Lauren Laverne Feed

THE MPFREE HAS MOVED!

2014-10-24T09:09:26+00:00

Hi everyone,

Just making sure those of you who've book-marked this page aren't wondering 'where's my free music?' Don't fear, it's now in a new place and easier to use and it's all here: http://bbc.in/1sgJ5DR

Pink Teens - More Than I Can Bear

2014-10-21T08:15:30+00:00

Every now and then, a band just needs to change its name in order to establish its new course: The Quarrymen into The Beatles, The Rain into Oasis, Liberty into Liberty X. Joining that list is Temple Songs – played several times on this show - who’ve changed their name to Pink Teens.

Download Pink Teens - More Than I Can Bear

In celebration of this change, the will be releasing a 9-track EP “Good Luck, Pink Teens”, from which More Than I Can Bear is taken. Fans of the former will be pleased that the psyche-tinged shoe gaze remain, with lead singer Jolan Lewis just having a knack for finding great melodies amongst the wealth of sound behind him. They play Bleach in Brighton tonight. Download now, watch tonight = Tuesday.

MPFree: Dive Index - Pattern Pieces

2014-10-20T08:35:10+00:00

Today’s MPFree is a beautiful and mellow track to soothe you into your Monday morning by L.A. based band Dive Index.

Download Pattern Pieces - Dive Index

Spearheaded by composer and producer Will Thomas, Dive Index is a collaboration of artists such as vocalists Simone White, who features on Pattern Pieces. Dive Index use a unique combination of electronic and acoustic sounds to make deeply layered music.

Pattern Pieces is partnered with the song A Person To Hide With, which features Isaiah Gage on vocals, and is also available as a free download. Will describes the two songs as “lyrically…portray[ing] an intimate, one-on-one conversation.”

Dive Index's fourth album Lost In The Pressure was released on 30th September 2014 via Neutral Music Records.

MPFree: Tamikrest – Djanegh Etoumast

2014-10-17T08:35:09+00:00

Today’s MPFree goes global with a stunner from African musicians Tamikrest, discovered in the same Glitterbeat Records vaults which gave us Wednesday’s ‘Robot Dub’ track (Be Ki Don by Schneider TM).

Download Djanegh Etoumast by Tamikrest

Recent winners of the ‘Best Group’ award at the Songlines Music Awards, Tamikrest are formed of artists from Mali, Niger and Algeria who aim to open up ‘new paths between desert blues and Western rock.’

As a band originating from the Sahara comparisons to fellow Saharan musicians Tinariwen are inevitable, but Tamikrest carve their own niche with funky bass riffs and bluesy rhythms.

This track ‘Djanegh Etoumast’ comes from their latest album Chatma, which was released in September. Never ones to shy away from political and social commentary, Chatma, which means ‘Sisters’ in Tamashek, is about the suffering and strength of the Tuareg women during war.

Their frontman Ousmane Ag Mossa recently performed alongside Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye at Burg Herzberg Festival, and the band will begin a UK tour later this month if you want to catch them live.

Desert Island Disco: Successfully Filling The Dancefloor

2014-10-17T07:00:50+00:00

It’s time to get your dancing shoes on as listener Olivia McLearon has chosen a cracking disco playlist to get you ready for the weekend. Remember, you can send your party tunes to us (as many tracks as you like) to lauren.music@bbc.co.uk and it could be you sitting in the hot seat next week. Here's Olivia to tell all:

"After hearing yet another excellent Desert Island Disco I couldn't resist sending my selection in. I've found it really hard to narrow it down to 16 (which I know is still too many!), but I hope you like them. They all contain very happy memories for me and my friends, mostly including festivals and nights out. And I know from experience of sneakily putting them on at parties, that they would all successfully fill a dance floor. I hope I don't kick myself for not including any of the 20 or so songs that were hovering just outside the list..".

Successfully Filling The Dance Floor

1. Get Innocuous! – LCD Soundsystem

I have many happy memories of seeing LCD Soundsystem live and dancing to this at festivals, clubs, bars and around my room.

2. Pull Up To The Bumper – Grace Jones

An amazing song and an amazing woman. I'm happy to say I've seen her live twice and both times were with incredibly special friends.

