Showing posts with label Saintseneca. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saintseneca. Show all posts

Friday, 17 October 2025

Oliver Beardmore (feat Punchlove) - Saintseneca - Penny & The Pits - Anna von Hausswolff - Dandelion & The Drop - The Bats

Photo - Nicole Osrin
Oliver Beardmore - Ammonite (feat. Punchlove).

London alternative singer-songwriter Oliver Beardmore has enlisted Brooklyn experimental shoegazers Punchlove for new single 'Ammonite'. Oliver Beardmore plays a single release show at The Elephants Head in Camden this coming Monday, 20th October. A wistful slow-burn that builds from dreamlike textures into a crushing alt-rock finale, ‘Ammonite’ is a searing exploration of projection and self-inflicted hurt.

Co-produced by Beardmore and Xav Sinden, and mixed by Matt Glasbey (Bloc Party, Sorry, Alt-j), hushed guitars and gauzy atmospheres mirror the push-pull of intimacy and blame, with Punchlove’s Jillian Olesen and Ian Lange-McPherson adding a potent depth to Beardmore’s vision.

On the song's lyrical inspiration, Oliver Beardmore said: "The song is about being drawn to people who share the same insecurities or flaws. We project our issues onto each other, but that weight often causes hurt that no one else is really to blame for. There’s freedom in no longer searching for your flaws in someone else, and relief in calling off that search. In the end, you can hurt yourself more than anyone else ever could - but there’s something almost hedonistic in giving yourself away to someone who’ll let you."

In recent months, Oliver Beardmore has become the support act of choice, playing alongside Gia Ford, Junodream, Late Night Drive Home and Steve Mason, as well as headlining sold-out shows across the UK. With early support already from BBC Radio 1 and BBC Introducing, he’s fast establishing himself as a striking new addition to the UK’s alt-rock landscape.

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Photo - Nick Fancher
Saintseneca - Bitter Suite.

This week Saintseneca released “Bitter Suite,” the final pre-release single ahead of their ambitious 21-song double album Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs that arrives on October 31 via Lame-O Records. Imagined as a ten-song landscape (tracks 1-10) orbited by two sonic “moons,” the new song appears on Cinnamon Moon (tracks 16-21), which will be withheld from streaming services and only available on the vinyl LP or for purchase on Bandcamp. 

Saintseneca have also announced a fall album release tour that will kick off on November 5 in Pittsburgh, PA and make stops in New York City, Philadelphia, Asheville, Chicago and more. The tour will culminate in a pair of hometown album release shows on November 22 and 23 at Rumba Cafe in Columbus, OH. 

The album was born from a period of personal struggle when Little hit a years-long stretch of burnout and found unexpected healing and a creative spark in painting. What began as a meditative artistic practice grew into a collection of paintings that became the basis for a solo exhibition in a hospital gallery and ultimately the hand-painted gatefold jacket that houses the new album. Longtime collaborator Glenn Davis helped shape the recording sessions, while producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) brought the songs into full focus with expansive, layered mixes. 

Like the “Green Ink Pen” that sparked it all and appears as a song the Viridian Moon, Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs feels more found than written. “I wanted this album to reflect that—some songs were found on the landscape, others were found on two moons, orbiting that landscape like satellites, disparate pieces pulling on each other, creating a world of song,” Saintseneca's Zac Little explains.


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Photo - Nicole Cecile Holland
Penny & The Pits -Thick Black Gloves. 

Penny & The Pits track "Thick Black Gloves" is a revenge fantasy about retaliating against creeps and stalkers, perfectly encapsulating the sour-mouthed riot grrrl energy praised by Bandcamp. 

Quote: “It pees me off so much that I can't just walk down my own damn street without constantly scanning the shadows!” says Stevens. “The song is a bit of a revenge fantasy for me, but it doesn't necessarily translate directly through the lyrics. So I really wanted to make a music video that could help augment those themes.”

I have this ridiculous leather trench coat that I wear all the time, and men often comment that I look like I'm about to commit a murder. So the trench coat inspired the video, really. I wanted to create an atmosphere that wasn't explicitly violent, but focused more on confidence and dominance.


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Photo - Philip Svensson
Anna von Hausswolff - Struggle With the Beast.

Anna von Hausswolff debuts “Struggle With The Beast”; her nine minute opus of stirring movement, anthemic ritualism, and maximalist composition. The experimental composer and musician fiercely melds the pipe organ, guitars, percussion, violin, viola, cello and double bass with a magnetic saxophone piece from Otis Sandsjö, all with her impending ethereal vocals. 

