A rag tag grab bag of new swag*

So, as predicted, parenthood is thinning out the blog posts a little but DO NOT FEAR - I'm still getting my lugholes around the latest pop discs and groovy new tunes (as well as taking a crash course in dad speak).

Here are a few that caught my attention in the midst of the biggest and most rewarding learning curve of my life.

1) Labrinth - Let It Be

Steeped in a steamy soup of classic soul, Labrinth's comeback single starts out like an unnecessary Aloe Blacc pastiche. But you know young Timothy McKenzie will have a secret weapon in his production tool belt, and so it proves on the slightly mad, definitely brilliant, spaghetti western chorus.




2) Haim - My Song 5 (ft A$AP Ferg)

My Song No. 5 showcases the more experimental, riff-tastic side of the Haim sisters, but it's an odd choice for a single when My Honey & I is still waiting to be cherry picked from the album.

The video doesn't do the track any favours, either, with it's dated Jerry Springer Show parody bearing scant relation to the lyrics. Odd - but worth it for the Ke$ha cameo.




3) Juce - Burning Up

When I last wrote about this song in early July, it wasn't scheduled to be a single. But either someone has seen sense, or Juce's record label fancied writing off some money against their tax bill - because top summer jam Burning Up now comes with it's own "visual".

Mind you, it looks like it cost about £20 with change left over for a packet of Jaffa Cakes, but the London-centric tune ("Big Smoke is burning up") survives intact.




4) Laura Doggett - Phoenix

This may only be her debut single, but Laura Doggett is the first artist I'm calling for the BBC Sound of 2015 list.

Produced by SOHN, the track is barely there - a minimal, stuttering click track and a mournful piano - all the better to showcase Laura's pitch-black vocals. She sounds like Tracy Chapman or Nina Simone dragged into the sewers, and it's captivating.




5) Bondax - All I See (ft Tanya Lacey)

Just when you thought 2014 had enough killer dance anthems, along comes another one. Bondax (terrible name, sounds like a drain cleaner) are Adam Kaye and George Townsend, and the video for their tropical take on deep house was shot in Corsica and Lancaster. See if you can guess which is which.

That's all for now. I'm off to do some dad dancing.

* Sorry - I ran out of time to think up a better headline.

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