Luke Fincher - No Response

Brighton teen Luke Fincher is a star. He may not know it yet, but there are certain levels of talent that are so fully formed from a young age that it would be almost impossible for them not to be discovered.

Fincher is technically an R&B singer, and it's quite a feat standing out from the hoards of soulful male singers from the US and UK - but Fincher has something special. 

The scene is saturated with over-emoting mid 20s/30s faux-soul crooners, who use melisma like they use oxygen and take any opportunity to dive in and out of falsetto like they're bobbing for apples. But here we have 17 year old, unknown Luke, who blows them all out of the water in one incredible performance on his self-penned song "No Response".

The track begins like a particularly depressing Weeknd number, with standard reverb-drenched synth chords bouncing gentley off each other. But any initial assumptions are soon banished when Fincher starts to sing. Because Fincher sings low, like really low, and then he sings high, like really high - and never once is it unnecessary. He hits notes with an effortless confidence, strength, and beauty, and every tasteful melismatic flick and achingly tender note shimmers and captivates. There are at least twice as many years maturity in his voice as Luke himself has been alive.

As a songwriter, Luke clearly understands his own voice perfectly. When he needs to draw you in, he reels off lyrics in a rapid stream of consciousness, and when we need to be wowed, he absolutely kills the falsetto climax in the heart-stopping chorus.

The thoroughly deserving Fincher has a chance to win a slot on Brighton music festival Shakedown's Main Stage on September 28th, and all you have to do to ensure he reaches the final is to click "like" on the SoundCloud link below before Friday 30th August. Check out his YouTube for further proof of his talent.

FOR FANS OF: Frank Ocean, The Weeknd, Jamie Woon

Tensnake - 58bpm (feat. Fiora)

Tensnake may have made a name for himself with his classic balearic house anthem "Coma Cat", as well as the old school 90s dance of "Mainline", but the German producer is far from your run of the mill European dance producer. Anyone who heard the haunting downtempo electronica of his Little Dragon "Ritual Union" remix knows this, and anyone who hears "58bpm" will realize this too.

A one-minute-twelve-second clip of "58bpm" has been circulating the internet since May - a sensual slice of 80s soul heard through the future bass kaleidoscope... at 58 beats per minute. Frustratingly short but revealing just enough to showcase just how gorgeous the track is, it makes sense as to why Tensnake has made us wait for the full 5 minute clip, now available on iTunes.

Because it's the ultimate comedown anthem - perfect to soundtrack a reluctant end to the sunniest, most joyous summer in memory. The track is so daringly slow (indeed that's the main feature) that it seems suspended in mid-air, as a single warm chord lingers tentatively above a lurching beat, as vocals seem to melt as the chorus hits.

Regular collaborator Fiora carries the beautiful vocal humbly without pretense, and what could be a flat-out sexual delivery becomes somewhat bittersweet and melancholic. Sadly destined to be underrated, the track is nevertheless the most creative and spellbinding piece of music Tensnake has created to date.

FOR FANS OF: Goldroom, Active Child, Royksopp

Lisa Lewis - How We Do Things

There was absolutely no denying the husky, seductive voice of London soul singer Lisa Lewis from her jazzy first demos. However, the trippy, vibey Soul/R&B of new song "How We Do Things" is undeniably her calling, and has "breakout track" written all over it. 

Much like the subtler moments on Jessie Ware's debut record, "How We Do Things" is unafraid to drift off on its sexy, underwater groove because Lewis's powerful, bluesy voice commands the attention. She has the knack of making even the slightest change in projection sound magnificent. Effortless is a term frequently used with singers, but rarely accurate. In the case of Lisa Lewis, it's entirely appropriate.

FOR FANS OF: Jessie Ware, BANKS, Delilah

Party Tracks of the Week! (FREE DOWNLOADS)

MKS - Flatline (MNEK Remix)

#Garage #House

It's a capital letter collaboration, and one that deserves 3 more capital letters - WOW. Bafflingly busy teen prodigy MNEK is known for his soulful 90s touch, and on his remix of MKS's "Flatline" his production is anything but flatlining. The track's pretty melody is placed into a fiery garage party-scape, and out of a humble original song, MNEK manages to cut and paste his way to about 20 more vocal hooks.

lostchild. - Private Party

#House #Garage #FreeDownload

Taking on Baltimore synthpoppers Dungeonesse's "Private Party", London producer lostchild. brings the track forward from big 80s electro to loungey 90s house. Much like the MNEK track above, lostchild flogs the wordy chorus for every potential cut'n'paste hook he can find. You can download it for FREE from the SoundCloud link below.

Mike Mago - The Show

#ChicagoHouse #Funky #DeepHouse

Managing to combine 3 different eras of house music into one seriously addictive track, Mike Mago brings 90s Chicago House piano, and a delicious Funky House vocal sample to a slick Deep House beat and bass. Sometimes you can please everyone all of the time it would seem.

Icona Pop - Girlfriend

The key to Icona Pop's success is their defiant lack of self-awareness. Breakthrough single "I Love It" was a simple electropop onslaught with the same couple of shouty empowerment rants repeated throughout the song - but to any criticism, their fans were given a useful automatic response: "I don't care, I love it!" This carefree, hedonistic and shameless attitude lifts Icona Pop out of the guilty-pleasure bracket and firmly into credibility. 

