Well, you know what they say, "good things come to those who wait" and that could not be truer of Sampha's debut. I'd like to say that I was cautiously optimistic on first listen but mostly I was just itching to have it on repeat. This came to us on a day of music release mayhem and it's made a point to standout...


1. Plastic 100°C
Out of the non-singles, this song is my current favourite. Sampha has one of the most distinct voices around at the moment and whilst rising to the top; when his voice chimes in on this track, the sound just washes over you. I remember thinking, "this is a song that I could wake up to for years to come". Every time I hear this, it sounds like a new beginning. Talk about starting as you mean to go on... 

2. Blood On Me
Prior to listening, this was my favourite single and one of my favourite songs and videos released last year. Now, having listened to it in the context of the album, more than ever, the feeling still stands. As familiar as it sounded, it was given a new lease of life on the album and although I didn't think that I could - I love it even more. So intricate and so simple.
 
3. Kora Sings 
I would love to hear a Hiatus Kaiyote remix of this one actually. The instrumental wins this song hands down for me; I was just immersed in the way that the beat transitions. So many influences held together with Sampha's signature sound. Strong track and early standout for me.
 
4. (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano
After listening to Sampha's Dual EP over the last 3/4 years, as soon as I heard the opening chords on this single it brought me back to those six tracks and how much they made me appreciate piano-centric music. Hearing his vocals on this song I could feel every word he sang, and finding out that he wrote this album and in particular this song, shortly after his mother died; only made me adore it even more. 
 
5. Take Me Inside
This was probably the least memorable song on the album for me after first listen. Although listening to it as I write this, I can say that it's good song, something about it just underwhelms me unfortunately. To me it felt a lot more like an interlude than a full length song. However, I love the way it seamlessly bleeds into the next...
  
6. Reverse Faults 
So I'll be spontaneously singing "took the breakpads out the car", for the next few weeks. The beat after this line is one of those 'close your eyes, lift your hands' kinds of beats. This track and the next might be the most different of the ten but here it fits in so, so perfectly; you almost don't notice the vibe change. This might turn out to be the dark horse that people refer to whenever you discuss the album. 

7. Under
My feelings towards this song change every time I listen to it. Occasionally it feels like a b-side, but then I listen again and it holds my attention and leaves me wanting more. Maybe after a few more listens I'll have a more committed feeling for this one.

8. Timmy's Prayer 
Here's the single that I'm waiting to listen to live. At first I didn't latch onto it as much as the general public did. Then I heard it after a while on 'Insecure' and gave it another chance. Since then, it's grown on me more. My head knows that this is probably one of the strongest songs all-round on the record, but whenever I've come back to the album, it's sadly not been near the top of my list to go to.

9. Incomplete Kisses 
Almost as soon as this track started, I had a visual in my head. A while ago I read a comment on YouTube where the person had written "this must be what colour sounds like". In a way, I feel that with this; like when you listen to a song and you imagine yourself in the video, here I see it as if watching a dream.

10. What Shouldn't I Be?  
What I think Sampha's managed to do beautifully with this album is create a clear journey. Every feeling that has brought me to this closer was vivid and distinct. Also, this is one of the most, dare I say it, exquisite songs of 2017 - and I know it's only February but I say that with the confidence that it will likely not be outdone by many. 


I think with this album I just have to remind myself that it's actually a debut record, because as a debut, it's near-on remarkable. After all of the anticipation, I have to say that I was a tiny bit disappointed with parts of the record. Some of the standouts made the "good-but-not-great" tracks easier to pick out and a little less memorable in my opinion, and I think that I prefer the first half to the second. However, this album lyrically is one of the most beautiful pieces I've come across in a while. I will definitely be returning to a lot of this for years to come, but whether or not I'll listen to it over and over again as a whole, remains to be seen. After I catch him live next month I'm sure that I'll return to the album and hear something completely different.  

Overall Rating - 8/10

I am full to the brim with excitement to finally be reviewing this record! Firstly because I've been waiting for this record to drop ever since I was enchanted by Daughter's debut, If You Leave in 2013. Secondly, because I've just finished reading NME's review of this album and it's hilarious to see that they've finally jumped on the bandwagon after slating their debut. Lastly, because it's definitely cemented my view of Daughter's true musicianship and made me hopeful for 2016.


1. New Ways
New ways indeed! This whole album definitely started as it meant to go on, something familiar but distinctly different about this second record. I absolutely love the guitar on this track. Reminds me a little bit of The xx I have to say, but way that this track swells is something that only Daughter could have done.

2. Numbers
As a stand alone single, this track didn't originally stick to me as much as I thought it would. It wasn't until I heard it in the context of this record that I could appreciate it for what it is and honestly, it might just be my favourite track on the album! Those thumping, urgent drums that I loved so much in "Home" have returned, yet with more certain and definite lyrics - telling rather than asking.


3. Doing The Right Thing
Most gut-wrenching song on the record, but I love how transparent Elena's become. She leaves less room for guess work lyrically, while pensive pauses leave us wanting more still. As deep and melancholic as Daughter have always been, this record seems heavier, like there's a lot more to digest and this song is exhibit A.


