Synths & More: Papertwin - Exploded View - The Hood Internet x Wolkoff

Papertwin - The Pool.

Background promo - Vacation, the forthcoming EP from Papertwin via Druyan Records represents their third studio collaboration. Self recorded in their New York apartments and mixed by Abe Seiferth (yeasayer,DFA Studios), mastered by Heba Kadry (Neon Indian, Beach House) the EP continues the band's unique sense of synth-pop. Dreamy, dark, nostalgically sci-fi, Vacation features analog synthesizers, melodic guitar lines, driving percussion, and reflective vocals. Drawing on influences from The Cure to Gillian Welch, this EP builds upon the bands previous recordings.
 
Papertwin is comprised of Max Decker, who makes his own clothes and only writes in calligraphy, Francis Cardinale who used to play in an algebra themed noise band in Olympia, and Nick Shopa who tunes pianos and is a valet car parker. 'Vacation' out June 24 via Druyan Records

'The Pool' really does have that synthy, flowing, dream pop feel to it. Production is crisp enough so that each sound is clearly defined as they gently glide along together. Refreshing and relaxing, the vocals add their magic and we have a fine song.

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Exploded View – Orlando.

Background promo - After recently signing to Sacred Bones Records, new four-piece Exploded View, fronted by German/Bristol political- journalist-turned-musician/singer Anika, announce news of their debut self-titled album, due August 17th. The band are sharing new track 'Orlando' from the forthcoming record. While lead single ‘No More Parties in The Attic’ is laden with an enticing no-wave, post-punk sound, layered with distorted guitars and ominous drones– ‘Orlando' chimes in with echoing vintage synths, courtesy of Hugo Quezada that clash with a chilly electro backbeat and an anthemic soulful bass line setting the tone.  With her disarming quietude nursery rhyme like vocal delivery, Anika remarks on the creation process: “Well, that day I was speechless and empty; a reflection of the times. I became a vessel for the past; the only way to deal with or help understand the present. Enlightenment came with the help of some strong leading ladies; A certain author, a certain film and a certain actress. Go figure.”

The four musicians discovered a new sound, several steps removed from the krautrock-isms of Henderson’s previous work during their rehearsals and live performances in Mexico City. The straight to tape sessions that followed in the San Rafael neighborhood, ventured somewhere new; a lighter place, unguarded, veering from any script.  Improvisation was the guiding principle and the source of the band’s inspiration. The studio itself was outfitted so that every sound produced in the room would be recorded. A Tascam 388 8-track captured everything – fully live, fully improvised, first-takes only. Produced by Thulin and Quezada and mastered by Josh Bonati in NYC. Exploded View (Jessy Bulbo / Nos llamamos) to form Hector Melgarejo(Robota) and Riotboy sweetheart Hugo Quezada (Crocodiles producer) synth-head Martin Thulin to critical acclaim in 2010. This new project was created during the rehearsal sessions for Anika's Mexican live debut back in March 2014.  An unexpected partnership formed between Annika and local producers, Stones Throw imprint and Geoff Barrow’s Invada released her self-titled debut album in collaboration with Anika.

'Orlando' is an electronic delight. Driven by a punchy drum beat, the sounds drift and seemingly spin around the rhythm. Vocals are wonderful and just so right for the material as Anika delivers them in a delicate and simplisitc manner. No surprise that we are featuring Exploded View again so soon, there is something about them that I just love.

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The Hood Internet x Wolkoff - Me And Mine.

Background info - Me & Mine”, the second collaborative single from The Hood Internet and our ever-prolific art-pop heroine Wolkoff (and a free download, at that!). Wolkoff's seductive vocals soar over The Hood Internet's tropical production in the hook-laden single, which follows “Going Back”, their first single from early last summer that marked the beginning of their annual collaboration… let’s hope they keep up the tradition!

“Me & Mine” is the first new song from Wolkoff following the release of her critically-acclaimed debut full-length, Without Shame (Spotify) that came out last month. The album featured the stand-out tracks “The Homecoming”, “While You Still Can” and the gorgeous single “Kings Highway”. The album was inspired by symphonic 90's Euro-pop and deep house coupled with new wave motifs, and was created with a mind to build exhilarating, dance-worthy songs about real life.

'Me And Mine' is a bright and breezy song, that see's Wolkoff's vocals shine, above an excellent tropical flavoured soundtrack. A lovely song and a tonic for rainy summer day's.

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The Scenics - In The Summer (New Album)

The Scenics - Wild Trout.

Background promo - In the summer of 1976 Andy Meyers, fresh out of high school, and Ken Badger, working at the local music store, met and started The Scenics. Inspired by raw underground rock and new sounds, they began writing songs that defined Their sound — chancy, risky, noisy, with big pop choruses and gear-stripping guitar and rhythmic bomp. Alien-eyed lyrics that took in the world from the other side of "normal.”

The Scenics were artistically amping up, and making recordings as a fiery young band. These songs were never released back in the day, but now they are collected on In The Summer. They played shows with Talking Heads, Simply Saucer, The Troggs, and dozens of other pivotal underground legends.

For six years, The Scenics engaged and enraged local audiences by not playing by the punk rules of the day. The band’s wild creativity made any Scenics performance an adventure. And now they’re back, in the flesh, hitting a few of North America’s most rocking cities. In The Summer is the release of overlooked gems that kick-started the blazing Scenics sound, and it is finally coming out in the States and elsewhere to remind deep music fans that the band is back and playing again live. 

The Scenics - In The Summer out from Light In The Attic Distribution , June 17, 2016.

The Scenics Summer 2016 Tour:
Wednesday, July 6 - Hamilton, Ontario @ This Ain't Hollywood
Thursday, July 7  - Toronto, Ontario @ Rivoli
Friday, July 8 - Buffalo, New York @ Mohawk Place
Saturday, July 9 - Cleveland, Ohio @ Beachland Tavern
Sunday, July 10  Columbus Ohio @ Ace of Cups
Monday, July 11  Chicago Illinois @ The Empty Bottle
Tuesday, July 12  Detroit, Michigan @ UFO Factory
September - Pittsburgh, Philly, NYC, Jersey, and Boston dates TBA

'The album 'In The Summer' is a must hear for any old punk & new wave fan. Like a vintage wine of quality, The Scenic's music has aged extremely well. Well I missed out on them first time around, so each of the twelve songs on the album are new to me, as I expect they will be for many. First impressions are a fresh adventurous sound, that definitely doesn't follow any rule book. For comparison there is the raw energy of early Television material, along with the creativity of Talking Heads, and all the mischief, of the late seventies, when everyone seemed to be picking up a guitar and starting a band. Featured song 'Wild Trout' is an indicator of what's on the album, those able to catch them live this summer are probably in for a real treat.

