#1 Katy B

Well, we’re going to start with Katy B for two very good reasons. Firstly, she has already “made it”, and secondly, we don’t really like her at all. The premise of dubstep, its genius, was echoing the dark, paranoid and innovative streets of South London. Brit-Schooled packages designed to exploit and mine the ridiculous hype that has accrued around the term “dubstep” over the past year is not within its original ideas. That said, the development from “Untrue” to the stage where floppy haired Libertines-loving Eton boys were joining groups on Facebook called things like “dubstep choones so filthy u’ll need a SHOWA!!” made this sort of inevitable, and her success will only eclipse itself. Preferable to young Mr. Bieber but, still, slightly sickening. (Hope you won’t mind if we point you towards the shockingly good Benga original from 2009 just to demonstrate the extent of Katy B’s input)

Katy B – Katy On A Mission by NotManyExperts

#2 Rosanna

Where in the past inclusion on the BBC’s “Sound of…” longlist, BRIT award nominations and being championed by Neon Gold may have been the common precursors to success, the decision of pop music’s true connoisseurs, Pop Justice, to launch a record label under the recognisable guise of Pop Justice Hi-Fi has established their intentions not only to forecast great pop music but to launch careers themselves. Smart bets would certainly be on them succeeding; Pop Justice Hi-Fi look set to become pop’s next benchmark of quality.

Early evidence comes courtesy of the innocuously titled Rosanna, who released her “Waterfall/Runaway” single on the label last week. Superficially, she seems the perfect package; predictably Swedish, blonde and beautiful. And, for once, the superficial seems in no need of being contradicted, as she’s equipped with a set of heart-tearing vocals mapped out over intricate production most in evidence on the incredible Rocket Boy version of her equally incredible b-side, “Runaway”. Whether in 2010 or 2011 is irrelevant, things are certainly going to start happening for her.

Rosanna – Runaway (Rocket Boy Remix) by NotManyExperts

Rosanna – Waterfall by NotManyExperts

#3 Clare Maguire

An obvious choice. But it’s the very fact that this choice is obvious that makes us the more certain that success lies in her path. Having earned herself a major label deal without huge amounts of exposure thanks to her reputably jaw-destroying voice, she followed this up with those enormous amounts of exposure thanks to a combination of her impressive, albeit not genre-pushing, music and the fact that she had been signed by a major label. Early indications in the form of “Strangest Thing” and a short clip of her Polydor debuting single “Aint Nobody” (download the former and watch the latter here) promise much. We can’t wait to hear more and you can be sure that Polydor will make sure that we all hear a lot more from her when the release date creeps closer.

Clare Maguire – Strangest Thing (Bloodshy & Avant Version) by NotManyExperts

Last week we declared that Entrepreneurs’ “Uv Been Robbed (Joking But Not)” EP was the best we’d heard all year. This week, we can’t stop listening to Pariah’s “Safehouses” EP and are considering challenging last weeks assertion… Word of mouth spread the name of Pariah late last year wide throughout the music community, with many suggesting him as the obvious successor to Burial, and he is now even described on his press release as “hotly tipped”. We were finally turned onto him via the home of moody electronic atmospherics, No Pain In Pop. Now, however, Pariah will be releasing his “Safehouses” EP in October on the already legendary R&S records, early home of Delphic and James Blake.

Comparisons to Mount Kimbie, James Blake and other post-dubstep artists are easy to make, but Pariah’s quivering, optimistic tone is distinctly his own. There’s nothing flashy or ostentatious about the music he’s making, not an enormous wobble in sight (luckily), but the genius of his music is that he’s doing relatively simple things exceptionally well, with the result that it has an instant appeal that has eluded many of his peers. It’s almost indecent to choose a favourite on such a strong EP, but “Railroad” is a powerfully percussive track will stutter and shake its way into dark, sweaty basements everywhere come the end of the year. * More importantly, though his press release only claimed that he was “hotly tipped”, the evidence on this EP suggests that Pariah has already justified early whisperings and established himself as one of the most skilled producers around.

