Twenty years on and still going strong, Deerhoof release the visuals for one of 'La Isla Bonita's - their 13th album, released last year - tracks, 'Black Pitch', which features the band's frontwoman Satomi
Matsuzak at some London’s Thames-side spots, including Canary Wharf.
Watch "Black Pitch" below.
Deerhoof are on tour in Europe and UK next month, as follows:
February
14. Warsaw, Dzik w/ Marcin Masecki & Pictorial Candi
16. Berlin, Lido w/ Farfara
17. Leipzig, Conne Island w/ Julian Sartorius
18. Frankfurt, Zoom w/ Julian Sartorius
19. Paris, Petit Bain w/ Pneu
20. Mons, Maison Folie w/ Trash Kit
21. Amsterdam, Melkweg w/ The Mysterons
23. Bristol, Marble Factory w/ Cowtown
24. Glasgow, Stereo w/ Cowtown
25. Leeds, Brudenell Social Club w/ Cowtown
26. London, Oval Space w/ Cowtown and Trash Kit
28. Saint Malo, La Route Du Rock Festival
Plastic Mermaids have aired the video - which they directed themselves - for ‘Playing In Your Mind’.
The track is taken from the Isle of Wight five-piece's second EP 'Inhale The Universe', released on March 9 via Cross Keys Records.
The band are set to play headline shows in London and Bristol next month, and have also been announced to play Rob Da Bank’s new ‘Common People’ festival this May.
Plastic Mermaids have become notable for their eye catching stage production, which involves handmade sets, lasers, projections and samples from films. They have even invited string sections and choirs to join them on stage. “It’s something we want to work on further,” says lead singer Douglas Richards. “You can really change the way people perceive music by what they see while they hear it. I like the idea of doing a gig one day that’s equally about sound and visuals. And maybe smell.”
LIVE DATES:
February
23. Bristol, The Louisiana
24. London, The Lexington
May
23. Southampton, Common People festival
Digitally released on January 11, 'Repeating Patterns of Habit' is the debut EP from up-and-rising Dutch Cousin. The six-piece alternative / electronic band based in and around Birmingham, have been described as “electro dream pop” and “the future of Birmingham’s music scene” by BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio.
They describe their sound and style as "spanning across an eclectic variety of influences and eras, delivering a concoction of ethereal acoustic tones and ominous, electric pulses."
Check out highlight track, the five-minute 'Bromide' below.
Dutch Cousin play at the Adam & Eve, Birmingham on February 20.
Dutch Cousin are: Elmo Morris - vocals, David Parfitt - bass / synths, Dave Robertson - drums, Tom Wood - guitar / synths, Jon Wood - guitar / synths, Sam Gasior - keys / bass
Get a taste of Californian indie rockers From Indian Lakes, who head to the UK in May for their first appearance here when they play The Great Escape. The five-piece have just revealed a new, haunting video for 'Awful Things', a track taken from their latest album 'Absent Sounds'.
Hailing from Yosemite National Park, California, From Indian Lakes have been around fir awhile, being first formed in 2007 by singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Joey Vannucchi and since fully expanded to include Justin Stanphill (guitar and vocals), Chris Kellogg (bass and vocals), Tohm Ifergan (drums), and Enrique Gutierrez (keys and vocals).
Their debut album, 'The Man With Wooden Legs' was released in 2009 and was quickly followed up by a fan favourite, 'Acoustic EP', which Joey recorded and mixed in a home studio. After a few years of writing, touring, and building their fan base, they released 'Able Bodies' in November 2013.
Sounding a lot more laid back than on last year's 'Dirty Cigarettes' - see here), Philly punks Beach Slang go laid-back and acoustic on 'Too Young To Die'.
The track is their contribution to the 'Strength in Weakness' six-band split compilation album - which also includes Modern Baseball and Spraynard - with proceeds going to benefit the local Philadelphia branch of United Cerebral Palsy.
The stripped-down jam that features little more than frontman James Alex and a guitar, and a muted vocal. Simply enough.
'Strength In Weakness' is out on February 3 via Lame-O. Vinyl copies of the split are sold out, but the digital version is available on Bandcamp.
Our favourite Scots rock'n'rollers Jim Valentine have just dropped their last single 'Hello's B-side as a free download treat for you today.
Stream 'Tripetta' below to try before you load up.
The Glasgow four-piece have steadily worked their way upwards over the course of last year through their fast-paced live shows, and the success of debut, 'Make You Mine'.
'Tripetta' follows on with what they have started, offering a hard-hitting outer core of chugging bass lines and sharp-tailed sardonic vocals, with a softer underbelly of stylish rhythms and an innate sense of classic rock'n'roll.
Current confirmed live dates
January
31. Manchester Night & Day Cafe
February
06. Dunfermline PJ Molloys
14. Glasgow King Tuts
Now here's a thing. Little Indie, as many will be aware as we have stated it before, are opposed to 'mystery' bands who pop up refusing to give even their names, never mind any other information, but just want to shove a track at you. On most occasions we refuse to give publicity to such artists as it seems to us a rather pointless exercise (all the cloak and dagger stuff), given that they will be outed eventually; and it also strikes as a tad pretentious.
So, we then - as probably other bloggers did too - get contacted by one of such 'anonymous' outfits at the end of last November going by the name St. Tropez. Despite failing to get little more out of them, bar the exclusive (at that time) that they were headed to the UK in the new year, we fell in love with 'I Don't Wanna Fall In Love', gave them the honour of a Track Of The Day (You can read the piece in full here), and facilitated radio airplay for them.
Since then we have had intermittent contact, but we were still none the wiser about who they were. Even having now put out a full EP - which you can stream here - and with the services of a PR, little more was forthcoming, leaving bloggers scratching their heads and needing to pad out their copy with a few dozen lines on something else.
