EAR FILLERS #1 MAY 2022

The tracks that were on heavy rotation at HiFi Pig HQ during the last month, lovingly crafted into a neat and tidy Qobuz playlist for you to enjoy any time of day. Or night. We’ve put together a bit of info’ on each of the tunes and the bands involved but if you can’t wait to hear what’s in store then…HIT THIS LINK.

Wet Leg ‘Chaise Longue’

“Wet Leg? Never heard of them,” said no one with ears ever. The band of the moment, with the track that started it all last summer. Their all-killer-no-filler self-titled debut long-player doesn’t disappoint. An album of the year contender and make no mistake.

* From ‘Wet Leg’ (Domino)

Ghost Power ‘Asteroid Witch’

A trans-Atlantic collaboration between Stereolab’s Tim Gane in Berlin and Dymaxion’s Jeremy Novak in New York, ‘Asteroid Witch’ nods respectfully at Gerry Anderson and the classic Barry Gray soundtracks and comes on like ‘Joe 90’ after a night on the psychedelics.

* From ‘Ghost Power’ (Duophonic Super 45s)

Let’s Eat Grandma ‘Hall Of Mirrors’

The Norwich duo of Rosa Walton and Jenny Hollingworth come of age with their third album, which is jam-packed with sophisticated pop missiles like this. Life, love and loss all figure in their feet-finding follow-up to 2018’s critically acclaimed ‘I’m All Ears’.

* From ‘Two Ribbons’ (Transgressive)

Röyksopp ‘Impossible’

Releasing ‘The Inevitable End’ in 2014, the Norwegian duo explained that it was indeed the inevitable end and that while they would still be making music they were done with the traditional album format. Seems they weren’t. This absolute stonker features the always impressive pipes of Alison Goldfrapp.

* From ‘Profound Mysteries’ (Dog Triumph Ltd)

Confidence Man ‘Holiday’

This peach from their second long-player comes on, their people say, like MIA meets Underworld. They have a point. Pumping keys, squelching galore, huge choppy chords, it’s hectic future disco at its epic best.

* From ‘Tilt’ (Heavenly)

Private Agenda ‘Dressed In Velvet’

Berlin/London avant-pop duo serve up a very neat line in sleek pop music that looks to the past in its bid to leap into the future. ‘Dressed In Velvet’ is silky smooth 80s-tinged dreampop that could sooth the most furrowed of brows.

* From ‘A Mannequin’ (Lo Recordings)

Mylo ‘Mars Needs Women’ (Virgin)

Remember Mylo? The mash-up of his own ‘Drop The Pressure’ and Miami Sound Machine’s ‘Dr Beat’ was quite the wow in the olden days. This belter was an exclusive for War Child’s 2005 ‘Help: A Day In The Life’ fundraiser. The UK charity have recently released the album on vinyl for the first time.

* From ‘Help: A Day In The Life’ (War Child Records)

µ-ziq ‘Rave Whistle (Jungle Tekno Mix)’

When Planet Mu boss Mike Paradinas unearthed a bunch of µ-ziq demos while remastering the 25th anniversary edition of the classic ‘Lunatic Harness’ album (due later this year) they inspired him to revisit the 90s with the benefit of better kit to produce some nostalgia-inducing jungle teckno scorchers.

* From ‘Goodbye’ (Planet Mu)

Kraftwerk ‘Robotronik’

Their ‘Remixes’ album snuck onto streaming services in December 2020 and it finally – finally! – gets a vinyl outing. Official remixes are few and far between so this collection is something of a treat. This is the in-house Kling Klang re-rub of ‘We Are The Robots’ in case you were in any doubt.

* From ‘Remixes’ (Parlophone)

O Yuki Conjugate ‘Crosswise’

Andrew Hulme and Roger Horberry mark 40 years at the ambient coalface with a lockdown double album made in isolation. From each other. Hoberry serves up a set of shorter tracks on ‘Vol 1’, while Hulme went long on ‘Vol 2’. This track is a proper shimmering beauty.

* From ‘A Tension Of Opposites Vol 1 & 2’ (World Of Echo)

Penguin Cafe ‘Harry Piers 2021’

Initially formed by Arthur Jeffes to play the music of his late father’s band, The Penguin Cafe Orchestra, he soon found himself creating new spellbinding music. This track from the 10th anniversary reissue of the debut Penguin Cafe album is a reworking of ‘Harry Piers’ was written to play at his dad’s memorial service in 2011. It’s a real beauty.

* From ‘A Matter Of Life… 2021’ (Erased Tapes)

Patrick Watson ‘Little Moments’

Something of a best-kept secret, Montreal’s Patrick Watson just seems to get better and better with every release. His brand of expansive pop often feels like an indulgence so rich is it in almost every way. It’s proper headphone listening.

*Taken from ‘Better In The Shade’ (Secret City)

Wet Leg ‘Too Late Now’ (Domino)

So good we played them twice. This closer from their album of year elect is such a perfect closer we couldn’t resist. The line “I just need a bubble bath / To send me on a higher path” is a sentiment we can all relate to, right?

* From ‘Wet Leg’ (Domino)