Atlas Genius - Islands (The xx Cover)
If my senses are anything to go by, it seems as though Atlas Genius are be likely to be headed for stardom in the near future. The Adelaide based band “dropped in” to Crown City Studios in Pasadena, California to record this rendition of The xx’s track Islands. This track was recorded days ago riding off the success of their EP and a US tour in August-September of this year.
To date Islands is still my favourite xx’s song so hearing a live acoustic cover of it is welcome. I’ll be interested to hear what Atlas Genius have coming up in the future and to see if their debut album lives up to some of the buzz they have been generating.
Enjoy.
Download - Islands (The xx Cover)
The xx - Angels (The Confect Remix)
We are big xx fans here at the Ill Chill Pill. So when a remix came out to the group’s new single, I knew we had to feature it. I was holding out doing a clichéd post praising the group’s latest effort when I was not an immediate self-proclaimed fan of the lead single. My unreasonably high expectations got the better of me but I am glad I waited until I heard this version, which in my opinion eclipses the original.
This will be the 3rd feature of a remixed xx track on the site and it is featured with good reason.
The remix adds some ambient elements to create a dreamscape which accompanies Romy’s hushed emotive vocals beautifully. The drums are also oddly familiar from half a dozen hip hop songs I have heard. They help give shape to what might have been an otherwise totally fluid remix.
The new xx album Coexist is unleashed on Septermber 10th.
Enjoy.
The xx - VCR (Four Tet Remix)
Four Tet has won my admiration and I am always keeping an eye out in case he releases a new song or a remix that might fly under the radar.
He released one of my all time favourite remixes in 2010 when he adopted minimal vocal samples from The xx and made the song completely his own. The track extends almost 9 minutes and always manages to make me relax. Only 3 artists come to mind when I think of DJs who can control progressive downtempo on the same level as Four Tet - Emancipator, Tycho and Bonobo.
These artists are truly in a class of their own and easily stand apart from your house or nightclub DJ.
I’m sure after listening to the song you will echo the sentiments of Romi, hoping the music “don’t stop, don’t stop…”
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Give You More (Produced By Olu)
Olu |
Olu feat. The xx - Give You More
Olu is an up-and-coming unsigned rapper from Cleveland, Ohio. The dude is about to turn 20 and has already released several mixtapes, which includes a lot of songs produced by the man himself.
He has a loyal following which is destined to grow, but his music is good enough to listen to now. Take Give You More for example. The track heavily samples The xx’s Heart Skipped a Beat, (one of my favourite tracks from their album) speeds it up and transforms it in to his own personal tale of love and the breakdown of a relationship.
Even at the sped up pace, the music still retains it’s bittersweet feel. Olu’s unrestrained storytelling gives the song an element of harsh reality (the bitter) while the sample keeps the music sweet enough to make you want to keep listening.
Download - Give You More
Pushing Hands - Frames
Immersive, elusive and lucid would be the 3 words I’d use to describe British group Pushing Hands.
This was officially released yesterday 8/10/11 making it the band’s second official release after He’s Still Here came out earlier this year. There is still very little known about the the group.
Their sound is just too good and the video isn’t too bad either.
Talent like this doesn’t stay hidden for long. Enjoy.
Pushing Hands - He’s Still Here
Pushing Hands may not have made a name for themselves yet, but they have a folk-indie sound similar to that of fellow Brits Bombay Bicycle Club spliced with a kind of minimalism like The xx.
A snippet of this song was originally leaked on Indie Shuffle a few months back, but I had to keep hunting to track down the full version of the song that came out a while later.
Here is the video that was eventually released and keep an eye out for more from this group as we anticipate a debut album.
The xx - Islands
What a song. Simple, clean production courtesy of Jamie xx and tight, evocative guitar riffs. According to the band, Romy and Oliver both write separately at night. I think that adds a unique perspective on their lyrics, as their subject matter often revolves around their own relationships outside of the group. When these lyrics are juxtaposed through shared singing roles in their music, it just seems to work. The video is new to me but the song was very much a highlight of my 2009.
