You're very open about how much you like good looking men. Should women be more open about men they fancy?
Aino: I think we are very frustrated because the only thing we make love to right now is music. We've been working so hard that when we notice someone gorgeous we can't help but react. We don't meet these people we're just like...
Both: WHOAH!
Caroline: Sometimes we just do it for ourselves. I can be very shy if I have to go and talk to someone but it depends. It's good to tell someone you like them. If you think someone looks good, go and tell them. I'm sure they would be very happy to hear it.
Aino: I've only done that once. He was really glad to hear it, but then I was happy after that. I felt there had been a stone in my heart. I just went up to him and said: 'I just have to say you're really cute'. And then I ran away.
Caroline: Yeah, but you did it and that's the important thing. Otherwise you'll just go home and think that you should have.
Aino: I would be so happy if someone said that to me. When we're together we're popular.
Caroline: But when we're on our own we're just really scared.

On your travels, where have you found the most attractive men?
Aino: I like London because there are people from everywhere and a lot of different people with a lot of different styles, different colours - a lot of every kind of man. And New York. And French people - I love the accent 'when zey talk like ziss'.
Caroline: I'm melting. Totally.

How has your material changed since moving from Sweden to London?
Caroline: Not that much actually. It has changed, but not because we moved to London. We've been DJing a lot and play a lot of hard music.
Aino: When we DJ in Sweden it's difficult to find places where you can play hard music. I remember the first DJ set we played in London we brought the hardest music we had - and it was still too soft.
Caroline: We love hard electro music and even listen to some techno and house music. Maybe three years ago we didn't do that, and now we're getting into that scene - and maybe you can hear that a bit more in our music. There's definitely more bass in our tracks - and we like that.

What's your favourite thing about living in London?
Aino: We love the beer.
Caroline: We love the pub culture, we love that you can just go and have a beer anywhere. You can have a beer on the street if you want to do that. The main thing is the music scene, but pop is very good in Sweden. We always try to tell our friends what we're listening to in the UK.

Do you have any festival shows lined up?
Aino: We are doing a lot of festivals across Scandinavia and Europe but none in the UK. We went to Glastonbury last year, and had so much fun. We saw a lot of good bands.  We were supposed to DJ there. We were meant to open the entire festival but something happened.
Caroline: The stage had security problems and with the speakers. We waited for three hours only to be told: 'I'm sorry girls, but you're not going to be able to play'. We were like 'Are you f**king kidding?' because we'd come all the way from Sweden. He said we could play next year.
Aino: But then they took a year off!
Caroline: So maybe next year.

How do you cope with the mud and the filth?
Aino: We are old festival people so it takes one day and then you're used to it. Glastonbury was really bad, it was pouring with rain for the first two days. Once you're in it and haven't showered for a week, you just don't care. That's the best feeling. That's why I want to go to festivals - so I can be a pig. Everybody just wants to have fun. Still, it was a very clean festival compared to Swedish ones. In Sweden you can see puke all over the floor, people pooing outside. It's terrible. But I love it clean.
Caroline: The Swedish are like vikings. And they drink too much beer.
Aino: They only drink on Friday and Saturday. They don't go for one beer in the week.

What's next after 'I Love It'?
Caroline: We're going to release our album after the summer, so that's exciting. And we'll have another single before that.
Aino: We don't know what that will be yet but we have a lot favourites, we love one we made with Style Of Eye called 'Rocket Science'. It's a bit slow, but that's a good thing.

Thank you very much, Icona Pop. 'I Love It' is released 'summer' 2012.

Azealia Banks - Jumanji

With 'Jumanji' Azealia reminds us that away from the management changes and Twitter wars she is also a pretty great rapper. Backed by a suitably huge beat courtesy of Hudson Mohawke, Banks runs the track with the same swagger and style that got us all so excited just a few months ago. Now is the time for her to pull focus back on to the music and push things forward.



Gold Panda - Mountain

Gold Panda launched his new record label Notown with the release of his first new music since his stunning debut album. 'Mountain' is a typically fresh and inventive slice of brilliance from one of the best producers around.

Health - Tears

Health returned this week with the first taste of their upcoming Max Payne 3 video game soundtrack. Proof, if ever it was needed, that gaming has come a long, long way from the bleeps and blips of Tetris - this sounds terrifying.

Yeasayer - Henrietta

You can see what Yeasayer were thinking in sending a CD to each member of their fanclub featuring this new song. This being 2012 however, the song ended up online within hours and we got our first glimpse of what the follow up to 2009's 'Odd Blood' is set to sound like. In a word? Funky.

Summer Camp - Life

Summer Camp's charming pop romance is given a Moroder style disco makeover in this first song from the duos forthcoming EP. Standing beneath the disco ball suits Elizabeth and Jeremy, sparkling as they do over one of their best songs to date.

Fun feat. Hayley Williams - Somebody That I Used To Know

Someone get Hayley Williams a medal. Not only did she have to endure a chat with Fearne Cotton on Radio 1 this week, she did it at 3am in LA with no music of her own to promote. The Paramore frontwoman helped out her pals in Fun. as they took part in the Live Lounge, sending her vocals on this Gotye cover across the Atlantic to the band in London.

Julio Bashmore - Au Seve

Radio 1 DJ, producer extraordinaire and now record label boss - Julio Bashmore is certainly a busy man. He's makes multi-tasking sound easy though as this huge new tunes goes to prove.

