Showing posts with label Phonosonics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phonosonics. Show all posts

Friday, 16 May 2025

TEOSE - The Hill - Libertino Records Various Artists - Phonosonics

Photo - Aodhan Gallagher

TEOSE - Part II.

Glasgow alt-pop four-piece TEOSE have released their new single, ‘Part II’, which marks a bold new chapter for the band, showcasing a more polished and pop-forward sound while staying true to the raw emotional honesty that has become their signature. 

Formed in 2018, TEOSE, comprising Melissa (guitar/vocals), Sean (bass), Axel (keys) and Jordan (drums), blend four distinct musical backgrounds into a sound that’s earned comparisons to The Cure from the Scottish Alternative Music Awards.

Self-recorded at Chime Studios, ‘Part II’ is the title track from their forthcoming album, capturing the essence of their musical evolution. Compared to earlier DIY recordings laid down in their tiny Dalmarnock practice space, the new material features cleaner production and an infectious energy that hints at their pop sensibilities without losing the heartfelt grit that defines them.

At its core, ‘Part II’ explores the often-overlooked realities of social anxiety. Set against buoyant rhythms and dreamy textures, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of feeling out of place at a party, desperately seeking escape and the solace of home. From a jittery bass-driven intro to an unexpectedly playful and chaotic outro, the track mirrors the emotional rollercoaster of the night it describes.

"It’s one of my favourite songs we’ve ever written," says Melissa. "It takes you on a real journey—from feeling awkward and out of sync to finding that little bit of peace when you finally get into bed... then right back into the spiral of overthinking every awkward thing you said!"


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The Hill - See You There.

Gearing up for their new album release due this summer, The Hill have released the new single “See You There,” today May 16, 2025. The song and upcoming album are produced by Mike Slo Mo Brenner. Brenner was involved in several notable projects in 2024, including producing Susan Werner - Halfway to Houston (Best Album of 2024 by the Folk Alliance) and playing on Wild Pink’s, Dulling the Horns, (Paste Rock Album of the Year). He also played on several tracks with The Philly Specials, a project that also involved Stevie Nicks and Jon Bon Jovi.

“Mike was juggling some interesting projects, but once we finished the “Let This Storm Pass,” a previously released single (also on the upcoming LP), we got into a flow with the rest of the tracks,” said Jon Kowit, singer-songwriter and founder of The Hill. John Anthony (Solas, The Brothers McMullen, Backstreet Boys) was brought in to engineer the new single and the upcoming LP.

The Hill was featured as WXPN spotlight artist of the week and received terrestrial radio play in the U.S., Canada, Australia and South Africa. Their debut album Get In Line continues to build an audience organically, as it has been saved over 11,000 times on Spotify and routinely gets Shazam’d around the world.

About The Hill: The Hill is an Americana project founded upon the songs of Jon Kowit, a music junkie/former record store employee. The debut album Get In Line released in 2024 was recorded after he reconnected with indie music steel guitar/ multi-instrumentalist Mike Slo Mo Brenner (Jason Molina, Wild Pink, Marah, Susan Werner). The forthcoming album Noble Station is expected in July 2025.

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Libertino Records - SWIGOD! (Vol 1. Various Artists).

As a label, we’ve never been ones to look back. We’ve always been chasing the dreams of our artists, celebrating the now, and carving out space for the futures they’re building. After Covid, we thought briefly about releasing a compilation—but there was so much new music, so much to say in the moment, that the idea was quietly set aside. Until now. WHY NOW? Maybe because it finally felt right to stop for a moment, breathe, and take in what’s been built.

Nearly a decade of storytelling through song, of standing by our artists through every high and low, of staying true to something bigger than ourselves. This is a moment of change—an end of a chapter, and the beginning of something new. SWIGOD isn’t just a compilation. It’s a celebration of everything Libertino has stood for since day one: being fearlessly independent, pushing Welsh music beyond borders, and believing—always—that music is magic, and that the world needs to hear it. This album is a love letter to everyone who’s believed in this journey with us. It’s not a retrospective—it’s a statement of intent. This is only the beginning.

Libertino was born out of a moment of pure inspiration on a dance floor in Carmarthen’s iconic venue, The Parrot. It was a flash of clarity at one of ARGRPH’s and Adwaith’s first live shows that ignited a passion to create a label that would amplify a new wave of Welsh artists, breaking free from outdated expectations. It was a moment that made it clear that there was no other choice but to build something that would champion these voices and give them the platform they deserved.

From the outset, Libertino was founded as a fearlessly independent, bilingual, alternative and progressive label-one that wasn’t just about releasing music but about reshaping the industry itself. We wanted to be a catalyst for change, making the Welsh music scene more open, ethical and supportive-not just for young artists but also for the larger creative community around us. We are deeply artist-centred, creating an environment that feels like a family, where musicians can grow, experiment and explore their creativity in a dynamic and inspiring space. The glass ceiling that has held back so many Welsh artists, especially those singing in Welsh, needed to be shattered. Our mission has always been to take Welsh music beyond its borders, reaching larger UK and international audiences while staying true to the artists’ identities.

