New Music Monday #9

Kids of 88!

Tucan

by Kids of 88 ft. Alisa Xayalith

Album: Modern Love (2012)

New Zealand just wont stop churning out quality music primed to make a worldwide impact. I'm ok with it. I'm sure you're ok with it. When the music is as good as 'Tucan,' the new single from Kids of 88, everyone's going to be ok with it. Alongside another rising NZ star, Alisa Xayalith of The Naked and Famous, Kids of 88 have produced an exceptionally dreamy slice of electronic pop. A touch of tribal influenced beats kick off the track in a fashion that automatically brings a smile to your face. Sam McCarthy's voice draws all your attention with the opening line, "give me what I want, I want to leave me behind," and from here on in you easily lose yourself in the magic of 'Tucan.' The sweet tones of Xayalith  alongside McCarthy are the... icing on the cake? Sprinkles on the ice-cream sundae? Let's just say their voices are the perfect compliment to one another and make an already fantastic song just that little bit better. Looks like Modern Love just became a must-buy for later in 2012. 

Matt Bond gives 'Tucan' five Madonna's out of five... 

Yech

by Seekae

See, this is the type of thing you shouldn’t watch or listen to, after say, 3pm if you have plans for doing something else more active afterward. Delicious beats, delicious keyboards and delicious debut vocals for this Sydney based electronic act, filmed in the spectacular Sydney Opera House, this one is chill out/hear it in a café/winter-sunny-afternoon-lie-down music at its best. Its repetitiveness will grip you and make you want to hear more, just to avoid doing something else more active like going to the gym. Someone get me a cup of tea! Lounge it is. Yep.

Jo Michelmore gives 'Yech' three Karen O's out of five...

Rise

by Antony and the Johnsons

You can always count on Antony Hegarty to deliver something extremely classy. Beautiful composition, lyrically sound... hopefully this is the start of something big. A new Antony and the Johnsons album in 2012? One can dream...

Matt Bond gives 'Rise' three Karen O's out of five...

NEW MUSIC VIDEO OF THE WEEK

Timebomb

by Kylie Minogue

I’d like to say this is a clip of Kylie doing what Kylie does best, but she does actually do more than just wear short shorts. It’s not Kylie pushing any boundaries, it’s not Kylie being as interesting as she can be, it’s not even Kylie being as sexy as she can be, it’s just Kylie. Released as a single to celebrate 25 years in the music industry, it’s probably exactly right, enough to keep fans happy until her next album release, poppy enough to sell, simple enough to sing along to, easy to move to on the dance floor. The clip is typical Kylie, filmed in Soho, London (she just loves walking doesn’t she? Walk some more Kylie, like we haven’t seen enough of your ass already!), there’s few clothes, a cliché motorbike bit during the bridge and lots of black and white switching between colour images flashing around for three and a half minutes. It’s not bad and enough to keep her in the public’s minds until she does something better, which she no doubt will. Marketing genius is what this is and that’s one of the things that Kylie does best.

Jo Michelmore gives the 'Timebomb' video three Kylie's out of five...