Album Review: The Golden Filter

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The Golden Filter: 'Voluspa' (Brille)

1. Dance Around The Fire
2. Hide Me
3. Look Me In The Eye
4. Moonlight Fantasy
5. Solid Gold
6. The Underdogs
7. Stardust
8. Frejya's Ghost
9. Kiss Her Goodbye
10. Nerida's Gone
11. Thunderbird
12. Here We Go Again






It would appear that 2010 is the year of electro-pop. It started with Delphic, continued with Two Door Cinema Club and Chew Lips and now The Golden Filter have gatecrashed the party. This New York duo have being playing hard to get ever since 'Solid Gold' first started drawing attention back in 2008, but there is no doubt that it has been worth the wait.

From the opening string chords on 'Dance Around The Fire', you are aware that this is not just another debut album. Penelope Trappes' delicate, captivating vocals - recalling Elizabeth Fraser - coupled with Stephen Hindman's gripping arrangements make for a quality piece of work - for once the hype is justified.

Whilst it is only natural for 'Solid Gold' to be focal point - and let's face it, it's hard not to get hooked on it - there are numerous other tracks on the album which are worthy of mention. The aforementioned 'Dance Around The Fire', together with the bouncy 'Hide Me' and the infectious 'Look Me In The Eye' form a cracking opening to the album. The tempo is lowered on the spacey 'Moonlight Fantasy' before the synths kick back in for 'Solid Gold'.

What an opening half to the album! And it's not all over there. 'Stardust' and 'Frejya's Ghost' still keep the engine ticking over, whilst the thunderous 'Thunderbird' will surely be a dancefloor hit this summer. In between, moments of intricate detail on 'The Underdogs' or 'Nerida's Gone' prove that this is duo aren't just a one-track band.

As someone who likes a guitar, I find myself blown away once more by an electronic sound. The synths are back in town and by God they sound good!

NC

NME-Europe rating: 8.5/10
Top Track: 'Hide Me'

Watch a vid...



Last 5 NME-Europe reviews:
Los Planetas: 'Una Opera Egipcia'
Cybiont: 'Angels And Demons'
Two Door Cinema Club: 'Tourist History'
The Soft Pack: 'The Soft Pack'
Los Punsetes: 'LP2'


Read all NME-Europe reviews

Album Review: April's Top Of The Pops

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April was a busy month, but there was still time to listen to some real quality...

Cybiont: 'Angels And Demons' (rating 8.25/10)
Often, when a an album is classified as "intriguing" it usually means the same as when you classify a girl as "friendly". However, in the case of Cybiont's 'Angels and Demons' such euphemisms go flying out of the window. In fact this album goes beyond intriguing, it is fabulously fascinating. Read more.

Los Planetas: 'Una Opera Egipcia' (rating 9/10)
15 years on, lead singer J and Co. have once again managed to surpass that expectation and produce another album, their eighth, which can only serve to convince their legion of unconditional fans that they are from another dimension. Read more.

Caribou: 'Swim' (rating 7/10)
Hypnotic rhythms combine with thumping bassline grooves (check out 'Leave House') on Canadian Dan Snaith's third release.

Klaus & Kinski: 'Tierra Trágalos' (rating 7/10)
Quirky pop from this Murcian combo, who are making quite a name for themselves across Spain. Needs a couple of listens to get used to it.

Kyte: 'Dead Waves' (rating 7.5/10)
Delicate lyrics with emotive melodies result in a more than acceptable album, especially if you're feeling poignant.

Chew Lips: 'Unicorn' (rating 7/10)
Promising debut from London-based electro-pop trio. Some of the singles are destined to be dancefloor favourites this summer.




NC & JFH

Have a listen...

Also available on Spotify.

Read previous monthly summaries.

Album Review: March's Top Of The Pops

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Plenty going on in March. Here's what was top of NME-Europe's pops:

Hot Chip: 'One Life Stand' (rating 7.5/10)
Opening track 'Thieves In The Night' seriously suggests this is going to be the one, a rampaging combination of deadly drums and sizzling samples ensures that 'Thieves' is the sort of track to hang about the eardrums for a while. Read more.

The Courteeners: 'Falcon' (rating 8.5/10)
Those of you expecting more 'Cavorting', 'What Took You So Long?' or 'Not Nineteen Forever'-type tracks are not going to find them here, but don't be mistaken, Falcon is a terrific album in it's own right and one Fray and the gang can be extremely satisfied with. Read more.

Los Punsetes: 'LP2' (rating 7.5/10)
Probablemente, dentro de unos años, no los escuche, sus canciones pierdan fuerza y no aguanten el paso del tiempo, pero ahora me divierte su música, y me lo paso bien escuchando sus letras llenas de ironía y acidez, que indagan en el “lado oscuro” del ser humano. Read more.

The Soft Pack: 'The Soft Pack' (rating 7/10)
An engaging combination of punk, garage and even grunge are in order for anyone who decides to give this four-piece an opportunity. Ten tracks in a little more than 30 minutes (with the first eight in just 20) give you a pretty good indication of the tempo on display. Read more.

Two Door Cinema Club: 'Tourist History' (rating 8.5/10)
A blistering combination of enticing electro and captivating guitar riffs are on display throughout the little more than 30 minute visit to this particular movie theatre. The pace is relentless as a series of catchy, easily enjoyable hits ensure the listener's attention is not allowed to wane at any time. Read more.



