UKNY for September 18
Jockstrap's Georgia Ellery and Taylor Skye (photo by Eddie Whelen, PR)
Back in 2018, I first had the chance to see violinist and vocalist Georgia Ellery and multi-instrumentalist Taylor Skye of London's Jockstrap perform live at Iceland Airwaves, the same year they released their debut album, Love Is the Key to the City. Adventurous, fiesty, funny, and in thrall to quirky tangents lyrically and otherwise, the pair, then still students at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, were such a cheerful, bold breeze in Reykjavík that November, that Björk was in the audience too. In addition to Jockstrap, Ellery also shared time with another band — Black Country, New Road — which was on its own journey of resurrection, reinvention, triumph, Mercury Prize nomination, and currently, a fresh beginning. (She is also a member of Happy Beigel Klezmer Orkester too.)
Nothing quite prepared me for how downright fantastic Jockstrap's second album, I Love You Jennifer B, would be — easily one of the best albums of 2022. A vivacious blend of jazz, folk, pop, grime, bhangra, dance, and modern classical, it ricochets between ideas with vivacity and tenderness. On "UKNY" tonight at 11 p.m., a track from this exceptional new album, out now on Rough Trade.
Also, brand new releases from Björk herself, plus Porij, Fazerdaze, Billy Nomates, Ezra Collective, TSHA and much more.
That's "UKNY," Sundays from 11 p.m.-midnight, on 90.7 FM, streaming online, and in the Weekend Archives after broadcast.
Songs played:
1. (Wellington, NZ) Fazerdaze, “Break!,” Break EP
2. TVAM, “Piz Buin,” High Art Lite
3. Porij, “Outlines,” Outlines EP
4. (Reykjavík, IS) Björk, “Ovule,” Fossora
5. Billy Nomates, “Balance is Gone,” Cacti
6. TSHA feat. Clementine Douglas, “Dancing in the Shadows,” Capricorn Sun
7. Jockstrap, “Greatest Hits,” I Love You Jennifer B
8. Self Esteem, “Wizardry (Block Them edit),” single
9. Kerala Dust, “Pulse VI,” single
10. Beak>, “Life Goes On,” Life Goes On EP
11. Ezra Collective feat. Sampa the Great, “Life Goes On,” Where I’m Meant to Be
12. Kokoroko, “We Give Thanks,” Could We Be More
13. (Reykjavík, IS) Laufey, “Above the Chinese Restaurant,” Everything I Know About Love
14. (Melbourne, AU) Julia Jacklin, “Love, Try Not to Let Go,” Pre Pleasure
15. Damon Albarn, “Coronation,” Dr. Dee
