Although I’m not exactly a pop fan (see here for proof), every now and then a track pops up with exactly the right vibe and vocal to pique my interest. Thanks to the likes of Submotion Orchestra, Luciana Caporaso, and Princess Slayer, that may well start happening more and more often in 2015 – starting with Cherae Leri’s deep, slow, and exotically hypnotic blend of R&B, pop, and modern soul. Read more…
The “death of the album” has been declared many times in recent years – but nonetheless, musicians keep making them and are showing no signs of stopping (and thank God for that!). Almost a decade and a half into the twenty-first century, there still exist bands and artists capable of composing immersive, engaging, and fully satisfying collections of songs that stand up to repeated, unshuffled listens. Here are fifteen of them. Read more…
I have a very strong emotional attachment to many of the releases listed below. Choosing this list was exceptionally tough; I’ve been fortunate to discover some incredible bands and artists over the past year, and it’s safe to say that outside this list lie a great many immense tunes that can be found via a quick browse through TMMP’s archives when you’re done with this lot. However, the following choices are the cream of the crop. Read more…
It’s been a while since TMMP featured a Luciana tune – but with Friday night upon us, now is as good a time as any to remedy that. We Came To Bang – created in collaboration with American producer 3LAU – is still another winning addition to Luciana’s burgeoning back catalogue of banging electro-pop songs. Read more…
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On the walk from Waterloo station to Camden, I passed at least three busking beatboxers. The faces were different, but the acts were the same – a combination of robot impressions, oppressively generic beats, and faithful and flawless impressions of a variety of non-percussive instruments. By the time KOKO’s dramatic facade came into view, the novelty of solo beatboxing had more than worn off; London was beginning to feel saturated by Beardyman wannabes. Read more…
If you love diversity, Brighton (aka Camden-on-Sea) is damn near perfect. Its top alternative music venue, the Concorde 2 – situated next door to the beach – hosted batshit crazy prog-metal mentalists SikTh on a school night last week. Now, just a few days later, a mixed-bag crowd of dub lovers are filing in to spend Saturday night the right way – enjoying music that moves the hips as much as the head. Read more…
Now is a very exciting time for live electronica legends Submotion Orchestra, with their latest long-playing opus Alium (reviewed here) dropping on November 24th and their biggest headline show to date taking place at the Forum in London tomorrow. Submotion Orchestra keyboardist Taz took some time out of his hectic schedule to talk about Alium, his single-item bucket list, and more. Read more…
Amid endless seas of wannabes trapped in a quicksand composed of hollow and lifeless MIDI sequences, Submotion Orchestra have long stood out by a fair few light years. Their recordings consistently ooze warmth and a vital humanity – and Alium continues this trend in impressive and impactful fashion. Read more…
On this twelve-track long player, über-groovy bass maestro Stanley Clarke set out to have fun with some legendary friends – and a tangible sense of shared joy, excitement, and creative intentionality shines through every second of Up. After 40 solo albums, it’s safe to say that Stanley Clarke has established a signature sound all his own – and although long-time bass fans may feel that they know what to expect, there’s a genuine vibrancy and freshness on Up that marks it out as an exceptional album. Read more…
Interviews are fast becoming my favourite part of the TMMP-maintaining routine. You start off with a list of questions, but from that point it’s impossible to know what will come out. This time around, prog legend and all-round class act Tony Levin discusses his new album with brother Pete (appropriately titled Levin Brothers and reviewed via TMMP here), creativity, and the importance of connection. Read more…