Album premiere: J Fernandez – 'No Luck / Olympic Village'

This year, Chicago has risen to claim its place as one of music's most exciting cities. Now, J Fernandez joins blues singer Willis Earl Beal, drill rapper Chief Keef and electro duo Supreme Cuts in heading up the Windy City's list of brave artists creating extraordinary music in their bedrooms. But where many Chicagoans mix some of the infamously gritty streets to the mix, this psyche/folk/soul singer makes music of almost naive purity. Hinting at a rich vein of smart pop, from The Byrds to Stereolab to Shuggie Otis, J has neither performed outside of his home in the Humboldt Park area nor granted an interview, despite building a quiet storm of hype around his tracks. London label Morning Ritual have un-earthed two exquisite EPs by the guy, previously out only on highly limited tapes, and we're stoked to play them for you below exclusively here. Check back for further coverage and buy the tracks if you fancy, but in the meantime drift away with this lovely album, and hope the Bulls pull it round in 2012/13.