Top tunes from MUTANT VINYL, THE MOBBS, APPLE EYES, INDIA ELECTRIC CO, SOULMATES NEVER DIE, VASCO DA GAMA, PARIIS OPERA HOUSE, THE SEA, YOB, LOUIS BARABBAS & THE BEDLAM SIX, GALLERY CIRCUS, TEDDY, KLEINE SCHWEINE, SHE DREW THE GUN, DAVID KAY, THE BAND OF LIFE, SERIOUS SAM BARRETT, TRAMPOLENE, GECKO and SOFTWHERE feat MEGHANN CLANCY

The BBC Introducing Mixtape is a 60 minute radio show and podcast broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music from 2-3am every Sunday night/Monday morning. Each show is available as a podcast for 30 days at the BBC 6 Music downloads page. The full tracklists and start times are published here at Fresh On The Net with biog information supplied by the artists. Previous tracklists can be found via the MIXTAPE tab above or on the BBC website.

All tracks on the mixtape come from the BBC Introducing Uploader: some are recommended by BBC friends and colleagues – the rest are tunes I’ve discovered here while listening to our Fresh On The Net inbox. For more about how the process works see this post.

These are the listings for the episode broadcast at 2am on Monday, 16th December 2013:

MUTANT VINYL – Lavender [Starts 0:17]
http://www.mutantvinyl.co.uk
Mutant Vinyl (photo above by Brown Now) is “the alter ego of Liverpool based songwriter and musician Edwin Pope, who draws on aspects of jazz, dub, trip-hop and funk to create his own unique, intoxicating blend, via his black saxophone. Edwin has supported the likes of Rudimental, The Noisettes, Rita Ora, Kids In Glass Houses, Sway, Mystery Jets, Electric Six, Beverley Knight, & Scouting For Girls during the past two years. Later this month, Edwin is set to perform onstage with trip-hop legend Tricky, at a show at Manchester’s Gorilla. New music is also coming in February, alongside some big gig announcements.”

THE MOBBS – White Collar Worker [Starts 3:59]
http://www.themobbs.co.uk
“From the heart of England and unashamedly dressed like all good gentlemen should be, The Mobbs play garage punk with an infectious ferocity second to none. Hailing from the old shoe town of Northampton, they have traveled Europe entertaining crowds with blistering riffs and are single handedly responsible for a 250% increase in cravat sales and moustache combs throughout the empire. In the past few years The Mobbs have released three albums and one 7″ and have been played on many radio stations including BBC 6Music, XFM and Absolute Radio. The band are currently promoting their latest album Stiff Upper Lip And Trousers To Match across the UK and Europe.”

APPLE EYES – What? [Starts 6:00]
http://soundcloud.com/apple_eyes
Apple Eyes began as the brainchild of London-based vocalist Claire Hadidjenar and producer Matthew Walker. The first song they recorded together Wild Beasts caught my attention and I’ve gone on to play pretty much every song the band has since recorded. Vocalist Claire was born in Indonesia and spent most of her childhood in Hamburg, where she learnt piano and violin, before making the move to Manchester at age 16. She brings this same spirit to Apple Eyes, aiming to make music that’s never content to stay in one place for too long. After moving South to university she met Matthew and the pair quickly realised they shared musical tastes. After spending a few months writing and recording, Apple Eyes started to put together a band to play live. More info on their Soundcloud page.

INDIA ELECTRIC CO – Eyes & Tears [Starts 10:34]
http://indiaelectricco.com
India Electric Co is the new joint project of hardworking and constantly-gigging songwriter Cole Stacey and multi-instrumentalist friend Joseph O’Keefe – who up until this point have been working together as a duo using their own individual names. After releasing their first album On Hire in 2012 they went on to do headline shows across UK & France and played major festivals including Glastonbury, Larmer Tree & Acoustic Festival of Britain. Eyes & Tears is their debut single as India Electric Co due out on Feb 3rd with an album the following month supported by an extensive three months of touring.

SOULMATES NEVER DIE – Two Lovers Tussling Tenderly Between Two Trees [Starts 13:47]
https://www.facebook.com/soulmatesnvrdie
The extraordinary Soulmates Never Die is the project of Leeds based songwriter, recording artist and well-rounded human being Joshua McCarthy, curently performing with 4 piece band lineup. Unhappy with hours and hours of playing Fifa 10 and The Legend of Zelda all day, Josh instead decided to write some songs about things. Things like Colonel Sanders, Meteorology and Gravy. Having picked up fans at at The Guardian, Clash and Drowned in Sound with previous releases, the new Soulmates Never Die EP Nothing Hurt, Everything Was Beautiful is out now on hand-stamped CDs (limited to 50 copies) and paywhatyouwant download via Bandcamp. Josh and friends will be gigging throughout the UK in 2014, and their interests include comics, mammals, serial killers and Kurt Vonnegut.