We also had a little time for....

Good Shoes: 'No Hope, No Future' (rating 7/10)
More intricate, indeed introspective follow up album from this London band. Not quite as engaging as their wonderful debut, but worth a listen.

Efterklang: 'Magic Chairs' (rating 7.5/10)
These 'Great Danes' are capable of some wonderful harmonies and Casper Clausen's lead vocals are sublime.

Midlake: The Courage Of Others' (rating 7/10)
More blissful crooning from this lo-fi Texan quintet.





NC & JFH

Have a listen for yourselves....

Also available on Spotify.

Read previous monthly summaries.

NME-Europe Live: TalentoSOS Final - Reaction From The Winners

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A little more than a week ago, NME-Europe offered extensive (and billingual) coverage of the final of the TalentoSOS contest which saw local Murcian bands Inkeys and Varry Brava win a slot at this year's festival, scheduled for the May Bank Holiday weekend.

As the article appeared to create a good deal of interest, we thought readers might also be interested in hearing what the winners had to say for themselves. Here's what Vicente (Varry) and Emilio (Inkeys) made of the event. Hats off to both for doing this in English, by the way.

Winners Varry Brava receive their €1,500 cheque

NME-Europe: So Vicente, Varry Brava were winners. I don't think many were surprised with that decision! Did you see yourselves as favourites before the final?
VB: Hi Nick! Thanks a lot for coming to the final last Thursday night. We didn't see ourselves as favourites at any moment. Even though people told us we were, we thought that the jury had a very difficult decision to make. The quality of the final was excellent, so when Johan Wald (MC) said our name, it was one of the best moments of our lives.

NME-Europe: Despite a growing reputation in the region, I think it's fair to say that you are going to be one of the 'lesser' known bands at the festival. Tell us what the crowd can expect. 
VB: To be in the SOS Festival is a prize for us. People who know us will see more of the same: a lot of dancing and a party atmosphere! Let's hope those who still do not know us are pleasantly surprised and join the concert.

Well I, for one, knew little of Varry Brava before last Thursday and I must admit I was really impressed by what I saw. In my opinion, they were the best of the bands on show. I'm sure everyone will enjoy their set, even if their time slot isn't exactly ideal (18.30 on May 1st).

NME-Europe: Which bands will you be watching yourselves?
VB: We don't know! We hope, at least, the manager of one of them will be watching us though! :D

NME-Europe: FInally, Vicente, What are the immediate plans for Varry Brava? What are your plans for 2010.
VB: At the moment, we have one self-published album called 'Ídolo' with 10 songs. We need to play around the country so we are confirming dates very soon! There's more about out forthcoming concerts on www.varrybrava.com. The big one, the SOS Festival, on 1st of May in Murcia!

Thanks a lot Vicente. Might we recommend a visit to that website to check them out. Apart from the concert dates, you can also listen to four tracks from that aforementioned album, plus a rip-snorting remix of 'No Gires' by fellow Murcianos, The Leadings.

Whilst Varry Brava were one of the pre-match favourites (despite claiming they weren't), Totana's Inkeys certainly emerged as the event's dark horses and picked up the other winning prize after a practically faultless display during the final. Here's what Emilio had to say about their gate-crashing antics.

Inkeys walk away from the TalentoSOS final with a 1,500€ cheque and a slot at the SOS Festival

NME-Europe: Emilio. Inkeys joint-winners. I think a lot of people were a little surprised with that decision! Did you honestly think you had a chance of winning?
Ink: Hi Nick. Firstly, we want to thank you for covering the event. It was an excellent night and it is surprising all the expectation the competition has generated.

Obviously we expected to win, if not we would not have done so!! :) No, I'm joking... The level was very high and of course it was difficult to win. Everyone in the room had favourites even before the bands started to play, so maybe the decision was not the correct one for many of them. However, we think the the jury made the right decision. We did a good show and after that show which was the result of many hours of rehearsal.

NME-Europe certainly think Inkeys fully-deserved to take on of the first prizes. Whether you like their style or not, they (along with Varry Brava) were better than the rest on the night, so warranted a winning ticket.

NME-Europe: Obviously, you are going to be one of the 'lesser' known bands at the festival. Tell us what the crowd can expect from Inkeys.
Ink: Well, if we look at this issue in a positive light, people will attend our concert with curiosity and we hope it will be to their liking. Nevertheless, we only think about having a good time at the festival, just the same as when we play at an ordinary concert at another venue.

As with Varry before, I'm sure festival-goers will like what they see (hear!).

NME-Europe: Which bands will you be watching yourselves?
Ink: Nada Surf is a must for everyone in Inkeys but there are other big names in the spotlight. Chris Cunningham, The Magic Numbers... I'm especially looking forward to seeing Lidia Damunt.

NME-Europe: Finally Emilio, what other plans do Inkeys have this year?
Ink: '11 razones para perder el sueño' (their debut album) is still being promoted. April is a busy month for us, not only for the SOS 4.8 (they appear on Friday 30th) but we're also recording some songs for an EP we'd like to release very very soon added to a video recording and a Fiestas de Primavera slot together with Rumor!, Varry Brava and The Leadings. A VERY BUSY MONTH!! After this, we'll split up and form a group of polkas. :)

We hope that the Murcia Scene goes like this for a long time and thanks for making it possible on your part.

