Valerie June working her way to the top spot
1 (4) VALERIE JUNE – PUSHIN’ AGAINST A STONE – SUNDAY BEST
With her classy yet earthy spellbinding tones, working their way through a debut LP that combines southern soul, gutsy blues, tender folk and sweet country, this beautiful young lady is set to be the first new star of 2013. http://youtu.be/0MLVxWd4_s4
2 (3) CHARLIE BOYER & THE VOYEURS – CLARIETTA – HEAVENLY
Oozing charisma, style and swagger, with a knowing glint in the eye, and a hint of Tom Verlaine’s Television, Howard Devoto’s Magazine and Johnny Thunders’ Heartbreakers, this East London five piece have raised the stakes for LP of the year with a stunning debut. http://youtu.be/K-K-wxjJebQ
http://youtu.be/VUbeV4q4G_Q
3 (NEW) THE NATIONAL – TROUBLE WILL FIND ME – 4AD
Following the huge success of High Violet, the Brooklyn based outfit return with a knowing confidence on their sixth studio LP, but they still haven’t lost any of that fragile beauty that makes them so special. http://youtu.be/yIWmRbHDhGw
4 (2) THE JIM JONES REVIEW – 7 TIMES AROUND THE SUN –
PLAY IT AGAIN SAM / PUNK ROCK BLUES
Rock’n’roll piano riffs, military snares on shuffling rhythms and call & response vocals. This will definitely put some oomph into your day. http://youtu.be/5r0MPHul_8A
5 (1) PRIMAL SCREAM – IT’S ALRIGHT, IT’S OK – FIRST INTERNATIONAL
The second track to be lifted from the David Holmes produced forthcoming LP More Light, is a joyous celebration complete with funky percussion and gospel backing. Bring on the summer. http://youtu.be/Ty-IJ3qz-GE
6 (7) MUNK – MISTERIO – GOMMA
This has got classic Italo disco house written all over it, although it was made in Brazil and Berlin. Slightly tacky and suggestive vocals work their way around a low slung club jam with a hint of DFA about it. On the remix front Severino of Horse Meat Disco fame pumps it up, adding plenty of bounce and a bit of phasing, meanwhile PBR Streetgang’s Bonar Bradbury gives it a classic 80’s West End Records feel. http://youtu.be/6vprHbWZq9E
7 (16) THE PASTELS – CHECK MY HEART – DOMINO
It’s been 16 years since the release of their last LP Illumination, but now The Pastels return with Slow Summits, and preceding it is this excellent single. Check My Heart is a summery slice of fuzzy feel good pop with a sing a long chorus that shimmys & jingle jangles in all the right places. http://youtu.be/sjxYLFWxR6E
8 (22) RITUEL – DEUX – MICRONAUTICS
The lead track Club Zanzibar is a nod to the legendary New Jersey nightspot, as well as a heads up to the African tribal influences that spice up the dancefloor, making this a peak time house number with great samples and Italo Disco leanings. It comes backed with the firing on all cylinders Nirvana Dance, a pumping tempo changing bass heavy stonker with a mesmerising vocal. http://youtu.be/9h_a033uk3w
9 (9) NEIL HALSTEAD – SPIN THE BOTTLE – SONIC CATHEDRAL
The second single to be lifted from his excellent Palindrome Hunches LP, comes with a newly recorded Alternative Version which gets a tad cosmic. There is also a beautiful live mix of a new song Chasing Rainbows, and a deep layered Mark Van Hoen Remix of Full Moon Rising. http://youtu.be/dlqtGim9cpk
10 (NEW) OUT COLD – ALL I WANT – HEAVENLY
A carefully layered psychedelic opus of shimmering beauty. Ewan Pearson serves up a chunky 4/4 mix shot through with sonic zaps, disco strings and perky key riffs. Whilst Mode give the song a certain groovy sunshine Balearicness. Lovely stuff.
