tapes

Right, i’m back on the music wagon.

This month I have mainly been listening to Adem and Lisa Hannigan.

Adem (Ilhan) is also 1/3 of Fridge (who Cam loves) although his solo stuff is fairly removed from Fridge-stylings. I was passed his latest album (Takes) last summer, it’s a collection of covers and there are one or two absolutely excellent moments – his cover of aphex twin’s ‘to cure a weakling child/boy girl song’ is beautiful and an inspired reworking of the original in my opinion. The whole concept of this album is fairly self-indulgent (covers of songs that Adem likes) and it does veer into pet project territory at times. However his first album (Homesongs) seems a far better representation of Adem’s “nu-folk” style, I’m particularly digging ‘these are your friends’, ‘ringing in my ear’ and ‘statued’ the slightly groove-y and looped feel of things feels similar to some other things i like (mum springs to mind – the icelanders, not my mother), although i hasten to add this isn’t to say the two sound particularly similar, there just seems to be a similar(ish) approach to structure and texture and…things.

I’ve been a fan of Lisa Hannigan ever since I first heard Damien Rice’s first album about 7 years ago, although she was always billed as ‘backing vocals’ i think she had a big part in making that album what it was (not everyone’s cup of tea i know but i like it). ever since she left Rice’s band (was she pushed? did she jump? do we care?) she has been quietly working away on her own stuff, i first got my hands on her debut album, ‘Sea Sew’ last year when it went on limited release in Ireland and have been singing her praises ever since. The album is a gorgeous, warm, slightly diy slice of folk-pop with quirky instrumentation beautifully complementing Miss Hannigan’s undoubted vocal skillz. Cam and I went to see her a month or so ago, Cam is now a fan. She is ace.

Also, this video is lovely.