Emilio is a likeable character. Inkeys are a likeable band. If you can't make their slot at the SOS4.8 Festival, you could at least check out their Myspace page.

NME-Europe would like to thank Vicente and Emilio for taking the time to talk to them and wish both bands every success at the SOS Festival.

NC

NME-Europe Live: Final TalentoSOS, Sala 12ymedio, Murcia

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For the first time the complete 'new and improved' NME-Europe team were together at a gig. Here's what each of us had to make of events...

Date: 18 March 2010

Groups: Inkeys, Newpakets, Los Últimos Bañistas, Varry Brava, Yer Soul

Venue: Sala 12yMedio (Murcia)

Ambientazo en la Sala 12ymedio para la final TalentoSOS 2010.
Un local lleno disfrutó de lo lindo con cinco grupos murcianos de indudable nivel musical, lo que demuestra que el creciente número de salas para tocar en directo ha favorecido el nacimiento de bandas jóvenes en toda la región no-typical, aunque algunos se empeñen en atribuirse el mérito. Además podemos considerar que alguna más podría haber estado la noche del jueves compitiendo por tocar en el SOS 4.8, Neuman por ejemplo.

En lo estrictamente musical Inkeys y Varry Brava se llevaron el premio gordo, 1.500 € y compartir escenario con grandes bandas nacionales e internacionales, eso sí a las 6 y media de la tarde, una hora más taurina que musical, aunque mejor no hablar de toros...

Fueron los mejores sobre el escenario y el jurado creo que acertó. Los totaneros Inkeys abrieron la noche con su canción más rockera y probablemente su mejor tema, "Es mejor", con lo que se ganaron a su público más fiel, aquel que siempre le acompaña en sus conciertos, pero también al resto de la sala. Las demás canciones a mi no me llegan tanto, pero he de reconocer que su sonido es muy sólido y tienen tablas sobre el escenario, a pesar de que les sobra alguna de sus tres guitarras.

El grupo de moda actualmente es Varry Brava y los demostraron, su italopop es bailable, divertido y con calidad, tienen presencia en el escenario y sus hits 'No Gires' y 'Radioactivo', con los que terminaron su tiempo, son temas que darán que hablar y bailar.

En el resto un poco de todo. A priori, Los Últimos Bañistas eran favoritos para los que los habíamos escuchado, pero su directo no fue el mejor, comenzaron muy fríos y con problemas de sonido, y eso se notó en el público. Su concierto fue in crescendo acabando con mucha fuerza pero no fue suficiente. El último tema, '¿Cuál Es? Lo Ves', muy al estilo Planetas, nos dejó con ganas de más. Hoy vuelven a tocar en el ciclo Microsonidos y esperemos que se desquiten.

Los dos grupos restantes me dejaron sensaciones agridulces, los electrónicos NewpaketS ofrecieron algo diferente y original en la escena murciana, pero el público allí presente no tuvo feeling con ellos (como diría un amigo, mucho gafipasti indie). Se fueron desencantados y mi sensación fue de pena, ya que su trip-hop, en otro escenario y con otro público, y estoy pensando en el Parque Torres una noche de verano, puede llevarnos definitivamente a levitar.

Por cierto empiezo a estar harto de los que no paran de hablar en los conciertos, o me hago mayor o la gente no sabe comportarse.

Cerrando el concurso Yer Soul, una banda con un sonido excesivamente Beatles, con sección de metales, pero que sólo me gustaron en un tema que recordaba a Radiohead. Los demás demasiado monocordes y previsibles, de todas formas su sonido fue excelente.

En fin, desde NME-Europe damos la enhorabuena a todos por el nivel musical demostrado y en especial a las dos bandas ganadoras.

JFH.

The Kids Are Alright
Murcia's Sala 12yMedio took a break from its Microsonidos programme to play host to the final of the TalentoSOS contest with the five survivors from an initial 100 acts fighting for the right to play at this year's SOS 4.8 festival (and a cheque for 1,500€).

A heaving venue - a wonderful, albeit unusual sight lately for all music fans in Murcia -, a host of 'prestigious' onlookers there in support (Paco 'Leadings', Javi Vox from Second, Ángel Sopena and even His Majesty THE Nephew) added to MTV's Johan Wald presentational prowess were the perfect backdrop for what turned out to be an event filled with surprises. Each band had 20 minutes to show their worth, with a place for two of the five to be decided by the jury comprising Joan Luna, chief editor of Mondosonoro, Virginia Díaz from Radio 3 and Albert Salmeron, Musical Director of the Festival.

First up were Totana's Inkeys, a power pop six piece - perhaps boasting one guitar too many - who had certainly prepared themselves for the event. If crowd reaction was going to have an effect on the end result, then Inkeys' herd of groupies in the corner made sure the jury at least sat up and took notice. Oasis-like Opening track 'Es Mejor' soon gave way to their more characteristic sound, á la Teenage Fanclub or Cooper, but throughout they were slick on stage and bossed proceedings with a well-oiled, albeit conventional sound.

Inkeys were a good start to the evening, especially for those of us (myself included) who initially thought they were making up the numbers.

Next up were NewpaketS, a group who were destined never to connect with the crowd, but who offered the event's most alternative sound. When faced with a crowd of 'pop-junkies', a trip-hop group isn't going to get very far, but there's no debating the quality of this group. It was almost comical when most people didn't realise their set had ended, perhaps they'd be better off hitting Bristol for a while.

