MAG: LANA DEL REY NEW SINGLE WEST COAST

If there's anything that could make my day, that would be new Lana Del Rey. She's been teasing for some months now, but after her Coachella performance this weekend, Lana has now unveiled the first official audio from the Ultraviolence project. And in timely fashion too, with CHVRCHES and Ellie Goulding quietening down on the material front, it's the perfect time to turn my fanboy attention elsewhere. "West Coast" is the name of the new single and it's extraordinary. It comes with the same vocal breeze and suppressed expression that we've loved her for, but with an added dimension of power in the production — whether it's the heavier, rawer instruments I don't know — but it's fantastic and I'm ready to fall in love with her all over again. That tempo change is tingling. I can't wait for more, though for the time being you know I will be abusing that repeat button.

BLOG: BRITISH GQ MAY 2014 PURCHASE

Excuse the boyishness of this entry's content but this is the best £3.99 I've spent in recent memory. Miranda Kerr graces the (special fold-out) cover of British GQ's May 2014 issue and it is stunning. Shot by Mario Testino, the feature includes six spreads of full-bleed photographs that would see the biggest chatterbox stay quiet or any hyperactive to concentrate with all his might. I too have done well to tap these words out, I'd say...

DIAR: JFC WHU STADIUM SLEEPOVER 04.14

These trips we that we do at JFC — stadium tours, camping, holiday clubs — always drain every last drop of energy from you, thus explaining another few days' absence from blogging. But that's not due to a tough workload or stress — it's simply a case of spending so much time playing, just like a kid who spends an entire day at a friend's house. Being with my boys, I feel like a kid again, messing about and laughing away for hours on end.

It was a trip organised in a really short space of time, giving our members less than two weeks' notice, but our boys happily pulled through and we managed to enjoy a wonderful two days out at West Ham. It's been two years since our previous visit, but with a different bunch of little 'uns with us it felt fresh and it was enormous fun. I took my Lumix out with me so there's a ton of lovely photographs and video footage that I hope to make something out of not too long in the future. Memories to cherish.

MAG: ELLIE GOULDING ALL I WANT KODALINE COVER

After a series of covers with electronic productions, which by the way have all been incredible, Ellie Goulding has somewhat returned to her roots of the acoustic guitar in this beautiful, beautiful version of Kodaline's "All I Want". Beautiful.

BLOG: CHELSEA 2 (3) - (3) 0 PSG

From: Chelsea FC

I'd not had a chance to post about this yet, but I certainly wasn't going to let it pass by.

What a night. I won't dwell too much, but I would like to make one point about Chelsea's spirit. I always assumed I was biased thinking that our fight and desire, which we have shown time after time, is the best in Europe. Now though, I don't think I was being biased. Our team ethic, togetherness and perseverance is surely something unrivalled, certainly in the Premier League at least, no? That ability to capture the hearts of watching neutrals, that resilience to the very end whatever the setback (the 2010 final versus Manchester United to reach penalties, the 2012 Barcelona semi-final, the victorious final against Bayern the same year, Benfica in the Europa League final, the Super Cup match against Bayern this year, albeit we lost it in the end again on penalties). Regardless of the manager or the star player's identity, Chelsea has this deeply engrained character, in our blue blood, that I think always gives us a chance whatever the occasion. I think I'm right...

I was with my Man Utd boys on Tuesday, as we together continued our Champions League affair of offering mutual moral support throughout these quarter-final ties. Shame your journey has come to an end, but I sincerely hope your support shall continue as the Blues face another two fights in the semis. #KTBFFH

MAG: MØ DON'T WANNA DANCE GOLDROOM REMIX

Caught this for the first time the other day, a banging MØ remix by one Goldroom. Turning "Don't Wanna Dance" into a right summer dance tune with consummate ease and of delightful exuberance, it's rather tasty. And a quick frolic through his Soundcloud makes clear what a talented sound-maker he is. He's called Josh Legg and I'm downloading his material immediately.

BLOG: VICTATE NEW ARRIVALS 2014 EDITORIAL

 

From: VICTATE

We've been very quiet for some months now, but that's because we're plotting hard. Newness will arrive and some changes might even be made. But for the time being, some New Arrivals came to be last week in the form of our Raglan Floral Lace and Special Edition Snapback with a hand-stitched gold chain addition. These images are part of a new editorial we shot in the heart of London to accompany the release — some mean looking shots huh!

MAG: WARPAINT DISCO//VERY KEEP IT HEALTHY OFFICIAL VIDEO

The Warpaint girls look ridiculous, prancing about each to their own — it's perfect. Off the masterful self-titled second album, they dropped this double-header music video today for two of my favourite tracks "Disco//Very" and "Keep It Healthy". It begins with the aforementioned prancing about for a full four minutes before darkness descends upon a skatepark, because why not. Have a watch and look out for appearances at Field Day, Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds.

