A picnic with The 2 Bears

If you go down to the woods today you sure are in for a surprise: two bears are having it large, and transforming the relaxed limbs of mother nature to the pulse raising dance floor of a disco so addictive Noah would have regretted erasing it from the architectural plans of his Arc, in sacrifice for food and water storage.

Formed in 2009, and storming the music world with spine bending remixes of new and popular singles, this twosome provides the perfect blend of beats so tasty that you cant resist another bite of the sandwich filled with hyper electronic twitches, spread just like butter over the upbeat harmonies, and flavoured with a cheeriness so camp it would make louie Spence sneer. This band uses ingredients from many musical genres, for example, Indietronica, Garage, Rave, and Alternative Dance maing it ultimately impossible to avoid dancing to. The taste is so zesty in your mouth it tingles in your jaw and sends melodic fluxes deep in to your veins, causing long convulses to transpire from your body in hasty kicks, and enabling your body to submit to the tunes, like a puppet hung vulnerably beneath their masters string. This band puppeteers your dance moves, and you have no choice but to go along with it.


With one half of this group, Joe Goddard, already enjoying success with one of my favourite electronic bands; Hot Chip, it is no surprise that when combining talents with club promoter and DJ Raf Rundell, he produces yet another masterpeice. With the golden hands in which only a true angel of music could deliver, it seams that all this guy touches tuns to Gold; Not forgetting Goddard's continued involvement in the Graoco-Roan party collective, and his co production of Little Boot's latest album. Goddard and Rundell saturated together in a mutual love for sultry seductress Sade, and have even covered her hit 'When Am I going To Make A Living?" in a bow to her influence.

With a theme tune adorned with gut shivering Synth licks, Red Riding Hood would no doubt be bouncing around the woods to, they had to come up with an image to suit their reassuringly upbeat music, so why come up with The 2 Bears? "I have been called a bear by many people over the years" claims Goddard "not because of my sexuality, but simply my physical appearance" amplifying Goddard's appearance of a cuddly bear, and accentuating the happiness this team evokes from their listeners, not only from the stress reducing fist pumps and air kicks the tunes ignite in your body, but the happiness that elopes all over you body from the beautifully husky whispers of Goddard and Rundell, and that is why you need to listen to the work of these guys.

Où est Daft Punk?

Two french lads decide to hook up and create sweet music together. Sounds pretty kinky, but in all seriousness what they have cultivated is only one of the most defiantly wonderful music duo's to storm the house music frontier in the 1990's and to remain a highly ranking phenomenon, haunting the Synth-pop world, and leaving fans everywhere begging for their songs to be played 'one more time'.



Inscribed on the lid of Tutankhamen's grave is the story behind the creation of Daft punk: A group of music loving robot-aliens decided that Earth needed shaking around a little, and in their bid to wake all those sleepy zombies up from their simmering frustrations of routine, hot coffee's and cold breezes, they sent two of their freshest 'technologic'-al geniuses to mix things up. Ok, that's not really true, and it's probably not the real reason why Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, and Thomas Bangalter bubble beneath the small surface of their leather outfits, and the mysteriously ominous helmets, but who cares, they make ruddy good music! If anything, it adds to the mystery hovering around the story of Daft Punk, an addiction in which you try tirelessly to feed with the music spawned from these superhuman masterpieces, in the hope that one day you might learn just how two average guys transformed overnight in to robots, emmiting electrifying currents in to the submissive ears of their followers, frothing at the mouth in their fixation of musical pleasure.

Regarded as a defining influence for the French House music scene, Daft Punk credit inspiration from bands such as The Beach Boys, Elton John, and The Rolling Stones, expressing a shared admiration for rock bands, and highlighting the importance of those growls, and licks of the guitar regularly evident in the duos music. When questioned about his passion for music Bangalter has expressed that "In Brian Wilson's music you could really feel the beauty— it was very spiritual. Like Bob Marley, too." Showing the intense effect intended to overpower your body in his music, which it certainly succeeds in doing.

When listening to Daft Punk I find myself submitting to my inner robot, and bending my cold steel arms in time with the excited punch of the symbol jumping around the copper tasting voices echoing the foreground of 'Harder, Better Faster' and striding with the overpowering thuds of my magnetic feet with each swing of the metal brushing against the elegantly confident riffs of 'Robot Rock'. With the help of this frog eating duo (and the assistance of the coma inducing visual effects) you are transported in to a fantasy world of fluorescent lights stretching over the atmosphere, and kissing your bare skin, cooling it from the hot sweat you have cultivated under the heat of mars, infatuated with the music tended to lovingly by the robot hands,and born from the speakers. It is hard to ever want to return back to Earth.

