first heard it.
How has it been performing these songs live? Are you excited to bring the live show to the US? What are you looking forward to most about the tour?
It’s been a lot of fun, it’s been different from the other records I brought out- mostly because people can actually move to it, it’s great seeing people dance to it, and that’s why I’m excited to go to the U.S. just seeing more people move to it and being around that excitement.
Were you always involved with music growing up? What made you decide to pursue it as a career?
Yeah I was always around music, my parents are big music lovers and it was always played loud and for long periods. I sang in a choir when I was a kid and that helped shape some of my music for sure, there are definite classical influences in the sound. It was never a conscious decision to make a career out of it, it came very naturally and I just kind of fell into this. Not like it hasn’t been a struggle sometimes but it’s been fun so far.
What are you working on now? Are you just focusing on tour or are you still writing for any future releases?
I’m doing both really, I’m writing for my second album, got some demos together and going to take them into a studio soon, I’m recording when I’m in the U.S in a couple cities so no time to rest too much, but thats how i like it.
What do you listen to while on tour?
Well, we listen to a lot of my music, [it] helps us get in the mood and gives the band ideas on how to recreate it, the set is always changing and I’m sure two shows won’t be the same while were out there. Other than that well be listening to a lot of jazz and whatever we find out there we will listen to.
Are you going to get the chance to explore any cities you tour in?
We hope so but we have a tight schedule, if we are able to explore it might have to be at like 3 in the morning but I’m sure the band is up for that.
What cities are you most looking forward to playing?
All of them, it’s such a dream of mine to come to America and perform and tour my music, so I’m coming wth an open mind and can’t wait to experience everything you have to offer.
UK producer Cody Currie will release his forthcoming “Beer Machine” EP through Better Listen Records. A component part of the EP is the ace as hell jazz-tinged groove of “Dynamite” which is available for your streaming perusal below.
StéLouse links up with talented 19-year old newcomer Mascolo (check that vocal tone, oooh wee) for soulful new number “Shivers N Gold”. Particularly special on “Shivers N Gold” is the stickiness/magnetism of the track’s pocket and how well it frames Mascolo’s super strong vocal. A+ track.
Right on. Of we course, we love this! The latest remix entry from one Tom Misch is a re-imagining of Michael Kiwanuka’s 10-minute opus “Cold Little Heart” complete with a pitched-up main vocal, jazzy guitars, and a cooled-out vaugely house-y rhythm track. Michael Kiwanuka’s Love & Hate LP is available now.
Wait…. wait… be easy…. yes, there it is. “DO IT” (all caps), new from French musician/magician Dabeull, manages a sun-drenched talkbox/vocoder-y main vocal around a primary guitar figure that reminds a bit (may even be a sample of) CRU’s classic 90’s jam “Just Another Case”. The resulting product of that above equation is a listen that is as cool as it is smooth.
Angeleno transplants (via Philadelphia) Mt. Joy turn in currents events-conscious (a bit of empathy set off into Trumpland) new one “Sheep”. Soulful in a sound palette way that suggests the track could’ve been released at any anytime in the last 40 years or so, that universality/timelessness adds a significant bit more punch/support to the track’s weightier lyrical content. We dig.
The Internet’s Matt Martians announced debut solo LP The Drum Chord Theory with first stream “Diamond In Da Rough”. “Diamond In Da Rough”, the track, hits a early/mid 70’s funk stride cast about breezy proto-disco guitars. The Drum Chord Theory is out January 27th and features collaborations with Tyler the Creator, Syd, Kari Faux, Steve Lacy, and more.
The Bryson Tiller tourmates THEY. fire forward potent new one “U RITE”. The track’s minimal composition and immediate flow indicate a new more direct feel to the L.A. duo’s sound that we’re most definitely into.
