Hook & The Twin are Marcus Efstratiou and Tom Havelock and “Tribes” is the first single from their forthcoming 10-track debut album, to be released early 2012. Already championed by the UK (Zane Lowe, Rob Da Bank, Steve Lamacq, The Independent and Drowned in Sound), look for this to start popping up everywhere else.
Download the track below the video.
Recorded underneath a Nigerian ministry complex with Andy Ramsay (Stereolab), and mixed by rising producer Jim Anderson (Anna Calvi, Cold Specks), the album conjures an English alt.pop landscape that is by turns spectral and anthemic – an exhilarating and multi-layered affair to be filed alongside recent landmark offerings by Metronomy and Yeasayer.
Fine Canadian Forces is Toronto musician Jordan Fine who’s been performing music since the age of 6. Studying music at York University in Toronto, Jordan has composed as ‘DJ Freshie’, played as a lounge and showband guitarist on a cruise ship, but most recently has been writing songs specifically based around the loop pedal. He became Fine Canadian Forces and Hebrew Lessons is his first album is the result of a year’s worth of composing/arranging 8 original songs and 5 covers.
Try out one of those covers in Steve Winwoods’ “Higher Love”, which will be the 2nd time in as many months that I’m posting covers of that track. Can’t help it. Its part nostalgia and totally awesome.
Head to his bandcamp to hear the rest of the album.
I like working at home. Even though I’m sans Air Conditioning at the moment, I’m keeping cool and on task. Currently in the player is Conveyor, who are a band of four friends from Brooklyn. For fans of bands like Grizzly Bear, Beach House, the band are currently supporting a four song EP called Sun Ray, and its a very solid offering. Look for them live in the Northeast (dates below) and head to Groopease to get their EP for half price.
8/22 – Silk City, Philadelphia, PA
8/24 – Howler’s Coyote Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA
8/26 – McGann’s Pub, Boston, MA
8/27 – Troy, NY (venue TBA)
9/2 – Pianos, New York, NY (OFFICIAL RELEASE SHOW)