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Globetrotting: In Letter Form - Citizen of the World - Man Is Not A Bird

In Letter Form - Face In The Crowd.

Background promo - Drawing influence from the works of The (early) Cure, Joy Division, Bauhaus, New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen, Interpol et al, they produce a sound that echoes the past, haunts the present and is constantly in the future.

Reflecting on past deeds; some well intentioned while others, not. The ways we had been wronged or the choice to see it that way because sometimes that's easier than the truth.

The prose and cons of having thin skin to protect a thick heart, put "in letter form" perhaps? A love letter? An anti love letter? Hate mail? A photograph? A song? An exclamation of the joy of life? A suicide note? The bay area based foursome considers their formation a fortunate turn of events, as they were all experiencing heartbreak on some level when they came together. In Letter Form draws influence from the works of Joy Division, Bauhaus, and Echo and the Bunnymen. The single, “Face In The Crowd,”  blends their post punk and synth pop sound, and is a good example of the vibe to expect on the rest of Fracture. Repair. Repeat.

'Face In The Crowd' certainly gives a very good feel for the eleven song album 'Fracture. Repair. Repeat'. Influences there are, I would add Sisters Of Mercy as another reference point, that aside this is one very cool album. Full of post punk sounds, that at times veer towards a darker Gothic feel, and sometimes a crisper early indie rock feel. Fans of any of the above mentioned bands really should check this album out.

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Citizen of the World - Embers.

Background promo - Citizen of the World has built on the success of the foot stomping Folk-Rock genre, popularised by the likes of Mumford & Sons, to carve a new genre described by one competition judge as “Epic Folk”.

COTW are coming off the success of their last single, “Setting Out”, which reached audiences internationally, premiering their video through somethingyousaid.com, and receiving international airplay through the syndicated radio show Passport Approved. The track also reached a huge new Australian audience with triple j play on Roots N All!

Their new song “Embers” is an ode to those warm summer nights spent around a fire, reflecting on life and enjoying being alive. “Embers” features strong melodic saxophone lines that sit on top of uplifting choruses that will make you want to get up, light a fire, and dance around it. In the verses, the saxophone makes room for subtle piano melodies that accompany the vocals. The steady beat pumping through the song combined with the powerful chorus plays right into the band’s Epic-Folk genre.

The song was recorded and mixed, as per tradition, in front man Gerrit’s living room in Coogee, Sydney (affectionately known as Bay Street Records). The video was shot mostly in rural New South Wales and features sweeping landscapes and a giant bonfire that will transport the listener for a few minutes away from their daily routine. COTW’s songs are mainly inspired by Mumford and Sons and Dave Matthews Band, and fit right into the modern folk-rock genre..

If this is Epic Folk, then I like epic folk. Whatever the specific genre this is one really good song. With a happy vibe, the vocals, choruses and excellent musicianship come together in a pleasing, uplifting song. More always welcome!

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 Man Is Not A Bird - Life & Levity.

Background promo - Man Is Not A Bird, an innovative Paris-based quartet, are preparing to make landfall in the U.S. with their first international release, Life & Levity. The four track collection includes EP title track which Nothing But Hope & Passon claims, "post-rock lovers can expect epic and distinctive sounds that team up with hypnotic shoegaze elements." Expect five minutes of cinematic beauty that doesn’t need to hide from the genre’s big players like Explosions In The Sky.

The much-anticipated EP will officially be available via Splendid (in partnership with Believe Digital) on June 3, 2016. Preorder is available now.

Last summer, the fearless rockers undertook a 10-show tour of the United Kingdom, culminating with a triumphant performance in London that impressed a variety of industry insiders drawn to the band’s obvious international potential. From there, the band went straight back into the studio to write and record the tracks that have become Life & Levity. Previously instrumental, these new songs now find the band exploring complex vocal arrangements, while retaining their distinctive post-punk sound.

The band continues to tour internationally, recently road-testing Life & Levity with two trips around Germany and eastern Europe, as well as a 5 day run in Spain just last week. Last year also saw the release of Man Is Not a Bird’s critically acclaimed debut mini-album, Survived The Great Flood.  The album was prominently featured on MTV Pulse Europe and French channel D17, and has over 500,000 streams on Spotify France.

After a sold-out Parisian launch party for the album, the band was asked by British Rock Band, Ride, to open for them on certain dates during the European leg of their mega-reunion World Tour. The tour concluded with Man Is Not A Bird's first visit to the mythical Paris Olympia Music hall, playing in front of a capacity audience. Look out for remixes from French Touch supremo, Alex Gopher, Italian chaos monger SBCR from the Bloody Beetroots, Toog & Roman Kouder.

'Life & Levity' is a feisty and powerful number, with guitars and drums driving the song forward at breakneck speed. Vocals veer towards shoegaze in orientation and sit well in the mix, having their moment when the music occaisionally subsides.

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Tuesday &: Polarheart - Grace Joyner - The Velveteins

Polarheart - Enigma.

Background promo - Hailing from Sydney, Mary and Chris are Polarheart. The duo began writing together in early 2013. They found a strong chemistry, and a year later Polarheart was born.

Their combination of dreamy vocals and abstract soundscapes, makes for a captivating listening experience. After four successful singles and months of writing and recording, the Sydney duo are set to release their much anticipated self-titled debut EP in mid-2016.

The success of their previous single, “Dystopia”, launched them into the speakers of a captive international audience, it has hit over 1M plays on MrSuicideSheep. They took their songs to the stage, filling venues with a successful tour of Australia’s East Coast in October 2015. The previous songs have all received multiple spins on triple j, and radio play throughout the US, UK, and the Netherlands and 280k plays on Spotify. You’ll be able to catch Polarheart’s music on the upcoming Cameron Crowe and J.J. Abrams produced TV-series Roadies, airing this June on HBO.