VASCO DA GAMA – Tonight We Will Eat Something That Has Two Colours In It [Starts 15:51]
https://www.facebook.com/vascodagamalive
The Reservoir blog once quipped that if “instruments could smile, the guitars of Vasco Da Gama would have grins as wide as the Mersey.” This powerful and innovative four-piece were first brought to my attention by Team Freshnet’s Chris Chadwick and have since become longstanding favourites on my 6 Music radio shows. Their epic Them Teeth also figured in our readers’ Fresh Faves back in May 2012. Tonight We Will Eat Something That Has Two Colours In It comes from their current EP Geography, from which we already heard the lead track Brigadiers back in April. Sad news from their Facebook page: the band’s Beloved Bass Boy Joe Falconer is moving on to bigger things, meaning their gig in London last Saturday was his very last show as a Vasco member… We wish him – and the rest of Vasco – all the very best for 2014

PARIIS OPERA HOUSE – Dragndrop [Starts 18:54]
http://www.pariisoperahouse.com
Dragndrop, out this Sunday December 22nd, is the first taster from the new EP Uniiverse II by
Pariis Opera House, aka UK electro space-funk mavericks Hyper Lion & Kidd Wolff. It follows on the heels of Uniiverse I which was released July 2013. The duo were described as “the glorious lovechild of Justice and Klaxons” by Gigwise, and have been championed by Island Records, Lauren Laverne, Nemone and myself at BBC Radio 6 Music, as well as Channel 4 and E4. They have created official remixes for The Wanted and Local Natives, and even appeared as themselves on Hollyoaks.

THE SEA – Get Up Stand Up Die [Starts 21:44]
http://www.theseasounds.co.uk
“True brothers in arms, Peter and Alex were junior national surfing champions, representing Great Britain at major International events, living the surfing dream on the Cornish coast … Then they discovered rock n roll… They formed a two-piece, aptly named The Sea and started travelling the length and breadth of Europe in the mandatory battered van, collecting fans and creating optimum noise with minimum band members and fuss. A licensing deal swiftly followed, and then the unthinkable happened… Alex experienced a terrible surfing accident, breaking his neck and leaving him unable to walk. The healing process was harsh and long, involving extensive surgery and physio. With steel determination and inner grit, Alex kept pushing, and confounding all medical views, recovered fully. This new single Get Up Stand Up Die is slated for release Jan 20 – on Blue Monday and their agents are currently booking a tour of the UK and Europe – with a new album on the horizon for Spring 2014.

YOB – Dog Song [Starts 23:11]
http://yobmusic.com
For the whole of 2013 yoB – aka songwriter Dan Hayes – has been releasing a free single every month limited to 200 downloads on his bandcamp page. With songs that cover heartbreak, education, paternity leave and immoral support. Over the 12 days of Christmas he will re-release everything leading up to the final track of YearoftheyoB dropping on Christmas Eve. Of this song he says “We live in a society where we are forced to think about doG. Even if we choose not to believe. There are countless faiths that demand our attention and respect. Even if they contravene basic human rights. Women are perpetually put down. Wars are started. Yet to this day there is still no hard evidence that doG exists. I think its time we asked religion to leave our governments, schools and places of work. So people can decide what is right and wrong.”

LOUIS BARABBAS & THE BEDLAM SIX – Waiting For Bad News [Starts 27:23]
http://louisbarabbas.com
“Whilst relentlessly peddling their peculiar brand of lyric-driven dirt-swing, Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam Six have captured the imaginations of every species of listenership, winning praise and support from the likes of Supergrass, The Mighty Boosh, Har Mar Superstar, UB40, The Blockheads, Mark Steel, Pete Shelley and even The Hell’s Angels – both for their furious onstage energy and Louis’ manic lyrical gymnastics. Their infamous live shows – incorporating rock, jazz, folk and theatre influences – have proved time and time again that the group is at home on any line-up, even sharing the bill with such disparate acts as Motorhead, Sun Ra’s Arkestra, I Am Kloot, Eliza Carthy, Emmanuel Jal and The Buzzcocks. Over the years they have toured Europe, the States, Mexico and Australia, inspiring stage invasions, dancing in the aisles and a confused mixture of exhaustion and bonhomie wherever they go. They are also the house-band at Manchester independent label Debt Records and have to date released one LP, three EPs, a live album and a concert DVD. In the past they have collaborated (either live or in the studio) with the likes of John Otway, Tom Hingley, Kirsty Almeida, Hope & Social, Liz Green and John Robb. Their second studio LP Youth will be on general release 3rd March 2014.”

