LISTEN: 14th – ‘Live At Maida Vale’

An under-radar act we’re wagering to rocket in 2012? Probably drop a couple stacks on these two comely Londoners – Tracey Duodu and Tom Barber. PinBoard frequenters, you’ll already know them as 14th, ergo heads hooked on Hide Yourself (realest talk – opening always breaks my alpha, bearded composure into a Kleenex-drench namby pamby). Emosh on a hundred, thousand…

They’re bringing grown-up, weathered-heart UK Garage and 90s Brit-R&B vibes amongst other ‘Post’ toyings nested inside an Alt-Pop fairytale cosmos – naturally broadsheets have been abuzz. They’re also kinda’ like a sensual, clubbier, more soulful, comparative to The Bird & The Bee I suppose. All of which leaves very little not to coo over…

Since UKG has begun re-emerging in the milked Brostep-lite commersh sphere this year with an increase in requested UKG remixes for major label acts, the contagious Capital FM friendly 2-Step sound that invaded Brit charts in the late 90s will likely be run through the re-modelling process by it’s upshot generation and proliferate radio again. Underground electronic producer Ital Tek said three succint words in an interview earlier this month that I’m sure sum up all our theories as observers/gobs on musical landscape: “it’s all cyclical.” When applied to danceable British Pop, perhaps in the near future it’ll be getting it’s gunfinger skank back. Hurrah!

Hear this live session with 14th at legendary Maida Vale studios for Radio 1 a few weeks back. It’ll restore hope. Duodu’s vocal is something quite affective and producer Barber knows how to scaffold it’s emotive fractures with mecha-melodies. Plus I reckon ‘Take Me There‘ is an even bigger record than ‘Hide Yourself’. Says alot. Worth coppage Feb 6th 2012.