Now comes “Enigma”, the latest offering from Polarheart. The track greets the audience with an new intimacy; fresh territory for the listeners of the electro-pop duo to explore. Buzzing synths, mammoth drums and a sparse piano characterise the vast scope of this single. This track owns the latest hours of the night, the last moments of wandering before the morning.

“We wrote this about that moment when you’re trying to move on from someone, but you can’t, because you realise you never fully knew them. They were always holding back a part of themselves, and its that wondering, its that knowing you couldn’t quite solve the puzzle that keeps you fixated on them.“ - Polarheart.

We featured Polarheart back in June last year and were impressed along with plenty of other people. 'Enigma' continues the story with the quality of their electro pop going from strength to strength. As the promo rightly states there is a more intimate feel to the song, however the band still create an expansive room filling sound.

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Grace Joyner - Real.

Background promo - Following a long stint in the role of harmony singer for several bands in Charleston, South Carolina, Grace Joyner made the decision to move to center stage with the release of her EP Young Fools in the Spring of 2014. Grace Joyner on her EP – “Young Fools serves to reflect on a difficult, yet incredibly important time in my life.  I think there is something valuable in admitting your mistakes, as well as recognizing the power within you to leave them behind.  

Somewhere in the middle of learning that getting hurt does not make you weak, I started the healing process – I started writing music.”Where Young Fools served as Joyner’s introduction to songwriting, a chance to explore her musical muse and tread her own artistic path, her debut LP, Maybe Sometimes in C is here to reveal what she has found along the way. Teaming up again with producer and engineer, Wolfgang Zimmerman, Joyner uses Maybe Sometimes in C to further define her musical perspective and showcase her maturation as a songwriter. Addressing unrequited love, meeting yourself in a moment of failure, and most notably the importance of taking action, Maybe Sometimes in C reflects on moving on from the time of heartbreak and into a place of independence and self-assurance.

'Real' is the first single from Grace Joyner's new upcoming album, 'Maybe Sometimes in C (slated for release on Friday, May 20th, on Charleston-based label Hearts & Plugs). The album comprises of nine classy indie pop songs, some gentle and delicate pieces along with more pacey uplifting songs. As a collection, there is not one passenger, these are all fine songs that hopefully get heard far and wide.

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The Velveteins - Hanging From The Ceiling.

Background words - Canadian psych-rock outfit The Velveteins have a new single 'Hanging From The Ceiling'. The track is off the reworked EP 'A Hot Second With The Velveteins' which was produced by Lincoln Parish (Cage The Elephant), soon to be released by Fierce Panda Canada (on May 27th!)

The band tell us - Hanging was one of the first songs we wrote collaboratively. Spencer was working with this cool 3/4 groove when I heard the sideways breakdown section. We ended up with this sort of psychedelic doo-wop number about things turning upside down. We've been working on our debut album and we hope to have that out by late this year. We're hitting the road with an extensive run in North America and the UK.

MAY 19 (Thursday) - BRIGHTON (UK) - THE GREAT ESCAPE
MAY 21 (Saturday) - BRIGHTON (UK) - TGE AB MUSIC SHOWCASE
MAY 23 (Monday) - LONDON (UK) - AB MUSIC SHOWCASE
MAY 24 (Tuesday) - LONDON (UK) - Fiddlers Elbow
MAY 26 (Thursday) - LONDON (UK) - THE ISLINGTON
May 28 (Saturday) - LIVERPOOL - LIVERPOOL SOUNDCITY
MAY 29 (Sunday) - LIVERPOOL - ECHO ARENA (Liverpool Soundcity)
JUNE 2 (Thursday) - WINNIPEG - THE HANDSOME DAUGHTER
JUNE 4 (Saturday) - CALGARY - Palomino
JUNE 5 (Sunday) - EDMONTON - Almanac
JUNE 6 (Monday) - EDMONTON - Rockin For Dollars
JUNE 7 (Tuesday) JASPER - WhistleStop
JUNE 8 (Wednesday) - VANCOUVER - Biltmore Cabaret
JUNE 9 (Thursday) - SEATTLE - The Rendezvous
JUNE 10 (Friday) - PORTLAND - ANALOG PDX
JUNE 11 (Saturday) - SAN FRANCISCO - VELO ROUGE
JUNE 15 (Wednesday) - SAN DIEGO - 710
JUNE 16 (Thursday) - LOS ANGELES - LOST ROOM
JUNE 17 (Friday) - SAN JOSE - ART BOUTIKI 

'Hanging From The Ceiling' is the new single and one of six delicious songs on the EP. The bands description of the song as a "psychedelic doo-wop number" is pretty much spot on. This is a classic case of if you like the song, you'll love the EP!

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Genre Wander: Peter Vogelaar - The Sweetest Condition - School '94 - Mary Owens

Peter Vogelaar - Television (Feat. Ken Lally).

Background promo - Peter Vogelaar is a bass player & producer from Waterford, Ireland. His new album 'The Science Of Summer' features collaborations with Deaf Joe, Katie Kim, Cat Dowling, Ken Lally, Susan O'Neill & Aisling Browne.

"I wanted to make an electronica/folktronica album, loosely conceptual, that tries to capture the energy and atmosphere of a summers day. The real obstacle was trying to give the album a continuity with all these guest vocalists who had their own personality and flavour.

I went back to a lot of the internal sounding albums that turned me onto music years ago by Nick Drake, Linda Perhacs, Sandy Denny and John Martyn - but at the same time I was soaking up a lot of producers whose sound had a particular awareness to it, producers like Gold Panda, Lapalux and Bonobo." 'The Science Of Summer' is released digitally last Friday, the full album is streaming on Soundcloud, Spotify and is available for download on iTunes.

The new album 'The Science Of Summer' has a number of excellent collaborations, making it difficult to choose a song to feature. I went with 'Television' as I think it gives some flavour of the album, however I would emphasise that there is considerable variety. If modern folk appeals to you, then this adventurous album is definitely worth checking out.

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The Sweetest Condition - Now (“Edge of the World”).

Background promo - The Sweetest Condition is an industrial + synthpop + darkwave band, featuring Jason Reed Milner (music + synths) and Leslie I. Benson (lyrics + vocals), which blends iconic sounds of the ’80s, industrial muscle of the ’90s, and cinematic soundscapes. The band derives inspiration from Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, The Birthday Massacre and others. 

