Fatoumata Diawara - Bissa

Pick of the Week 65 - Fatoumata Diawara

What can you say about this Ivorian songstress? Smooth vocals, hypnotic song writing and mellow vibes all combine in this Wassoulou classic. Enjoy!

Broilers - Ruby Light & Dark

Pick of the Week 64 - Broilers

Like a German version of Sham 69, Broilers churn out agreeable punk influenced ditties. A great song from the Düsseldorf based outfit. Why have I never heard of them? Apparently they've been around since the mid 1990's!

Eyes Set to Kill - Infected

Pick of the Week 63 - Eyes Set to Kill

A good old fashioned alternative rock singalong from the critically acclaimed Arizona three-piece. However, it is transformed into something special by the unashamedly Silent Hill homage of a video, with jerky dancing spooky looking nurses aplenty. Their back catalogue looks seriously worth a look. 

George FitzGerald - Child

Pick of the Week 62 - George FitzGerald

A gorgeous slice of deep house from the excellent Subsoul label. Melting vocals, old school beats and a baseline that could kill you. Smooooth!

Johann Bley – Ramp Up

Pick of the Week 60 – Johann Bley

Intense gutsy psi-trance that no-one would give the time of day for from an underrated German producer. I’m loving its full on, no nonsense approach to the genre and it's never spoiled by any unnecessary showing off or noodle doodling. Psytrance TV do an excellent job on YouTube and you should check them out. Even with my new found tolerance of the tattoo, has that woman not heard the phrase ‘less is more’? Seriously though I’m sure she’s a lovely person and thanks for sharing your artwork.

Oliver Koletzki featuring Fran – Hypnotised

Pick of the Week 59 – Oliver Koletzki

A nifty little house number from Oliver Koletzki with silky vocals from the wholesome looking Fran. Their other numbers is equally agreeable and nine million hits on YouTube shows that it’s not all willfully obscure stuff at Into the Valley… A lovely homemade video in a park, a smart frock and just a hint of submarine sounds; what more do you want?

Bleeding Rainbow – Waking Dream

Pick of the Week 58 – Bleeding Rainbow

Distinctly old school indie from this Philadelphia based combo. Reminiscent of early Lush, the Charlottes and the Shop Assistants, this has grown on me a lot over the past year. They could win awards for looking the most awkward and uncomfortable in this video, but that’s no bad thing. A band to watch out for in the future.  

Phonique featuring Rebecca – Feel What You Want (X-Kom Rework)

Pick of the Week 57 - Phonique

In a cynical attempt to up our blog ratings Phonique are this week’s selection. Sounding like a cross between Electribe 101 and Above and Beyond this is a quality piece of cultured deep house music. The video is another thing altogether and poses lots of questions; what the hell is she doing? Has she never heard of curtains? Or sensible pyjamas? Some nice moves though that I have incorporated into my own dance routines.

Anavae – ‘Invaesion’

Pick of the Week 56 – Anavae

Another Paramore sound alike band and even though I’m not too keen on Paramore I quite like their less polished imitators. A London based rock duo featuring  Rebecca Need-Menear and Jamie Finch, Anavae may be headed for mid-table obscurity, but I really like the uncompromising sound and wailing vocals. Creepy animal masks are always fun, but better on wrestlers than pop stars in my opinion.

Yael Kraus – Floor

Pick of the Week 55 – Yael Kraus

Only 6 thousand views on YouTube but Yael Kraus sounds great to me. A quirky and jerky little track with both eastern European and Jewish undertones which never fails to raise a smile from me when I hear it. It’s an acquired taste, but I quite enjoy the video too.

Nikki and the Dove - Mother's Protect (Goldroom Remix)

Pick of the Week 54 – Nikki and the Dove

Scandinavian action with indie meets electro combo Nikki and the Dove. They hail from Stockholm in Sweden and this is an infectious slice of vocal electronic music with slightly astringent vocals, but an overall intense feel good factor. They have released one album ‘Instinct’ that I will be checking out at some point this year. Not sure what the dove brings to the table as there's a distinct lack of cooing in evidence on the song.

Gareth Emery featuring Christina Novelli – Concrete Angel

Pick of the Week 53 – Gareth Emery featuring Christina Novelli

Hardly obscure, with 18million+ views on YouTube, but Christina is one of my favourite trance vocalists. Here she showcases her mellow tones and soaring tonsil gymnastics in this tantalisingly commercial euphoric trance floorfiller. It’s well worth checking out some of her other vocals, some obscure and others monsters, but she always delivers.