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Phonosonics - Everything I Do.

Sung by long-time Phonosonics guitarist Aidan Snider, this sunny breakup tune is the story about an ex you just can't get out of your head (much like the chorus!). This is the first single from the band's forthcoming album, which is almost entirely recorded live, giving listeners worldwide a sense of the band's sensational live sound.

This one gets back to the band’s Rocksteady and Early Reggae roots, and their reverence for vintage Jamaican riddims and recording techniques. The Phonosonics hope this one reminds you of a love from days gone by.

Composed by Aidan Snider and The Phonosonics.
Aidan Snider - Guitar and Lead Vocal.
Spencer Cleave - Backup Vocals, Saxophone, Piano.
Ned Saric - Drums.
Luis Meneses - Bass.
Matt Shamas - Organ.
David Bamford - Trumpet.

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Wednesday, 21 June 2023

Old Crow Medicine Show Feat. Willie Watson - Phonosonics

Old Crow Medicine Show - Miles Away (Feat. Willie Watson).

Old Crow Medicine Show announces the August 25 release of their new album Jubilee via ATO Records. Arriving as the two-time GRAMMY award-winning band gears up to celebrate their 25th anniversary, Jubilee finds the group once again co-producing with Matt Ross-Spang (Drive-By Truckers, St. Paul & the Broken Bones) and recording at their own Hartland Studios.

The album features appearances from legendary soul singer Mavis Staples and singer/songwriter Sierra Ferrell. Along with the announcement, the band shares the debut single “Miles Away,” a sweetly reflective track co-written by bandleader Ketch Secor and bluegrass virtuoso Molly Tuttle, with guest vocals from Old Crow Medicine Show co-founder Willie Watson.

About the debut single, Ketch Secor explains: “This is one of those rearview songs where objects in the mirror are closer than they appear. 25 years of making music on the road means you’re always coming back to the same places as a different person; there’s a reminder of your past self and the choices you made back when. Molly Tuttle and I wrote this one together and when it was through, I asked my Old Crow co-founder Willie Watson to make his first appearance on an Old Crow record in years. After all, this is a song about amends, of bygones being bygones, and of renewal.”

“Miles Away” marks the first time Willie Watson has recorded with Old Crow Medicine Show in over 10 years. He will hit the road with the band this fall, performing as an opening act in addition to joining them on stage.

While songs like “Miles Away” embody a bittersweet gravity, much of Jubilee harnesses the unruly exuberance that Old Crow Medicine Show unfailingly channels into their live show. The new album finds the band doubling down on their commitment to creating roots music that bears an undeniable urgency, encompassing everything from jug-band tunes to Irish folk songs to exultant gospel jams. The result is a wildly expansive body of work showcasing the dazzling musicality and poetic yet powerfully trenchant storytelling that has made Old Crow Medicine Show one of the most potent and influential forces in American roots music for more than two decades.

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Phonosonics - End of the World.

End of the World is the newest single from Canada’s West Coast Roots Reggae veterans, the Phonosonics. Historically focusing on Rocksteady and Early Reggae, the band began internalizing a more 80’s-inspired sound when they were tapped to backup Sister Nancy in 2019 and subsequently Yellowman in 2020 (sadly cancelled due to COVID 19). Rehearsing these sets allowed the band to branch out into a new vibe, and one inspired by the events of our time.

This new track is a darker one, but still with a positive and conscious message: “the sickness divides us, together the cure, no on should be alone at the end of the world.” With an infectious hypnotic rhythm, spacey dubbed-out harmonies and blazing horn lines, it is sure to please on the radio and in the dancehall.

The world has become divided, but we can still come together united. As the lyrics say “there’s no storm we can’t weather if we come together as one.” Hoping all of our beloved fans and DJ friends can come together and enjoy this new one from the Phonosonics.

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Tuesday, 9 November 2021

Alyssa Gengos - Mae Mae - KAVYA - Phonosonics

Photo - Morgan Hamilton
Alyssa Gengos - Gothenburg English.

Alyssa is a multi-talented producer who's been making records auteur-style on her laptop for years ("I feel most comfortable when I'm completely alone" she says in the bio below). Her music is straight forward in style, but elegant in construction and form.