After releasing their five-song EP, “Truth & Light,” in April 2013, the female-fronted duo moved from Indianapolis, Ind., to Nashville, Tenn., where they teamed up with producer and sound engineer Joel Lauver of Burning Bridge Recordings to produce their debut full-length album, “Edge of the World,” which was released on Aug. 28, 2015. Mixed, mastered and produced by Joel Lauver of Burning Bridge Recordings in Nashville, Edge of the World reveals intimate and visceral stories set to floor-shaking soundscapes elevated by lashing synth riffs, addictive chorus hooks and stabbing guitars—a tribute to the band’s ’80s synthpop/darkwave and ’90s industrial influences. A second album, currently in the works, is set for release in 2016.

The Sweetest Condition have just contacted Beehive Candy regarding last years album (Edge of the World) and I for one am glad they have. With a second album due later this year, it's a chance to get to know their synthpop and darkwave sound. Featured song 'Now' gives a good feel for the bands potent and energised music, there's no shortage of originality, along with a very definitive and addictive sound.

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School '94 - Common Sense.

Background promo - Gothenburg four-piece School '94 returns today with their irresistible new single "Common Sense" as the first offering from their first coming Bound EP due out June 10th worldwide on Luxury Records. “It's a song about living in denial, fooling yourself and everyone around you that everything is cool” - Alice Botéus, singer

School '94 is the sleeker, dream pop-facing member of the prestigious Luxury Records roster which includes label mates (and good buddies) Makthaverskan, Westkust and Agent blå. This young circle of musicians have become known as the premiere indie pop crew in their hometown and beyond. The small coastal city of Gothenburg has long defined freeform Swedish pop, a rich legacy that is both an honor and a barrier for a vibrant new crop of artists who are breaking out and redefining the sound of their city from its very core.

School '94 is at the front of these young projects with their sophisticated, melody-driven material, pulling equally from classic punk and modern pop reference points. The tracks are stripped down, honest and expertly played. High, romantic basslines slip around smart percussion parts and clean guitar notes to provide a backdrop for the muscular vocals of singer, Alice Botéus. School '94 released their debut Like You EP in December 2014 on Cascine (North America / UK) and Luxury Records (Scandinavia). Since their debut release the young four-piece have split their time between touring, writing and Botéus's rising solo career under the name Alice B, an outsider pop project with a large following in Scandinavia.

'Common Sense' is a catchy melodic dream pop song, with a clean uncluttered sound, that allows the instruments and vocals all to stand out. Musically vocalist Alice Botéus may be the focal point of the song, but the band are also determined to add their magic, a fine dreamy pop song is the result.

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Mary Owens - Free.

Background words - Named as an emerging star by David Porter as part of the Consortium Memphis Music Town program, Mary Owens is a Memphis artist who is certainly making a name for herself. Pulling from many styles, including R&B, soul, pop, jazz, and alternative, it is hard to describe her using only one genre; she encompasses a style she has dubbed as “soul-pop. 

Memphis Flyer music editor Joe Boone describes her best when he said, “Mary Owens takes an impressionistic jazz approach with a voice that hovers over the chords until it strikes like lightning.”  She has been compared to Tori Kelly, Adele, and Colbie Caillat.

'Free' is the first song I have heard from Mary Owens and it is impressive to say the least. Vocals are absolutely charming and the music just right for material like this. Comparisons above are not unreasonable, and there is plenty of individual originality as well. One to watch.

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Good Ones: BANFF x Caitlin Park - Wildlife - Rude Audio - The United Skies - The Jacques

BANFF x Caitlin Park - My Love, My Lover.

Background promo - Brisbane singer-songwriter BANFF (aka Benjamin Forbes) and Sydney subtronica artist Caitlin Park have teamed up to release their debut collaborative single ‘My Love, My Lover’ – released Friday, May 20 via London-based singles club 0E0E.

Incredible lyricism is the craft of both singer-songwriters, who have together shaped a spacious, soul-drenched indie-pop song. The song tells the story of a disrupted relationship - exploring the dialogue between a confused, apathetic young man with his head in the clouds and his compassionate but at times over-committed girlfriend. But in the end, an all over sense of unity and strength between that pair is revealed, as they realise they would inevitably be OK.

BANFF says of the song, “When I was initially writing the track, I kept hearing this dialogue between a girl/boy, talking through their struggles and how they were trying to get onto the same page. Insert Caitlin and we began discussing ways we could bring the story of a deluded couple in love to life’.” The track lands ahead of back-to-back BANFF showcases at The Great Escape next week, alongside billings at The French Escape and London Calling festivals and a couple of co-headlines in London and Germany.

'My Love, My Lover' is a really beautiful and melodic duet from BANFF and Caitlin Park. Their vocals seemingly skip around each other, above a sensitive soundtrack. A precious piece of Indie Pop.

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Wildlife - Dead Century.

Background from Toronto indie rockers Wildlife - We've returned from the depths of a Canadian winter with our first offering since 2013. Years of touring north america led to our hard-fought first top 10 radio hit, and while this was happening a new album was brewing.

 Dead Century is a song about moving forward through lost time; what it feels like to have one foot in an age that no longer exists, and coming to terms with having the other in a world you may never understand. This song is an anthem born from the energy we pour into our live performances, with the added world-class sparkle courtesy of legendary producer Tawgs Salter.

Dead Century is the flag-bearer of our upcoming brand new full length album, due out late summer 2016.

This is a fine rock song from Wildlife. 'Dead Century' has something of an anthem feel to it, with powerful choruses rising above a melodic piece, and a good balance production wise, between vocals and the band.

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Rude Audio - Crystal Pylon.

Background promo - Rude Audio are proud to announce their newest Rudest EP, due for release on June 7 through Zirkus Records. Featuring four tracks, this new release sees the band refining their trademark sound, and fusing their love of woozy dub with throbbing electronics. 

Crystal Pylon demonstrates Rude Audio’s ability to weave the kind of hypnotic, Balaeric spell that merges an early 90s sensibility with something shiny and new. Knockemdub takes their Radio 6 championed tune Knockemdead, which featured the dulcet tones and melodic sound of rising star Eucalypta LV and rams it through the dubby, smoke filled orgone accumulator that comprises the collective’s hidden studio basement in the backstreets of south east London, to produce a mutant dub monster with half an eye on the appalling political melee that is Britain in 2016. Half Moon Lane Glitter reflects the band's love of short and sweet stompathons – pulsating electronics meet staccato piano, uptown. User taps into their oldest love, crunchy, chugging, dubby analogue sounds, to create something that operates in the hinterland between melodic and relentless.