Blawan - Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage

With new music coming this week from Julio Bashmore (see above) as well as Pariah, Fantastic Mr Fox and this absolute monster from Blawan we think the gods are smiling on the pasty faced bedroom producers of the world.

Childish Gambino feat. Scoolboy Q - Unnecessary

Childish Gambino went on an epic Twitter rant this week, addressing his haters and outlining why he does what he does. Much more interesting, however, was this track with the superlative Schoolboy Q released earlier in the week. Heads up Donald, let the music do the talking.

Donna Summer - Love To You Love You Baby

This week we lost a legend, RIP.

Fast forward a couple of years and Aiden Grimshaw is premiering his debut single 'Is This Love' to huge critical acclaim (and surprise). An unexpectedly brilliant indie-pop track, mixing drum'n'bass influences with a touch of trip-hop, his debut album is similarly packed with excellent tracks which prove that credibility is not out of the question for a reality TV contestant. Ahead of the release of 'Is This Love', we spoke to Aiden Grimshaw about his time on X Factor, appealing to a credible audience, why he keeps his face hidden from fans and how he ruined Christmas for an entire shopping centre...

Hello there Aiden Grimshaw. How has it felt to get such a positive reaction to your music?
It's been good. I suppose you try not to follow it too much, so I just take everything as it comes, especially having been on the X Factor you know that as quickly as you can rise you can fall again. I'm enjoying it. I was nervous at first - I felt like a dad who had a schoolgirl who was just about to start secondary school and over the summer she'd just grown massive boobs, and you're not sure you want to let it go. But it's been good. I don't think we could have asked for any more.

Do you think you've taken people by surprise with your music?
I think so - I hope so. I think the stereotype is that I was on X Factor, didn't come in the top three, people have forgotten me a little bit, then they hear this song and I reckon at least 50% of radios would be turned off, with people saying 'screw this'. At the time I had written loads of songs that I thought were really good but i'd go home and show my friends and i'd be cringing at the bit that was coming up that sounded a bit crap or whatever but with this I feel like everything is cool.

Who's idea was it to get the 'diva' in on 'Curtain Call'?
When I wrote it, it was just me on a distorted mic and I had to do mental things to be able to hit that note. My producer went to see Wretch 32 and she was his backing singer. He called me up at the end of the gig saying, 'I've found her man, i've found her, we've gotta get this girl!' She came down to the studio and smashed it - which is pretty good.

Who is she?
She's actually Labrinth's sister, ShezAr. We found her at a gig smashing it. I think they've got a pretty huge, talented family.

What of your own music tastes are reflected in the album?
I didn't think about that as much. I went through a weird stage of not wanting to listen to any music, and I was thinking that if I listened to music i'd steal other people's ideas - I don't know why. I listened to Eva Cassidy a little bit, that's all I listened to. After i'd written it and showed it to my friends, the influences become clear and when I listen to it back I can hear a lot of my dad's indie-punk he'd have on after a night out that i'd have to listen to from my bedroom because he'd have it on at full blast. I listen to a lot of Moby - and you can definitely hear a Moby influence on there.

The album is great - but there's not much 'fun' to be found. Where's your joy Aiden Grimshaw?
It's not fun, but some 'fun' music isn't fun either! I'm only 20 so I haven't done much yet. I was on the X Factor but you can't really write a whole album about that. The one thing that I have done is be in love and then break up with somebody. It's not a fun album, but it is supposed to be feelgood. If you listen to the whole album all the way through it's kinda the same theme of 'if this is real love then all your problems are irrelevant'. Life is worth living but love is worth everything - quote from me there. So as you can see, i'm quite an easygoing person, don't think too much, I like bright colours and Playdough.

How do you feel about discussing something as personal as a break up on your album?
I was thinking last night, maybe this is too moody. I was watching a video of myself last night from the Great Escape, checking if I was alright or cringeworthy, and that was the first time I realised it's not a first hand scenario of how I feel right now, it's just what I was thinking about at the time and I think that everyone goes through something like this.

Does having been on X Factor make you more comfortable watching yourself perform?
No. No no no no no. I didn't used to like watching myself back on the X Factor, especially because you had that whole bit of talking afterwards where i'd turn into a weirdo who couldn't say anything. I've never been a massive fan of watching myself perform. I'm my biggest critic. If I ever do anything that's even a little bit out i'm devastated for the rest of the night.

Whose opinion do you get when it comes to your new tracks?
My friends and my dad. They're all pretty blunt really. Over two years i've gone back to play them tracks and they've just said 'NO' to some of them. With the album, they all seem to like it, all support it. I brought my dad up to London to see my flat for the first time after i'd finished the album. I got him a bit pissed and put it on. I was in my own world dancing about, I was smashed, and I turned around and my uncle and dad were in it, they were 'in the vibe'. It was amazing.

Is your music geared towards the fans you have, and brought from your time on X Factor, or do you have a whole new audience in mind?
I think to still have support from X Factor is massive, but the people who do follow me most on Twitter wouldn't want to be known as X Factor fans. I think I was quite lucky on the show, being the weird rebel one, maybe the guy who shouldn't have been on there. I think the people who follow me and show support are just cool people who like music and the only thing i've tried to do with the album is make good, honest music. Hopefully they'll like it - and I don't think they'll be the same people as they were two years ago. All the ones who were a bit young will be a bit older now anyway.