But, as we have said, it is impossible to keep your identity hidden for long, and for St.Tropez it seems their cover is now blown. We were alerted via a Dutch contact that word was fast spreading that the four members of St. Tropez bore a striking resemblance in the image that can be seen at the top of this post, to another band. And not just any old band, but one of Holland's most successful and well known pop-rock outfits of the last years: Go Back To The Zoo. A band who were signed to Universal Music, released two Dutch Top Ten albums, 'Benny Blisto' in 2010, and 'Shake A Wave' two years later, and have played on the main stage at festivals like Pinkpop. Not easy then to go unrecognised by the eagle-eyed!
When GBTTZ/StT guitarist Teun Hieltjes (brother of vocalist Cas Hieltjes; with Lars Kroon on bass, and drummer Bram Kniest) was confronted by a Dutch journalist as to whether they were indeed now St. Tropez, he would neither confirm or deny the rumour: "I have not much to say about that. I'm not saying that we are, or that we are not. Listen to good music, I hope you like it."
Need further proof? Go Back To The Zoo's tour manager Torben Eils was one of the first followers of St Tropez's Soundcloud account. And take a listen to what Cas Hieltjes responds with in the video below, which is from as long ago as 2013, when as GBTTZ he cheekily bigs up his own new band, St. Tropez! Though you may need to take our word for that unless you understand Dutch.
Aside from all that, however, we are still definitely loving St. Tropez - whoever they may be. And what's more, they hit London on February 10 to play the Old Blue Last, followed by Brighton’s Green Door Store the night after.
Following their debut release late last year, ‘Arcadia’, Nottingham duo April Towers head into 2015 with their second single ‘No Corruption’, out on February 23.
The band will also release the aforementioned ‘Arcadia’ with ‘No Corruption’ as a very limited double A-side 12" backed with both B-sides in March. They also recently remixed the new Champs single 'Desire', set for release on PIAS.
April Towers have already come to be associated with capturing a intense electronic sound wrapped around a captivating pop melody, and they don't disappoint on 'No Corruption': a big synthpop energy buzz that kicks off on an infectiously pounding beat rhythm, rippled through with traces harking back to the likes of Hot Chip, and even Pet Shop Boys towards the end.
April Towers play live at:
January
30. London Koko for BBC Introducing
March
09. London Hoxton Bar & Kitchen
Lead single from the London post-punk quartet released last week from their self-titled debut album out next Monday. Sub-three minutes of urgent indie, deft guitar lines and Rob Bevan's octave-striding vocals.
TWIN PEAKS - MAKING BREAKFAST
Singer/guitarist Clay Frankel's homage to the humble egg in the new single from the Chicago garage rockers (out March 16), taken from their UK debut album ‘Wild Onion’, released through Communion Records/Caroline International.
LUNOKHOD - HUNDRED YEARS
Chilled electronics download single from the project of Italian trio made up of Alex, Fernando, Sandro who had previously been members of Black Flowers Cafe and Parkwave. They are named after the Soviet unmanned robotic lunar rovers.
POP ETC. - WICKED GAME (CHRIS ISAAK COVER)
The former Californians known as Morning Benders (up to 2012) stamp their own style on the perennial Isaak classic. A far different version to the original, but in a similar vein Chris Chu here too makes the spine tingle on the vocal delivery.
THE CARNATIONS - WAY OUT ON MY OWN
One of several online tracks ahead of official debut single (tba) from the London-based quartet described as the "new Beatles" - in which case this must be the start of the "Thames sound". Like the Sixties never ended. Catch them live tomorrow (January 31) at Purple Turtle, Camden.
CLOAKROOM - STARCHILD SKULL
Recorded by Hum frontman Matt Talbot, the Indiana shoegaze trio combine dark and downbeat vocals with textured guitar swirls of 90s guitar sound. Taken from the debut album, 'Further Out', released last week.
LIFE IN FILM - GET CLOSER
Produced by Stephen Street (The Smiths, Blur, Kaiser Chiefs), the London quartet deliver upbeat, catchy hooks and propulsive layered jangle pop rhythms on this new single, out March 2.
DIET CIG - HARVARD
The New Paltz, New York pop rock duo's five-track debut EP 'Over Easy' is out February 24 via Father / Daughter. Female fronted by Alex Luciano (who supplies pithy lyrics to an ex-) with Noah Bowman of Earl Boykins (Forged Artifacts) on drums.
BAD GRAMMAR - CLOWN
Latest offering from Manchester’s Drenge-like duo. Two-and-a-half minutes of furious distortion, scatter-gun percussion and yowling vocals. Recorded with one of the West Midlands' leading producers, Ryan Pinson.
DARLIA - I'VE NEVER BEEN TO OHIO
Blackpool's babes may never have been to the US state, but as they head for release on March 2 (taken from their mini-album 'Petals', which precedes it on February 23 via B-Unique), the glistening synths, driving drums, percussion and bassline, and Nathan Day's dirty grunge vocals are sure to take them far.
As a young - and we mean young: a 15-year-old drummer, along with four 17-year-olds - band, Chase The Deer admit that they are "still learning a lot", but this Worcester-based five-piece seem to be starting off in the right way.
The group of close friends from Pershore Sixth Form College formed in May last year, and were recently accepted onto the M.A.S RECORDS music development programme, which provides them with rehearsal and recording time. Despite their tender years and inexperience, Chase The Deer have already a handful of live dates under their belt, including playing at Birmingham's O2 Academy, and Worcester Kidz Live at the Worcester Arena in front of a 1400-strong crowd.
