Top tunes from VINYL JACKET, SUPER SQUARECLOUD, OLASZMIDT, EEVES, THE LITTLE UNSAID, MATT WOOSEY, G, TEGA AKPOD, THE WITCH & THE ROBOT, SMILEX, BABEL, MATILDAZ, FLAUNT, THE DIRTY LIES, STIKMAN WILD, MARLEY BLANDFORD, BALTHAZAR DELICADO & DAVID DUELL and FEMINIST

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. 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 the night of Sunday 19th January (technically the morning of Monday, 20th January 2014… We’ll be adding biog information supplied by the artists here shortly.

VINYL JACKET – Corona [Starts 0:17]
http://www.vinyljacket.co.uk
“Vinyl Jacket hail from a Northumberland town with a population of 2,000 that’s famous for its real ale brewery and the father of the railways. They have been played on BBC Radio 1, BBC 6Music and XFM, as well as performed at Glastonbury Festival, The Great Escape & Reeperbahn Festival (Hamburg). In August 2011 they recorded a Maida Vale session for Huw Stephens and in September 2012, the band shot a Burberry Acoustic session.” This track Corona comes from their forthcoming Safari EP which was was recorded in warehouses around Newcastle upon Tyne and is due out April 2014. The title track will be online in February – together with a remix by Shields. The band will be touring the UK in April with follow-up releases and more live dates to come later this year. Their next live show is on Monday 24th February at The Head of Steam, Newcastle.”

SUPER SQUARECLOUD – Sanguine [Starts 03:35]
http://facebook.com/supersquarecloud
Back in 2012 a 6 Music listener in Chippenham called Ewan Merrett tipped us the wink about a new oddball Swindon outfit called Super Squarecloud – whose music he described as “Just a great blend of clever musicianship and cool catchy melodies”. Their tune JMPTHNFLYNW (“Jump then Fly Now”) – taken from an EP of peculiar music painstakingly recorded in various bedrooms on a shoestring budget – amply bore this out. It took our listeners by storm. Fast forward two years to this track Sanguine and both the band’s sound and reputation have clearly grown and developed. Fellow Freshmod and BBC Introducing presenter Sam Bonham has been vigorously supporting them at BBC Bristol, and there’s been a palpable sense of excitement at them appearing on this weekend’s Listening Post. Spelndid music by a splendid set of people – and a BBC Introducing success story to boot. Result!

OLA SZMIDT – Flying Carpet [Starts 06:45]
http://www.soundcloud.com/olaszmidt
This effortless 66 second gem hasn’t – as far as we know – been recorded mixed or mastered by anyone famous. Leicester based vocalist, pianist, flautist, composer and improviser Ola Szmidt is the real deal – one of those rare artists whose voice speaks heart to heart at a level deeper than words. We featured her recent collaboration with guitarist Andy Keeble on my BBC Introducing Mixtape back in November. Here, like the true artist she is, Ola plays just enough – and for just long enough – to make her point and then stops. Gorgeous and understated, Flying Carpet floats tantalisingly in space and leaves you reaching for the Replay button again and again. She’s looking to perform her daring music in small, unusual venues in the course of this year. If anyone has ideas, suggestions or contacts, she’d love you to get in touch.

EEVES – Alone [Starts 07:50]
https://www.facebook.com/eevesmusic
“Eeves are a four piece indie / post-punk band from Teesside consisting of Peter McDonald and brothers Stephen, Andew and Thomas Masterman. We formed in the autumn of 2010 and completed our first four-track e.p in February 2011. We are returning to the studio in the coming weeks to record new material whilst planning a thread of gigs throughout the north of England.”

THE LITTLE UNSAID – Gun Goes Off [Starts 10:38]
http://www.thelittleunsaid.com
“The Little Unsaid is the musical project of John Elliott, a London-based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer who originally hails from a tiny town in West Yorkshire. The 2013 album Dig for the Promise (mixed by longtime Jonny Greenwood collaborator Graeme Stewart) features beats and melodies constructed from ‘found’ sounds recorded around the streets of London, overlaid with piano, strings, brass, electronics, harmonium, harp, guitar and voice. The Little Unsaid’s live lineup varies from gig to gig, often featuring the Southfields String Quartet who also appear on the album. A new EP in collaboration with the quartet and various other musicians is currently being produced. ”

MATT WOOSEY – Could You Be The One [Starts 15:04]
http://www.mattwoosey.co.uk
Great Malvern-based guitarist and songwriter Matt Woosey describes himself as “blues-influenced to the core – although I like to be as broad as possible at the same time. My style combines intricate chord changes with poetic lyrics and at times, breaking out into powerful blues movements.” His music career started at the age of 15 as drummer in a house band playing Thin Lizzy songs for a musical at a Bristol theatre. Without question, this formative experience laid the foundations for Matt’s distinctively percussive guitar style and the innate groove and “feel” that are the hallmark of his writing, playing and singing. This year will see a new comilation of his first five albums in a new triple-disc package. See the discography section on the website for examples of Matt’s earlier work. “Draw A Line” will give fans the chance to hear Matt, quite literally, grow up as a musician and touring artist and will be available from the on-line shop on this website from January. Meanwhile this track comes from his Hook, Line And Sinker EP – with four new songs recorded at Modern World studios – which was released via Matt Woosey Music in November.