This DJ and production collective range in age from 19-53 with origins rooted in the gutters of south London and north east England. Historically, they have put on brilliant underground parties, created critically acclaimed electronic music, engineered for top artists and generally popped up at events with an open-minded underground ethos. 

To date Rude Audio have three distinctly dubby and balaeric releases, which have garnered radio play and support from the likes of Don Letts, Tom Robinson, Gideon Coe and Nemone on Radio 6, Max Reinhardt on Radio 3, Rob Da Bank on Radio 1 and John Kennedy on XFM.  They have also recently remixed the single Off The Drop for Bedford Falls Players, which is set for release this summer, and have produced music for End Recordings.

Featured track 'Crystal Pylon' is one of four superb tracks on the exceptional 'Rudest' EP. Dubby in nature the music pulses with stunning drum beats and imaginative electronics. The vocals come and go, whilst the music just hammers away, sometimes a little more softly, sometimes demanding you leap out of your seat, wonderful.

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The United Skies - Red Eyes.

Background promo - The United Skies is the solo project of singer-songwriter Will Sandnes.  Born in NYC, he moved at age 6 to the small farm town of Mt. Bethel. Then at age 16 moved to Minnesota, where he finished high school.  His parents are of Norwegian descent, so growing up Will spent every summer in Norway.  After high school he moved to Bergen, Norway’s second largest city, where he lived for 7 months. All of these different places have helped to form his musical core. It was at a young age that Sandnes first turned to songwriting, as a way to cope with his emotions.

In the last year and a half Will has dug deep into his craft and the result is The United Skies. He took songs that had been written on acoustic guitar and brought them to Los Angeles hooking up with producer Gemini.  A blend of alternative, indie, and eclectic sounds with raw, vulnerable lyrics complemented by catchy melodies. When he writes Will holds nothing back, which is made evident by his highly personal lyrics, taken from his life and experience. One lyric from his song “So Young” sums it up “All my memories fade to melodies.” While listening to The United Skies musical influences from Blink 182, The Early November , Death Cab For Cutie and Lydia can be heard.

I have listened to a couple of songs by The United Skies and both have impressed. With pop vibes 'Red Eyes' has both melody and a notable chorus line. Will Sandnes vocals do indeed suggest a sense of vulnerability, which adds that little something special - it's a fine song delivered with real feeling.

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The Jacques - Eleanor Ring Me.

Background promo - Two minutes and thirty seven seconds is probably the perfect length for a pop song. Eleanor Ring Me could well be that song. Revolving around a riff that will stick in your brain, a voice that rasps out the words and a beat that walks along the sidewalk this is the sound of a band about to embark on their next musical journey.

With two critically acclaimed EP's and mini album releases in Japan and Germany, this new song is the band's first of 2016 and was recorded at the legendary RAK Studios, London and produced by Dan Swift. It is released on the band's own label, Vegan Cyanide via The Orchard. Since making their London debut at Hyde Park in May 2014 with The Libertines, The Jacques have been quietly establishing themselves as one of the UK's best kept secrets - playing over 75 shows in the UK, Netherlands, Germany and USA.

Their forthcoming live schedule includes festival appearances at Dot To Dot, Live At Leeds, Kendal Calling, Down To The  Woods, Grillstock Bristol and venturing further afield playing Amsterdam  Damaris and Zomerparkfest in The Netherlands, Antwerp Les Nuits Botanique, Treviso Home Festival Italy and their debut show in Paris, France. Recording has already begun on the band's eagerly anticipated debut album, scheduled for release sometime next year. In the meantime shake your hips gently to the next two minutes and thirty seven seconds of pop history...... Eleanor Ring Me.

EU/UK Tour Dates:

Thurs 28th April – The Montague Arms, London UK
Sat 30th April – Leeds Metropolitan Music Festival, Leeds UK
Fri 13th May – l’Alimentation Generale, Paris France
Sat 14th May – Les Nuit Botanique, Brussels Belgium
Fri 27th May – Dot to Dot Festival, Manchester UK
Sat 28th May – Dot to Dot Festival, Bristol UK
Sun 29th May – Dot to Dot Festival, Nottingham UK
Fri 29th July – Kendal Calling Festival, UK
Sun 31st July- Damaris Festival, Amsterdam Holland
Sat 13th Aug – Down to The Woods Festival, Durham UK.

The band are gaining a whole lot of attention on the live circuit across ther UK. Raw and feisty 'Eleanor Ring Me' is a punky, indie rock song, which stands out from the crowd. I don't think The Jacques are going to go away quietly, anytime soon.

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Friday Three: Oddity - Nevruary - Grieving

Oddity - Ghost.

Background promo - Chicago trio Oddity are gearing up to release their debut album ‘Settle Down’, produced by Steve Albini. Talking of the track, the band say; “We wanted to expand on our sound and with that I thought that our production had to be different,” explain the band. “As soon as we can up with the riff for ‘Ghost’ I knew immediately that this was the sound we wanted to go for.” ‘Settle Down’ is due for release on 24th June;

“Wind me up, push me around, just don’t tell me to settle down.” That’s the sound of singer Oscar Baker’s voice as it pulsates through the title track of Chicago-based alt-rock trio Oddity’s debut album, Settle Down. Guided by the prolific producer Steve Albini, who steers the band’s sound in line with his own masterful résumé, he pieces together the band’s understanding of their own history, while giving them space to envisage on their own where that history might lead them. “Why fly like a monster, when you’re moving like a dancer,” Baker sings as he inaugurates his listeners to these 11 tracks.

Oddity formed around January of 2012 under the name Fletcher and released two EP’s, Open Arms and Thundersteps, which helped to establish their serrated rock credibility with audiences and critics across the U.S. In the opening months of 2016, the trio decided to go in a different direction artistically, and this change in approach eventually prompted the name change. “We changed our name because we are reinventing our sound, so we’d thought we should reinvent ourselves,” front man Oscar Baker elaborated.

Nice and powerful indie rock, with a raw no nonsense feel, is how I would describe 'Ghost'. A foretaste of the new album which sounds like it going to be a feisty affair.