It was a case of it wasn't meant to be for Cartagena's Los Últimos Bañistas. Pre-match favourites in the eyes of many, a slight technical hitch to begin with and a cold nervy start meant this indie pop quartet spent the rest of their set racing against time to prove to the crowd and jury alike that they really are the biggest potential in the Region. A late spurt with tracks like 'Viajes Y Demonios' o 'Cual Es, ¿Lo Ves?' gave us a glimpse of what can be expected from a band we'll surely be hearing a lot more of in the future. However, on Thursday it wasn't alright on the night.

Varry Brava, the other band tipped for success before the event, certainly didn't waste their opportunity and it was no surprise to see them crowned joint winners. Hailing from Orihuela, but 'nocturnally based in Murcia', this five piece are 100% entertainment. They have the look, the presence and, above all, the tracks to get a crowd moving. 80s pop with 20th century energy reminding you a little of The Bravery or even Franz Ferdinand.


Their scintilllating 20 minute set, which contained easy-to-love tracks like 'No Gires', 'No Puedes' or the exhilarating 'Radioactivo' left the crowd on a high and it was clear in most people's eyes that Varry Brava were going to be busy during the Mayday bank holiday weekend.

You almost had to feel sorry for the fifth and final group, Yer Soul, the veterans of the event. These 'four huertanos aiming to shake the world' were the most conventional of the bands on show during the final (despite boasting a mini-orchestra for this set) and, while their sound is undoubtedly well-honed, you get the feeling they belong in Liverpool in the 60s rather than the 21st century. They did, however, manage prove the doubters at NME-Europe wrong with one track - 'No Light From The Fire'- which made Johan's introductory claim that they sounded lke Radiohead sound not quite so ridiculous.

The jury, then, had a relatively easy decision to make. Varry Brava and Inkeys taking the spoils.

The highlights? A full house, and five bands of undoubted talent. Oh yeah and two free tickets for the festival for NME-Europe, who also ended up with a prize on this enthralling evening. Congratulations to Inkeys and Varry Brava. If we can drag ourselves out of siesta mode for one weekend at the end of April, we might even see you at the SOS!

NC.

Un buen pulso a la escena murciana
Los 1.500€ para los ganadores y la posibilidad de tocar en el Festival SOS 4.8 junto a bandas como Franz Ferdinand o Los Planetas supusieron un aliciente suficiente para que más de 100 bandas se presentaran a este concurso regional de bandas emergentes. Los cinco finalistas representaban una muestra muy interesante de las últimas esperanzas de la música murciana y el público llenó la sala 12yMedio.

El primero de los finalistas en actuar fueron los totaneros Inkeys, que comenzaron con uno de los mejores temas: 'Es Mejor'. Se mostraron como una banda muy sólida, pero con demasiados cambios en su estilo, de un vocalista a otro, de inglés a español, del pop al rock, para los poco más de 20 minutos que tenían.

En una noche dominada por las guitarras, la actuación de Newpakets fue el gran contrapunto. Su electrónica 'lounge' fue el perro verde del concierto y nunca terminó de encajar en los gustos del público. Este estilo, tan diferente al del resto de competidores, les hizo caerse de las quinielas de los allí presentes, pero supusieron una buena muestra de que en Murcia no sólo se hace buen pop.

Precisamente en los cánones de este estilo se movió el concierto de Los Últimos Bañistas. Esta banda cartagenera, cuyo sonido recuerda a Lori Meyers, realizó un concierto de menos a más, acabando con su mejor versión con un gran tema de pop guitarrero.

Tras ellos saltaron al escenario de la 12yMedio los grandes favoritos de la velada: Varry Brava. La banda de Orihuela, con menos de un año de vida, se ha convertido en uno de los grupos de moda de la escena murciana. Cumplieron las expectativas de hacer bailar a un público entregado a su pop bailable con temas de su gran disco de debut: Ídolo. Música sencilla y divertida: la fórmula perfecta del éxito.

Cerró el concierto Yer Soul, el finalista del TalentoSOS con una trayectoria más consolidada. Su mezcla de rock y pop clásico cantando en inglés y en español no consiguió enganchar a un público cuyos pies aún se movían al compás del huracán Varry Brava. Yer Soul es un grupo de un gran virtuosismo, con un sonido excelso, el teclado recién incorporado a la banda ayuda a ello, pero que no destaca por su carisma, algo que acabaron pagando en las votaciones del jurado

En el resutado, poco que objetar, ganaron los dos grupos que más entonados estuvieron y que mejor respuesta tuvieron por parte del público: Inkeys y Varry Brava.

En definitiva: una buena oportunidad de escuchar los mejores grupos emergentes de Murcia y de ganar un par de entradas para el SOS, como hicieron 2/3 del staff de NME-Europe.

BP.