With many tributes to Daft Punk; From Coca-Cola bottles designed by Daft Punk themselves, and sold under the name of Daft Coke in France for a brief amount of time, to animated appearances of the robotic duo on Cartoon network, it is evident that these french fries have certainly worked up an appetite in their fans. So what I want to know is, where have they got to? Yeah, producing music for acts such as Pharell with his smooth-talking 'Hypnotize U', and the ultimate soundtrack for movie 'Tron: Legacy' may be all well and good, but our ears are twitching for more. Where art thou Daft Punk? Come back to Earth!

The Creation of Radicals

You have to give it to him, Tyler The Creator has managed to tick off most of the goals he set himself while still relishing the comforts of his Grandmothers couch; 'VMA's. Grammy's. Make a lot of money. Own my own label. Start a magazine. Meet Pharrell. I did five of them', and all at the tender age of 21, my jealous eyes are faded by the sheer bravery of the Los Angeles rapper, mortal name of Tyler Okonma. With slow piano keys driving the rebellious statements Tyler channels with his heavy repetition of profanities, and offensive descriptions relating to women, homosexuals,and polititics to name but a few.

When I first learnt about Tyler The Creator, I was warned that I would be covering my ears in disgust, angry at the statements he conjures in his rhyming, however, when I finally braced myself, and pressed play with teeth clenched, I did not see an arrogant young man with a drive to earn a death certificate. What I heard did indeed carry an overdose of swearwords and sexual descriptions, but the beauty underlying in his words is unrecognised, unloved, and ignored. I heard a guy who just wants to promote sincerity, who, like many other people his age, wants to challenge the system, and reclaim his individuality. In a world where bands are commercialized and rebranded into musical zombies by their music labels, I find Tyler The Creator a breath of fresh air, an idol for all those kids out there with no goals, no tools to release their creativity, and no sign of redemption. Yes Tyler sprinkles his spits with words that most people find offensive, but he does not smoke, or drink, and invest his energy into the whole image in which his music conveys, from the artwork of his releases, to the direction of the videos he records.



Unlike most rappers, Tyler has remained stationed in the streets he used to hang around when he was but a twinkle in Hip Hop's eyes, and has even set up shop in said area to anchor him back to the ground after the ego inflaming attention of growing fans everywhere. Not to mention the ever expanding pack of 'wolves' The Creator has earnt after dreaming up Alternative Hip Hop collective Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, otherwise known as OFWGKTA, containing rappers such as Domo Genesis, Hodgy Beats, and Mike G, and singer Frank Ocean. This collective has produced multiple releases recorded in their own homes, with all tracks available on their website for free, this group is fast becoming famous for both the content on their tracks, and the amount of talented acts that are involved, not forgetting the explosion of energetic beats and unforgettable lyrics that you can't help but get excited about.





Tyler is not afraid to express his weaknesses in his songs, it is what makes him unique, and reminds you that he is still but a human after his claims to be the reincarnation of the Devil in his songs. In his acclaimed single 'Yonkers' he tells his fans;

'F*ck the fame and all the hype, G
I just want to know if my father would ever like me
But I don't give a f*ck, so he's probably just like me'

Not only expressing his wish to get to know his father, who walked out on his family when he was younger, and the constant drive to impress him in his work, but his hatred and bitterness towards him.

So my advise to any offended listeners of this guy, is to forget about the profanities, forget the pornographic images he delights in describing, and remember that he is just another vulnerable human being, who has turned his hurt and insecurity into passion and drive towards his effortless skills of creating some beautifully evoking music that challenges your ideas of society. After all, he says it himself in 'Radicals'...

'Hey, don't do anything that I say in this song, okay? It's f*ckin' fiction'

In his work Tyler expresses his wish for kids everywhere to ignore the ideals of society, they feel they have to conform to. He is telling his fans not to live up to their parents dreams if it is not what they want, he is the voice of freedom for kids everywhere. As someone who is the same age as The Creator, I can taste his passion for freedom of expression, I can smell his peppery distaste for oppressive rules, and I can feel his fear for society. Most critics will view The Creators songs as a list of as many stomach wrenching descriptions as possible, but I see it as a constitutional rebellion, an inspiration for young people to stand up for what they believe in.

