(never mind the) stars

If you realise it, or not, but nearly everyone has heard of the Brit living in Amsterdam, Simon Little. He wrote much loved childrens songs, music for several television programmes and one of his songs was used for a cinema campaign for a famous american ice cream compony.

Death of Hype is the second album he’s released under the pseudonym (Never mind the) Stars. Its not exactly a concept album, but the sequence of the 16 songs – together more than an hour and a quarter long – are not random; who listens well can hear a certain story being told.

Musicly Little uses here a combination of funk and dance. The ghost of Prince is well represented, both in the basslines, the guitars, structure and drumcomputer patters.
But never is he mimmicking Prince. He used elements of the Prince-pioneerd-Minnesota sound and makes it his own. The result is an exeptional fresh look on pop music and good, wayword songs.

Guests
Little takes all the instruments into account and he’s been accomponied by some known and lesser known guests, like Bertolf, Dennis and Sam Obernik, who was the singer on Tim de Luxe’s number 1 hit “Just wont do”. Each guest actually adds something and their presence is therefore more than just a household name.

Death of Hype is maybe a bit long. But no song is superfluous. Who decides to take the time will find out that Death of Hype is in fact a small masterpiece.
4/5 stars

nu.nl is Hollands most viewed nieuws site. This appeared on its music page.

- www.nu.nl

In May of 2010we at musicfrom.nl where happily surprised by ‘Aeroplane’, (Never mind the) Stars’ first album. This “project” from the in Holland residing Brit Simon Little, brought so much raving emotion upon us, that we bombarded them to artist of the week. Now he’s back with a new album called “Death of Hype” and, oh boy; be prepared.

With “Death of Hype” he easily surpasses the geniality that was ‘Aeroplane’. He seems to be in the midst of a creative growth- one that for the Dutch music-world is far above average. More so he is perfecting his unique blend of styles. With a mix of mean funk, floating electro, new wave, eighties pop and a large dose of British naughtiness, Little has you glued to the stereo, then spit you out on an imaginary dancefloor that you wouldn’t want to leave even if your life depended on it.

Take for example”There was a Time”, the mosterhit of the cd. With a delicious beat and a selection of technobleeps, (never mind the) Stars look back on a time where rave existed and knew no end. The same kind of nostalgia is to be found in ‘Stevie Nicks’. “When Stevie Nicks sang a song, it really meant something”, sings Little. Wrapped in a funky new wave coat it is an indictment against the mediocrity of the current music industry.
And also a few other songs have a more serious and personal feel.
Evenso it is the musical fun and lyrical edginess that prevail. In “The Ballad” he sings:”I wanna write a ballad for ya, but it turns in something else”. And we shall notice: a seemingly tender 80’s ballade degenerates in a real Calvin Harris-esque festival Wopper. Only to become quiet again at the last few seconds. It is a wonderful example how playfully Little defies genres.

On “Death of Hype” he also lets a bundle of guest-singers perform. “Half way there” is a beautiful soultrack with The Souldiers.”And Only That / In my Face” is surprisingly funky with an old skool slapping bass, and the addition of Bertolf is worthy.
But the most beautiful collaboration is that with London singer Sam Obernik. She performs twice, on ‘Stevie Nicks’ and ‘New Life’. The latter track is without doubt the most beautiful number on the album. Together these amicable musicians perform as visionairies, and let us hear how it would sound if Bon Iver would make electronic music. And Obernik’s voice, that is reminiscent to Julia Stone, just makes the track even more unique. It is one of those songs, that, from the first time you hear it, doesn’t let you go.

The variation of Little’s musical and vocal qualities is truly commendable, and furthermore it is an album with character. Sometimes it is abviously clear where he cuts his mustard (Prince is never far) but in no time Little brews his own addictive concoction.
Please don’t let this be the ‘Death’, but the birth, and complete life cycle of the “Hype”. Because what (Never mind the) Stars delivers here is not only unheard of in the Dutch music field, but also, simply, superfat!

robin van deutekom 2011 - www.musicfrom.nl

"‘After being impressed by their first single ‘Holiday’ I was happy to see the band coming back with their own take on how modern pop should sound. The greatness of the band is that they have made widely accessible tunes combining Electro, dance and rock which would not sound out of place in the charts on radio 1.. Although they like to be seen as ‘anti-pop’ I feel that they are filling a great gap in the market where classic pop of the golden age should be. " - Tasty Fanzine

". If funkyness was a desease, (never mind the) Stars would be buried deep under the covers. Aeroplane is like an addicitive trip past an impossible amount of musical styles, with a lovely eletrofunk-vibe as base. From horns to synths, sick basslines to catchy britpop and from smokedfilled lounge to hypnotic techno – nothing is shunned away from, everything is in it, and the result is absolutely perfect...
(Never mind the) Stars delivers complete, varied eighties-funk, mixt with electro, techno, britpop, seventies rock, cheeky humor and a Prince-feel as the proverbial godly cherry on top." (translated from dutch) - Music From NL

"'France' is centered around a blistering bass backdrop and an infectious synth motif that takes its cues from the likes of Guy Called Gerald, The Future Sound Of London, Daft Punk and The XX. A sound that's at home in the ebbs and flows of Shoreditch gutters, the smoke filled cafes of Amsterdam and on the sweat soaked floors of Ibiza clubs alike - Never Mind The Stars do their very best to defy categorization." - stereoboard