Category Archives: Switched On

Switched On: Jayda G – Guy (Ninja Tune)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Jayda G’s new opus is an intensely personal tale. Since her last album was released, the Canadian singer-songwriter has seen a surge in popularity bringing her high profile remixes and DJ sets, not to mention gigs. It has also seen her marry her childhood sweetheart in the same house where her parents were married.

The story here is much more about them than her – and specifically her father, William Richard Guy, whose voice can be heard in the spoken word interludes surrounding the music. The music itself is all about him, too, tracking his upbringing in Kansas, brushes with local gangs and the authority, splitting with his wife on return from a stint in Vietnam and moving to Washington. From there he moved to Canada, where he remarried and Jayda was born.

Jayda tells the story through pop music, though is more than happy to bring in house, funk and soul to enrich the musical flavour.

What’s the music like?

As above – pop music with extra colour and spice. Jayda writes with clean lines and has a cool vocal delivery, but these are beautifully worked nuggets that work in several contexts. House music fans will love the tempo and energy, lovers of soul will appreciate the deeper moments and the connection to the heart that she finds with her lyrics and vocals.

Pure pop music fans, meanwhile, will delight in the sharply observed lyrics, the hooks on which the music comfortably hangs, the sleek production and the riffs aplenty. What also helps a load here is the way Jayda clearly enjoys her role, and the personal input she gives to tell her story as vividly as possible.

There are many highlights, but a special mention should be made for Heads Or Tails, with its sharply observed pop and house music edge, Jayda G delivering typically cool vocals. Meanwhile Your Thoughts is an excellent power pop song, faultlessly delivered.

Does it all work?

It does. The ebb and flow here is spot on, the movement towards house music only heightens the pop sensibility, and there is a good groove at every turn.

Is it recommended?

It certainly is. This is music that is personal to Jayda G, but it will resonate deeply with any listener making the effort to get involved.

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New music – Public Service Broadcasting

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Here is a bookmark for your diary – the next release from celebrated ‘archive band’ Public Service Broadcasting will be an official vehicle for their centenary tribute to the BBC, first heard at the 2022 BBC Proms.

This New Noise will be released on 8 September, a celebration of the power of radio led by the band but with a key role for the corporation’s flagship ensemble, the BBC Symphony Orchestra. They appear under the guise of arranger and conductor Jules Buckley, their Creative Artist in Association. He has an impeccable record for bringing orchestras into contact with other genres in a totally natural way, as seen in the Pete Tong Ibiza Proms and a number of excellent soul collaborations.

Here is a taster for the release, the elegant and rather moving Broadcasting House:

Switched On: Tristan Arp – End of a Line or Part of a Circle? (3024)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

The enigmatic title of this EP hints at a thoughtful period in Tristan Arp’s musical output. Currently based in Mexico City, he has produced this set of five tracks that, in the words of his press release, ‘hints at timelines, lifecycles, and the shifting perspectives that come with zooming out from a human lens.’

What’s the music like?

Rich in colour and detail – and almost entirely percussive. Every sound at the start of the title track originates from something being struck, either delicately – as in the hi hats – or with strong expression, as in the bongos, tuned percussion and bass. Gradually wordless voices come into view towards the end, bringing much to reward the exploratory ear.

Arp continues with his intricate, syncopated rhythm tracks, the percussion making their own melodies above fragments from elsewhere. Branching Streams definitely suggests a more watery picture,

Panspecies Rights is a busy track, a really evocative vision of ‘every life form rising up in protest’ with its urgent percussion lines. A Livable Earth works as a response, panning out for a more spacious look at things but still with the forensic, insect-like detail in the foreground.

Finally, The Language Change suggests a new language for non-human communication and does so initially with a series of short phrases and clipped sounds, before sweeping cello-like phrases suggest more expressive thoughts.

Does it all work?

It does, though you need the right environment to get the most out of Arp’s music. Make sure you are somewhere that can cover all the frequencies.

Is it recommended?

It is, as an imaginative concept and set of tunes. Once again Tristan Arp has made electronic music with both eyes on the future.

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Let’s Dance – Fredfades – Caviar (Mutual Intentions)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Fredfades is the name under which the versatile and well-travelled Norwegian producer Fredrik Øverlie records. With hip hop and rap on his CV, Øverlie – also an accomplished DJ – is using this album as a way of documenting his travels and some of the many musical styles he has encountered, showing off his versatility at the same time.

Caviar is his second Fredfades album, following six years after the release of Warmth. It features a number of guest vocalists.

What’s the music like?

Caviar is a really strong album, packed with durable riffs, feelgood vibes and strong beats, knitted together to make a strong album that has the ideal ebb and flow.

The title track gets us underway, an accomplished poolside jam that sets the scene for a record that proves willing to look back as much as it looks forward. That much is clear in the rolling ‘90s beat of Winner, one of Øverlie’s finest moments, with its catchy vocal snippet giving it the ideal club vibe. Well, Well, Well does brilliantly in this respect too, using a riff on the glockenspiel that really stays put!

The vocal tracks are on point, too. Bendik HK brings the heat to Summer Of Love in tandem with a peak time piano riff, while Kristian Hamilton lends smokey tones to My Heart Is On The Edge. Tenerife 1994 goes deeper, Krushed Ice joining for a well-worked tribute to Pharoah Sanders that would please the likes of Kevin Yost – while the Balearic vibe is strong on Intuition, where MoRuf’s ‘you are one of a kind’ vocal makes a strong impact.

Does it all work?

It does – the proportions of each track are just right, meaning the album flows really well.

Is it recommended?

Definitely. This is an album to keep close to your ears as the summer warms up!

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Switched On – Little Dragon – Slugs Of Love (Ninja Tune)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Gothenburg band Little Dragon have reached their seventh album, which is an extraordinary statement to make about a band who still feel so new. It only feels five minutes since their songs Twice and Test were marking them out as the next band to watch, but those songs are now fifteen years old.

Slugs Of Love finds the band in a good place, however, with Yukimi Nagano leading them in a clutch of assured new songs.

What’s the music like?

There are some excellent songs on this album – some of the band’s finest, in fact. The title track finds Nagano on playful form but also shows how distinctive the band have remained in their fifteen years. Contrasting this is Glow, a profound utterance with guest Damon Albarn, a longer song that works really well and hits the emotional depths.

The band hit the heights through a number of songs. The influence of Price comes through on Frisco and Disco Dangerous, while Gold leans heavily on Whitney Houston’s Million Dollar Bill for its material. Meanwhile Kenneth is an airy yet poignant tribute to a childhood friend.

Does it all work?

Yes, thanks to consistent and inventive songwriting and music making. This is Little Dragon making excellent, left of centre pop music that knits together really well.

Is it recommended?

It is – album number seven being one of the band’s best to date.

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