Do you think it's a benefit having a huge army of fans who want to have sex with you?
I suppose it's good! It means you can't post many pictures of yourself online though because they'll catch on to the truth. We're just talking pictures of my face here by the way. They'll see the truth and think 'I don't really like him any more'. And don't be in your video - because all your fans will still think you're hot.

Are you prepared for inevitable criticism of your attempt to be a 'credible' artist?
I think you'll always get that. Already i've had a few comments 'Aiden's trying to do drum'n'bass - what does he think he's doing' but people just need to get past the whole X Factor thing. We haven't tried to do anything here, just taken our time and done something that feels comfortable. The songs didn't have 12 people sat in a room writing it, i'd just turn up to the studio after having scrambled eggs on toast, take a pack of mints. I'd say 'i've got this idea' and we'd take it from there. It doesn't feel like we've pushed for anything, I haven't sat in a room saying 'I was on X Factor - so now I should make some bad-man drum'n'bass so everyone thinks i'm a bad-man'. We just wrote some songs.

Have you had any negative stuff yet?
I do try to keep away from it to be honest, but there's been a bit. I had a Tweet saying: 'Just listened to Aiden Grimshaw's song - it sounds nothing like Aiden Grimshaw'. There's been talk about me sounding nothing like X Factor, but I think if people hold on for the album, there'll be songs they like.

What's been the worst or least professionally appropriate offer that's been put your way?
To be honest, it was more a case of me running around trying to find people to work with. I did only come ninth on the X Factor after all. People are wary of it. I didn't have many offers at all. It was more about doing the nitty gritty and finding people who were willing to get rid of a few points of street cred and work with the guy who sang 'Mad World' on TV. We did a few racecourses and gigs, earned a bit of money here and there but I didn't get any requests. I did do a Christmas thing straight after the X Factor where I had to sing carols, I got there and was like 'what kind of carols?' and they gave me the sheets of paper with lyrics on. When I went to sing them I had to do it with jazz backing tracks in the middle of a shopping centre. Aiden Grimshaw ruins Christmas with light-jazz carols...

Do you think you would have stood a better chance on X Factor if you'd been in a different year?
Not so much. I think any other year I wouldn't have even got through. I felt odd in the competition, I didn't feel like I fit. It was such a high year for talent I think they were looking for someone who was just a great singer. There were some really cool people on that year, like Matt Cardle. I don't think I could have picked someone better than him to share a beer with and just say 'this is f***ing mental, isn't it?'

Do you still see much of Matt?
Yeah, we did share the same local pub. I just found out today that it's been closed down. I'm going to have to find a new place to go drinking now.

Who do you think is the best ever X Factor contestant?
I'm going back over every year now in my mind - because i've watched it forever. I'm going to go for... My favourite ever? I must have one. I quite liked Wagner to be honest. He was cool. I'd probably go for Danyl Johnson for a little bit but everyone started hating him. Actually - new favourite one - was the woman who got to bootcamp in my year, I forget her name she was Chinese. I remember being sat there and she was just rolling around on the floor and I saw her whole vaginal area. I think I was sat next to Zayn from One Direction at the time.

Are we right to assume that you have not yet tired of talking about the X Factor yet?
No. I love it. I think it's the best thing i've ever done. I was a bit of a cynic before I went on it and now I realise, to anyone who goes on it and gets on it, it is a huge opportunity. You can say it ruins the industry or whatever but I don't think you do. One Direction have smashed the whole world. Rebecca's doing well, Matt did well. It's just a massive opportunity. I used to serve pizza and get £10 tips a night and thought I was a millionaire and that was it for the rest of my life. I'd be a pizza server who occasionally did extra jobs. Now, i've got to do what I wanted to do thanks to being on the telly.

Thank you very much. Aiden Grimshaw releases 'Is This Love' on 3 June, 2012.

Masters of that classic Britpop London sound, the band consists of Freddie Murray, Matt Gwyer, Sam Cook and Gaz Southwell, and their new release 'Ride' is heavily inspired by the guitar riffs of bands such as The Libertines and Supergrass. Blending grown up rock influences with a sense of youthful rebellion and disillusionment in their lyrics and melodies.

Creating a stirringly vivid soundscape, ‘Ride’ is a measured, restrained rock epic, which keeps its feet on the ground as it soars on an incredible catchy chorus, never sacrificing their ownership of the track for the sake of pushing the track too far. It's a mini masterpiece.

‘Ride’ is produced by Dave Eringa (Manics/Idlewild) and is released on May 28, through Distiller Records. Having just played Brighton’s The Great Escape Festival and supported former Supergrass member Gaz Coombes at Barfly, London, the band are set to perform at Aces & Eights in Camden on May 30. For more details, visit Gigwise Gig Tickets.

Could Fractures be leading a Britpop revival? Check out 'Ride' below and let us know what you think.

How does lead singer Nanna cope on tour with five hairy Icelandic men?
Erm it is fun! We are really, really girly! Look, just see my pink watch. We are really girly guys so it’s ok – and we are becoming more girly all the time.

At home are people proud of your success getting across to Europe and America?
Yes, I think people are really proud – families, friends and especially the old ladies in Garður, Iceland. They are all so pleased that we are doing really, really well. It is a small town.

How does the nightlife in the UK and the US compare to Iceland?
We don’t go out. We are very bad at going out and getting drunk, we are always touring and leaving straight after the gig but when we’ve gone out it’s been fun, it’s been cool.

Of Monsters And Men play three headline dates in July. Full dates are below. For more information visit Gigwise Gig Tickets.

10th July 2012 - Oran Mor - Glasgow, Scotland
11th July 2012 - Manchester Academy 3 - Manchester, UK
12th July 2012 - Scala - London, UK

Instinct packs in a host of fan favourites from the Swedish duo ('The Fox, 'DJ, Ease My Mind') as well as plenty of unheard material too in what is shaping up to be one of the albums of the year. With that in mind we simply had to hear from the band themselves about their work.

To hear precisely what Malin Dahlström (vocals) and Gustaf Karlöf (keyboards) have to say about their stunning debut simply flick through the track by track video descriptions below, now.

The band recorded 'Summer Of Lust' in just ten days in the darkest depths of the Candian winter, and have been hailed 'the coolest geek-chic band around' by ultra-trendy Nylon magazine. Geek-chic or not, 'Summer Of Lust' is a brilliant blast of fun US indie, packed with smart cultural references and blending classic guitar band trademarks with an experimental, adventurous sound.

Sadly, the band members of Library Voices are not seen naked on the front cover of their new album, 'Summer Of Lust' and the pair you see are, in fact, models.

The band instead look like this:

Semi-naked album artwork aside, Library Voices new album 'Summer Of Lust' is quite brilliant. An uptempo blast of surf-guitar indie-pop that will make a perfect soundtrack for the summer that seems certain never to arrive. Listen to the album below exclusively on Gigwise.

Listen to 'Summer Of Lust':

The band are also on tour across the UK throughout May. Full dates are below. For more information visit Gigwise Gig Tickets.

May 15 - Manchester @ Night & Day
May 16 - Glasgow @ Milk
May 17 - London @ Old Queen's Head
May 18 - London @ Underbelly
May 19 - Liverpool Sound City
May 20 - Cardiff @ Buffalo Bar

Call us premature but, after a weekend of spinning the track non-stop we've lost no feeling for its sugar rush of emotion, energy and pure pop romance. They might be newer than new but we're very excited about the future for this Scottish band.

Before the future though, a little history. Churches are a sort-of Scottish super group comprising members of The Twilight Sad (Martin Doherty), Aereogramme (Iain Cook) and Lauren Mayberry of Blue Sky Archives (we did say 'sort-of') with the bright, clean electro-pop coming as something of a sea change for a set of musicians more used to plying their trade somewhere between beardy rock and twee indie.

'Lies' reminds us of all our favourite Swedes (Robyn, Annie, Niki) with one of the biggest, floor-filling beats we have heard in an age. Lead singer Lauren Mayberry's vocals come coated in a thick Glasgow accent, adding a regional personality to a song that sounds like an international smash.

The band don't currently have any other songs available nor any gigs booked so it is very early days indeed but we await their next step with much anticipation.

You can stream 'Lies' below and hear just what has got us this excited for youselves.

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Passion Pit - Take A Walk
Sometime a band returns from a long break and sounds like they brought the past with them *cough*Gossip*cough* but occasionally things sound refreshing and you remember just why the group won you round the first time. Step forward Passion Pit who gave us our first taste of their new album 'Gossamer' with this fun and breezy, Summer-perfect tune.

Reptar - Three Shining Suns
Reptar got the In Demand! treatment from us this week. Check out their brand new video to find out why.

Meek Mill feat. Drake - Amen
Meek Mill's Dreamchasers 2 mixtape has been downloaded a staggering 2.5m times since it was made available to download for free on Monday. Packed full of guest stars, the Drake assisted 'Amen' is one of the tapes prime cuts.

Bonde Do Role - Kilo
If scantily clad women playing pool with lemons, chalking cues with kiwis and wearing coconut bras while being squirted with milk sounds like your idea of fun then you're going to LOVE this video.

Chew Lips - Do You Chew?
Chew Lips offer up this free download ahead of their forthcoming second album. Mixing r&b, punk and electro influences, 'Do You Chew' signals a heavier sound for Chew Lips.

TNGHT - Bugg'n
Individually, both Lunice and Hudson Mohawke have been setting dancefloors off for the past few years so the prospect of seeing them team up is enough to get the whole dance world excited. Check out the first taste of their forthcoming EP now.

Four Tet - Ocoras
Four Tet announced this week that he was inspired by hardcore legends Fugazi to stage a massive show at Brixton Academy in November, charging just £5 for tickets. He also shared two new tracks including the huge 'Ocoras' which is already getting us in the mood for an all nighter this Winter.

Ultraísta - Smalltalk
Nigel Godrich steps out from behind his producers desk to reveal his new atmospheric, female-fronted electronica trio. Falling in nicely with the likes of Grimes, Foxes, Purity Ring, Ultraísta sound nothing like the band Godrich is most famously assosciated with, Radiohead.

Ben Howard - Call Me Maybe
Folk star covers fun pop song in ultra-serious fashion? Yes, this might be Radio 1 Live Lounge by numbers but Ben Howard's take on the teen anthem of 2012 is worth a listen.

