Soul singer Sam Smith has announced that he will be performing the official new James Bond single for movie 'Spectre'. The theme song, 'Writing's On the Wall,' has been written and produced by the dream team, Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith, therefore we can most definitely expect it to be an incredibly catchy and well-written track.
This morning Sam Smith said: 'This is one of the highlights of my career. I am honoured to finally announce that I will be singing the next Bond theme song. I am so excited to be a part of this iconic British legacy and join an incredible line up of some of my biggest musical inspirations. I hope you all enjoy the song as much as I enjoyed making it.'
You can pre-order the new track on CD or vinyl here or on iTunes from Midnight.
Disclosure have unveiled their latest video for their next single from their new album 'Caracal'. Following on from 'Holding On' featuring Gregory Porter, the track 'Omen' features flawless vocals from the one and only Sam Smith who ensures that the track becomes a future hit. The familiar Disclosure sound is definitely carried through, with Sam providing yet another soulful chorus, which is inevitably a catchy tune.
The video is the second part to Disclosure's single series set in the future, leading up to the release of their sophomore album 'Caracal' on September 25th. Stated for realease on 28th August, 'Omen' can be pre-ordered on iTunes now.
It was The Prodigy’s Maxim shouting “All my fucking people here in Lisbon, all my Prodigy people” which created a swirl of euphoria amongst the NOS Alive crowd on Friday night. The day two headliners provided the highlight of the weekend and took years off their 25 year spanning career with tracks such as ‘Omen’, ‘Firestarter’ and ‘Smack My Bitch Up’.
MC Maxim paraded the stage, screaming and flicking his tongue at a bouncing crowd as the band played seven tracks from their new album, ‘The Day Is My Enemy’. It was the 21 year-old ‘Voodoo People’ though that sent the audience into hysteria as drummer Liam Howlett thrashed the drums with revived lunacy.
Muse close the first night of NOS Alive, streamers 'n' all.
Before them, Mumford and Sons had taken to the stage, opening up with their sinister new Ben Howard-esque track ‘Snake Eyes’. The band, who ditched the waistcoats for a much smarter, all black look, opted for electric guitars over banjos in light of their stadium-filling new album ‘Wilder Mind’. There was room though for the likes of ‘The Cave’, ‘Roll Away Your Stone’ and a thrashing ‘Dust Bowl Dance’ from debut album ‘Sigh No More’.
Keyboard player Ben Lovett explained their “fond memories” of the festival before singer Marcus Mumford took to the drums for a symbol crashing version of ‘Lover Of The Light’. The intensity ebbed and flowed throughout the set, ending with singalong favourite ‘Little Lion Man’ and latest pop-rock infused track ‘The Wolf’.
The day before, the festival opened on the Palco NOS Stage with The Wombats and James Bay, who was greeted by a sea of white hats and a sign reading “James please give me your hat”. He toyed with the crowd, getting them to sing back to him before ending on a energetic performance of ‘Hold Back The River’.
Alt-J light up the stage with one of the standout sets of the weekend.
Later on the Thursday night, Alt-J gathered one of the biggest crowds of the weekend as they fused old tracks with new songs such as ‘Hunger of the Pine’ ‘Every Other Freckle’ and ‘Left Hand Free’ from second album ‘This Is All Yours’. Earlier track, ‘Something Good’ presented an epileptic onslaught of scribbles on screen and ‘Fitzpleasure’ brought about a clattering of lights. The band sounded as crisp live as they do on record from Joe Newman’s twisting vocals in ‘Matilda’ to the deflated bag pipe, bhangra fluttering ‘Taro’.
Muse followed the band over ten years their junior to headline the first night following the recent release of seventh studio album ‘Drones’. The trio played an EDM inspired ‘Dead Inside’ and ‘Mercy’ from the new album but also delved into older tracks such as ‘Plug In Baby’, ‘Time Is Running Out’, finishing on ‘Knights of Cydonia’ with singer Matt Bellamy parading around the stage, draped in a Portuguese flag whilst big bouncing balls and streamers adorned the crowd.
Scottish trio, Young Fathers give an intense show.
The same day also boasted sets from the entrancing Young Fathers and party starters Metronomy
on the Palco Heineken Stage. The electro-pop Londoners filled the over-capacitated tent with their up-beat catalogue, featuring the glitchy ‘Reservoir’, ‘I’m Aquarius’ and ‘Love Letters’ from the same titled 2014 album. Singer Joe Mount was on top form hopping between synth and bongo drums whilst sporting an even thicker, yes thicker, bundle of hair.
Unlike most British festivals, Saturday was the final day for the Portuguese faithful, who were treated to Sam Smith on the main stage. The ever-rising popstar showed off his vocals and got the crowd singing along to ‘I’m Not The Only One’ before dedicating his back to back covers of ‘Tears Dry on Their Own’ and ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ to Amy Winehouse. Smith explained how his next song was about someone he had been in the studio with who was “making music for money”, before launching into ‘Money On My Mind’. The singer also did his own slowed down version of ‘Latch’ which he worked on with Disclosure.
19 year-old Raury performs one of the rawest sets of the weekend.
