Cathedrals – Want My Love

Releasing a track on Neon Gold is already a surefire way to ensure success, as MS MR and their own label have proven with previous endeavours.  The label seems to have a knack for picking talent with a unique sensibility but accessible styles, and Californian duo Cathedrals seem to have just that.  Yesterday saw the release of their third single, Want My Love, and it’s a slow burning, subtly growing track with some serious references.  Vocally and instrumentally there are many moments that shout out late 90s/early 00s R&B; I’m talking R.Kelly, Mary J. Blige, even some P.Diddy with Brodie Jenkins’ voice selling modernized soul, among very contemporary production.  At minute 1:53 the song breaks open for a guitar riff and Brodie’s voice into a moment that could be a Miguel track (or even Mariah’s #beautiful), meanwhile the lyrics say “Baby, please tell me you’re alone.  Cuz I know I’ve got this running deep in my bones“-  It’s so good, so popular R&B in a modern electronic package.  Is Cathedral’s style hack picking just the right style of R&B to appropriate from just long enough ago?  It’s no surprise to see decade old R&B making appearances almost everywhere, but what’s delectable is when someone does it in a new way with quality and style (Johnny Hwin is killing it)- that’s exactly what this track does, and while the previous two were intriguing, this one sells the duo as someone to watch in 2014.

Interview with Yellerkin

Slipping and sliding across several inch thick sheets of ice that refuse to disperse from the sidewalk, I make my way inside a café and scan the room for the subjects of today’s conversation. Settling into a corner table I notice a guy in a blue sweater and tan beanie making eye contact with me. I hesitate, going between thinking he’s one half of the duo Yellerkin and thinking that he’s cruising me in a very 1970s way- head nods, eye contact. I blush and look away. Surely he’s hitting on me and not thinking I’m here to interview him. 

My phone buzzes and I look down to embarrassingly read a description of that very person, stating he’s at the café waiting. Finally, I’m certain this man isn’t a glory hole user but instead Luca Bucelatti, who with Adrian Galvin constitutes the newly fledged folk-pop duo Yellerkin. Luca is also Tei Shi’s beaux, and the producer of her acclaimed debut EP Saudade.

Young & Sick – Glass

Buzzworthy band Young & Sick (fashion, illustration, and music project) is combining a rock band vocalist with chops and charisma and some of the most insanely incredible synthesizer and production ever.  It’s so exciting to listen to -the arpeggio glitching and glittering behind lead vocalist Nick is the money and the selling point for me personally, and when I saw this song performed live, the synth player was giving me LIFE.  I was a little uncomfortable about Nick himself (PS his last name is an elusive find on the internet, but this is HIS *nick’s* project- a little god complexy, no?).  His appearance was Beetle Juice meets Jared Leto & his style slightly narcissistic and overly confident, but I was so enthralled in the harmonies, synths & production that I closed my eyes to remove the disarmingly unattractive visual component of the performance and indulge in the fantastic music.

It’s no surprise that vocalist and mastermind Nick would create something this good.  It’s a thoughtful and modern take on R&B and Soul in this electronically saturated musical climate.  His sensual and old school singing style is mostly successful, too.  It’s also no surprise that he is this confident (it’s part of the sale of the music itself), given his extensive success as an illustrator for album art, fashion houses, and brands (his illustrations are phenomenal).  It’s the kind of runs like at minute 2:04 that turn me off.  It’s part of this trend where any white person interested in doing R&B & Soul influenced music thinks breaking down the riffs is enough.  But soul and runs are not something that translate well as overly prepared.  Inherently in the genre’s name is Soul, and this kind of singing has to have real soul to it.  I’d argue this is the weakest point in the Young & Sick’s presentation, HOWEVER, the music is fantastic and this first cut from the full-length debut is stellar.  Besides, I’m the only person who seems to have this disaffection towards Nick’s persona, so maybe I’m mistaken or my own perspective is jaded.  I suppose I’ll have to watch and see.

Introducing: Boots

Boots is the man behind the stilettos on Beyoncé’s irresistible, innovative, career-shifting and now ubiquitous self-titled fifth studio album.  He has writing and producing credits for Haunted, Heaven, and Blue as well as a writing credit on Jealous.  Being a part of such a huge and well curated project, a high point in the career of one of the already most successful women of our time, and sharing writing and production credits with the likes of Timbaland and Justin Timberlake is in itself a huge accomplishment for a newcomer (PS he signed to Roc Nation in June).  What’s even more intriguing about Boots is that the tracks he was involved with are some of the most abstract, innovative and insightful on the album, Haunted and Jealous being two of the most original to come from Beyoncé in a while.  This elusive and business minded talent has already crafted some of the most accessibly innovative tracks in the pop canon and yet remains largely unknown.  It seems as though Boots has plans to change that though as he has released his second solo track in a year.  It’s pretty much as fantastic as you’d expect, given his credentials.  Dust is a savory and indulgent slow weave through heavy and sparse bass, underlying at time abstract melodies that then morph into top notch pop vocal lines traversing sick drum & bass, with glimpses of detroit house influenced production.  At times like as if SBTRKT produced James Blake with the voice of a 90s pop rock band.  Check it out.  Become a fan.

Introducing: Saol Álainn

Coming out on No Recordings, L.A. artist Saol Álainn releases his debut track.  The basis for the masterfully produced finished product is intrinsically romantic- Nostroke is an immersion into a fractured moment.