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My Grey Horse



In the small hours of a Monday morning from 2-3am you can hear a selection of my favourite new tunes compiled into an hour-long mixtape of nonstop music. All the audio is sourced from the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing Uploader - some of it recommended by friends and colleagues and some discovered via Twitter and my own blog.

From 3am each Monday the latest mixtape is available free via the 6 Music Downloads Page - where you'll also find archived episodes from the previous 4 weeks. All the tracklists and start times for each track are published here - together with a link to each artist's website.

In addition, every Wednesday the mixtape is published on the and added to this page midweek - along with more info about each of the artists. These are the listings for Monday, 7th January 2013

WILD COMBINATION - Great Expectations [Starts 0:13]

A confident bunch of young lads from Essex, Wild Combination are making waves. In addition to an Introducing session for Ö÷²¥´óÐã Essex, this, their debut single, has been played by Bethan Elfyn on Amazing Radio and our very own Chris Hawkins on 6music. They’ve also supported Mercury Prize winners Alt-J. When not locked away in a studio , they put on a club night in Chelmsford at HOOGA. They assure us they’ll be venturing out of their home county more in 2013.

MY GREY HORSE - Need Wood [Starts 4:16]

My Grey Horse are three brothers (Butlers Peter, Oobah and John) and two friends (Tom Mott and Joe Nicklin) from Stratford-Upon-Avon. Another band to have attracted the attention of my colleague Shaun Keaveny - who described Need Wood as ‘one of the best songs I’ve heard in a good long time’. Their sophomore EP ‘Stop before the Dry River’ is due out this coming Monday, January 14th - with sold-out hometown shows and support slots to follow at the Scala in London.

THE PORTRAITS - Validation [Starts 07:07]

Launched in 2005 by Irish singer Lorraine Reilly and Bristolian pianist Jeremy Millington, The Portraits’ are a band with a social conscience. Having written many songs about the political turmoil in Burma, plans are now afoot for a gig on Burmese soil in 2013. It follows a busy 2012, during which they wrote and released a brand new song every Friday inspired by the suggestions from their fans. Their new album Counterbalance was released on November 5th, and you can see them live on February 2nd at Blackheath Halls in London.
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SYMPHONIC PICTURES - Smile Its Real [Starts 11:56]

Recalling the likes of Stereolab, Symphonic Pictures are Johnny Nond, Dale Knight, Ray Wright, Ed Smith and Nahema Adele. Their next gig is at London’s legendary Madame JoJos on February 5th as part of the White Heat club night, with an EP to follow in March. It will, they tell us, be released on 12" Vinyl with ‘some lovely artwork’.

THE SON(S) - If I Hear You Talk Apostrophes Again [Starts 15:33]

Somewhat cryptically, The Son(s) describe themselves/himself as a ‘three-piece solo project’. Longstanding listeners to my Ö÷²¥´óÐã Introducing shows on 6 Music will remember there used to be three Sons, but two of them now only contribute to the project in spirit. The band recently released one off single on limited edition vinyl postcard alongside household names such as Randolph's Leap, RM Hubbert and Behold, the Old Bear (on Peenko Records) and will have something more substantial to follow up by autumn 2013.

SNIPPET - Come To My Party [Starts 18:54]

Snippet is the soubriquet of Londoner Johnno Casson, who cut his teeth as lead singer of trip-hop pioneers Deep Joy. Now based in Colchester, he is currently working on an EP entitled DIY, which features this and another Mixtape favourite, Let’s Talk About Us. As the title of the project suggests, Johnno will be doing everything himself, from the production to cover artwork.

THE CUT THROAT RAZORS - Mr Bond [Starts 21:47]

A sharp dressed, Glasgow based, 8-piece, The Cut Throat Razors are fronted by the energetic and theatrical Scott Crawford. This is the lead single from their first album - the wonderfully-titled ‘Dr Gelati and the Lemon Garden’, which they launched at Stereo in their hometown last month. According to the band, it taps into 007 mania – with a cinematic Barryesque groove exploding into a crazed Balkan polka.

