It’s video roundup time! Once again, Howl And Echoes are coming in hot with the freshest, most eyeball-stimulating music videos to be dropped by the artists you love and some of the artists you don’t know you love yet this week. We do all the dirty work and herd them all into one convenient web-based location for you to enjoy every Friday so that you don’t have to. Have yourself a good old gander at the latest offerings from:

Metronomy – Night Owl

London electro veterans Metronomy have another single out. Taken from their most recent album Summer ’08, it’s called Night Owl, featuring one hell of a fat bass line anchoring the track and Metronomy architect Joseph Mount’s silky smooth, laidback vocals. The deep synths that kick in

The video, directed by Quentin Dupieux, follows Mount going on a very interesting road trip with his girlfriend through the Palm Desert in sunny Palm Springs. It features a whole lot of mysterious symbolism but it’s sunny and warm and picturesque.

Summer ’08 is out now on Warner Music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0drWXOpm-Q

Ngaiire – House On A Rock

 

The uber-soulful Ngaiire is enjoying a whirlwind of acclaim after releasing her latest album Blastoma earlier in the year to rave reviews. The latest single from that record is House On A Rock, dark and brooding with discordant rhythms and clashing synths as well as that catchy as hell chorus that has seen the track cop plenty of spins on airwaves everywhere.

Directed by Dan Segal, the music video was shot in Tel Aviv in Israel in stark black and white and depicts Ngaiire at the end of a rocky relationship, the tense atmosphere of the relationship mirroring the vibe of the song perfectly.

Blastoma is out now on Maximillion Brown. Catch Ngairre as she supports Leon Bridges on his Australian tour and at her Splendour In The Grass set next weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYmbZkP3LfU

Hinds – Warts

To Spain next and rocking all-girl foursome Hinds, out with their latest single Warts. Taken from their debut album Leave Me Alone, the track is a lot more pleasant than its namesake, sunny and evenly-paced with warm guitar licks and warped out vocals running all over it.

Shot in Barcelona, the video focuses on the same story the song tells, of a guy falling for a girl that everybody knows is bad news except him. Hinds try their darndest to save this oblivious chap and it makes for some interesting viewing.

Leave Me Alone is out now via Mom + Pop Music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLygTTOpE5w

Set Mo – Comfort You (ft. Fractures)

Back to Sydney with partners in crime Set Mo, who are seeking to back up their huge 2015 breakout in 2016 and are well on their way with latest single Comfort You. It’s a melodic banger featuring a stellar vocal turn from Melbourne’s Fractures, slowly building the pace to a cacophony before falling away into a gorgeous piano-driven chorus. The intricate layers of sound only grow as the song charges along and its evident this is going to be a huge hit for Set Mo.

The video features some absolutely gorgeous scenery from around Japan, stunning natural gardens and landscapes mixed with bustling urban nightlife and echoing the warm sentiment of the song itself beautifully.

Catch Set Mo right now touring Australia in support of the single.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAm7kZpNUSc

Banks – Fuck With Myself

Orange County songstress Banks this week announced the official release date for her next album, the follow-up to her 2014 debut Goddess as well as putting out its lead single, the superb Fuck With Myself.

A song of fierce independence, Banks’ feather-soft, spine-tingling voice shows considerable range over minimalistic, semi-industrial production to keep the focus squarely on her vocals. The video is unsettling as hell, Banks in a grimy warehouse flanked by contortionist dancers and a lifelike bust of herself, which she subjects to a lot of torment.

Banks sophomore album is out September 30th via Harvest Records.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-99e4geCm2w

Chvrches – Bury It (ft. Hayley Williams)

After sophomore album Every Open Eye won them stacks of new fans and saw them as one of the most critically acclaimed bands in 2015, Glasgow synthpop trio Chvrches are still releasing singles from that huge record, their sixth out this week isBury It.

Featuring gigantic synths and Lauren Mayberry’s famously powerful set of pipes as well as an alley-oop from Paramore vocalist Hayley Williams, Bury It is the kind of banger Chvrches have become so highly-regarded for. The video is comic book inspired, animated version of Williams and Chvrches meeting up and using what look like telekinetic superpowers to fly and levitate objects (we’re presuming for good).

Every Open Eye is out now via Goodbye Records.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9BLMNn0PrQ

JOY. – Like Home

Brisbane-born multitalented siren JOY. Is another of 2015’s success stories, all off the back of one mesmerizingly good four-track EP Ode and a metric shit-tonne of touring and coveted support slots. Her first solo track of 2016 is the dangerous Like Home.

Almost menacing production anchors the song, a filthy beat that is totally measured and covered in a tangible darkness, the lone source of light coming JOY.’s gorgeously lilting vocals. The video finds the singer wandering a cold-looking carpark after dark and looking as un-fuck-with-able as the song she’s made.

Let Like Home be just the tip of the iceberg for what this hugely talented young artist has in store for the rest of 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvvDjDhVs3E

Polish Club – My House

Sydney power duo Polish Club, like a lot of other artists in this week’s roundup, had themselves a massive breakout 2015. Off the back of their debut EP featuring hits like Beeping and Able and followed up at the tail end of the year with the single for their latest video My House.

