Midweek Procrastinator is back! Due to technical difficulties involving Tumblr, we’re delayed a few days but here we are nonetheless, providing some lovely listening to brighten your weekend.

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‘Music of 2013’ is a series of articles talking about our favourite music for 2013 here at Under The Music Tree. Our contributors have had a long and hard think, and this is what they’ve come up with…

Blisseyes are a Cambridge quartet who have already landed support slots with the likes of Coasts and Loom. Formerly known as Cooke & The Feedbacks (or Cookie & The Feedbacks as they were erroneously billed at one gig) they create atmospheric post-punk/indie-rock. They’re so new they actually don’t have anything online; so go see them live.

For fans of: Editors/ Joy Division/ Glasvegas

Although the paragraph was not written by him, Will Crosby decided it would be a good idea to nominate his own band. In the interests of democracy and the fact that they’re actually quite good, I’ve decided to let them stay in this list.

‘Music of 2013’ is a series of articles talking about our favourite music for 2013 here at Under The Music Tree. Our contributors have had a long and hard think, and this is what they’ve come up with…

This track was from last year, but it’s the best example of Seye’s work. He now has a few tracks, and I believe he has an album out later this year. He’s the younger brother of Metronomy bassist Gbenga. And he also hates me. I’m really excited about him for 2013 though.

For fans of: James Blake/ Foals

By James Langley, also known as ‘LANGERZ’.

‘Music of 2013’ is a series of articles talking about our favourite music for 2013 here at Under The Music Tree. Our contributors have had a long and hard think, and this is what they’ve come up with…

The artist I am most excited about is the collaboration of Evidence and Alchemist undergoing the pseudonym ‘Step Brothers’, on their release of the album ‘Lord Steppington’. The reason behind my excitement is that Evidence was on the of the first artists I listened to whilst getting into hip hop, however since my tastes matured I came to notice a greater amount of artists who appealed to me more. But recently I heard a clip from one of the tracks of the album, due to be released later this year, which got me all excited as it was a side of both Evidence and Alchemist I have never heard before.
Evidence recently tweeted: “I find it amazing that the most ghetto sounding music I have made in recent times was created in Malibu w a member of Incubus. #MikeE” - which shows that the album may be taking a completely different route to both Alchemist and Evidence’s normal style, seeing as I wouldn’t necessarily call their music ‘ghetto’.
Anyway keep an eye for the drop, gonna be dope. Peace.

For fans of: De La Soul/ Stetsasonic

By Pete Clubb ‘all round cool guy’ and hip-hop head.

‘Music of 2013’ is a series of articles talking about our favourite music for 2013 here at Under The Music Tree. Our contributors have had a long and hard think, and this is what they’ve come up with…

Daft Punk. They have a new album coming out this year and they’re one of the best things to come out of France. Up there with baguettes and the Eiffel Tower. The new album is likely to contain some absolute TUUUNES.

For fans of: Kraftwerk/ Aphex Twin

By Matt Cooke head of UTMT, self-proclaimed coolest guy in the world.

‘Music of 2013’ is a series of articles talking about our favourite music for 2013 here at Under The Music Tree. Our contributors have had a long and hard think, and this is what they’ve come up with…

Radiohead’s mastermind frontman Thom Yorke has joined up with one of the best bassists of this current age, Flea, as well as long time producer Nigel Godrich to create a supergroup I thought I could only dream of.
Their latest single, ‘Judge, Jury And Executioner’ provides a brilliant combination of classic Yorke with running basslines from Flea and modern age electronica influences that have created a sound initially similar to Radiohead, but at the same time introduces a fresh sound which is brilliant.
‘Amok’ out 26th Feb

For fans of: Radiohead/ SBTRKT/ Caribou

By Conor Baker, long term UTMT collaborator.

Entering the Indie arena in 2008 with a set of songs which were, at times, impenetrably trendy math-disco, Foals have built themselves quite a CV, with two top-ten selling albums, an NME award and a mercury prize nomination for their second album, Total Life Forever. Their eagerly anticipated third album, Holy Fire is out on 11 February.