“I wrote this song after a close friend experienced a psychosis,” von Hausswolff reveals. “There was something unstoppable and completely disconnected about her, as if she were living and reigning in a parallel universe of some kind. She was so far away from the person I knew, as if all of her social barriers had completely dissolved. There was a new, weird brilliance to her way of communicating and being. She had no filters. I'm glad she's back to normal today, but it made me think of how vulnerable and complex we all are, and that there are layers of unresolved trauma and unspoken truths within everyone.”

Anna von Hausswolff’s work carves out space for the celestial and the transcendent to enter into the modern world. Throughout the years von Hausswolff’s releases cemented her as an artist of unpredictable and vast creativity – always moving forward, always fusing tradition with experimentation in unimaginable ways. On ICONOCLASTS, her forthcoming album and first with YEAR0001, her sound evolves again, bringing a poppier and more vibrant element to her moving songs. The album was produced by Anna von Hausswolff and longtime collaborator Filip Leyman, marking a new chapter in von Hausswolff's music and featuring appearances from Ethel Cain, Abul Mogard, Iggy Pop and Maria von Hausswolff.  


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Dandelion & The Drop - Tall Order.

The third and penultimate single from D&TD exercises a departure from their usual variety of reggae-based grooves, into a downbeat-driven soul track, maintaining the sound of Leon King’s meticulous guitar work, soft Flugal and Tenor horn lines, deep dubby bass tones and Dan’s signature vocal sound.

In today’s world of rising division and dwindling opportunity, Tall Order lands with a raw and timely urgency. In a society where youth services are being stripped away, the cost of living climbs relentlessly, and opportunities for progression feel further and further away, Dandelion lends his voice to the unheard. With bolstering empathy, he speaks to the frustration of a generation struggling to be seen, understood, and offered a future. But beyond the critique lies a mindset - resilient, defiant, and necessary - that we can all carry forward. 

The track hits hard. No frills, no filter. Just groove-laden basslines, infectious percussion, and head-nodding rhythms that demand your solidarity on the subject. Dandelion’s verses cut through adversity, weaving through the song with sharp observation. As the song builds, it rises into something more: a fierce, liberating celebration of life - one that insists on joy and coming together, even in the face of struggle.


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The Bats - Corner Coming Up.

The wait is over, thine day doth upon us all, The Bats' 11th studio album Corner Coming Up is out into the world. Since their inception in Christchurch (New Zealand) in 1982, The Bats’ music has earned them indie royalty status. With a devoted following around the world, they remain one of New Zealand’s most cherished and enduring exports, and this album continues their legacy, blazed in greatness. 

The Bats are Robert Scott, Kaye Woodward, Paul Kean and Malcolm Grant, the much-loved indie rock band from Aotearoa. The new album strikes a very distinctive and familiar chord that exists in the hearts of fuzzy-loving fans all round the world. The brand new video for title track 'Corner Coming Up'  is featured today on Beehive Candy. 

Throughout their 40 plus years of existence, and now with album number 11 ready to share with the world, The Bats have stayed true to their roots, creating timeless music that continues to resonate with fans old and new.

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Tuesday, 9 September 2025

Wyldest - Manic Pixxies - Fred Brown - Saintseneca

Photo - Tom Gaiger
Wyldest - Old Flame.

We have been massively impressed with Wyldest who this week shares new single 'Old Flame' the latest single from her newly announced album 'The Universe Is Loading' out 14th November via Hand In Hive. 'Old Flame' follows the album's previous tasters 'All It Would Take Is A Phone Call' and 'After The Ending'. Based on what we have heard so far, Wyldest (
Zoë Mead) is an artist to listen out for, the album  is eagerly anticipated!

Written after visiting California’s Sequoia National Park in the aftermath of wildfires, 'Old Flame' parallels nature’s cycles of destruction with human trauma. Opening like a spark on dry earth, guitars crash and shimmer while Wyldest’s voice cuts through the incandescent indie rock backdrop, pulling imagery from scorched forests and collapsing relationships, where destruction becomes the very condition for growth. The accompanying video, filmed in Connemara on Ireland’s west coast, follows Mead chasing (and ultimately releasing) a vision of her past self against the region’s surreal coastal landscapes.

