January 31 2014 - Hot Top Ten

EMPEROR YES - IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD
New single release - out on February 24 thru Young And Lost Club - from the psych pop London three-piece comprised of Ash Gardner (producer, engineer and House of Strange studios owner), Adam Betts (of Three Trapped Tigers) and Hugo Sheppard (solo artist and member of Carl and the Saganauts, House of Strange, Ron Jetson, Arch Stanton). Could be their best yet.





EMPATHY TEST - LOSING TOUCH
Title track from the London electro pop duo's - Isaac Howlett & Adam Relf - EP out on February 28. 80s catchy twist on the usual electronic synthed sound from the pair - whose name, by the way, comes from Ridley Scott's movie Blade Runner.




NEW DESERT BLUES - MATTHEW
Five-piece Americana folk-rockers from Hampshire with a penchant for a melodic, cinematic sound. Taken from the just-released 'Devil's Rope' EP. The band head to Texas in March for SXSW, and Brighton in May for The Great Escape.





YOOFS - DÈJÀ VU
Bournemouth twins (Michael-James Dent - guitar/vocals; Richard Dent - bass/vocals)with a rock n roll pop punch and whose songs revolve around "job loss, break-ups, money troubles, everyday issues". Taken from their new album 'Something', out February 3 via Strong Island Recordings.






CORBU - WE ARE SOUND
Five-piece from Brooklyn who have already been plugged by Zane Lowe on Radio 1 and John Kennedy on Xfm. Taken from their debut EP, coming soon with a seagull/ watery effect opening that builds up nicely. Rather interesting vocal too.






WHISTLEJACKET - MELT
More hypnotic shoegaze from the London five-piece who we first featured here last September with their sumptuous debut 'March Hare'.





AMSTERDAM - NIGHTLIFE
New single released last week from the Brooklyn indie rock two-piece who formed last year, combining ambient guitar tones with contemporary vocal melodies. Recorded last winter at Wall Street’s Engine Room (The Joy Formidable, Depeche Mode, etc.).






TOWNS - YOUNG AT HEART
Single release from the Bristol-based baggy shoegaze psychsters on March 3 thru Howling Owl Records, and taken from debut album 'Get By' due in May. Catch them live at the Old Blue Last in London on February 8 and on tour with The Twang






STRANGE NAMES - RICOCHET
The Minnesota two-some who first came to our attention last year with their 'Strange Revelation' release, return with another mesmeric track, taken from the forthcoming album 'Common Attraction'.






LAURELLE & ALEXANDER - AWAKE
Hazy dreamwave from the Canadian/UK duo, with dulcet vocals abd overlaying from Laurelle. Released debut EP 'Life Underwater' on Jakwob's Boom Ting Records. Now just dropped their full-length debut, ‘Across Oceans’.