Last 5 live reviews on NME-Europe:
Clint (Murcia, Marzo 2010)
Neuman y Capsula (Murcia, Febrero 2010)
B-Side Festival (Molina de Segura, September 2009)
Lemon Pop Festival (Murcia, September 2009)
MTV Murcia Night (Cartagena, July 2009)

Read all Live articles

NME-Europe Live: SOS 4.8 Festival 2010 - The Leadings

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With the SOS 4.8 Festival fast approaching, NME-Europe has decided to run a series of interviews with some of the participating bands who'll be giving us an insight into the festival from their perspective. Fittingly, the first band to feature is local act The Leadings who have been making a name for themselves on the national scene over the last 12 months. They've just returned from London, where they have recorded a video for one of the tracks from the forthcoming full-length debut album Don't Stop Till You Get Enough and, despite the heavy schedule of concerts in Spain (last weekend they played the Razzmatazz Club in Barcelona), singer/guitarist Juan Torrano took the time to speak to us about playing on home soil.

NME-Europe: So Juan unlike many of the bands who'll be at SOS, playing in Murcia is nothing new to The Leadings. What are your suggestions for new-comers in Murcia?
JT: Obviously Murcia isn't new for us, we're from Murcia, ha ha. Well, you shouldn't miss the opportunity to try a marinera in La Plaza de las Flores (Flowers' Square), with a beer of course!


NME-Europe: Have you played any of the other major festivals in Spain?
JT: Well, we played at the B-Side Festival in Molina last September (alongside The Rakes and Rinôçérôse, amongst others) and we will play other Spanish festivals this summer, although we are still waiting for the official confirmation.

NME-Europe: Does the fact the festival is in Murcia have any significance?
JT: There's nothing more important than playing in one of the biggest festivals in Spain..... in your own town, with your fans, your people, your friends...it's a great opportunity for us and a dream come true. Last year we played in this festival but only in the pre-party festival at 12ymedio club, it was so amazing...sold out. Imagine this year!

NME-Europe: The SOS Festival is relatively new, this is only the third edition. Have you been impressed by the organisation so far?
JT: we prefer to talk about the organisation when the festival ends...jajajajaja (ed. that's Spanish for hahahaha!)

NME-Europe: Which of the other bands are you looking forward to seeing?
JT: We want to see The Horrors and Hot Chip (again) ....pleaseeee.

Well, it may be true to say that not many people attending SOS this year will have heard much about The Leadings, but NME-Europe thinks a lot will want to find out more once they've seen their exhilarating electro-indie set. In the meantime, why not have a listen to two of the tracks from their imminent debut album which they have just posted on their MySpace page? The video below should whet the appetite ahead of their full-blown SOS 4.8 Festival bow, scheduled for Saturday 1 May.




NME-Europe: Thanks a lot for your time. Anything else to add, Juan?
JT: Nothing more to say, thanks very much for your support and we will see you in Murcia....SO TROPICALLLLLL. 

NC

Not a bad way to start the build up this year's festival. You can read more NME-Europe articles on the SOS 4.8 Festival here.

Album Review: February's Top Of The Pops

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February saw Los Campesinos! smash all Valentine's Day celebrations to pieces, with 'Romance Is Boring'. After a slow start to the year, the releases are starting to flow. Here's what NME-Europe had to say...

Vampire Weekend: 'Contra' (rating 7/10)
It's hard to make up your mind on this one. Sometimes, it sounds great, yet others it's annoying. However, on the whole 'Contra' appears to be a step forward. Tracks like opener 'Horchata', the happy-go-lucky 'Holiday' or the frenetic 'Cousins' (see video below) are all decent ear candy and make good the self-proclaimed "Upper West Side Soweto" sound. (Read more).

Los Campesinos!: 'Romance Is Boring' (rating 7/10)
Don't expect finesse on this album, because it is devoid of any  - "...feels like the build up takes forever, but you never touch my cock" on 'Straight In At 101' pretty much sums up the general sexually charged atmosphere. (Read more).




We also had a listen to...

Yeasayer: 'Odd Blood' (rating 6/10)
Second album from this Brooklyn four piece. A diverse album, although a little disjointed at times.

Massive Attack: 'Heligoland' (rating 7/10)
More classic trip-hop from Massive Attack on their first release since 2003 (Danny The Dog OST excluded). Prepare yourself for an exhilarating finale after a sluggish start.

NC

Have a listen for yourselves....

Also available on Spotify.


Read previous monthly summaries.

Album Review: Hot Chip

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Hot Chip: 'One Life Stand' (EMI Music)

1. Thieves In The Night
2. Hand Me Down Your Love
3. I Feel Better
4. One Life Stand
5. Brothers
6. Slush
7. Alley Cats
8. We Have Love
9. Keep Quiet
10. Take It In



Hot Chip, the London quintet with a reputation for churning out some of the catchiest electro-pop ditties of the recent era - remember 'Over And Over'? -, still have the challenge of producing a consistently great album. Would they achieve their goal on their fourth real studio album 'One Life Stand', released on EMI?

Opening track 'Thieves In The Night' seriously suggests this is going to be the one, a rampaging combination of deadly drums and sizzling samples ensures that 'Thieves' is the sort of track to hang about the eardrums for a while. Followed up by the piano-driven 'Hand Me Down Your Love' and indeed, during the first half of the album, epitomised by the wonderfully rhythmical, poignant almost, 'Brothers' the listener is effortlessly carried along on the crest of a beat and it feels good. You almost welcome the dour 'Slush' for a chance to contemplate the quality of the album up to that point.

However, it is the run-in from that prevents Hot Chip reaching the 'great album' status. 'We Have Love' aside, the closing tracks are weak in comparison to the rest. You get the feeling they should have stopped earlier or, at least, they should have redistributed the final tracks so that the listener doesn't notice the cracks in the ceiling so much.

