A single, an album and an EP Blake Mills- Vanishing Twins Jordan Mackampa- Foringer Mt Joy- Acrobat

Words by Craig Carrington-Porter

What have I been listening to?

Out of the seclusion of not being able to venture outside (but still having to go to work). I started to rake through new releases in an attempt to distract myself from the drudging isolation of home. So, if you find yourself bored and struggling to kill time, why not dig out your headphones? Below are three reviews. An album, an EP and a single (although not in that order.) Probably against copyright laws but I posted some YouTube videos as well. Its a care package of releases, condensed into one.

(Heads up, these releases all came out at some point in March.)

Blake Mills Vanishing Twins-Single Review (March 20th)

Someone introduced me to Blake Mills but I can’t remember who. His work is a strange variation of modern day singer/songwriter with odd synth beats thrown in between. If you muscle your way through his catalogue you begin to build a perspective of this and when you get to the end, you both love his work but still don’t really understand what is going on.

Vanishing twin is a somber, harmonious and quite dense slab of music cake. It begins with simplicity, an almost digitalised guitar, a tapestry of drums and hushed vocals. Entering into our rhythmic thoughts with texture and a smooth grit that doesn’t rub your ears up the wrong way.

Its a solid 6, 6 minutes that is but in the bridge things mutate (is that too aggressive?) and layers of almost orchestral quality instrumentation infer and its certainly something to spend time burrowing away into.

The single has been released in anticipation for his new album, Mutual Set, due to be released on the 8th of May. Other (past) tracks to listen to are Hey Lover and If I’m Worthy.Plus Blake Mills doesn’t have a Facebook page-fuck yes.

Jordan Mackampa Foreigner- Album Review (13th of March)

These days it would be fair to say that less of us are listening to albums. On an empty bus ride home, tired from effortless work and pretending to care- this album almost fell out of no where. Foreigner is an incredible debut album and very listenable. It doesn’t dribble with too many layers of over production. Its a heavy weight of good writing, class musicianship and commercial enough for any eclectic fuck to enjoy (professional term).

The London based artist has compiled these song that followed him through out his life and inspired by the cities he has lived in. I’m not going to break down the entire album for you, we’d be here a while and although I’m trying to find things to do. I do enjoy sitting down and doing nothing.

Stand out tracks are;

What Am I, a really soulful song which has a lot of warmth. Beginning with just vocals there is a serenade of guitars, piano and drums. Lyrics that open with “Watched the news this morning, another town has fallen but people still are fighting.” Dancer, and how it just falls (gracefully) into the chorus. It’s the kind of song you cook eggs and bacon to on a Sunday morning…yeah? Can I get away with that? But aye, a sunny morning, glass of orange juice and a bit of What Am I . Sort you right out.

Interlude: Lula that follows into Foreigner, the single that named the album. The interlude is Mackampa sitting down with his mother, talking about moving to the United Kingdom and learning to speak English. Its a transmission that separates the album into two parts. With foreigner, also being an insanely well written track. The lyrics tie in that element of learning to read English, feeling like a stranger and not wanting to speak when being judged (or being placed in a new environment.)

Magic, and I like it because it reminds of Bill Withers, ‘nough said.

Mt Joy Acrobats- EP review (March 17)

Ok, this will be quite short and sweet because I have only had the chance to listen to this cover to cover once. Now thats not bad, this EP is everything Mt Joy incorporates. Its a mix of easy tunes, quite Americana but very likeable.

The band sprung up from dead dreams of teenagers flooding into their adult years and yearning to play and write music. Releasing songs onto the internet they picked up millions of streams and now have some comfort of being discovered. The EP is made up of reverberated guitars, organ playing and pleasantly croaked vocals. Rearrange Us has very California vibes (whatever the fuck that means). I think what I’m trying to say is, is that its quite surfy music or quaint background music at a house party. I don’t think I am selling it pretty well but its good. It’s Mt Joy and if you haven’t listened to them I encourage you to do so.

Like I said, short and sweet ;)

Right, now go and listen. Do what you have to do and stay safe. Let me know what you have been listening to as well.