GALLERY CIRCUS – Supercell [Starts 31:20]
http://www.gallerycircus.co.uk
Identical twins Daniel and Graeme Ross temporarily left their native Tyneside to spend the past couple of years chasing dollar, storms, and musical inspiration across America. Steadily performing since the age of five, Gallery Circus evolved when the brothers temporarily relocated to Chicago’s hipster haven Wicker Park in 2010 to write new music, and thrash together something extraordinary. Acquiring a reputation for throwing DIY gigs around the city they helped to spark an anti-garage/ street pop scene with several like-minded bands, playing on rooftops, public landmarks and in other illegal makeshift venues. Despite having no instruments of their own, the pair managed to scrape together equipment from charitable musicians and acquired quite a following in the iconic city. Having subsequently survived the San Francisco 2012 mini-earthquake, they have now returned to their native Newcastle to release this new single Supercell with their white hot screeching beats in tow. “Even though we’ve soaked up a lot of American whiskey, Supercell stays true to our British sensibilities,” says Daniel. “It’s a call on our generation to unify and stand against those who are destroying our kingdom.”

TEDDY – Primate [Starts 35:10]
https://www.facebook.com/teddytheband/info
Eddy Bailhache and Tom Falle have been making noise together since they were eight years old. 15 years and several synthesizers later, they now lead London-based art-pop outfit Teddy, combining a sensibility for pop melody with sonic experimentation. With the collaborations between David Bowie and Brian Eno cited as a major influence, their aim is nothing less than to obscure the parameters of pop: songs about religious extremists, monotonous commuters and drag queens permeate their show. In the last nine months, the band have moved from garnering ground base fans with their “Secret Teddy” private parties in East London, to opening the boutique summer festival Jersey Live, playing on the main stage alongside Fatboy Slim and The 1975. During this period they have entertained London in live music staples such as The Barfly and The Garage, and hosted their own two hour theatre show. Primate is their newly released debut single which came out last week and they start a two-week tour of the country in February.

KLEINE SCHWEINE – Lech’s Get Ready To Rhumble [Starts 38:12]
http://www.kleineschweine.com
You have to love a Northern political punk band obsessed with Eastern Europe and pork products and I like Kleine Schweine so much I’ve regularly played them on 6 Music ever since our paths first crossed. To declare an interest, their main profile picture (above) was taken by me on my phone and I sang backing vocals on their debut album – which is out now and produced by the excellent Whiskas from Forward Russia. To finance the record on PledgeMusic they offered various bonus enticements such as albums, exclusive previews, signed photos, pig masks, sauerkraut and… the chance to sing backing vocals on their album. Well – who could resist? This is one half of their new Double-A single “Lech’s Get Ready To Rhumble / Kim Jong Merrily On High” which available for download from their Bandcamp. The video is streaming from their website and their next gig is Sat 1st Feb with The Members and MonMon at Brudenell Social Club in Leeds. A lineup definitely not to be missed…

SHE DREW THE GUN – You [Starts 39:30]
http://www.shedrewthegun.com
“She drew the gun is an original music project based in Liverpool, UK. It is not about being polished and perfect but about finding lyrical meaning and letting it flow. A messy life in songs. A girl, a guitar, a laptop and some friends. Somewhere between folk and soul, lyrical stories, sitting wherever the emotion takes them, its been called ‘glacial blues’ or ‘lo fi lullabies or ‘songs to clear the mind and re-focus’. New EP due out December 2013, produced by Mario Leal, touches on subjects like love, loss, regret, time travel, bad habits, and new beginnings, expect reverb soaked guitars and mesmerising sincerity.”

DAVID KAY – People Who Want More [Starts 41:29]
https://www.facebook.com/davidkayacoustic
I’m a 17 year old, unsigned, acoustic Singer/Songwriter from Cumbria, influenced by the likes of Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Neil Young. I want to get my songs out there for people to hear and hopefully get signed. I’ve had positive feedback from the people who have heard my music and I play gigs around the North West, which have included slots supporting Bruce Foxton and a set at the Solfest festival.

