UK band HONNE, authors of one of 2014’s best tracks “Warm On a Cold Night”, are back today with new one “Baby Please”. The soulful number “Baby Please” is another stunning (a word music blogs use a lot but warranted here) example of HONNE’s great and sophisticated R&B-influenced (but not alt-R&B) songwriting and again marks the band as one to keep on the radar screen into 2015. HONNE’s debut EP is out September 22nd on Super Recordings.
Honne 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.4
“Obsession” is the latest bit of inventive (and excellent) synth-tinged new-funk from rising Dallas, TX genre-hopper Johnny Stimson.
Johnny Stimson (Facebook)
Rating 8.1
The slow burning “Ease Away” is new from Melbourne AU band Leisure Suite. Hypnotic and visceral in that far off way that Sade has perfected, “Ease Away” exists in the context of a similar “Cherish the Day”-type DNA both in sound and content. Leisure Suite is Mitchell Wood, Su Zechen, and vocalist Bridgette Le.
Leisure Suite 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.8
Majestic Cas-genre beatsman Moods is back today with 2014 take on Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time” that is fantastic. Bolstered by subtle Kool & The Gang/Zero 7 synths and half-time counter-rhythms, “Flashback” plays as an excellent vibe-y update to the MJ classic.
Moods 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.49389
“Við Vökum” is another impressive entry in the oeuvre of Icelandic R&B band Vök. A sound that approximates similarity to The xx (but with more muscle and a larger visceral quality), “Við Vökum” also succeeds on its diverse instrumentation and arrangement (the insertion of horns and use of counter-rhythms are particularly standout). Vök’s “Tension” EP is due this fall from The MuseBox Records.
Vök 
(Soundcloud)
Rating 8.3
Poolside’s remix game is A+. For his latest mix, the L.A.-based duo takes on Little Dragon’s Nabuma Rubberband track “Cat Rider” supplying a soft subtle mix of hushed whirling percussion and far-off and exotic-sounding instrumentation.
Poolside 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.2
ESP aka Canadian producer Eric Pearce remixes rap radio staple Sage The Gemini’s “Gas Pedal” to the tune of mid-to-late 70’s disco soul with super cool results. We absolutely adore it.
ESP 
(Soundcloud)
Rating: 8.7
“Colors” is the follow-up to Mexico City Blondes’ break-out track “Fade”. Extracted from a varied DNA of 90’s indie (Mazzy Star, UNKLE are a few sounds we hear) to 60’s girl pop (think Dusty Springfield just found herself in a biker gang), the cinematic and vast “Colors” is another potential hit for the Santa Barbara CA band.
Mexico City Blondes (Soundcloud)
Rating 8.1
The outsized UK talent TĀLĀ verifies that she’s got more in her artistic bag of tricks than just alt-R&B on the stylistically diverse “Black Scorpio”. Chaotic, melodic, inventive, infectious; “Black Scorpio” is evocative of many diffuse yet complementary adjectives; that and it’s very very good. “Black Scorpio” will appear on a brand new TĀLĀ EP due soon on Aesop.
TĀLĀ 
(Facebook)
Rating 8.5
Those who are partial to a little sample spotting (like train spotting without the creepy anorak jackets) will have a field day with Semi Precious’ self-titled EP. South London’s Guy Baron deals with the torsion of several familiar sounds in a unique way, before gluing them together with his laid-back, melancholic vocals. Each mini-track in the 6-piece collection is like a course of a tasting menu, and will have you revisiting the stand out tracks “When It’s Hard” and “Shaky Skies” numerous times before feeling anywhere near satisfied.
Released through Squareglass and streaming below, ‘Semi Precious’ deserves to be cherished to the fullest extent. Reviewed By Nathan Hetherington
Semi Precious (Facebook)
Rating 8.6
