February 2024 – Music recap.

Howdy!
February has come to an end, and just like i did at the end of January, i will provide a small recap of the albums i have listened to. My first thought back in January was for these recaps to just be about new releases that i listen to, but i figure i might as well add albums that are new to me, like stuff i have never listened to before. This month i listened to quite a few EPs.

Let us dive right in.

Dreamfear/Boy Sent From Above [EP] – Burial
Burial is one of my favourites. Since i was introduced to his album Untrue a while back, he’s always on my radar, i wasn’t the biggest fear of Antidawn EP, but i appreciate that he evolves and tries new things.. There’s something so fascinating and magical about his music, and the way it’s produced, with the samples and groove. Dreamfear/Boy Sent From Above is no different from many of his other things, it’s a 2 track EP with a total length of 26 minutes and 16 seconds. With his latest releases i think that he has come back to the sound that i like and love, and this new EP is a perfect example of the magic that he creates. As written above, this EP only contains two songs, but those two songs feel like they each contain five different songs, because there’s so much happening, and so many breaks and changes taking place.
9/10.

Drop 7 [EP] – Little Simz
My first introduction to Little Simz was when she featured on a Gorillaz song, and then she was the warm up act when i saw Gorillaz perform in Stockholm back in 2018, and i fell in love. Little Simz has since then released three full length albums that i’ve been bumping ever since, and many of her songs are part of my main playlists. For me, i very much enjoy the lyrics of her songs, and i really like how she masters the flow and lyrical presentation. Drop 7 is a bit different from her earlier works, and it has a more electronic/industrial focus – something that i often enjoy. My first was that i did not really like it, but it also intrigued me, and challenged me. Since the album has been out for about a month now, i’ve spent some time listening to it several times and it has grown on me.
7/10.

Loss of Life – MGMT
MGMT released a new album that i was looking forward a lot to. I’ve been a massive fan of MGMT ever since they released their first album, Oracular Spectacular, back in 2007. One thing i do enjoy about MGMT is that they evolve and change their approach and sound a lot – and their albums tend to have a ”red thread” that brings the album together as a whole entity. And that is what i did not like about Loss of Life, i could not find that red thread that brings the album together, and creates the magic that you can find in an MGMT album. No doubt about it, the production is great, the instrumentals are great, the song is great – but they are not working together as i would expect.
6/10.

Birthday Girl – Sun Kil Moon
Sun Kil Moon is the moniker of Mark Kozelek, who was in the band Red House Painters. As Sun Kil Moon he has released 13 studio albums. I have over the years listened a lot to Sun Kil Moon, with my first introduction to Sun Kil Moon was with the release of Common as Light and Love Are Red Valleys of Blood which opened up my eyes for his work. The songs are often very downtempo, with melancholy lyrics often describing very ordinary and mundane things in a beautiful way – and that is what i have enjoyed from Sun Kil Moon. Birthday Girl somehow misses the point completely, something just does not work here. The lyrics might be melancholy, but something is just off. I don’t know how to describe it – but i did not find this album intriguing or good, at all.
2/10.

Until next time, take care.
SLQT.

Cracker Island – Gorillaz

Yesterday there was some news that Gorillaz is releasing a new album in February 24th, 2023! And let me tell you, i am very intrigued! I got their debut album Gorillaz, as a kid and it blew me away – ever since i’ve been a very big fan of theirs. I even had the fortune of being able to attend their first ever live concert in Sweden a couple of years ago, and it was amazing. So, new music from Gorillaz always gets me intrigued.

We’ve gotten two singles so far, and my first impression of them is that they are very nice, and very promising!

The first single is called Cracker Island (feat. Thundercat) and it shares the name of the upcoming album. The second single that has been released is called New Gold (feat. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown). One of the things that is so fun with Gorillaz is these sometimes bonkers collaborations on tracks, and that big artists really want to be on Gorillaz tracks, it opens up so many possibilities of potential bangers. And most of the time the Gorillaz projects and tracks has a very interesting way of utilizing the featuring artists in ways that make the whole track pop off.

Both of these singles are, in my opinion certified and absolute bangers, i couldn’t help myself but dance along as i’ve been listening to them. I think the features are used in very good, and interesting ways. Thundercat absolute nails his participation on Cracker Island and how Tame Impala and Bootie Brown bounces off of eachother on New Gold is just beautiful. Thundercat and Tame Impala’s music am i familiar with, but this is the first time i get to experience Bootie Brown, and i like what i’m hearing – and i’ll make sure to inspect what more he has been doing.

I’m sure it’s been seeping through this text, but i am very much looking forward to the release of the new music from Gorillaz. Cracker Island is out February 24, 2023. It’s far away, but i have faith that the waiting is worth it!

Until next time, take care.
SLQT.