Speaking more on the release of her new single, Wyldest said: "Old Flame was written after a small run of US shows, when I had the pleasure of visiting Sequoia National park in California. The forest fires had been running rife there and I learnt about the ecology of the area and how the trees up on the mountain grow to be the largest in the world. The trees there grow in a particular altitude and climate and the forest fires are natural to their ability to thrive in the environment. This got me thinking about trauma in the human world and how it could have the same natural tendency to occur and help with personal growth. 

The song reflects on the loss of a relationship ‘I’m longing to be with you again’ and then jumps between the wider context of the turbulent environment our planet is currently in. It re-frames the idea of going through trauma as being natural and something we might (in hindsight) be able to embrace. The idea that you’re letting go of an old version of yourself and leaving it behind in a less progressive time, in order to develop and grow - much like the trees in Sequoia."


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Manic Pixxies - Bluecarpet.

Manic Pixxies are a six-piece band from Switzerland channeling riot energy with a modern indie edge. Since forming in 2020, they’ve built a reputation for raw, emotional songwriting that blends the grit of 90s alternative with the experimentation of today’s DIY scene. Their music thrives on contrasts — fierce and delicate, chaotic and melodic, unpolished yet unforgettable.

Their latest single, Bluecarpet, showcases this intensity with driving basslines, sharp guitar riffs, swirling synths, and vocals that move between softness and fire. Early listeners have called it “good alternative indie rock with punk influences… powerful percussion rhythm, catchy lyrics, and beautiful vocals”, highlighting the 1:40 mark with double vocals as a standout moment. The track has already been added to playlists spotlighting European and Swiss alternative music.

On stage, Manic Pixxies are explosive and cathartic — turning shows into a release of energy where audience and band feed off each other. With Bluecarpet and more releases on the way, they’re carving out their place in the alternative scene as a band that embraces honesty, noise, and emotion in equal measur
e.

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Fred Brown - Distraction.

Acclaimed singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Fred Brown has announced his debut EP and released the title track ‘Distraction’. Recorded at Louis Grace’s studio (renowned for his work with the likes of Mura Masa & kaeto), the new single features Brown himself on drums, Joey Crouch on bass and engineering duties, and Henry Arrowsmith on piano. 

Blending muted guitar tones, delicate keys, unhurried drums, and fragile, heartfelt vocals, Distraction exudes an emotional sincerity and intimacy, wrapping its melancholic warmth around a rich, downtempo soundscape. As comparable to Elliott Smith as it is to Duster, Teethe and even early Bon Iver, the track showcases the indie-folk writing that stylises the upcoming EP. 

Speaking about the track, Fred explains: “The song is about seeing myself as a distraction for others around me. In a both positive and negative way. When writing the words this wasn’t clear to me at first, and I then found it to be that entertaining others also distracts myself from bigger things inside. The things I want in life, and being afraid to try my hardest at them.”

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Photo - Leticia Wiggins
Saintseneca - Viridian Moon (suite of five songs).

Today, Saintseneca released a suite of five new songs from their forthcoming album Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs that will be released on October 31 via Lame-O Records. The band’s first album in more than seven years consists of a ten-song landscape (tracks 1-10) orbited by two sonic “moons,” named for the colors bandleader Zac Little experienced through synesthesia while writing. Out today is the entire Viridian Moon (tracks 11-16), consisting of “Burnt Hand Hymn,” “May Day,” “Battery Lifer,” “Green Ink Pen,” and “Long Winter.”

Saintseneca have also announced a fall album release tour that will kick off on November 5 in Pittsburgh, PA and make stops in New York City, Philadelphia, Asheville, Chicago and more. The tour will culminate in a hometown album release show on November 21 at the Athenaeum Theatre in Columbus, OH. Tickets will go on sale this Friday, September 12. Find a full list of tour dates and ticket information at their website.

The album was born from a period of personal struggle when Little hit a years-long stretch of burnout and found unexpected healing and a creative spark in painting. What began as a meditative artistic practice grew into a collection of paintings that became the basis for a solo exhibition in a hospital gallery and ultimately the hand-painted gatefold jacket that houses the new album. Longtime collaborator Glenn Davis helped shape the recording sessions, while producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes) brought the songs into full focus with expansive, layered mixes. 


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Wednesday, 6 August 2025

Saintseneca - Dear Boy - Sons of Sevilla - Alex Krawczyk

Photo - Nick Fancher
Saintseneca - Sweet Nothing.