ROO PANES - Know Me Well [Starts 25:37]

A relative newcomer to the scene, Roo Panes has already made quite an impact. The grandson of a classical concert pianist, his songs have garnered over half a million views on YouTube, perhaps helped by the fact he is one the faces of fashion label, Burberry. But as you can hear on this track he’s much more than just a handsome face, and has opened for the likes of Ben Howard, no less. Roo released his first EP in December - of which this is the title track – with another to follow shortly.

JOE INNES & THE CAVALCADE - Sweetheart Revolution Part 1 [Starts 29:56]

A purveyor of anti-folk, Joe has been playing shows around his hometown of London for years and indeed we first played him on 6 Music in January 2010 when he was still a solo artist. However at the end of 2011 Joe decided to broaden his horizons and formedÌý The Cavalcade with drummer Chris Mitchell, guitarist Sam Simon-Norris and violinist Amy Smith. A garage-folk outfit that has been compared to Jeffrey Lewis & The Junkyard and The Pogues, the fact that Steve Lamacq has described them as ''showstopping' is more than enough recommendation for me.

JACK ROBERT HARDMAN - Plymouth [Starts 33:18]

23-year-old Jack Robert Hardman writes and records his brand of quirky pop music at his home studio in Ascot. With nods to the Beach Boys, Phil Spector and Simon and Garfunkel, ‘Plymouth’ follows his eponymous debut album, and his singles 'Famous' and 'Lights of London'. Since it's release, 'Plymouth' has received widespread radio support, and has been flagged by influential New York blog 'I Guess I'm Floating'.

MAIA - Where Else But Earth [Starts 36:34]

Following their self-titled debut album and Alligator EP, Maia released their second album Pepper Stars in November. It is really rather good, and was chosen as one Time Out's albums of the week. This particular song was released in December. They have supported a number of celebrated names - perhaps most intriguingly Chumbawamba – and also played Rad-Mac favourites The Unthanks at their end-of-tour party.

JULIE HAWK - The Value of Gold [Starts 39:30]

A singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Julie grew up in an eclectic musical household in the rain-choked West of Ireland. She took up piano at age 5, followed by fiddle and later guitar, all the while singing in as many styles as she could. She evidently has a talent for it, which led to support slots with Benjamin Francis Leftwich and Michele Stodart of The Magic Numbers. The Value of Gold is released on January 21st (along with the b-side, a cover of This Charming Man), with a free launch at the Wheelbarrow in Camden on January 26th. An EP follows on February 9th, as does a spring tour of the UK and Ireland.


ARBEIA - Umbrella [Starts 43:09]

Arbeia are a 4 piece from Newcastle. The play ambient, alternative music and "take beautiful photographs of things". Which is nice. But for goodness sake guys: you must have spent days and weeks honing your music in the studio to make it sound this good and taking your Beautiful Photographs. So why can't you find 20 minutes to write some factual information about yourselves on your Facebook page? (Read here why that might be a good idea.)

JESS HARWOOD - Every Little Thing [Starts 47:04]

Writing and singing her own songs since her early teens, 20-year-old Jess is another Mixtape artist with a seeming bright future. We at 6 Music have already cottoned on to her abilities, as have the good folk at local radio stations in the Lancashire area (Jess is from Blackpool). ‘Every Little Thing’ is one of the first songs she wrote, and always features at the gigs and open mic nights she frequents in and around Manchester.

CREATURE THAT BITES - Plane to Caracas [Starts 50:44]

Creature That Bites is a collaboration between Chris Barton (predominantly keyboards & vocals) and George Haworth (predominantly bass guitar & vocals). Since joining forces last April, they have co-written, -produced and -mixed the self-titled album from which this track is taken. Though currently only available digitally, the duo plan to release a CD version sometime this month. Details are on their website.

OWEN DUFF - London You're My High [Starts 54:32]

Owen not only writes, performs, records and produces his own songs but he then makes the accompanying videos himself as well. He has released four EPs since 2006 and has completed one 'hidden' album, copies of which he’s been leaving in secret locations around the world since 2009. This project is featured in the video for his song 'The Race'. He's currently working on a fifth EP and his first full album, the working title of which is 'Bed'.