Will fans find any commercial tracks such as 'Get Over It' on the new releases?
No we’re not really thinking about hit singles at all really but at the same time we are definitely not trying to go all experimental at people. So, I think there are songs on the album that could sound great on the radio, we not going to play music just to get it on the radio but if it can get on the radio and become really popular that would be great!

What are your thoughts on the current UK music scene?
I feel a bit estranged from the music scene. I have spent most of the last few months hanging out in Norway, or in my flat. I’m not going out in London four nights a week to clubs and things. I hear stuff on the radio but I don’t really know what the scene is.

Would you advise other frustrated bands to leave their labels and strike out alone?
I think the most important thing for a bands considering leaving their record labels is to keep an open mind, I think it’s difficult because you get surrounded by people, you know, who are very well meaning but everyone has an opinion, of course they do. You have to be head-strong and keep your own visions clear, because it’s very easy to get confused. You have to remember why you got into it in the first place. It’s amazing how many bands have gone through the whole process of producers and emerged sounding like something else entirely and that’s a shame.

It is very easy to get repackaged; you have to be very head strong and know what you are doing and remember why you were excited about doing it in the first place.

What’s the best piece of advice you have been given from other artists?
I can’t remember one piece of advice that has really stuck. It has just been gradual realisation. The process of it is not to please me or the band; it’s to please other people. You don’t start thinking what do people want from us but it’s really helped me to think that I want people to listen to this music, to make them feel good. I think sometimes in the past I just felt like I was exercising my own demons and forget what it’s all about. I want someone to be able to listen to it and make them feel warm inside and smile! I think it’s the most powerful thing music can do.

What has been the career highlight for the Guillemots so far?
I think what we are doing at the moment maybe. I have lots of memories, like recording with a huge orchestra on our first record. We did a gig at Somerset House - outdoors and in the summer. There are so many little memories really. Some of the best memories we’ve had have been on the road.

Thank you very much, Fyfe Dangerfield. 'Hello Land!' is out now.

Our belief that Reptar could scale similar heights as their US counterparts in steadfast though and though the Athens, Georgia band may take their cues from both of the aforementioned acts but that is not to say they are merely scanning in copies of past greats. In fact, if the band's debut album 'Body Faucet' is anything to go by, they could easily match their triumphs.

Take 'Three Shining Suns', below, for example. The song is typical of what you will find on Reptar's album when it is released in the UK this July being that it is a) Quite odd and yet, b) instantly memorable.

These are two things we look for in a song and Reptar have both assets in their droves.

There is much more gold to find in the Body Faucet album, as early adopters of Reptar will know from their 'Oblangle Fizz Y'all' EP which was packed full of huge anthems such as 'Stuck In My ID'. You may have noticed at this point that Reptar favour the wacky song title. We can't really defend them on that one but would urge any band thinking of naming their group after a Rugrats character in the future to maybe think again.

Reptar release 'Body Faucet' in the UK on July 2nd and will be in the UK for the following live dates:

Weds, 6 June  – London, Dingwalls (with Friends)
Thurs, 7 June – London, Birthdays

Following the release of their 2008 album 'Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust', the band went their separate ways as frontman Jonsi embarked on a solo career. Now back with sixth studio album 'Valtari', a spectacular collection of ethereal soundscapes and haunting epics, we spoke to Jonsi about the new record, working with boyfriend Alex Somers on the band's new project and why boredom of blending raw vegetables in hotel bedrooms put an end to his time as a strict vegan...

When you went on hiatus after your last album, did you think it was the end of Sigur Ros?
I think we always knew we would get back together. I just think we needed a long break after we had been touring so much, for many years. I think we were tired and we had a break because everyone was having a baby! I used the time to make an album with my boyfriend and also my solo album, so we took a good break but it was really nice to come back with the guys again and start working. It felt like coming home.

What brought you back together?
The guys were definitely ready to start again, because they had been on such a long break while I was doing other stuff, I think they were really keen to do something.

What did you bring from your time as a solo artist (and Riceboy Sleeps) back to the band?
I don't know if I brought that much back from my solo career. We have a very different way of working in Sigur Ros. For me personally it was good to try to go my separate way and try something else with different people and different artists. I think i'd like to work with more people in the future as well.

Would you consider collaborations? You couldn't really do a Nicki Minaj duet...
That would be cool! I like her actually, I really like 'Superbass', but I don't like the new one. I expected something more flamboyant and over the top.

What would be the most surprising thing we'd find in your music collection?
I really like the typical pop I hear on the radio. I don't buy it, but when I hear it on the radio when i'm driving I turn it up. I like Nicki Minaj and David Guetta - who everybody hates - but I think he has some good songs! 'Titanium' is really good, I especially like that one. I like Rihanna too. But I do have my limits!

What did you miss most about working as part of Sigur Ros?
I think the hardest thing for me was being alone and not having the guys to bounce things back on, talk about ideas, share responsiblities and make decisions together. You have to be really responsible when you're on your own.

Were you ever tempted to follow the path of 'Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust' and your solo album 'Go' and record a more pop-inspired Sigur Ros album?
I don't think so. We were all a little bit sick of the upbeat, faster stuff and we wanted to try something else. I think if we had gone in the other direction and made more upbeat music it would have just been pure pop music, so I think we wanted to take a small left turn and do this album I think. 'Valtari' has been brewing for many years and we've had it in the back of our heads to do this album for a long long time and I think now we have come together to get it out of our system.

