After an amazing album like the debut by Hercules & Love Affair it is rather difficult to record an adequate follow up – especially if one of your best vocalists, Antony Hegarty, had no time to sing for you. However, bandleader Andrew Butler focuses on his own production skills and delivers an album way more versatile then the first one was. Be it on the dance floor or in your living room, this skillful mix of House and Disco influences is the right companion for any situation. If you need proof: The band is on tour at the moment.

CD Amazon

This 22 year old young man is considered as one of the biggest hopes not only for British pop-music but also for a subgenre of dub-step called post-step… Ok, his early EP CMYK might bear some resemblance to the music of Skream and Benga, but beyond that the label does not do justice to this versatile musician and his magnificent voice. In my ears he is closer to Antony and the Johnsons and hence a recommendation for anyone in need of some melodramatic songs.

CD Amazon

I have to admit that I have been a little bit surprised when I heard that Iron & Wine was featured on the soundtrack for one of the Twilight movies – his early Singer-Songwriter recordings were well known with connoisseurs, but did not exactly fit the category of Pop music. But it was a wise career move to open up a little bit and ad some Organs, Brass and backing vocals to the newer productions. That’s why his latest album is such a perfect, versatile Pop album, combining the sensitivity of earlier days with a broad, impressive instrumentation.

CD Amazon

On it’s debut album the Canadian band Dead Child Star fuses electronic sounds with folk aesthetics just as skilfully as James Yuill would. The spectrum of the emotions evoked is equally broad, spanning from melancholy to childish playfulness – often in one and the same song. Of course, as you might expect from the bands name, melancholy dominates this record, but it is based on a warm and soothing feeling of longing, just as the album title “Cold Hands, Warm Heart” might suggest. The album is only available as a download from the Website of the Canadian band Stars whose singer is also the singer in Dead Child Star.

Download Here

In these days you hear Christmas carols on every other corner, so when you listen to them at your home on Christmas Eve, why not choosing version performed by a great band? I think that might have been the motivation behind Pink Martini’s decision to release an album of Christmas songs from all over the world. You get some classics like “White Christmas” or “Little Drummer Boy”, but also Italian, Romanian or even Chinese songs, all performed in the perfectly orchestrated Pink Martini style.

CD Amazon

When reading just the title of the debut album of the Parisian duo Bot’Ox it is hard to say what music to expect. But the band name is telling way more: Botox is a drug, so you might think of long party nights. Additionally the name is separated into Bot, like in robot, so you can expect some futuristic electronics, and in Ox, like the animal being known for its strength endurance and determination. Yes, this is an album of powerful, slowed down dance music with a touch of oldschool electronics.

CD Amazon

Listening to Nouvelle Vague is not only joyful because of the smoothly orchestrated bossa nova sound, but also because of the often surprising approach to well known songs. For their fourth Album „Couleurs Sur Paris“ however, Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux decided to surprise us in a rather different way.
They do not cover well known British or American Wave and Punk songs, but rather french rarities from the same era. That’s why the album sounds more like the first Nouvelle Vague album with original material and not like a test for your general knowledge of popular culture.
You can stream some tracks on their website.

CD Amazon

With “Olympia” the Rox Music singer Bryan Ferry recently released his first album with original material since the eight years old “Frantic”. One even could go as far as naming it a new Roxy Music album since his old band mates Phil Manzanera, Andy Mackay and Brian Eno all join him in this effort. Other guests are Scissor Sisters, Flea of Red Hot Chilly Peppers and Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead – just to name a few. What we get is a sophisticated collection of great love songs and disco tunes that will enchant old fans and definitely win some new. Just when you thought the 80s revival was over Ferry delivers this gem full of timeless 80s pop songs.

CD Amazon

Describing a versatile band like Belleruche as Neo-Soul would never do them justice – especially with their third album shifting to a more edgy and punkish sound. 270 Stories departs from the laidback, bluesy aesthetics of earlier efforts and amazes with a reduced, rough sound and darker lyrics. The third album is said to be the defining one for a band; in this case Belleruche are guarantied to create more exciting music in the future.

CD Amazon

The both Italians behind We Love describe themselves as “soldiers of love” and that’s what they look like: the self made outfits for their performances are inspired by knight’s armour. But the aspect of love is well hidden in the vocals, beneath thick layers of ice-cold syth-chords and drum-machine-grooves. With their costumes and music the band offers a multimedia experience of which the video above can give you a nice impression – and the BPitch Control website offers an audio only preview of one of these live shows. So keep your eyes peeled for live dates!

CD Amazon