7 Day Challenge - 3 & 4

These are Retraplayer's Day 3 and 4 songs. To refresh your memory; they have set themselves the challenge of writing, recording, producing and uploading a song a day for one whole week, based on a headline from one of the national newspapers they've chosen. I thought this sounded pretty interesting, it could either turn out to be bloody awful or a complete work of genius. So of course I chose to go along with it.

Day 3's song

Retraplayer inform us of the NHS. "Hospitals closing down. NHS and other Public Services crumbling as well as the reluctancy to reform. You can patch up a crumbling sandcastle with more wet sand for a little while but then eventually it stops being a sandcastle and just becomes a mess".

Hourglass by Retraplayer

Day 4 - The first official study, into the causes of the riots, has been announced.
What will they find??? I song about chavs.


Pharos by Retraplayer

7 Day Challenge - Day 1

So recently a band called Retraplayer told me about this little project they were doing. They're aim was to choose a headline from one of the national newspapers, and they were then to write, record and produce a song based on that headline. In a day. I thought this sounded pretty interesting, it could either turn out to be bloody awful or a complete work of genius. So of course I chose to go along with it.

Retraplayer are best known for supporting Metronomy live, as well as their remixes for Beach House & Two Door Cinema Club, but their steadily making a name for themselves in their own right.

The first installment was uploaded just minutes before the deadline and it's called 'The Wire' - no prizes for guessing what news story they chose for this song....(Wilileaks). I'm not too sure about the intro to the song, but when the vocals come in, I find it quite hard to believe this song was made from start to finish in just one day! It's pretty darn good. The band are currently working on their day 2 track as I'm typing these words which will be posted here tomorrow. Take a listen to 'The Wire' here:


The Wire by Retraplayer

Retraplayer

So this is the first time I've been approached by a band to review their stuff, which I'm obviously unbelievably excited about. And I have to say, what a gem I've come across!

This is a wonderful rework of Van Morrison's 'Moondance', it's called Marvellous Night and it's so typical of everything I like in music this year.

1) It's a remix that isn't shit - something which I'd have never expected to sound good reworked, turns out to be original and bloody good. I like it when I find those. However, to call this a remix I think would be a complete misuse of the word. It's an entirely different song which samples Van Morrison's voice, and so 'rework' is definitely the more appropriate term to use here. and...
2) it's chilled - anybody who reads ILNL enough knows that this song fits very neatly with the stuff that I like posting about the most.

listen to it here, we'd love to hear what you think:



just in case you're not too familiar with the original; here it is to contrast and compare:

Moondance by Difference Engine

From the 3rd of September, Retraplayer are embarking upon a tricky 7 songs in 7 day challenge. To hear what it's all about, keep clicking on the ILNL page as we'll be covering the challenge day by day. For now, here's another Retraplayer track which you can sink your ears in to:

Drinks in Helsinki by Retraplayer