Breaking More Waves was brought back from retirement due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown; the idea was to keep me occupied when normally I would have been out at gigs or socialising with friends. I have been lucky to be able to work all through the pandemic (ironically I’ve been even busier than normal) and so this was very much an ‘evenings only’ resurrection. However, the last couple of weeks have found even this time limited and as a result I now have a large backlog of music I would have loved to have written about but haven't got round to, despite a drop off in the number of emails to my blog in box. Hopefully in the next few days I will be able to find some space again and so there will be more activity on Breaking More Waves. This week has been exceptionally interesting for me, as a couple of young artists have released cover versions of two of my favourite songs of all time; both would have easily found a place in my ‘Best 100 Pieces Of Music In The World Ever’ list if I ever wrote such a thing. First up is past Mercury Music Prize nominated artist Jorja Smith who, in the UK at least, has gone from understated but soulful acoustic gigs to full-on pop stardom in what seems like just a couple of blinks. This week she released a track that some of her more pop leaning fans may struggle with, but because of my love with the original piece I’ve delved into with enthusiasm. Rose Rouge, originally by St Germain, was a hit in a number of European countries. It featured an excerpt from Marlena Shaw’s introduction to her performance of Women of the Ghetto from Live At Montreux, a recording released in 1973. If you’ve never heard the St Germain original it comes highly recommended; you can find it on the album Tourist. Jorja’s take whilst still sitting firmly in the court of jazz is less urgent than the St Germain take, taking a more laid-back approach as she sings the repeated lyric “I want you to get together.” With this we can trace a journey from the early 70s to the current day through the evolution of a song. From Marlena to Jorja. The track doesn’t mark any signifier of a new album from Jorja, instead Rose Rouge is from a forthcoming project from Blue Note records called Blue Note: Re:imagined due on 25th September. The record will find a whole host of newer artists such as Poppy Ajudah, Jordan Rakei, Ezra Collective and Jorja herself taking on tracks from Blue Note's impressive back catalogue. Jorja Smith - Rose Rouge
When you put the words pop music and exercise together what do you think of? Kraftwerk’s Tour De France? The re-recorded version of Everybody Wants To Rule The World called Everybody Wants To Run The World? Fitness by Lizzo? Or do you, like me, think of Olivia Newton John’s classic Physical video with those tiny briefs, muscles, tans and a fat man winning the day? (Sorry Dua Lipa, your song Physical is good as well, but Olivia wins on a technicality because of the video). Whatever you think of, here’s a new one to add to your list. I’ve written about the rather gorgeous synthwave sounds of Pocket Sun before and here they are with a dreamy piece of pop loveliness; it’s the sort of song that will surely morph even the most hardened rock fan into a marshmallow mush of romanticism. I Lost Track is a Covid-19 lockdown tune of separation but also hope: “Missing your hello, missing your goodbye, things won't change, unless we wait it out alone. But some day it will end.” “But what about the exercise?” I hear you shout. That comes in the video which finds Gina from the band breaking out into her own quarantine aerobic routine – watch out Joe Wicks. Whilst there might not be any body builders accompanying her here, there is at least a naked blow up man, which given social distancing rules is probably a fairly decent effort. You can get the tune on Bandcamp by clicking here. Pocket Sun - I Lost Track
Today’s introducing artist is a singer-songwriter from Walthamstow who has been circulating in music circles for some time now, but with her latest release seems ready to gain some traction on her own. Her name is Elan Tamara and the track in question is My Eyes; a jazzy piano based tune that fans of Laura Mvula in particular might like. Having studied ethnomusicology at SOAS, University of London, played with the likes of Tirzah and Toro Y Moi and featuring Georgia on percussion and Kwes on bass and production duties, Elan’s music comes ready-stamped with pedigree – and it shows. My Eyes, a song about a long-distance relationship is far from an obvious pop banger but listening to it is an absorbing experience, nonetheless. “You knew just what to do,” sings Elan. You do, don’t you? Take a listen and keep an eye and ear out for this clearly talented individual in the future. Elan Tamara - My Eyes
Today is that time of month when I do a short post to let readers know that the Breaking More Waves new music monthly Spotify playlist has been updated. I'd like to say it's been carefully considered and curated, but really it's just a bunch of tracks I like thrown into an order that makes sense in my head. You can find and follow the whole thing by clicking this link. This month there’s everything from a surprisingly great track from The 1975, a band that until now have never really resonated with me, a fabulous rainbow-glitter disco stomper from relative Brighton unknowns Hourglvss, a track from the bold and futuristic Charli XCX album and some beautiful softer acoustic tracks from newcomers Molly Payton and Lydiah. It’s all topped off with Erland Cooper’s wonderful A Nightingale Sings Outside Our Window, a composition that soundtracks this strange time perfectly. I hope you find something to like here. Three tracks from the playlist stream below, but click the link above for the whole thing. Some of these have appeared this month on the blog. Some haven't. The tracks featured on Spotify this month are: 1.Celeste – I Can See The Change 2.Hourglvss – Supreme Beings 3.International Teachers Of Pop – Flood The Club 4.Moyka – Violet 5.Twst – Sad Girls Club But U Gotta Be Cute (AmPm x Funtyme Remix) 6.Fontaines D.C. – A Hero’s Death 7.Courting – David Byrne’s Badside 8.LibraLibra – Juicy Lucy 9.Charli XCX – Pink Diamond 10.Sofi Tukker & Gorgon City – House Arrest 11.Aliche – Lockdown Love 12.The 1975 – Nothing Revealed / Everything Denied 13.Arlo Parks – Black Dog 14.Olivia Dean – Baby Come Home 15.Maude Latour – Furniture 16.PREP – Pictures Of You 17.Molly Payton – Corduroy 18.Lydiah – Holding Back 19.Skullcrusher – Places / Plans 20.Erland Cooper – A Nightingale Sings Outside Our Window Charli XCX - Pink Diamond