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Nevruary - The Runner.

Background bio - In place of a screaming guitar, insert a melodic bass. When you think the verse is building into a stadium anthem, relax & settle into a groove with a swirling falsetto vocal hook. This track has both electronic beats & acoustic drums, hard hitting lyrics & gentle melodies, piano riffs & mesmerizing synths, verses that resemble Rap countered by Soul-inspired choruses, thoughtful guitar playing, and tight harmonies. This is Nevruary: a band rooted in rock but not limited to the genre.

Since their formation in 2013, this Los Angeles foursome has released their phonetically self-titled debut album, (Nev-Rü-Air-Ee), performed extensively at clubs in & around Hollywood (House of Blues, Universal Studios, Vaucluse Lounge, Amplyfi), and have recorded their second album, “Noegenesis”, which is to be released in the spring of 2016. Nevruary is comprised of J.M. Long, Josh Pryer, Cal Pryer, and David Myers, Jr.

'The Runner' is my personal introduction to Nevruary. That it's catchy is stating the obvious with hooks a plenty, what's extra pleasing is the band not feeling the need for a dominant guitar sound and playing to their strengths instead. Nice intro, it will be interesting to hear more.


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Grieving - Ownership.

Background promo - Grieving are a new band from Cambridge, playing direct, twisting indie-punk. The band played their first shows over the last couple of months, alongside the likes of Tellison, the much buzzed about Muncie Girls and Three Trapped Tigers and have recorded six songs set for release as an EP release, "Demonstrations", in July. The band have said of "Ownership":

“This was a big shift musically from our first track, No Sleep, and I'm sure we'll take another shift on the next. There’s definitely a Dischord / Touch & Go feel to some of those guitars and any imperfections here are what makes it what it is. The vocals were done in one or two takes, and were the last to be put to tape of the six demos we recorded, so you can hear that rawness in there. There are some dark themes lyrically but then there’s melody and warmth too. Hooks will always be an important part of what we do."

The band will play the following dates w/
Post War Glamour Girls at The Corner House, Cambridge on 27th May
F A L L S at The Old Blue Last, London on May 30th.

Second time on Beehive Candy for Grieving having featured their first song share a few weeks back on the 3rd April. The band continue to impress with 'Ownership' demonstrating they are far more than a one trick pony. Plenty of energy again along with passion in the vocals and music. The EP is teasingly not out until July, by which time I reckon there will be considerable interest.

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Quality Not Quantity: Major Leagues - Gregory Alan Isakov

Major Leagues - Someone Sometime.

Background promo - Since releasing their acclaimed debut EP in 2013, Brisbane four-piece Major Leagues have been busy touring throughout Australia with shows alongside the likes of Alvvays, Beach Fossils, Sebadoh, WIld Nothing and Wye Oak as well as local talents, The Preatures, San Cisco and DMAs. The band returns with their sophmore EP 'Dream States'.

Dream States was recorded in Brisbane by local producer/engineer Miro Mackie at Plutonium Studios, and mixed in Brooklyn by Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Blouse member, Jacob Portrait and Fergus Miller from Bored Nothing.

"With great pride, we're thrilled to be putting out this collection of songs that came together over the last eighteen months. It's been way too long between drinks, and in that void we've lived a world of goodbyes, fleeting romances and hard realities. Many of these stories have made their way onto this EP”- Jacob Knauth

The recent singles, ‘Someone Sometime’ and 'Better Off' were the band’s first music since their debut EP Weird Season, which was heavily supported by Australian radio in 2013 and 2014, achieving nearly six-months of continuous rotation airplay from triple j, a #3 position on the 2013 triple j Unearthed most played artist list, and support from community stations including FBi, Radio Adelaide, 4ZZZ, RTR, RRR, SYN and 2SER. The single achieved triple j high rotation and extensive support from community radio stations, while the band toured consistently with a headline tour in July, and alongside San Cisco on a 13-date national regional tour in September and October. Last month they also joined Canadian indie stars Alvvays on an east coast Australian tour.

'Someone Sometime' is one of six very good quality indie songs on 'Dream States'. The band deliver melodic indie rock music, which has clearly been honed over time, into a musically tight sound, which complements the dreamy vocals so very, very well.

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Gregory Alan Isakov - Liars.

Background promo - Gregory Alan Isakov is pleased to share his beautifully haunting new single, 'Liars' taken from his forthcoming album with the brilliant Colorado Symphony. The beauty of Gregory Alan Isakov’s latest album is realizing how much it surprises and rewards the listener. It burns slowly, not unlike a campfire that blazes one moment and then crackles the next. A song might begin with the barest of bones, with Isakov’s resonant voice closely synched to his acoustic guitar. But then the orchestral layers begin to pile up, transporting the songs to cinematic heights.

Gregory Alan Isakov with the Colorado Symphony marks a milestone for the singer-songwriter, who’s beloved for the spectral intimacy of his recordings and live shows. Set for release on June 10 on Isakov’s own Suitcase Town Music label, the album finds Isakov cracking his catalog wide open to see what else he—and we—can learn about them. The album features songs from Isakov’s previous three studios releases, along with the debut studio recording of “Liars,” a fan favorite that’s been a staple of his concerts for the past few years. The album will be released on limited-edition LP, CD, and digitally.

With orchestral arrangements by Tom Hagerman (DeVotchKa) and Jay Clifford (Jump Little Children) and with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra’s Scott O’Neil conducting nearly 70 clas-sical musicians, these are older songs cast in new and revelatory hues.

“I’ve always had this hunch that you can manifest whatever you really want if you dream hard,” Isakov says. “I think I wrote down this idea a bunch of times, thinking it would be so incredible. And when it finally happened, I was just over the moon.” - “It’s not that I thought these were better versions than the ones we put out before,” he adds, “but I think these versions are so different, and this collaboration with the symphony gave the songs a whole new angle.”

The kernel for the album was a 2013 collaboration between Isakov and his band and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra at Boettcher Hall in Denver. Since then, Isakov has performed again with the CSO at Red Rocks, as well as with the Seattle Symphony and the Oregon Symphony orchestras. This summer, he’ll collaborate with even more: the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra, and the National Symphony Orchestra—all part of a tour that kicks off in early June.