'Think' is the first offering from the band, and which will be digitally released on February 2 (they also have a second track - 'Bad Date' - set to drop in March), and is about to reach 2000 plays on Soundcloud. Combining strong indie beats with a rock persuasion, the well-structured melody and Watkins’s honeyed vocals pulling weight as she tells how "too many times I’ve waited/in the line for you/and now I’ve just got to let it go", carry just the right refrain and likeability to warrant another listen.
Chase The Deer play Marrs Bar, Worcester on February 20, and a date at O2 Academy 2, Birmingham supporting Modern Minds on March 7.
Chase The Deer are: Briony Watkins - vocals, Owen Taylor - guitar, George Frangoudes - guitar, Angus Evans - bass, Michael Evans - drums.
Leeds supergroup Menace Beach, who released their debut album 'Ratworld' last week (see our review here), have today given us the music visuals to one of the album's singles, 'Tastes Like Medicine'.
Produced by Pulled Apart By Horses’ Tom Hudson, the video features animated images and black-and-white footage of themselves performing. Watch below.
The band have a number of live dates set, including their tour with The Cribs as indicated *
Los Angeles Police Department - aka Los Angeles-based songwriter Ryan Pollie - follows his Christmas re-working of 'O Holy Night' with a new single, out next month.
We have been watching/listening to Pollie's (ex-Warm Weather) fuzzy, lo-fi works for a year now since he first dropped 'Waste' our way last February from his California bedroom, followed by his self-titled eleven-track debut album, which was released in September thru Forged Artifacts/ChillMegaChill.
Now signed to Fat Possum, his debut single for the label, 'Insecurity', is a three-and-a-half minute morning after reflection on a one night stand. Introspective lyrics run with distorted guitars and far-out drumd in a typical LAPD lo-fi production.
'Insecurity' is released on February 24 via Fat Possum.
We recently featured 'Times Be Short' here by Brooklyn's Beech Creeps. Now the garage rockers have shared their Andrew Deutsch directed video for the somewhat more psychy 'Sun Of Sud', another track from their forthcoming debut album which was recorded in Brooklyn’s Secret Project Robot by Jonathan Schenke (Parquet Courts).
Check out not just the superb rockin riffs, soaraway beat and high pitch vocal wails, that pick you up and haul you along with it, but also the nighttime driving and rocky coastline in the video below.
'Beech Creeps' Tracklisting:
01 “Everybody Loves The Beech”
02 “Teenage Boogie”
03 “Times Be Short”
04 “Sun Of Sud”
05 “Arm Of The T-Rex”
06 “On The Beech”
07 “Long Walk Home”
Live Dates:
February
26: Shea Stadium, Brooklyn, NY w/ Turn To Crime
March
03. Union Pool, Brooklyn, NY w/ Yonatan Gatz
'Beech Creeps' is out on March 3 via Monofonus Press.
Toronto Fucked Up guitarist and No Warning frontman Ben Cook sets out his stall as Young Guv. And don't expect this new project to be a hardcore copy of the latter outfit. Far from it.
Taken from the upcoming mini-album 'Ripe 4 Luv' out on March 10 via Slumberland Records, Cook has shared this new track, 'Crushing Sensation'. With catchy and euphoric pop-based hooks and punchy chords, it delivers a much more playful side that might have been expected.
Watch the video to 'Crushing Sensation', directed by Danielle Nemet, below.
'Anxious?' is the just released debut single from new project Gillbanks, comprised of London-based Sam Gillbanks (vocals, guitars, bass, keys) and Hugo Heaverman (drums, production), and is taken from their first album, 'Lived-In', out shortly.
The two friends have spent the last six months working on the album, which they have recorded and produced themselves in Falmouth and at Hugo's house near Oxford.
It's quite an impressive debut, too. Opening on a doleful loop, it gradually introduces distorted guitar and drums that attack in intensity, and turn it into something maybe not wholly expected; with Sam's vocals weaving around lyrics of, "late back again / never seem to rest my head / when I’m around you,", as grungey riffs abound.
Gillbanks has also uploaded a second, shorter album track demo in the form of 'A Lonely Beast', which is quite different in character to 'Anxious?', geared - as one can only surmise from a brief 82 seconds-worth - more around melody and atmospherics. Take a listen below.
'Sleep' is the first single from Beach Fossils frontman Dustin Payseur's side project, the New York-based Fluoride - as well as the second release on his own label, Bayonet Records.
Formed with Rene Nuñez (Divorce Money, Herzog Rising) in 2012, Fluoride is an experimental project whose motivation, it is stated on the label's website is, "to combine the harsh cacophony of industrial music with the larger textures of contemporary production styles."
Fluoride release their first album 'Material' in March, with the sub three-minute 'Sleep' the first single to come from it, and judging by its undeniable industrial-esque feel, Fluoride seem to be adhering to their mission statement; Nuñez’s discordant vocals play around the sharp, bombastic lines of thumping rhythms and electronic eruptions.
The Moon & The Tide, are a weighty six-piece indie pop outfit coming in from the outer reaches of London/Loughton, Essex borders. Just about to release their official debut single, 'We Can Dance (All Night)', on February 2, they have already picked up airplay by way of BBC Radio 2 (Dermot O'Leary show) and BBC Introducing Essex.
Formed early last spring, four of the members sharing the same school at one point and although not friends, knew each other from studying in the same music group. A few years on and all came together again, "and wanted to write music which we all listen to and had a passion for something positive with good vibes and that's when we started The Moon And The Tide."
Te band put out an initial release, 'Please Don't Go', from where they started to receive positive reviews, with one writer describing them as sounding like "a slightly jollier version of Dry the River" - a not too off-the-mark appraisal - and elsewhere alikened to "80's 'landscape' indie pop."
