Interview // With Naked Affair (in Portuguese)

Regarding the launch of the first video of Naked Affair we had a small talk with the mentor of Naked Affair.
Naked Affair is a project of Manuel Salvador, where Bruno Mota is the music producer. Mike Bek and Bruno help Manuel with the live performances.

Below you can hear the music while reading the interview.

FYMS - Como surgiu a ideia de criar Naked Affair?
Naked Affair: Naked Affair é um projecto com imensa vontade de vingar. A vontade de poder criar um projecto musical inovador em Portugal sempre existiu e essa vontade materializou-se quando uni esforços com um amigo e produtor musical, o Bruno Mota. A parceria correu tão bem que ao final de um ano já estávamos a fechar o primeiro EP, o Black Oyster e por esta altura já contamos também com o Mike Bek, nos synths e samples e com a Sofia Visenjou nos Back Vocals.

FYMS - Porque o nome Naked Affair?
NA: Traduzindo para a nossa lingua materna, quer dizer Caso Nú. O nome nasce da necessidade de produzir músicas que chegassem ao público sem preconceitos. Que as pessoas possam fechar os olhos quando as ouvem e tenham o seu próprio Naked Affair.

FYMS - Como descreves a tua sonoridade?
NA: Eu ainda não consigo designar com um só estilo musical. Acho que igualmente com o mundo a globalizar-se assim se encontra neste momento a musica. A nossa sonoridade é a confluência de vários estilos musicais e várias influências.

FYMS - O primeiro single chama-se Melon Ice Cream, porquê?
NA: O nome do nosso primeiro single é puramente um rasgo de inspiração enquanto escrevia a letra. A imagem de gelado de melão transporta-me para um imaginário da minha infância que me deixa genuinamente feliz.

FYMS - Desde que saiu o single qual tem sido o feedback?
NA: Apesar de ainda ser um projecto embrionário, o feedback tanto de amigos como de entidades musicais, como a Punch Magazine, tem sido super positivo, cheio de esperança e por isso mesmo tem sido a minha força para continuar a apostar em Naked Affair cada dia com mais convicção que isto é realmente o que quero fazer.

FYMS - Vocês têm o apoio da Lee, como surgiu essa parceria?
NA: A Lee teve conhecimento de Naked Affair e fez a proposta de actuarmos no Open Day no Lx Factory pela marca. Espero que este seja o início de uma boa e duradoura parceria.

FYMS - Quais são os próximos passos?
NA: Hoje estamos focados em fechar todos os detalhes do Black Oyster, ter a certeza que temos um bom material e começar a divulgar pelos meios.

FYMS: Um dia...
NA: Vamos estar a actuar no Coachella

FYMS: O melhor que podem dizer sobre o projecto...
NA: É sem dúvida que se identificam com as músicas.

FYMS: E o pior...
NA: Achamos que ainda está para vir. Sabemos que para vingar neste meio temos ainda de travar muitas lutas.

FYMS: Daqui a 10 anos...
NA: Não sabemos onde vamos estar mas temos a certeza de onde queremos chegar e vamos lutar por isso todos os dias.

FYMS: O que dizias aos nossos leitores?
NA: Stay tuned!

Check their Soundcloud and Facebook

themed week // The XX, Last Christmas

The XX are a British alternative rock band, created in 2005 and composed by Romy Madley Croft (vocals and guitars), Oliver Sim (vocals and bass guitar) and Jamie Smith (beats and production).

Since the beginning of their career, they've released two records XX (2009) and Coexist (2012).
They are considered to be one of the British latest music sensations.
Read our previous posts about them - here and here.

Last Christmas it's an original by Wham! and it was released in 1984. As some other songs, this song is a sad love song that is usually related with Christmas.

This song was covered by different artists like Coldplay, David Fonseca and Arctic Monkeys, check our last year's version here.

This cover of Last Christmas was recorded on a special session made for BBC Radio 1.

"Tell me, baby, 
Do you recognize me? 
Well, It's been a year, 
It doesn't surprise me 
(Merry Christmas)"

The XX - Angels

This is the new song by The XX, a British indie-pop group. The song was released on July the 16 as the lead single of their second and new album called Coexist, to be released next month.

Jamie Smith (known by the stage name Jamie xx): The majority of stuff I'm working on now is The xx stuff. We're just about to start recording. Hopefully we'll get it done in time for most festivals next year, because that's the most fun. (...) We've all come back off tour and been partying a bit more. We left when we were 17 and we missed out on that chunk of our lives when everyone else was partying. Club music has definitely had an influence on the next record. (December 2011)

Coexist comes after the very well aclamed debut album XX, which was part of the "best of the year" lists, placing second for NME.