Elsewhere, whilst Azealia Banks was getting rowdy on the Heineken Stage American singer and voice of the people, Raury took to the tiny Raw Coreto Stage to a crowd of dedicated fans who knew all the words to his hit ‘God’s Whisper’. In a few years he could well be playing the main stage, which is where people flocked for a last gasp of Disclosure before the end of the festival. The Lawrence brothers provided a mammoth lights and visuals show whilst showcasing new material from upcoming second album, ‘Caracal’. Infamous for their guests vocalists, the pair were joined by Kwabs for new track ‘Willing and Able’ but no Sam Smith was to be present for their ending song, ‘Latch’.
Musically NOS Alive had it all, and that’s not to mention the ability to remain dry and provide reasonably priced food and drink. It was a weekend of returning heroes and new beloved idols. Here’s our favourite quotes from some of them:
The Wombats
“The next song’s called ‘The English Summer’ which is pretty much the same as a Portuguese summer but with no sun.”
Mumford and Sons
“The only two words I know in Portuguese are Cristiano Ronaldo.”
The Prodigy
“This one’s yours, it’s even for the fucking security.”
Howard and Guy Lawrence are constantly on the move. Just last month they hosted their new festival ‘Wild Life’ following the announcement of their second album, ‘Caracal’. On Saturday they were at Lisbon’s NOS Alive festival to show off their new set to fans abroad.
The brothers from Surrey headlined the final night of the Portuguese festival with a set that included tracks from their debut album such as, ‘White Noise’, ‘F for You’ and ‘When A Fire Starts To Burn’.
The new album, ‘Caracal’, named after the wild cat is just as stunning on stage as the name suggests and gives the duo a chance to reinvent their live show. Soul singer Kwabs was the only guest to be welcomed onstage for upcoming new track ‘Willing and Able’ whilst pre-recorded vocals from Nao were used in super sleek and sexy track ‘Super Ego’.
Another new track, ‘Hourglass’, featured vocals from rising star Lion Babe, which boasted a mix of modern dance and old school house reminiscent of Artful Dodger’s ‘Movin’ Too Fast’. The set alights though with the pair’s own vocals in ‘Jaded’ as contouring lasers bathe over the stage.
Visually, it’s a striking performance, and their latest track ‘Holding On’ is big enough to fill arenas as is the fifteen-foot, outlined caracal which struts along the screens behind them. Elsewhere, old and new floor fillers, ‘Grab Her!’ and ‘Bang That’, keep the crowd moving till the early hours of the morning.
The pair finish the set with a swaying encore of ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’ but fail to lure Sam Smith, who performed just two hours before, onto stage for their finale of ‘Latch’ but perhaps it’s for the best. Disclosure are onto their new batch of vocal talents whilst still providing their infectious blend of house and dance.
Bellows of 'so love more and worry less' echo around The Big Top as Bipolar Sunshine's first ever Bestival show comes to an end. The line itself could have been custom made for Bestival itself; a festival where love and happiness rule over all, and Adio Marchant, aka Bipolar Sunshine, may well be one of its chief wielders.
He can go home happy with his final festival of the summer under his belt, which he went about in his usual fashion. Lolloping around the stage in a baggy silk shirt and a now accustomed tall mountain of hair, his striking look and soulful vocals are hard not to notice. I was lucky enough to catch up with the man himself where we spoke about his style, new tunes and his Bestival experience, whilst in the company of Sam Smith wailing within earshot...
How did you feel your first appearance at Bestival went?
Really well, I enjoyed it. It's my first time playing here and I’m new so it’s nice that people turned out, it’s amazing.
You’re here for the rest of the weekend, what have you got planned?
Just go with it, I’m gonna just see where it takes me, no real plans to watch anyone except for maybe Outkast, but that’s about it.
Have you had a chance to look around yet?
I haven’t had time yet, but I think now I’m gonna try and see some bands and I can hear Sam Smith so I’ll probably go and see some of his set which is sounding good. It’s a nice little festival, it’s chilled.
Having played Glastonbury and Reading & Leeds, how do you think Bestival compares?
I like the vibe here, everyone seems really into the music and having a good time. There’s no point going to a festival with a negative attitude so you may as well just try and enjoy yourself. I’m just here to try and help them enjoy it more, I suppose that’s the main thing.
I’ve noticed your interest in your fashion is very apparent, would you say?
Yeah man, to me I don’t really think about it. It’s stuff I feel comfortable in so I wear stuff that I just generally like, I don’t think about it too much or it just gets all a bit ‘mirrory’!
I’m sure you’ll see lots of people around Bestival dressed up, are you doing anything special yourself for it?
I’m just gonna walk around and see some stuff, everyone seems chilled and I’ve seen some mad styles going off.
Are the rest of your band hanging around as well?
Nah it’s just me man. I’ve got a few friends here so I’m just gonna ride with them. Going home now would just be pointless.
What have you got coming up next then?
In November we’re going to Paris and then we’ve got a tour next year so that’s gonna be amazing, I can’t wait for that. That’s just gonna have so many new songs I wanna play because at a festival you’re doing a circuit of songs and there’s not time in between to revise a whole new set of songs. So now I wanna bring in so many new songs and really step the levels up even higher.
If you could tip another artist to do well within the next year who would you suggest?
I’d say ‘Little Silver’. I know a lot of his stuff and I feel like he’s got a vibe which is suiting people, who can really get into it. There’s another guy called ‘August&Us’ that is making some great music in Manchester, so if I were to name it off the top of my head it’d be them two.