'We Can Dance (All Night)' shows they appear to have tightened up their sound, and with its danceable beats, catchy singalong chorus - and some snazzy "woa"'s dropped in here and there - it makes for a radio-and ear-friendly winner.
The Moon & The Tide play The Garage, London on March 7.
The Moon & The Tide are: Joseph Butler - vocals/guitar, Daniel Clark - guitar/synth, Daniel Thake - guitar, Tom Hutchin - keys, Joshua Nunn - bass, Louis Day - drums.
Girlpool, the LA duo of Cleo and Harmony, have released the music video for their latest single ‘Chinatown’, which is out in March. The single B-side is a cover of Radiator Hospital's ‘Cut Your Bangs’.
The girls embark on a European tour in February, and a later US Spring tour supporting Waxahatchee.
‘Chinatown’ is out on March 23/24 US via Wichita Recordings. Girlpool's debut self-titled EP is available now digitally and physically thru Wichita.
Live dates
January
28. Brooklyn Silent Barn
February
03. Philadelphia PhilaMOCA ^
16. London Lexington
18. Manchester Soup Kitchen
19. Glasgow Broadcast
21. Paris Pop Up Du Label
23. Berlin Berghain Kantine ^
24. Hamburg Exile Molotow ^
25. Amsterdam Paradiso ^
26. Antwerp Trix ^
Leeds shoegaze four-piece Colour Of Spring (Shane Hunter, Robin Chamberlain, Tom Gregory, Bryce Gibson) have lost no time since their formation last year in releasing their work. Beginning with debut single 'Next Year' (released last March), they are now about to issue the somewhat darker double A-side 'Honey'/'Skin' next month.
Drawn together as a band by their shared taste in music, and subsequent influence of the likes of My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Ride and Lush, Colour Of Spring have drawn on the production prowess of fellow Leeds stalwart MJ of Hookworms and Menace Beach, for this latest single, and there is a very definite progression detected, compared to their first offering.
'Skin' is the lighter of the two tracks, erring more to their shoegaze side - and described by the band as being, "built on the imagery of sex and the naked body. Both songs are quite personal and intimate while also open to suggestion" - and near on four minutes in length, the guitars sound fuller, more distortion and effects than before, that as a perfect adjunct to the smoothness of the vocals.
'Honey'/'Skin' is released on February 2 via Plastic Fish Records.
We're not quite sure about who Waldo or Marsha may be since none of the Copenhagen sextet (previously an eight-piece) of Waldo & Marsha appear of the female persuasion, but suffice to say they have just unveiled their latest single ‘You’re The Women I Desire‘ - released on January 19 - which sounds pretty okay to our ears.
Taken from their EP ‘In It To Win It’, which is released in March, the track follows 'Losing You Forever' in encompassing a blend of rich instrumentation and a psych bent around three minutes of swirling vocals, that keeps in mind their 90s shoegaze influences of hazy, distorted guitars and icy synths, creating sparkling psych-pop gems, first evidenced on 2013's debut album 'Zoo'.
The noise duo of Jenny Tuite and Alex Molini combine as Dirty Dishes on their debut album 'Guilty' to blend a sound range they includes elements of danceable noise pop, shoegaze, and grunge through swathes of synths and guitars to produce, as a whole, something that is as punctuated with sweet soundscapes as it is with aggressive feedback.
Kicking off how it means to go on, opener 'Thank You Come Again' is as loud and acidic ad you could wish, and like the unwieldy fire-powered 'Red Roulette', fuel the record's engines on uncompromising feedback from the grunge abyss. Although we are treated to the band's hard-hitting feedback onslaught in the first half of the record, this is not, however, the sum of their parts. Further on, slow, chilled out sound grooves come into their own, such as on 'One More Time', with Tuite's grazed vocals and inflected syllables working in partnership with ariose bells and lo-fi string instruments.
With six of 'Guilty's nine tracks extending over four minutes, this is no wham-bam-and-thank-you work of slap in the face abrasive shots; riffs, rhythms and guitar resonance are all carefully worked through without to the fore, without forsaking the central Dirty Dishes’ psych sound. This is evident on the title track which is expansive than the aforementioned 'Red', with bass and guitar sections sublimely underlining its prickly chorus lyric. Art pop at its most sonically lush.
The Great Escape, to be held in Brighton between May 14 - 16, has announced the first 150 artists to play at the 10th anniversary of the popular festival.
The line-up includes southern soul-rock quartet Alabama Shakes - the first Brighton Dome show artist to be announced. As one of the most anticipated artists in 2012, they played to just 400 people, the same year that they delivered their hit debut album ‘Boys & Girls‘.
Also among The Great Escape's - which encompasses more than 30 different venues including churches, pubs, streets and bandstands - line-up are experimental folk singer Soak, LA songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr., alt-punk BBC Sound of 2015 nominees Slaves, futurist electropop artist Jack Garratt, Dublin four-piece Girl Band, Malian desert punk band Songhoy Blues and, returning to the Great Escape after their legendary debut in 2012, London-based folktronica foursome Django Django.
