The Voice UK vs. Britain's Got Talent

I must say I'm not generally a fan of televised talent shows but the concept of The Voice UK coupled with the eclectic line-up of judges reeled me in and I've been watching since the show debuted. I think it's great that The Voice only celebrates real talent and doesn't set out to mock, unlike rival show Britain's Got Talent, which mixes the sublime with the truly terrible.

So far The Voice has already showcased some amazing performers, of which Ruth Brown, Jazz Ellington and Vince Kidd are my favorites, and I certainly think these three will do very well after the show is finished, no matter who is crowned the first 'Voice UK'. While I still think these kind of television shows are tacky and not really my kind of thing, I do think The Voice UK has emerged as a unique and highly watchable series that stands firmly above its competition, and if you happened to catch both The Voice UK and Britain's Got Talent yesterday then the difference between the two was perfectly encapsulated by Emeli Sande's strong performance on the former contrasting with that of singer Tulisa, previously of UK grime act N-Dubz, on the latter. Tulisa's cringe-worthy effort rivals Britney Spears' ill fated 2007 VMA performance for awkwardness, although of course she will never reach the same level of fame, which does make me wonder why anyone would want to see this. Surprisingly though BGT is winning the ratings war with The Voice UK according to latest figures so what gives?

There are some very gifted folk popping up on BGT but I just can't sit through the rest, and I find the judges excruciatingly smug and annoying. On the other hand The Voice UK has been a great platform for Black Eyed Peas member Will.I.Am who, during the course of the series, has completely won me over with his bizarre catchphrases and his brilliant anecdotes, and he really has proved that he has a great ear and top producer talent. I do think the show has lost some of its initial spark as the live rounds continue and the cast of hopefuls are slowly picked off, but there are still moments that make it worth watching. The judges haven't always made wise decisions (Harriet Whitehead not being picked has so far been the most infuriating) and the show is still obviously manipulative and exploitative but I do think it's a step up from the usual reality-based dross that graces television screens.

As an aside, I tried watching The Voice US but the judges, including Christina Aguilera and the lead singer of Maroon 5, proved too insufferable to bear.

Here are some of my favorite performances from The Voice UK so far:

Marley

I really should have posted about this sooner, but better late than never right? Last Wednesday I went to a preview screening of Marley, the new documentary chronicling the career of one of the most influential musicians of all time, Bob Marley. The screening was held at the W Hotel London for friends of Island Records, the film itself having been produced by Island Records founder Chris Blackwell who signed Marley to the label in 1972. Directed by Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland/Touching the Void) the film features interviews with everyone from legendary music producer Lee 'Scratch' Perry to Marley's wife and back-up singer Rita and of course The Wailers. There is also plenty of amazing live footage, including his performance at the Smile Jamaica concert shortly after he was shot. Macdonald offers us a very intimate portrait of the star, choosing not to gloss over issues such as the use of marijuana and Marley's infidelity to his wife, as well the stubbornness which lead him to skip medical appointments following a serious foot injury and delayed the revelation of his cancer which was discovered too late, costing him his life at the age of 36. The final segment of the film, which clocks in at a weighty 146minutes in total, focuses on the last year of Marley's life as he attempts to battle his cancer through holistic medicine, and it's certainly emotional and difficult to watch. Whether or not you're particularly familiar with Bob Marley's history and career you will no doubt be moved by the power of this documentary and the positive socio-political messages that Marley spread across the world through his music. The accompanying soundtrack is also worth picking up, featuring some very strong live performances, rare tracks and remixes.

Elfie Hopkins World Premiere

Last night I attended the world premiere of my friend Ryan Andrews' debut directorial feature Elfie Hopkins starring Jamie Winstone at the Vue in London's Leicester Square.

The film follows a pair of detective-wannabe stoners who begin investigating a suspicious family who move into their sleepy hunting village in England. While billed as a horror film it's actually more of a quirky coming-of-age story that just so happens to feature cannibalism and gratuitous violence. The story is overshadowed by the vivid characterisation and splendid performances from the cast. Jamie Winstone and Aneurin Barnard are engaging and likeable as the oddball pot-loving duo at the centre of the film while the bizarre family of Gammons provide comedy and terror in equal part.

