Around that time a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumentalist called Wouter de Backer started making sample filled tracks that got the attention of Oz’s (rather good) Triple J radio. He’s now better known as Gotye (pronounced like Gautier), released 3 albums and won a few ARIA’s (down under’s answer to the Grammys).

His new album Making Mirrors is out now and you can hear the whole thing on Gotye’s SoundCloud page. Or on just about any other music blog right now. With hints of Andrew Bird and Broadcast 2000 his quirky sample pop still manages to sound natural, maybe even lo-fi on occasions. I’ve picked out two of my favourites from the record:

Somebody That I Used To Know featuring Kimbra is a mesmerising heartfelt love lost song, and probably the most poppy on the album; it’s got a good video too.

Somebody That I Used To Know (feat. Kimbra) by Gotye

Smoke and Mirrors is full of all sorts of layers woven together into pop bliss. It makes you want to sway until you get the big build up towards the end of the song:

Smoke And Mirrors by Gotye

Well that is my relationship with pet fish.

Naming your band, like Binko Swink have done, after your pet fish might be a better way to remember your little scaly friends.

Lyla Foy and Dan Bell have made music under many various guises, more recently as Oldwick, who I came to know a couple of years ago after playing at a gig with them at the Half Moon in Putney. When I saw them again this year with a new lineup, style and songs as Binko Swink, I was amazed at how much more I loved their music.

With accomplished song-writing, serene and charmingly nonchalant lead vocals from Lyla as well as some perfectly judged lead guitar solos from Dan their music has taken a drastic leap forward. I’m excited for them.

Their first single Patient, is an intricate mid-tempo pop number which focuses perfectly on the song and the intimate vocals. It’s refreshing for a record made at home not to try and use every filter and button they can in their pro-tools rig. You don’t need to try and hide your music in layers all the time.

Patient by Binko Swink

Here’s the video:

Patient is being released by Adventure Club Records on 12 September 2011 – they’re having a single launch party on Battersea Barge.

It’s from Canadian Jordan Klassen who’s growing quite a following in the land of the maple leaf.

There’s a slew of influences including Sufjan Stephens and Beck, but aside from that I think this song stands on it’s own as a gracefully dramatic little masterpiece. There’s a bit of everything on Go To Me - whistles, trumpets, glocks and choirs that all come together to a refreshingly over loud anthemic climax.

Jordan Klassen – Go to Me by chippedhip

Don’t you find when the sun’s out you can’t beat strutting down the street listening to an awesome tune feeling pretty fucking good about yourself?

So my tune for a summery ego filled weekend is by Fitz & The Tantrums which I just came across at Mad Macrkel.

Founded by Michael Fitzpatrick in L.A., this six piece are quickly becoming known for their soul tapping tunes. They’ve recently toured with the rather lame Maroon 5 – but don’t let that put you off, they are far better than any pseudo soul pap. They have real soul.

So whack on your headphones, walk down the street take pride in the fact that you’re so effortlessly amazing you Don’t Gotta Work It Out.

Fitz & The Tantrums – Don’t Gotta Work It Out (mp3)

You can buy their album Pickin’ Up The Pieces from their own store and you can follow Fitz & The Tantrums on Twitter

Fishing is the experimental electronic pop duo Russell Fitzgibbon and Doug Wright from Sydney. Like the Avalanches they make big beaty tunes that turn your frowns upside down.

Their current single OOOO is a testament to their sunshine sound, and despite being full to the brim with ideas, samples and melodies, it all manages to merge into a happy and harmonious cacophony.

You can buy the LP and get a bonus EP with it. In the meantime have a listen to the OOOO and the b-side from the LP, Pee Green Bote, and give yourself a smile.

OOOO by FISHING

Pee Green Bote by FISHING

British rock has taken a slump recently, there’s nothing new getting too far, but lets hope that changes. We’re due a new pop rock band soon. Actually what was the last great pop rock band? Arctic Monkeys I guess.

The Van Doos are a London based group and one of the rare breed that are not stuck in the gradually grating dickhead East London vibe. Maybe it’s cause one of the members is from York, like me. Don’t worry though, they don’t sound much like the only musical greatness from York since the medieval ages, Shed Seven.

Well they’re very new, so their isn’t much out there about them at the moment, so I’d say the best way to get to know their music is to listen to their new release, Is This The One, which I’m addicted to already:

The Vand Doos – Is This The One (mp3)

Download Is This The One for the price of your email address

Their first track, another great pop rock number Tenterhooks, is on soundcloud – oh and here it is:

The Van Doos – Tenterhooks by The Van Doos

With a slightly more conservative approach compared to Jessica Lea Mayefield, my last country adventure – Chicago born Tristen, now based in Nashville, writes with great maturity and melodic expertise. Her songs’ ever so slightly off kilter phrases grab your attention and keep you coming back for more.

Tristen, signed to indie label, American Myth Recordings, is scheduled to release an album, Charlatans At The Garden Gate on 1 February 2011. Last October Tristen released Eager For Your Love – a superb song with a fantastic chorus that the little voice in my head can’t stop singing. Here it is so your little voice can join in the chrous too:

Tristen – Eager For Your Love by AmericanMythRecordings

You can download the Eager for Your Love along with two other tracks for the price of your email address

Follow Tristen on Twitter. Oh, and follow me too.

I’ve completely fallen for Entrepreneus’ quirky pop beats – I just wish he’d get his hands on Britney and make that god awful Hold It Against Me something even close to listenable. Please stop posting it bloggers – it keeps attacking my life through Hype Machine!

Anyway, this remix is awesome:

Laurel Halo – Supersymmetry (Entrepreneurs Venus Fly Splat Remix) mp3

I play cello in a folk/pop group called Silvermoths. I’ve been making music with lead singer and co-writer Emma Churchley along with guitarist Kaziu Gill for around 5 years now – and it just keeps getting better. Silvermoths started around a year ago, with my colleague Kate Whitaker on percussion and we’re starting to get some attention around London.

I’ve also just heard that we may be appearing at a festival this summer – I’ll tell all when I find out more.

I wouldn’t share this with everyone if I thought it wasn’t worth your time. In fact I don’t even play on the title track to the single Superhero – a really stunning song. I am on our cover of Kate Bush’s Army Dreamers though, plucking away on the cello-come-bass and putting some backing vocals down.

Hope you like them.

Superhero by Silvermoths

Army Dreamers by Silvermoths

Unlike Sheryl Crow, Jessica Lea Mayfield is far more experimental, her already excellent love forlorn songs are exquisitely embellished in their recordings and fashioned into great pop songs.

Tell Me, the title track from her second album, is succinctly described by fluxblog as,

a strange art pop composition with a careful arrangement that sounds like someone trying to find their way out of a maze of mixed emotions”

Can you think of a better way to describe it? I can only add how much I love this track – maybe should have been the first single from the album too:

Jessica Lea Mayfield – Tell Me (mp3)

Her new album Tell Me is out on 8 February and is available to pre-order on Amazon. You can download her latest single Our Hearts Are Wrong for the price of your email address: