One Of Those Who Believe

Apartment, "Patience Is Proving" - Songs like these are why we have the genre of "indie": it may be catchier than the Hanta virus, but if you're going to have a true pop hit, "patience" and "forebearance" might not be the two most commercially appropriate affectations to throw. Of course, there's also nothing wrong with being the next Editors/Interpol/Idlewild/etc, which Apartment most certainly seem to be; if the music don't get the kids snapping up the single, the Fierce Panda imprint probably will. It's also worth pointing out that they've gotten significantly more upbeat since their first single (musically, that is) - if, like me, you thought "Everyone Says I'm Paranoid" was a godawful loping dirge of a single, then you'll be pleasantly surprised at how well the indie-dance hi-hats and shimmering guitar line come off. Definitely a band to watch in the near future. (Click here to buy the "Patience Is Proving" single from Rough Trade)

The Paddingtons, "Tommy's Disease" (live at the Rhythm Factory) - I get a funny feeling that I'm going to end up being the only person who'll admit to liking the Paddingtons, especially after their forthcoming album drops - to dust off an old PopJustice chestnut, you might as well call them "Boys Aloud" with all that overproduction. I can't even really justify it, especially in light of their older, rawer material, such as this cut taken from last year's much-beloved(-by-me-at-least) Bring Your Own Poison compilation; the new stuff may just be the Killers without synths, but the old stuff is pure loud volcanic guitar pop. I have a funny feeling that they're going to sell about zero copies in their second week once word of what the album sounds like starts to disseminate among their fanboys ("as if they aren't all talking about the leaked version already", he said), and it really will be everyone else's loss for missing out on such a fine album. I mean fuck, I'd definitely rather listen to it than the fucking Test-Icicles. (Click here to buy Bring Your Own Poison from Amazon.co.uk, or click here to pre-order the Paddingtons' First Comes First, set to be released next Monday)

ELSEWHERE:

- God damn, y'all - if Diplo ever comes to your neck of the woods and you haven't seen him, MAKE SURE YOU GET ON THAT. Last night was the first time I'd seen him not in support of MIA (also the third time I've seen him this year!), and the whole night I kept thinking that maybe I'd been giving the wrong half of Piracy Funds Terrorism the appropriate credit. Right now he's also being supported by DJ Montana, who I'd never heard of before last night but who's for DAMN sure on my baile radar now; if I had a dollar for every hurting-great track he played (including leading off with what he described as the number one song in Brazil at the moment, and I will name my firstborn after anyone who can clue me in to the name or artist of it), I'd be broke as could be. The sets were predictably unpredictable (ugh) in your typical Hollertronix fashion; you could literally see people catching the beat for the rest of the night when Diplo slipped in Daft Punk's "Around The World" during his 30-minute warm-up, and Montana wasn't shy about playing anything that sampled anything familiar (the highlight coming in the form of whatever song used the "Baby Got Back" bassline), although there is of course no excuse for "My Humps" to be played in public or anywhere else for that matter. Those without Diplo access should make sure to check out his recent contribution to the Fabric series, which will likely be the first one I end up buying since the Jacques Lu Cont one a few years back.

- Also on the import tip, DFA fans will probably want to make sure they pre-order the Holiday Mix (set to be released next Monday), featuring a previously unreleased Rub'n'Tug mix of LCD Soundsystem and a (presumably) new one from Delia & Gavin amidst (most of) the cream of this year's DFA crop. I'm not sure if it's actually going to be a mixed CD or if it'll be individual tracks, but there's enough stuff on here worthy of owning a hard copy (yes, I still don't have a turntable) to get me to buy it. It'll also only be available through January, at which point it'll be deleted, so time is somewhat of the essence. Plus, it's what - eight bucks? C'mon, I'm sure you can live without that used Thrice CD for another week or so.