Okay, so it’s a while since I’ve done one of these roundup posts (almost a whole month), and I probably should find another name than “daily roundup” if I can’t do one a day!

Recently I’ve been quite busy working my way through university stuff, so new music finding has gone by the wayside pretty much unfortunately, though I did find School of Seven Bells the other day (pictured at top), with their lovely shoegazy dancy sounds… Dancegaze if you will. Smooth, impressive sounds from the ex-Secret Machines Benjamin Curtis and twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza formerly of On! Air! Library!. I only wish I could have got to London to catch them tonight or tomorrow night - seem impressive, and ones to watch.

I’ve mentioned my love of Dan Black (pictured right) before, but his first “official” single “Yours” is out on 1st December, and I must say the video is looking pretty good. It’s no HYPNTZ, but it’s pretty darned good. And it features dancing on space hoppers, which is always a winner in my books!

I’m trying to resist the urge to proclaim bands as “amazing” too much at the moment - reading back a few old posts I’ve realised I have a tendency to proclaim undying love for bands that ultimately are pretty average. So feel free to yell at me if I proclaim a pretty average band as amazing!

One of my favourite music blogs, Winston’s Zen has been going from strength to strength recently, with a redesign, coverage from the new Freeze Festival in London’s Battersea Power Station, and a new “classic albums” section which started off with my review of The National’s Boxer which is still possibly one of my top 5 albums.

I haven’t really mentioned Lykke Li much recently, but I’ve realised that her album has become one of my favourites of the year. Slow, haunting, its slowly crept its way under my skin and has me craving it on the morning drive to uni. Her new single, Little Bit, came out yesterday, so be sure to download it pronto! The rather good and fitting video is available here.

Finally, I got my new Bloc Party album on Saturday in the post. it seems so long since they first announced Intimacy and made it available for download on MP3, and I fell in love with it for the first time. The CD is amazingly packaged (and somehow reminds me of Placebo’s “Sleeping with Ghosts” in looks) though would have preferred it if the last two “new” tracks had been left out - we just haven’t “clicked” yet.

Coming up, we’ve got more album and EP reviews, along with news of our new end-of-year survey with some great prizes for those of you who help us.

So, I’m trying a new thing this week: A “daily roundup” of everything that doesn’t merit a complete post of its own. It won’t be literally every day (I do go out sometimes you know), but will be a collection of new MP3s, Videos, music etc.

I first got sent Dan Black’s HYPNTZ back at the end of July, and fell in love with it, however couldn’t help but feel it was a tiny weeny bit too cheesy - sounded like some schoolboy rapper from North London trying to be ghetto. Then I heard it on Zane Lowe the other night and then heard the new one, “These Things Take Time”, which sounds like it has a sample of Nelly Furtado’s Maneater in it.

Dan says:

“I knew what kind of music I wanted make, but at first I found it hard to get these conflicting desires to blend well outside of my head. I’d been making these weird remix/mashups for my occasional Djing, so I thought, I’ll take the method I’ve been using for that but use it for song writing instead. The very first thing I tried was HYPNTZ.”

Download and enjoy.

MP3: Dan Black - HYPNTZ
MP3: Dan Black - These Things Take Time

We found out earlier this week that we’re off to Hydro Connect festival in Scotland next weekend, so you can expect a lot of coverage next week from the festival. However, this weekend of course is the mighty Reading and Leeds festivals, where many of the bands I’ll be catching next weekend are playing. Friendly Fires went down a storm, and I can’t wait to see their show after only getting into their album the other week. Meanwhile Crystal Castles caused chaos - I’m not a big fan of them musically, but might have to catch them just for the entertainment factor.

The two bands however that I’m looking forward to most at Hydro Connect are Sigur Ros and Bloc Party. Sigur Ros’ new video for ‘Inní mér syngur vitleysingur’ (’Within me a lunatic sings’)is pretty bland, but my God I love that song! Next Sunday, as the sun sets around Inveraray I can see them completely capping my weekend, and providing an amazing atmposphere. Bloc Party’s album has been on repeat since I downloaded it yesterday morning at 9am - I’m yet to be as hooked as I was by “A Weekend in the City”, but it’s definately a grower (in a good way).

On a slightly different musical side of things, Dido has released a new song ahead of releasing a whole new album in early November. Needless to say, it sounds pretty much the same as her previous two albums of stuff, with a bit more musical accompaniment (is that an orchestra we hear?) Yes, some might say it’s bland and boring, but I love it.

MP3: Dido - Look No Further