11 (14) AUFGANG – ISTIKLALIYA – IN FINE
A hyperactive trio from New York City that spontaneously go where their mood and music take them, from bonkers jump around boogie to thought provoking almost classical pieces. This lot have definitely got it going on like no others. http://youtu.be/CALccdxxN9A
12 (8) TIM PARIS – GOLDEN RATIO EP FT. GEORG LEVIN –
MY FAVOURITE ROBOT
The Original Mix is a superb cute and groovy electronic pop song, with an understated vocal and a charming indie feel. On the remix front John Tejada houses it up and adds some classic key riffs, while Villanova give it a cheeky shuffle and get spooky with it. Nice. http://youtu.be/TDsrr34bq90
13 (17) BONOBO – FIRST FIRES – NINJA TUNE
The title track features the tender and soulful vocals of Grey Reverend, on a bed of bittersweet strings and delicate electronics. Heaven For The Sinner is a shimmering beauty featuring the velvet tones of Erykah Badu, and Know How is an upbeat atmospheric groover. http://youtu.be/62Z4ibZFA6c
14 (15) BLACK MOTH – SAVAGE DANCER – TOO PURE SINGLES CLUB
Leeds slightly retro fuzzy stoner rock outfit with a female lead vocal, that come over a bit like Hole having a yee ha with Queens Of The Stone Age. Top riffage. http://youtu.be/OXdCHWv6WdI
15 (19) TYTHE – CARELESS WOMAN – SUNDAY BEST
A sun drenched Balearic groover with originality, subtlety and substance that doesn’t do the obvious. Lapalux wrap it in swathes of warm electronics and send it into orbit. Throwing Snow give it some bump’n’clutter, and 12 Tree get it back in the groove and on the dancefloor. http://youtu.be/afHGkEob_do
16 (20) DECO CHILD – SKINLESS EP – NINJA TUNE
Deco Child returns with an even broader and more accomplished sound, adding a classical element and pop rhythmic handclapping to his overwhelming electronics. http://youtu.be/9VJEpMT7WeI
17 (24) ABSTRAXION – DARK KNIGHT EP – MARKETING MUSIC
The opening Break Of Light is an atmospheric thought provoking tune that brings elements of Kraftwerk’s Radioactivity to mind, and it comes with a clockwork sci-fi Tim Paris Rework. The title cut is a pulsing techy number accompanied by two complimentary mixes from It’s A Fine Line.
18 (23) KID A – BB BLEU – TECHNICOLOUR
This has got nothing to do with Radiohead, in fact it is the gorgeous debut release from Virginia, U.S.A. based Ann Alexander Thweat aka Kid A. She floats her distinctive slightly folkish breathy vocals over lush electronic loops. It comes with 3 remixes, Eliphino delivers a bumping house number, Dolor gets spun out adding other worldly textures, and Daedelus takes it down into the bottomless pit. http://youtu.be/ZydRe0kmU1k
19 (NEW) MY FAVORITE ROBOT – LOOKING FOR FROST – No.19 MUSIC
The Toronto threesome deliver an ethereal atmospheric builder that’s got a certain 90’s feel about it, sort of Underworld meets Rising High meets Sabresonic. Comes with a nice couple of house mixes care of Juan Maclean and Louie Fresco.
20 (21) THE WOODENTOPS – BEFORE DURING AFTER / REMASTERS REMIXES & RARITIES 1982 – 1992 – ONE LITTLE INDIAN.
A vibrant drumtastic ride through the life of a South London outfit that went on to be the toast of Ibiza when it mattered. http://youtu.be/0ERH2An1-24
21 (NEW) MIXHELL – SPACES – SUNDAY BEST / BOYSNOIZE
Debut LP from Iggor Cavalera, the percussionist in Sepulutra, (a Brazilian heavy metal band that have sold more than 10 million records), with his DJ wife Laima Leyton and producer Max Blum, they decided to form a cutting edge electronic outfit that have already toured with Soulwax, James Murphy, Erol Alkin and played Lollapalooza.
22 (NEW) EMIKA – DVA – NINJA TUNE
A collection of bleak electronic songs that soundtrack the struggle to survive in an Eastern European city, in the not too distant future. http://youtu.be/oscuSiHfbwo
23 (25) KID NOIZE – KDNZ – VERTIGO
Five track electronic EP which glides across 80’s and 90’s influenced club genres with a forward thinking ease. First we had a mouse, then we got a dinosaur, now we’ve got a monkey. Is mums dressing up box a constant source of inspiration. http://youtu.be/WvxZlYFIIfs
24 (NEW) THE REVENGE, TIMO MAAS AND JAMES TEEJ –
CROSSING WIRES 001 SAMPLER – MY FAVORITE ROBOT
Three brand new well produced tracky tracks from the forthcoming LP Crossing Wires 001.
25 (NEW) GVK / DJ DA / LORENZO ESPOSITO / OWEN HOWELLS – AUTEM 05 – AUTEM AUDIO
The opening Warmwest from GVK is an irresistible low slung chunky house number, with funky electro disco licks. http://youtu.be/a1C71uT6OTw
To get your track submitted for consideration please contact Dean Thatcher at deanthatcher25@hotmail.com The Zzub Chart is physical. Vinyl & CD’s.