The full list of artists announced today is as follows:
1987 / 36? / ACOLLECTIVE / ADAM FRENCH / ADMIRAL FALLOW / AK/DK / ALABAMA SHAKES / ALL TVVINS / ALO WALA / ANDREA BALENCY / ANDY SHAUF / APES / APRIL TOWERS / AQUILO / AURORA / AWESOME TAPES FROM AFRICA / BAD BREEDING / BAD//DREEMS / BANOFFEE / BELLA FIGURA / BLACK HONEY / BLACK PEAKS / BOOTHROYD / BULLY / C.A.R. / CAIROBI / CHARLES HOWL / CHARLIE STRAW / CHELOU / CHOIR OF YOUNG BELIEVERS / CLARENCE CLARITY / CLOSE TALKER / COSMO SHELDRAKE / CREEPER / CREEPOID / DAN BODAN / DARK MOON / DEMOB HAPPY / DJANGO DJANGO / DUTCH UNCLES / ELDER ISLAND / EWERT AND THE TWO DRAGONS / FANTASMA / FISMOLL / FLO MORRISSEY / FLYYING COLOURS / FOREVER PAVOT / FORMATION / FRASER A GORMAN / FREDDIE DICKSON & THE GUARD / FROM INDIAN LAKES / GABRIELLE PAPILLON / GENGAHR / GIRL BAND / GROENLAND / H.HAWKLINE / HÆLOS / HAPPYNESS / HONNE / HUMAN HAIR / IBEYI / IVY & GOLD / JACK GARRATT / JAGAARA / JASMINE THOMPSON / JORDAN KLASSEN / JP COOPER / KAGOULE / KEVIN DEVINE / KIKO BUN / KLAUS JOHANN GROBE / LAKE MALAWAI / LAPSLEY / LAURA DOGGETT / LAZYTALK / LE GALAXIE / LEE BAINS III & THE GLORY FIRES / LES BIG BYRD / LIFE / LITTLE MARY / LITTLE SIMZ / LOUIS BERRY / LOUIS MTTRS / LOW ROAR / LOYLE CARNER / LUBOMYR MELNYK / MAPEI / MEAT WAVE / MENACE BEACH / MONICA HELDAL / MOUMOON / MT WOLF / MY BABY / NICK BREWER / OCEAÁN / ORLA GARTLAND / OSCA / OSCAR & THE WOLF / PASSEPIED / PIERCE BROTHERS / PINS / POPSTRANGERS / PRETTY VICIOUS / PROM / RAG N BONE MAN / RAT BOY / REAL LIES / REMI / ROLLS BAYCE / SAINT MOTEL / SASKWATCH / SEINABO SEY / SHELTER POINT / SILENCES / SINGLE MOTHERS / SLAVES / SOAK / SONGHOY BLUES / SUNSET SONS / SWAY CLARKE II / TEI SHI / THABO & THE REAL DEAL / THE BOHICAS / THE GARDEN / THE HEARTS / THE LYTICS / THE MAGIC GANG / THE MERRYLEES / THE PICTUREBOOKS / THE RIPTIDE MOVEMENT / THE ST PIERRE SNAKE INVASION / THE YOUNG BENJAMINS / THIS BE THE VERSE / THOMSTON / THE THURSTON MOORE BAND / TOBIAS JESSO JR / TOPS / TOR MILLER / TURBOWOLF / TWERPS / TWIN WILD / USA NAILS / VÉRITÉ / VILDE TUV / VODUN / VOGUE DOTS / WALKING ON CARS / WARD THOMAS / YAK / YOSI HORIKAWA / ZUN ZUN EGUI
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Following last year’s ‘XXX’ and ‘Swarm’ - two kraut-engined, lazer-guided garage rock missiles - East London four-piece The Bohicas have now announced a UK tour (including a London headline show at Oslo), as well as playing The Great Escape in Brighton in May.
The Bohicas will also support Royal Blood at their intimate Brits Week 2015 show at London’s Koko on February 17, as well as Drenge at the Dome in Tufnell Park on February 12.
The band's next single ‘To Die For’ is out on March 2 via Domino. Watch the video below which comprises footage from their recent ‘Swarm In Essexxx’ tour shot by Libby Burke Wilde.
“People ask what sort of music we make, but if I say rock ‘n’ roll they instantly think of the fifties,” says guitarist Dominic John. “It’s the same starting point in terms of the energy behind it, but it’s not referential and it’s really not about looking back. It’s seeing that danger and energy, but taking it somewhere else.”
Live dates
February
12. London, The Dome, Tufnell Park (supporting Drenge)
17. London, Koko (supporting Royal Blood)
20. London, Tooting Tram and Social
May
14 - 16 Brighton, The Great Escape
21. Cambridge, Portland Arms
22. Nottingham, Bodega
26. Sheffield, The Harley
27. Glasgow, King Tuts
28. Newcastle, Cluny
June
01. Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
02. Bristol, Louisiana
03. Southampton, Joiners
04. London, Oslo
06. Birmingham, Rainbow
07. Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
08. Manchester, Soup Kitchen
Our favourite Brooklyn noise doom rockers GHXST return with the release of their 'Nowhere' EP', which is out today - January 26 - via CLUB.THE.MAMMOTH.
The EP was recorded over the last year between New Orleans, Nashville and Brooklyn. Even though the band's characteristic doomy/grungy sounds of their first releases are all there, 'Nowhere' also shows a more ethereal and grounded side to their music.
'No Luck' is the second track to be taken off the EP, and reverberates around explosively heavy droning guitars and Shelley X's vocals that manage to sound both sensual, and threatening.
West Country fivesome Empire impressed us with their set at last November's Nightmare festival, now the rockers announce their single 'Patchwork and Bone' will be digitally released on February 16.
Watch the video for the song below.
The band will also head off on a headline tour throughout February, which includes London's Black Heart on the 18th.
Vocalist Joe Green explains a little about 'Patchwork and Bone': "This song is about raising questions then trying to understand them - when that happens you tend to really bring your hypothetical questions to life, by you or someone else taking them literally. This song isn't about just people connecting with my real life situations I have experienced, but its about giving the people who listen to it and chance to become the interpreter. We want people to connect to it in their own way and we think the music and lyrics give people that opportunity."
