As Jimmy Fallon said, he is “the next big thing in R&B”. With the studio audience waiting and millions of people watching from home, Gallant made the most of his debut on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon by giving an incredible first impression. Fresh from headlining Coachella, he performed a single from his first studio album Ology, which was released last month. He impressed us, just as Desiigner did on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.
We can only assume his smooth, high-pitched tone transcended through the studio as well as it did through our computer screens. Weight In Gold is as lush as it sounds, rich in a slow R&B melody and brought to life by Gallant’s words of desperation. When you listen to it, you can tell exactly why he chose to perform it. Dripping in emotion, the song allowed Gallant to make a statement for his television debut. He was determined to live up to the title of the ‘next big thing’.
He certainly succeed.
The lighting was set to flicker in union with his pulling dance moves, done to show as if he is being controlled by a powerful force. He jumps around uncontrollably as he sings, hitting every note perfectly. As the song went on, his voice went higher and higher. The notes he hit during the last minute of the song would turn heads. As the craziness slowed, the music silenced. He sang to the quiet room with such passion and power. The music and crazy lighting picked up again as the performance came to an end.
The standing ovation said it all.
Watch the amazing performance below and try to keep your jaw from dropping. Then, go and watch his cover Sufjan Stevens’ Blue Bucket Of Gold in collaboration with the man himself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rERFl-CYHE
Image: Billboard
Dej Loaf – All Jokes Aside
All Jokes Aside is Def Loaf‘s first mixtape in almost two years. During that time, the Detroit MC has raised her profile dramatically, featuring on a number of tracks with everyone from Young Thug to Lil Durk, while releasing her #AndSeeThatsTheThing EP late last year. All Jokes Aside finds Loaf in fine form as she continues her development as a rapper.
The appeal of Loaf, for me, has always been her sing-song vocals, and while still part of her sound, All Jokes Aside finds Loaf focusing more on her rapping than her singing, and explaining so by rapping on Chase Mine, “Lately I’ve been on my rap shit / Had to stop singing for awhile.” Keep Going, Goals and Bitch Please are great examples of Loaf the rapper, and her ability to change her flow mid-rap. Die 4 It has Loaf singing on an R&B tip while the only feature is former No Limit soldier Silkk The Shocker on the early 00s era Bout That.
Verdict: All Jokes Aside further cements Dej Loaf as one of hip-hops most engaging talents.
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Gallant – Ology
It’s always great when an artist you’ve followed from their infancy finally starts to get their just reward, as is the case of rising L.A. based crooner Gallant. Having released a number of singles over the past six months and had everyone from Zane Lowe, Seal, Sufjan Stevens and Elton John singing his praises, Gallant’s finally dropped his long anticipated debut Ology.
Across 16 tracks Gallant fulfils his promise as one of the most exciting singers going, delivering an album full of emotion and heart headlined by his incredible vocals. Gallant has a remarkable ability to pitch-shift seamlessly, delivering soothing vocals on Bourbon before his falsetto erupts on Bone + Tissue. Gallant is also his own backing vocalist, filling in the space with delicate harmonies and vocal nuances that add to the overall intricacies of his stellar soundscapes.
Weight In Gold, the huge hit single Zane Lowe premiered on his first Beats 1 show, is the album’s centre piece, with Gallant exploring his vocal strengths over the minimalistic retro production. Elsewhere, Counting and Open Up are heartfelt ballads, Talking To Myself is a jazz infused pop number, while Skipping Stones – a duet with Jhené Aiko – intertwines the two’s vocals in a spiral of haunted beauty.
Verdict: A early contender for album of the year.
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Mogwai – Atomic
The ninth studio album from Scottish post-rockers Mogwai is another powerful instrumental affair. Atomic is the soundtrack to Mark Cousin‘s experimental documentary, Atomic: Living in Dread and Promise, that looks at the Hiroshima atomic bomb and its legacy.
This is another absorbing release from Mogwai, once again showing their creative flair and continued growth as band that’s unbelievably been around for over two decades. While the electronic blips of U-235 and driving synths of Weak Force are Mogwai trademarks, it’s the horn section of opener Ether and string section of Are You A Dance? that build on Mogwai’s atmospheric soundscapes.