A good, very good but not great album. NME-Europe will be hoping they cut out the dross when they take the stage at this year's SOS 4.8 Festival.

NME-Europe rating: 7.5/10
Top Track: 'Brothers'

Like it, buy it!















Watch a vid!


Last 5 NME-Europe reviews:
Vampire Weekend: 'Contra'
Los Campesinos!: 'Romance Is Boring'
Delphic: 'Acolyte'
The xx: 'XX'
Editors: 'In This Light And On This Evening'

Read all NME-Europe reviews

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Album Review: Delphic

Delphic: 'Acolyte' (Polydor)

1. Clarion Call

2. Doubt
3. This Momentary
4. Red Lights
5. Acolyte
6. Halcyon
7. Submission
8. Counterpoint
9. Ephemera
10. Remain



Following the habitual dirth of activity from mid-December, the 2010 release season kicks off with an enthralling electro-pop journey courtesy of new-boys Delphic.This Manchester four-piece spent most of 2009 touring and limited themselves to a couple of single releases.

Widely tipped to become one of the hottest properties of the year, their debut release 'Acolyte' is the perfect remedy for those festive excesses.The opening tracks 'Clarion Call' and 'Doubt' are an atmospheric introduction to the Delphic sound, but just as you begin to think you're in for a quiet ride the band's revamped r'n'b - that's riffs and beats - kick in on 'The Momentary' are you are dragged into a swirling groove you are unlikely to want to escape.

You won't be stopping at 'Red Lights', nor coming up for air as you enter the 'Acolyte' state of Delphicville and from there on you bounce along for the rest of the album, which shows no signs of weakness during the second half, where the likes of 'Counterpoint' keeping the momentum going.

It might be early days to talk of the album of the year, but Delphic have certainly got us off to a good start.

NME-Europe rating: 8.5/10
Top Track: 'Acolyte' 

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Last 5 NME-Europe reviews:
The xx: 'XX'
Editors: 'In This Light And On This Evening'
P.A. Meirelles: 'UBM/MBU (2005-2008)'
Overspill Poets: 'Thompson Falls'
Cybiont: 'A Trilogy Of Random Thoughts And Considerations'


Read all NME-Europe reviews

NME-Europe Live: B Side Festival

Having had a full week to recover from the Lemon Pop outing, NME-E was firing on all cylinders and raring to go for the 5th B-Side Festival in Molina de Segura (Murcia).

Despite being a relatively new event, the organisers have been able to boast some top acts in previous years - Echo & The Bunnymen, The Charlatans, The Happy Mondays or Nada Surf, amongst others. The current climate meant that this year's line up might have appeared slightly more low key at first glance, however any discerning music lover would find it hard to argue that the bill was intriguing, proven by the fact that anticipated sales doubled last year's figures. In fact, the final attendance, which I'd estimate at around 7-8,000 is a marked improvement on previous years.

So, was it worth my while? Musically, yes, but some of the organisation was shocking (more of that later).

Arriving about mid-way through Elvis Perkins' set, the American's eccentric country twang was an ideal invitation to visit the hotdog stand. No disrespect, Elvis, but your sound wasn't gonna fire me up.

Ketchup stains removed, we graced the crowd with our presence as the first of the night's big acts took stage; The Rakes. Now, regulars to NME-E know that I was not exactly impressed by the Londoners' third album released earlier this year (if you haven't already, check out the review here) so I was unsure of what to expect. I'm pleased to say that The Rakes are a top live act and made me remember why I took a fancy to them a few years back.

A real presence on stage, an OUTSTANDING range of vocals from Alan Donohoe - why doesn't he do that on the album? - and an upbeat tempo from the guitars to keep the foot tapping throughout, made the hour-long set, which included a mix of tracks from 'Klang' and the classics which first put The Rakes on the map - '22 Grand Job' or 'We Are Animals' -, a thoroughly enjoyable affair. The final track '1989' was a fitting finale and the B Side festival was officially up and running.

Next up were new national indie heroes, Vetusta Morla, who are coming to the end of what's been a mammoth 18 months for them. Having floundered around for 10 years without making much of a noise, 'Un Dia En El Mundo' has transformed them into THE Spanish band of the moment and they are thriving on it! It was obvious that a vast majority of the crowd had come just to see them and the atmosphere as they broke into opening track 'Autocrítica' was already electric. From then on things only got better.

This lot have got it all; a brilliant vocalist, a wide variety of sounds, melodies which pick you up, toss you around and then give you a hug - you could already appreciate that on the album. Judging by this performance they also possess the ability to adapt and improve tracks for a live show - in particular with 'La Marea' and 'Valiente' (see video), whilst personal favourite 'La Cuadritura Del Circulo' (one of my favourite tracks of 2008 - read more about that here), the final track of the set quite simply blew me away. The new tracks they previewed also sounded promising so the future is looking good for Vetusta Morla.



Having reached a high point in the evening so early on you almost had to feel a bit sorry for Cycle, the fourth act to take the stage. Most of us needed a breather (for that read beer) after Vetusta Morla's invigorating performance and the horrendously understaffed bar (6 on one bar and 3 on another, which closed at 1am!) meant that most of us were stuck at there for pretty much the whole of Cycle's set. As it turns out, the last 15 minutes, which included crowd favourite 'Confusion' and new hit 'You Talk Too Much' were the highlight, the general feeling being that their sound was too brash and samey - appreciated by the hardcore fans, but less so by the public at large.

