Caribou – Can’t Do Without You
Can’t Do Without You is the lead single for Caribou’s sixth studio release, Our Love.With the repeated refrain “Can’t Do Without” anchoring the track, it’s a fairly contemplative affair for the first minute and a half, providing a perfect metaphor for the tender early stages of first love. The track swells, grows and develops into full synth-led ecstasy at the three minute mark, before fading back out and returning to the delicate, almost self conscious, roots from which it emerged.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/152480774″]
Pharrell ft. Jay-Z – Frontin’ (Disclosure Re-work)
Let’s be honest, ever since he featured on Get Lucky this time last year, Pharell’s been hot property. It is, therefore, not the biggest surprise that producers are going to start re-working his back catalogue. Fortunately, Frontin’ provides all the ammunition that Disclosure need to do their work. As ever, the duo deliver.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/153132578″]
SBTRKT – Temporary View Ft. Sampha
Some producers and vocalists just work and SBTRKT and Sampha definitely fit into that category. SBTRKT’s self titled release, from way back in 2011, managed to fully showcase the talents of both men. Temporary View is a great bridge between that, excellent, release and SBTRKT’s sophomore album, due out later this year. Following a similar pattern to many of their previous collaborations, it remains, in the words of Stereogum, “clinically precise” and “architecturally oblique”, the type of “track that first brought these two to our attention”.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/153127025″]
Cloud Boat – Hallow
Honestly, we’re struggling to go a month without mentioning these boys. With their second album, Model of You, due out at the start of July, Cloud Boat performed an album release show of sorts at the St. Pancras Old Church. They were, quite simply, spectacular. Hallow, the album closer, is both mesmerising and brooding, with Sam and Tom delivering a beautifully layered masterpiece. From the snippets I’ve heard, Model of You has the potential to be one of the albums of the year.
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/156169683″]
Snakehips – Days With You
Snakehips have begun to tap the very same vein of soulful hip-hop that Star Slinger first started to mine with his 2010 release, Volume 1. That is by no means a criticism, with Days With You floating along like a warm summers breeze. Featuring Sinead Harnett (previously featured on Disclosure’s Boiling), Days With You marries smooth vocals with a class hip-hop beat. Summer is here!
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/155613312″]
Rustie – Raptor
I don’t think I really need to say anything about this one. Rustie’s back with a new album, Green Language, due later this year. I’ll leave it at that. Bring the bombast!
[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/155629448″]