News The Neu Bulletin (2nd November 2012)

Neu’s got you covered for new music recommendations and nights out this week. Each day we’ll give you a choice gig, plus a selection of fresh artists to check out.

THE GIG
Crushed Beaks & Jaws - Birthdays, London

Crushed Beaks’ latest video contains all the right things: Face slapping, naked couples kissing and some budgies. If you see any of the above at the gig in Dalston tonight, you’ve probably realised it’s Friday and you’re bound to have bought too many drinks, way too early. The support comes from B-town hype-magnets (despicable phrase but it’s appropriate to this lot) JAWS, who are sporting their live game in front of an endless queue of A&Rs, I’m sure.

Crushed Beaks and Jaws play Dalston’s Birthdays, tonight.

THE SONG
Triad God - Pok


Triad God has signed to the Hippos In Tanks label, responsible for some of the more forward-thinking, eye-opening releases of the past few years. Immediately, upon hitting play, you can identify why London artist Vinh Ngan is one of the most recent signees. Born in Vietnam, raised in Hong Kong, he raps in his native tongue, lacing sparse ambient soundscapes with unconventional, rhythm-less vocals. It’s both challenging and affecting. Stream new song ‘Pok’ here.

FURTHER NEU BUSINESS

Strictly speaking Halls is long gone in Neu years. The debut album’s out there. By now you’ve been listening to it for a week or so, weeping, visiting churches in your spare time, feeling torn up and ever so slightly spiritual. If that’s yet to happen, let the above be a final act of persuasion. We wrote about Halls early last year, where he hid behind reverb and gentle synthetics, like so many bedroom producers often do. Then he took things a step up. And then again. And then again until he arrived with ‘Ark’ as a proper songwriter with a great voice, bereft of vocals. Surrounding himself with choirs, not samples, he takes the breath away in the above session for ‘White Chalk’.

Halls’ “Ark’ is out now. Read DIY’s verdict here.