One year since the release of their first record, the five some release Cute Souvenirs, a digital EP recorded in just one ten-hour session. The EP exhibits an impressive development in craftsmanship, as well as a much darker character that has acquired comparisons of such opposing artists; The Cure, The Smiths and Arcade Fire.

Released 10th June 2010.

Photograph by Elli Rader

By Sophie Stratford

Producer Ethan Johns was an excellent choice as his use of reels, quiet and traditional methods of production are very suited to Marling’s music. This new record reveals a new maturity and at points her voice sounds a little harder and more cultured.

Released 22nd March.

By Sophie Stratford

Music video to ‘Come Home’ from Children and Corpse Playing in the Street’s debut album ‘Honey I’m Home!’. Directed and animated by David Mahler.

Mumford & Sons have begun this decade much as they ended the last, with word-of-mouth recommendations and a fearsome live reputation helping them to become one of the most significant British success stories in recent years.  The band has already received enormous radio airplay, even including a place on the Radio 1 A-list.

Single The Cave is a pounding tale of hope and defiance, starting with gently picked acoustic and this gradually escalates into a huge wall of sound with a myriad of strange and traditional instruments. 2010 is definitely shaping up to be Mumford & Sons year.

Released 1^st March 2010.

By Sophie Stratford

A modern take on the Parisian-Gypsy sound of the early 20th century, they sing tales of Brunswick (the bohemian enclave of Melbourne’s suburbs) with the improvised charm of a true street performance and enough character to fill a Dickens novel.

Never Turn Your Back On Tha Sea – Rapskallion

I made a purchase of their album ‘One Up For The Little Man’, an enthralling 11 track piece. You can visit their myspace here or get the album from iTunes.

One thing I can say for definite is that the busking in Melbourne is better. The lighting and acoustics of the London Underground don’t do anyone any justice.

By Charlie O’Shea

This track was a collaboration between the spoken word artist Joshua Idehen, now of Benin City and dan le sac, better known for his part in the duo that is dan le sac Vs Scroobius Pip. Cupid on Dylan is essentially a monologue on behalf of the Roman god of love Cupid although it spins a more interesting, alternative character than is usually told. The poem is lain over a remix by dan le sac of Dylan’s The Times Are a-Changing. It doesn’t really kick in properly until the 1:30 mark but it’s an amazing track nevertheless.

Cupid on Dylan – Joshua Idehen & dan le sac

“That day, my good friend venus quit, moved planet. These days she’s so bitter the skies in her eyes are sulphuric.”

‘Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)’ was released 14th December. First played on tour a year ago, the song is just as apt this winter with much of England currently under snow. Marling aired the track on BBC 6 Music in November along with another track Made a Maid which might also be on the upcoming album.

Goodbye England (Covered In Snow) – Laura Marling

_2 / Technology is a Dead Bird is to be released on CD and vinyl formats. Mars Argo have said they are “on the way”.

_3 / Mars Argo now have a merchandise store with districtlines. There are two rather dashing T-Shirts on there for sale at the moment.

Autumn Gray formed in 2005 and released an E.P ‘As of Now, No Guarantees for Later’ shortly after. Based in Melbourne, they’ve been gigging in the surrounding area ever since.

The band are getting ready to release their debut album ‘The Diary of a Falling Man’ and are giving away three free tracks from it via their website if you promise to share them around to everyone else.

They’ve been working on ‘The Diary of a Falling Man’ for two years now and have kept the recording process truly independent with no budget, building the recording studio in a ramshackle sharehouse and commandeering a Steinway piano for a guerilla recording session.

Diary of a Falling Man Pt 1 – Autumn Gray

Special Benny are a 5 piece band that now reside in London. The band, with members from Brighton, Southend and Hong Kong are getting ready to release their debut album ‘Toys’. According to the band’s label, this album will be out in Spring 2010 and you can be sure to see a review of it up on this blog.

The first single from the debut will be ‘Air Filter’ (released 23rd November 2009). It’s a largely instrumental track but unlike most bands that veer on the experimental side of music, Special Benny keep a remarkably polished sound.

Air Filter – Special Benny