Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Good music should please the listener, cozying up to them like an old friend. Great music should challenge our prejudices, taking us down avenues and through landscapes which, alone, we would fear to tread. In this week’s article I will be reviewing some new music which challenges perceptions, gets us dancing, and will, hopefully, linger long in the mind. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Fans of graceful soundscapes and bittersweet electronica are probably already familiar with the name Mario Hammer And The Lonely Robot. 2015’s L’esprit De L’escalier for Cologne label Traum was a cerebral and mesmerising journey into the soul. With the highest of production values, and an open-hearted emotional core, its thirteen tracks of soft-focus ambiance were, and still are, a rare treat for the ears. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Nothing stands still. Except for my good friend Stand Still Jones of course, but that’s another story. This is why I have decided to re-jig my singles reviews. Once a month, (or whenever I can be bothered) I will be highlighting some of the records which have been making me go all gooey-eyed, or demanding repeated plays. Most will be new, some will be old. Hopefully, everything included will raise a cheer. A review by JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Plus Win Guest List Passes To See Cajsa Siik Support Mitski In Hamburg On June 16th. In a world of three second attention spans, information overload, Spotify playlists, and more new music seeing the light of day than ever before, it is becoming ever harder for new artists to find success. To make yourself heard above the noise it seems that you need either an over-abundance of talent or a top notch marketing team. Luckily for Swedish native Cajsa Siik, one listen is enough to convince that
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world As one half of the respected electronic duo Scratch Massive, Maud Geffray has long been a vital part of the Paris underground music scene. Formed back in 2003 with Sébastien Chenut, Scratch Massive are perhaps best known for their electro-tinged take on pop and house. Since then, classic records such as Nuit De Rêve and Enemy & Lovers, together with high profile collaborations with Jimmy Somerville and Chloé have helped raise the band’s profile around the world.
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world The human need for nostalgia has led to some truly awful horrors which should never have been loosened upon the world. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Is it just me, or was Record Store Day 2017 a tiny bit crap? The last time I was surrounded by that amount of middle-aged, balding men, reeking of sweat, I had walked into a strip-club by mistake. So, rather than relive the horrors of that day, I will dispense with the waffle and dive straight into the reviews. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world There have been some pretty huge albums released over the past few weeks. From the return of Depeche Mode and The Jesus And Mary Chain, the schizoid pop of Goldfrapp and the electro funk japery of, er, Jamiroquai spring 2017 seems to be the season for massive LPs. But what of the fantastic albums by artists which aren’t heavily advertised, or don’t command reviews in the broadsheets? By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Best known for their perfect fusion of techno and dub, the label Echocord has, over the past fifteen years, established itself as the world’s finest purveyor of bass heavy sounds. Founded by Danish DJ Kenneth Christiansen, the imprint has worked with artists such as Mikkel Metal, Fluxion, Quantec, Rod Modell, Deadbeat, and more, to become the holy grail for anyone seeking to lose themselves within deep, heady grooves. By JOHN BITTLES
Music | Bittles’ Magazine: The music column from the end of the world Jazzanova are the type of band who could make even the most committed of haters love house. Over twenty-odd years the musical collective, whose members include Alex Barck, Stefan Leisering, Jürgen v. Knoblauch, Claas Brieler and Axel Reinemer, have brought out some of the most sensuous and downright funky sounds to grace any stereo. By JOHN BITTLES