4. How
This'll be a great live track - Igor's always been a fantastic guitarist but for me I've always felt like Elena was the main event. On this record, there's no escaping how much Igor's riffs bring to the tracks and this is definitely one of those instances. The first few times that I heard this song, all I heard was the instrumental, I barely paid attention to the lyrics.  Big instrumental performance track.

5. Mothers
This song was over before I wanted it to be. Elena has always mentioned "mothers" and "motherhood" in a lot of Daughter's tracks to date and to now hear an entire track dedicated to it, I was looking forward to hearing something that explained why they dwell on the subject so much. I didn't find out but at least I found a good track.

6. Alone/With You
This is one of my favourite lyrical performances on the record. Witty lyrics on feeling emotionally distant but not wanting to be close either. This could've actually easily been a b-side on their debut record. Touches of winter-y coldness but a despondent kind of "over it" feeling at the same time. Good track.


7. No Care
I found myself bopping my head and tapping my foot to one of Daughter's songs for the first time in a long time. I'm so used to just drowning in the worlds that they create but this instrumental is something different. Like I said about the first track - familiar but distinctly different. I'm a little surprised that this isn't one of their singles yet.

8. To Belong
I'd love to see what this would sound like with Yannis Philippakis featured on it. The thing that I liked most about this track is that it felt like it should be a duet, or at least it felt like there should more voices, yet Elena continued to chant "I don't want to belong, to you, to anyone". It's like the conscious choice to be lonely echoes not only in the lyrics but the instrumental as well.

9. Fossa
This point is probably when I was certain that this was exactly what I wanted from their sophomore release. I've had a couple of sophomores really disappoint me in the past couple of years but this is exactly what I asked for from Daughter and maybe even more. This track in particular is one that I might have overlooked on the first few listens but upon further reflection, this might be the silent standout for me.

10. Made Of Stone 
Since the album came out, this is probably the track that I've listened to the least, but upon first listen I thought that this tied the whole album together perfectly. As I said earlier, I'm used to drowning in the worlds that this band create but this track just washes over you. Towards the end, the instrumental sort of reminds me of Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek". Great end to a great record!


Four years later and I'm still overplaying their debut record just like I said I would here. I'm not actually sure if they've topped their debut with this, they've definitely put out a fantastic body of work. To be honest, speaking from a "journalistic" point of view - this is indeed a bigger and better record. I just think that I feel a stronger attachment to their first. 

Overall Rating - 8/10

I wrote about The Bongo Club as a new discovery a couple of years ago here and I've been waiting patiently for them to blow up over here in The UK and I think that now is finally the time.Their debut album dropped on Sunday and I've been listening to it ever since! Here are some things I thought whilst listening through...


1. The Hush Hush Song
I wrote about this single here after the video came out. I must admit, I wasn't expecting it to be the first song on the album but no complaints here, it's still a cool and catchy tune.

2. High Horse
As soon as this track started playing I was bopping my head and smiling. I feel like this'll be the track that I overplay and go straight to from now on. Big tune! I love this song - can't wait to hear it live. It's simple but still entertaining... and that breakdown!!!

3. Turn Off The Lights
This is just an album full of singles - every one of these tracks is pretty much stand-alone. When I first listened to their music I thought they'd be "a band of the summer", one of those bands you'd only keep on your summer playlists but the more I listen to them, the more I just enjoy their music independent of the season.

4. I Don't Wanna Dance With Your Daughter
This is the belter - that chorus is huge. I can just imagine hundreds of people shouting this already. Again, it's not even the most complicated song it's just a lot of fun.

5. Get Myself Together
This was the next single after "The Hush Hush Song" and a great follow up in my opinion. I love the swagger that it has about it.

6. Who Are You To Say
This track can be played anywhere, from adverts to clothes shops to pubs. Great riffs, great lyrics and just a great sound. This is currently one of my favourite songs on the record. The breakdown at the end is awesome.

7. Lucy
From the title I kind of expected this song to be a little more like the ballad of the record... I was wrong. Keeping the pace going as well as the quality - strong song.

8. Hound 
When the song started I thought that it would be one of those songs at the end of a record that makes me feel like there's still another song coming afterwards but they ended it quite nicely and sealed off the album.


I could have done with a couple more songs on this album for sure but as far as debuts go, this is a good'un. The very consistent and strong set of songs - all killer, no filler. It's time for people to start taking notice. Stream the album on soundcloud or Spotify, purchase it on iTunes or simply head out to a live show when they have one on. Tell your friends, tell your enemies.

Overall Rating - 7/10

In honour of the release of Ghostpoet's already critically acclaimed, brilliant third record today, I thought I'd post the chat that I had with the brains behind it all a few days ago...

Well well well, Dutch Uncles are back with the first single and music video from their upcoming record O Shudder out on the 23rd of February. I don't know if I can even wait that long to be honest...

DUTCH UNCLES - In N Out

Every time I write that blog title, I'm happier than the last. I think I could get used to new Foo Fighters music every Friday! Foo Fighters are releasing a new single every week alongside their new eight part TV series Sonic Highways (which premieres in the UK on Channel 4 this Sunday). Last week it was the absolute corker of an opening track - "Something From Nothing", and now this...

FOO FIGHTERS - The Feast And The Famine