Coming to terms with the fact that the liquid refreshment had come to an end for the night, I was now fully focused on the headline band, French electro-rockers , here to promote their recent release 'Futurino'.


Rinôçérôse have got everything you need to put on a good electronica show; 3 electric guitars and a drummer! (oh yeah and little synth). Add a mind-boggling light show and a well-worked wardrobe and the end result is a host of really rocking tracks aided by vocal collaborations from Mark Gardener and the outrageously eccentric Jessie Chaton (think Freddie Mercury on speed). The masses were soon woken from their Cycle hangovers with the ramblasting new hits 'Head Like A Volcano', 'Where You From?', and 'Touch Me' (with the aforementioned Chaton bouncing around the stage like a headless chicken). With the classics 'Music Kills Me' or the ever popular 'La Guitaristic House Organisation' and you found it difficult to not adore these guys' funky beats.

And now a bit of an NME-E exclusive. I managed to persuade France's 'plus chic' rocknrolla, 'Patou' Carrié (va va voom) to talk to us a little about their second B-Side experience. Here's what she had to say:

NME-E: So, you're back in Molina. What made you return?
PC: We came back because we love the boss of the festival. He saw us in Benicassim this summer and likes the Futurino show so he invited us to play on his festival. That’s why we came back. We definitely think that it was better than the first time.

NME-E: No 'Time Machine' (my favourite from the new release). What were you trying to achieve out there?
PC: On stage we try to play all the classics that people love to hear, like 'La Guitaristic House Organisation', 'Music Kills Me', 'Le Rock Summer' or 'Bitch'. But, we also want play our favourite new songs from Futurino.

Of course, we can’t play all of them because of the guests singers. For example, we can’t play 'Time Machine' because Ninja (the Go Team singer) is not available at the moment. Even though we would love to play that song live, We can’t!

NME-E: What did you think of the crowd's reaction. things seemed a litle flat during the Cycle set, how did you feel on stage?
PC: The crowd reaction was not exactly the same as when we usually play in spain. And honestly, it was not our best show in spain because we had some technical problem which disrupted us on stage. You know, a gig is a kind of magic, you can quickly lose control. However, when we looked back on YouTube at some of songs we had played, the public was definitely ok and the show was powerful.

When we saw Cycle on stage, the reaction of the public was also a bit flat (anyway it was a really good show, they're our favourite Spanish band).

Indeed the show was powerful. Check out the video of 'Music Kills Me' below to see what I mean. And it was nice to see these guys giving Cycle some support.



A parting word from Patou, "In French there is a famous proverb which says “jamais 2 sans 3”, so i’m sure we'll come back to the B-Side festival and next time it will be the best ever!"

A MASSIVE thank you for Patou for taking the time to speak to us. NME-E is honoured.

Anyway, back to the gig. After bidding a fond au revoir to our French friends at just on 3.30am NME-E decided it was time to call it a day, meaning local boys The Leadings will have to be featured another day (sorry boys). All in all a good night out and great value for money; 15€ to see 3 or 4 (depending on your review of Cycle) top bands is my idea of a good deal. Top performances from The Rakes, Vetusta Morla and easily outweighed the negatives the organisation needs to sort out before next year.

NME-Europe requests improvement in the following:
1) Access by car. It's terrible! There is practically no signposting at all - it was easy to find the Christening celebration nearby - and when there was some, it was misleading - did anyone else go crazy looking for a mysterious roundabout and end up doing a u-turn at the petrol station?

2) The bar. Come on, a barstaff to cater for a 10th of the people who were there is taking the piss. Charge us 2€ more each and employ more people - christ, there's enough on the dole at the moment) and make sure there's a supply of drinks to go beyond midnight - on top of it all you weren't allowed out of the stadium before 1am, an attempt to keep all consumption on site, yet there was nothing left to consume!).

Still, it was a good night out. Time for me to catch up on some sleep!

The Boy Is Back In Town

NME-Europe is back online - with a vengeance. Rumours of a split have been wide of the mark (bit difficult when you're flying solo!), merely a combination of factors have made it difficult to get anywhere lately. Until now!

So, how to sum up the water that has passed under the musical bridge during the last 3 months? Well, there's been a bit of everything; romance, tragedy and disaster; the Benicassim hurricance, Placebo's runner at MTV Murcia Night (don't get me started on that one), Jacko's departure or the imminent Oasis split have been counterbalanced by a host of new releases (Passion Pit or The Temper Trap spring to mind) and some interesting developments in the world of Myspace.

Two bands in partiular are worthy of mention: Overspill Poets have announced the release of their debut album, Thompson Falls in October and my sneak preview confirms it's WELL worth a listen. With a full-scale review to come, here's what guitarist George Kitching has to say about the band's music and their impending debut:


"We’ve always loved the sense of landscape you get from in a lot of American music, be it the alt country twang of Lucinda Williams, the southern jangle of early REM or the urban wastelands of Husker Du. Living in Cumbria that wide open sound seems to resonate, but the vocals always tie it back to the US. On the other hand we’ve grown up with music that’s firmly rooted on this side of the Atlantic from The Beatles to Richard Thompson to The Jam, The Smiths, The Happy Mondays to Elbow. I guess what we’ve been trying to do in our humble way is combine some of that big open guitar sound with vocals and lyrics that reflect our own surroundings and experience.

