The 2 Bears – Warm & Easy
LABEL: Southern Fried Records
FORMAT: EP
GENRE: Dance – House
DATE: 09/07/12
“Warm & Easy”, the new EP by The 2 Bears is out now through Southern Fried Records.
The title track is taken from the hirsute duo (made up of Joe Goddard of Hot Chip & Raf Rundell)’s critically acclaimed debut album, “Be Strong”. “Warm & Easy” could not come a moment too soon, like a much needed cool breeze of positivity for a sweltering summer – this single is The 2 Bears at their most laid back and blatantly pop. The release features two fantastic remixes by Leo Zero as well as new Southern Fried artist, Jack Fell Down.
Check it out here:
Ondatrópica – Ondatrópica
LABEL: Soundway Records
FORMAT: EP
GENRE: Latin
DATE: 16/07/12
Colombian musician, Mario Galeano, the force behind the band Frente Cumbiero, and English producer Will Holland AKA Quantic, have joined forces to create the Ondatropica project.
Ondatropica, supported by the British Council, exists to explore and expand the tropical sound of Colombia in its rawest form and to marry it with contemporary influences from around the world. Ondatropica brings together an iconic group of top Colombian musicians representing both the classic and more modern styles of la musica Colombiana.
Ondatropica’s eponymously titled double album fuses traditional Colombian styles such as cumbia, gaita, champeta with boogaloo, ska, beat-box, MCs, ska, dub, funk and creates a progressive collection of 26 tracks that re-interpret the tropical musical heritage of Colombia with new approaches in composition, arrangement and production.
As a result of the British Council’s support for the project, a 10 piece Ondatropica touring band has been invited to perform at the London Cultural Olympiad on 21st July as part of the BT River of Music event on the Tower of London Americas stage, following which the band will also perform at New York’s Lincoln Centre on the 27 July. Other UK live dates are the band’s headline shows on 20th July at The Hackney Empire, and Concorde, Brighton on 2nd August.
(iTunes Deluxe Version has 28 tracks)
Natasha Anastasi – Natasha Anastasi
LABEL: Rise International Music Ltd
FORMAT: EP
GENRE: Pop
DATE: 24/06/12
“Natasha Anastasi” is a tribute album to the late singer Natasha Anastasi, who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2005.
The 22-year-old from Wood Green left behind songs which form the basis for the album, which also features Marcella Detroit of Shakespeares Sister and Antony Costa, of boy band Blue. George Michael, Boy George and Cat Stevens also contribute exclusive unreleased material to this tribute album.
The album, out now through Rise International Music Ltd, will raise funds for the Natasha Foundation, a charity set up by her parents to raise road safety awareness in young people.
Check it out here:
The Invisible Pair of Hands – Disparation
LABEL: Disco-ordination Records
FORMAT: LP
GENRE: Dance – Down Beat / Trip Hop
DATE: 15/07/12
The Invisible Pair Of Hands was a project formed by Portishead bass player Jim Barr and one-named Jesse, featuring guest appearances from Portishead friends DJ Andy Smith and John Baggot and well known Smith & Mighty collaborator Tammy Payne.
Released in 1997 by Bristol’s Cup Of Tea records, “Disparation” is a loose mix of psychedelia, hip hop and funk with subtle undertones of jazz.
Check it out here:
Make The Girl Dance – Everything Is Gonna Be Ok in the End
LABEL: Roy Music
FORMAT: EP
GENRE: Dance – Electro – Vocal
DATE: 31/10/11
French electro producers Make The Girl Dance’s album, “Everything Is Gonna Be Ok in the End” is out now through Roy Music.
This release features three variations of electronic music for three different moods, drawing influences from a wide variety of bands including Phoenix, AC / DC, Daft Punk, Justice, Run DMC, Lily Allen, the Beastie Boys, Sebastien Tellier, Empire of The Sun, the Strokes, the Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead, Simon and Garfunkel, Sebastian, Rage Against the Machine and more.
The album includes collaborations with friends including Lisa Li Lund (The Big Crush Theory), Marie Flore, Solange La Frange and Little Barrie.
Check it out here:
(iTunes version has a bonus track)
The Roughneck Riot – This Is Our Day
LABEL: Bomber Music
FORMAT: EP
GENRE: Alternative – Indie Rock / Alternative Rock
DATE: 16/07/12
As folk music mutates in all directions and is being cannibalised and re-invigorated within many other genres, The Roughneck Riot stake their claim to the UK Folk Punk crown. “This Is Our Day” is the new album by the six-piece band from Warrington, out today through Bomber Music.
“Contemporary hardcore folk driven by youth and boundless energy” - R2 Magazine
“…it’s an awesome 12 tracks of high adrenaline folk punk packed with accordian, banjo and mandolin, mixed with pure punk rock” - Sound Revolution
Check it out here:
Various Artists – 2000 Trees Festival: Cider Smiles, Vol. 5
LABEL: Alcopop!, Holy Roar, Big Scary Monsters and I Started the Fire
FORMAT: LP
GENRE: Alternative – Indie Rock / Alternative Rock
DATE: 09/07/12
In case you missed the 2000 Trees Festival which took place over the weekend, or if you simply want to relive the moment, you can do so with this compilation – “2000 Trees Festival: Cider Smiles, Vol.5”.
Sold out each year since its inception, 2000 Trees is one of the nation’s finest boutique festivals, dedicated to bringing together the best new and underground British music for one weekend every July. 2000 Trees also won the Grass Roots Festival Award at the UK Festival Awards 2010.
This year, the organizers have bought together four of the fine indie labels involved (Alcopop!, Big Scary Monsters, Holy Roar and I Started the Fire) to create its annual compilation, featuring the likes of Johnny Foreigner, Tall Ships, Brontide, Boat to Row and Freeze the Atlantic among many more bands who all performed at the festival.
“2000 Trees is a festival that feels incomparably personal at merely a fraction of the cost of the festival giants, and it is this among many reasons, that make it one of the best small festivals in the country.” – The Line of Best Fit