Euzen - Judged By

Pick of the Week 52 – Euzen

On the face of it, another one for the Race with the Devil soundtrack, but this song has more potential than the standard accompaniment to sacrificing a chicken. Undeniably gothic but simultaneously likeable and engaging, they straddle a nether world between Mordor and South Yorkshire with their semi-catchy ditties and the beautiful voice of singer Maria Franz (who has the look of a ginger vampire which can only be a good thing). Clearly they’re Scandinavian, so it’s all very stripped down and stark which I always love, but they’re definitely a group to watch in the future. Welcome to the Euzeniverse…

We Caught the Castle - That Poor Boy

Pick of the Week 52 – We Caught the Castle

Fresh and fun hardcore from a band showing great promise at the moment. This is a surging, hi-octane stormer that sits somewhere between accessible screamo and emotional hardcore of the Husker Du variety. And what a voice the singer possesses! They should wrap her in cotton wool, feed her on a diet of honey and Lurpak, then get her tonsils insured for about £5 million. Destined for great things and remember you heard it here first. I like it a lot!

Aria – Your Underling

Pick of the Week 51 – ARIA

Dismiss them as unassuming Paramore wannabes if you like, but Aria are a bit special and much better than the standard female vocalist fronted rock ensemble. This song worms its way into your mind and refused to be flushed out. It’s no nonsense rocky indie with a twist of something different and as they are so keen to keep telling us on the X-Factor ‘they’ve definitely got the likeability factor!’ It’s fun throwaway pop music and there’s nothing wrong with that.

The Yiddish Twist Orchestra - Bei Mir Bistu Shayn

Pick of the Week 50 – The Yiddish Twist Orchestra

You just can’t help but feel more positive about life when you hear the Yiddish Twist Orchestra’s folky, twist inducing, joyous sound. They’ve got to be one of the best live acts around at the moment and if only they’d make a proper album I’d be at the front of the queue to buy it. Loving the dance moves from the singer and the cap looks very northern chic. A suitable celebration for the 50th Pick of the Week!

Very Truly Yours – Girls tell you secrets

Pick of the Week 49 – Very Truly Yours

Turning twee-ness into an art form, Very Truly Yours are one of the few bands that the Pocketbooks could overpower in a wrestling match. They happily skip about with their balloons, red tights and weird little dog and then unleash a song so twee that the combined twee factor of Belle & Sebastian, the Poosticks, Amelia Fletcher and the entire Sarah Records back catalogue is completely blown away. Sadly, I love its gentle harmonies and heartfelt sentiments. It’s a work of twee evil genius! I wonder if they could beat Betty and the Werewolves in a bare knuckle fist fight though? 

The Wolfgangs – Cannibal Family

Pick of the Week 48 – The Wolfgangs

And one step up the pychobilly evolutionary ladder from last week’s offering, is the excellent Wolfgangs. Slick, professional and a truly great song. All the video conventions are adhered to rigidly; the homage to horror, males strutting  and over acting, the fifties style microphone, and what on earth is that howl? Joking aside, a barnstorming song and a fantastic performance. And they’ve played in Doncaster recently so they can’t be half bad.

The Silver Shine – Angels to Some

Pick of the Week 47 – The Silver Shine

Scandinvian psychobilly is a frightening thought, but actuality it’s a fun-packed romp with a distinctly homemade but nevertheless charming quality. If the Sugarcubes had been into Rockabilly, this is what it would have sounded like. Well possibly. No-one can fault the Silver Shine’s effort and in keeping with most psychobilly videos the woman smiles pleasantly while the guys seriously over act.

I'm not sure why I like it so much but maybe the lack of pretentiousness and the fact they don't take themselves too seriously has something to do with it. Not sure about the naked guy with the chainsaw in the video though?

Electric Guest – This Head I Hold

 

Pick of the Week 45 – Electric Guest

After our success in launching the careers of Gabrielle Aplin and Foxes recently, surely Electric Guest will be the next big hitters on our roster of greatness. Hopefully they’ll be slightly more appreciative than Gabrielle too. Don’t let that squeaky falsetto voice put you off, this is a beast of a song from the LA based indie semi-rockers, and it will soon be entering your subconscious via the speaker system as you walk around Morrisons filling your trolley with wholesome produce. You heard it here first.