That's precisely why new single "Girlfriend" also works. Production wise, the track is almost identical to "I Love It", all pulsating electro basslines and commercial dance beats. The track also has the sexually ambiguous undertones of the most obvious kind, and distorted vocals aside, the structure and hooks of a two-a-penny Katy Perry track. But combined with the girls' playfulness and lack of hollywood glamour and ego, the simplicity and commerciality of their music goes from potentially tedious to charming, tongue-in-cheek and 'feel-good' in the most natural sense.

"I Love It" has become a worldwide hit, but Icona Pop clearly don't take fame very seriously at all, and why should they? It's a farce that can turn likeable artists into holier-than-thou popstars, making unconvincing and passionless music - Icona Pop could not be further from this world. What they do take seriously though is having fun, and delivering that sense of fun in the simplest, most accessible way - through Chart Pop.

Icona Pop are totally reinventing the idea of what it takes to have a worldwide hit, and it doesn't involve any image or pretense whatsoever - just catchy songs that remind us not to take ourselves so seriously. And "Girlfriend" is definitely one of those, and with any luck will be as big as "I Love It".

FOR FANS OF: Ke$ha, Charli XCX, Mausi

Jessie J - Excuse My Rude (feat. Becky G)

Since we constantly watch her drift from style to style, both musically and in image, it sometimes baffles me as to what Jessie J's "thing" is. However, with the release of "Excuse My Rude", an album track from Jessie's upcoming sophomore effort, I'm encouraged by her return to her roots, and to a sound I most associate with her.

It's a sound that dates back to her debut single "Do It Like A Dude" - a dirty rock/soul/hip hop hybrid, which introduced us to a gutsy, tongue-in-cheek, yet slightly crazy singer called Jessie J. Maybe she came across a little try hard, but it was a fun and endearing personality and sound, and it's one that we see rehashed on the similarly brash and direct "Excuse My Rude".

Goofily phrased yet characterful verses unfold over slick Trappy beats, recalling some of the geeky charm and feisty delivery of Jessie's early days. It's unexpected drop into a soulful, lush chorus is a surprising move that Jessie shies away from in most of her other music. The vocal histrionics are shelved, and we hear a rare warm tone to her voice.

It's such a shame to see her new high profile singles -  "It's My Party" and "Wild" - beginning to further mould Jessie's identity as a 'pop diva'. It might please a chart-hungry American market, but it won't please her core fanbase. Mainly because it's not the sound of "Jessie J" - It's the sound of a British Katy Perry.

We can only hope that we see many more songs like "Excuse My Rude", "Do It Like A Dude" and "Who's Laughing Now" on her second record - songs that showcase her personality and, most importantly, her individuality. Otherwise, without the quirkiness and bite that she used to be known for, she's destined to lose all the credibility she earned in her early days as a rising singer/ songwriter.

Party Tracks of the Week! (FREE DOWNLOADS)

Etta Bond x Raf Riley - 1 More Time (FREE DOWNLOAD)
#House #Electro

Etta x Raf always manage to put their own spin on a done to death current dance trend, and "1 More Time" totally subverts the art of a deep house anthem. Starting woozily with lazy synths and a simmering kick, Raf drops not one but two swaggering synth basslines as Etta reels off an awkward white girl rap. The EP itself is full of weird and wonderful fucked-up-dance anthems, and as with their previous EP, Emergency Room, it's totally free. DOWNLOAD HERE.



Lakim - Don't Need You (FREE DOWNLOAD)
#ChicagoHouse

Taken from the latest of Fat! Records increasingly quality free mini-compilations, US house DJ Lakim offers a clean slice of Chicago House - the ricocheting chords and hiccuping vocal hook are straight from 1992. In a saturated house scene, it's impressive that a track ticking so many standard boxes still manages to carry some real energy. DOWNLOAD FOR FREE FROM SOUNDCLOUD BELOW.




Wave Racer - Rock U Tonite
#Wonky #Chiptune

Hailing from Australia, Wave Racer's "Rock U Tonite" is a chip-tune flecked wonky tune that could easily be a collboration between the rough jittery beats of Hudson Mohawke and the druggy, euphoric synths of Unicorn Kid. It's joyous, even when sober.

Party Tracks of the Week!

Felon - Isla
#House #Dance

Another underground house gem. Somewhere between the blissful balearica of Tensnake and the sleek deep house of Disclosure, London DJ Felon's magnificent "Isla" lies waiting to be discovered.



Zinc - Only For Tonight (Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs Remix)
#House #Dance

Since his flawless debut record, TEED has been making a name for himself as not just an incredible songwriter and artist, but as a genius remixer. In contrast to the grimey garage of the original, TEED Takes Zinc's "Only For Tonight" and transports it from an underground club in Peckham to a beach in Ibiza.



San Cisco - Fred Astaire (Joywave Remix)
#Electro #Bass

A completely unexpected take of the chirpy Aussie-indie band's last single. Taking "Fred Astaire" from twee to tremendous, The "Tongues" electropoppers tease us with some bubbly Bondax synths before dropping in an almighty gritbomb bassline drenched in apocalyptic choirs and synths. Outstanding.

EXS feat. Cassie Graves - In Motion [FREE DOWNLOAD]

After channelling Rudimental during a supernova on debut single "Sunshine", electronic duo EXS return with a similarly sunny disposition, but this time replacing euphoric drum & bass with 90s liquid garage vibes for second single, and free download no less, "In Motion".

Singer Cassie Graves is a million miles from her jazzy comfort zone on "In Motion", but her soulful, biting voice takes to its spiralling melody like an Eliza Doolittle-esque duck to Disclosure-esque waters.

Available for free download below via Soundcloud.

FOR FANS OF: Disclosure, Katy B, Jessie Ware