THE BAND OF LIFE – Somewhere [Starts 42:32]
http://www.bandoflife.net
The Band of Life is the new sound of Purism, straddling the genres. It’s the latest band incarnation of singer/songwriter/poet/ musical pioneer Jayl De Lara who is back with a new album called Roma and this new single Somewhere. This follows his acclaimed album and multimedia project The Dance of Life.

SERIOUS SAM BARRETT – Alf’s Song [Starts 47:10]
https://myspace.com/sambarrett
Serious Sam Barrett is a roots/country/folk singer songwriter born and raised in Yorkshire and based in Leeds. Alf’s Song is the first track on his eponymous second album which is out now on Leeds based label YaDig? records in the UK and on the Alabama based Arkam label in the USA. Within the last few years Serious Sam Barrett has played all over Europe and the U.S.A. getting plenty of return offers for major festivals (Glastonbury, South By South West, Secret Garden Party, Soundwave, Kendal Calling), and regularly supporting high profile artists such as The Felice Brothers, Charlie Parr, Pete Molinari, T Model Ford, Deer Tick, Black Diamond Heavies, Willis Earl Beal and Eagulls to name but a few. Sam will be touring the UK and Ireland with Kentucky based band The Dirt Daubers in March 2014 and is currently working on his third studio album. He also has this exclusive show coming up at the Green note, Camden in London on 31st Jan 2014.

TRAMPOLENE – Under The Strobe Light [Starts 50:06]
http://www.trampolene.co.uk
We first came across Jack Jones (guitar/lead vocals) Wayne Thomas (bass/backing vocals) and Mr. Williams (drums/backing vocals) as members of the Swansea band Frame 3-13, whose single Will You Sort Me Out we played back in early 2009. Their career has continued on an upward curve since then as has the band’s musical scope and experience. Now based in Hornsey, London and signed to Mi7 Records, they selfproduced their debut single You Do Nothing For Me at Ray Davies’s Konk Studios and we featured it in the BBC Introducing Mixtape in August this year. Under the Strobe Light is the title track of their current EP and they’re currently recording their debut album for release in early summer 2014. A new EP will be released in February/March and the band play at the Queen of Hoxton in London on January 11th.

GECKO – That Time Of Year [Starts 52:32]
https://www.facebook.com/geckoband
We first heard London trio Gecko on 6 Music Introducing with their tropical acoustipop classic Guanabana Juice back in 2008. Fronted by songwriter Will Sanderson-Thwaite they recently toured the UK with The Skints including Camden’s famous Koko venue and this summer made their debut Glastonbury appearances. This latest single That Time of Year aims to fuse the warmth and nostalgia of Phil Spector’s seminal album A Christmas Gift for You with the audacious festive funk of Run DMC’s Christmas in Hollis. All the proceeds from the download of the track go to the wonderful charity Shelter. They play Mr Wolf’s in Bristol a week today (Mon Dec 21st ) and The London Barfly in Camden on Feb 12th.

SOFTWHERE feat MEGHANN CLANCY – Night Time [Starts 56:12]
http://www.softwhere.org.uk
Softwhere are the Northern boy/girl electronic audio/visual artists – and friends of 6 Music Introducing – Jonny and Sarah. Here they’ve hooked up with local Tyneside singer/songwriter Meghann Clancy for this latest track from their stable and Softwhere have made another of their trademark music videos for the song, filmed in the spooky ghost town of Whitley Bay. For more of their stunning audio visual work see their YouTube channel. While using new video equipment and software has certainly kept them busy they’ve loved every minute of creating it. They’ve worked with a few artists over the past few months including Lyndon Anderson and Hannah Rickard both of whom are very popular in the blues/folk scene in the North East. They’re also working with another singer who has asked them to remix her acoustic track into something of a similar sound to Night-time, but they’re keeping the details under wraps at the moment!

ARTISTS: A Word Of Warning…
After appearing on The BBC Introducing Mixtape you may well receive unsolicited email from at least one plugger saying they heard your track on the show, thought it “sounded fantastic”, and are wondering if you’re looking for promotion for your releases. Please check out The Pros And Cons Of Pluggers before responding to any unsolicited emails from anyone suggesting that YOU should pay THEM for services of any kind.