And everyday

I am learning about you

The things that no one else sees

And the end comes too soon

Like dreaming of angels

And leaving without them

News // More names added to Optimus Primavera Sound

Jeff Mangum and The Olivia Tremor Control will close the festival on June 10.

The performances are going to happen on Casa da Música, in Porto.
The concept is the same as Optimus Primavera Sound - several artists playing at the same time at different places of Casa da Música. The entry will be exclusive to people who have the general pass and the entry is limited to the capacity of each room.
Soon other names will be announced to Jeff Mangum and The Olivia Tremor Control.

Remember the pass is 99€ and check below the confirmed artists.

Björk; Spiritualized; The xx; Beach House; The Walkmen; Afghan Whigs; Shellac; Wilco; Death Cab For Cutie; The Dirty Three; Explosions in the Sky; Veronica Falls; Yo La Tengo; Olivia Tremor Control; The Drums; Washed Out; Jeff Mangum; Codeine; Neon Indian; Other Lives; SISKIYOU; Number Showcase; Sleepy Sun; Thee oh Sees; Flaming Lips; Rufus Wainwright; Black Lips; The Rapture; Atlas Sound; Lee Ranaldo; Yann Tiersen; Saint Etienne; War on Drugs; Wolves in the Throne Room; Tennis; John Talabot; Erol Alkan; We Trust; Gala Drop; Bigott; Esperit!; Forest; Swords; I Break Horses; Mujeres; Baxter Dury; Tall Firs; Wavves; Death Grips; Demdike Stare; James Ferraro and the Bodyguard;


Check more about this festival here.

The XX, Crystalised

The XX are a very successful British alternative rock band with touches of electronic. Created in 2005, in London by the original members Romy Madley Croft (vocals and guitar), Oliver Sim (vocals and bass), Jamie Smith (beats and production) and Baria Qureshi (keyboards), but Qureshi left the band in 2009 - for what initially was mentioned as exhaustion but later the band confirmed she left The XX for due to "personal differences".

The XX participated on huge international festivals like Coachella, Lollapalooza or Austin City Limits,  enforcing their success and talent.

With only an album release, the self-titled XX was a very acclaimed album by critics and audience. Ranking very well on "Best Of The Year" lists, placing ninth on Rolling Stone and second on NME.
The album was released with the British independent label Young Turks, on August 17 2009. The album was recorded on a small garage part of the XL Recordings studio, contributing to "the low, almost whispered nature of this record".

Crystalised is the debut single from the album, firstly released on April 29 2009 by Vinyl and on November 25 2009 as a digital download. Later on October 11 2010 was re-released again as digital download.
This video still counts with Baria Qureshi's presence.

"Things have gotten closer to the sun
And I've done things in small doses
So don't think that I'm pushing you away
When you're the one that I've kept closest"

Jamie xx - Far Nearer

Happy Birthday MIKE!

As you described him "muy bueno".

Jamie Smith AKA Jamie xx is an English producer and remix artist, who gained notoriety as a member of the well known band The xx.

He began is careeer in 2007 when he joined The XX.
He first used his stage name in 2009 in a promotional mix for the band's début album xx released on the FACT mix series of the FACT Magazine.

On June 6, 2011 the two-track self-produced EP Far Nearer/Beat For was released. It featured the single "Far Nearer" which charted at #128 in the UK singles chart.

A.

News // Thom Yorke confirms "Radiohead will tour in 2012"

Last night, Thom Yorke co-hosted with Giles Peterson on BBC Radio 1, where he shared some Radiohead songs but also from Flying Lotus and Modeselektor, projects that Yorke have worked with and a remix of Radiohead's "Bloom" by Jamie XX from The XX, has revealed his plans for the next year.

"The idea is to go out and play next year on and off during the year" said Yorke, adding that Clive Deamer from Portishead might join the band on tour as auxiliar musician.
Deamer recently joined the band, when the recorded an episode of Live From The Basement for BBC.

This tour announcement was a bit surprising, since Radiohead seem to be avoiding live performances since the release of their last album "The King Of Limbs", early this year.
Radiohead played a surprise set at the Glastonbury Festival in June and will play two gigs in New York City next week, while they appear on Saturday Night Live and Colbert Report.

On the same show, Thom Yorke also mentioned his other project Atoms For Peace, created with Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist and producer Nigel Godrich, is very close to finish an album.

Live "No Surprises" at Montreux Jazz Festival, in 2003