It's been a long spell since the world last heard from
frYars, the spectral electronic outfit of London's Benjamin Garrett. A few years on from the then-teenager's ambitious debut, Dark Young Hearts, Fryars returns all grown up on his nebulous new single, "Love So Cold". The wind-swept croons let off James Blake-esque smoke signals mixed with the bleary-eyed overtones of The XX, plus the lowest lows of 808 + Heartbreaks-eraKanye thrown in for good measure. And when the soft drums roll in, the minimal
acoustics chill the dust off your winter coats right down to the tails, and
there's just no looking back.
Today marks the triumphant release of our tenth single on Neon Gold, Ellie Goulding's amazing Under The Sheets 7", which looks set to be our fastest-selling release yet. To celebrate the occasion we've got some fresh exclusive remixes on hand from newcomers Pariah and Baby Monster, both of whom masterfully recontextualize the Starsmith-produced original in a dramatic new light. Fresh off our CMJ party, West Coast bright young things Baby Monster drop a beautiful take on the original, a slow-burning epic that gradually develops to a rousing, emotive climax.
Pariah follows up his spotlight-grabbing remix for The XX with another winner, turning Ellie's "you left a bloodstain" lyric into a haunting, visceral refrain and plunging the track into realm of darkness rarely approached on Ellie's original tracks. Both shine as inspiring interpretations that pull the original in all manner of new directions and contribute to a remix package that's shaping up to be one of the year's most exciting, rounded out by a massive hands-in-the-air Jakwob remix that's available on iTunes from next Monday.
Elsewhere, the phenomenal "Under The Sheets" video (above) has been kicking about for a minute now, but Ellie fans would do well to keep tabs on her official YouTube channel as well. Additionally, those still looking to lock down a copy of the 7" would be wise to move fast, as copies are quite literally flying off the shelves and will be sold out in no time. Records are still available from the Neon Gold Shop (US) and Puregroove (UK), get on it.
The XX are a new breed of bright young things. The South London teenagers pen dark, atmospheric compositions that demonstrate a natural songwriting ability far beyond their collective years, crafting songs that stay with you long after they've run their course. Introductory single "Crystalised" is one of the more breathtaking debuts we've heard in this or any other year, its spacious production and minimal arrangement giving way to the male-female vocal interplay that takes center stage as our subjects trade verses back and forth, stepping on one another's lines with a calculated grace to brilliant effect. The XX recently finished recording their debut album in the brand new one room studio at XL Recordings' Notting Hill headquarters and its currently being readied for release through Young Turks this September. XL have gambled (and lost?) on teenage bands before, but if "Crystalised" is any indication they're onto a surefire winner here.
It's been a long spell since the world last heard from
frYars, the spectral electronic outfit of London's Benjamin Garrett. A few years on from the then-teenager's ambitious debut, Dark Young Hearts, Fryars returns all grown up on his nebulous new single, "Love So Cold". The wind-swept croons let off James Blake-esque smoke signals mixed with the bleary-eyed overtones of The XX, plus the lowest lows of 808 + Heartbreaks-era Kanye thrown in for good measure. And when the soft drums roll in, the minimal
acoustics chill the dust off your winter coats right down to the tails, and
there's just no looking back.
