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EP Spotlight: Tourist - Patterns

Tourist is William Phillips, a classically trained producer and self taught pianist from London who started making some waves in the electronic music scene last year through a series of remixes. Signed to Disclosure's Method Records label, he has been out on his first U.S. tour promoting his new EP Patterns which dropped in April.

Tourist's music draws from a house music background but he cites influences from LTJ Bukem to Destiny's Child having an effect on his music. This EP serves as a good representation of that as two of the tracks are primarily instrumentals with chopped up vocal samples while the other two are straight electronic pop tunes featuring guest vocalists. 

Of the instrumental tracks, "Together" is a stormer, a slow builder with all manner of sounds swirling around your head when it fully kicks in. Lianne La Havas provides vocals on the title cut while Will Heard takes the lead on the wonderfully soulful "I Can't Keep Up". It's yet another in a growing long line of first rate vocal electronic tracks released this year, do not miss this one. Patterns is a short but sweet glimpse into the promising future of the up and coming Tourist. 

Favorite tracks: "I Can't Keep Up", "Together"

Patterns was released April 22, 2014 via Monday Records in the U.S.

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EP Spotlight: Broods - Broods

Siblings Georgia and Caleb Nott are Broods, an electronic pop duo from Auckland, New Zealand who have made big waves in their native country and are starting to create a buzz in the States. Their single "Never Gonna Change" was my introduction to Broods and upon first listen I thought I was hearing a new Imogen Heap single. Georgia's voice is certainly reminiscent of Immi's, and also calls to mind vocalists like Ruth-Ann Boyle of Olive.

The duo's music is also in the same realm as Heap, pop tunes with a strong electronic component. Multi-instrumentalist Caleb produces and provides backing vocals, while younger sister Georgia tops things off with a rich voice perfectly suited for the keyboard and synth heavy backdrops. Don't let their young ages fool you, Caleb is 21 and Georgia just 19, this is mature, intelligent pop music. The duo have also enlisted the help of producer Joel Little, best known for his Grammy Award winning work with Lorde, to help with their ascension in the music world and on the charts. 

"Bridges" is the best known Broods song here in the States, currently still going strong on the Alternative Songs chart. It peaked at number eight in their home country and continues to expand the duo's fan base in the U.S. "Bridges" joins five other songs on this, their self-titled debut EP. All six songs are top shelf electronic pop, from the chilly ballads "Sleep Baby Sleep" and "Taking You There" to the chopped up vocals of the upbeat "Pretty Thing". "Coattails" and "Never Gonna Change" round out a flawless EP that only leaves me in great anticipation for the expected full length due this summer. Big things are to be expected of Broods.

Favorite tracks: "Never Gonna Change", "Coattails", "Bridges", "Taking You There"

Broods was released in the U.S. February 4, 2014 as a digital download via Capitol Records.

Official Website of Broods

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Purchase Broods from Amazon.com

EP Spotlight: Duologue - Memex

Duologue appeared on my radar last year with the release of their debut album Song & Dance, a mixture of pop and rock with glitchy electronics. Sure, there is a Radiohead influence in there, but please don't dismiss them as another sound-alike. A quality band can still take their influences and develop them into something wonderful. That is exactly what Duologue did on their debut, and they've repeated the feat with new EP Memex.

The four tracks here take on an even heavier electronic direction than their debut. Guitar is still in the mix, but these songs are overwhelmingly awash in electronic beats and effects and synths. Tim Digby-Bell's vocals are a true marvel, practically serving as their own instrument as he soars, primarily in falsetto, throughout each song. The opening title track sees his vocals go in and out of electronic alteration to haunting effect. "Operator" has bouncing beats while retaining a beautifully moody atmosphere. 

All four songs actually have an air of uneasiness about them, yet are built on enchanting melodies and soundscapes. It's this mix of tension and beauty that captivates and Memex gives reason to believe my prediction Duologue was a band to watch was spot on. Until the next full length which is due in August, this is a perfect little collection to get acquainted with.