3. I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) – Hall & Oates

This reminds me of a very good friend and for some reason the brackets in the title really crack us up.

4. Why – Carly Simon

This is one of my all-time favourite songs. A very dear friend says that the lyrics are about me, but we'll gloss over that. I also had to include something the legend Nile Rodgers has worked on.

5. Get Off – Prince

It is so hard to choose just one Prince track, but this is probably the first song that made me aware of Prince and I'll never grow tired of it. As an awkward, unconfident 13 year old with a dodgy perm and braces, this was, and still is, one of the most exciting things I'd ever heard.

6. The Way You Make Me Feel – Michael Jackson

I could've chosen so many Michael Jackson tracks but this intro just makes me go wow.

7. Inspector Norse – Todd Terje

I've heard this song so many times over the last two years, but it still sounds as fresh as it did the first time I heard it. I think the first time I heard this song was in Lisbon watching James Murphy DJing at a festival *show off*.

8. Around The World – Daft Punk

Their 2007 show in Hyde Park is one of my top three gigs ever and this song was definitely a highlight!

9. Automatic – The Pointer Sisters

This is quite simply, a tune of the highest order.

10. Everybody – Madonna

Madonna was the first pop star I loved, so I had to include her. It was a toss-up between this and Lucky Star, but this just pipped it to the post.

11. Whatta Man – Salt-N-Pepa featuring En Vogue

I had the pleasure of seeing Salt-N-Pepa in Sydney in 2010 with a couple of my oldest friends. We decided it was fate that they happened to be performing when I was visiting. Yes, I'm showing off again.

12. Big Fun – Inner City

It's just brilliant.

13. Running – Jessie Ware (Disclosure remix)

I think this was the first Disclosure track I had listened to. Love, love, love the 90s garage vibe.

14. Cassius 1999 [Remix] – Cassius

I loved French house in the early 00s and I still do. This reminds me of moving to London in the summer of 2000 with one of my closest friends.

15. Flowers – Sweet Female Attitude

I heard it at both weddings I went to this year which I think proves that it's a proper garage classic.

16. Our Love – Caribou

I'm absolutely obsessed with this song! I cannot wait to see Caribou perform live in March.

MPFree: Jessie Ware - 12

2014-10-16T08:20:20+00:00

Today’s MPFree is a mesmerising demo from the woman of the moment – the very cool Jessie Ware.

Download Jessie Ware - 12

South Londoner Jessie recorded the track “12” last year at the Red Bull Studio in London. Robin Hannibal, who is part of the Danish group Quadron, co-wrote and produced the song. Jessie released her second album Tough Love on 13^th October. Even though “12” didn’t make it onto the new album Jessie tells us all to “play it late and go kiss someone x”.

Jessie released her beautiful debut record “Devotion” in 2011 and went on to be nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. She has previously worked with SBTRKT and Sampha, and started her music career as Jack Penate’s backing singer. Jessie will start her UK tour in January 2015.

This external content is available at its source: http://soundcloud.com/jessieware/12demo

MPFree: Bass Drum of Death – For Blood

2014-10-15T08:25:19+00:00

The MPFree picks up the pace a little today with “minimalist head-smashing garage rock that's going to get you jumping up and down on your desk”.

Download Bass Drum of Death – For Blood

Their self-titled second album was released last year, and received quite a level of rotation on this show – certainly one to add to your collection if it’s currently missing. Now the Oxford, Mississippi duo return with their third outing, RIP THIS. A possible commentary on the state of the industry, or just an instruction, or even sarcasm, we’re not quite sure but ‘For Blood’ is the first taster we’ve had. And now the free music gods have made it available for you right here. They’re also live, and some would certainly expect some loudness, in London and Manchester 13^th and 14^th November respectively.

