Hype: I Will Be Another Person

As I write this October caves in around me, and the temperature takes ice-y tumbles outside, the fog of another flu descends and I search for a nook in which to curl up and sleep the day away. A place to sleep to rest my head again...

From little speakers escapes Mozart Parties, gently crooning a comforting lullaby about being a better person and I think yes, I am feeling better. This is better.

Just two months young, Mozart Parties is the work of one James Bennett - newly re-located, now lost amongst the wilderness of the Lake District - and a sampler. His carefully piecied together, harmony-rich pop puzzles are drenched in atmosphere and Wish My Thoughts Away serves as perfect introduction to his self-confessed studied approach to music-making.

Shake off the slumber and share a moment with the maestro and his party below...

Mozart Parties - Wish My Thoughts Away

Hype: If You Found Out

London's Ghost Eyes may be fresh in the game but they're making some really intriguing and distinct beats right from the off.

It's a complete mixed bag in terms of sounds and samples, from what could be a choir of chanting children to sampling Lil Kim's "ode to strong women" Suck My Dick on track Elephant. Another sign of what's still to come is their tribal tinged remix of recent Cymbals single Good Luck, have a gander here.

If all of the above wasn't enough to capture your attention, Ghost Eyes are about to bust loose UK-wide as support for Banjo Or Freakout and "Mr. Album of the Year" contender Gold Panda next month. Check any of their sites or Myspaces for full tour dates. For now, cop Phantom Mountain.

Ghost Eyes - Phantom Mountain (YSI)

Plug: Inside Your Heart

There are two pieces of excellent news in one post tonight. The first being that Elan Tamara announces the release of her second EP on 28th October. The second is that it will be the first release on Kwes' label, Bokkle.

Shadows, a flowing progression from her debut Gold Fishes EP, is a vivid mixture of escapism and seeking beautiful simplicity even in life's most mundane events, summed up by Elan herself in Frog Song, "I don't want people to find me, in my world of imaginary."

Another continuation from Gold Fishes is that the inimitable Kwes is back behind the production desk throughout and just gets better with every release, be it as collaborator or flying solo, with his work on opener Tubes being a personal highlight of his output thus far.

Frog Song is available for your ears below and you can pre-order Shadows (along with Elan's incredible trademark Paisley artwork) now from Rough Trade here.

Elan Tamara - Frog Song (stream only)

In Motion: A Little Bit

Ghostpoet - Cash and Carry Me Home

I've been a fan of Ghostpoet for a couple of years now so it's a great feeling to see that he's now making some big moves.

After featuring on Micachu's Filthy Friends and Kwesachu mixtapes, his mug was all over Myspace last week and he's now signed to Giles Peterson's Brownswood Recordings.

His debut album Peanut Butter Blues & Melancholy Jam has just been announced and will be released February 2011 with the sweet video above, which broke on XLR8R last week, for his debut single Cash and Carry Me Home.

Good on you Obaro.

Hype: The Way Home

There are times when I come across a band and within seconds I can tell if I'm going to like, love or loathe them. Sometimes it's not quite there yet or there's something missing and sometimes it just feels right, like it did when I first listened to YAAKS.

Based in Eastbourne, they're being relatively coy with information for the moment but what I do know is that in their own words they are "six minds playing music to best portray the thoughts of Jean-Jacques Rousseau", what more could you want from a band?

Obviously, it's extremely early days and whilst there are already flashes of greatness in the tracks that I've heard so far, this is a band who should be given time and space to flourish and build upon the depth of ideas on show, not get caught up in the trappings of being the buzz de jour.

For now, I'll quieten down and let the music do the talking. Wrap your listening gear around this and also make sure to check out BRKYLN // Fig. 1 on their Myspace too.

YAAKS - HRHRHYTHM

Plug: Creatures Of The Night

Tonight's double feature sees the return of two IT favourites with bestial monikers from last year, with the charismatic Wolf Gang set to release their full blown début single and pop charmer Danimal Kingdom also releasing his long awaited début single.

It's been a steady year for Wolf Gang and with a fully formed live band now in place and limited releases through Neon Gold and Hit Club in their back pocket, it's time to take things up a notch.

Lions In Cages will be their first major release through Atlantic and will be ripe for general consumption on 22nd November. However, it's floating around the blogs already and in case you've been asleep as much as me in the past couple of days, you can get it below.

Wolf Gang - Lions In Cages (YSI)



I'm genuinely ecstatic that Danimal Kingdom is finally set to release his debut single and double A side Vinyl Skipping Ever Backwards / Through The Ice next month, even more so that it's via the Slutty Fringe-backed Hot Pockets.

After instantly falling in love with his sense of whimsy and talent for conjuring the most mesmeric of hooks as he rose from the ashes of former band Bolt Action Five last year, all seemed to go quiet and I feared it might never develop as I'd hoped, but after a few changes behind the scenes - things seem to be back on track and I couldn't be more pleased.

Check out this little gem before the main attractions are unveiled next month, and why not jump on the mailing list and download it here.

Danimal Kingdom - Amputee Spirit

Plug: Add Fuel To The Fire

Not but three months on from his first appearance on these pages, and cerebral samplesmith Wise Blood returns with debut single SOLO (`4` CLAIRE).

A smooth sea change away from the gospel-flecked waters of the `+` EP to the choppier swells of stomping glam pop and crunching hip-hop, the multi-layered sonic collage sees Christopher Laufman on imperious form and release on the currently-killing-it Transparent Records this November.

More words of wisdom here via our Prize Bluds Jack and Sahil. Download below.

Wise Blood - SOLO (`4` CLAIRE) (YSI)

Hype: He's The One I Love

The French are AWSM. I'm down with French. No idea if manatees are AWSM but this particular Manatee is madd AWSM and I am well down with it. AWSM.

I can't tell you loads about Manatee so I thought I'd tell you a little more about manatees: the name manatí comes from the Taíno, a pre-Columbian people of the Caribbean, meaning 'breast'. Cheers.

What I can tell you is that this track from these French avant electro-ers is all sorts of spectacular. Quite literally The One, this final mix is a sugar rush of a pop Iced Gem - tune sounds like the first time you hold hands with a new One; the euphoria that fills you like a balloon and the gale of emotion that sweeps you away.

Wonderfully simple then, and simply wonderful. Magical. You will love it hard.

Manatee - The One (YSI)