NO PAIN IN POP COMPILATION

The guys at No Pain in Pop have taken it upon themselves to compile a compilation of everything that’s brilliant about music. From Abe Vigoda’s tropical punk, Banjo or Freakout’s digital vortex of sound, Health’s motorik noise jams, Telepathe’s ice cold Brooklyn melancholy, right through the trashed keyboard punk of Gentle Friendly, A Grave with No Name’s 8-track grunge soundscapes and hiccupping, diced two-step from Sunni Geini the compilation literally never puts a foot wrong asides from maybe not featuring a really good morally reprehensible rap song. It’s straight up 10/10 awesomeness all the way through and the world needed this so, so badly.

The standout moment comes from the reverb-laden world of Trailer Trash Tracys, and you can download it below, but you may as well come to the launch party on Saturday night, pick yourself up a copy, lose it along with your favourite hoodie that you stuffed under the DJ booth and then order a replacement online straight from the dudes themselves.

Download: 'Strangling Good Guys' - Trailer Trash Tracys

'FROM STARLIGHT TO SENTIENCE' - BANJO OR FREAKOUT (HIGH PLACES COVER)

Things have really been haeting up for out good friend Banjo or Freakout recently, and last I heard he was locked away in the studio putting the finishing touches to his debut album. This cover of High Places' amazing 'From Starlight to Sentience' which appeared on his blog brushes the original with understated grace, a little bit of feedback and totally and utterly rules.

Download: 'From Starlight to Sentience' - Banjo or Freakout (High Places Cover)

'LAVENDER' - A GRAVE WITH NO NAME

I wrote and recorded this track in about 40 minutes when I was back at my parents' place last night.

Download: 'Lavender' - A Grave With No Name

We are also playing a show on Tuesday in support of our good friend Banjo or Freakout's single launch.

A GRAVE WITH NO NAME/BANJO OR FREAKOUT/ATLAS SOUND

Photos taken by my good friends Nick and Tom. Thank you both.

BANJO OR FREAKOUT

Banjo Or Freakout is the brainchild of 28-year-old Alessio Natalizia from Turin, although now he resides in London. My friend told me that he used to be in a post-punk band called Disco Drive who are ridiculously popular in Italy, but he jacked it all in when he discovered how to play around with found sound on his girlfriend’s laptop one night and decided it was much more fulfilling sounding like the natural midpoint between Arthur Russell, Animal Collective and High Places and supporting bands like No Age and Atlas Sound - a no brainer really when you look at like that.

Click the link below to hear his cover of Burial’s ‘Archangel’.

BANJO OR FREAKOUT - ARCHANGEL (Burial cover)

There's also loads of other cool tracks on his blog so go figure.