JIM CARROLL'Sfuture sounds

Speech Debelle: story to tell

You’ll hear Speech Debelle’s story so far on her Speech Therapy. Honest, thoughtful and heartfelt, Speech Therapy tells the story the south London rapper and poet’s journey. You’ll be knocked for six by the way she tells her tale. Some may favour bling and bragging to make their their point, but they can’t muster a scintilla of Debelle’s emotional punch.

She began writing rhymes when she was 13. Back then, it was for show, but when she found herself living in a hostel in her late teens, the writing took on another dimension. Isolated and alone, the rhymes became her way to stay in control of what was happening to her. “The writing became my life,” she says simply. Many of the songs on the album came from that experience.

Debelle is a late starter, but not for want of trying. She had spent time trying to get her own label together, and more time hooking up with various groups that never got quite off the ground. After a few years working dodgy hustles which saw her, as she puts it, “dabbling” with jail, the Big Dada label entered the picture and Debelle suddenly had some people on her side.

Over the past four years, Debelle has got Speech Therapy together. The warm, jazzy, sometimes folky beats on the album come via Wayne Kotek and Tunng’s Mike Lindsay (when you clock these sounds, remember that Debelle’s ambition was to be the hip-hop Tracy Chapman), and there are guest turns from Micachu and fellow Big Dada act Roots Manuva.

It’s one of those albums that just hits the spot on every level. Don’t be surprised if it’s still making waves months from now.

www.speechdebelle.com

Edward Sharpe the Magnetic Zeros: hippies happening

Are you ready to do the hippie-hippie shake and freak out like the summer of love never came to an end? There are usually 10 or so pranksters on the bus when Edward Sharpe the Magnetic Zeroes roll into town.

Led by Edward Sharpe (or Alex Ebert, as his government-issued ID would have it), these Los Angeles-based boho reprobates really do have something going on. Yes, they have just stumbled off an old converted school bus powered by vegetable oil, but they have at least had the good sense to park the bus around the corner so as not to frighten off the straights.

Reasons to be cheerful about the Sharpe takeover? One, their live show, a happening where all those diverse indie and folk elements which should really fall apart gel into a euphoric, cosmic feel-good hurrah. Two, their Here Comes EP and forthcoming debut album, both showcasing the band’s psychedelic choral nuggets such as Janglin’ and 40 Day Dream. Feel-good songs to sing as you consider chucking in the day-job and heading into the desert.

www.myspace.com/ edwardsharpe

Four More

Ghostcat
Stomping electro-indie from a London-based combo who will be sick of comparisons to the Ting Tings six months from now. This Is A Bustis their That's Not My Name.
www.myspace.com/ghostcatmusic

Django Django
Awesome Storm/Love's Dartsingle showcases the London-based Scottish-Irish group's space-age shizzl.
www.myspace.com/djangotime#

Asdsska
Los Angeles duo make state-of-the-art moody, synthy atmospherics.
www.myspace.com/asdsska

Liechtenstein
Check out the Swedish trio's post-punk Survival Strategies in a Modern World.
www.myspace.com/liechtensteinia