Animal Kingdom hail from North London. Their new album Signs and Wonders was recorded at Seattle’s Electrokitty Studios with Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, The Shins, Band of Horses). The band has shared the stage with acts as diverse as Vampire Weekend, Band of Horses, Camera Obscura, Snow Patrol and a UK tour with the Silversun Pickups.
Joy Division / Disorder
Joy Division have got to top my list of bands I wish I’d seen live. Their sound is chaotic, tense and danceable, all at the same time. Peter Hook has written some of the best bass lines of all time, too. This track is a proper classic.
Mark Lanegan [featuring PJ Harvey] / Come To Me
This track is cool, dark and brooding, and sexy as hell. I love Lanegan’s vocal and anything Polly Harvey does is quality, too. This duet is the standout track on his Bubblegum album.
Screaming Tea Party / Holy Disaster
These guys are signed to a small UK label called Stolen, who also do Tap Tap and Pete and the Pirates, and are well worth checking out. Really unique sounds and absolutely mental live.
Silversun Pickups / Lazy Eye
We had the pleasure of touring with these guys this summer and they’re a great bunch of people. This tune reminds me of playing in a 100 degree heatwave around the UK. ‘Sweaty’ didn’t even cover it.
Arthur Alexander / Anna (Go To Him)
I guess this could be a bit of a guilty pleasure. It’s kind of a cheesy 50s love song, but done in a cool way. The drums sound amazing, and I’m sure that piano hook will get nicked one day by Kayne West or someone.
Pete and the Pirates / Blood Gets Thin
This is a track off their new record and it trucks. I love the weird middle 8 that slows the whole thing down. Lead singer Tommy Sanders’ voice has something sad and cool about it, and the band each bring something different to the pot. Definitely a highly underrated British band.
Loney, Dear / I Do What I Can
Loney has got to be one of my favourite acts of the last few years and I can t really understand why he isn’t massive. This song wasn’t even properly released in the UK, which is madness! Maybe his vocal is a bit Marmite for some people, but his tunes are incredibly emotional and sad and his arrangements rich and complex.
Kate Bush / Cloudbusting
I guess Kate Bush is either a guilty pleasure or zeitgest cool, depending on which side of the 80s you were born. I still wouldn’t drop her in a DJ set, but would definitely enjoy listening to her in the comfort of my own home! Seems like everyone’s finally got round to ripping her off these days.
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