Box Musique » Burial

The XX Win the Mercury

David — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 11:25:26 +0000

It’s official, The XX have won arguably the most revered award in British music, the Mercury Music Prize. Beating bookies favourite Paul Weller the London trio also fought off competition from the likes of Biffy Clyro, Mumford & Sons and Foals. This is kind of out of sync with the other news I usually post here, but I thought I’d comment on it because I think they really deserve it. The Mercury may have lost some of its clout in recent years, last year’s event and eventual choice — Speech Debelle’s Speech Therapy — was widely criticised, but there is still an artistic significance to the prize and I believe The XX epitomise what it stands for. The album which clinched the accolade XX is a charmingly minimal record which stands in contrast to the flood of washed out, over-complicated offerings that have overrun the mainstream in recent times. It’s the opposition that makes it stand out and the sheer quality which ultimately endures. Let’s hope the panel makes an equally informed choice next year because to be honest I’m still hurting from the way they shunned Burial in 2008.

Hmm, I feel a bit strange, I’ve written a post and not sworn or debased myself in some way…shit.

Buy The XX music at 7digital.

Desto, RAMP027 and Nuclear Winters

David — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:38:56 +0000

Compatriot of Tes La Rok, Desto is one of the few Finnish dubstep producers to hit the peripheries of the international scene. Making music that sounds like Burial and Ramadanman dropped in the middle of a deserted metropolis during a nuclear winter, it provokes all kinds of futuristic reverie. Mesmerising, melodic and seriously addictive, this stuff makes you feel like you’re mainlining essence of perfection.

‘Broken Memory’ is the b-side to the forthcoming release of ‘Disappearing Reappearing Ink’, which is set to drop on Ramp Recordings as RAMP027 some time this month. An unknown benefactor sneaked me an mp3, so grab a taste of genius below. But seriously, go and buy this, it’s huge.

Desto – Broken Memory

Buy Desto music at 7digital.

Burial and El-B to Collaborate on Nu-Levels

David — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:52:11 +0000

Burial and the man before Burial, garage legend and dubstep pioneer El-B, are conspiring to collaborate on an upcoming compilation release dubbed Nu-Levels. Due to drop on El-B’s imprint, Ghost Recordings, in April, El told Fact mag that the release will feature “Zed Bias, Burial, El-B, Narrows, MRK-1, Luke Envoy, Heny-G, J da Flex plus three new artists: Yoof, Karmine, Opus” as well as a host of vocal talent.

The motivation behind the record is that all the heads at the label “were just so sick of strong 12” releases and a constant stream of weak dubstep albums with two good tracks”, so I guess they just decided it was time for something better. Hopefully it’ll be considerably more enjoyable than Caspa’s Everybody’s Talking, Nobody’s Listening. I don’t care what anybody says about that god damn album, it’s shit and every copy deserves to be melted into slag and buried in a volcano. Apart from that ‘Lon-Don City’ track…that’s pretty cool…

El-B – Cruiser

Buy Burial and El-B tunes at 7digital.