Electric Feels: Your Weekly Electronic Music Re-Cap

ALBUM / EP OF THE WEEK

Sampha - Process

Whilst not strictly electronic (although he has a collaborative project with British producer SBTRKT), Sampha’s debut record Process is too good to leave out. Across the six years, Sampha has bubbled under-the-scene with co-writes and features on tracks by Drake, Kanye West and Frank Ocean, developing a knack for excellent R&B song-writing that has made him one of the most sought out writers in the game. Process encapsulates his talent in this craft, with the 10-track record swaying between varying styles and tones, from soulful and R&B to more up-beat, pop-ready numbers that are excitingly full of life and energy. Take Kora Sings for example. The third track on the record combines frenzies percussion work with Sampha’s sweeping vocals to create a rushing, animated feel – a stark contrast from the immediately following No One Knows Me Like A Piano, a soothing, R&B ballad that sports delicate piano work and Sampha’s fragile vocals – nothing else. Definitely a strong contender for album of the year, as early as a call that is to make.

Best Track(s): (No One Know Me) Like The Piano, Blood On Me

SINGLES / REMIXES OF THE WEEK

ELOQ - Diamonds feat. MØ

For those unfamiliar, ELOQ is an upcoming Danish producer who has been quiet for a minute now, choosing to focus on a range of remixes and edits since early last year’s Jerry Folk collaboration, You Know. The Next Wave Records signee, who has also released through collectives including Moving Castle and Activia Benz, just dropped the biggest track of his career to date, enlisting the highly in demand vocalist MØ for Diamonds. ELOQ’s return to the spotlight has been well worth the wait, with the producer uniting MØ’s instantly-recognizable vocals with a cruisy, synth-driven production that bubbles below MØ’s championing top-line.

Yon Yonson - This Evening

You know those acts that, despite being constantly talked about, you just keep forgetting to check them out? Sydney trio Yon Yonson is like that for me. It took me until last month’s Call It Something I Ate for me to finally pay attention to them, but it’s been well worth it since. Their forthcoming record Yes No Sorry drops this coming Friday (Feb 10 – if you want a date) on the always-amazing TEEF Recordings and to celebrate, they’ve released one last single from the record – This Evening. In comparison to Call It Something I Ate, This Evening is a far more down-tempo and sombre affair, with a lengthy introduction that mixes brooding vocals with soft piano work, creating a ballad-like feel in the track’s opening three minutes. The track switches up a little half way through, adding some glitchy, experimental percussion work into the mix to just give it that touch of flavour that it needed. Between the album’s teasing singles thus far, it’s pretty safe to assure that we’re darn excited to hear the full-length record from the trio – a record that I personally hope does what Call It Something I Ate did for me.

Fossa Beats - Maybe Later feat. Roman Austin

Melbourne-based producer Fossa Beats was someone who I was all about last year, with the beat-maker upping the ante in 2016 to release a range of singles on Mad Decent’s Good Enuff imprint, including a personal stand-out in Echoes. After taking a little time off to head back to the studio, Fossa Beats returned last week with Maybe Later, a menacing R&B collaboration with Roman Austin. Maybe Later sees Fossa Beats distance himself from the more radio-friendly pop singles he cruised through 2017 on, but it works in his favour. It really shows his ability to glide between genres and sound design, with the soothing vocals of Roman Austin being paired with a restrained, held-back production that is laden with soft chords and waves of percussion – something we’re not really used to from Fossa Beats. It’s a great song though and here’s hoping Fossa’s 2017 will be just as big, or bigger even, than his 2016.

Vincent Sole - The Game

Amongst a rush of newcomers to Australia’s electronic scene last year, one that really stood out to me was Vincent Sole. The Melbourne-based 19-year-old delivered one of last year’s best tracks, channelling Disclosure and Hayden James on the anthemic, vocal-house track Don’t Waste My Time, a track which he failed to follow up until now. The Game is his first single since, and, much like the Fossa Beats single before this, sees Vincent Sole delve into more of a hip-hop sound in comparison to his earlier work. Combining crisp, sharp percussion with a dark, looming bass line and some relaxed, hip-hop vocals, The Game is about as good as an electronic / hip-hop cross-over singles gets, and if that’s not a big compliment, I don’t know what is.

Woodes - Bonfire

Melbourne-based artist Woodes is someone we’ve been supporting for a very long time now, watching her grow and grow since she teamed up with fellow Melbourne-r Elkkle in early 2015 for Muddy, and a range of singles since. This week, she followed up her late-2016 single Rise with Bonfire, an enchanting new single. Bonfire is Woodes at her best, blending her delicate, yet captivating vocal work with a hypnotising, percussion-led production that boasts touches of tribalness (thanks to a roaring drum line that occasionally rolls underneath Woodes' soft vocals, and additional percussion work in the track's bridge from Elkkle himself) and, as always, that perfect sound design courtesy of Australia’s best – Andrei Eremin. 2017 is going to Woodes’ biggest year yet – trust me on that. Singles aside, she was just announced on the official lineup for this year’s SXSW (huge!) and signed a publishing deal with Universal Music, so expect a lot more from her in the upcoming twelve months.

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