Even for a project based on something as devastating as the atomic bomb, Mogwai bring a sense of hope and euphoria to their arrangements. Closing track Fat Man, a subtle piano number that builds to a crashing crescendo, is the perfect summation of what Mogwai are about and why no band does post-rock better.
Verdict: One of Mogwai’s most consistent works yet.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1n0C-qrHJw]
As far as best songs go, these are ten of the best. We’re now in February and the consistently high quality of music output that we’ve seen over the past four weeks ago hasn’t dwindled once in the new month. If anything, it’s gotten even better. See for yourself below!
AAA+, Disciple Of Love
Adelaide artist AAA+ dropped a doozy this week with Disciple Of Love– a retro-futuristic electro-pop jam with a lot to give. Sounding like he’s borrowed elements from everyone like Cut Copy to The Chemical Brothers, Disciple Of Love is a pulsing, pounding track that’s driven by its bouncy synth line and crashing drum beat. He’s been kicking around for a while but has never really taken off in his home country – until now!
Summer Flake, Shoot And Score
The more I hear Summer Flake, the more I enjoy her. Taken from her sophomore album, Hello Friends, this tune is called Shoot And Score and is four-and-a-half minutes of droning, mesmerising bliss. “Shoot and score, take what’s yours,” she sings, her guitars thick and heavy as they carry the emotion in her lyrics and voice. This track is dripping in reverb-y goodness, and has done yet another excellent job in reminding me why Summer Flake is so great!
Annabel Jones, IOU
IOU by Annabel Jones has already got the approval of one Zane Lowe, who she debuted it with this week on his Beats 1 show. Now she can add approval from Howl & Echoes too, as I was instantly hooked from the first serene note that kicks the song off. From here, it just gets better and better, with it’s bassy groove and quirky arrangements- not to mention her sassy af lyrics that take it to another level. Total jam.
Pandamic, Heck!
Following along the same vein as bands like Violent Soho and Dune Rats, Pandamic’s new belter Heck! is a beer-drenched anthem with thrashy guitars and punchy drums- but don’t let the bravado fool you. It’s a forlorn love song at it’s heart, it just tricks you for a second. With a ripper of a chorus that would no doubt be unreal to join in with at a live show, Heck! is a huge step forward for the boys and one in a direction I can’t wait to see them go down.
Gallant, Skipping Stones (Ft. Jhene Aiko)
Skipping Stones represents when two worlds collide in the best possible way. Featuring two of music’s most incredible voices around at the moment, Gallant and Jhene Aiko have teamed up and it is stunning. Both artists bring their A-game here in a big way as they sing about their empty hearts and beds in a way that casts a spell on you with it’s dreamy arrangement accompanying it. Sounding like Leon Bridges mixed with Sam Smith, Gallant has never sounded this good before, whilst Aiko shows off why she is one of the most hyped up acts in the world- and why she’s so deserving.
Two People, Fading
Fun fact: Two People are actually two people from the now defunct-Snakadaktal. Phoebe Lou and Joey Clough are now trying their hand at a different game, and the first taste of it is impressive to say the least. Hypnotic and spell-binding, Fading is a swirling dream featuring static-y rain, Four Tet-esque production and heavenly vocals. There are huge things in store for these two.
Tinashe, Ride Of Your Life (Prod. Metro Boomin)
Tinashe is the next big pop star, and you only need to listen to any one of her songs to hear why. She has one of the best voices around, possessing a certain “superstar” quality that comes naturally to her. She also has an uncanny knack of picking the right producers to work with, and this latest track with Metro Boomin is no exception. Seductive both in Tinashe’s vocals and Metro Boomin’s trap-styled beats, the two bring out the best in each other with Ride Of Your Life– yet another feather in Tinashe’s already very full cap.
Nina Las Vegas, Now Or Never (Ft. CZ & Swick)
Australian dance music’s leading lady Nina Las Vegas is at it again, dropping another banger via her brand new record label, NLV Records. She teased us all last year with a sampler that featured an original track from each artist on the label – herself included – and now we can finally hear what else she’s been sitting on this whole time. Practically redefining the term “banger” Nina goes in on this track, teaming up with CZ and Swick as if it wasn’t good enough already. It’s like PC Music sent into overdrive, and is a seriously solid release from one of Australia’s most prolific tastemakers. Yaaaaaaas!