Saintseneca just released the official video for “Sweet Nothing,” the second single from their forthcoming album Highwalllow & Supermoon Songs that will be released on October 31 via Lame-O Records. The band also announced they will support Bright Eyes on tour later this month, marking a full circle moment as they reconnect with Mike Mogis who mixed the new album.

About the song, frontman Zac Little explains: “On my honeymoon, years ago, I found this little riff. It seemed to lead somewhere, but the edges rolled off into nothingness - a faded out map. I’d find fragments and try to line them up to no avail. Disparate states that just almost match up - but not quite. Like how you can tell the continents used to touch. I laid it in the drawer to sleep. 

The big heavy things - transcendent, effervescent, crushing, or crushing. It’s hard to find a tune buoyant enough to carry them. Then Patti Smith’s dream cowboy paid me a visit - straight off the M Train, and blessed me with a chorus. ‘I’m sure I could write endlessly about nothing. If only I had nothing to say.’” 


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Photo -Jaxon Whittington
Dear Boy - After All.

The latest offering from LA indie rockers Dear Boy is a barn burner.  "After All" (featuring Alithea Tuttle of Rocket) is just out, and reunites the band with producer Aron Kobayashi Ritch (Momma, Been Stellar, Snail Mail). The single also serves to announce the arrival of their sophomore album, Celebrator, set for release on October 17th via Last Gang Records.

With its swirling vocal harmonies, louder than life guitars and Ben Grey’s distinctly clever yet emotional wordplay, "After All" captures what makes Dear Boy so beloved in Southern California, while pushing the band into new sonic directions. The sound is reminiscent of 90’s Brit Pop and Alternative, but is also on the bleeding edge of modern rock and roll.  And for lead vocalist Ben Grey, the track is a long-overdue addition to their catalog: "It is crazy to have been a band for this long without contributing a primal-teenage-bedroom-rock riff. Happy to finally right a wrong."

The collaboration with fellow LA alternative band Rocket brings a layered vocal chemistry that elevates the track into dream-soaked territory. The partnership stems from a genuine friendship that runs deeper than music. "We first played with Rocket on New Year's Eve a few years ago and became fast friends. We're both from the Valley, went to the same pre-school, a tale as old as time," Grey explains. "But truly, they're an important band, and I think Alithea has one of the defining rock voices of this generation. We feel so honored she sang on After All. It's the Catherine Wheel/Throwing Muses moment we've always dreamed of."

The lyric-forward single is bittersweet in its captivating breakdowns and emotional hook, with the track moving through powerful dynamic variations and catchy melodies. The words, somehow both contemplative and untamed at the same time. “I feel everything / It’s better than nothing / I want coffee rings / On my future coffin.” With a stadium sized anthemic chorus and the song’s shoegaze-kissed textures, "After All" channels the moody pulse of '90s Britpop and fuzzed out Alternative through a modern LA indie lens—a perfect fit for fans of alt melancholia with a nostalgic edge.


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Sons of Sevilla - Street Light Moon.

Today, Sons of Sevilla the UK duo have released "Street Light Moon" the title track of their upcoming album, out on September 6 via Ubiquity Records. Produced by GRAMMY-winner Adrian Quesada (of the Black Pumas), "Street Light Moon" is an eclectic piece that paints the tripped-out picture of a nighttime sky, who's moon has been replaced by a burning street light. 

Charting their own musical geography, the duo of brothers drew from an entire world’s worth of influences: the family-owned British pub where brothers Henry and Reuben Smith grew up, watching their parents sling drinks as songs by John Prine and J.J. Cale played over the speakers; the marina in Gibraltar where they spent three weeks aboard an old fishing trawler, writing the album's songs as waves splashed against the dock; to the recording studio in Austin, Texas, where they recorded Street Light Moon.

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Alex Krawczyk -  Love Through Sound.

This is all we know, so this is all Beehive Candy can tell you (beyond we think this is a fabulous song). Alex Krawczyk is a singer-songwriter from Toronto, Canada. 

Her debut album Le Olam came out in 2022. She has released several singles and is working on a new album. 

Love Through Sound is her newest single and is was written as a thank you song to the Grateful Dead for their many decades of inspiring music. 




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Telemac - Evie Williams - bauhofer - Nick & June - Lucy Kruger & The Lost Boys - Mercury's Antennae

Photo - Philippe Poulénas Telemac - Telemac (EP). Telemac draws its strength from the tension between new wave , garage , and psychedelic r...