Follow the Nialler9 new album Spotify playlist featuring two songs each from each recommended recent album.
1.
David Byrne – American Utopia
Ex-Talking Heads frontman David Byrne’s first solo album release in 14 years sees him collaborating with artists such as Brian Eno, Sampha, Blood Orange, Oneohtrix Point Never, Jack Penate and a bunch of other male contributors, a factor that resulted in some backlash for the Scottish-American musician that he addressed directly and apologetically.
American Utopia shouldn’t be overshadowed by those fact. The album is excellent, filled with has certain sound elements that project his musical roots with Talking Heads yet it also proves that David Byrne is a long-standing solo artist with distinction who is still able to make relevant and engaging art-pop in 2018. Further proof is in his stand out performance of ‘Everybody’s Coming To My House’ on Colbert.
2.
David Kitt – Yous
David Kitt has been releasing music under his electronic project name New Jackson of late, this is his first release as David Kitt in over eight years. Yous is an understated record, a singer-songwriter record in the vein of his early work. He is accompanied mostly by guitar and the violin and voice of Margie Lewis with some underpinnings of synths and drum machines. It was recorded at his Dublin home with a blend of electronics, samples and live instrumentation (with some additional production by Karl Odlum). Other contributors include Dunk ‘Sunken Foal’ Murphy, Michelle Stoddart (The Magic Numbers) and Robbie Kitt.
A cover of Fever Ray’s ‘Keep The Streets Empty For Me’ is included as are acoustic versions of his ‘Make It Mine’ and ‘There Will Always Be This Love’ which are both from his electronic project New Jackson. First listen standouts include ‘Cling Film’, ‘Like Lightning’ and ‘Still Don’t Know’.
3.
Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar
Scottish trio Young Fathers’ Cocoa Sugar via Ninja Tune is the alt-rap group’s third studio album. The previewed sound on the album from the first single releases of ‘In My View’ and ‘Lord’ suggested an increased softness and directness that wasn’t present on their first two records. That slight change in direction is present throughout the new album gives it a fresh soulful sound with feel-good gospel constructions to relish in.
4.
Caroline Rose – Loner
Caroline Rose made her debut with I Will Not Be Afraid in 2014. Now four years later the self-described “queer feminist” presents the release of new album Loner, a dark-edged album of manic and millennial modern pop, drawing on indie-rock, surf music, synth hooks and bright production, which Rose herself was responsible for.
5.
George Fitzgerald – All That Must Be
This is the second full-length LP from English electronic producer George Fitzgerald. All That Must Be which is out on Domino Record features collaborations with Bonobo, Hudson Scott, Tracey Thorn and Lil Silva. Tracks like ‘Nobody But You’ delves deep into a nostalgic territory of summer nights spent in South London, embodies a transcendent sound. The album documents the 10-year period Fitzgerald spent living in Berlin right through to his departure back to London to become a father. Each track has its own unique layered ambiance but hey are constructed with a common thread of building synthesizer electronica.
6.
Paddy Hanna – Frankly, I Mutate
Paddy Hanna presents album number two with Frankly, I Mutate which was produced by Girl Band’s Daniel Fox. It represents a polished, reformed and mastered sound from the Dublin singer-songwriter. The album brings its own unique element of quirk that is harmoniously backed up with string arrangements by Éna Brennan aka Dowry. Paddy establishes himself as an artist with distinction and reverence with this one.
