Showing posts with label Ben Reel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ben Reel. Show all posts

Saturday, 13 September 2025

Ben Reel - Selve - Dubinator Curate Various Artists - Tiberius

Ben Reel - I Will.

The first single, “I Will,” is lifted from Ben Reel’s keenly awaited 12th studio album, “Spirit’s not Broken.” It's just been released. We are really pleased to be sharing this fabulous song from a highly talented multi genre artist! We are told (and agree with) “I Will” carries a ’70s soul vibe reminiscent of Marvin Gaye, with four-on-the-floor disco drums and a Motown-inspired moving bass line. The song tells its story as if guided by higher powers, as though everything were preordained, destiny awaiting.

The Irish troubadour's twelfth studio album, Spirit’s Not Broken has a core message. In a world marked by war, division, and uncertainty, the record carries a timeless message: hope, resilience, and above all, love. “It’s easy to feel powerless,” Ben says, “but this album is a reminder of a simple truth: ‘Love one another.”

Musically, the album opens with raw rock energy before flowing into soulful, R&B-infused grooves, echoing the spirit of Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, Van Morrison, and Sting. It’s a journey that blends grit with grace, reinforcing Ben’s reputation as one of Ireland’s most versatile and enduring songwriters.

Since launching his solo career in 1999 with This Is the Movie, Ben has carved a distinctive path through rock, folk, soul, and Americana. Critics have compared him to John Hiatt, Roy Orbison, and even dubbed him “the Irish Springsteen,” yet his sound remains unmistakably his own.


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Photo -  Joshua Tate
Selve - Breaking Into Heaven (Album).

In a few words, we have to say we love this bands music, the whole album is a must hear, this is a band to thoroughly check out. The background goes like this.. Gold Coast (Yugambeh/Kombumerri)-based six-piece Selve led by proud Jabirr Jabirr man Loki Liddle yesterday shared their historic second album Breaking Into Heaven, the first full-length album by an Aboriginal artist ever recorded at London's Abbey Road, anchored and inspired by Nina Simone's words that "‘The people who built their heaven on your land, are telling you that yours is in the sky". 

A powerful testament of First Nations stories, music and culture breaking into the spaces that have been stolen or denied to them and traditionally reserved for the select few, Breaking Into Heaven punctuates and refracts the listener's consciousness like a glass brick through a window: a showcase of the uniquely prismatic range of Selve's sonic and cinematic universe, all tied together with a central dualism of subversion and love. 

With it comes swaggering focus track & video 'Leading Man Lost', its clip starring Indigenous Australian actress/model Charlee Fraser (Mad Max: Furiosa, Anyone But You). Also featuring previous singles lush post-nihilist lovesong 'Friday Night', moody rave-rock track 'Strange Romance', the hyper-camp 'Loki Horror Picture Show', and its roaring title track, Breaking Into Heaven is out independently now.

Of the album, Liddle shares: "It’s super surreal that Breaking Into Heaven is out in the world, less than a year since we wrapped up our recording at Abbey Road. It’s been a big, profound, emotional journey that has taken myself and the band to places and into spaces we never imagined we’d get to tread. I am really really proud of the album we’ve created, the music, the stories, the messages, the whole wild dream of it."



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Dubinator Curate Various Artists - Sonically Echo Beach – Dubbing & Clubbing.

For lovers of Reggae and Dub this is a wonderful collection of tracks (& we have to say Beehive Candy are pretty much full on fans of these genres). We quote: 'A fundamental selection of dubbing and clubbing tunes outta Echo Beach'. Enjoy with us!

Dr. Israel – Slaver (DJ Olive Remix)
Dream Cycle Inc. – Good Boy
Dubinator – Hmm Nice
Dubmatix – Crazy Days (The Hempolic Remix)
Horace Andy – Skylarking (TVS Version)
Noiseshaper – Good Enough (Paolo Baldini DubFiles Remix)
Ruts DC – Weekheart (Rob Smith Dub Remix)
Sergeant Steppa – Rockers 2000 (Dreadzone Remix)
Ari Up – Island Girl (Lee Grooves Remix)
Molara – Conscious Living (Dub)
Martha And The Muffins – Echo Beach (Dubinator Remix)
Seanie T & Aldubb – Armagideon Time (Rob Smith aka RSD – Discomix) -
Dubinator – Love (Too Late Version)
B.R.Stylers – Dubbing From The Earth
Tackhead – Exodus (Dubblestandart Remix Two)
Dubblestandart – Dub Realistic (Ambient Dub) 


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Tiberius - Moab.

Boston-based "Farm Emo" band Tiberius issues "Moab," the third single from November 14th's ‘Troubadour,’ their label debut album. Following the more frantic Emo Rock sounds of the "Sag" and "Felt" singles, the rustic warmth of "Moab" sees Tiberius embrace their Country and Folk influences, while still flirting with Pop melodies and an Indie Rock crunch. 

Tiberius was originally a solo outing for songwriter Brendan Wright, with the project growing to a four-piece band upon Wright's relocation to Boston. As demonstrated on "Moab," this expanded lineup produces a catchy and cacophonous sound that blends Indie Punk, Alt Country and Psychedelia with confessional, conversational lyrics.

Named after the city in the sprawling Colorado Plateau desert, "Moab" has long been a live favorite, and now offers our third preview of 'Troubadour,' a unique, genre-bending LP that's bursting with ideas and ambition. Alt Country-esque songs like "Moab" meet the Midwest Emo of "Sag," the meathead Shoegaze Rock of "Redwood," the Psych-ballad sound of "Barn," and the downtempo ache of October 10th's "Painting of a Tree" single.