Following the release of their 'Where The World Begins' debut EP in late 2013, the band have been busy lately putting the finishing touches to their mini-album 'Our Simple Truths', set for release in September.
Empire are: Joe Green (lead vocals), James L’Esteve (guitar), Jon Tupper (drums), Dave Thomas (guitar), Freddie Forbes (bass)
Live dates:
FEBRUARY
13. Bournemouth The Anvil
14. Plymouth Tiki Bar
15. Exeter The Cavern
16. Swansea Sin City
17. Brighton The Hope
18. London The Black Heart, Camden
19. Norwich The Owl Sanctuary
20. Milton Keynes Craufurd Arms
21. Nottingham Rock City Basement
22. Huddersfield The Parish
24. Wolverhampton The Slade Rooms
25. Manchester Deaf Institute
26. Newcastle Think Tank
27. Canterbury Lady Luck - Free Entry
28. Cheltenham The Two Pigs
Amongst the new names announced today that have been added to this year’s Liverpool Sound City festival in May are The Vaccines have been confirmed as headliners of the first night (May 22), The Flaming Lips as Saturday (23) headliners, with Belle & Sebastian closing the show on the Sunday (24).
Vaccines frontman Justin Young says: "Liverpool is a city we love and it’s a real privilege to play on the first night of the new-look Sound City. It’s going to be a big night!"
Also new to the line-up today are Merseyside electronic producer Evian Christ, Tunbridge Wells' Slaves, Canadian punks Fucked Up, Sean Lennon’s The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, former Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes, LA indie rockers Dum Dum Girls, Jane Weaver, Bad Breeding and Unknown Mortal Orchestra.
Ramones manager Danny Fields, James Barton of Creamfields festival and The Fall frontman Mark E. Smith are the keynote speakers for this year’s Sound City Conference which takes place on May 21 and 22.
“We promised a massive and credible line-up this year and we delivered," said Sound City CEO Dave Pichilingi. "The Vaccines, The Flaming Lips and Belle & Sebastian will play to an audience of thousands in one of the coolest cities in the world in the unique setting of our brand new Docklands home. It does not get much better than that."
After inspiring crowds as a keynote speaker at last year's Sound City, firmer Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore returns with a live set at this year’s festival. "There will be non-stop entertainment, parties and a bag full of surprises," adds Pichilingi. "Each day will end with a massive spectacle as we head into our headline artists and party on until the early hours of the morning. We are so excited about the endless possibilities of our new festival home. It means we can offer so much more than just a live music festival. We can immerse our audience in an amazing setting with the best backdrop in the world and give them a totally fantastic experience”.
Sound City will be announcing more live acts and the conference programme in the coming weeks.
Tickets are available at £35 per day or £65 for 3 days. For further information, go to Liverpool Sound City website.
London glam rock stompers The Voyeurs return with a new abbreviated moniker (having dropped the 'Charlie Boyer') and a new single in the form of 'Train To Minsk', which is released on Heavenly Recordings on March 9.
The song is accompanied by a suitably dayglow video, directed by renowned film-maker Douglas Hart.
Produced by Oli Bayston (Boxed In) and recorded at the Flesh & Bone and The Premises studios in east-London, the single is taken from their recent second album, 'Rhubarb Rhubarb'.
The band return in February for a run of UK dates.
FEBRUARY
04. Berlin Kantine-Berghain *
05. Hamburg Molotow *
06. Cologne Blue Shell *
07. Eindhoven Area 51 *
08. Utrecht EKKO *
10. Groningen De Spieghel *
12. Paris Point Ephemere *
13. Brussels Botanique Rotonde *
15. Dudingen Bad Bonn *
24. York Duchess
25. Manchester Gullivers
26. Glasgow Broadcast
27. Newcastle Cluny 2
28. Bedford Esquires
We first came across Parisian duo Montoya last September when they uploaded their first track 'Carry Oceans' online. As we reported then in our Introducing feature, there wasn't an awful lot of information forthcomimg, apart from the 'Yo, our name is Montoya' message on their website.
There still isn't a lot more to be had four months on on this electro indie French pair, Cècilia Bonnet and Hugo Rattoray, although they do now appear to have joined social media with Facebook.
And a new upload from them 'All In All', a four-and-a-half minute acidic synth and smoothly rich vocalled (courtesy of Bonnet) cover of 'All In All', by friends and fellow Parisian pop producers, Golf, and which appears on the latter's debut EP.
Featured here last August when they digitally released debut single ‘How Long Can You Stare’, Arctic Lake, the North London-based trio, now return with a new track from their chilled and hypnotic catalogue.
'Limits' once more reinforces their likeness to the sound of London Grammar, with vocalist Emma Foster's range inevitably lending to comparisons with that of Hannah Reid; the delicate instrumentation adding its own sonic mellifluent colour over its three-minute-plus duration.
Arctic Lake are: Emma Foster - vocals; Paul Holliman - guitars; Andy Richmond - drums, percussion.
Coming up for their second Little Indie Track Of The Day this January (see previous here), Brisbane four-piece Nite Fields now chill us with another track from their forthcoming album 'Depersonalisation'.
The seven-minute plus opus 'Winter's Gone' washes over you like a weightless cloud of sound, given formation by vocalist Danny Venzin’s baritone that weaves amongst the ethereal layers in the gaseous soundscape.
As mentioned in our previous post. Nite Fields are on tour now throughout Europe until the end of February. They play one UK date on February 23 at London's Old Blue Last.
'Depersonalisation' Tracklisting:
01 “Depersonalised”
02 “Fill The Void”
03 “You I Never Knew”
04 “Come Down”
05 “Pay For Strangers”
06 “Hell/Happy”
07 “Prescription”
08 “Like A Drone”
09 “Winter’s Gone”
'Depersonalisation' is out on February 3 on Felte.
