Elliott Power - Saw [Did]

Damn those mystery artists and their skills to cloak the internet and the mighty Google search from our prying eyes. We can’t blame them though. Take an act like the helmeted robots Daft Punk and their ability to create an incredible aura around Random Access Memories, their fourth proper LP in twenty years. It’s an album that went to number 1 in pretty much every country in the world, including the U.S, where previously their best Billboard position was number 44 with Discovery. Yet despite being hugely commercially successful and massive stars, Thomas and Guy-Manuel could walk down the street of pretty much any town or city and not be recognised. Their anonymity has not only assisted their musical career through the intrigue and enigma that its creates, but has helped protect them from the ridiculous non-private world of celebrity.

Elliott Power has a long way to go to reach the dizzy heights of Daft Punk.  If they’re on the top penthouse floor of the skyscraper he’s not even opened the ground floor lift door yet. Yet apart from revealing his name he’s done well so far in keeping everything else about him under wraps. All we have to focus on is the music. So let’s do that.

Saw [Did] might only be a B-Side (we featured the flip side here in a new waves feature), but it itches the ears with its dark funky bleepy rhythmic insistence and spliffy inner city atmosphere. With the whispered unsettling vocals and funky trip hop beats the name of Tricky is once again the obvious reference point and it’s certainly not a bad comparison point to have, Maxinquaye being (alongside Bjork’s Post, PJ Harvey’s To Bring You My Love and Radiohead’s The Bends) one of the best albums of 1995 amongst the Britpop splurge. Combine this track with Sink / Swim and this debut single is a vital purchase when it is released on 24th June, even if we don’t know anything about Mr Power.

Elliot Power - Saw [Did]

Glastonbury 2013 - Preview

So far Breaking More Waves coverage of summer festivals for 2013 has centred around multi-venue indoor events, but as the weather gets (hopefully) warmer, it will be time to get the tents, sleeping bags, wellies and sun block out and head off to various fields in the British countryside.

We start with the daddy of them all; Glastonbury, or to give it its full title The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts.

It’s the daddy for two very simple reasons. First it’s the most established festival in the UK, having developed from its 1970’s hippy roots to its more mainstream identity that it is now and secondly because of its sheer enormity. If you’ve never been before (newcomers make up approximately 30% of Glastonbury’s yearly population) be prepared to be blown away by its size. The TV coverage you might have seen simply does not prepare you for the reality. To put Glastonbury into perspective, it’s like the whole population of Breaking More Waves home city of Portsmouth debunking to Worthy Farm for a long weekend. It’s huge. There are over 60 stages within the 8 miles of perimeter fencing that surround the 1,100 acre site.

Every year when the Glastonbury line -up is announced there’s a wave of negativity centred around the acts on the main stage and the headliners. Yet much of this negativity comes from people who have never been to the festival and have no understanding of what makes Glastonbury what it is. To use that well-worn cliché it really isn’t about the headliners. Last time we attended we watched 4 bands on the main stage all weekend. There’s such a plethora of undiscovered delights amongst the nooks, crannies and hills of Glastonbury that you can immerse yourself in, for pretty much as long as you can possibly stay awake. To try and describe all of these areas would require a website of its own (or rather why not just look at the very comprehensive official Glastonbury website), so instead here are just three of our recommendations.

The Crows Nest

Set within The Park area (pictured above) which is like a mini festival within the main festival itself, after a steep and tiring climb you’ll find the Crows Nest; probably our favourite venue at Glastonbury. Occupying one of the highest points on Worthy Farm, this part tipi, park shack gives fantastic views of the site and seems weirdly removed from the rest of the festival. The beauty of the Crows Nest is its intimacy and that the line up isn’t declared in the main program. Past years have seen the likes of Stornoway, I Am Kloot, Summer Camp, Metronomy and Frightened Rabbit play secret sets there. In 2011 we caught both The Bees and Caitlin Rose playing to tiny crowds at this venue. Example was also due to play there but pulled out his team supposedly declaring ‘the venue wasn’t right for him’. Whatever is on there this year is almost bound to be great, but shhhh don't tell anyone OK?

Sensation Seekers Stage

No trip to Glastonbury would be complete without spending a few hours in the theatre and circus fields (watch out for the unexpected walkabout performers as you wander through this area) and if it’s dry it’s lovely to spend time at the Sensation Seekers Stage; it’s the one that is almost guaranteed to have you in stiches. Expect the oddball and eccentric here. For example Glastonbury’s website promises “Dick Pulsing and Shona Norksof our Australian Fitness Gurus share their Morning Glory with you – lots of high-energy thrusts and plenty of jerking around,” and “Scarlet Lady, truly a multi-tasker, and a beautiful one to boot… Shackles, balloons, a whip, a ladder, and fire. Need we say more?” We’re looking forward to the thrusting and shackles. Sounds like fun.

