Rap-punk poets SLEAFORD MODS and synth-pop stars HOT CHIP teamed up to collect money for help organization WARCHILD, an independent non-government organization founded in 1993. The organization works with parents, caregivers, community members, NGOs, governments, corporations, and other partners worldwide to ensure that children have access to protection, education and psychosocial support.
An unlikely collaboration, but it’s pretty cool that they do it together for charity.
They recorded 2 frisky punk-disco tracks in London’s famed Abbey Road studios.
They were printed on 7″ vinyl, but sold out in an eye blink. But you can buy the
digital version on Bandcamp, below.
Joe Goddard (Hot Chip): “Making these songs over the course of one day at Abbey Road
was a great experience. We arrived without a plan but quickly began working together in
a harmonious way, with lots of improvisation and very little ego. We are very grateful to Sleaford Mods for joining us and very proud of the result.”
In order to not miss a beat Turn Up The Volume scans the musical
horizon daily (doing it for years now, actually) to stay in touch with
all new things sonically great and shares the results on a weekly
basis.
Check the 10 new rad cuts just
added to this rad 2023 playlist.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. ‘Listening To The Higsons’ by SPARKLEHORSE (US)
Mark Linkous, the conductor of Virginia band SPARKLEHORSE
left this world too soon. He took his own life back in 2010, at the
age of 47.
The album he was working on, named Bird Machine, at the time
of his passing, will be launched on September 8. Linkous’ brother
Matt and sister-in-law Melissa have been working on finishing
the LP.
This 5-piece trash-and-slash pop-punk combo from Nashville, Tenessee
(punk in Nashville) hit bullseye with their recently released debut LP, titled SUPER SNÕÕPER released through Jack White‘s label.
An unbridled punk fun record with all headbutts, except for one,
shorter in time than an average Ramones track. Gabba Gabba Hey.
Pod is a perfect example of the band’s Riot grrrl
infectious chanting. Think the B-52s on acid.
This merciless sledgehammer is the 1st single from these British gunsligers’ 3rd EP, named ‘The Humour In Hell‘, landing
on October 6th.
“Sabbath Town is our love letter to Birmingham and
an obvious nod to the kings of metal Black Sabbath.
‘The whole thing behind this punk rock is to stimulate noise’
The question is, will your speakers survive this brutal in-your-face projectile?
Well, to find out, press play and as OZZY proposed to his BS bandmates before
they started out: “there are movies made to scare people, let us
make music that scare people” you know what to expect below.
Think Sisters of Mercy and Depeche Mode having a wall-of-synth-rock-sound
competition. Trace Amounts has both a vicious and sickly sticky flow accentuated
by its titanic resonance and agitated vocals. Perfect to start and end (il)legal
raves with.
Giordano Giacchetti (lead singer) says that the lyrics are a cathartic expression of anger and disappointment, emotions that everyone experiences at some point in life. The track serves as a reminder that sometimes, we need to let go of the pain and disappointment we feel toward others or even ourselves.
This Italian hit team nail it with this big riff-insane
rock banger that explodes on the Herculean chorus.
6. ‘POV / Are You Watching Me?’ by TRIPLE A (Belgium)
📸 by Robin Gevaert
Sharp-cutting post-punk turbulence from Belgium. A jittery jackhammer
with a drop-dead cool bass riff, neurotic guitars, high-strung vocals and
a what-the-fuck chorus.
Good Man is a peppery piece from their 2nd EP coming up in 2024.
I guess you know that band named Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band, right?
If not, you never ever left your cave and, it’s about time to discover their rock ‘n’ rolling, glowing-organ and Americana-bliss-infused ardency as echoed here in this ridiculously catchy earworm.
And so much better than THE1975, although respect for what they did in Malaysia.
Now, here’s an idea, maybe THE 925 should fly to Malaysia and kick some homophobic
ass over there.
Oluja is a versatile electronic artist from Ontario, Canada. He describes his sound
as adventurous, lyrical, detailed, intense and progressive. He mashes up different
styles in his current works, including Black Metal, Folk, Electronic and Experimental.
This new extended piece puzzles me. Should I Kill Myself? is a scary thought, of course,
but you don’t expect that mindfucking pondering as a song title, yet we know that more people than we think are tormented by this very question.