Here's what Alyssa had to say about the meaning behind the song and the video: I began writing “Gothenburg English” in my head while walking around the titular city near the end of my Scandinavian sojourn. Six months prior, I’d left a long term partner behind in New York City, hoping the relationship would survive. It did not. I finally accepted the end of it while wandering around Gothenburg and the Delsjö wilderness on the outskirts of the city. A friend told me the local accent is one of the most sing-songy in the Swedish language, and it’s audible when speaking English, too, creating a kind of “Gothenburg English.” I think of this song as a road song in the sense of American road novels and movies. I sing about my travels during this time, and admit the realization that I came to once I returned home: I was ready to move on from the relationship that had brought me so much stress and misery. I

eventually left New York for my home of Los Angeles, where I filmed the music video for this song with the help of some of my oldest friends. In it, the audience gets a glimpse into my home studio , as well as different locations that left marks on my adolescence, as I connect the person I was when I first started making music to the person I have become.

During this past year, when the stimuli from the outer world ceased, Alyssa Gengos was having some weird-ass dreams. In one that stuck with her, she dreamed that an old school bully was being kind to her. “That was a very strange dream for me to have because I don't think about this person really ever,” she says. “But it reflected to me that I have this really deep desire to be liked.” So poignant was this realization that it makes two appearances on her debut full-length Mechanical Sweetness, which melds her dreams and personal nostalgia into a new-wavey indie rock homecoming album.


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Photo - Eliot Lee Hazel
Mae Mae - Squishy.

Atlanta-born and Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Mae Mae has released “Squishy,” the first single and video from her debut EP, Gummy Heart Eyes. With shimmering xylophone and mischievous bass fluttering throughout, “Squishy” is magnified by a kaleidoscope of whimsical sounds and an infectious hook as the track emulates the joyous emotions you feel when you’re surrounded by people you love.

Inspired by the bliss she feels from life’s little pleasures, Mae Mae’s storytelling reflects how her wide-eyed wonder and optimism collide with the world around her. The same is true of the song’s video, which depicts a home movie-style walk through a garden with her very sweet four-legged companion. 

The video’s calm and inviting aesthetic mirrors Mae Mae’s earnestness, “Squishy” is unconventional yet welcoming, reflecting how her distinctive charm blends into pop appeal.

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KAVYA - Lay Your Head Down.

‘Lay Your Head Down’ marks the 2nd release from KAVYA’s debut EP 'Know Me Better'. The song talks about what are the ingredients required for a friendship to stand the test of time. Friendship is a priceless gift which should be honoured and a common theme to be observed in a relationship of any form. What are the ingredients required to build on a promising friendship?

For KAVYA, it starts off with being present in the physical form with the other, opening up multiple conversation points, and understanding what makes the other person. Then, delving a bit deeper and exploring the future prospective she sees with the other, how she can contribute and enhance the other’s life and vice versa.

Aligned with prospective, it is equally important for her to uncover the individual’s aspirations and expectations so that she can be the friend who can encourage the other to achieve them, be aware and mindful of her role to not disappoint the other when expectations aren’t met. And in this entire process, if things don’t go as planned, she opens up the opportunity to ‘lay your head down’ and just be present as that is the truest point of friendship achieved - once of accepting the circumstances as is and not giving up on someone who you have invested your time and opened your heart too. That is the key to sustain a fruitful friendship built over time.

"Lay Your Head Down was written over many years where I found myself wanting to understand the various layers of all my friendships and what truly makes them special. This track is a tribute to my curiosity to connections made between people."

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Phonosonics - New Again (Album).

Phonosonics is a Canadian Rocksteady and Early Reggae band, pleased to announce their latest album New Again. Since 2015, this group has been dazzling audiences with their reverent yet modern take on Rocksteady, Ska and Early Reggae. Phonosonics began as the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist and producer Spencer Cleave and has grown to be one of Canada’s fastest emerging Reggae acts.

The band has been racking up accolades since their earliest days. Their releases have been featured on some of the most listened-to Reggae radio shows in the world and consistently charted in the top 10 on Canadian independent radio. They have opened for The Wailers and served as backing band for The Fabulous Lolo, Sister Nancy and Leroy “Heptone” Sibbles.

These connections to the worldwide Reggae community came in handy when production began on New Again in 2019. The album was slated for a 2020 release, but unfortunately sidelined by the pandemic. The group persevered and tenaciously finished putting together a beautiful and vintage-sounding collection of Rocksteady, Early Reggae, Ska and Blue Beat style tunes with a positive message.


With their characteristically painstaking commitment to authenticity and respect for the source material, New Again feels more like it could have been produced in 1970s Kingston than 2020s Victoria. Drawing on their friends in the Reggae community, they were able to recruit artists such as Leroy Sibbles, Horseman, Montreal’s Dr. Watson, and Roger Rivas of the Aggrolites to join in on the record. New Again is the story of rebirth and redemption, and its themes have taken on new meaning these past years. Phonosonics want you to know it's never too late to turn it all back around, and make it new again.


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Far Caspian - Emily Hines - Georgian - Gelli Haha

Far Caspian - An Outstretched Hand / Rain From Here to Kerry. Far Caspian is Irish singer-song writer and producer Joel Johnston. Joel writ...