James Morrison’s third

Today Brit guitar hero James Morrison releases his third full album The Awakening, the first on Island Records after switching from Polydor. Three years in the making, part of the album is about losing his father, and becoming one himself. Mark Taylor – the man behind Morrison’s biggest hit to date Broken Strings – produced the first two singles taken from the new record: I Won’t Let You Go and Slave To the Music (released as the first single in Holland and the US). Bernard Butler produced the remaining 10 tracks on the album. Browsing the official website you can read Up featuring Jessie J will become the album’s next single release.

the new Harlequins on the block

Friday 23rd Customs will release their second album Harlequins of Love. The band’s first Enter the Characters (2009) was critically acclaimed, generating the hits Rex, Justine, the Matador and Shut Up, Narcissus. Judging the sound of the first two singles taken from the new LP, Customs seems well underway to join fellow Belgians A Brand, dEUS and Triggerfinger in the country’s Music Hall of Fame, as a matter of speech. Harlequins and Velvet Love are both rhythmic pieces, ready to scoop awards. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the 12 tracks. Very promising.
Get ready for style, get ready for Velvet Love!

London burning

Trinidad born Teophilus London, raised in Brooklyn, is causing a storm these days with the release of his full-length Timez are Weird These Days.His debut EP Lovers Holiday, released earlier this year features ao Solange Knowles. London’s approach to Hip Hop draws from a range of styles, from Soul and RnB, to post-punk and electro. Influences range from Michael Jackson and Prince to Kraftwerk and the Smiths. This shows in his current single My Name Is London. A fresh take on Hip Hop, frontin the Kanyes or Jay-Zs. Recent performances at Cannes Film Festival, Northside Festival in Brooklyn and Montreal International Jazz Festival inflated the buz. If you haven’t heard, check the video to see what the fuss is all about.

No slowing down Smoove & Turrell

Newcastle Upon Tyne’s Smoove & Turrell, that is producer/dj Smoove and smoove-voiced soul singer John Turrell, delivered a second album this summer: Eccentric Audio. “Danceable, nu-soul ‘n funk” would probably be the best description of the duo’s music. Slick productions with a distinct vocal sound. Turrell is capable of making it big, backed by the right entourage and the matching song material. Not sure if Smoove’s audio can do the trick. The first single off the new album Slow Down is getting substantial airplay though. A song to break the mould? Hardly. Still worth a listen, or two.

Dancing in the Street

Belgian Australian Gotye, born in Bruges in 1980, scored a couple of hits a few years back: Learnalilgivinanlovin and Hearts a Mess, taken from his debut long play Like Drawing Blood. He moved to Australia at a young age and was already musically active in his teens in a local rock band. When the band split he pursued his solo career, dubbed Gotye, a miss-spelling of his name in French Gaultier.
His latest single Somebody That I Used To Know (ft Kimbra), taken from the second album Making Mirrors, is currently topping the European charts. We want to highlight another track of the album though: I Feel Better. According to the singer this is his direct response to Martha’s Dancing in the Street. With a similar feel good sound, the track could have been recorded by the Vandellas. Timeless.

Keep You Close: it’s here

Return of Feist

Metals, the fourth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Feist, will be available in stores September 30th –UK October 3rd and US & Canada October 4th. The multiple Grammy Award Nominee is best known for hits such as My Moon My Man and 1234. Snippets of album tracks and video shoots of the making-of already featured on the singer’s website and Facebook page. Fans were involved in picking the color scheme of the album artwork. First single How Come You Never Go There is out now. Feist will embark on a European and North American tour, kicking off in Amsterdam on 15 October. Check tour dates for a gig near your town.

Billie Ray in The Opiates

Billie Ray Martin has long been a vested value on the Dance scene, ever since Your Loving Arms.  For her latest project The Opiates, the queen of electronic soul got together with Norwegian musician Robert Solheim. The forthcoming album Hollywood Under The Knife will be released October 17th. Artwork will include nine unreleased images by Turner Prize winner Wolfgang Tillmans. The lead single Rainy Days and Saturdays – a song about transvestite Candy Darling- has a dark melancholic vibe. Remixes come courtesy of Hercules and Love Affair’s Kim Ann Foxman and Chris & Cosey of Throbbing Gristle. Billie will give an exclusive showcase at HMV on Oxford Street the day of the album release. Be there or be x.

Adele does 007

The theme song for the new James Bond movie will most likely be recorded by British songstress Adele. Given the success the singer had these past few months, an obvious choice really. There has not been any officially communication yet. Adele had a slip-of-the-tongue moment during Jonathan Ross’ new show. She mentioned she will head for the studio in November to record one song. A theme song to be precise. When Ross started whistling the 007 tune the singer did not deny. Rumor has it… Hope Adele can conquer her throat problems by then. Kick off of her UK tour, planned this week, was postponed because of it. Get well soon sweet voiced!

What Florence gave us

Lungs by Florence and the Machine is one of those debuts that really make a lasting impact. Yielding several singles such as Kiss With A Fist, Dog Days Are Over and You’ve Got The Love, and remixes alike by The XX and Yeasayer e.g. A new album wrapped up, scheduled for release this fall, a new track has been made available to tease our earbuds. A delightful track full of harmonies, What The Water Gave Me makes us want for more. Co-written by Francis White, who also penned Adele’s Chasing Pavements and Will Young’s Leave Right Now, the song borrows its title from a Frida Kahlo painting and the lyrics refer to Virginia Woolf, suicide and declarations of undying love included. Florence Welch’s dreamy vocals turn this into a pop tune with a twist. Watch out for the upcoming album.