Pariah – Railroad by NotManyExperts

*(Fittingly, “Railroad” was also the soundtrack to me sat on the floor of the inexplicably rammed train from London back up to Liverpool late last night, and at the exact moment this track came on somebody running off the train knocked one of my shoes onto the track. I feel sort of inclined to blame Pariah, but I guess it may have been a coincidence.)

I’m of the opinion that any artist creating under the alias of “a vessel containing liquid in which something is immersed” is worthy of a few minutes of my time. I’m certainly glad I stopped by The Typanogram and found this beauty.

Will Wiesenfeld, aka Baths, released debut effort “Cerulean” back in late June, however, due in no small part to my ability to completely overlook many great albums until a few months later, I’ve only just started listening. It is hard to describe the genre of music in which “Cerulean” would fall into, but maybe that is one of the great strengths of the record: Wiesenfeld seems to have taken strands of pop, dance, ambient and shoegaze and sewn them together into a cohesive and thoroughly pleasant auditory experience. The visual for upcoming single “Lovely Bloodflow” was released a few days ago, which you can find below. Who would have known that the death of a Samurai could be so poetic and beautiful when soundtracked by a Bath. As for the rest of “Cerulean”, you can stream the album here, before you buy here. And you will buy.

Well, I would think I’ve probably got just enough time to write a short piece about these guys before my humble pie is just about ready.  You see, I did a lot of pathetically misinformed bitching about recent record “Congratulations”, having never listened to it before casting it aside as ‘shit’.  In my defence, the only reason I did this was because I was so antagonised by the duo’s proclamation that the record would contain ‘no singles’.  It just seem utterly fucking ridiculous that a band would want to create something with that they intentionally do not want released as a single.  It’s this kind of pretentious behaviour that increasingly is creeping into the music industry.  I understand their argument that they’d like the record to be heard in full, instead of the highlights being preyed upon by commercial stations and played to death, unfortunately its one of the sad inevitabilities of today’s commercially-dominated capitally-focused media industry that they’re just gonna have to shut up and deal with.  Excuse me while I take a deep breath and have a sip of water.

Uncontrollable rant aside, Zane Lowe tonight managed to lure me into unknowingly enjoying “Congratulations” by playing this cheeky effort.  You can imagine by rage when, in typically enthusiastic fashion, he announced that I’d been listening to title track “Congratulations.  The sneaky bastards.  So this is to you MGMT; you might well be pretentious twats who I still have a deep personal problem with, but I can no longer deny that I have listened to your music.  I feel really ashamed.

Congratulations – MGMT by georgemills

Here at NotManyExperts, we don’t commit many crimes.  Copyright infringements and mild cases of extortion aside, we have a squeaky clean record with the authorities, but there’s one glaring offence we are yet to be punished for.  Since the inception of this here blog, I fail to recollect when either of Phil or myself have written one teeny word about one of the most popular and influential genres of music in the world.  Rap.

I have decided that I will make it my mission to filter through the inevitable piles of rap shit that are released on a daily basis and bring to you some of the finest articles of the genre which, for the most part, don’t get half the coverage in the blogosphere that they deserve.

The first of said articles of genius comes from one of my favourite rappers of all time, Lupe Fiasco.  Real name Wasalu Jaco, Fiasco has made himself into one of the most respected and anticipated artists in the genre with his unique lyricism that often challenges the ‘guns, bitches & bling’ stereotypical mentality associated with Rap.  Forthcoming album “Food & Liquor 2: The Great American Rap Album” was announced a few weeks back, via his Twitter feed, and this track is the first glimpse of what we can expect from Lupe’s 3rd studio album.  Enjoy…