Speaking on "Moab," Brendan Wright shares: “Moab was a song I wrote about trying to let go. At the time I was defining myself by expectations of a strained relationship. I was feeling pretty insane - like the kind of insane you feel back in 8th grade where you come home crying all of the time because you have absolutely no sense of self. Writing ‘Moab’ offered catharsis. Looking back, I feel a lot of embarrassment around those feelings, - but it was how I felt at the time and that was the place I was in. I wish I had acted differently, and I strive to now.” 


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Tuesday, 13 December 2022

The Last Waves - Shira - Ben Reel

The Last Waves - under a black sun (E.P).

A couple of months after the release of 'dark is the path', French cold-wave/post-punk/dark-pop/indie-rock five-piece The Last Waves just released another EP called 'under a black sun'.

These five new songs lead us immediately to worry, anguish, loneliness. New uninhabitable space, he shares with us his distress and his despair. The music of The last Waves offers us the sound image of an inaccessible world, it convinces us of its reality. 'under a black sun' was recorded, mixed by the band and mastered by Benjamin Joubert at the Biduloscope studio in Paris.

The Last Waves is a new band created in the middle of the pandemic around three boys and two girls. The name of the band is a wink to the new wave of the eighties, the famous new-wave whose name was borrowed from the new wave of the French cinema of the 50's and 60's and carried notably by the British Joy Division, New Order, Depeche Mode or Simple Minds.

Concerts suspended, venues padlocked, this period of forced silence was the spark that made the band's first two EPs spring up in late April and late June 2021. 'Revenge of the blue' and 'In cold colors avenue' were composed by founding guitarist Romain Champiot in an urgent, visceral and uncompromising way, like the last waves of an uncertain period.

The tracks are a mix between New Wave, Cold Wave, Pop and Indie-Rock. The harmonies are put forward, precise and often dancing. The Last Waves is inspired by the independent music of the 80's and the pop rock of the 2000's, adding a touch of electro rock when the intensity requires it.



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Shira - New York City in December.

Shira shares of the stunning track: "The holidays can be a tough time.  Three years ago was extra hard for me when I was alone, sheltering in place, during the pandemic, while my partner was stuck on the other side of the ocean and I was dreaming of having him here with me in NYC.  There's a certain magic in NYC around the holiday that really doesn't exist anywhere else. I hope this song brings comfort to whoever is listening and reminds them that they're not alone. "

Born in upstate NY to Israeli parents, Shira split her time growing up between Israel and the States. After finishing her service as a singer in the Israeli Army Band, Shira moved to NYC where she studied music and theatre at The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and The New School.

After graduating, Shira met music producer Paul Carbonara (Blondie) as a performer in New York’s vibrant theatre community. She starred in his Off Broadway musicals Solitary Light and Evening 1910 to much critical acclaim. Shira went on to record two albums produced by Carbonara along with an ace six-piece band, including Israeli-American Grammy-nominated drummer Dan Pugach.



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Ben Reel - U People/Scoring Goals.

In memory of my good friend Rainbow George Weiss "The wondering jew" who sadly passed away around this time last year 2021 on the 1st December aged 81. Myself & George co wrote these 2 songs together. George was a mystic visionary that was 100 years ahead of his time. He was definitely the most eccentric person I ever met who became a kind of guru for me even though some of his ideas where totally outlandlish. Rainbow George lived in Hampstead, London where he had some very interesting friends like Ian Jury & his once next door neighbour Peter Cook. When I once visited him in Hampstead to my amusement he was then living in a flat over a shop named "Over the Rainbow" which Rainbow George found very mystical.  George had a great way with words as an example of one of his last quotes was "Everything is relative & we are all related".

I was first introduced to George in 2001 by Belfast legend Terri Hooley in Good vibrations record shop. When I walked into the shop Terri said -  "here is the very man you are looking for George"  As George was looking for an Irish musician to put music to these revolutionary lyrics he had written which was U People and he wanted it in a Reggae style. I may have tweaked some lyrics here and there to make it work better as a song - U people was first recorded in 2005 in Eastcote recording studio in London, produced & mixed by Philip Bagnell who worked with bands like Aswad. The song was recorded on the same recording console as Bob Marleys Exodus album so U People has got the spirit of Bob. The song and video was used as a BBC party political broadcast when George created The Rainbow party with the campaign slogan "Make politicians history" to run in the N.Ireland elections of 2005. I stood as a candidate in Derry and got 33 votes. A very mystical number for George which he thought significant.

The song U People features great London based Jazz musicians Gilad Atmon on Soprano saxaphone, Dylan Howe on Drums, Yaron Stavi on bass & Frank Harrison on keys. Scoring Goals was recorded around 2008 in Tuff Paddy studio Tralee Co Kerry with Alex O'Brien & Miguel Lonergan on beats & mixing. Spoken word by Judd Charlton & backing vocals from Cathrine Taylor Dawson & Sugar Rainbow. I play guitars and sing the vocal. George imagined that it would become an anthem at soccer grounds so I made a special video for the song with some great classic goals from the World Cup. George was a big soccer fan and would surely be enjoying the present World Cup. A lot of people don't know that he once played with QPR reserves as a left winger before a broken leg ended his career. It's funny  that he was a left winger as I think he was the most far left person I ever met. Hopefully now he is scoring goals in Rainbow land.

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Celestial Bums - The Brook & The Bluff - KiKi Holli & The Remedy - Cut Flowers - The Legal Matters

Celestial Bums - The Letters. Shoegaze warmth and dream pop elegance converge in Celestial Bums’ “The Letters” Barcelona’s Celestial Bums ...