Tic Toc Tokyo – ‘Ritual’

‘Ritual’ is certainly an appropriate name for a song that’s more meditative and deconstructive than the average pop outing – it’s the kind of thing that you can imagine actually being played at a tribal gathering (in, um, late 70s London). The repetitive form of this song, which some have labelled as directionless, is the very mechanism that draws the listener into its meditative groove on repeated listens. The main section of the song – consisting of sharp, sticcato vocals, delayed guitar lines, a dirty and incessant bassline and a four on the floor drum pattern – is punctuated only by the odd instrumental break. The reverbed melodica and half-time drum beat toward the end establishes a common but effective finale of tension and release that keeps the song progressing even as it retreads its path. Haunting and enchanting.

‘Ritual’ moves to dissolve the pejorative tone in the frequent post-punk comparisons and elevates the band beyond superficial imitators. It signals great things should the synthesis of their influences continue to be this successful and alluring.

www.myspace.com/tictoctokyo

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Dash & Will record a version of their song ‘Fighting Over Nothing’ on their laptop exclusively for us!

http://www.myspace.com/dashandwill

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Despite not releasing an album this year, Regurgitator have been far from complacent. Duel vocalists/song-writers Ben Ely and Quan Yeomans have both released side-project/solo albums respectively in the past few months whilst also managing to tour the UK with their mother band for the first time in over five years.

Over the last fifteen years, these two have managed to cover most musical genres and so it’s not hard to spot reflections of their stylistically disparate side-projects in Regurgitator’s back catalogue. What is common between all is the energy and sense of fun that has united Regurgitator’s output beyond generic delineations.

But enough about that band – these new albums deserve attention on their own merits.

Ben Ely’s Radio 5 – ‘I’m Psyched’

Starting firstly with Ben Ely’s Radio 5, which, like Ben Folds’s initial band, is actually a three piece. I’m Psyched distills dueling, distorted power chords and a relentless drum beat and into three minutes of unassuming hard pop. The arrangement is tight and simple but manages to sound as loose and loud as a house party at 3am. With stuttering expression in the verses and a chorus consisting merely of “Oh Yeah,” the song exhibits the effectiveness of simple vocal hooks that will serve pop music well until the form finally collapses on itself. The fun atmosphere and lyrical playfulness heighten the directness of the song whilst intentionally obscuring the thought in both composition and production.

www.myspace.com/benelysradio

Quan – ‘And This Is What She Said…’

Quan‘s solo album certainly highlights the origins of Regurgitator’s hip hop digressions. Greeted by electronic squeals, the listener is soon taken to a looped guitar stomp and drum line beneath vocals “about a girl who broke my heart in seven places,” replete with rhythmic doubling. The song is misleadingly simple until a bridge of chopped up vocals, synth string stabs and percussive punctuations extends the sonic palette considerably. Though the song contains scattered beeps and noises throughout it is certainly one of the more simple, stripped-backed offerings from his album. The production, though minimal, is nonetheless intelligent – particularly in the afforementioned bridge – and the beats Quan constructs are as strong as anything he’s done before. And This Is What She Said… stands with conviction alongside tracks by other Australian artists more notable for their hip hop output.

www.quantheamateur.com

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Pinky Beecroft and the White Russians – ‘Fabulous Driving’

If you think you knew Pinky Beecroft, it might be time to re-evaluate your preconceptions. For better or worse, his new material sounds nothing like Machine Gun Fellatio – free from the constraints of the ‘quirky’ pop image to which he was once forced to pander, Beecroft has moved to produce the most affecting and beautiful music of his career.

His debut album with the White Russians retains his dry sense of humour but appropriates it to more mature compositions and lyrical narratives.

‘Fabulous Driving’ is a piano-driven ballad that reminds listeners what a great voice Beecroft always had beneath the spandex and ridiculous glasses. It’ simple, fragile, and the bare arrangement is fleshed out by an understated, sombre tone.

The only thing as good as discovering an artist with this king of talent is rediscovering an artist who you never knew had it in them. (Then again, he is credited as co-writer on ‘No Aphrodisiac’ – though the merit therein is almost as subjective as his involvement with MGF).

www.myspace.com/pinkybeecroft

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Sailmaker – ‘Build A Fire’

Sailmaker make music that would sound right at home in a mid-1990s Triple J playlist, slotted in nicely between Jebediah’s ‘Harpoon’ and Something For Kate’s ‘Captain’.

‘Build A Fire’ is the very sweet title track from their most recent EP and is all clean guitars, handclaps and plaintive vocals

The Sydney band has played supports for Operator Please, British India, Horsell Common and most recently Epicure.

www.myspace.com/sailmakermusic

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