Songs To Learn And Sing – Dark Horses, Moxi, Dutch Uncles.

Dark Horses – New Single

Dark Horses, to those with blinkers on, may seem a wilfully enigmatic bunch of theatrical art school poseurs but to others they are a dark gleaming musical jewel dripping with a wanton visceral sexuality and a wide-screen cinematic sense of the theatrical…. As their debut album ‘Black Music’ was one of our favourite albums of last year, it’s not difficult to see which side of the fence we sit on.  Previously we’d described them as inhabiting a world of their own construct in which the aural and the visual enjoy a symbiotic relationship, a place where manifestos obfuscate rather than enlighten.  But a place where ultimately the seductive power of the music slowly fills the atramentous abyss with a burnished iridescent radiance. Because we talk like that in real life!! Anyway,if you don’t believe us listen to their new double A-Side ‘Traps’ and ‘Boxing Day’ via the links below.

Introducing MOXI

The Elcto Katherine Edwards

Question:  Is it possible to produce top-notch music, which has a wide appeal without sounding vapid and empty?  Furthermore, is it possible to utilise hi tech production values without overwhelming both the singer and the song?  The thing is too many producers have forgotten the maxim ‘less is more’ and so often hurl everything but the kitchen sink into the mix.  The result can be the aural equivalent of Alfred Hitchcock popping up incessantly during his movies giving a stage wink and unfurling a huge banner that reads “Look, look here, see what I did!  Aren’t I just SO bloody clever?”

Answer: The good news is yes, it is entirely possible to produce music with a radio friendly vibe, without stripping it of emotion and meaning.  The point in case here  being Moxi, aka Anna Nelson a songwriter and performer from Los Angeles who has just unveiled an outstanding track ‘Terrible Disguise’  from her forthcoming debut EP.  Armed with a sublime voice and a penchant for the Omichord, Moxi certainly sounds like the real deal producing wistful intelligent pop with dreamy electronic flourishes, rather like a vintage keyboard lovin’ Kathleen Edwards,  which has subtly, depth and one would imagine broad appeal.

Anna’s previous musical outing was a folk infused affair but having teamed up with producer and multi-instrumentalist Andy Toy she enthused “it made me feel as if all the dots had been connected and I had finally found the type of music that I was meant to be making.”

Is it pop music?  Who knows?  But if all pop music sounded this lovely, we might even start reading ‘Pop Justice’ again and try and ignore that whole ironic ‘anti coolness’ is more cool than ‘hipster indie cool’- which are essentially flip sides of the same elitist self defeating coin and fuck all to do with the music really.  Just enjoy the song and if you don’t like it, well,  have a word with your ears 😉

Her début Ep “In My Dreams” is released on February 12th 2013.

www.moxilovesyou.com     www.facebook.com/moxilovesyou   www.twitter.com/moxilovesyou

 Dutch Uncles – New Video

We’ll finish with a video, Dutch Uncles, who have recently had a burger named after them (we kid you not) have unveiled a new video ahead of a UK tour. And they expect you all to throw some shapes like this…..

Tour dates
05 Feb, Newcastle, The Cluny
06 Feb, Glasgow, Art School
07 Feb, Leeds, Brundenell Social Club
08 Feb, Liverpool, Kazimier
09 Feb, Sheffield, Leadmill
12 Feb, Cardiff, The Moon Club
13 Feb, Brighton, The Green Door Store
14 Feb, London, Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
15 Feb, Birmingham, Hare & Hounds
16 Feb, Manchester, Gorilla

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