2014 RETROSPECTIVE - DAY 10

2:54 - THE OTHER I

Just a quick one today, partly because of life things but also partly because The Other I is one of those albums where the more you write about it, the more you ruin it. 2:54 have always itched some kind of primal scratch for me; from the first time I heard 'You're Early' from Colette and Hannah Thurlow's self-titled debut record, I was hooked. They continue the good work on The Other I, at once both unsettling and beguiling with strong guitar work and siren-esque vocals. Most of all, the work has a transcendental quality; when I listen I somehow feel like I'm wandering some barren, foreboding terrain and fighting to stay afloat in choppy waters, all at the same time. All of which is to say: it's just a bloody good album. 

NEW MUSIC: 2:54 - ORION

2:54 are back! Over two years after the release of their self-titled debut album and subsequent extensive touring, the Thurlow sisters have signed to Bella Union and released new single 'Orion', with the promise of a new record later this year. One of the musical hallmarks of 2:54 was an intoxicating claustrophobia; on 'Orion' however, the guitars and drums expand out into open air and the track breathes much easier, hinting at a much different mindset. 

Check out 'Orion' here

2:54

2012: TOP TRACKS

Here are my picks for the top ten tracks of 2012, although it's more of a collection than a chart because I am rather loath to order what are all pretty spectacular offerings. Also provided are the accompanying videos in all their (probably) HD glory, ranging from anarchic newsreaders to bedroom fanatics. 

Inhaler – Foals 

You’re Early – 2:54

Echo – Wild Swim

Higher Ground – TNGHT

Gallop – Tall Ships

Hips and Lips – Maximo Park

Ghosts of Holloway – Lone Wolf

Cough Cough – Everything Everything

Arguing With Thermometers – Enter Shikari

The Mother We Share – CHVRCHES

2012: TOP TEN ALBUMS

By now you’ve probably read a fair few end of year pieces reflecting what has been a particularly fast-moving year musically speaking. I cannot possibly claim to round up everything that went down this year, so instead I here present 2012 through my own narrow lens, starting with a rundown of the year’s top ten albums. 

#10: 2:54 – 2:54

Earthy, murky, relentless.

#9: School Of Seven Bells – Ghostory

Soaring, mellow, intricate.

#8: Enter Shikari – A Flash Flood of Colour

Powerful, thought-provoking, DROPS.

#7: Lucy Rose – Like I Used To

Raw, introspective, BEATS.

#6: Two Door Cinema Club – Beacon

Mature, amorous, triumphant.

#5: Jessie Ware – Devotion

Sultry, old-school, irresistible.

#4: Alt-J – An Awesome Wave

Addictive, ingenious, daring. 

#3: The Killers – Battle Born

Expansive, revitalised, nostalgic.

#2: Lone Wolf – The Lovers

Hazy, DIY, personal.

#1: Muse – The 2^nd Law

Indefatigable, intimate, pompous.