Elfie Hopkins is a B-movie story with fully-fleshed and precisely portrayed characters that is entertaining, heartwarming and occasionally rather gruesome, with a hilarious cameo from Ray Winstone. It takes elements of cult cinema and mixes them with slick contemporary filmmaking to make the ideal midnight movie and a promising debut from a new young director. As Elfie would say, "skin up", sit back and enjoy.

Note: The film also features some very exciting and promising new unreleased tracks by Charli XCX (pictured below with me at the premiere).

Snow PR

Some cool pieces at Snow PR's press day today:

MILK @ LOW

Presenting a night of smooth, fresh and upbeat, vocally-driven deep house and electronic music (and 90's slow jams) with a handpicked selection of DJ's and residents. Entry is free but strictly guestlist only. Please RSVP to contact@erolsabadosh.com

LINE UP 

A&A (Love Fever)
Laurencematthew
Erol Sabadosh
Oliver Rant


A&A


Alex Bradley and Andy Bird are a deep house DJ and production outfit and the masterminds behind the popular event series Love Fever, with a strong, loyal, following and maximum credibility, they are true pioneers of the scene at the moment.

http://www.lovefever.org/

Laurencematthew

DJ/producer Laurence Blake's nostalgic 90s house-influenced tracks are causing a very positive buzz on the global blogoshere with Citizen at the moment as he gears up for physical releases through Kerri Chandler's Madhouse record label.

http://soundcloud.com/citizencitizen

Erol Sabadosh
Having DJ'd across the globe alongside some of the world's best, Erol Sabadosh has garnered an ample following and positive press from The Guardian, Dazed & Confused & i-D Magazine. Having remixed the likes of Lana Del Rey, Beyoncé and recently releasing solo material under the pseudonym LORE, it's easy to see why Dazed dubbed him "one of London's most prolific DJs" in 2011, as well as gaining acknowledgement from Mixmag as a "fast-rising" talent in February 2012.

http://soundcloud.com/erolsabadosh

Oliver Rant
Up-and-coming London-based DJ Oliver Rant has infiltrated London's cutting-edge party scene and with support from the likes of Big Chill his name is becoming synonymous with the coolest events around.

http://www.bigchill.net/news/2010/03/big-chill-presents-5-questions-oliver-rant/

Thinking About You - Frank Ocean (Erol Sabadosh Remix)

Thinking About You - Frank Ocean (Erol Sabadosh Remix) from Erol Sabadosh on Vimeo.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

"What do you get if you mix Frank Ocean on track duty and the incredible Erol Sabadosh on remix duty? A fucking awesome track for the summer thats what!" - Totally Twitterpated

"Helping re-spark our desire to hear “Thinking About You” at least five times a day everyday is this new remix by ace London-based DJ/ producer Erol Sabadosh, who perks up the ballad with a sprightly electro-pop/ house spritz." - Mixtape Maestro

"To the same degree as a late March open breeze, Erol Sabadosh passes us this exceedingly high-end John Legend & Kanye West vocal-doppelgänger, occupied by soulful intent and noteworthy prosperity of the electronic sound. Flawless for radio plays and suitable for beginning ones DJ set with, Erol Sabadosh continues on the lavishness." - Aerial Noise

"Ocean’s smooth vocals sound great over Sabadosh’ driving production." - Surviving the Golden Age

"Erol Sabadosh has taken one of our favourite FAVOURITE tracks by Mr Frank Ocean and given it a wonderful tweak and edit of joy to magic up a wondrous delight of a remix." - Your Music Radar

Ocean‘s easily recognized vocals meet progessive / R & B sounding synths, while flowing over a housey driving beat and fuse together for an infectious dance pop experience. - The Get Downnn

Death Grips

Death Grips are an experimental hip hop group hailing from Sacramento, California, consisting of vocalist Stefan Burnett and production duo Andy Morin and Hella/Marnie Stern drummer Zach Hill. Having released a free mixtape last year titled Exmilitary, which is available on their website, they are now gearing up to release two albums this year, the first titled The Money Store is scheduled for release on the 24th of April through Epic Records, with the second, No Love, due later in the year. Check out these two tracks from The Money Store, which is now definitely one of my most anticipated releases at the moment: