Unfortunately, the end is nigh for the Introducing in Manchester blog. A change in job means that I, the artist formerly known as Producer Chris, am no longer able to update it with Manchester musical titbits and news.
And new music in Manchester continues to roll on, getting better all the time.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the blog and offered up such rich pickings - it’s been fantastic.
I will be continuing to write about new music on occasion for the excellent Manchester Scenewipe, so virtually speaking, I’ll hopefully see you around soon.
The tune isn’t out until March, but HeavyFeet are so (understandably) excited by the big, big tune that is Back Foot that they’ve put out the video already.
The tune is their team-up with MOBO-award nominated Nate James and it is every bit as huge as you’d imagine from a duo who recently helped a group of schoolchildren make music out the sound of stars.
Yes, that’s right - as part of the BBC Stargazing shows, they teamed up with a bunch of kids and some sounds of deep space gathered from Jodrell Bank observatory and made astronomically ace music together.
So in the matter of weeks, they’ve made music with a rising star and actual stars - so maybe it’s time they were superstars too.
Murkage don’t mess around, do they? When they blow up a new tune, they do it with the biggest explosives they have to hand - namely, their potent mix of a powerful tune and incendiary lyrics.
Torches is their latest nugget of wonder, a terrifyingly awesome cut that sets it sights on bankers, MPs and the rest of the establishment and burns them all with brutal word bombs (and it’s free to download from their site).
Listen to it and you’ll hear why it’s no surprise that they’re headlining the Next Big Thing night at the HMV Ritz on Saturday 4 February - undoubtedly, it’s one not to miss.
Just a quick note to let you all know that changes are afoot at Introducing Towers.
Staff changes on the production side of things - don’t worry, Sam’s not going anywhere as the ace presenter - means that Producer Chris (that’s me, writing the blog, in case you wondered) is no longer involved with the radio show.
As a result, there won’t be any more tracklists appearing on this blog. There will, as ever, be the odd story about new Manchester music and videos a-plenty too.
So… non-normal service resumed - tweaked, but still great, hopefully.
It was time to crack out the mince pies and sherry and enjoy a Christmas special on Sunday. The programme is on iPlayer and here’s what was played:
A Me Beats - Silent Night Bugs In Ember - Bah Humbugs In Ember Crazy Man Michael - Merry Xmas Everybody Ruby-Ann Patterson - All I Want For Christmas Is You Louis Barrabas and the Bedlam Six - Away In A Manger Briggzy/Samir Harmim - Mistletoe Pilgrims Way - Magic Christmas Tree Mount Fabric - Logical Christmas Kid Called Sorrow - Aching Lungs Selfish Lovers - Getting Home For Christmas Tawse - All That Remains Honeyfeet - The Wexford Carol Josephine Oniyama - Purple Snowflakes The Narrows - Santa, Is That You Outside My Window? The Electric Stars - Happy Christmas (War Is Over) Girl Peculiar - When The Snowflakes Fall JP Cooper - Mary, Did You Know? DJ Superchief - Walking In The Air Maria Jordan - Winter Wonderland Tonkin Ghosts - I Believe In Father Christmas I See Angels - Merry Xmas Everybody Jo Dudderidge - Never Wait Under Mistletoe Kirsty Almeida - Merry Christmas, Let’s Have Fun Kirsty Almeida - River Blind Atlas - Mele Kalikimaka Kathryn Edwards - Last Christmas Ren Harvieu - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas Ren Harvieu - Through The Night Adam Gorman - We Three Kings Kirsty Almeida - Just Cancel Christmas
Promos have got out of hand these days - just look at Rhi-Rhi’s latest, full of laboured points, burn-out cars and a pretty unrepresentative view of modern Belfast.
What the world of music videos needs is some subtlety and a reliance on nice lighting, a solid tune and a lovely front room.
Which is exactly what Air Cav have supplied in their film for A Call To Arms (the latest single from their excellent debut, Don’t Look Indoors).
Somehow, it’s more satisfying than a big budget could ever have given - and it comes complete with a frilly lampshade, so bonuses all round.
Christmas is coming early for fans of Manchester’s Red Deer Club, as the lovely label are giving away a compilation of tasty treats that’ll keep your ears satisfied until Boxing Day (and beyond, if you’ve any sense).
Red Deer Club Volume 4 features such local wonders as Sophie’s Pigeons (who offer up a track of such splendidness, you may well start weeping) and Songs For Walter, and such out-of-area beauties as Jonnie Common (who delivers a fine new version of the tremendous Summer Is For Going Places) and Stealing Sheep.
It is 15 tracks of excellence that are every bit as fine as - and maybe even finer than - volumes 1, 2 and 3.
Best of all, it’s a mere quid to download. A quid. You’d even struggle to get your fill of chocolate coins for that price, so in all honesty, what’s not to like?
Patterns – Induction The Cold One Hundred – All In Vain Samir Harmim – Like No Other The Calimacho Club – Baby Got A Switchblade Milk Maid – Dead Wrong City Reign – Anywhere Anyway Jon Kenzie - Lover’s Wave (acoustic) Jon Kenzie - Touch (acoustic) Jon Kenzie – Pacificist Ghost Outfit – Tuesday The Last Party – A Thousand Smiles Ghosting Season – Dead Man’s Switch Victorian Dad – Owner Of That Kind Of Heart The Cold One Hundred - Hedonist Dutch Uncles – X-O (Heavyfeet Remix) The Portlands – Blue Sea Blues (acoustic) I Swim With Sharks – Just Be Good Star Slinger feat Reggie B - Dumbin’ (Diplo remix) Selfish Lovers – Jay Walking R.I.O. with Misha B – The Naked Truth Dead Saints - Dreaming The Cold One Hundred – I’ve Grown Old Without You Projectionists – I Never Wanted Anything Ren Harvieu live at the Ruby Lounge
Kirsty Almeida – If You Can’t Make Me Happy Patterns – Induction Daley – Smoking Gun Coupe De Ville – Viva L’America The Narrows – Able Danger Swiss Lips – U Got The Power Ben McGarvey – Echo 2 The Portlands – Noctilucent (acoustic) The Portlands – Blue Sea Blues (acoustic) The Portlands – Every Word I Sing (Is A Lie) The Cape Race – They’re Young, They’re In Love Advances in Mathematics – Sad Xmas Present The Cold One Hundred - Hedonist Patterns – Throwing Stones From The Kites of San Quentin – Stoopid Air Cav – A Call To Arms Biederbeck – Settle In (acoustic) Black Lights – Open Your Eyes Jon Kenzie – Half Pipe Dream The Mouse Outfit feat. Dr Syntax – Get Ready L-Digz - Flow R.I.O feat. Misha Bryan – The Naked Truth Ruby Ann Patterson – The Heartbreak Game DRUGS – Connected DJ Supercheif - Ghost In The Machine No Tokyo – Ego Healer Santiago Street Machine live at the Ruby Lounge
A while back, Daley finally shed the musical chrysalis he had been hiding inside and released his amazing mixtape, Those Who Wait, onto the world.
It was every bit the sumptuous butterfly that any fan could have wished for - and now he’s letting everyone see, as well as hear, his wonders.
Smoking Gun, one of the highlights of the mixtape, has been given a classy black-and-white video - though sadly not a physical release yet - and it is nothing short of gorgeous.
It’s been said before and it will be said again - for Daley, a big future awaits.
