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Photo - Frederike Wetzels |
German indie punk outfit Lawn Chair is set to make waves with their highly anticipated debut album, You Want It! You Got It!, slated for release later this year. Following their return with ‘Fancy Car, Girlfriend and the Big House’, the band now drops their new single, ‘The Next Big Thing’, a biting reflection on self-optimisation, ambition, and the often absurd pursuit of success in the music industry.
For three years, Lawn Chair has been a vital force in the German indie scene, captivating audiences with their dynamic sound. Their previous two EPs, crafted in collaboration with producers Olaf Opal (The Notwist) and Chris Coady (Beach House, Yeah Yeah Yeahs), solidified their reputation as one of the most exciting acts in Germany. With countless gigs across the country, a successful tour in the UK, and unforgettable performances alongside bands like Sleaford Mods and Deadletter, as well as at festivals like Reeperbahn and Fusion, the band has proven their staying power.
‘The Next Big Thing’, showcases a new sonic direction for Lawn Chair. A pulsating bassline leads the charge as the band experiments with electronic-infused drum patterns and stripped-back guitars. Claudia Schlutius’ lyrics paint a wry picture of the pressures of self-improvement and the relentless chase for fame - echoing the false promises of an industry that thrives on ambition but offers no guarantees.
Written during a time of personal and creative transition, You Want It! You Got It! was crafted between November 2023 and September 2024, with extensive pre-production shaping its unique sound. The album’s title, a lyric drawn from the new single, is a tongue-in-cheek response to the relentless demands of the music industry. Inspired by the absurdity of late-stage capitalism, fragile male egos, Schlutius’ complicated relationship with her US roots and the eternal pursuit of happiness, the album blends playful experimentation with raw energy, making it Lawn Chair’s most daring work yet.
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Photo - @ethnephoto |
Brighton alt-rock trio Bones Ate Arfa release the anticipated new EP ‘Just Bananas’. With a growing sense of momentum, the band have most recently hit over 120k TikTok followers and linked up with skating brand Wasted Paris. The band are heading on a UK tour through April and early May.
Made up of Bones (guitar), 8 (drums), and Arfa (vocals & bass), the trio have made a significant mark on the UK’s southeastern gig circuit within a short period and continue to showcase what an exciting up and coming band they are.
Building soundscapes that blend the energy of punk, the riff heavy approach of alt-rock, and some infectious and melodic vocal melodies, the band have become renowned for their instantly recognisable sound. Punching drums, fuzzy guitar and driving bass tones flow across the ‘Just Bananas’ EP as the band showcase their most complete work to date.
Following a wave of national acclaim across the likes of Dork, 1883, Clash, Punk News, Louder Than War, New Noise, BBC Radio 6 Music, Radio X, Earmilk, Total Rock, Ones To Watch and Amazing Radio (A-List) the band are set to head on a mammoth UK tour through April to support their EP release. Describing their sound as psychedelic-street-punk-desert-rock, the trio (Bones on guitar, 8 on drums, and Arfa on vocals & bass) have gained recognition online and made fans of a number of renowned artists such as Muse, Fred Durst (Limp Bizkit), Isaac Holman (SOFT PLAY), Royal Blood, Tigercub, cool sorcery, Demob Happy, and Bad Nerves.
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Dog Park - Kaleidoscope.
Over the past three years, Dog Park has documented the various stages of its debut album Festina Lente. To mark the album's first anniversary, the Kaleidoscope video captures the moments that welded the band together, from recording in the studio to their first festivals. Against a backdrop of Atlantic rooftops, the question “Have you seen the world outside?”.
Sometimes, it takes a series of coincidences for four individuals to meet and become a band. Erica is American, Isabella is Brazilian, and Sarah and Jean are from Paris. It's at a venue in Paris in 2021 that they get to know each other. As they quickly bond together in the excitement generated by a situation of overcoming a crisis, the urge to play music together arises.
Because they all know how to play multiple instruments and have a desire for freedom, they naturally play musical chairs from the start. This is what makes their quartet unique: instruments and microphones change hands from one track to the next.
A particularly surprising and impressive dance to observe in concert, which a wide audience has already experienced. Despite having released only two singles in the fall of 2022 and spring of 2023, Dog Park has secured stages such as La Boule Noire or the Auditorium of the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris, as well as several summer festivals across France.
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Soot Sprite - Vicious Cycles.
Exeter, England alt-indie trio Soot Sprite share new single ‘Vicious Cycles’. Rising Exeter trio Soot Sprite are set to release their debut album, Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon, on May 16th via Specialist Subject (FRESH, Jeff Rosenstock, Doe, Muncie Girls). Since the release of their debut single in 2018, Soot Sprite has grown from a one-woman lo-fi bedroom pop project to a fully-fledged touring alt-indie shoegaze outfit. Their debut album sees Elise Cook (lead vocals/guitar), Sean Mariner (bass/backing vocals), and Sam Cother (drums/backing vocals) fully embrace the dynamic highs and intimate lows that define their sound.
At its core, Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon is a record about refusing to let apathy take hold. Cook explains, “it’s about embracing empathy over apathy, despite the constant stream of worldly horrors. If we have empathy we can have hope, and with hope then change is always possible.” Inspired by Rebecca Solnit’s book ‘Hope In The Dark’, the album title reflects the urgent need for action in an increasingly chaotic world.
“Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. It is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency.” Rebecca Solnit
Of their new single, 'Vicious Cycles', Cook says: “The single is about addressing your patterns of behaviour and the damage done in previous relationships. The fear of retribution for the smallest of hiccups that sticks with you long after the impacting relationship is done ‘Can’t wash off the oil from your spill.’ The thought that you’ll never fully shake it off.”
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