Thursday, February 17, 2011

Charli XCX

Ahead of Un-Convention at the Roundhouse next week (Feb 26th), I wanted to send you some little highlights on a couple of the artists involved... Charli XCX is pretty amazing from what I have seen of her (she reminds me of Peaches) and I wanted to make sure you are fully aware of her.

As part of the Un-Convention Factory, Charli XCX will be covering a song from The Clash's 'London Calling' album, with Viv Albertine (ex The Slits). Full information on Un-Convention at the Roundhouse can be found HERE

Check below for her biog and a link to a (ropey but it works that way) video that i think captures her well..





If you don't know Charli XCX yet, give it five minutes. The teenage prodigy's about to explode into 2011, not so much making an entrance as kicking pop music's door in and running rampage through its front room. Armed with a rampant imagination and a gym bag full of epic electro pop tunes, and backed by a growing army of top producers and worldwide fans, she's got the current crop of stars in her sights and more than enough ammo to take them down.

Now she's here with two tracks set to blow the UK sidewards. 'Stay Away', co-written and produced by Ariel Rechtshaid (We Are Scientists, Diplo), is as knock-you-to-the-floor as first introductions come. A massive scuzz bass driven anthem that combines all the majestic bluster of the 80s with distinct post-millennial production, it's an epic and heart-wrenching addition to pop's cannon about "unrequited love and being tainted by someone so you can't be around them any more". Witch house poster boys Salem and West London producer of the moment T Williams have both already jumped at the chance to remix.

It's joined by 'Jungle', a faster rollick through electroclash's undergrowth co-written and produced by NME hottest producer MNEK. Part organic Fever Ray soundscape, part madcap d'n'b safari it sees lyrics snatched from Candi Staton and showcases Charli's range, from early Gwen Stefani emotion to leaps of falsetto and Nicki Minaj-esque raps.

Charli's not just sought after for her music though; she's been muse to both Rankin and David Bailey already. "Bailey was fucking cool but so scary" she remembers. "He said 'you've got a lovely voice, but your trousers are fucking shit'. To be fair they were pretty bad trousers, full of proper retro killer colours like a baby had thrown up on my leg."

www.twitter.com/charli_xcx

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