This external content is available at its source: http://soundcloud.com/innovativeleisure/bass-drum-of-death-for-blood-1

Memory Tapes: Smells Like Teen Spirit

2014-10-15T06:56:01+00:00

Today's Memory Tape comes from listener Liv Siddall and, in a way, she's perfected the art of the Memory Tape. It was made for her by boyfriend-from-the-past who thought it might be a good idea to romanticise the gesture of giving her mixtape even more. C'mon, we've all been there! Remember you can send your Memory Tape to us anytime you like: lauren.6music@bbc.co.uk. Here's Liv to tell all:

"When I was 15 my boyfriend at the time made me a cd and sprayed it with his Jean Paul Gaultier eau de toilette. I played it so often that it eventually wore out, but I can still remember the tracklist off by heart.

I think he was just putting together a mix of stuff he thought was cool, and it is a great mix. But to me it summed up that perfect, palpable feeling of rebellion and romance. Considering we would spend ALL our time sneaking off to snog, or do things we shouldn’t have really have been doing - those three years were summed up on this CD, and I can almost hear the music whenever I get a whiff of Jean Paul Gaultier on the tube."

Smells Like Teen Spirit

The Von Bondies - C'Mon C'mon

Graham Coxon - Bittersweet Bundle of Misery

Aimee Mann - Save Me

The Only Ones - Another Girl Another Planet

The Libertines - The Delaney

Bloc Party - Banquet

Evan Dando - Waking Up

Ramones - Pet Cemetary

James Brown - The Boss

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Love Burns

Neil Young - Don't Let It Bring You Down

The Velvet Underground - Oh! Sweet Nothing

Radiohead - True Love Waits

Liv

MPFree: Jolie Noir – White Lines

2014-10-14T08:58:05+00:00

Onwards we roll to the second free download of the week, and it’s a bit of a banger this one. Nemone sits in for Lauren today, and she’s bringing her Electric Ladyland-vibes to the show with this reworking of a classic by German producer Jolie Noir.

Download Jolie Noir – White Lines

Katja aka Jolie Noir is based in Nuremberg and started DJing when she was just 18. Having grown up around 80s and early 90s hip hop, she now takes her love of the genre squarely to the dance floors with this 4/4 reworking of Grandmaster Flash’s White Lines. It’s a subtle remapping, but when the familiar elements start breaking through you know this has been made with a lot of a love. Download now.

This external content is available at its source: http://soundcloud.com/jolienoir/jolie-noir-white-lines

MPFree: Tan Vampires - Paper Cranes

2014-10-13T08:41:48+00:00

Welcome one and all to the returning MPFree. Following last week’s triumphant 6 Music Live gigs down at that there Maida Vale, there simply wasn’t room to squeeze the free download in. But now it’s back, bigger than ever, and with an absolute wonder to wash away the blues of the rainy week ahead.

Download Tan Vampires - Paper Cranes

Tan Vampires are a sextet from Dover, New Hampshire, USA for fans of “Radiohead, Wilco, Local Natives, and Neil Young.” Personally, we see more My Morning Jacket and it’s a marching wave of brass, woodland folk and forlorn lyrics. They formed in 2008 having released two albums; 2011's For Physical Fitness, and 2013's Ephemera. The band is currently hard at work on a new album which should be out in the spring of next year. They also play a free gig in Manchester tonight if you’re from that side of the world.

Desert Island Disco: Dancing In The Name Of

2014-10-10T06:33:50+00:00

Remember, you can send you best dancing tunes to us here anytime you like, and it could be you visiting the island very soon: lauren6music@bbc.co.uk.

Today's Desert Island Disco is being hand delivered to you by one Mr Stephen Conway AKA Red. He works backstage at a production of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, so he's got some sweet treats for you to get your ears, minds and bodies moving to the desert island of destiny:

"My mix is a combination of songs that immediately sprung to mind (Harry Belafonte, Dolly, Jackie Wilson) and an intense look into the depths of my memory!

I spent a considerable amount of time putting this list together, not because I couldn't think of what to add, more to do with having too much! I look at the list now and already it's different to how it started. I'll probably see it again next week and it would be different again. I'm already seeing a distinct lack of Motown here which is a travesty. I don't think there is another genre of music that has such broad appeal and the ability to get everyone and anyone dancing!

As for my list so far, it seems to be split between 'classics' and tracks from the late 90's/early 00's. These were my teenage years. I remember getting some decks when I was about 17 and had a copy of Scanty Sandwich which I could quite handily do a pretty naff beat mix with. That, into Zombie Nation if I'm not mistaken. It's safe to say my career as a house DJ was confined to the bedroom.