Lupe Fiasco – Go To Sleep by georgemills

As a rule; free things are always, constantly and without exceptions absolutely depressing. By definition, they’re usually designed to make you buy other things which, obviously, is detestably sneaky and therefore worthy of hate. They’re almost by some unwritten rule of thriftiness underwhelming and weak, like that Chemical Brothers “album” of remixes by drugged up bedroom hermits that the Sunday Times seems to give away every week, and that watered-down free shot of beer brewed solely to force you to feel guilty about not buying an entire bottle. In fact, the only free thing that I’ve received recently that packed a punch was, literally, a punch in the face from a terrifyingly furious chav for trying to protect my idiotic friend who, quite predictably, had made some sort of perhaps unnecessary comment about said chav’s mother. I preferred it to the shot of beer, anyway.

I’ll have to admit at this point that I am actually lying. The term “without exceptions” above was probably misleading. There is an exception. Now, I think you probably know where this is heading. Except I’m not going to lead this into an anticlimax by giving you away a free impotent remix of a fey, untalented indie band who’s manager happens to be an old friend of mine. Downloading music for free, legally, is no longer new or exciting. Thousands of artists are struggling to grab your attention right now, each one trying to convince you to steal their music with their consent like some sort of musical self-flagellation that has become necessary to build a following of interneted music geeks, but I can barely remember the last time that a free EP was worth the listening time alone, let alone two enormous paragraphs of frankly irrelevant pre-amble.

London’s rising producer of the minute Entrepreneurs has definitely changed those perceptions. Of course we’d seen the name flung across all of the right places, and recently come across him again in the guise of FOE’s producer, but not once did we consider that it was possible he’d release an EP of ball-swallowingly terrifying industrial pop that, quite simply, is the most original, breathless and focussed EP we’ve heard all year. Somehow, it manages to be both as accessible as Lady Gaga pummelling her record label execs to death with the heel of her shoe and weirder than, well, Lady Gaga. For that feat alone you are sort of obliged to download the EP. And if you don’t agree with us, well, you can have your money back; because this is 100% guaranteed to be better than a punch in the face, but hit you just as hard.

Entrepreneurs – Hunting Roger Rabbit by NotManyExperts

In a sentence; Vampire Weekend but without the Ralph Lauren shirts, instead blessed with musical intellect, a refreshing lyrical honesty (no mention of horchata…) and a severe amount of hooks. It’s true that frontman Wes Miles may be better known for his apparently-not-so-coincidental musical relationship with Vampire Weekend’s Rostam Batmanglij (who produces one track on “The Orchard”) under the name Discovery, and that this may present an obstacle for many due to its embarrassingly appalling nature. However, those willing to put aside past musical wrongs inflicted upon them will find Miles much more comfortable flanked by Ra Ra Riot’s danceable indie-rock-meets-Beethoven stylings. And aside from the individual strength of “The Orchard’s” tracks, too many of which stand out as singles, the record’s real triumph is that it is all tied together beautifully and keeps pace like a proper album should but so rarely does. A truly complete piece of pleasingly portentous art.

Ra Ra Riot – Boy by NotManyExperts

Ra Ra Riot – Foolish by NotManyExperts

“The Orchard” is out this Monday and you can, but probably won’t, buy it here. Ooof, cynical. Possibly true, though.

It’s fair to say that the musical genius behind Twin Shadow, George Lewis Jr., is a fairly eccentric bloke. And when we use the word eccentric, it’s only because we probably wouldn’t legally be allowed to suppose from his striking intensity that he’s a serial killing, wardrobe gnawing aftershave drinker. So we’re not going to. Yet on debut album “Forget”, this slightly left-field psyché mixed with an incredible understanding of rhythm and literally the most jaw-dropping collection of basslines on an album in recent memory do all make for a record that slowly hip gyrates its way into the brain. And long after you’ve clumsily sashayed your way around your room imaging yourself to look like a resurrected Michael Jackson to every irresistible bassline on offer here, its quirky charm and unpredictability will have you returning for months. So if he really does drink aftershave, you’ll find it hard to care, because he’s just crafted one of the most instantly loveable debuts of the year.