Don't judge this guy, he is an Alternative Hip Hop genius, and you will be hearing a lot more of him. He is more than Radical.

I saw a Ghostpoet

After a hard days scratching the back of your head in frustration, hours of watching the general public in confusion, plastic smile tattooed on your tired face, one needs to find the perfect solution to winding down into a sleepy state. A state where you can cast away all your displaced fears and worries for a while, relax, sit back and let life annoy someone else for a change. If it is a real outlet for your financial struggles, geographical itches, and other such niggles floating around your head, let Ghostpoet extract them and send them packing with his sleepy wisdom.

This isn't any ordinary rapper from the bustling streets of London, he self produced his first album, and stresses that his music is 'not about the technical side of it, making sure everything’s perfect in that respect; it’s about the feeling of it, the emotion.'(2011). This is evident in Ghostpoet's music, otherwise known as Obaro Ejimiwe, he provides an anthem for those with stinging eyes to shut their heavy eyelids, lower those clenching shoulders and ease themselves into his hauntingly familiar expressions of modern day troubles for the typical human being.



The haunting beats whistling and swimming beneath his soothing voice, taste like fresh hope. Ejimiwe's abiity to evaporate all cares with his slow rhyming is repeated throughout his music, his voice becomes the emblem of relaxation, an addiction striving for a constant fix of the haunting keys, and his refreshing accent, especially for a Northerner like myself.

Ghostpoet flies the flag for many UK artists fighting to gain recognition within an industry still dominated by gargling Americans drooling for stardom. This guy reminds us that we have exciting talent on our shores that should not be overlooked in favour of a miming dancer. Ghostpoet represents the raw talent expressing topics that enter our own heads on a daily basis, for example, paying those bills, wishing a bad day away, and dwelling on our personal failures. Far from a ghost, Ghostpoet proves that his lyrically tasty focus on every day qualities provide a recognition that is gaining him fans everywhere, and all with a mesmerising soundtrack.




If you haven't heard from Ghostpoet yet, you really need to grab a listen. Just take a seat, get comfy, and let Ghostpoet handle the rest. His debut album 'Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam.' will be your new auditory bible for the perfect anecdote after a days work. And this is not all, his highly anticipated second album is due any time this year.

Fit for a Prince

Have you ever had the overpowering urge for chocolate? I mean that unavoidable tingle screaming for the milky cocoa melting in your mouth? That feeling of intense satisfaction filling you up and enticing a warm smile stretching over your face, the velvety liquid dancing around your mouth voluptuously releasing endorphin's into your body. An immediate rush of delight drifting through your mood. Your legs shake at the unforgettable taste bathing in your mouth, and your attention focused on every inch of the party of tastes pirouetting around your tongue. This sound familiar? Well it should, if you have ever had the pleasure of listening to Prince, he has middle aged women everywhere quivering like a chocoholic getting their fix of the desired truffle.

Introducing a man who has single-handedly seduced thousands of women at just the riff of his patent purple guitar. Who would have thought that a man wearing heels, and eyeliner would produce such a flutter rippling through armies of females at his mercy?



Born Prince Rogers Nelson on 7th June 1958, to a pianist father and a Jazz singing mother. His mother of whom chose the name because she wanted him to do everything she asked of him. Little did she know it would be the name echoing from the reddened lips of adoring female fans everywhere in a matter of years. Prince wrote his first song aged 7 on his fathers piano, just highlighting his budding flare for music at such a young age.

To date, Prince has sold over 80 million copies of his releases worldwide, has won seven Grammy awards, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award. Prince has even introduced a new breed of sound into the music industry in his musical reign, thus being that of the 'Minneapolis sound', a delicious desert containing ingredients such as funk, rock, pop, R & B and New Wave, that has opened the door for many artists to experiment and succeed with.



Prince is known for his androgynous behaviour, showing traits both masculine and effeminate to create the perfect blend of beauty and sexual freedom, highlighted in the sensual growls of his guitar purring along to his high screams, or his deep soulful murmurings. This guy had virginal roses blushing and humping posters of him sprawled over their bedroom walls, clad in hardly anything but makeup. He is the definition of lust for many men and women everywhere.

As a child I used to watch Prince strut around the stage in his stiletto's, and lavender suits in amazed intrigue, listening to my mother whisper her unconditional love for him. Now I have inherited that love, for the powerful message of passion, rage, and frustration his music resonates. The perfume of sexuality pulses around his albums still, and will linger for years to come. From the seductively heartbreaking vocal dips of 'The Beautiful Ones' to the skin tickling teasing's of 'kiss', you can almost feel the moisture of his lips on your skin, Prince's voice crawls into your bones and tickles the back of your neck. Prince provides fans of all ages with an endless list of sweat inducing guitar solo's, romantic cries of affection and frustration, and air punching drum kicks that remain timeless.