It’s more of the same good old time, soul-infused rock and roll with frontman Novak’s unmistakeable raspy growl. Big guitars, thunderous drums and just a ripper two minute slice of rock from one of the most exciting young acts in Australia. The accompanying video features the two, unintentionally hilariously playing such a killer tune stock still in various rooms around the house.

Keep your eyes planted firmly on these two for the rest of 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIThMqKkKjs

Chet Faker has re-released 1998 from Built On Glass, featuring a very special guest. Alluring songstress and one of the 2015 Laneway headliners Banks has lent her sultry vocals to the beard-loving Melbourne artist, and the result is a gorgeous new remix of the much-loved single.

Zane Lowe premiered the track on Apple’s lauded Beats 1 radio yesterday, and it has already made a great impression on fans everywhere. We can easily hear why. The track has the same sound as the original during the beginning of the song. The lyrics haven’t changed either. Faker sings out the first part in his folk-like, woeful voice until Banks storms in and steals the spotlight. Her beautiful voice compliments his perfectly, giving the song a smooth atmosphere alongside the original house medley. Their voices sound even better when they’re layered on top of each other.

If you haven’t heard, Faker is touring the country after releasing a track that was cut from Built On Glass in a few months. Hopefully Banks will come back for a tour soon as well, but we haven’t heard any new music from her in months, so we imagine (read: hope) that she’s busy working on new material first.

If you think you’re ready for this explosion of greatness, listen to the track below.

American Electro-R&B singer-songwriter Banks makes a cameo in the current issue of Vogue Magazine. The issue is said to get us excited about what’s to come in 2015, kicking things off with Banks’ debut Australian performances at the highly anticipated St Jerome’s Laneway Festival.

Styled by Grace Coddington, she is wearing a Givenchy white draped-charmouse blouse with scarf, black apron dress and belt with Jennifier Fisher earrings and Sarah Close rings.

The chic black and white theme is used to match the pure emotion in her music and the style of her music videos. Below is the video for her single Beggin’ for Thread from her debut album Goddess, which was released in September. Read our album review here.

This was not the first time Banks has been in Vogue. Earlier in the year, she was interviewed by Childish Gambino for the September issue of Miss Vogue where we learn a bit more about the woman behind the black and white filter.

Banks will be a featured artist at Laneway Festival 2015 from January 31st to February 8th.

Banks Sideshow:

Tuesday 3 February, St. Stephen’s Uniting Church, Sydney
ticketek.com.au or 132 849

 

If you have the internet (which you clearly do), you’ve heard of Jillian Banks, aka Banks by now. The dark and stormy 26-year-old Californian has stormed the musical stage in a whirlwind of hype (ironic, considering her adamant anti-social media stance), and, in the aftermath of her debut album release, absolutely deservedly so.

Goddess is an incredibly impressive debut. Melting together elements of soul, trip hop, electronic, hip hop, pop and more, Banks has created something not only unique, but something really, really good.  From electro bangers to heart-wrenching ballads, from sparse minimalism to raspy, sexual rhythms, this album has it all.

There’s common motifs throughout the album. Banks knows her best angles – and flaunts them well. Almost every track opens similarly – choral, bordering on angelic melodic openings, before the bass, beat and vocals drop it. She’s also really embraced the often-difficult-to-grasp concept of contrast, and the use of space. Her voice fluidly moves between those low, husky notes to a high falsetto – and the music polarises accordingly. While her falsetto doesn’t waver for a moment, I think that the real soul can be found in the deeper tracks which feature her lower range.

Opening with the top-heavy electropop tune Alibi and playfully traipsing up and down her vocal range during Goddess, it’s during Waiting Game that we first get a feel for her darker side. The melody is darker, more sensual and emotional. An almost impossibly delicate falsetto comes through, before the rumbling bass drops in. As the bass forms that muffled, thumping beat, the melancholy track grows darker and denser. Turn up the volume to get the full effect of that muffled, womping synth.

Brain is one of my favourite on the album. Opening as a minimal, incredibly subtle track, Brain champions the rawness of Banks’ lower range. As it flourishes and grows, her voice suddenly rises a couple octaves. PHWOAR. Those effects are phenomenal. I can’t get enough of it. I think this is my favourite track on the album. Stop here for a tick and watch this video clip:

Fuck, You Should Know Where I’m Coming From. I’m spent. This ballad is so goddamn gorgeous. A track nearly 100% vocals and piano, both the delicacy and power of Banks’ voice are never showcased stronger than they are right here.

Singles Drowning and Beggin For Thread are catchy and sensual, with a husky, sexual depth.  Someone New is the most delicate song on the album. Another ballad, it’s meeker than anything else on Goddess.The gently plucked guitar accentuates her vulnerability. It doesn’t last long though, with Warm Waterretaining the subtlely, but none of the innocence. As the album comes to an end, the final minutes are soft and mellow. Piano ballad Under The Table is an angelic, heartbreaking way to end the album.

Not only does Banks have an incredibly vocal range, but a stylistic one, too. The ability to cover such a myriad styles in one album – and to do them all so well – is worth the praise alone. Add to this the fluid beats, the sensual melodies and precisely arranged soundscapes, this album takes you on one hell of a journey – and it captivates you every single step of the way.