I found it slightly perplexing that BASTILLE failed to make it onto either the BBC Sound Of 2013 longlist or the Blog Sound Of 2013. With a debut album set to drop next year, rave live reviews and a following numbering 50,000 Facebook fans - it seemed inevitable. Regardless, BASTILLE are giving us the gift of a new film-inspired mixtape/EP. Sample it below.
'Other People's Heartache Part 2' is the follow up to February's 'Other People's Heartache' mixtape, dropping references to 'Platoon' and 'The Breakfast Club' amid covers of the likes of 'What Would You Do?'. The new EP recaps 'Other People's Heartache' on 'Tuning In', before launching into a glorious choral cover of 'Icarus', the track that originally made me fall in love with BASTILLE back in December 2010.
The EP carries on the sentiment of the previous effort, this time melding the likes of Tina Turner's 'Private Dancer' with 'Set You Free' by N-Trance, as well as referencing a whole host of films. Take 'No Angels' - a superb mix of The xx and TLC's 'No Scrubs', with an introduction plucked from 'Psycho'.
Elsewhere, Gabrielle Aplin contributes to a cover of Fleetwood Mac's 'Dreams', with added Gene Wilder. Frank Ocean cover 'Thinkin Ahead' references Donnie Darko and The Graduate, an unusual but excellent combination. 'Sweet Pompeii' takes on the brilliance of BASTILLE's own 'Pompeii and 'Sweet Nothing' by Calvin Harris, bookended by dialogue and the musical motif from 'American Beauty'.
The mixtape finishes in befitting style, with 'Oh Holy Night' - a BASTILLE hymn that ends with a 'Home Alone 2' quote. "Merry Christmas, you filthy animal, and a happy new yesr". Indeed, you beautiful bastards, indeed.
Download the free EP at otherpeoplesheartache.com. Find more info at bastillbastille.com.
We're a collaborative British music, film and TV blog. "Trying to find the perfect match between pretentious and pop."
