our five favourite records of the week

Phrases by Will Brewster

The cream of the crop.

Friday is right here, which suggests it’s launch day for a bunch of artists at residence and all over the world. With so many sizzling releases on the market to tuck into, we’ve compiled a few of the finest to current to you for the weekend.

This week, we’re taking you to the dancefloor with two thumping new releases from electro dons Bicep and Logic1000, one in every of Australia’s finest rising producers at this time, plus new music from Jarryd James, Rhye and an expanded reissue of Australian blues grasp Chris Wilson’s seminal reside album Stay on the Continental.

This week’s high picks

Bicep – Isles
Logic1000 – You’ve Acquired The Entire Evening To Go EP
Jarryd James – P.M.
Rhye – House
Chris Wilson – Stay on the Continental (Vinyl Reissue)

Take a look at final week’s picks for the most effective new music you want in your ears over here.

Bicep – Isles

Greater than a decade after the duo first made waves in on-line dance circles with their Really feel My Bicep weblog and the slew of remixes that adopted go well with, Andrew Ferguson and Matthew McBriar have now shared Isles; their second full-length effort to be launched underneath the Bicep moniker. Whereas void of the moment rave anthems that peppered their 2017 debut like ‘Glue’ and ‘Opal’, Isles isn’t any sophomore droop – it’s a vivid, forward-thinking effort that pulls upon digital influences far and vast to create a document completely suited to membership soundsystems and headphones alike.

Most of the similar synths and drum machines that featured closely on Bicep’s debut nonetheless get a very good look in throughout Isles, however the duo’s strategy to manufacturing has developed considerably previously years. On tracks like ‘Cazenove’ and the epic nearer ‘Hawk’, flangers drench the hi-hats to create a shuffling stereo unfold within the combine, whereas the sweeping pads that minimize by the center of ‘Saku’ assist so as to add momentum to the swung drums and pulsing vocal samples that swell beneath.

Isles additionally marks the primary time Bicep have employed the help of vocalists on a full-length effort, and it’s a call that actually works within the document’s favour – as refined as they might be, the contributions of Julia Kent and Clara La San to ‘Rever’ and ‘X’ assist to stability out the duo’s digital wizardry with a singular human aspect, with La San additionally popping up once more for a standout characteristic on album spotlight ‘Saku’. Important listening for any digital producer.

Logic1000 – You’ve Acquired The Entire Evening To Go EP

After 2020 noticed her relocate to Berlin and captivate the digital world with ‘Fragrance’ and remixes for the likes of Caribou, Christine & The Queens and Don Tolliver, Samantha Poulter – AKA Logic1000 – has stepped out along with her first launch of 2021, You’ve Acquired The Entire Evening To Go. It’s a brief, four-track EP that attracts on the basics of home and techno and repackages them into four tracks full of sudden twists and turns, reaffirming Poulter’s standing as one of the crucial thrilling names in dance music at this time.

The rollicking kicks and layered vocal samples of ‘Like My Means’ set an incredible tone for the challenge, whereas the rave-ready ‘I Received’t Overlook’ kicks issues into overdrive with its filtered M1 pianos, bouncing bassline and syrupy R&B pattern. In the meantime, the synth melody that zig-zags all through the combination of ‘Medium’ recollects basic Balearic beat, earlier than EP nearer ‘Her’ tops issues off with a nasty mixture of sub-rattling bass, squelchy acid bass and polyrhythmic percussion.

Regardless of clocking in at 18 minutes, You’ve Acquired The Entire Evening To Go carries extra substance and confidence than most challenge’s that run double its size. It’s a sensational EP that poises Logic1000 as a possible new heavy-hitter within the scene, and we’re already frothing for extra.

Jarryd James – P.M.

Six years after the breakout success of ‘Do You Keep in mind’, Brisbane’s Jarryd James returns at this time with P.M. – a hazy, introspective launch recorded around the world with the likes of Clams On line casino, Andrew Wyatt and M-Phazes. Drawing on a up to date R&B sound paying homage to acts like 6LACK and Jeremih, James exudes confidence and inspiration throughout the album’s adventurous 9 observe runtime, leading to a launch that simply overcomes any attainable notion of a sophomore droop.

Pushed by a thumping breakbeat and tender bedrock of synthesises, ‘Issues’ laces James’ vocals in warbling autotune to create a stark distinction together with his earlier works, whereas ‘Don’t Overlook’ layers harmonies atop of harmonies to end in an intriguing minor-major shift that serves as one of many album’s standout moments.

In the meantime, the ebbing synths and pitched vocal chorus of ‘Let It Go’ – created within the Nicaraguan jungle with M-Phazes – additionally varieties a significant spotlight of P.M., as does ‘Overdue’, a smokey minimize produced by frequent Frank Ocean collaborator Malay that bears all of the hallmarks of his woozy soundscapes heard throughout Blonde and channel ORANGE. It’s good to have James again in such tremendous type, and fingers crossed it doesn’t take one other six years to listen to what else he’s engaged on.

Rhye – House

Toronto different R&B group Rhye made a reputation for themselves with 2013’s Her: a sensual, down-tempo debut that noticed the duo’s sound compared to neo-soul trailblazer Sade. Three albums later – and after the departure of producer Rohin Hannibal – Rhye, now solely the challenge of lead singer Mike Milosh, has launched House: a document knowledgeable by minimalist preparations, refined grooves, and deeply transferring songwriting to make for one in every of Milosh’s finest initiatives so far.

Sweeping cellos and a shuffling drum loop sit beneath Milosh’s falsetto on ‘Safeword’ to make for one of many album’s most accessible cuts, whereas the hushed guitars and rising strings of ‘Want A Lover’ nearly recall the extra tender moments of Jeff Buckley’s again catalogue. ‘Come In Nearer’ and ‘Maintain You Down’, then again, serve up a few of House’s extra danceable moments, with Milosh making use of classic drum machines and muted basslines to underscore the pang of his vocal performances.

Now four information in, Milosh appears to have hit his groove whereas working as Rhye, and it’s the sheer power of his songwriting and manufacturing throughout House that speaks for itself right here.

Chris Wilson – Stay At The Continental

A trailblazer for Australian blues and roots, Chris Wilson was a real power of nature onstage – whether or not taking part in solo or with the likes of Paul Kelly, Diesel, Hunters & Collectors or X, Wilson’s expertise was instantly obvious, and resulted in lots of a charming efficiency alongside the best way.

One such efficiency in 1994 was recorded and launched because the reside album Stay At The Continental, with the album now being reissued on yellow and black vinyl at this time in mild of what would have been his sixty fifth birthday to honour the legacy of the Australian nice.

Expanded with a further eight tracks recorded on the iconic Greville Road venue, Stay At The Continental serves as an exquisite showcase of the abilities of Wilson and his compatriots, guitarist Shane O’Mara and pianist Jex Saarelaht. It’s jam-packed with requirements like ‘The Sky Is Crying’ and the passionate ‘Rose Tattoo’, whereas the jazzy ‘Landlocked’ serves as a eye-popping show of instrumental virtuosity.

Nonetheless, it’s on opening observe ‘You Will Absolutely Love Once more’ that serves because the true standout right here, with Wilson’s belting vocal efficiency performing as a bittersweet reminder of simply how highly effective of a performer he actually was in his prime. All-in-all, Stay At The Continental is a quintessential launch for any Aussie blues and roots fanatic, and it’s a document that’ll warrant many a re-listen.