Is it a new week yet?

I think it is, so its time for that thing I do where I review/tell you about/massively advise a track. This week my track of the week is bang on time, as its only a day old.
My track this week has a really summery feel about it (you can tell its been sunny again), but its got a beautiful mystical edge to it. So, a quick insight into what and who this track is by; firstly, it's by Moths, a.k.a Jack Colleran, nobody knows where he's or what he even looks like, he's like musics answer to The Stig, he's only just turned the mighty age of 18, but he produces music like hes been in the game longer than anyone else. It sounds cliche, but his tracks show so much experience and maturity, theres no gimmicks with synth, no massive drops, no switching from 90 to 140 bpm to rile up the crowd (though everybody does love that), he just coasts through with harmonic synths and a simple base with a low-fi feel to it. Its like surf rock meets chill out. It really is something to behold. When I listen to Moths, I either think about being at the beach on a sunny day, r walking in the city at night. His music has the power to transport you, it acts like a soundtrack to your life, its amazing really.
Jimmy Francis (the song in question) resembles my previous favourite from Jack, Heart, carrying that heart beat like base right through the rhythm. The mystical timbres that surround the base are enough as it is, but theres a distant synth and xylophone like sounds that come and go, giving the song a really playful little edge. There's not much you can say about Collerans work in terms of what it does, because its simplistic, but brilliant at the same time. Give it a listen and you'll realise why people are already speaking so highly of a such a young man. His simplistic and honest style form true chill out classics, and he has a pleasing ear for a tune. Never mind track of the week, this is track of the summer.


Jimmy Francis by MOTHS

No sooner do I mention Panteros666...

I remember he and his Club Cheval team have produced Horreo. Yes it may be old (only 2 months, but still, in music you could have had a number one and been out the charts and forgotten about by then), but a cheeky little video popped up, and without that, I think this song would have passed me by, but luckily, it hasnt. This isnt a video review (although Naysayer and Gilsun would get top marks) but more of a review on my new *drum roll please* "track of the week". 

Split into four sections (each section for a different CC member), the tracks identities switch, changing style, with each section of the song really pushing through the subtle differences of each member, whilst it all gels to make a really good little tune. Myd pushed through his electro influences, with fluctuating beats and rhythms, before it fizzles through into Sam Tiba and his love for anything hip-hop and dancehall, its deep and dark but brilliant, mixing it up and down, theres a real sense of theatre about this thats perfectly encapsulated in the video. Before we know it, we're smacked straight in the face with some heavy beat and tribal like vocals in Panteros' section, that slows and builds perfectly, and is a great stop between the hip-hop feel of Tiba and the pace and jumpiness of Canblaster, it moves with that jumpy style and bouncy rhythm that takes this song off into a new level, before bringing it down into a gentle flow. 

Individually, these tracks are great, but together, they're something special. The way I like to think of this is like an Avatar moment, but better. In its basic form, Avatar went out as a film to show what can be done, a showcase of tech, and this is similar, the individual sections of the track show off each members raw talent, but at the same time, work together as an individual piece. What this is then, is a great track, but also, it's rude awakening to the talents of 4 men and some synths, but also, a big slap in the face from what's coming your way, and its called Club Cheval. Don't say I didn't warn you.

666 isn't always a bad collection of numbers...

It either means you have 3 Gary Pallisters, or even better, one Panteros right in front of those numbers (thats makes Panteros666 for those who failed to get that). The hardest part of this is where to begin. What can I write that hasn't already been said or written? This guy is something else, truly brilliant. One of the founding members of the rather brilliant Club Cheval, he helped set alight the club scene in France all over again, with his mix of a brilliant DJ teams, and innovative and original styles, Club Cheval have blossomed under the watchful eye of Sound Pellegrino, and more often than not, you'll find at least one Club Cheval member on the Sound Pellegrino podcast, throwing out another rework or remix or original tune that just blows your mind. When Panteros666 isn't raving it up in the Parisian clubs, hes touring, playing drums for another wonderful band from France, The Teenagers. The Teenagers are quite a success, and extremely popular, especially in the indie and club scene, with various remixes from themselves and remixes of their own tunes regularly proving club favourites, which, Panteros, if you are reading this, please tell them to hurry up with the new album!
However, back to the man himself, Panteros666 has been around a while now, and it seems whatever he touchers turns to gold. Panteros666 regularly tags his music under the "ravestep" category (it's anew one for me too!) and he does so, so, so very well at it, his tunes can be heavy in base, or light in it, it doesnt really matter, as the synths and backing beats work so well, it boggles the mind. Everything flows into itself beautifully, almost like each sound was made specifically by himself, just for the purpose of going into that song, you'd be forgiven if you assumed he invented new notes for specific tunes its that darn good. Give Panteros666 anything and he'll remix it, and he'll do it brilliantly well, as if he was making the track from the ground up again, not only this, but he'll take on the big, challenging tunes, take for instance his insane remix of Lilly Allen's Not Fair, it sounds likes its been made out of sounds from a really old Super Mario Bro's game, but its bloody excellent!
Panteros666 super excites me, all the time, whether its with Club Cheval, or on his own, every time I type his name into SoundCloud, or anything else for that matter, i'm always surprised by what he puts out, but in the best way possible. Being a pioneer doesnt seem to have bogged him down, he seems to relish the challenge of creating a new style and new sound, almost on a weekly basis. Overall, Panteros666 is exciting, loud, big, jumpy, and everything in between, but most importantly of all he's two things; original and brilliant, and his latest track (down below) solidifies this. Enjoy.