MAG: SOHN DEBUT ALBUM TREMORS

From: SOHN

It's been streaming for a week (and has actually been leaked for almost a month) but today the debut album by SOHN "Tremors" was released and what a special record it is. A real showcase of inventive production and heartfelt songwriting, created by exceptional talent as multi-instrumentalist and architect of incredible sound. He visits London for a gig at Village Underground this month and I can't wait to experience the music live. In the meantime, enjoy his 4AD Session performances here, here, here and here.

MAG: SOHN LIGHTS 4AD SESSION

The fourth and final 4AD Session number is album track "Lights".

BLOG: BOSE SOUNDTRUE HEADPHONES

From: Bose

As of last week, Bose revamped their portable audio lineup with the revised branding called SoundTrue, covering new around-, on- and in-ear headphones. It's worth posting about because I'm a fan of Bose — their earlier on-ears were my first purchase and to this day my room is decorated by the Companion 5 system. They're very good.

But aesthetics have always seemed to be, not necessarily lacking, but somewhat misplaced if you know what I mean. They certainly don't have the clear visual identities such as that of AIAIAI's clean, modern pop; Beats' garish, colourful confidence; or the sleek maturity of Bowers & Wilkins. In my eyes Bose have always seemed a little outdated, with appearance design an afterthought to their unquestionably good sound qualities. (There was that commercial campaign where they claimed you no longer had to choose between sound and style — I never got where they were coming from at all.)

So they've launched the SoundTrue series, keeping the relatively new AE-2 and OE-2 models as they were, but encased in a fresh variety of styles. We'll start with the positive shall we, the matte black option is very tidy and I think a welcome addition as the main model to headline Bose's range. It has the right image of sophistication and direct appeal for what is ultimately a great set of personal audio equipment, highly competitive in its price bracket across the market. But sadly they didn't leave it there, and went on to include three more frankly ludicrous styles that simply emphasise that lack of identity, that confusion. These colours they've gone for in cheap white, stale blue and plastic mint appear woeful attempts of modernising their product to appeal to a broader market perhaps, but what a mess it's turned out to be. I mean the one on the right of the press picture above looks like a Beyblade toy. It's hard to know what exactly they were 'going for' really, what a shame.

Having said that, I would still recommend the all-black version of the on-ear style — still definitely a solid choice. You know, in case you were wondering.

MAG: SOAK THE MOTHER WE SHARE CHVRCHES COVER

Signed to their label and supporting the band on tour, SOAK has paid tribute to CHVRCHES with this unbelievably good cover of "The Mother We Share". I've had the pleasure to have seen her twice (at The Forum on both occasions) and I was blown away by the 17-year-old's such honest delivery — a uniquely impressive meeting of innocence and maturity. And I think that's what I'm so attracted to about this cover, of a song I'm already so deeply in love with, that she can communicate so effectively its sad, often brutal words in this beautiful, haunting number. Huge respect for SOAK, not that it wasn't there previously.

MAG: OCEAAN TO LOSE OFFICIAL VIDEO

Following the release of Oceaán's debut EP yesterday, he has today unveiled visuals for one of the moodier tracks on the record, "To Lose". Slow pans, studio smoke and angled silhouettes aplenty — ok, not the most innovative video ever — but it's a fitting enough aesthetic for the upcoming Manchester-based artist's great sound that merges rich, pulsating production with pure and simple vocal lines. This is really just the beginning of yet another British talent.

DIARY: BANKS LIVE AT KOKO

Fast stamping her name in R&B royalty, BANKS paid London's KOKO a visit last night as she embarks on her first headline tour. I'd seen her support The Weeknd last year so I was somewhat prepared for her sexy aura, but she turned it right up yesterday. It's as if she carries her music throughout her entire body, gently grinding and waving to every rhythm — and you can feel it resonate across the room as she releases that energy and that emotion from her voice. There's no filter from heart to throat and I was so drawn to that directness and raw, rough-at-the-edges quality. She's an incredible artist.

She performed all the tracks that are out there currently, spanning both the "Fall Over" and "London" EPs, as well as recent session covers of Aaliyah and The Weeknd — a real treat to close the show. In the mix were also a couple of unheard songs, gems from her upcoming album (said to be released in summer this year) including one called "Goddess" that was particularly memorable. She has a way of taking 90s influences and turning out unique blends of modern production and sultry classic, especially with her powerhouse number "Brain" which I've said before is my favourite track of the year and it sounded amazing live. She can deliver some big ass notes, I tell you.

It was a mesmerising evening, or experience even, and a perfect way to close a month of six super gigs. Plus I got myself some memento merchandise (of course) in the form of a BANKS t-shirt. Next up is SOHN later this month. Oh how I have fun.