Was your work on the Riceboy Sleeps album an influence in 'Valtari'?
Yes, definitely. Alex helped us mix the new album, but I think this album is like what Sigur Ros have done between the songs on previous albums - and now it's a full album of that, but it is a lot like Riceboy in some ways.

Listen to Sigur Ros 'Ekki Mukk'

Is this the first Sigur Ros album that Alex has been involved in with a hands-on role?
He has never worked on Sigur Ros before but it was really good to have him. This album was so scatterbrained, and made over five or six years and was very confusing in a way. We recorded two songs in 2007 in a studio in London with a choir and then we were recycling some of our old material and we scrapped that and a few months ago we decided we decided we did want to make another album. Alex helped a lot with focusing and constructing. We just handed him a lot of weird sound-files and he told us what we needed to do.

How have you found mixing business with pleasure and having Alex contributing your work?
You should definitely do it! It is really good. He is such a wholesome man, with a great head on his shoulders, easy to be around and is so good with people. He's a clever guy so he is easy to work with. If something is off then we just talk about it - it's not rocket science.

Your vocals are less of a centrepiece on 'Valtari'. How have you felt stepping back a little on this album?
There are three instrumental tracks on the album and maybe there's more soundscaping on the album. Previous albums have maybe been more pop orientated and song structured. I like both.

What thoughts have you put into performing the new album live?
Not much! I think we are starting to rehearse for a new show so we have something different to what we've had before. We're going to get some strings and brass for live shows to help us translate the new stuff.

Are you excited to play Bestival 2012?
Yes. I played it before with my solo album. I like it. It was kinda shitty weather and was really muddy, but it is really cool. I enjoyed the show but the festival is cool. I love that it is on an island, I loved being there.

Why did you stop being a raw vegan?
I ate raw food for one and a half years but I stopped when I started touring my own album. It was so much hard work being in a hotel with a blender making a soup! I was getting antisocial and it was stopping me going out with my friends. My biggest vice is coffee. Sometimes I go with my friends to the burger joint in Rekjavik, we've got a really good one. It does the best burgers - vegeburgers, obviously.

What do you miss most about Iceland when you're away from home?
Probably Alex. He is working a lot recording and producing bands, so he can't come. He came with me on my solo tour, but he won't be coming on the Sigur Ros tour.

Rekyjavik is known for its nightlife. Why do Icelandic people party so hard?
I think it's bad drinking habits. They don't know how to drink, they don't grow up with wine or have pubs where they can go after work for one or two beers. There's nothing like that. There's no culture in Iceland, so people go absolutely mental - or turn vegan.

Thank you very much, Jonsi of Sigur Ros. 'Valtari' is released on 28 May, 2012.

Does it ever irritate you when people assume 'Somebody...' is some kind of overnight success?
No, actually, it really doesn't. I'm just happy to be doing well after so long.

Have you analysed the success of Somebody’ to try and understand just why it has taken off in such a big way?
I think YouTube had a lot to do with it. Had I released this single even six years ago then it wouldn’t have been online and so easy for people to show their friends and share in that way. The time I spent making music as Gotye helped me build up a grass roots foundation that helped me once things started getting more successful as well. I was my own publicist for many years and have worked with the same soundman from the very start so I was ready for the next step up in my career.

When you wrote the song did you have a feeling that it would be a big hit?
No, I’ve never really written a song and thought ‘That’s going to be massive’. in fact, it was always The Basics that we thought would go on to more commercial things. Gotye was always a sideline thing for me.

Do you think that your success after toiling away on the underground for so long is a reward for your persistence?
It depends on how you measure success I suppose. I mean, in terms of money it means a lot more freedom and that’s something I value but at the same time I’m far from money orientated - that was never my motivation for getting into music.

Icona Pop - 'I Love It'
Sweden's latest gift to the world of pop hit us with one of the best pop singles of the year so far. Mixing 2012 electro club beats with the attitude of nineties British pop brats Shampoo, 'I Love It' has an attitude that many male bands lack in modern mainstream music.

Lykke Li - 'Come Near'
Lykke Li surprised us this week with the release of new song 'Come Near'. The track is taken from a compilation of songs from Lykke's label Ingrid. Check out the chamber-pop glory below.

Bobby Womack - 'The World's Bravest Man'
Co-produced by Damon Albarn and Richard Russell, Womack's new album was recorded at Albarn's Studio 13 in West London and New York's Manhattan Center between October and December 2011. It's Bobby Womack's first album of original material since 1994's 'Resurrection' and you can hear the first track to be taken from the album below.

Twin Shadow - 'Five Seconds'
Twin Shadow slicks back his hair and preps his return to the game with 'Five Seconds', a song that makes us want to learn how to ride a motorbike, save up and buy one, get the correct insurance, invest in a crash helment and the hit Route 66 and open 'er up down the freeway.

Foxes - 'White Coats'
White Coats is dangerously similar to Ellie Goulding and Marina and The Diamonds in certain ways (all three have a label in common: Neon Gold) and has also been granted some handy having been chosen to close out a recent episode of 'Gossip Girl'.

Kwesachu Vol. 2
Kwesachu is the collected work of producer Kwes and Micachu, of Micachu and The Shapes. They have recruited the likes of Ghostpoet, Dels and Speech Debelle for the follow up to their first mixtape (released in 2008) with brilliant results.

