Courtney Barnett delivers more delightful observational jangle pop
Courtney Barnett | Things Take Time, Take Time | ★ ★ ★ ★
On her third album Courtney Barnett delivers another serve of jangly guitar based songs filled with casual observations about rubbish trucks and changing the sheets. The album has already been described by critics as “lackadaisical indie-rock” and its the perfect word for Barnett’s distinctive style, but there are some fresh elements thrown into the mix this time round.
The record opens up with Rae Street the single that came out a few months ago. This time round Barnett is distinctly more chilled Here’s The Thing is a delightful meander through blurry tropical vibes, Before You Got To Go is a sing-a-long jaunt, Turning Green is based around a solid groove, and Write a List of Things to Look Forward To is a rollicking trip. If you liked Barnett’s previous records, you’ll find great joy in this new album that serves up her distinctive sound with enough new elements added to keep things interesting.
Infinite Coles gets ready to share debut EP ‘Destiny’
NYC-based singer, actor, model, dancer and artist Infinite Coles has shared the second offering from his upcoming debut EP Destiny, due out November 17.
Titled Round, the new single sees the young singer tackling his inner demons, asking his conscience to help him to escape the emotional loop of desire. The track was produced and written with multi-instrumentalist Bryndon Cook a.k.a. Starchild. Round is soulful and sophisticated track with layered vocals and slick beats.
Last month Infinite Coles shared a stunning music video for the EP’s first track Infidel which has received a lot of airplay here in Australia. His EP is named Destiny after his late twin sister. It will feature seven tracks; Infidel, Spiders, Rapture, Round, Destiny, No Room and Leave The Door Open.
Let Hoavi take on you on a sonic journey
Hoavi | Music for Six Rooms | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
From Balmat, a new label from Spain, comes to ambient goodness of Hoavi. The record kicks off with Sosnovka Voices it’s filled with the sounds of birds chirping, muffled vocals, undulating syths and the occasional bubbling sound.
The sounds don’t stay in the ambient realm, we’re soon dropped into Cosworth, a soundscape of rushing water, crunching foreboding noises with angelic chiming vocal harmony. There’s so many layers to the sounds on this album, close your eyes and try to take them all in.
With songs ranging from under two minutes to a few epic cuts ranging up to over 12 minutes in length, the album runs for an hour and ten minutes and it’s an epic journey. The title track is a subtle symphony filled with waves of strings that build and subside but never break.
While many of the albums cuts are super chilled ambient soundscapes, they are pleasantly interrupted by some more jarring and beat driven tunes that provide a jolt of reanimation to the listener. Download this album on Bandcamp.
Anjimile signs to a major label
We first introduced you to the amazing Anjimile back in 2018, now he’s signed to major label 4AD and shared some fresh music. Anjimile Chithambo, known artistically as Anjimile, has joined the 4AD family and released his debut for the label, a one-off single entitled Stranger.
Anjimile said the song is about the confrontation between his transgender journey.
“Stranger is something of a confrontation between my past and present selves in relationship to my trans identity. I started testosterone about 3 or 4 years ago, and It’s been simultaneously liberating and alarming to note the changes to my mind and body over the years.
“Stranger is an admission to myself that, while I welcome all of those changes – especially the deepening effect of testosterone on my singing and speaking voice – it’s still scary and there is a degree of internal ambivalence to my transition. In transitioning I lost, or gave up, a part of myself. And that is hard to reconcile. Stranger is an attempt at some semblance of reconciliation, I guess.”
The new song was recorded with producer/pianist Thomas Bartlett and songwriter/producer Gabe Goodman, and it’s the first new original music from Anjimile since his 2020 debut album, Giver Taker. He’s currently working on his follow up album.
Fresh Tracks: Download these to your music listening device
Moses Sumney – Bystanders in Space a combination of haunting vocals and persistently undulating keyboards Spiller featuring Sophie Ellis Bextor – Groovejet (Purple Disco Machine and Lorenz Rhode Remix) it’s a song that we thought we never wanted to hear again, but this throbbing and shimmering remix has dragged us back to the dancefloor The Antipodeans vs Icehouse – Hey Little Girl Aussie 80’s classic is given extra blips and beats Sheila – Little Darlin (2021 Fred Falke Remix) lost disco greatness is given a fresh coat of paint and extra laser sounds Eydis Evensen – Fyrir Mikael (Slow Meadow Rework) a stunningly beautiful combination of stirring strings and gentle piano Marianne Rosenberg – So kannst du nicht gehn because you need a high NRG version of Don’t Leave Me This Way in German Levitation Orchestra – Life is Suffering / Send and Receive Love Only epic jazz masterpiece Jake Shimabukuro featuring Bette Midler – The Rose A classic song performed by orchestra, ukulele, and Bathhouse Betty herself Gilligan Moss – Special Thing (Cyril Hahn Remix) its so fresh, zooming along like a ray of sunshine.
ABBA Score number one album with ‘Voyage’
ABBA’s surprise comeback album has entered the Australian charts in the number 1 position. It’s the band’s first new release since the early 1980’s and it’s topped the charts around the globe.
The record has claimed the top spot in Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Germany, France, Norway and their homeland of Sweden.
“We are so happy that our fans seem to have enjoyed our new album as much as we enjoyed making it!” the band told the UK’s Official Charts in a statement. “We are absolutely over the moon to have an album at the top of the charts again!”
The album has received mixed feedback from critics, Rolling Stone gave it 5 stars, describing it has having breadth and depth and capturing a sound that was both familiar and new, while The Guardian gave it just two stars and called it disappointing with a songs that “languish in often bafflingly retrograde settings”.
ABBA previously took out the Number 1 position in Australia with ABBA (1975) and Arrival (1976). They also scored the top spot with compilation album The Best of ABBA in 1975 which spent an stunning 16 weeks at the top of the Australian charts. In 1992 they returned to the top of the Australian charts with the release of ABBA Gold.
Check out last week’s edition of Needle on the Record
Graeme Watson, Anjimile image by Shervin Lainez
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