The featured track 'Liars' is the only song I have heard from the forthcoming album. It's a beautiful piece from Gregory Alan Isakov, and from this song alone hearing the album becomes a must happen. The production balance between Gregory and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra is spot on, neither party dominates the other and yet both stand out with great clarity. That they complement each other is a must and by the sounds of it, they really do.

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Albums On There Way: Jake Morley - Dave Hanson - Ziemba

Jake Morley - Watch Yourself.

Background promo - The London-born singer called Jake Morley, is no stranger to a spotlight of national & international tours, festival performances, glowing press reviews or being supported by the likes of BBC Radio 2 and 6Music. Things were once happening for him with the release of his debut album ‘Many Fish To Fry’. Many individuals were beginning to take notice, people were getting behind Jake, attended his shows, the word kept spreading and things were looking up.

That was until a severe mental obsession over the follow-up album swallowed Jake whole. Lost and feeling the absence of his father, Jake withdrew from his life by entering the fearful, doubtful and dangerous inner reality. In that dark frame of mind the voices in his head were all-consuming and no song of his was good enough…

Taken from the upcoming album The Manual, (3rd June on Sandwich Emporium Records) the new single 'Watch Yourself’ brings us openly straight into Jake’s anxious and frightened mind. He duets with a choir of his subconscious, berating himself for being “a beautiful shambles, barely holding it together” whilst his unconscious mind says otherwise.

Luckily Jake has held it together by exploring his emotions far beyond anywhere he’s been to before, and then being able to express them as frankly as the likes of Gotye, Peter Gabriel and Hozier. Across all the complex layers of Calum McColl’s production and Jake’s most touching vocal performance to date, 'Watch Yourself’ is an intimate yet relatable soundtrack of every broken human mind out there simply trying to piece it all back together.

I probably use the expression "just a taste of what's on the album" or words to that effect, way to often. With the fascinating featured track 'Watch Yourself' it's more of an understatement. The Manual is a superb album, with eleven differing songs put together with consistent quality and natural passion. I am in danger of boring you to death with superlatives, rather lets just say check out the album, it's something very special.

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Dave Hanson - Midday Sun.

Background promo - After touring with Mumford and Sons and Sheryl Crow as well as performing on The Tonight Show, Dave Hanson decided to leave his successful band The Dunwells to pursue his dream of making his own music. Whilst spending the last 5 years travelling across America, these moments provided Dave with inspiration to write and create his new album. He is certainly not a new artist, but this is a new direction in the music we may associate with his former band. The treble has been toned down on his guitar to leave a rather smooth sounding end product…

After being told he was “so laid back he was almost horizontal” this explains Dave’s cleverly titled debut album Almost Horizontal- which not only provides us with an insight onto his experiences, but demonstrations his abilities as a new re-invented singer-songwriter. His debut album is made up with eleven songs, in which he not only plays guitar, but also writes all the lyrics and takes up lead vocal duties himself. Notable tracks include 2015’s single Blind Faith, along with Midday Sun and Joanna, whilst Small Town Sinner and Make Hay offer a different twist from guitarist turned front man’s song writing skills.

Throughout Midday Sun there is a clear bluesy rhythm and vibe. It’s completely unique how Hanson fuses the genres of blues and reggae whilst leaving a modern edge. The lyrics provide us with an insight into his time in the States, the listener almost feels like can relate to moments along the long and windy roads of a career in music. His vocals have been likened to those of John Mayer, however, with a more British twist. The indie guitarist is still in there (somewhere), but each song shows a strong influence of the blues and it comes across clearly in the delivery.

Interestingly, Dave uses storytelling in his lyrics, for example throughout Por Favor Senor- where the listener is left to decide themselves whether it’s true. Moreover, in Small Town Sinner Hanson expresses his (bad) experiences of Internet dating through the lyrics. Joanna has simultaneously modern feel; sonic comparisons to The Black Keys can definitely be made. With relaxed and cool vocals in the verses joined with a catchy and groovy chorus-this track will have anyone tapping along feeling like they’re the mean streets of America. Every track on the album feels like a different part of his journey, whilst he showcases his musical spectre of sound throughout. Dave Hanson’s Almost Horizontal album will be available in all the usual places on the 3rd June 2016. 

If you happen to find yourself in Café Nero sometime in June, checkout the live dates below and you might get to see Dave playing the album live. 

Tour dates (CN – Café Nero):

26th May – Album Launch, The Bedford London
31st May - CN Heathrow terminal 2     
1st June - CN Heathrow terminal 2
2nd June - CN Heathrow terminal 2
3rd June Album Launch – Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton Leeds 
6th June - CN Edinburgh
7th June - CN Newcastle
8th June - CN Leeds
9th June - CN Manchester
10th June - CN Sheffield
11th June - CN Birmingham
13th June - CN Cardiff
14th June - CN Bristol
15th June – CN Brighton
16th June - CN London
19th June - Southampton Notes Café (JJ Nichols support)
21st June - Birmingham, The cellar (JJ Nichols support)
22 June - Grimsby Yardbirds club (JJ Nichols support)
23 June - Chester, Live Rooms (JJ Nichols support)
25 June - Milton Keynes, Craufurd Arms (JJ Nichols support)
25 June - CN Old Compton St - Gay Pride Festival
28 June - Piano Works, Farringdon - CN promoted show
10 July - Cornbury Festival - 11am on CN Stage

'Midday Sun' is the new single from former guitarist of The Dunwells, Dave Hanson. It's melodic and deep reggae vibes, provide an excellent backdrop for Dave's bluesy vocals. Musically the song builds in content, whilst the background harmonies are delightful. As a foretaste of the new album, this has grabbed my attention.

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Ziemba - With The Fire.

Background promo - Ziemba is the performance moniker of René Kladzyk, a NYC-based artist and musician. Yesterday she shared "With The Fire," the 2nd single from her forthcoming debut LP.