Glass Animals - 'Cocoa Hooves'
Recently signed to Kaya Kaya, a new imprint of the legendary XL Recordings, Glass Animals have been compared to everyone from The xx to Wild Beasts. We like to think they sound like nobody but themselves (but yeah, OK they probably have heard both those bands once or twice).

Chief Keef - 'I Don't Like (Kanye West remix)'
Kanye West shows his ability for spotting a talented newcomer early on, jumping on a remix of 17 year old Chicago rapper Chief Keef's 'I Don't Like' along with his GOOD Music label mates Big Sean, Pusha T and Jadakiss.

Sunless 97 - 'Body Weather'
This song features a saxophone yet manages to be brilliant and in no way rubbish. We think Sunless 97 might be some kind of musical wizards.

Caan - 'Into The Night'
Layering melodic and expressive synths on top of speeding drumbeats former Ou Est Le Swimming Pool man Caan produces dark hypnotic music, accompanied by heartfelt lyrics - topped with an undeniably excellent voice. What more do you want?

We chatted to lead singer Brian Fallon about his dreams of performing at Wembley Stadium, avoiding recording 'half arsed rock records' and hanging out with interns...

Having debuted your new track, '45', on Radio 1, what kind of feedback have you had?
It's been crazy. I knew it was premiering on the BBC but I didn't know exactly when and the way I found out was through my Twitter which went insane. There was post after post - it was great to see that reaction because it's the first thing people have heard from the album and they're saying it's their favourite song. It's nice for me to feel validated.

Did you always think this would be the first single for those reasons?
I was like, 'this is gonna be the first single,' but I didn't know how it was gonna work because it's my first time on a major label, but I had a gut feeling. That's the thing you look for when you write a song and release it, for people to like it. You feel like it's all worth it.

Listen to The Gaslight Anthem, '45'

You've described new album 'Handwritten' as being pretty aggressive. Is '45' a good indication of what the rest of the album is like?
There are really fast songs and then there's one song that's faster than anything we've done since 'Sink or Swim'. Even the mid-tempo songs are intense and guitar heavy. It's definitely not a laid-back record, it's explosive and it bursts out at you. That's the kind of thing we were feeling.

What put you in that frame of mind? Did changing labels last year have an effect on that?
My friends have said that if you get a new member or a new guitar it injects a certain energy, so when you're around new people, and especially people who are excited, it makes you feel good. The cool thing is, Side One Dummy [the band's previous label] are really excited and supportive of us. They didn't look it as a bad thing.

You can sense an ambition about the band, so it makes sense you'd make this move at some point.
Yeah, it's no secret that we wanna play big shows and sell a lot of records and be a big band. At the same time, there's a certain responsibilty we all feel. We don't just want to drive around in Aston Martins. If we're a big band it means we get to have a big voice and take out bands that might not have otherwise had a chance. If we're making tons of money that means we can give money to all the charities we want to; it helps you have more of an impact on your community. Plus, it's awesome to play - I'd love to play Wembley Stadium. There is a responsibilty, though. We'd be nothing without our fans.

Given your plans to tour through to the winter, what does this record sound like live and are you confident playing it live yet?
It sounds big! We were playing a lot of shows with the Foo Fighters last year and that got us jazzed up to do some big rock songs, but I wouldn't say it doesn't sit with the other records. It sounds brighter! I mean artists like Pearl Jam and Springsteen - big sounding rock records.

Did you feel like side-project The Horrible Crowes was something you had to get out of your system before you got back to Gaslight?
Definitely. I wasn't tired of it, I just ran out of ideas. Your steam can run out a little. The last thing anyone wants to hear is a half-arsed rock record.

Did you have a greater appreciation of that big guitar sound going back into the studio for this album?
I was on fire by the time I got back in there.

You recorded in Nashville. How did the atmosphere of the place influence your album?
The vibe of the studio was very encouraging. We're one of those bands that hangs out with the interns. At the end of the recording, two of the guys pulled us over and said, 'You're the coolest band, noone ever acknowledges us.' We bought them dinner and gifts 'cos they're important. You can't run a studio without them.

What is it about Nashville that so many American artists are drawn to?
Nashville's just got this cool history. It's country music, which we didn't know and is out of our league which is cool. We didn't know anybody down there, so it was like a virgin experience being in a town where you dont know anything. That was the thing with the album - we wanted to record like it was our first record. What would Gaslight Anthem sound like if we started in our 30s? We didn't want those outside influences.

What encouraged your deeply personal lyrics on this record?
I'd say The Horrible Crowes definitely helped us with that. At the beginning of your career you write like your influences, and for me it was Tom Waits, Bruce Sprinsteen, Bob Dylan and Joe Strummer. You tend to emulate them in order to find your footing. I even read that Tom Waits was trying to be Screaming Jay Hawkins for a while and then found his own thing. This is the first chapter of us developing our own sound and now it's time to build on that - to ask, 'whats our story?'

Was it something you wanted to do before but shied away from?
I always wanted to find my own thing, but truthfully I was too scared. It's scary to be revealing and that boils down to people in relationships too, who don't want to reveal their real selves at first. The Horrible Crowes was a great practice run for me.

How does touring differ between Europe and North America?
In Europe, people will pay attention to all of the bands and decide whether they like them, whereas in America, myself included, we don't really stick around and check out bands we don't know or haven't had recommended. I don't know why that is but it's definitely true. At the same time, American kids are super excited about what they do like.

