Sundays Alternative Take - Variety & Class

Tongues - Religion.

Background - Meet Tongues, the budding electronic artist out of Glasgow, Scotland. New track, ’Religion’ is his latest slice of storming synthetic pop, full of driving rhythm and modulated vocals, and is a taste of his fantastic debut EP, due September.

Tongues sets the standards very high in this new music round up. Tongues is a class act, sometimes it's just easy to say - "let the music speak for itself". Find out more (here).

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Sharer - Body Tonight

Background - Alongside Nick and JD, the vocals on "Body Tonight" are by Jo Lampert (Tune-Yards, AVAN LAVA) and Xavier Smith. The single will come out on August 21st, with remixes from Midnight Magic and LEFTI.

Here’s what Nick and JD have to say in their own words:
"I used to go see JD simply as a fan while living in London. Her live shows were always absolutely fantastic, leaving me a sweaty mess. When the opportunity arose for me to work with her, I jumped at it. A few months later, here is the beginning of our new friendship. I couldn’t be more excited to share it." - Nick van Hofwegen 

"Nick and I were matched up to write songs for other people, but after about two seconds of sharing, we knew what we had was something completely and utterly ours. Love and respect for your collaborators is so important, and working with Nick is such a beautiful expression of our mutual admiration. I love our process and can’t wait until the world gets to share the joy." - JD Samson.

Funky, soulful and lively. It's a little like a highly electrified Chic, old soul and funk modernised for today's ears.

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Jereco - Too Slow.

Background - Jeremiah Maslin, also known by his stage name Jereco, is a Pop/Electronic music instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer. Born in Wagga Wagga NSW, Jeremiah grew up on a farm outside of a small town called Ardlethan where he still resides.

After being heavily influenced by Punk and Metal music throughout his teenage years, 2015 saw Jeremiah make an unexpected transition from being the drummer in a Punk band, to a producer and vocalist of Pop/Electronic music. The stylistic switch resulted in his first ever original songs being produced that showcase skills far exceeding that of his experience in the genre. His debut single ‘Too Slow’ featuring his own vocals accompanied with his sister’s, was written on guitar before being interpreted using electronic sounds. The single was recorded at home with his father Rod Maslin producing vocals as well as mastering the track.

Massively catchy song, with hooks that get under my skin. Electro Pop debut's of this quality are rare. Love the vocals as well. Facebook (here).

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Flush - Come Back Baby.

Background - From Aeroplane: "Flush is a new project I started in order to release all edits and reworks I do on planes and in airport lounges. It will be focused on House Music from the early days. Often sample-based but not always, it's a mixture of Chicago House and French Touch a la Crydamoure. Initially the plan was to just put these out on the Internet, but the people at Strictly Rhythm thought the first song “Come Back Baby" was good enough to release.

Old school house perhaps, this is full of summer vibes and if you were around in the early days has an element of nostalgia. It's a good one.

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Jodie Aysha - Turn Me Out (Ass Up) Ft. BVRZZ.

Background - We've got big news here from one of the most iconic voices in the Garage & Bassline world as 'Heartbroken' legend Jodie Aysha lets out the first word of her upcoming House release 'Turn Me Out'. Switching up her unforgettable vocals to fit the 2015 sound of House - she's nailed a brilliant single which is coming out 22nd August.

The UK was lit up in 2007 when Jodie Aysha’s unforgettable vocal on ‘Heartbroken’ broke
through the underground after years of circulation on the UK Garage and Bassline circuits. Already one of the benchmark releases for a long spell before commercial release – the early hearings blew up in the Garage world and put Jodie in front of a global audience once the rest of the world caught up. 1.5 million UK sales and a U.S Billboard Dance Chart top 10 slot later and the release was cemented into electronic music history forever. Regarded as one of the definitive breakthrough tracks of an era – Jodie’s name was etched amongst the legends that launched the sound of the streets into a global phenomenon.

Another song that has that summer anthem feel to it, those inclined to dance will just love this, those inclined to just listen will be pretty happy as well.


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Beca - Hit To The Head - and Bayonet.

Background - Electro pop artist Beca reveals a fresh, dark, fearless sound that is all her own. Musically gifted at a young age, she graduated from the Juilliard School and traveled the world, performing with an array of artists while developing her own path and voice. Bursting onto the indie pop scene in 2012, her first two EP’s “Let’s Run Wild” and “Born To Fly” were released via UK label, This Is Music Ltd. (Little Boots, Charli XCX).

The breakthrough hits earned praise from Filter Magazine that said “her talent for whimsical sounds and a breezy voice is worth listening to over and over again” and from Stereogum that described her music as “wispy, ethereal electro pop.” Included on the EPs are a number of remixes by notable names, such as Ashley Beedle, Klic, and Madeaux.

Beca has made appearances at CMJ, SXSW, Miami Fashion Week, and NXNE (Red Bull Sound Select Showcase opening for Sleigh Bells). Her song "Enabler" was a Finalist in the 2014 ISC International Songwriting Competition, Electronica/Dance Category. Most recently, Beca finished recording her debut full-length album with producer Morgan Wiley of Midnight Magic, to be released Autumn 2015.

Lot's to like about Beca's music, there are two songs featured below, 'Bayonet' also has a video which you can find on her website (here). 'Hit To The Head' is an intriguing remix that really does have an ethereal feel to it.


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Zenith Myth - Shadow Fortune.

Background - After the crushingly cathartic eponymous debut, Zenith Myth’s sophomore effort "Eclipsed V” has seen the project shift into electronic experimentation mode.  With a metronomic pulse, the record manages to mesh mid tempo arpeggiated synths with intricate drum programming and real drums to bend genres and analog sounds. The guitars are all still in there (6 different guitarists played on the record), but they give way to drones and modulated synthesisers that capture a subtler, more nuanced instrumental dreamscapes this time out. Think eighties synth progressions with classic rock drum fills, alongside waved out guitar loops woven together just enough to bring you in but disorient simultaneously, and you pretty much get the idea of what "Eclipsed V" sounds like. 
Deconstructionist from the start, the record transports you to uncharted territory melding mesmerising bass lines, sampled sounds with dark droned out guitars and synths.There are also acoustic guitar flourishes at times hinting at the rock sounds of a young Fleetwood Mac, with the ambiance of Boards of Canada and some early Cure melancholy thrown in for good measure. 

As with the last record, I reached out to old friend and collaborator Jordon Zadorozny (Blinker The Star), to help capture the feeling and spirit of the sounds that were in my head.

When a promo states that the artist's genres are - Electro, Wave, Synth, Drone Rock, I expect a lot of varying styles and that is what you get with this album. The first track from the album is featured below and if you like it, the album is definitely worth checking out.

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