G – Approximation [Starts 19:35]
https://soundcloud.com/gs-tunes
“We are currently three in G – Gareth Driscoll, Colin Daniel and Simon Perrin – and hoping to recruit some more members soon to help out with live shows. We’d like to hear from drummers, Rhodes piano players, female backing vocalists – in fact any musically interesting offers that come our way. Our songs resurrect the ghosts of Lewis Taylor, Donald Fagen, George Clinton, Todd Rundgren (Gareth is an massive fan of Todd), Frank Zappa – and we’re also constantly inspired by Pharrell Williams, Doug Stanhope and the late, great Patrice O’Neal. We are in love with the craft and growing under the radar, ready for shows this Spring/Summer. We hope that an element of humour (likely caused by Gareth’s current job mixing TV programmes starring a Welsh Chicken!) and irony still belongs in music!”

TEGA AKPOD – Even If They Don’t [Starts 23:35]
https://soundcloud.com/tega-akpod
A fresh and authentic debut from young West London rapper Tega Akpod aka Mikayla Leerickal. As always, it’s a convincing vocal that carries the day over fancy production and expensive studios. Tega’s open and direct delivery takes you straight into her world – and a timely reminder, given the Mark Duggan verdict – that racism is still very much alive and thriving in supposedly cosmpolitan London. This track has already scored 500+ plays on Soundcloud and no wonder. With its sparse, jazz-tinged, Gil-Scott-Heron-flavoured beats and insistent hookline Even If They Don’t is a genuine homegrown DIY earworm. The instrumental sample that Tega used for this song comes from a musician called J Dilla and is taken from from his song “Thought U Wuz Nice”.

THE WITCH & THE ROBOT – Ayn Rand’s Grand Plan [Starts 26:47]
https://www.facebook.com/TheWitchandtheRobot
Ayn Rand’s Grand Plan is just bursting with the ideas, fun and mad energy you get from a collective of musicians all sparking off each other live on stage and in the studio. Why am I not surprised that the individual members of Ambleside’s The Witch And The Robot are known to the world as: Venice, Dustin Goodnite, Blue Owl, Spaniella, Hen, JimmyT, Dobbin, and DJ Aesthetic Heartbreak. This sort of noise can never be achieved sitting in front of a laptop, hiring in session musicians, or even forming a band at school. It comes only from the interaction between inspired musicians of a certain age and competence – co-ordinated by a deranged mastermind with a wide streak of anarchy in their soul. Move up Misty’s Big Adventure, a.P.A.t.T. and Super Best Friends Club – and make room at your tea party for TWATr. They’re insanely great. As to what Ayn Rand’s grand plan actually was, try Wikipedia.

SMILEX – Wasted Youth [Starts 30:24]
http://www.smilex.co.uk
“Boasting an ear splitting career spanning over a decade, Smilex are the band who have done it all, but show no signs of slowing down as their new album La Petite Mort is released. Several releases on Quickfix Recordings and spots on various compilations & singles clubs have established a strong reputation for the band within their native Oxford. Their live shows – which combine a tendency for reckless self-endangerment with a drive to put the audience’s experience above all else – have led the local music bible Nightshift to dub them “Oxford’s One Band Riot”. La Petite Mort rekindles the band’s relationship with producer/mixer Ace (of Skunk Anansie) – creating a matrimony between punk, metal and rock, catering to the taste of anyone who likes British guitar rock with added blood and guts. What happens next is anyone’s guess… Whatever the case it won’t be dull. It never has, after all.”

BABEL – Fantasia [Starts 33:15]
http://www.babeljp.net
“Babel is a brand new Japanese music unit formed by Nene Solano (Vocal / Graphic design) and Yuni Minami (Composer) in 2014. We represent ‘A Wonder World’ with our music. We are also members of the Japanese band Lost In The Fog. Musicians such as My Bloody Valentine, Cocteau Twins, Deftones and Yoko Kanno have affected our music especially strongly. In our creative process, Yuni Minami makes all the tracks and arranges them. Nene Solano then creates lyrics – in imaginary languages – and produce Babel’s art direction with her graphic images and pictures. Our goal is to reach people worldwide with our music – without the necessity of understanding each other’s culture and language.”

MATILDAZ – River 7 [Starts 36:43]
http://www.reverbnation.com/rpk/matildaz
“Matildaz are erupting on the underground music scene in London, reaching out to diversify their audience with a succession of powerful gigs of Post-Punk/Blues/Rock. The duo, founded and fronted by Matilda with the strong melodic bass of Jackson, have played at a number of prestigious venues across London and have made numerous festival appearances including Green Man, Wilderness, End of the Road, 1234 Festival in London and The London Vintage Festival. Currently they’re recording new music for the forthcoming release of the their debut EP due out at the end March 2014. You can catch their next gig at The Water Rats, London on 7th Feb.”