Favorite tracks: "Operator", "Memex"     

Memex was released in the U.S. as a digital download only on April 8, 2014 via the Wild Game label. Physical copies can be purchased through the band's website.

Official Website of Duologue

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Purchase Memex from iTunes

Purchase Memex on CD or vinyl from the Duologue website

EP Spotlight: Until The Ribbon Breaks - The Other Ones

The momentum growing around Pete Lawrie Winfield's Until The Ribbon Breaks project continues to swell. With every concert, every remix and every new release, I'm seeing more and more positive reaction online and the feeling that UTRB is on the verge of breaking through in a big way hangs in the air. A Taste Of Silver was my favorite EP of 2013 and I haven't been this addicted to a new act in a long time. 

Now a three piece band with the additions of Elliot Wall and James Wolujewicz, Until The Ribbon Breaks have unleashed a second EP that combined with their first, would make Album of the Year material. The great news is that a full length is expected later this year, tentatively in August. There is certainly already plenty of first class material to choose from between A Taste Of Silver and this new EP, The Other Ones.

The fact that the song "A Taste Of Silver" starts this EP out is a bit of a running joke. Yes, it was the title of the first EP but did not appear on it. Well, the band also has a song called "The Other Ones" and it does not appear on this release named after it either. But that just gives us something further to look forward to. What I have admired as much as anything about Until The Ribbon Breaks is the versatility in the music and the refusal to be pigeonholed in a particular musical style. This EP is a microcosm of that as you get bits of funk, soul, electronic, hip-hop, infectious dance tracks and gorgeous ballads, all spread across the four songs. 

"A Taste of Silver" is a funky banger, showcasing Lawrie Winfield's falsetto. "Spark" directs you straight to the dance floor with what appears to be an autobiographical lyric summing up Lawrie Winfield's musical journey. As I mentioned in my review of A Taste Of Silver, he previously released an album and some EP's under Pete Lawrie that saw him in a more folk-pop, singer-songwriter mode that screamed of a record company trying to make him into something he wasn't. It's obvious he has found his musical calling with the Until The Ribbon Breaks project, and music aficionados are better off for it.

Yes, there is a track here called "Until The Ribbon Breaks" and it's lovely, a somber electronic ballad which literally seems to break apart before building back up complete with a background choir and electronic strings. This time the jaw dropper for me is "Goldfish," an electronic soul track which opens with echoed lines from the first EP's "Pressure" before the song fully kicks in with haunting female backing vocals and an impassioned performance from Lawrie Winfield. Even with head bobbing worthy beats, it's a gorgeously melodic song, the highlight of another flawless EP from one of the most exciting new music acts out there right now. 

Favorite tracks: "Goldfish", "Spark"

The Other Ones was released as a digital download only on March 25th, 2014 via the Casablanca Records label.

Official Website of Until The Ribbon Breaks

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Purchase The Other Ones from Amazon.com

EP Spotlight: Random Forest - Random Forest

The last year has been a particularly busy one for David Walters. The UK based musician who records as The Echelon Effect released a couple singles in 2013, then the EP Cabrillo in July, before closing out the year with Atlantic, the first part of what will eventually be a double album with part two, Pacific, due for release in 2014. I have always enjoyed The Echelon Effect's music but Atlantic was a favorite upon first listen, just a beautiful, fully realized work all the way through. 

As if all of this weren't enough, now Walters has collaborated with friend Aaron Gilbert to form a new project called Random Forest. And they've just put out a self-titled debut EP well worth your time if gorgeous, ambient, instrumental post-rock is your thing. There are four tracks on Random Forest with opener "See The Storm" and "Until The Shadows" heavier guitar based pieces, while "The Best Of Us" and "Shadows Fall" are focused more on piano as the main instrument. As expected, they're all captivating and leave us wanting to hear more from this duo. 

Favorite tracks: "See The Storm", "Until The Shadows"

Random Forest was self-released as a name your price Digital Download January 10, 2014.

Official Website of The Echelon Effect

Purchase Random Forest from their Bandcamp page