The Agony & The Ecstasy: Ciara-sampling Slava, Forest Swords, Kid A and Kelela x Inc. covers
VIDEO OF THE WEEK - Slava – ‘Girl Like Me’
A Japanese purikura photo booth, a Ciara sample and and beachside sibling sex forms the unsettling narrative of melodious house producer Slava’s ‘Girl Like Me.’ “I think Slava often takes tired musical elements and fills them with surprises that are dangerous, clever, sexy, brutal and cathartic,” explained director Eugene Kotlyarenko in a press release. “People often act against their better interests, with full knowledge. The ugliest behavior is also sometimes the coolest or most beautiful in a different context.”
TRACK OF THE WEEK - Forest Swords ‘ ‘Thor’s Hammer’
In the NW English borough of Wirral, there’s a sandstone outcrop known as Thor’s Stone that, apparently, Viking settlers used as a site of religious ritual. For local musican Forest Swords, it’s a place of equal reverence – and his atmospheric first release from a hush-hush new project for Tri Angle takes the monument as its name. With effects that sound like a mournful whale song - and chopped-up chants with penetrating bass - it sounds both unearthly and like coming home.
COVER OF THE WEEK - Kelela (feat. Inc.) – ‘The Softest Place on Earth’ (Xscape cover)
It’s actually from a while back, but this week I was reminded by my buddy Poisonous Relationship of Fade to Mind vocalist Kelela’s intuitive cover of Xscape’s 1998 single “Softest Place On Earth”. With her passionate, subtle vocals paired with soul brothers inc.’s easy, soulful piano accompaniment, it’s an taste of Kelela’s forthcoming debut mixtape, building from her stunning Kingdom and Teengirl Fantasy guest features, as well as an insight into the LA musical community she calls her own.
REMIX OF THE WEEK - Kid A – ‘BB Bleu’ (Dolor Remix)
Inventive Virginia-based vocalist Kid A premiers a powerful new version of her brilliant 2013 single ‘BB Bleu’ over at XLR8R this week. She hands the reins to South London producer Dolor, her labelmate on Ninja Tune offshoot Technicolour, for this fantastically unpredictable take. According to Soundcloud commentators, we’re calling it ‘glitterwave’?
NEW DISCOVERY OF THE WEEK - Felisie – ‘Still Falling’
What with #willpower and #Beautiful, hashtags in song titles increasingly look like a cynical move, but for her sweet, spacey new song ‘Still Falling’, Japanese artist Felisie reverted to a non-verbal tag: "( 'ω' )♪♪". With a lovely melody and dreamy, textural layers, it’ll likely make you feel like a happy puppy too. It’s taken from her forthcoming Felisie EP, released June 27 on independent Tokyo label Teto.