Boy & Bear
Moonfire
Universal
If it looks like country and sounds like country and feels like country, it’s probably country. But not so with Boy & Bear’s new album Moonfire. The five-piece band treads a fine line between indie rock and country and has successfully transferred their captivating live persona to record – no mean feat. B&B shake up the mix with some great sounds like the cranking organ in Golden Jubilee or the sharp banjo twangs of Percy Warner Park. The vocals of lead singer David Hosking are imbued with that authentic heartbroken conviction that country musicians do so well. A stellar record. – Benn Dorrington
Alex Metric
Open Your Eyes
Virgin
This is a collection of Alex Metric’s recent remixes for other artists with a few of his own creations thrown in for good measure. Metric’s talent is to take the music of others and turn it into shimmering disco dance goodness; often working with indie artists he creates some surprising transformations. If Studio 54 was operating today this would probably be its soundtrack. Phoexnix, Gorillaz and Bloc Party all take a trip to disco town while things get a little harder for revamps of Depeche Mode and The Beastie Boys. – Graeme Watson
Gotye
Making Mirrors
Samples ‘n’ Seconds Records
Dubbed something of an underground legend, Wally De Backer, best known as Gotye, could have crumbled after the success of previous album Like Drawing Blood. With his third release Making Mirrors it’s clear this is not the case. Moving from his bedroom studio out to his parents’ barn De Backer continues his unique sound, sampling the bassy pluckings of a Winton Musical Fence in Eyes Wide Open, busting a Motown feel in I Feel Better and showing lyrical visuals in Bronte. Somebody I Used to Know featuring Kimbra has hit number 1 on the charts so next time you’re out dancing, request a remix and dedicate it to your ex. – Ryan Boldison
Male Bonding
Endless Now
Inertia
For starters, Male Bonding is not some audio gay-porn experiment. This east London trio presents a cheery sort of punk: fun, upbeat tunes saddled with droning punk vocals. Endless Now is fast and foot-tapping; a fat slice of garage indie-rock. The wooing backing vocals are infectious reminiscent of the Beach Boys. The second track, Carrying manifests the entire album well – short and punchy lyrics, quick repetitious chords and wah-ooh backing chorus for that surfer-rock sound. If you like dancing to The Drums or The Smiths then grab this record and your dancing shoes for some sunshine-punk good times. – Benn Dorrington
David Guetta
Nothing But The Beat
EMI
He may come across as the most pretentious DJ in the world when performing live, and we still haven’t forgiven him for his abysmal destruction of Bowie’s Heroes on his debut album, but we concede Guetta can write a catchy tune. In fact, this album’s full of the tunes you’ve been dancing to from Where Them Girls At with Nicki Minaj and Flo Rida. Sweat with Snoop Dog (sampling Felix’s 90’s techno classic), Titanium with Sia and Little Bad Girl with Taio Cruz and Ludacris. There also collaborations with Jennifer Hudson, Jessie J, Akon and Chris Brown. The second disc of instrumentals is interesting too. – Graeme Watson
Claude VonStroke
Makeovers
Ministry of Sound
When Claude Von Stroke remixes a tune it’s like it’s been thrown in a blender, very little of its original shape and substance is likely to survive. Vocals become cut up and muted, and sounds become squished together. Most of the tracks build up slowly, with repetitious, driving beats and tight, escalating tension. Highlights include mixes of Gonzales – I Am Europe, Girl Unit’s Wut and Scott Groves retake on the Parliament Funkadelic classic Mothership Reconnection. Even if you already have some of these tracks it’s worth getting the album as every track has been rebuilt and re-mastered. – Graeme Watson
Example
Playing in the Shadows
Ministry of Sound
There is something decidedly interesting brewing beneath the surface in the UK at current. For a country to ignite into riots means that the youth are by and large disenfranchised with what’s happening. It’s a tone that is present, in part, on Example’s third studio album: anger and a grand sense of self-importance all undermined by apathy. Grime and dub-step mesh perfectly with dance and Example’s gorgeous raps (the boy sounds as cute as he looks). Be sure to check out forthcoming single Natural Disaster plus Skream produced track Under the Influence. Gold! – Scott-Patrick Mitchell
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