But (there’s always a but) the cynical, dry humor lyrics and contagious poppy melodiousness makes you feel… alive, until halfway that is when the pace slows
down and the tone gets sinister and resonates like a mourning religious prayer.
Lyrically, this is not a happy song. It relates to the central concept of William Blake’s Songs Of Experience – it bemoans the corruption that
inevitably comes from adulthood and longs for a return to the purity
of childhood.”
Sonically, it’s a bittersweet symphony that enchants.
A stunning diamond of a romantic ballad from the new album,
titled The Feminine Divine by long-time famous soul-pop combo DEXYS led by mastermindKevin Rowland
Gripping.
Shivers down your spine.
Classic songwriting.
When waking up this morning, I had an often-occurring day-after-experience of a festival night with lots of loud music annex lots of beers. It happened at the Lokerse Feesten Festival in Belgium with shows by Siouxsie, The Waeve and Placebo and a couple more.
So I’m so happy waking up this morning, with the new single by British synth-pop
veterans HOT CHIP because FIRE OF MERCY is not your usual HC happy-go-lucky
tune but a smooth trippin’ ditty. It features the up-and-coming EBM songstress star
yunè pinku.
Lyrically it’s actually not a happy song. “’Fire of Mercy’ relates to the central concept
of William Blake’s Songs Of Experience – it bemoans the corruption that inevitably comes
from adulthood and longs for a return to the purity of childhood.” Sonically it becomes
a bittersweet pop pearl after a couple of spins.
Press info: Freakout/Release is another dizzying high in a multi-decade career that’s
seen Hot Chip continuing to innovate and develop a rich, resonant songcraft. And while they continue to operate at peak form, the album also feels like a new chapter for the group – a collection of flesh-and-blood songs that finds the band reaching into the darkness to emerge
as a true creative unit, their gazes fixed positively on the future ahead. The album features Canadian rapper Cadence Weapon, British DJ and musician Lou Hayter and production work from Soulwax.
MOJO Mag: “A mix of pulsing, oven-ready bangers and darker reflections, Freakout/Release exudes the confidence of a band operating at its giddy peak.” Score: 4/5.
TUTV: Hot Chip do what they do best, making records with tickling tunes, sugary synth ditties, whistle-along melodies, funky beats, but this time also moody lullabies for moody moments in these moody times. Summer isn’t over yet as long as you spin this mixed emotions Freakout/Release melting pot at your forthcoming cocktail gatherings.
Press info: Freakout/Release is another dizzying high in a multi-decade career that’s seen Hot Chip continuing to innovate and develop a rich, resonant songcraft. And while they continue to operate at peak form, the album also feels like a new chapter for the group – a collection of flesh-and-blood songs that finds the band reaching into the darkness to emerge as a true creative unit, their gazes fixed positively on the future ahead. The album features Canadian rapper Cadence Weapon, British DJ and musician Lou Hayter and production work from Soulwax.
This troubled year they dropped Late Night Tales and a remix of
that LP. It featured a cover of the Velvet Underground’s Candy Says.
And if that wasn’t enough they teamed up now with Jarvis Pulp Cocker
for a brand new single titled STRAIGHT TO THE MORNING.
“This is is a disco anthem about going out, for a time
when people really can’t, and it features our friend Jarvis
Cocker urging us to go “straight through until the break of
dawn” says the band.
Get out of your lazy couch and activate your legs…
London’s famous synth-pop act HOT CHIP are part of the Late Night Tales project.
A series of artist curated compilation albums. The mix features several artists with Hot Chip including three original songs, and a cover.
For the cover they picked CANDY SAYS. A mesmeric song about a transsexual,
written by the late singer-songwriter icon LOU REED. It appeared on The Velvet Underground‘s third, self-titled LP released in 1969.
You can’t beat Reed‘s unique voice but Hot Chip‘s frontman Alexis Taylor does an
excellent job. His vox hasn’t that mysterious timbre of the rock ‘n’ toll animal but
his take is as moody and gripping as the original performance.
“Candy says I’ve come to hate my body
And all that it requires in this world
Candy says I’d like to know completely
What others so discretely talk about”
