CMU Approved CMU Playlists

Playlist: CMU Re-Approved

By | Published on Thursday 26 September 2013

The Internet

Hey everyone, it’s time to slow things down again, stem the constant flow of new music rushing towards us and relax with ten of our favourite artists to appear in the CMU Approved column in recent (and in at least one case not so recent) months.

This time around we look back through instrumental hip hop, Faroese pop, warped disco, crunchy punk and more. So, make yourself a cup of tea, set your chair to mild recline and press play.

CMU’S RE-APPROVED TEN
Subscribe to this playlist on Spotify, and then read on to find out more about our choices.

01 Traams – Swimming Pool
Taking the DIY route when first approved last year, Traams have since signed to FatCat and released new album, ‘Grin’, from which this track is taken, just last week. And it’s nice to start with a smile. Cos the album’s called ‘Grin’, right? And also you’ll like it.

02 Tirzah – I’m Not Dancing
A co-mix with Micachu, Tirza’s main aide since 2005′s ‘Go’ (which the pair wrote whilst still at school), ‘I’m Not Dancing’ is an advance on that same grade of clingy garage minimalism, with bin-lid beats and a wavy bassline to sweeten the deal. The track features on a five track EP released last month.

03 Jackson And His Computerband – Arp #1
Eight years it took Jackson to follow-up his 2005 debut album ‘Smash’. But it was worth the wait. ‘ARP #1′ is sprawling monster of a track, driven by staccato beats it leaps onto a new idea every time you’ve just about got used to the last one.

04 House Of Black Lanterns – Worthless
Nestled in at the end of an EP to push album track ‘You, Me, Metropolis’, ‘Worthless’ stands apart from HOBL’s other music, while still sitting within the sonic boundaries producer Dylan Richards set for the project. Dark, foreboding beats and vocals are juxtaposed with almost euphoric stabs of synths.

05 Shigeto – Detroit Part 1
Producer Shigeto released his astounding third album, ‘No Better Time Than Now’, two months after appearing in the Approved column. This track starts out as instrumental hip hop, but gradually morphs into a soulful piece led by a percussive thumb piano melody.

06 The Internet – Partners In Crime Part 2
Odd Future’s main jazz aficionados Syd ‘Tha Kyd’ Bennett and Matt Martians have expanded from a duo to a quartet for their second album, ‘Feel Good’. ‘Partners In Crime Part 2’ finds the band in a ‘laid back and in love’ frame of mind, riffing lazily on Erykah Badu and early Alicia Keys.

07 Christine And The Queens – Wandering Lovers
Christine And The Queens first planted a shady kiss on France’s alt-pop fascia via 2011′s ‘Mac Abbey’ and its dark star track ‘Narcissus Is Back’. Gratifyingly Gallic in all its OTT drama, danger and panache, the band’s ‘Nuit 17 à 52′ EP, from which ‘Wandering Lovers’ is taken, is out now.

08 Byrta – Eydnan
Formed by folk singer-songwriter Guðrið Hansdóttir and Janus Rasmussen of electronic outfit Bloodgroup, Byrta released their eponymous debut album earlier this year. Their dark-edged songs skirt the pop sounds of the 80s and the best of contemporary Scandinavian fare, with lyrics all delivered in their native Faroese.

09 Emilie Nicolas – Pstereo
Although trained in jazz performance, it’s Emilie Nicolas’ pop project that is gaining her particular attention at the moment. ‘Pstereo’, a cover of Norwegian rock band DumDum Boys, is her first release and shows exactly why she’s getting people so excited.

10 Las Kellies – Melting Ice
The present day Las Kellies have ditched a bit of the hyper-eclecticism of their early work, achieving a greater evenness evident in ‘Melting Ice’, taken from their just released new LP ‘Total Exposure’, dicing the band’s erstwhile basslines with slip n slide 80s reggae vibes that are all new, and all pleasing to hear.

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