Song reviews

They must be doing some serious genetic engineering out there in Scandinavia as they seem to have an inexhaustible supply of upbeat electro pop bands. “When My Heart Breaks” shows Vanbot to be another chip of the old retro block but there is absolutely nothing wrong with that and a good pop song is always welcome here.

A newcomer to the world of third rate laptop electronica, Jack Jefferson tries to put as many awkwardly edited sounds and inject as much unfortunate vocal processing into “Sin City” as his lack of imagination and ability will allow. No one should have to listen to this.

No idea who High Windows are but I reckon that I will have to find out.  “Knives In Our Pockets” is a jagged little song with unhealthy amounts of twisted guitars and impassioned vocals kicking it up and down the mean streets of the big city. I hear and believe what they are saying. (A free download from Bandcamp).

I am not a fan of minimalist – and usually inconsequential - ambient electronica and Jumpel’s “Blue Ceiling” would have been rapidly discarded were it not enlivened to the point of the hypnotic by the wistful vocals of Chloë March. Subtly beautiful.

Although locked in a sequenced time warp, Binary make with plenty of pleasant theatricality and consequently lift “G.O.D.” out of the ordinary and put it straight into the pockets of the nearest Coldplay fan. Unless I am greatly mistaken, this is what counts as commercial music these days.

Hushed vocals and a moody laptop actually succeed in giving “Debris”, by Tropical Tobacco, a dark and downbeat atmosphere and you might therefore be inclined to associate them, in musical terms at least, with a London basement of the nineties rather than the Portuguese sunshine.

I just can’t get enough of the currently prevalent Swedish take on europop. Well, actually I can but that doesn’t stop This Vision from turning on the retro rockets and locking their robotic sequencers on 1988. “Hungry Heart” would have been huge back in the day of synth pop and mascara.

Bones on Show – it’s an alias –is/are a little bit better than your average singer songwriter but, ultimately, average dexterity and a half decent voice won’t get you far in a world addicted to gimmicks. “Haunting” therefore fails to excite and the song soon drowns in a small pond of indifference

Likeable if somewaht limp indie rock from East Kilbride, Poor Frisco manage to turn “Burning Books” from what you would think should be a rock anthem into something that would not frighten even a wearer of cardigans from the west (or should that be wooss) end of Glasgow. All things considered, your sister is probably scarier than this song.

“Joy” is a laidback urban jazz flavoured song by New Yorker Tammie K that has the mark of class stamped upon it. Subtly supportive playing leaves plenty of space for her voice to charm and caress your ears. A suitable choice for the musically mature methinks.

It’s as if today never happened as Liverpool band So Sexual use all the moody synth pop influences of their native city from way back in the eighties to kick start their single “This Is Where The Story Ends” and steer it off down the sequenced yellow brick road. It’s a likeable song though and it even inspires you to rearrange the following words into the name of another band – Bunnymen the and Echo.

Going all mellow and reflective this time, Cajsa Siik holds a steady course through her single “Ego” with repressed emotions providing the motivation for her near laconic vocals. It is the kind of song that seems to fit the post sunset groove best so put your headphones on and set a course for the stars.