Man, it feels like Perth psych Pond again. Going for their sixth full-length run in as many years in this latest work, recorded over several months last year in Melbourne, the nine-track, 45-minute work follows last year’s 'Hobo Rocket', and much in the same way plays trippy energy against moments of fun and vivacity.
Pop efficaciousness abounds in the likes of five-minute long opening track ‘Waiting Around For Grace’, which sets high-pitched vocals about being “tired of being tired” to sizzling synths. Single, 'Elvis’ Flaming Star', veers between 70s rock glam, rolling bass lines and fuzzed-out guitars and spacey synths, before double-dipping in and out of a mid-tune reverie.
Elsewhere, blissed-out ballad 'Sitting Up On Our Crane', is supported by a gentle guitar that whispers beneath former Tame Impala bassist Nick Allbrook’s lyrics: “It always feels the same when we’re up high/’Cos I feel like I fall and die”. ‘Holding Out For You’ takes a sombre vocal line hidden below keyboards, before evolving into a shrieking crescendo.
There are significantly fewer vocal stack blowouts from Allbrook; more synths, and various examples of combining programmed and acoustic drum sounds. "Tell me what went wrong/What about Zond?” Indeed, what about the ebullient funk of ‘Zond’, all powerful electronics and the beseeching ejaculations of Allbrook. Allbrook took control of most of the songwriting on the band's last album, on '...Space Again's credits are primarily held by guitarist Joseph Ryan and drummer Jay Watson, who lend balance to the album as a whole, their different styles working in efficient partnership.
Closer, the eight-minute long title track - the name of which Ryan allegedly came up with while “high on some consumables” - rears up in uncontrolled fluctuation, making the song sound like jammed-together spontaneous combustions. That's space for you.
The Brooklyn-based avant-garde songstress Gabrielle Herbst (GABI) follows her September debut single 'Koo Koo' with her shades of Kate Bush vocally complex and haunting style, on a further track from her forthcoming first album 'Sympathy', titled 'Fleece'.
Trained in classical music (piano and clarinet) from an early age, inspired by the likes of Berlioz, Satie, Steve Reich, and Bjork, Herbst mixes complex vocal techniques with loop pedal with her experience writing for chamber orchestra and other instrumentation, and uses her voice in operatic vocal-centric loops much like an instrument. Her nine-track album includes collaborations with percussionist Matthew O'Koren, viola player Rick Quantz, violinist Josh Henderson, and multi instrumentalist Aaron Roche, under the supervision of producers Daniel Lopatin (a.k.a. Oneohtrix Point Never) and Paul Corley.
Watch the video (created by Serena Forghieri) for 'Fleece' below. This lavishly orchestrated piece features falsetto vocal harmonies, transcendent drones, chamber music strings and gentle, but intense, piano.
Electronic-pop outfit Dead Ceremony wowed us late last year with 'Losing You', now the Tunbridge Wells-based four-piece are back with another spine-tingling piece of electronic atmospheric sound in 'Frames'.
Taken from their ‘Looking Glass’ EP - set for release in April - as we reported previously (read more here) Dead Ceremony have a knack of perfectly blending beautifully fragile lyrics, with a multi-layered, downtempo synth pop sound, with the stirring vocals of Chris Stewart. All of this and more is achieved in the heart-aching 'Frames'.
Dead Ceremony play their first London show at St Pancras Old Church on March 2.
If you manage to listen through the whole seven minutes of Iceage's Elias Bender Rønnenfelt sounding like he's at orgasm point without feeling any stirrings within, you may well need to see a doctor.
'Hungry For Love' is the colossal first track to come from the debut album by Marching Church, out at the end of March. The Church, formerly the solo venture of the Iceage frontman, now includes Kristian Emdal and Anton Rothstein (Lower), Cæcilie Trier (Choir of Young Believers), Bo H. Hansen (Hand of Dust, Sexdrome) and Frederikke Hoffmeier (Puce Mary) for 'This World Is Not Enough'.
'Hungry for Love' is part experimental, all parts driven; improvised, atmospheric, angsty, disturbing, sexual and seeped through with Rønnenfelt's trademark heavy sex-pant vocal. And epically fresh and original compared to anything else you are likely to come across this week. Hear it. You'll still be hungry after the first listen and be wanting more. Much more.
'This World Is Not Enough' Tracklisting:
01 “Living In Doubt”
02 “King Of Song”
03 “Hungry For Love”
04 “Your Father’s Eyes”
05 “Calling Out A Name”
06 “Every Child (Portrait Of Wellman Braud)”
07 “Up A Hill”
08 “Dark End Of The Street”
'This World Is Not Enough' is released on March 30 in the UK/EU thru Posh Isolation, and a day later in the US via Sacred Bones.
Oli Bayston, formerly with Manchester band Keith and more latterly being behind songwriter credits for the likes of Lianne La Havas, Lily Allen, The 2 Bears and The Voyeurs, amongst others, now takes centre stage in his own right.
Fusing electronics with a slight frisson of psychedelia, he has just this week released his self-titled debut album, to be followed next Monday with the single 'Mystery'. Opening on a live drum loop, it gradually draws in piano and bass guitar notes to cater to the song's rich atmospheric instrumentation lines.
The video, directed by Steven Spencer, sees Bayston walking along a coastline, then encountering a beached whale...and more that you will have to watch the video below for.
Boxed In live dates
February
10. Brighton Sticky Mikes
11. Bristol Start The Bus
12. London Electrowerkz SOLD OUT
13. Manchester Deaf Institute
14. Sheffield Rocking Chair
15. Glasgow Broadcast
'Boxed In' is out now on Nettwerk. 'Mystery' is released on January 26.