Twin Shadow – When We’re Dancing by NotManyExperts

Twin Shadow – Slow by NotManyExperts

“Forget” is only out on September 28th via Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear’s label Terrible Records. Bit of a trek away, given, but you can pre-order here if you are liking what’s happening.

Two trends bucked by Summer Camp within 4 minutes:

1. A video that’s actually worth watching instead of the usual self aggrandising bullshit with fancy lights and self-conscious dance routines designed to sell the record. The footage is from “En kärlekshistoria” by Roy Andersson (apparently, as if I know anything about 1970s obscure cinema). Random, but at least they’re more interested in their aesthetic than marketing.
2. Said video is accompanied by a song that is just compounding how much we love Summer Camp, rather unlike the usual first-shag of an underwhelming let down that some of the most hyped artists wheel out before the public for their first-single-proper.
3. Oh, and they released it all on Vimeo. God they are cool.
4. I know I said there would be just two points, but now I’ve got into this trés organised numbered system I’m quite enjoying it. It’s worth mentioning that this is the first single from their debut EP, “Young”, out in September on Moshi Moshi, and if you decided to buy it, it would probably make them quite happy. If not then there’s a free mp3 for you below.
5. Summer Camp – Ghost Train

Well I’d better just shut up for once, hadn’t I. Someone punch me in the mouth if I go on for too long. It’s rare that I get to tap down a title as exciting as the one above, yet rarer that the music that I get to post has such a heart-wrenching effect even upon first listen. Before I close my mouth and let this song swallow you up though, it’s worth mentioning the small detail that both the video and mp3 recording are from solo Thom Yorke gigs – though with Johnny Greenwood having confirmed that Radiohead’s new LP is very near completion, people who are supposed to know what they are talking about seem fairly convinced that this is a new Radiohead song. All that remains to be wondered is just how much better this can possibly sound with the entire band involved…

Thom Yorke – Give Up The Ghost by NotManyExperts

Since we first wrote about Fenech-Soler here, predicting what we thought would be a much deserved rise to fame, they’ve half proved us right and half depressed us with the enormous pile of faux-sentimental excrement that “Stop & Stare” was; essentially 2010’s A&R-constructed synth version of a floppy Script ballad. So whilst right now it seems unlikely that Fenech-Soler are capable of mustering an album that will do anything more than excite hormonal young girls and sexually confused young boys, “Lies” remains an effortlessly brilliant pop song that could easily chuck them somewhere near those charts when released as a single this September.

The rest of their back catalogue residing on my laptop is suggesting that “Stop & Stare” was more of an anomaly than a sign of things to come. Unfortunately they are now signed to the same label as such fear/vomit inducing semi-comedic acts as The Twang, Kaiser Chiefs and The Automatic, but grab “The Lion And The Bird” below to restore some confidence. Not all hope’s lost. It’s just disappearing fast – yet if anyone on that label is going to release an album that’s worth listening to, the smart money would still be these boys.

Fenech Soler – The Lion And The Bird

I’ve never really understood the phrase ‘strike while the iron is hot’. What is the relationship between the action of ‘striking’ and an iron? I have ruled out the possibility that it is an old phrase used in order to gain motivation to do the ironing, as I am an experienced wielder of the iron and can safely say I have never struck any of my clothes with it, only smoothed or pressed. Maybe the iron in question is not the same utensil we associate the word with in the 21st century? Furthermore, the verb ‘to strike’, seems an awfully violent one for the context in which I wish to use it; so for these reasons I will not, at any point during this post, use the idiom ‘strike while the iron is hot’ in order to justify such a hastily constructed article regarding the return of Weezer.

