If you’ve been yearning for stylish, danceable glam pop without the annoying gimmicks, look no further than Brooklyn-by-way-of-Birmingham quartet Deluka. Ellie Innocenti is by far the coolest frontwoman since Joan Jett, and her commanding vocals are perfectly matched with polished power chords and shimmery electronics. In celebration of the digital release of debut full-length You Are The Night, here’s the awesome mix tape Innocenti made for MAGNET. The album will be physically released October 26 via Vel Records.
“Nevada” (download):
https://magnetmagazine.com/audio/Nevada.mp3
LCD Soundsystem “I Can Change”
The new album is a band-van staple. I like its fast punk tracks but also like it when James Murphy gets a little more serious and wears his heart on his sleeve. I think the lyrics are great, melancholy and honest: “Love is a curse/Shoved in a hearse/Love is an open book to a verse of your bad poetry/And this is coming from me.” He’s totally underestimated as a vocalist, too. His falsetto on this track is amazing. Video
Beach House “100 Mile Stereo”
A friend introduced me to this band, and now I can’t stop listening. I put it on the headphones in the van and drift off some place else, teamed with the ever-evolving scenery. It’s perfect escapism music. The “drenched in reverb” sound of Victoria Legrand’s voice is epic, but tender too, and I can tell she means what she’s saying in the lyrics, and I like that. Video
The Rolling Stones “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
This is a song I wish I had written. It’s rare when a line out of a song is so bang on, that it totally defines a feeling. As well as it sounding classic: “You can’t aways get what you want/But if you try sometime/You just might find/You get what you need.” Ain’t that the truth! So good. Video
Depeche Mode “Fragile Tension”
I love this song. It perfectly describes romantic chemistry for me: an unspoken, unexplored connection. I love the synths; they really pull you in. The video is good, too. I’m a sucker for fractured light particles and spark effects, which it has in abundance. Video
Primal Scream “Beautiful Summer”
The guitar at the the start of this is so good, instantly classic and really nostalgic sounding. It’s dark and alluring. I love Bobby Gillespie; he is so effortless and aloof. It’s evocative and atmospheric and feels like it should have its place in like a film like The Lost Boys or something. And it to me it defines this past summer for us as a band: definitely one to remember. Video
Rhianna “Rude Boy”
On a slightly different note, I absolutely love this song. It’s total filth lyrically but utterly sexy with it, and Rhianna is an interesting one. I like the way she has morphed into a more Grace Jones-style androgynous artist visually. It’s produced to fuck, but sometimes I love the contrast of listening to something super chunky and slick booming through the stereo. One to listen to before going out, for sure. The video is good, too: cut-and-paste graphics at its best. Video
Foals “Spanish Sahara”
I like a band who aren’t afraid to mix it up a bit, and this was a complete departure for Foals from their jerky, angular debut. It’s a slow builder and another one for the headphones or before bed. It’s really powerful and totally builds into this rousing epic tune. The video is set in a cold, bleak place, which I love. The filming of the ice on the water is just so beautiful. Video
Prince “When Doves Cry”
This reminds me of being a kid and feeling moved by music for the first time. I was obviously completely oblivious to the lyrics and what it all meant as a kid, and so I was reacting to it directly for how it made me feel, which was a strange mix of sad and elated. I love the way music can affect you in this way, even when you’re really young. It’s so powerful. Video
PJ Harvey “This Is Love”
I revisited Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea recently, and having spent most of this year living in NYC, I love all the references. I like the melodic uptempo feel of this album; it’s unpretentious and honest, and in my opinion, it’s probably her best. This song is just really simple; she sounds so strong and empowered, shouting out her love for someone. The video is awesome, too: PJ dressed in white, strumming her guitar and stomping about. Perfect. Video
The Maccabees “Xray Vision”
This song reminds me of having fun in the band and my friends back home. It’s a going-out-to-an-indie-disco, dancing record. It sounds classically British to me and feels kind of Gang Of Four and Wire-esque. It makes me want to play my guitar loud and do a tag team, question-and-answer guitar line with Kris. The Filthy Dukes remix of is also amazing too. Video
