The Sifting Pan

Helping you find those Indie Gems!

Tag Archives: British


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Little Boots – [Better In The Morning]

Little Boots is an English 'Working Girl' and CEO

Little Boots is one power hungry CEO/Pop Star

Little Boots – Better In The Morning:

English electropoptress Little Boots is transforming the boardroom into a dance floor with her upcoming album Working Girl. Just listen to the latest single Better In The Morning, and you’ll be wanting to take stocks out in Little Boots. Better yet, you could actually invest your time in Little Boots self-made record label On Repeat Records.

If Better In The Morning  is any indication of the impressively addicting electropop in store for us, then I am sure I’ll be sold on everything that is being offered. I’ll go ahead and have my people reach out to your people to work out a pre-order transaction.

Working Girl is out July 10th on a internet capable device near you.

In the meantime, let’s go over this business proposal known as Better In The Morning several more times.

Twitter Handle: @littleboots
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/littleboots
Spotify: Little Boots

 

Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow


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Best Albums of 2014 #2.) Bombay Bicycle Club – So Long, See You Tomorrow

Bombay Bicycle Club - So Long, See You Tomorrow

released in February 2014 via Island Records (UK)/Vagrant Records (US)

Here’s where predisposition starts entering the mix of things. Since their 2007 debut, Bombay Bicycle Club has solidified itself as my favorite band in all of existence. So for them to have a nice and safe spot in my top 3 is hopefully not too surprising. Heck, even if I got over my personal bias this album would still probably be in my top 10! Listening to So Long, See You Tomorrow was like falling in love with the band all over again. Their latest album is a rich and symphonic experience that tantalizes the senses into a frenzy that leaves behind little room for disappointment.

My favorite English indie rockers have shown to the world once again the insane amount of growth that can achieved in one album’s time. Doing so this time by showing off how the many of different cultures of the world that have made such a profound impact on them. Bombay Bicycle Club definitely understand the importance of learning about a culture if your going to appropriate its distinct sound. They are not shy at all for accrediting their new direction to the beautiful countries they have spent the last couple years traveling and learning so much about.

A simple test to see if So Long, See You Tomorrow is the kind of vibe you can get down to is by giving the exhilarating track Feel a go. You’re either with Bombay Bicycle Club or… oh well I guess it’s your loss!

Favorite Tracks:
Feel
Luna
Carry Me
Whenever, Wherever
Overdone
It's Alright Now

Twitter Handle: @BombayBicycle
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/bombaybicycleclub
Spotify: Bombay Bicycle Club

Glass Animals - Zaba


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Best Albums of 2014 #6.) Glass Animals – ZABA

Glass Animals - Zaba

released in June 2014 via Wolf Tone (UK)/Harvest Records (US)

It’s quite surreal how damn crisp Glass Animals can make rich layers of worldly instruments sound. Even spine-tingling at times, as the diverse and powerful percussion hijacks your skeletal frame and forces rhythmical movement. I found it quite easy to give into the primordial spirit of things and indulge in the finer offerings of this British quartet. Gooey will win you over instantly with its rich and sweet textures that melt upon arrival to your cranium. Satisfying to quite a few of the senses and truly remarkable, it is beyond me how this song did not become a huge hit in the United States.

It’s hard to believe in a post Alt-J world that Glass Animals can not find a nice comfy audience. These guys are dripping in too much sincere talent and musical merit for us to turn the other check. I personally have found ZABA to make more sense and be more cohesive than any Alt-J record I’ve ever listen to. Maybe that’s just me, but I would really like to see the people who went bonkers for other the British oddities take a chance on these guys. They more than deserve the exposure and praise for such a smashing debut.

Favorite Tracks:
Gooey
Walla Walla
Wyrd
JDNT

Twitter Handle: @GlassAnimals
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/glassanimals
Spotify:   Glass Animals

Jungle - Jungle


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Best Albums of 2014 #7.) Jungle – Jungle

Jungle - Jungle

released in July 2014 via XL Recordings

Deciding to take a chance on British electronic funksters Jungle turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever made in 2014. In the realm of online music buzz these guys were being held up as a bright and creative beam of light, in what early on might have seemed like a slow beginning for our year in music. So after much avoidance (Because honestly I don’t usually care much for psychedelic dance music) I finally took a gamble and oh my did it ever pay off. Jump right into Busy Earnin’ and you will have trouble denying that there is something special going on here.

Jungle’s self-title debut contains a gorgeous cascade of many sounds, but with some that are most likely not made by any instrument that you or I posses any familiarity with. I highly suggest you go into this album open minded and ready for anything, because it will get weird. Not the uncomfortable kind of weird where you’ll want to leave the situation, but that certain kind that might spark a unknown curiosity inside you. There are some true gems on this album that stand out, but I highly recommend giving the whole record a spin before nitpicking.

Favorite Tracks:
Time
Julia
Busy Earnin'
Crumbler
Lemonade Lake

Twitter Handle: n/a
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jungle4eva
Spotify:  Jungle

Dan Croll - Sweet Disarray


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Best Albums of 2014 #8.) Dan Croll – Sweet Disarray

Dan Croll - Sweet Disarray

released in April 2014 via Capital Records

Dan Croll’s overwhelmingly strong debut album Sweet Disarray is exactly just that.

It’s delicious, daring, dandy and disorienting! 
It’s fresh, fly, friendly, and fascinating!
It’s gregarious, gracious, grand, and gravitating!
It’s simply sweet disarray!

In just under 40 minutes, Dan Croll manages to compact together what takes many musicians a lifetime to achieve. Mr. Croll created an indie pop album where almost every single song has the capability of holding its own. Each one crafted with an individual majesticness that only it may boast. It’s not as if Dan Croll reinvented the wheel or anything, but damn did he create one that I will keep on spinning until the end of my time.

Quite cleverly, he has channeled the style of many indie popsters and rockers that have come before him, but at the same time forged a sound that can now only be attributed to him. In due time the world will catch up to the all the glory and pop prowess of Dan Croll.

In Sifting Pan terminology, Sweet Disarray is what we call a big ol’ fat bag of indie gems.

Favorite Tracks:
Compliment Your Soul
Can You Hear Me
From Nowhere
Thinkin Aboutchu
Only Ghost
Home

Twitter Handle: @DanCroll
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dancroll
Spotify:  Dan Croll