Back in December, it was announced that Weezer had left major label Geffen, after the barely listen-worthy (Is that a word? Who cares, you get the message) Raditude, featuring such spectacularly forgettable hits as ‘Can’t Stop Partyin’, a move which re-ignited hope that they might not fizzle out into a hollow outfit creating radio shit-rock (å la 30 Seconds To Mars). The band had stated previously that they would continue to record dispite the split from Geffen, but it was unsure by which means the music was to be released until a few days ago, when their signing to indie label Epitaph was confirmed. A few days since then, and the first track from their upcoming record ‘Hurley’, which many hope propel Weezer back into the prime of their ‘Maladroit’ days, has emerged, called Memories. Reaction has been considerably mixed for the track so far if the responses on the Stereogum article are anything to go by.

Weezer – Memories by NotManyExperts

So in the space of the first three days I had control of the website, I’d posted two shoddy articles and managed to have Phil threatened with legal action, causing the website to be suspended for a short while. Nice going George..

By way of apology, I’d like to point you in the direction of Cloud Nothings’ fantastic Daytrotter Session of which the track below ‘Hey Cool Kid’, is a little snippet. We gave you a gentle push in the direction of Cloud Nothings back in June, however, in light of this 5th August session, I’ve decided that merely a gentle push in their direction will no longer suffice and consequently I am elevating my recommendation to ‘aggressive two-handed whiplash-inducing shove from behind’.

P.S. Did you see what I did with the title? Witty isn’t it?

Hey Cool Kid by georgemills

We would like to think that a two week unannounced disappearance from the internet and then a slight return that prefaced a week of sulking silence would raise a few internet-directed eyebrows. And judging by the volume of e-mails that have since been crawling into my inbox, I’ve decided that if I actually plan to get anything done this week (and I really need to, I’m in desperate need of money to leave the country again and am willing to lose all of my dignity to make it, you know my e-mail address if you have some cash to lose) then I should probably just throw the whole slightly unbelievable story out there.

You may have read George’s previous post explaining that things might, in his own poetic words “ch-ch-ch-change”, due to me departing to Namibia and South Africa for 3 weeks to in a covert attempt to steal an African penguin for its butlering services on a trip that was stealthily covered up as a “rugby tour”. Well, without wanting to sound too much like our miserable friend Charlie Brooker, how typical that it would be in these 3 weeks that the site is hacked and becomes riddled with phishing scams. Communications from various internet policing agencies and my hosts went unanswered as I was wildly riding rhinos around the Namibian desert, hence the site disappeared. All we can say is that we hope that the bespectacled nerds proficient enough in the boring ins and outs of the internet to attempt to make money in this immoral way are found out, locked up and roughly violated by the stereotypically dumbbell obsessed section of prison-mates.

That is all we have to say for now, normal service will return as quickly as possible. Oh, and we didn’t even successfully steal the much desired penguin butler called, as I had decided he would be, Marcel. What a fucking waste of time.

Penguin Prison – The Worse It Gets by NotManyExperts

Feel like this guy could give me some useful tips on incarcerating penguins (in a way that is not quite as lethal as the word “incarcerate” suggests).

It seems like good old fashioned common decency to keep you guys informed of what’s going on over here at notmanyexperts HQ and thusly I bring you the following news:

Team Leader and all-round good guy Phil has left the country for a few weeks in order to pit his wits on the rugby pitch against some angry Namibians and South Africans, and I wish him luck in his encounters. This does mean however that I, George, will be looking after the site as much as my incompetent mentality will let me, so please bear with us if the posts aren’t as beautifully presented as usual (see post below for upsettingly obviously evidence). I can guarantee however, that the quality of music you are used to will not waver, and on that note, I leave you with my favourite song of the moment..

I’m not sure it is possible to be any more ‘hipster’ than to listen to Vampire Weekend, Kid CuDi & Best Coast at the same time. Sit back and listen in the knowledge you are now amongst the elite of the ‘cool’. Eyyyy

“It would be this
It would be thissssss”

I hope someone else likes this song or I might as well start promoting Justin Bieber too..