FLAUNT – Beautiful Animals [Starts 38:51]
http://www.flauntthemusic.com
Flaunt is an act conjured out of a semi-maniacal drive to transfer creative energy into sonic and visual sequences, seeking to blend the most eclectic, genre-defying and future-defining sounds and sights. The influences are as eclectic and globe-spanning as is Flaunt’s taste for the artwork and other visuals. Citing acts as disparate (and/or iconic) as Yeasayer, Yacht, Bob Dylan, Radiohead, !!!, Drake, and a taste of circa-1998/2000 Madonna (sprinkled with an occasional 70s influence), its sound is self-described as ‘intelligent electronic-alternative-hip-hop-rave.'” Plans for 2014 include a remix EP for the next single Why’d You Only Love Me When You Were Gone? featuring mixes by The Last Skeptik, Headman, and False Image. The next EP Kiss The Disco is due out this spring to be followed by label debut album Suburban Rave Animal in the summer. The video for Beautiful Animals features footage of the plight of Africa’s children can be seen on YouTube.

THE DIRTY LIES – Shallow Grave [Starts 43:35]
http://soundcloud.com/thedirtylies
“We started off jamming in the drummer’s garage playing punk when we were 17” say Rory Paterson, Fred Lyth, Frazer Salter and Zander Mavor, known collectively as The Dirty Lies. “We started off jamming in the drummer’s garage playing punk when we were 17, and in the summer of 2012 we recorded and produced an 11-track album in our homes in Edinburgh. It represented the previous 4 years worth of our music, from the first track we wrote to ones composed earlier that year.” So much for their selfreleased debut The Very Best Of. However on this new track Shallow Grave they now sound far more like themselves than any of their influences. All too often bands make a name with dark and dangerous homegrown music and then- on the strength of that reputation – get signed up, teamed up with a record producer, and immediately lose the essence of what made them great in the first place. So three cheers for Glasgow music collective The Electric Company who are releasing a new EP from The Dirty Lies in March and – as you can hear on this track – their moody understated magic is stronger than ever.

STIKMAN WILD – Broken Bridge [Starts 46:07]
http://www.facebook.com/StikmanWild
Stikman Wild are a two piece alt-rock/blues band who originate from Leeds and moved to London last year – consisting of Paul Ward (vocals/guitar) and John Anson (drums/backing vocals). Pontefract – where Paul grew up – derives its name from the Latin phrase pons fractus, meaning “Broken Bridge” which is why many of the lyrics in this song refer to pubs in the town. The remaining lyrics signify Paul’s general feeling about the town itself. No prize is offered for working out which is which.) The pair met on an online musicians’ board where a YouTube video of Paul’s guitar playing instantly convinced John to make contact and propose forming a band together. They are currently off the road working on a brand new recording and music video, both of which should be ready in the next few weeks.

MARLEY BLANDFORD – Feel The Rain [Starts 49:17]
http://marleyblandford.co.uk
Marley Blandford is a 19 year old singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, focusing on guitar and piano. His style of music encompasses a blend of reggae and folk with a rock and pop twist. Marley’s live appearances include loop pedal performances and occasional accompaniments with a band. Marley is currently in the studio recording this debut album and updates will be posted on the blog at silentroomsrecords.com.

BALTHAZAR DELICADO/DAVID DUELL – Scream [Starts 52:54]
https://soundcloud.com/balthazardelicado
Balthazar Delicado is the musical project of a London based artist working with different featured contributors and vocalists. The project’s debut release Scream is a march in 5/4 time that takes influence from such disparate sounds as Bruce Springsteen and The Fall and features vocals from David Duell – lead singer of Birmingham post punk outfit Bombers. The track is currently available as a free download via Soundcloud, where Balthazar Delicdo will continue to record and release a free download each month throughout 2014. Each track will be non-genre-specific and will feature a different collaborator or contributor month by month.

FEMINIST – Ome [Starts 55:57]
http://soundcloud.com/feminist
Team Freshnet (aka The FreshMods) is a collection of friends, bloggers and musicians who dedicate part of their free time each week to helping fellow artists get heard. Occasionally one of us quietly drops one of our own tunes into our inbox under an assumed name and romps into our Fresh Faves on musical strength alone – as with 3 Potato 4 in June 2012 – which turned out to be Prick’nDing mainman Johnno “Snippet” Casson. So I’m delighted to reveal the musical mastermind behind Feminist is fellow FreshMod Massimo Zeppetelli – a blogger, musican, photographer, interactivity consultant and longstanding friend who’s embarked on this new project to release his own music in 2014. This shimmering trance-like instrumental won hearts and votes over the weekend and no wonder – it sounds like the soundtrack for a movie that hasn yet to be written. Come on you film students and video editors – with Ome by Feminist the gauntlet has hit the floor.

ARTISTS: 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.