I’ve been having computer problems recently, so I apologise
for the two day delay with this weekly segment (yes, I know, you wouldn’t hear
Pitchfork coming up with an excuse like that!). I’ve decided to
make up for the delay by bringing you lots of good music – no ‘worst tracks’
this week! The theme is Europe…
'I Love EU' – Gruff Rhys
Welsh singer-songwriter Gruff Rhys dedicates this big soppy
love ballad to Europe and the EU in light of the upcoming referendum in which
all us Brits will get to decide whether we stay or leave the European Union. Politics
is something I actively avoid covering on this blog and I’m going to be mature
and not enter a debate but IF YOU VOTE TO LEAVE YOU A FOOL! Anyway, whatever your opinion
is on the matter, this light-hearted ode to baguettes and castanets ought to provide
some entertainment value.
'Stranded' – Gojira
And so begins the Eurotrip. First stop France. Nature-loving groove metal titans Gojira have
a new ‘emotional’ ‘epic’ album in the works entitled Magma, and this our first glimpse at things to come. It sounds a
bit less proggy than previous works – elitists will claim the belting chorus is
too ‘poppy’ – but the stomping riff is undeniably infectious and Mario’s
drumming is monstrous as usual.
'Faint' – Beffroi
Next, we head to Belgium, the home of this fresh electropop
duo Beffroi. There’s all kinds of stuff happening with this beat – the
chillingly noisy intro making way for suspenseful minimal 808s followed by some
beautifully brooding synths – and as for the chick’s vocals, they’re
impressively unique in tone and so seductive I tried hard not to swoon and
faint.
'100 Goosebumps' – FEWS
One of the founding members of this band is Swedish. The
other is Californian. They both met on Myspace back when it wasn’t a social
media wasteland, later meeting in real life, moving to London and eventually
setting up FEWS. The pleasant opening had me expecting something slow, but no – the whole track suddenly accelerates into a chugging indie mosh
anthem. It's intense!
'Let Me
Love' - Ariana Grande
Alright what’s the European connection here? Ariana Grande
is half-Italian or something, I guess that’ll have to do. Anyway, here’s my
guilty pleasure of the week – the latest release from ex-Disney sweetheart Ariana Grande. The way the rhythm builds up is pretty creative, plus there’s
something hypnotically gloomy about Ariana’s vocals and the instrumental,
even if Lil Wayne’s blabbering verse temporarily kills the mood.
'Stupidest' – Stove
Finally, I bring you indie rock with blast beats – the kind
of noisy off-kilter stuff that could only be the product of Exploding In Sound records. Kaleidoscopic
semi-disturbing vegetable-themed visuals accompany it. I’m not going to lie to
you; there is no European link here – Stove are from Connecticut formed by ex-Ovlov-frontman
Steve Hartlett. Rock out, do drugs and eat your greens!