Add Void’s Best of February Mix

As we languish on through one of the most depressing parts of the year it can often seem that there’s very little in the outside world to make us feel good. The onset of spring (despite how fucking long it’s taking in actually turning up) is probably one of them. Another has to be the early bumper crop of stunning new music that’s recently sprung into bloom (sorry, enough with the harvest metaphors). We’ve been totally blown away by the number of fantastic tracks released this month, to the extent that the mix has required various omissions to maintain linearity of style and an acceptable duration (pretty sure we could have done a sprawling two hour-long one if we’d wanted). So if there’s a personal favourite that we’ve neglected to include, please don’t consider it a dismissal, simply an avowal of how great things have been and how many things there are to be happy about. Yay!!!

Image is called Touched By The Hand of God and is by David Benjamin Sherry.

NEW RELEASES TO GET EXCITED ABOUT

Bit of a break from our normal output here, but there have been a few announcements in recent weeks that have made us sit up, take notice and salivate profusely. It may only be February, but thoughts are starting to turn to summer releases and festivals (damn those tricky record companies and their impeccably timed schedules) and in honour of this, here’s a bit of news about some people that we like whose new albums are imminent.

First, tUnE-yArDs is back! Merril Garbus and her trusty looping pedal have been in the studio and will release the follow up to the simply outstanding, BiRd BrAiNs on April 19th. The first single off her new album, w h o k i l l, premiered on Radio One a few days ago and is featured below. Apologies for Zane Lowe’s hyperbolic ramblings over the start and finish…

Next, Julian Lynch yesterday announced the release of  Terra, which will arrive via Underwater Peoples (not literally you hope) some time in the spring. Check out a live version of some tracks from the album over at the Free Music Archive or simply take in the languid, Just Enough, from last year’s LP, Mare, here:

Meanwhile, 4AD’s Gang Gang Dance have annnounced the follow up to 2008′s St. Dymphna. Apparently it’s called Eye Contact and is set to be released in the UK on May 9th. Exactly one month earlier they’re due play at Village Underground for a Dazed and Confused party, though no ticket news has emerged for the show as of yet. Still, keep your eyes peeled for that one and, in the meantime, have a listen to First Communion and imagine jumping around to it in a body-strewn sweatbox.

And finally. As if the thought of  seeing Gang Gang on the 9th wasn’t enough, the 8th of April sees an AV favourite land on these shores for what promises to be a very special performance. Pantha du Prince this week announced the release of an album’s worth of remixes from last year’s jaw-dropping, Black Noise. To go with this, he’s doing a set at Queen Elizabeth Hall on the Southbank alongside Apparat, who’ll be spinning cuts from last year’s excellent DJ Kicks. Here’s Animal Collective’s take on Welt Am Draht:

Add Void’s Ten from 2010 #3

After highlighting some of the more giddy and sun-tinged standouts from the last twelve months, it seems only appropriate to follow it up with a mix that offers a little more introspection. We’ve tried to balance some of the year’s more commercial successes with some less-heralded offerings in the hope you might find something amongst the familiarity that pricks your curiosity. The likes of Gem Club, Neverest Songs and Sam Amidon have all become big favourites of ours over the course of 2010 and are well worth exploring if you haven’t already done so.

Click here to get the full tracklisting and to visit our Soundcloud page.

Thanks to Think or Smile for alerting me to the amazing photo above. Go here to see more of Maria Kallin’s incredible work.

One More Mob

Julian Lynch has got a new album out, to add to his already incredibly impressive repertoire. Six releases in under two years is nothing to be sniffed at, especially when the quality is this consistently good. Psychedelic, hypnagogic, blissed-out, funked-up, laid back catchy smooth fun shit. It’s bloody great.

Here’s a taster.