The 'odd' choice here would be Killing In The Name Of, I chose this one because it reminds me of sticky floors, snakebite and dark and sweaty clubs. I've heard it at rock nights and in the middle of house sets and to be fair, it does the job. It gets people moving! Dolly is a given. I challenge anyone to hear the first two seconds and not either smile or start tapping their feet along. Harry Belafonte is just an outright self-indulgence choice. I bloody love this song!!

MJ is MJ, King of Pop....

Stevie is a Wonder.

Young MC is 'that' rap song that I kind of know the first bit of. Plus it's a sample from Shaft.

Oh.... and Shake a Tail Feather - Ray Charles and Blues Brothers"

Dancing In The Name Of

Basement Jaxx - Do Your Thing

Dolly Parton - 9-5

Rage Against The Machine - Killing In The Name Of

Young MC - Know How

Jackie Wilson - (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher

Harry Belafonte - Jump In The Line

Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough

Pharrell Williams - Happy

Scanty Sandwich - Because Of You

Cassius - Cassius 1999

Deee-Lite - Groove Is In The Heart

Mr Oizo - Flat Beat

Faithless - Insomnia

Underworld - Born Slippy

The Strokes - Last Nite

The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love

Shirley Ellis - The Clapping Song

James Brown - Get Up Offa That Thing (has to be a James Brown track in there)

The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up

Soft Cell (or Gloria Jones) - Tainted Love

Donna Summer - I Feel Love

Ray Charles and Blues Brothers – Shake a Tail Feather

Memory Tapes: Have I Said Amazing Too Much Yet?

2014-10-08T06:33:18+00:00

Today's Memory Tape is from listener Shahina Khan from St Albarn who wanted to share a mix CD she and her husband made for their wedding last year. It's a tale of good times, a shared love of music and a cause to celebrate - plus a sprinkling of cheese - so what's not to like?:

"I love your Memory Tape feature so much and wanted to tell you about a kind of tape me and my now husband made for our wedding; we made a mix CD as a favour for all our guests. We have been together for nearly 14 years and finally tied the knot last last October. It was the best day of our lives cheesily enough! I have attached the track list which we called Love Is a Mix Tape and wanted to have songs we love, songs our friends love, songs that hold special memories, that just reflected us and the last 13 years. Shamefully, I think I spent more time choosing songs and the order than I did any other part of the wedding. Slow Show was our first dance and our friends surprised us and sang All These Things That I've Done at the ceremony. Everybody joined in, it was amazing. Have I said amazing too much yet?

Our 14 year anniversary was at the end of July and I haven't told Russ that I have emailed you, but I think would be a lovely surprise to get some of the songs played for him as a kind of anniversary present (maybe not Fall Out Boy, that’s just a guilty pleasure, there have been some dodgy moments in the last 14 years). He is the best friend a girl could wish for, being together since we were 18 years old our music taste has kind of evolved together. We have been to 10 Glastonburys now and countless gigs. Music has played such an important role in our relationship; it's kind of the third wheel.

Anyway hope you like it, enough of this gushing!"

MPFree Firejosé – Windy City

2014-10-03T08:40:27+00:00

It’s Friday! We’re bringing your Friday 12 hours early, so it’s actually late at night now, and what we need going into the early hours is a good dose of repetitive, and damn right spooky, dance-laden music for the mind. That’s exactly what Firejosé is going to provide for us.

Download Firejosé – Windy City*

Windy City is taken from a four-track Red Mist EP from Estonian producer Firejosé (a.k.a. Mark Stukis). This is the only track available for free download, courtesy of the Cut Label which operates on a subscription basis. On his Facebook, he has quite the introduction: “Mark Stukis pondered into the electronic music world in the 90s, moving gradually from listening to records to going to raves, falling in love with drum n bass to DJing. After years of spinning and producing solely one genre it was time to evolve...”. And evolve he has, bringing us this dark slice of late night urban Burial-esque dirge.

