Here’s the first installment of what’s going to be a regular feature on TMO, where we introduce you to tracks/albums/artists that we’re listening to at the Monkeys’ HQ at the moment. There are no rules, and no specific criteria – except that we have to be able to include a video/stream of the song, and we will certainly be featuring independent and unsigned acts (we’ll be publishing details of how unsigned bands should get in touch, via our facebook page in the next week or so).
Can’t say enough good things about this Italian four-piece, with their own unique trip-hoppy sound; they’re one of the few, if only, Italian artists to convincingly bring out records in English (and have a couple of BBC Radio sessions already to their credit). This dreamy track from their second album Mountain Whales manages seduces within seconds.
Brilliant electronic pop from Tunng frontman Sam Genders, who lists the influences for the album as including Peter Gabriel, Paul Simon, New Orleans Funk and Pentangle – as improbable as that sounds, it makes perfect sense listening, and what an uplifting ray of sunshine this track is.
Deceptively simple, this slice of Americana by Vandaveer songwriter Mark Charles Heidinger hauntingly uses space, silence and loaded language, coupled with the beautiful harmonies of Rose Guerin, to make a classic; it’s as simple as that – classic.
I know precious little about this band from New York’s East Village, except that I’m hooked and spend a good deal of the day annoying the other Monkeys by screaming along ‘You Know What I know – diddle diddle diddle diddle’.
Not surprisngly, given the glowing review her latest album, How about I be me (and you be you) got in TMO, this tune is getting the lion’s share of attention here. It may be a coincidence, but the Sun really does seem to come out each time we get to the chorus!
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