Elton John releases his new album ‘The Diving Board’ today, his first studio recording of all-new solo material since 2006’s ‘The Captain & The Kid’. The album features a stripped back accompaniment of musicians – reminiscent of the albums that established his reputation back in the 1970s – with all the songs written by Elton John and his long term lyrical collaborator Bernie Taupin.
Elvis Costello and The Roots release a new collaborative album ‘Wise Up Ghost’ today on Blue Note/Decca – a project that promises to “explode any preconceptions a listener might bring to it.”
Willis Earl Beal releases the follow up to his debut ‘Acousmatic Sorcery’ today, ‘Nobody Knows’ on Hot Charity / XL Recordings. This second album moves on from the lo-fi stripped down feel of his debut – whilst losing none of the raw power of his voice. Talking about the process of making the album Beal says, "It started a long time ago. It essentially took 29 years to accumulate the experience and the emotion I put into this record."
Universal Music Publishing is delighted to welcome Angel Haze to the UMP family. The talented rapper has been attracting high praise from the all corners of the press for her unique style: “Best female rapper to emerge in 5 years” (The Independent), “She is part of a revolution of sorts: the coming of age of hip-hop” (The Times), “She represents the vitality and power of a new generation of rappers in hip hop today” (GQ) and simply “jawdropping” (Q).
Franz Ferdinand release their fourth studio album ‘Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action’ today on Domino. It’s an exuberant record, which takes Franz Ferdinand’s signature lyrical detail, heavyweight hooks and uncanny ability to marry artistic sensibility with pop punch, and pushes them even further.
Tired Pony release their second album ‘The Ghost of the Mountain’ on through Fiction - the follow up to their critically-acclaimed 2010 debut ‘The Place We Ran From’. Tired Pony is Gary Lightbody, Peter Buck, Iain Archer, Richard Colburn, Scott McCaughey, Troy Stewart and Garret ‘Jacknife’ Lee. Gary Lightbody originally put the band together with the idea of making an Americana album, but the musical vision ended up expanding much wider.
Basement Jaxx have followed up ‘Back 2 the Wild’ with a gloriously uplifting new track ‘What a Difference Your Love Makes’.
Taking the boom of British bass culture and marrying it to the sweet slickness of classic American R&B, AlunaGeorge release their eagerly awaited debut album ‘Body Music’ today on Island Records.
Fryars has released a shimmering slice of summer pop perfection in the form of new single ‘Cool Like Me’.
Univeral Music Publishing have signed the BBC Sound of 2013 winners, Haim. Hailing from the San Fernando Valley, Haim consists of sisters Este, Danielle and Alana Haim, along with drummer Dash Hutton.