I gave this track a spin hoping it would be a psychedelic version of the Assembly synth pop classic from the 80s. It’s not. Glad I did though as what it is, is a wonderful woozy and trippy slice of folk-pop. Bear Driver are going places – hey they even managed to inject real warmth into a version of the Christmas classic Walking In The Air and make it a song that you’d really actually want to listen to more than once.  Never Never is the perfect start for the new year and is part of a double A side with Let The Cold. The band’s debut LP is out later in the year and if there’s any justice in the world then 2012 will be the year for Bear Driver.

Chanting synths and sci-fi inspired Theremin style lines kick off this brilliant single from the very up-and-coming Zulu Winter. On first listen I though we were going off in the direction of quirky synth pop, but thankfully no. Instead Zulu Winter have made an epic record that has a stadium sized chorus that should make Coldplay sit up and listen and then steal some ideas for their next record. All I’m saying is that if Coldplay can get a number1 single in 2012 – then Never Leave should be the biggest selling single of the year. I know, the world doesn’t work like that. Shame.

Retro pop is rarely done this well but Little Racer have got the harmonies and guitar licks on this wonderful debut single totally nailed. Great pop singles are becoming a rare treat – not that all the genre defying experimentation around at the moment isn’t a great thing – it’s just nice to have a great 3 and a half minute  pop song now and again. Little Racer have come to save us in fine style as Split For The Coast is an impressive debut with great hooks, a great chorus and fantastic attention to detail. It could fool you into thinking it’s summer already.

I’ve been playing this song from Sweden’s Johan Reinhold on the radio for most of December and I’m still hopelessly and utterly in love with it. Johan has an intoxicating voice and the layers of  sound that he builds make this a beautiful, sweeping wide-screen epic debut single that has my mouth watering for the forthcoming debut long player. A modern classic.

Richard.
Shoot Me Down by JohanReinhold

This is a new music site, and so it’s very exciting to come across something that is so new – it hasn’t even been released yet. The only sad thing is – it may never be. It’s Immaterial are probably best known for their 1986 hit Driving Away From Home and the accompanying LP Life’s Hard And Then You Die. But they really hit their artistic stride with 1992′s Song, a heart breakingly beautiful album full of poetic images of a life led in out of season seaside resorts and beset by bad luck, but still full of hope – like the lead single and its chorus of “Heaven knows it’s gonna be alright”. For years there was rumour of a follow up, but amid talk of record company fall outs, nothing was ever heard. Until last year when this track appeared online. North Of Here continues with the musical and lyrical themes explored on Song and doesn’t sound a bit out of place in 2012 – even though it’s around 20 years old. If you look hard enough you can find bootlegs of the completed ‘lost’ LP House For Sale, rumours of plans to release it, planned tours – and even a picture of the two creators of this wonderful music – John Campbell and Jarvis Whitehead sharing a pint in a pub. Maybe if enough of us use the power of the web to show our love for this criminally underated band, then their missing masterpiece will finally see the light of day. Until then, just enjoy this effortlessly beautiful 4 minites of sonic perfection – Just North of Here.