Reading four piece Damn Damn Patriots met at a local history club and they certainly don’t shy away from the aesthetic of their inspirations. Scuzzy, early 80s, very ‘live performance’ production techniques nudge at the New Wave records they likely hoard. Luckily, they also have a high understanding of how two minute pop bangers work out. In the case of the two tracks of their upcoming release, the two cases work together pretty damn well.

Purchase from the 24th February via Woodenhouse Records

Since forming in 2009, a trip to Australia and a few new live members later, Vuvuvultures are soon to release their ‘VVV’ EP, via Popular Recordings, London’s freshest start up label and live night. While regularly performing with nothing but a bit of duct tape over the front woman’s nipples, while also hosting ‘The Island’ club night with its stack of blinking TVs as the stage backdrop, Vuvuvultures are far more than a bit of titillation and flashing lights. Recent recordings soon to appear on the EP are a combination of metal-infused guitar riffs and breakdowns, but with emphatic choruses the likes of We Were Promised Jetpacks or Biffy Clyro probably wish they’d written. Punky, edgy, but totally engaging.

Straight out of Essex with their debut EP, Courts have the Friendly fires funk guitar lines with a bit of stoner laid back rock thrown for good measure… or most likely just because they’re stoned. The Foals ‘math rock’ sound went a bit out of date along with the sound, but on first impressions, Courts have the ability to do some interesting things with it during sparks of genius. You can grab the EP from their BandCamp here:

courts.bandcamp.com

Impressing Fader, NME and The Guardian, the dark and broody Gabriel Bruce. Formerly of the incredibly powerfull Loverman, this is Gabriel’s new solo project. His debut single was released through Off Modern on December 5. This limited edition release is available exclusively in physical form – NO ITUNES! It comes with fifty pages of collected writings on the sensation of Sleep Paralysis accompany the 7” record; which is incorporated into the books manufacture. Written by Gabriel and edited and designed by Off Modern.

Order online from the Off Modern shop HERE. Or pick it up from Rough Trade East or West in London or Piccadilly Records in Manchester.

Dark, sinister and deep – well his voice anyway. Great tunes, expect to see a lot more of Gabriel in 2012 I cant wait to hear more, especially looking forward to seeing him live!

Ani DiFranco’s upcoming album, What Side Are You On?, is her 17th studio album and her first in three years. ‘Life Boat’ opens the record and is a mellow acoustic number with a lot of heart, and in a world of alt folk artists galore there’s an authenticity to DiFranco’s performance which overshadows many of the current crop.

You can pre-order her album through Righteous Babe Records

WOW so funking funky, its got the hooks!

East Coast psych-soul outfit The Stepkids who are on the fantastic Stones Throw fuse 70s soul, funk, punk, jazz, folk, West African rhythms and modern classical creating distinctive and timeless tracks.

The Stepkids who take on psychedilia in the 21st century have perked the ears of BBC Radio 1 DJs Gilles Peterson and Zane Lowe, as well as Tyler The Creator, Mojo, Drowned In Sound, The Village Voice and many more.

The unique sound comes from more than a decade of musical experimentation and experience. Raised on the East Coast jazz and the R&B circuit, individual band members went on to share stages with 50 Cent and Lauryn Hill, tour internationally with Alicia Keys, score movies and commercials, and produce solo albums.

“My new album is gonna sound like this. I wanna make the music I actually get all my influence from.”
Tyler, The Creator (OFWGKTA)

“Discovery of the year – time for The Stepkids to step up!”
Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 1

Little Dragon have been around for a while, since 1996 to be precise and it has been nearly 6 years since Off The Wall put out their first release which was a double A-side 7″. The band consists of Swedish-Japanese singer Yukimi Nagano (vocals, percussion) and her close high school friends Erik Bodin (drums), Fredrik Källgren Wallin (bass) and Håkan Wirenstrand (keyboards).

Now they are on their third album, Ritual Union, which released on 25 July 2011. The band have come into international light by appearing recently on a track by DJ Shadow and also collaborating with SBTRKT to make the wonderful Wildfire.

Azealia Banks topped the NME Cool List 2011 this week.

Since being seen in 2010 in the Nike 1Love video of Harlem, and alongside Thom Yorke and Buraka Som Sistema in Major Lazers’ “Lazers Never Die” the La Guardia trained 20 year old has caught the attention of a lot of industry types. She is now working on new tracks with Florence and The Machine, Friendly Fires and Plan B’s producer Paul Epworth.

She sometimes goes under the name Miss Banks so you may find other stuff out there but we have included to stream Machinedrum’s remix of her track ‘P-U-S-S-Y’ featuring 77KLASH. You can also view her club pleaser 212, which is an incredibly song! Most of her tracks seem to be well, erm quite rude shall we say.

A UK tour is planned in February.

The UK-based Ado has got a release on Fake Bloods label BLOOD MUSIC. Hailing from Scotland the young producer is taking the web by storm. As with Fake Blood and indeed the label, there is not much know about the chap. He has done recent remixes of Kissy Sell Out, Tom Starr and more expected soon.

There also arent many songs available to listen to any more as he has taken a few off from Soundcloud. The only thing that he has said is how to pronounce the name: Ado (as in ado that rhymes with playdoh).

The Ep has four great tracks on it and can be bought from the following places.

Beatport : http://bit.ly/oAFIso
Juno : http://bit.ly/pF31fk
Track It Down : http://bit.ly/q5apV9
Boomkat : http://bit.ly/rhyyUb
DJ Download : http://bit.ly/qfs4Dn

I am a huge fan of the tv series and since the middle of 2004, I have been checking on the world wide web ever hour of every day to see if any comebacks were planned. To my enjoyment I was amazed to see that the characters had all got together to form a band.

Fortunately this is not true, however there is a great band called Friends who have an incredible NYC cool, sexy sound; something that has been demonstrated before by acts such as Hundred in the Hands and Phenomenal Handclap Band. Put nicely by Stereogum “ESG-style polyrhythmic post-disco on a tropical-pop trip, with some Lykke Li in the mix ”

Check out their latest single (debut was release in UK in March by UK label Lucky Numbers)