Week #9: Big Deal / Evenings

First up this week is a gauzy, slacker-pop duo named Big Deal. Their guitars are fuzz-boxed and bleared, combining with their alluring vocals to evoke a kinda trippy, Mazzy Star-esque feel. Their sweet boy-girl harmonies are vaguely reminiscent of fellow Londoners Slow Club, but there is something unique about these guys which really protrudes: the intimate emotion. Every word seems so heartfelt. The production is minimalist and therefore revealing. The emotions are real. 'All I wanna do is talk' they repeat.

The duo release new single 'Talk' on Moshi Moshi on April 4th. Catch them at The Social on March 7th and at the Great Escape in May. Here are a couple of acoustic sessions they did for the guys over at The Fly:

Chillwave, the ex-ubiquitous, oh-so-2009 genre returns. But not like the harassing, sticky pieces of fluff it used to be, more like the soothing, hot water tap coming back on. For chillwave has duly reappeared triumphant, blueprints resketched, in the form of Evenings, aka 'Nathan', some guy who plaits together angular beats, hazy synths and bewilderingly intricate rhythms to form backwards-sounding euphorias. The end results are brilliant.

Just have listen to his North Dorm EP, released last year. It is chilled, flowing seamlessly. He evidently (and fortunately) saw the sense in ignoring the wordy stuff of his peers, letting the divine ambience linger sole, doing so with striking aplomb. You can download the EP for free on his bandcamp (or stream it below). 'Babe', the single, is the highlight. Expect an LP later this year.