Carmada, Realise (Chrome Sparks Remix)
Chrome Sparks is just about to touch down in Australia for a string of shows at the end of the month, and it seems like he’s really getting into the spirit of things by taking Carmada’s hit track, Realise and running with it. Turning it inside out in his own special way, Chrome Sparks shakes up Realise and reassembles it with some slightly off-kilter beats, thick synths and unpredictable drops throughout. This is part of an entire EP of Realise remixes, but we’ve got our money on this being the best one. Chrome Sparks can’t be beaten!
Loose Tooth, Bites Will Bleed
Melbourne three-piece have just today announced that not only are they teaming up with Milk! Records (Courtney Barnett’s label), but that they are dropping a brand new EP on April 1 titled Saturn Returns. To celebrate, the trio have released an absolute wailer in the for of Bites Will Bleed. Scuzzy guitar, booming drums, and vocals that cut through the fuzz, Loose Tooth immediately got me very keen indeed to hear Saturn Returns. Hopefully there is more where this came from!
Image via Two People’s Facebook
In terms of electiveness, it has always been fairly apparent that Sufjan Stevens’ multi-instrumental talent spans all kinds of brilliance. And now he has lent both his writing and his performance skills to LA artist Gallant’s latest venture. Appearing on the inaugural episode of In The Room, the concept is a video series of collaborations, featuring different artists, to pay tribute to and to create something new.
Together, Gallant and Stevens perform Blue Bucket Of Gold, off Stevens’ 2015 album Carrie & Lowell. The duo recorded live last December, in just one take at a studio in New York City, with Stevens playing piano as Gallant takes the vocal. Lending his voice to Stevens’ poignant track, Gallant manages to transpose the song to somewhere closer to his alt-R&B roots, but without losing the sweetness of the original. A particularly beautiful moment on the album, Gallant’s version stretches the vocals to a heightened drama with some impressive high notes. Guided by Steven’s instrumentation it never quite loses sight of the song’s roots with delicate piano and choruses.
Watch through to the end of the video to hear Sufjan Stevens elaborate on the story of the “blue bucket of gold”. Recounting a mythical story from his childhood holiday destination Oregon during the gold rush, where local children returned home with a bucket full of sand and rocks, and also gold. Sparking a search for a lost goldmine, which never existed.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJAxAdZgGnE]
The pair have toured together previously, including that famous moment where they covered Drake’s Hotline Bling together. Gallant and Stevens will also both appear at this year’s Coachella festival in California.
Stevens last visited Australia in mid-2015 for a special run of performances at The Sydney Opera House. He returns next month for a full Australian tour, which takes place next month with dates in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
The recording of In The Room Ep. 1 is also available to stream through Spotify.
The enigmatic and beguiling artist Zhu is back after several months of silence – and he’s just as confusing as ever. The electronic music producer updated his Facebook profile picture two days ago, to reveal a picture for a new Genesis Series project, redirecting them to a jumble of words on the mysterious site GenerationWHY.com. The website simply asks for your email address and offers social media sharing buttons.
What seemed like random pattern of words turned out to actually be the names of several big artists. As far as we can tell, Zhu will be collaborating with these for what might me an album-sized project. Skrillex, Alunageorge, A-Trak, Bone Thugs N Harmony, Gallant, They, Vancouver Sleep Clinic, Keznamdi and Daniel Johns can be found in the letter matrix.
Although other information concerning the website seems to be scant, an album that would come out of these collaborations could be huge. Judging from the success of his biggest hit to date, the Grammy nominated Faded, the formerly anonymous artist could be onto something on a whole new scale.
The producer recently released a new track in a mix for Pete Tong on BBC Radio One, a 40-minute mix of featuring edits of his previous releases like Faded and Superfriends, as well as some Snoop Dog to finish it off. It includes a bunch of remixes and covers, including of The Weeknd’s Often and Outkast tracks Ms Jackson and ATLiens. Check that out here:
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Zhu visited Australia for Listen Out 2014 – you can check the details of the 2015 event here, happening later this month.