The first thing you question on hearing this Bay Area noise-punk duo's first taster from their self-titled debut EP (out March 10 via Father/Daughter) is whether there can really be just two of them. Think Royal Blood...x2 in decibels.
BLIS. - FLOATING SOMEWHERE HIGH AND ABOVE
Lead single from the Atlanta trio's four-track EP 'Starting Fires In My Parents House', out February. Math rock with ferocious rhythms, painfully despondent lyrics, equal
parts uplifting, sorrowful, and utterly riveting.
SHAKE SHAKE GO - ENGLAND SKIES
Taken from the London-based Welsh/French Britfolk-pop band's debut EP 'England Skies' out on March 9 via Beaucoup Music. Vocalist Poppy Jones leads the quintet through rich melodies with a folk border defined by delicate guitar and pounding rhythms.
SUNDARA KARMA - LOVEBLOOD
Featured as our Track Of The Day, there's no getting away from the fact that this four-minute single (out next month) is THE big one the Reading outfit have been waiting on.
STORNOWAY - THE ROAD YOU DIDN'T TAKE
Opening track and lead single - out February 16 - from the third upcoming album by the Oxford outfit, that is as well crafted, other-worldly, poignant as one would expect, eloquently layered with choral voices, shimmering cymbals and quivering guitars.
MY INVISIBLE FRIEND - DEAR MARY
Italian psych-noisegaze with six-minutes-plus of dark and off-kilter drones, taken from the Parma trio's just released self-titled debut EP.
IN TALL BUILDINGS - UNMISTAKABLE
Taken from the Chicago band's upcoming second album 'Driver', out next month. Erik Hall's (of both Wild Belle and Afropop band NOMO) lays on the wistful tenor vocal over a deftly arranged pop melody.
ARCTIC MAPS - THE OCEAN IS MY CATHEDRAL
Chilled, ethereal orchestral electronica arrangements and a magnetically engaging, gossamer-fine female vocal from the duo who must surely be Australia's own London Grammar.
HIGH TYDE - TALK TO FRANK
The four young Brighton teens (all just 17/18 years old) follow up last year's debut single 'Karibu' and 'Feel It' with track from EP 'Fuzz' out March 9. Taking fast leaps in gritty, catchy infectious lyrics and mdlifyt, catch them when they support PEACE in Brighton March 27/28.
WOLF SAGA - THE ARTISTS
Solo electronic project of London, Ontario-based producer Johnny Saga, digital download release on January 5. Echo-ey vocals, overlaid synths ...and Saga's trademark wolves in this tribute to alt-electro pop artists.
As premiered earlier this evening (January 22) on Zane Lowe’s BBC Radio 1 show, Peter Doherty's new solo single, 'Flags Of The Old Regime' will be released on March 9 via Walk Tall Recordings.
The single, a tribute to the late Amy Winehouse, was produced by Stephen Street, and all proceeds from the record will go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation which works on drug and alcohol misuse prevention amongst young people.
The enigmatic mystery that is producer Burial marks a return with 'Temple Sleeper', following on from last year's 'Lambeth'.
The track, released as a one-sided white label single from UK label Keysound, features an atmospheric kick-drum in a somewhat overall different stop-start tempo compared to what Burial has previously produced.
Racking up over 22,000 plays on Soundcloud in under a week of upload would be something of a coup even for an established act, so for newcomers New Motion, who only formed late last year, this feat is nothing short of incredible.
Fusing a sharp look (you can see these guys landing a fashion shoot before long) and sound, together with an infectious line in melody with an an 80s indie pop persuasion, the Hertfordshire four-piece have now revealed the video for 'Anyway', the title track from their debut EP, released on March 30 via Tidal Recordings.
New Motion are: Josh Clarke (lead vocals/guitar), Harvey Downes (vocals/guitar), Jack Cox (drums), John Heatley (bass).
Featured on Little Indie early last summer (see here) Hertfordshire musician / producer Darkly returns with 'Blind Spot', the latest track which highlights Darkly's - Tom Butler - sultry vocals and glitchy, driving electronic beat arrangements.
If you like this, it's more than worth checking out his debut EP 'Tremors', and last single ‘Touch’.
Björk's new album 'Vulnicura' has made the the Official UK Album Chart Top 20 - after having been on sale for just 24 hours - entering the midweek chart at number 16.
It is the Icelandic singer’s eighth album, and first in four years, and the digital version was rush released almost two months ahead of schedule after it was leaked online. Tracks from the album were posted online last weekend, just days after she had put out the title and tracklist. The vinyl and CD are being held back for the original March release date.
Writing on Facebook, Bjork described the nine-track LP as "a complete heartbreak album" with an "emotional chronology" to it. saying it was inspired by the breakdown of her her lengthy relationship with artist Matthew Barney with whom she has one daughter, Isadora.
The album, which includes a contribution from Antony Hegarty, of Antony and the Johnsons, was mixed by Bobby Krlic, the West Yorkshire electronic artist known as Haxan Cloak. One song, 'Black Lake' is over 10 minutes long.
Memphis fivesome Pillow Talk follow up their self-released debut EP of last year, 'Recreational Feelings', with 'Room'.
The track - the first single from their upcoming EP 'What We Should Have Said', out in March - which the band say was inspired by the Cure, the Smiths, and My Bloody Valentine, is soothing, tightly layered and slips along as easy as a breeze. Struck through with understated instrumentation, it is Josh Cannon’s vocals uttering the chorus lyrics that remain in the head: “If everyone is just the same/then I am no exception/There’s room for two in my bed/always room for you in my head.”
'What We Should Have Said' is out on March 3 via Animal Style Records.
