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Mk.gee & Two star, “Are You Looking Up”
I don’t know where to place this track. Sonically, I hear everything from ‘70s-era Joni Mitchell to neo-psyche grooves of Unknown Mortal Orchestra and the vocal stylings of Pinegrove’s Evan Stephens Hall.
Wherever it gets shelved in the pop music library, I’m happy it reached my ears. There isn’t a lot of info on this collab between producer Mk.gee (New Jersey’s Mike Gordon) and the mysterious Two star, but the four songs they’ve released so far have me itching to hear what’s next.
Simon Bridgefoot, “In Sand”
Another B.C. friend making great things, Simon is better known around the Fraser Valley as an indispensable producer, sensitive percussionist, and DJ extraordinaire. But every now and then, he drops original music like this, and he hit particularly pure gold with a mid-tempo gem. Have a listen.
Willow, “Alone”
Maybe we know too much about the Smith family. But whatever opinion you might have of her parents, Willow is putting out some excellent and interesting music.
This one is anything but what you’d expect from a movie star’s daughter. Do I hear a little Incubus in there? In the best way, I do.
R.M.F.C., “Harmless Activity”
The leader of this Sydney-based band is a guy named Buz Clatworthy. Somehow, that’s all you need to know.
Mount Kimbie, “Guitar Dumb”
I’ll be honest: I haven’t paid attention to Mount Kimbie since they rose to mild notoriety alongside other British electro artists in the early ‘10s like James Blake and Jamie xx. Judging by this track, it seems a lot has changed. And yet, the duo has maintained one essential thing: quality.
“Guitar Dumb” sees Kai Campos and Dom Maker turning up the gain and heading in a post-punk direction, but in a way only they could pull off successfully. It’s a journey worth tagging along for.
Bombay Bicycle Club & Damon Albarn, “Heaven”
Vying for Most Underrated Album of the Year, Bombay Bicycle Club’s My Big Day is full of surprises. The band’s pulled off what I’d call their White Album: a journey through their full sonic territory (folk, indie-rock, psyche-pop, hip-hop) that still maintains a sense of cohesion. To top it all off, they’ve incorporated an impressive and diverse list of guests including Nilifur Yanya, Chaka Khan, and yes, Blur and Gorillaz’ (Gorillaz’s?) Damon Albarn.
“Heaven” comes across like a true Bombay/Blur mash-up. Jack, Jamie, Suren, and Ed sound exactly like themselves, and Damon’s contribution could just as easily fit on a record of his own. Any Brit-pop fan would know these two groups don’t exactly sound alike. And yet, it works.
TOLEDO, “Jesus Bathroom”
I don’t know why I like this quirky little song so much. Actually, I do. It communicates a feeling without referencing it in any explicit way. Read through the lyrics once or twice and you’ll have no idea what Jordan Dunn-Pilz is singing about. Read through them three or four more times, and suddenly it starts to make a weird kind of sense.
Villages, “Christmas in the Cape”
I’m a bit of a stickler when it comes to Christmas music. November 24 still feels early to me. But this new tune from Villages has me making an exception. Mandolin player Jon Pearo steps up to the mic for this one to put us in the festive mood, and man, does he pull it off. This here’s the nutmeg of songs.
Anything tickle your eardrums lately?
Let the rest of us know in the comments below.
I'm really digging the new Bombay Bicycle Club!
That Mk.gee & Two Star collab is very intriguing. After listening to the two 2023 singles I’m certainly interested to see what comes next!