Following controversy surrounding copyright issues, Prince changed his stage name to a symbol that fans could not pronounce, combining the symbols of both a male and female, dubbed The Love Symbol. Not only showing Prince's focus on love, passion and lust, but his wish to ensure no pronunciation categorized him as an artist, and his work.e only wishes to be known as a symbol of love, that is pretty amazing, no?

As someone who delights in mysteriousness and intrigue, this only stimulates my interest in Prince, or any other names he may call himself, it is what any artist should aspire to be, undefinable, individual, and evermore beautiful.

Soley A Dream

Outside the sky is alight with the glow of the sun stretching out among the blue landscape, your skin tingles in delight at the reassuring warmth eloping from the big yellow ball, everything glitters in the backdrop of beauty highlighted by the angelic rays. The grass beneath your toes tickles your bare skin playfully, your lips still sticky from the refreshing ice lolly you have just finished, everything seams better in the sunshine, All your worries evaporate in the heat and float away into the distance. What will you be listening to when all this happens? Why, Soley of course.




This Icelandic songstress echoes sounds of Swedish singer song writer Lykke Li, however, Soley stands her own ground with the natural instrumentals, and melodies containing notes not dissimilar to the playful chantings of a xylophone in a children's song, ensuring the songs upbeat hummings.

The harmonies Soley instills into her music is reminiscent of children's folk songs, injecting the playful colours of youth, and energy within the slow keys of the piano. The piano is a key force within Soley's work, creating a doorway to another realm with the dreamy tiptoes of the high notes in 'About Your Funeral', 'Pretty Face', and 'I'll Drown', and the heavy thuds of sleepy stretches within 'Read Your Book'. The world in which the earthy combination of sound and lyrics of Soley's work summons you into a sleep like state, reflecting the heavy warmth creeping up on you under the gentle rays of the sun. In her own words, Soley explains how 'All of the lyrics are like this. Dreamy, surrealistic and in their own world — so analyzing the lyrics is for the listeners to make up their own world!'. So close your eyes, breathe in the fresh air, and inhabit the earthy tones within your bones, stretch, and relax your body, tickled by Soley's soft voice. Find your escape, find your own world, enhanced by the confused mutterings within 'Smashed Birds, and take advantage of a temporary loss of sanity. Find your parallel world, and let Soley take you there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ClhKpPBzr4&feature=related

Del-icious

According to Lana Del Rey and her debut album, we were Born To Die, grim thought, but this album is definately something to listen to before your expiration date is due. This delicious mix of blonde curled licks, sassy red nail varnished mutterings, and the eloquent warmth of gentle whiskey tasting whisperings. Lana Del Rey is reminiscient of the original American sex symbol; before Megan Fox and Kim Kardashian were even a star in their parents eyes, I'm talking about Marilyn Monroe stuff here.


Is it me or does Rey resemble an early Monroe (pictured above)? She certainly has a thing for classy women, as she refers to herself as a 'self styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra'.


Rey breathes her classy essence effortlessly with the romantic and capturing strikes of the violin and patriotic beats of drums sending your body into a march of adoration. Beautiful lyrics and tasty metaphors adorn each song on this album with Lana's Contralto hummings stretch to the back of your ears and whistle down your chest.

With the sleepy harps serenading you in Video Games, catchy verses in Off to the Races and vocal ranges screaming for stadiums in Born To Die, this album leaves the listener feeling sophisticated, infatuated and itching for more of Rey's butter kissed voice to spread all over their current mood. Dark, gothic monotones haunt the undertones of Rey's lyrics, telling tales of heartbreak, death and alcoholism, but in a sarcastically sweet way in which only Rey succeeds in.

It is interesting to note the wide binaries of Lana Del Rey's influences, for example; Kurt cobain, Britney Spears, and Elvis Presley are all completely different sounds to one another, but this only intensifies the world in which Rey inhabits. Listen to this album, and you will be transported in to a world where the gentle 'Rey's' kiss you hard on the smooth skin, the seducing presence of perfume lingers on the edge of your nose teasing you in to the blue rippling water, and the irresistible mystery of Carmen is only an inch away... this album is a dark paradise to be indulged in.