*this might be slightly tricky to find, but just head past the SoundCloud embded, underneath that you'll see a button called 'download'.

Desert Island Disco: If Love Can’t Save The Day, What Will?

2014-10-03T06:25:29+00:00

Remember, you can send your party tunes to us (as many tracks as you like) to lauren.music@bbc.co.uk and it could be you sitting in the hot (gedditt...desert...hello?) seat next week. This week, however, it's the turn of listener Kerry Turner. Now this is a lady who knows how to put on a party, and luckily we're ALL invited:

"I put this mix together from a combination of playlists I've made over the years. I’m forever making playlists for friends, parties, coping mechanisms to get through yet another dull day at work, any excuse really. If I were stranded on a desert island, I’d like to think that these tracks would keep the party going.

It’s been influenced by lots of different people, so I can’t take all the credit - my brothers (who have impeccable taste in music), my Swedish sister-in-law, who’s ability to mix a Whitney Houston track into a house set astounds me, my darling fiancé and his love of the Manchester music scene, a recent DJing stint of mine where I played at a friend’s wedding and my continuing love for Disco music. I’m a massive Good Times fan, so I can only thank Sir Norman Jay for his constant reminders of how great The O’Jays are and always managing to dig up a 90’s house classic and at the same time throw in a newbie like Chris Malinchak. And of course it goes without saying, 6 Music - what the hell would life be like without you fine people!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I did making it!"

1. Got to give the people what they want – The O’Jays (because The O’Jays are great and this is a classic party opener)

2. Love hangover – Diana Ross (one of the first Disco tracks I heard and will never forget – everyone should experience this track at some point in their lives)

3. At Midnight – T-Connection (I discovered this track at Gramophone Records in Chicago and haven’t been able to stop listening to it since – the bongo’s on it are A-mazing!).

4. After Dark – The Count & Sinden (feat. Mystery Jets) – A party classic for me and my friends. George and Chris this one’s for.

5. White Noise – Disclosure, AlunaGeorge – because I was a garage girl growing up and this brings back a taste of the old school.

6. Blue Monday – New Order – because the baseline is superb and it’s a classic.

7. Let The Music Use You – Frankie Knuckles – it was hard to pick which is my favourite Frankie Knuckles track, but this kind of nips in the bud for me.

8. Love Will Save the day – Whitney Houston – My Sister-in-law once threw this into a mix and I’d never heard it before and have loved it ever since. Let’s face it, if love can’t save the day, what will!

9. A Lover’s Holiday – Change – one of my all-time favourite songs. This should be played every day.

10. Where Love Lives – Alison Limerick - a party classic – I can’t imagine anyone ever complaining that someone put this on.

11. So Good To Me – Chris Malinchak – perhaps a more commercial option, but I’ll never forget this being played at Good Times (Notting Hill Carnival), the sun was shining, the party bouncing – it was the perfect track at the time and brings back good memories.

12. Bingo bango – Basement Jaxx – an incredible live act and always a party stomper.

13. Remember Me – Blue Boy - reminds me of the old school days. Love this track.

14. Born Slippy – Underworld – why not? An end of the night song that everyone always loves.

15. Once In A Lifetime – Talking Heads – because this never fails to get people dancing

MPfree: Lisa Mitchell – Wah Ha

2014-10-02T08:46:09+00:00

Today’s free download comes from Albury, Australia from an artist who goes by the name of Lisa Mitchell…and absolutely lush it is too.

Download Lisa Mitchell – Wah Ha

This download is a “a special gift from Lisa before she records her new album”, which she’s also coproducing don’t you know. The blurb on her Soundcloud page pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the track: “Quickly scrawled on the back of a receipt during a summer break with her family, Wah Ha began as a rebellion against the pressure to always feel ‘OK’.” Lisa says of the track: “When I play Wah Ha to people, I notice a certain kind of lightness fills the room. The lyrics takes some weight off my shoulders. Even with the new album on the table I just couldn’t wait any longer to make contact again... Releasing ‘Wah Ha’ makes me feel a bit like ET reaching his finger out into the abyss, hoping to find another…”

This external content is available at its source: http://soundcloud.com/lisamitchellmusic/wah-ha