Is there anywhere you're especially looking forward to going in the next couple of months?
Paris. I love France and we have a ton of stuff coming up with Reading and Leeds.

The Gaslight Anthem's fourth album, 'Handwritten', is released in the UK on July 23, and their European tour begins in Paris on May 29.

Set to release debut album 'Here We Are' on 28 May, 2012 and one of the must-see bands at this year's Camden Crawl festival, we spoke to lead singer Tom and bassist Martyn in an East London meat-market (we kid you not) about working with Alex from Franz Ferdinand on their debut album, plans for performing in outer space and that all-important exclamation mark on the end of their name...

Hello Citizens! What can people expect to hear on your debut album?
Tom: Well, there are tambourines and shakers made out of bulls testicles. They're called bulls detoroes.

Would normal shakers not have done the trick? It had to be a pair of old testicles?
Tom: Can you imagine that thick leathery consistency of a bull’s scrotum? It's filled with rice or something similar. It's such a unique sound.

How did you get involved with Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand?
Tom: We had a few mutual friends, he heard our demos and liked them. We met him in the London Fields pub for some drinks initially to try and pick up some advice but we got talking about recording and he had some really strong ideas about how we could do the album and eventually we thought we should just do it with him. It was great, we really enjoyed every bit of it. He was great to work with.

What did Alex add to the Citizens! sound?
Martyn: Working with Alex is like working with an art tutor, he questions you all the time. You have to justify every decision you make.
Tom: We were just listening to the Doolittle demos on vinyl, which I have never listened to before. I was really interested in listening to the progression from early band recordings to  the final album, which was amazing. Ours is even a bigger jump.
Martyn: Yeah, we were saying we should leak the demos at some point.

Would you consider yourself a guitar band, in the traditional sense?
Tom: I hadn’t really thought about it, I guess we do have guitars - and we are a band. It sounds slightly limiting I suppose, if someone says you are a guitar band, you kind of instantly have an idea of what what that sounds like, and it might turn you off. So, probably wouldn’t describe us as a guitar band.
Martyn: We like guitars because live, you can see people playing them and hear the sound that comes out and it makes for an exciting live thing but really I guess we try and use as many instruments as we can on our music.

Do bands need to offer more than being  just a group of men stood around playing instruments these days?
Martyn: Depends what you do with it, I suppose for us certainly it’s not particular interesting to go with that set up, we are looking to do more with the music and look at other sounds and the influences in there.
Tom: Yeah, I think when people start playing guitars, it’s easy for them to sound, to my ears, too much like a lot of other guitar bands that have been playing over the years. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room to be inventive. I bet when the Pixies started even they sounded like every other guitar band.

Watch Citizens! 'Reptile' video

Why the exclamation mark on the end of your name?
Martyn: It's just a lot cooler with the exclamation mark, than without!
Tom: Yeh, I think it looks good on a poster; it’s kind of like a shout out like a headline on a newspaper. We had three criteria to fill: one - it had to be a powerful word, it is one of the most powerful words if you think about it. Secondly it had to look good on a poster or when you see it on Glastonbury headliners. Thirdly it certainly had to be as difficult as possible to find on google.

When starting a new band, is there any point in aiming for anything less than a Glastonbury headline slot?
Martyn:  The Superbowl! We want to be the first band to play on the moon.
Tom: Actually, when we say all that and we do, we mean it. We do want to be the first band to play on the moon. But at the moment, touring around and building up followings in different countries and different towns, the early levels are really, really exciting, we’re really enjoying that.
Martyn: Yeh, you want to play to big crowds, otherwise its five guys in a room with guitars, isn’t it? A little bit tragic. We’ve had plenty of that in our time.

And what's the plan for the rest of 2012?
Tom: Well we’re putting our album out at the end of May and we’re going to be touring that - a lot. We’re playing festivals all over Europe this summer and then trying to get this gig on the moon sorted. If that’s booked by the end of the year, that will be cool. I’m not sure we can play it this year as we are busy but booking it for next year will be good.
Martyn: Actually I’m just thinking about this, this gig on the moon idea of mine and I guess I’ve over looked the fact that no one lives on the moon.
Tom: And sound can’t travel in space...

And on that note, we'll leave it there. Thank you very much Tom and Martyn of Citizens!

Citizens! perform at Club NME on 4 May, 2012 as part of this year's Camden Crawl. Debut album 'Here We Are' is released on 28 May, 2012.

Former bassist with Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, Caan's solo material is a fantastic fusion of modern electro and pop noir. The haunting music is reminiscent of an early Depeche Mode and even has a somewhat Blink 182 feel, especially in the track ‘Now Hear This My Friends'.

However, it is easy to tell that Caan has stuck to his UK Garage roots, more apparently in his new track 'In To The Night', blending the genres and creating a new fresh contemporary sound of his own. His music layers melodic and expressive synths on top of speeding drumbeats; producing dark hypnotic music, accompanied by heartfelt lyrics - topped with an undeniably excellent voice.

The young one man sensation has been noticed not only for his voice but for his looks too, having turned heads at i-D and Faded Glamour magazines. Having sold out London’s XOYO in February, he is will also be touring the UK from June and as well as playing Dingwalls, London on May 31 - returning to his home town in Camden.

His newest single ‘In To The Night’ is to be released June 11. Check out the track below.