Panteros666 remix - Real Fur "Animal" - by Panteros666 (Club Cheval)

I like Berou and you should too...

Berou is a man of very little detail, and even fewer lines of literature on the internet, and i'm stuck wondering why. Whether he's mixing on his own, or with his buddy Canblaster, Berou has a touch of something else about his work. Take for instance his Crystal Fighters remix, possibly his best work, even as part of a duo, its still outstanding. It's by no means a club classic, but its something special. Remixing was never labelled as one of the easier things to do, but remixing a great tune (which At Home is, heres a link, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2MxcUo4J9I) and keeping it pretty darn awesome? Something else. Berou obviously has many more tunes to his name, but for me, At Home is a standout. Its eery tones maybe arent bonafide club classic rhythms, but its special, it turns the song on its head, giving an otherwise light hearted and cheery tune, a more haunting tone. However, I could go on all day about about all the beats and tones and whatnot Berou throws into his quality tunes (http://soundcloud.com/berou), but every now and again, one artist in one song can come up with something inspired, and in this case, its the crazy, yet brilliant idea, to add the water droplet sound into the mix. It may sound silly, it may sound like it shouldnt work, but by god it does. It's pretty hard to describe really, its just genius. So, on basis of this, I urge you all to enjoy the music of Berou, and am glad to make his At Home (Crystal Fighters remix with Canblaster) my first "tune of the week", despite the fact its been going for some months now.

Enjoy!


Crystal Fighter-At Home (Berou and Canblaster Remix) by Berou

Odd Sox likes JiKay

(http://twitter.com/#!/thisisjikay / http://thisisjikay.tumblr.com/)

JiKay. Nottingham based. Recently befriended on Twitter. 2 mixes in, and I can already tell this kids got talent. A high quality fusion of bassy beats, grime, dubstep, garage and a little bit of house for good measure, both his mixes and remixes have you bopping away like theres no tomorrow. The way he seamlessly drops in track after track echoes something of Canblaster or Sam Tiba. JiKay has no problem dropping the big names into his mixes, from Major Lazer, Mumdance and Katy B, and its that ability to mix a song everyone knows, with one that not many people have heard of, and make it sound so good, and so familiar that outlines this mans ear for a tune, and overall, his underlying ability.  Its fresh and vibrant. It bounces up and down. It's exciting. Heavy in bass, but still light and airy at the same time, its perfect for the iPod or when your hitting it up in the clubs, which, with my fingers and toes crossed, I hope they do appear in very, very soon. I can only urge you all to go out, and at least listen to this kid, and imagine yourself hearing it on a wild Friday night, (or, if you live in Nottingham, to go see him on a wild Friday night), and immerse yourself in his tunes and mixes. Its the sort of music that puts a cheeky little grin on my face, and I promise that it'll put one on yours too.

January 2011 Mix by JiKay

Hey there all...

Got a new blog going now. I'll be endlessly plugging it away, with a mix of music reviews, a few tracks i'm making myself (or trying to), links to whats 'hot' on my stereo (and by 'stereo' I mean iPod... do people even still have stereo systems?), and some light humour and thoughts, so, in short, its going to be like Twitter with a few more videos and a whole bigger lot of characters. I'm still mulling over whether to throw out a YouTube channel on music reviews, but I do have a little video tucked away which is just a slight introduction. Heres a few links to find me, and a few other really cool people who are worth knowing a little bit about:

http://twitter.com/#!/TomAlbrighton (thats me!)
http://twitter.com/#!/theneedledrop (top quality music reviews)
http://twitter.com/#!/BeautifulArgie (my jokey twitter for all you football fans)
http://thereisnobraillealternative.blogspot.com/ (my old blog that i had stolen away from me)
http://soundcloud.com/ (in which you should most surely check out MYD, Sam Tiba, Panteros 666, Berou, Canblaster, Niva, Mele and Moths)

Each week i'm also going to have a video of the week, be it music or otherwise, and this week, I give you some excellence. Moths (aka Jack Colleran, http://twitter.com/#!/mmothss) is 17 (or maybe 18 now) and is producing chill out sounds that suggest he's spent far longer in the music business than he actually has. Outside of the synths and simplistic beat, the echoey timbres of the song are just so relaxing. Its a song for sitting in the garden, when the day is done, soaking up the finest of the summer sun. hit him up, give him some love, and spread the word. Moths, you heard it here first.