People have remarked that the songs make good “driving music” and we were conscious of trying to make the album flow like the soundtrack to a road movie albeit one set on the A1 heading north rather than a sun-baked interstate. 'Boxing Gloves' and '(The) Neon Lights (Are Beautiful)' - which, along with 'Northern Star', is one of my favourite tracks - tell stories of people heading for London to escape provincial dead ends, but the neon lights that inspired the latter song were actually those of Newcastle viewed from across the Tyne in Gateshead. The exception is the title track, 'Thompson Falls' that was inspired by a chance visit to the Idaho town of the same name and tells the tale of girl who despite her big ambitions fails to escape her small town trappings becoming weighed down with other people’s expectations.

The album is a total DIY affair, recorded in a home studio and released on our own label. What we lacked in technical sophistication was offset by the ability to go back and redo things over and over until we got them sounding how we wanted, so certainly it’s gratifying then to get the amount of positive feedback we’ve had so far about the production. It’s an exciting time for music. The internet has opened up a lot of possibilities for musicians that simply weren’t there before. Hopefully it’ll lead to more music driven purely by artistic vision rather than by an accountant's eye on the balance sheet."

This is a band I find I have a lot in common with and I sincerely hope their debut is as successful as they deserve.

Likewise - bit of an exclusive here - Scarborough's finest, Loveday Fools are about to make the break into the big time. Band member Ben gives us the gossip:



"We have signed a 2 year deal with King Prawn Records, an indie label from Halifax after they heard our demo cd. They plan on releasing our debut single/album worldwide in January 2010. The record will be entitled 'Ten O'Clock Horses' and will feature brand new versions of our popular myspace demo's, live favourites and maybe an odd new song. We're hoping to release a double A-Side single, we haven't sorted it out yet but that's the plan.

We're going on a mini-tour of Yorkshire this month, so we also hope to release a limited edition Live Album from one leg of the tour, maybe just a 100 run, something which may pass into myth and legend one day. If that happens we'll notify you of course."

Meanwhile check out the video of their track 'The Year I Started Smoking'.



Naturally, NME-E wishes them both the best of luck.

It'll be a busy couple of weeks concert-wise too in nme-land. This weekend sees Murcia host the 14th Lemon Pop festival as part of its local Fair. The main attractions are national bands Astrud (Fri) and Cooper (Sat), who will be promoting his latest release, Aeropuerto. International interest comes in the form of cult Scottish band BMX Bandits and Sweden' s Joel Alme (both Sat). Zodiacs might also be ones to watch.

Entrance is free both nights. I seriously recommend a visit if you're in the vicintiy, even if you don't know much about the bands - the organisers have an uncanny knack of unearthing future stars with the likes of Rinôçérôse, Los Planetas or Camera Obscura having played here before going onto greater things.

Speaking of whom, French electro-poppers, Rinôcérôse will feature in the B-side festival (Molina, Sat 12th) alongside The Rakes (see photo), top Spanish indie boys Vetusta Morla (see video clip) and fellow Madrileños electro-punkers Cycle. Watch out for local boys The Leadings as well - their brand of indie-electro-danceis sure to attract attention. Tickets are priced at just €15 (€20 if you pay on the door).



Plenty to be getting on with then!

It's good to be back!

Album Review: The Prodigy

The Prodigy: Invaders Must Die (Cooking Vinyl)

1. Invaders Must Die
2. Omen
3. Thunder
4. Colours
5. Take Me To The Hospital
6. Warrior's Dance
7. Run With The Wolves
8. Omen Reprise
9. World's On Fire
10. Piranha
11. Stand Up

Subtle is hardly a word you would use to define The Prodigy, so the brash, in yer face nature of new release 'Invaders Must Die' (even the title is aggressive) will come as no surprise to fans of one of the pioneering groups in the history of techno-electronica.

What will please the inconditionals is a return to the sort of sound we first heard on 'The Fat Of The Land', one of the benchmark albums in taking techno music to a higher, more lucrative level. After the relatively insignificant 'Dirtchambers Sessions' and the slightly disappointing 'Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned', 'Invaders Must Die' rolls up its sleeves and smacks you in the mouth.

The opening title track is a sinister warning to anyone who's thinking about invading. I don't know who it's aimed at, but I wouldn't want to be in their shoes. 'Run With The Wolves' is also frenetically harsh. 'Omen' signals the writing is on the wall with a crunching base beat. 'World's On Fire' follows 'Omen Reprise' - a welcome rest - and again blasts your ears.

On the whole, not an album for the faint-hearted. For the nostalgics, there's even a hint of "Top One, Nice One, Charlie" on 'Take Me To The Hospital'. The hairline may be receding, but the attitude is still there. The Prodigy have sent out a warning to all invaders... It's their fat, their land and they're living off it.

Top Track: 'Omen'
Album Rating: 8/10



Last 5 NME-E Reviews:
Lily Allen: 'It's Not Me, It's You'
Morrissey: 'Years Of Refusal'
The View: 'Which Bitch'
The Rifles: 'The Great Escape'
Franz Ferdinand: 'Tonight: Franz Ferdinand'

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