Even before you press play, this is a really beautifully presented piece of work. The cover image is stunning; dusky silhouettes of men and women on horseback standing in placid rolling waves. The album begins with a gentle thud and builds and builds to noisy wails from front-man, Yannis Phillippaki and heavily distorted guitars. Titled Prelude, it’s clear that the band have been thinking more about the overall sound and shape of the record. Having worked with them on their immortal single, Spanish Sahara, Foals have been developing their relationship with the London Contemporary Orchestra, who appear in most tracks on Holy Fire.

The second and third tunes are the singles, the slick and sultry Inhaler, and the more jovial My Number, definitely one for the party playlist.

Bad Habit is a stock Foals-filler in my opinion. But it’s great to hear more expression from Phillippaki’s vocals - the hollers on debut album, Antidotes gave the impression that he wasn’t up to it, but these tracks bring out different timbres in his voice.

The complexity of the percussion that rattles away under Everytime makes what could be quite a cheesy track another danceable number and definitely a contender for the next single release.

The would-be Spanish Sahara in this album takes the form of Late night. It’s quicker to build and a little less epic, but the way that Phillippaki’s voice scrapes at the breaking point of his chest voice, guitars whine and the staccato notes cut through gives it the same poignant intention.

Out of the Woods is pretty minimal in terms of material, essentially the same vibe as Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams (something in there reminds me of The Sims too…) and with every line ending with “…Out of the woods” it’s all pretty basic, but after a few listens, it’s as memorable as the two singles.

The bizarrely named Milk & Black Spiders shimmers with delayed guitars and a pulsing half time chorus climaxes into the full force of the Foals sound, with the addition of sweeping strings. This is what the whole album has been working up to. There’s almost a worry that they will cop out with a polite fade-out, but worry not.

Providence begins with a gospel-like vocal, almost something Mercury prize winners, Alt-J might pull out, but we’re thrust quickly back into the Foals sound world, and venturing somewhere darker too, a mood which sinks smoothly down into the penultimate track, Stepson. This downbeat track is effortlessly moody, the rotating ethereal groove sounding not dissimilar to Albatross by Wild Beasts.

The haunting Moon completes the record, as if the disco ball that’s been spinning for the past 45 minutes has slowed down for the last dance at the Indie disco and it’s nearly time to go home.

Holy Fire is undoubtedly a more commercial move for Foals, but also demonstrates a mature voice from the band. I personally can’t wait to hear these tracks played at a late night at a main stage of a festival, these tunes were built for big things.

By Lisa Buckby

‘The 1975’, a 4 piece from Manchester, fuse rock, rhythmic vocals and good dose of pop guitar hooks into an amazing end product. Their light-hearted song writing skills come across beautifully on the hits ‘Sex’ and ‘Chocolate’. Just listen to see why I think they are gonna be huge this year.

For fans of: Phoenix/ Vampire Weekend/ Foals

By Matt Downes - Currently on tour with The Wave Machines as their sound engineer. In Matt C’s words a ‘top lad’.

‘Music of 2013’ is a series of articles talking about our favourite music for 2013 here at Under The Music Tree. Our contributors have had a long and hard think, and this is what they’ve come up with…

Famously championed by the late DJ, John Peel called them ‘always different, always the same’. Over the course of 29 albums The Fall have remained one of the most relevant live and studio acts, from 1979’s ‘Live At The Witch Trials’ into 2013, which will see them release their landmark 30th LP. The band’s sound revolves around the only original member, Mark E Smith, his growling vocals over the bass-driven, jagged assault of the band. Recent live shows have seen new songs aired like ‘Spider’, ‘Hitman’ and ‘No Respect’ and from the videos online it could well be a cracker. Information from Cherry Red, the band’s label, has been sparse as yet, but an April/ May release is expected.

For fans of: Wire/ Post-Punk

Below: New song ‘Hitman’.

By Connor Browne Co-administrator on UTMT. Member of Holden Girls.