The Pussy Parlour Nouveau

Located within the Dance Village area this venue used to be housed inside a beautiful old wooden spiegeltent with bench seating surrounding the dance floor. For 2013 the Pussy Parlour is having an upgrade into a traditional circular tent with mansion frontage and bespoke décor. Glastonbury promises the venue will be in the style of a lounge bar with a large stage, a bar with seating and tables, and plenty of room for dancing. Of the acts playing here Saturday in particular looks a treat for new music fans, with the likes of London Grammar, Delilah, Laura Mvula and Sam Smith all scheduled to play on that day. Sam Smith first came to many people’s attention with his vocals on Disclosure’s Latch and likewise London Grammar have added their touch to the closing track on Disclosure’s debut album Settle. The track, Help Me Lose My Mind streams below.

If you’ve never been to Glastonbury before, for a full round up of what to take, where to camp, what to see and pretty much every question you would want to know answered we recommend the unofficial site GlastoEarth for further reading.

Our full Glastonbury 2013 review (our seventh time at the festival) will follow after it finishes, although we’re expecting a few recovery days before it goes on line.

Disclosure / London Grammar - Help Me Lose My Mind

Iamamiwhoami - Y (Moby Remix)

After the tease and mystery of the viral video campaign that started in 2009 and ran through 2010, the physical release this week of iamamiwhoami’s Bounty album seems to be a somewhat missed opportunity in more ways than one.

First, although the songs have been available for digital download since they were first placed on You Tube, the very late arrival of the CD / DVD package and vinyl means that the possibility for maximum commercial gain is probably smaller than it would have been if it had been scheduled to be released immediately after the video series was finished.

Secondly having given fans the chance to pre-order the physical versions in advance of release date from the towhomitmayconcern website, the album was further delayed due to production problems. Then when it finally hit letterboxes yesterday morning the DVD included with the album package wasn’t the Bounty videos at all, but those from the Kin record which was already available when purchasing Kin. Let’s be clear about this, the visual side of what iamamiwhoami does is as important as the music, so many fans will be very disappointed with this error.

Towhomitmayconcern posted a statement on their website about the mistake yesterday and hopefully will resolve it soon.

However despite these blunders the good news  is that iamamiwhoami has been and continues to play a series of concerts to promote the release. If these shows achieve anywhere near the levels of adoration from the audience as her flawless, imaginative and stunning debut London gig that Breaking More Waves witnessed at the Queen Elizabeth Hall last year, then those in attendance will get an absolute treat.

To help promote the release of Bounty iamamiwhoami has revealed new remixes of the addictive song Y (one of our personal favourites and a cornerstone of Bounty) for free download, one by Joe Goddard and one by Moby. It’s Moby’s that we prefer, which retains much of the original but takes it to higher levels of bewitching brilliance. We’re streaming it below together with the video from back in 2010, which is still as bizarre and marvellous as it was almost 3 years ago.

Iamamiwhoami - Y (Moby Remix)

Iamamiwhoami - Y (Original video)

Pawws - Time To Say Goodbye

“Pretty much our idea of a musical wet dream, sounding like OMD circa Maid of Orleans with Robyn on vocals.” Those were our rather excited words last October about Pawws (real name Lucy Taylor, once again confirming our love of all things female and all things beginning with L as explained yesterday) when we posted two demos Time To Say Goodbye and Do What We Want. Since then there’s been a slow drip feed of love for Pawws online, with the Madonna meets Chvrches in a neon discothèque groover Slow Love making hips wiggle and ears prick up all over the world.

Now the great news is that Pawws pretty pop perfection is becoming a physical reality, with a debut single through ASL records (who have previously released rising stars Josef Salvat and Sivu) on July 8 both digitally and on vinyl. Slow Love is of course making the cut, together with a new shiny version of Time To Say Goodbye, which if you don’t like the OMD / Robyn coupling could be replaced with Depeche Mode and Kylie perhaps? The point here is that these songs are sparkling synth pop gems but with enough depth, quality and memorable melodies to ensure that they’re not just throwaway.

Take a listen to the all new Time To Say Goodbye below and then  get your dancing shoes on and click the link for Slow Love.

Pawws - Time To Say Goodbye