Dead American Writers – Tired Pony by georgemills

Nobody asked the Mystery Jets to redefine our perceptions of music with third album “Serotonin”, and they haven’t. In a way, “Serotonin” is predictably accessible, slightly left-field art-pop that should be leapt upon like the drug itself by owners of skinny jeans and emotions. Yet the middle third of the album is a heart tearing bicep of a musical centre that contains, without a doubt, some of their best material yet. Around the edges, things threaten to slip into familiar hazed 80s pop, but are saved by the bands’ slightly dyspraxic twitchings and irresistible melodies. The label’s changed, but the game’s the same; Mystery Jets continue to, if not redefine music, then shift the margins of quality in British guitar music with this fine return.

Mystery Jets – Serotonin by NotManyExperts

“Tricycle Express” is the meeting of the minds of Mr Oizo, the French equivalent of a crazed English eccentric who became famous firstly for being associated with a small yellow cartoon animal, and then for making notoriously insane electro music that didn’t quite sit so comfortably in the Ed Banger stable, and Gaspard Augé, the lanky, leathery, lazy one from Justice with the musical mind of Bach but more of an inclination for guns and tits. Given this relationship, it’s an unbelievable triumph that “Tricycle Express” is such a taut, muscular and focussed effort. Unavoidably, those almost clichéd skinny lines of synth that have come to be associated with Justice are present, but are dwarfed by remarkably precise and subtle percussion that could only have spilt forth from the mind of Mr Oizo, all pulled onto common ground by speaker-shaking bass. Ignore the radio intro and just give it 40 seconds; this track far exceeds the expectation usually lent to film soundtracks.

Mr Oizo & Gaspard Augé – Tricycle Express (Radio Rip)

The full “Rubber” EP with a remix by Flying Lotus will be available on 12th July.

It’s strange that all of the initial screamings about Chapel Club seemed centred around statements that they were going to be enormous, a rumour that was probably encouraged by lies circulating that Chapel Club had been given sacks of cash by the record label that eventually signed them. Yet the more we hear from Chapel Club (for example, new song “The Shore” which was unveiled yesterday), the more they seem to be establishing a sound that is simultaneously shadowy and anthemic, whilst retaining an introspective brain-wringing which has delighted people who like to describe music as “intelligent”. Quickly, it’s becoming clear that there are no guarantees of major sales success to match the fallacious amounts of money that it was suggested Chapel Club had received, instead they seem to be emerging as the sort of thoughtful band that could actually, you know, release a great album.

Chapel Club – The Shore by NotManyExperts

You can download it if you give them your name. Sounds more intimidating than it is.

Previously threw some clumsy words down here, predicting the very success that I am now denouncing. Hypocrisy can be cruel.

It’s tough on the band to describe Glass Animals’ new tracks “Leaflings” and “Life Lomographic” as the perfect collision between Wild Beasts’ eccentric vocals, Radiohead’s sensitivity and Flying Lotus’ softly pulsating electronics. Literally almost impossible to live up to a description like that, but “Leaflings” comes pretty terrifyingly close for an unsigned band. Infact, it comes pretty elbow-scrapingly close for any band, regardless of whether they’ve yet managed to convince a record label to offload cash onto them. Without a doubt, “Leaflings” is an absolute triumph in the dark, beating heart of post-dubstep atmospherics, and whilst it would be easy to make conjectures about Glass Animals’ future, it just doesn’t matter when they’re already this good and, on this evidence, only getting better.

Glass Animals – Leaflings

Glass Animals – Life Lomographic

Also, if you are lucky enough to live in Brighton, Oxford or London then turn to their myspace, where their forthcoming gigs are listed. Finally, if all this has made you chin-strokingly interested then have a listen to this song of theirs that we posted back in the day, and be convinced. And if you don’t live in Brighton, Oxford or London and you aren’t chin-strokingly interested then you just had a minute of your life cruelly taken from you. Having made this investments, you may as well listen to the songs now.