All Ears: … Of Diamonds ‘… Of Diamonds Theme’

In an almost unprecedented move, it’s two-posts-for-the-price-one-Thursday here at MNFB. Usually, you’re lucky if you get two posts in the same month, let alone the same week. The same day? We are feeling a giddy and will probably need a little lie down soon.

So, anyway… we like ellipses round here so this lot are causing us some bother with their very name. For example, we can’t use an ellipse in the title like we usually do, because it looks all odd. So from now on, it’s dashes until we are once again writing about a band without an ellipse in their name.

… Of Diamonds are a girl group from Norwich. They do a kind of harmonious electro pop – which makes them sound like St Etienne, which they don’t. It’s much more raucous than that, much edgier. How much more edge we don’t yet know, because like all the best things, we only get a tantalising glimpse into their world. The YouTube channel features three short videos, which are a bit like peering at them through a fuzzy keyhole. The canteen video is strangely unsettling. They appear to be in Japan, possibly. What we really like is how in this plugged in, switched on, head-full-up world they’ve managed to grab our attention without, like many new bands, having to chuck the kitchen sink at us.

Also on offer are three tracks to flap your ears along to. They say they want people to be able to whistle their tunes, which is always a good thing. And we suspect, when all is revealed, they may well do whistleable by the wheelbarrow.

We really like the wigged out Kraftwerk of ‘… Of Diamonds Theme’ (see above) and the Stereolab-ish ‘Weirdo’ (available as a free download from Soundcloud), but our favourite so far is ‘Frank Says’, of which we only get an tiny glimpse, but it mixes the sweetest la-la-las with a more sinister vocal that stabs at you like knitting needles. It comes on like something we can’t quite put our finger on. Answers on a postcard if you can name that tune. We think it might be Underworld?

Apparently, there’s live dates lined up for October. We’ll be there, no doubt.

More hear…
- A free download of ‘Weirdo’ off of soundcloud.
- A website.
- And finally, the aforementioned YouTube channel.

Okay, so we’ve banged on a-plenty about Space Raiders. Not going to stop now. They’ve just signed the marvellously monikered Penny and Ashtray to their label. Listening with both ears wide open, it’s fantastically squonky stuff and if the Raiders had a label, which they do, this latest signing is akin to asking the hoary old what on earth attracted Debbie McGee to the millionaire Paul Daniels question.

From Osaka, Momoyo Kubo and Tamotsu Ide already have one album of their quite thrilling glitch disco under their stylish belts, 2008′s ‘The Secrets of Galaxy Z’. Bestest news is that number two, ‘Monolith and Mirrorball’ will be heading your way on 28 November.

Here – well not here, but just above, at the top of the page, got it? Good – we have a sneaky peaky at ‘Sex Appeal’ from the forthcoming album. We rather like glitch disco.

More hear…
- Buy stuff here, and here.
- Space Raiders label, right here.

Freshly landed in my direction comes this Bristol lot. First thought is, blast, they know a thing or two about an intro. Second thought is, blast, they know a thing or two about more than just intros. You see, ‘Kilkeel’ feels fair fit to burst before the vocal even kicks in. Inside the first minute it just comes at you in waves. And leaves you in waves, and covers you in waves in between. It’s one heck of a song, just swamps you in sound.

And who does that voice remind me of? Ian McNabb I think, Icicle Works. Or is it the song that reminds me of something. It’s driving me a bit mad. Best of all, it’s available as free download from that there bandcamp. Have to say, am looking forward to hearing more from this lot.

Yes, yes, it’s been literally ages. Determined to get back into the swing. No, really. Will ease back in gently. Actually it’s all a bit dusty in here. Need to go about it with some polish and a duster. Anyway…

Had a nice email the other day about the magnificent Ivan Campo who we featured on these very virtual pages about a million years ago. Seems they have an album heading our way, called ‘What Went Wrong?’ on 11 July 2011 (feel like I have to put the date in, such is the infrequency of posts). You can hear seven tracks at bandcamp or we’ve got a little player below for the terminally lazy.

It really is all rather magnificent. And to think I claim to be a music journalist.

All Ears: Jon & The Spectacle ‘Times Like These’

I know, I know, I know. It’s been a while. Business as usual really.

So, I’ve got this friend, Oisin, he’s Irish. I met him years ago when I started working on warchildmusic.com. He was at the agency building the site. Lovely man, nothing was too much trouble. His energy, enthusiasm and passion for the project often kept me going.

Somehow, we discovered our paths had crossed in a previous life. He was the gobsmackingly good Mood Club. Turns out I commissioned an article on him for The Maker. Anyway, we’ve kept in touch over the years, the main result of which is I get his 21st century mixtape downloads.

Loads being the operative word.

There’s no excuse Oisin won’t use to knock out a mixtape. Xmas, Easter, summer, lost summer, March, St Patrick’s Day… the list goes on. Thing is, they never come one at a time. Xmas just gone, there were five. No, six. Over the years I’ve come to recognise that if Oisin puts the time in making these things, it is always, always, worth making time to listen. He has a pair of ears.

Mix Two from Xmas 2010 is my favourite this time out. What I love about Oisin is he doesn’t follow the flock. Tell me about Jon & The Spectacle I said. A week later I get an email from a Swedish PR.

To be honest, I’m none the wiser about Jon & The Spectacle. They are Swedish and they claim to be thrilling, exciting and spectacular not to mention produced by renowend Swedish indie guru Jari Haapalainen. Which is all true, all true. But that’s it.

I was idly listening to the Oisin mix when ‘Times Like These’ popped up. Fair stopped me in my tracks. They’re one of those bands who aren’t blisteringly original, bit no mind because what they serve up is grinning from ear to ear. It’s proper pop, like pop is supposed to be. Songs. Pure and simple. They just drip quality. There’s a bit of Babybird in there, perhaps a dash of I Am Kloot, some tunemongery of The Libertines? Whatever, it’s all lovely, lovely.

I don’t much, but what I do know is one of those Radio 1 lot will be playing this lot before 2011 is out.

More hear…
… there is the MS.
… and, erm, that’s it. You heard them here first, right?