Bloody heck the last few weeks have been insane. What do they say, when it rains soon comes a tsunami! Well I finally found a few minutes to blog, and it looks like everyone and their nan has released absolutely stonking records. I have no idea where to start or which to choose… let’s get to it, no idea where this is gonna go.

Up first…

TroyBoi feat. Nefera – On My Own

Absolute f**king fire! I don’t need to say much more….

…I will though.

I love how this record feels like a journey from the sparse chords at the start to Nefera’s fiercely haunting vocal adlibs playing up the Eastern feel in the record. It simmers. TroyBoi never lets the production explode which in turn creates this listening experience which draws you in before slowly releasing you, only to send out a rope to pull yourself back in with. The interplay between the ever evolving mix of sounds and the vocal make for one of those records which feels like it finishes way too soon.

“I’d rather be on my own…” Nefera sings during for the refrain. Fair enough. However, when you decide to not be on your own (if this record is anything to go by), hanging out with TroyBoi may just be good for humanity!

Gallant – Weight In Gold

“Black dust in orbit, cascades down like a parachute, breaths on my shoulders, this gravity hurts when you know the truth…” Just let that marinate for a minute or two…

…Gallant is one of those artists who I have been meaning to sit down and listen to only for each time something else to grab my ears. Therefore I have to greatly thank the shuffle feature on Soundcloud for forcing him to the top of my playlist. The vocal is bonkers, close your eyes during the second verse and you’d swear it was Maxwell. The way he gently sings through the lyrics, rolling off the high-notes is magic. Seriously, 1:13 to 1:46 is just fantastic and then when the bridge comes along he just decides to show off again! Gallant is more than pulling his weight in gold right about now… if all is right with the world he’ll hopefully be pulling some platinum plaques soon!

Theo Berndt – Guess You Never Thought of It That Way

Told you this was going all over the place. Now for some indie-pop from Scandinavia. What is is about Swedish people and making great, danceable and infectious indie-music? Clearly there is something in the water running down from the Swedish mountains that infects musicians there. File Theo Brandt alongside The Sun Days, School ’94 and any other recent great piece of foot-tapping, head-swinging slice of guitar led music from a place which is really cold in the winter!

Gavin Turek – Hemisphere

Gavin Turek and TOKiMONSTA getting together is a  wonderful thing. Hemisphere is one of those beautifully patient records. The production is soothing and warming. It contains so much detail. It feels like the song it just sits down beside you, outstretches an arm around your shoulders and shares the moment with you. I love the layering of Gavin Turek’s vocals, the in interplay is complex and revitalising.  Even though I’m hella happy to be back in London for a bit… a little part of me is sad I missed their show at Swedish American Hall on Friday which I am sure would have been a moment to treasure!