"With the Fire" features a forthcoming music video that was shot in the ruins of Kladzyk's childhood home in Forestville, Michigan. This house has sat abandoned for 20 years, but is still filled with all the things that were there when Kladzyk was a small child, now in an extreme state of dilapidation. Its become a sort of nostalgia museum, inhabited by small animals, bees, and mold that have slowly transformed the furniture, toys, and artifacts of Kladzyk's youth. There's a magic in seeing the passage of time so viscerally; Kladzyk's sandbox now has a 30 foot tree growing out of it, the flaking paint hangs from doorways in lace-like chandeliers, the barn has been completely swallowed by ivy.  The house reveals the death of Kladzyk's childhood through these explosions of life and growth. Kladzyk's house provides a bittersweet encapsulation of the song and the album themes, demonstrating the passage of time through objects and traces.  In this vein, her debut album will be accompanied by the release of a limited batch incense, created with cedar, lilacs, and other plants harvested from the verdant yard of Kladzyk's childhood home.  Created in partnership with bio dynamic herbalist & perfumier Pretty Hole Collective, this incense will be something to burn while listening, a material reminder of the creative capacity of destruction.

Tour Dates 
05/29 - Brooklyn, NY - Trans Pecos 
05/31 - Detroit, MI - Lo & Behold release party 
06/01 - Detroit, MI - El Club 
06/02 - Ann Arbor, MI - Arbor Vitae 
06/03 - Chicago, IL - Cafe Mustache 
06/04 - Madison, WI - Arts & Literature Lab 
06/05 - Minneapolis, MN - 7th Street Entry 
06/09 - Seattle, WA - Barboza* 
06/10 - Portland, OR- Lacuna* 
06/11 - Portland, OR - Valentines* 
06/12 - Sacramento, CA- Red Museum* 
06/13 - Reno, NV- Holland Project* 
06/14 - Oakland, CA - The Night Light*
06/15 - San Francisco, CA - Vacation* 
06/17 - Los Angeles, CA - Basic Flowers*
06/18 - Flagstaff, AZ - Firecreek
06/21 - Tucson, AZ - Hotel Congress
06/24 - El Paso, TX - Warszawa
06/26 - Austin, TX - Hotel Vegas
06/28 - Nashville, TN - Fond Object
06/30 - Atlanta, GA - Mammal Gallery
07/02 - Richmond, VA - The Sour Haus
07/03 - Baltimore, MD - The Crown
* = w/ Sam Mickens 

Last month we featured Ziemba with 'It Curls Itself' and described the song as "a vocal piece of beauty and originality". 'With The Fire' is another song from the forthcoming ten track album. By comparison this song showcases Ziemba against a more comprehensive musical background and continues to impress. It takes me from interested to must hear, wonderful!

Tuesday &: The Burning Hell - Of Clocks and Clouds

The Burning Hell - Men Without Hats.

Background promo - The seventh Burning Hell album is a collection of eight short stories drawn from different sections of the bookshelf of the brain. A murder mystery rubs shoulders with a biography, while a romance leans against a prison diary. There’s a killer priest, a nameless band lost in Yorkshire, and Elvis and Michael Jackson moon walking their way into space and/or global annihilation. Despair and hope go hand in hand here, and although Mathias Kom’s song writing has never been wordier, the stories never stranger, and the band never louder, the essence of The Burning Hell remains constant: life is not really so bad, as long as you can laugh a little and you have something decent to read.

The Burning Hell is the alter-ego of Canadian songwriter Mathias Kom, and the band has been on the road in one form or another since 2007, playing everywhere from festivals like Glastonbury and Dawson City to bars, living rooms, abandoned bunkers, and a mental asylum in rural France. Musically, The Burning Hell runs the gamut from introspective folk to hyperactive rock and roll, and so the band can adapt to its surroundings like a karma of anthropomorphic chameleons, taking the audience on a supermarket-cart ride through hooky, upbeat pop songs, dark ballads about pet euthanasia, and anthems for barbarians, economic conferences, and love.

On occasion, Mathias goes on the road as a duo with clarinetist Ariel Sharratt, and their debut album “Ariel Sharratt & Mathias Kom: Don’t Believe The Hyperreal” came out in November 2015. More often, Mathias and Ariel are joined by bassist Nick Ferrio, drummer Jake Nicoll and guitarist Darren Browne. The Burning Hell released Public Library, a new album of distorted story-songs, in April 2016, and they’ll spend the better part of the spring and summer in their natural habitat: the tour van.

Wed 11th May - DeBarras, Clonakilty, Ireland
Thu 12th May - Start The Bus, Bristol, UK 
Fri 13th May - Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff, UK
Sat 14th May (Matinee) - Eagle Inn, Salford 
Sat 14th May (Evening) - Eagle Inn, Salford 
Mon 16th May - Arden Road Social Club, Halifax, UK
Tue 17th May - The Crescent, York, UK
Wed 18th May - The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, UK 
Thu 19th May - The Drouthy Cobbler, Elgin, UK
Fri 20th May - The Hug & Pint, Glasgpw, UK 
Sat 21st May - Village Hall, Mickleton, Durham
Sun 22nd May - Spanky van Dykes, Nottingham, UK
Mon 23rd May - MIMA, Nottingham, UK  (FREE show at Institute of Modern Art www.visitmima.com) 
Tue 24th May - Oslo Hackney, London, UK
Wed 25th May - Hope & Ruin, Brighton, UK 

Thu 26th May - Moshi Moshi @ Tom Thum Theatre, Margate, UK

'Men Without Hats' is a lyrical wonder, and gives a hint of what you will hear on the album. Musically it's as tight as anything and the melody will get you if the words don't. The band are a bit of a challenge for our 'family friendly' format (hmmm) but that's the nature of rock'n'roll, it's no surprise that they are getting noticed either.

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Of Clocks and Clouds - She Had To Go.

Background bio - Named one of the Top 25 New Music Critiques by music Connection, Of Clocks and Clouds have been praised for their “enchanting arrangements, intensifying interludes and attention grabbing guitar riffs.”(Artsy Magazine)

Founded in 2013, Joe Salgo and Ross Procaccio were born and raised in Brooklyn, a borough that has become an international brand. The pair pride themselves on standing apart from the shoegaze indie rock scene, which has erupted throughout their hometown, crafting a sound that pays homage to the days of L'amours, CBGB's and Coney Island High.

Inspired by acts like The Black Keys, Pink Floyd, Beck and Queens of the Stone Age, OCAC combine classic and modern rock with tinges of electronic and psychedelic influences. “She Had to Go” from their forthcoming, self-produced album, Better Off, due out July 15th, - Vocals, guitar, electronics / Joe Salgo - Drums, vocals, electronics / Ross Procaccio.

'She Had To Go' is a punchy piece of Alt rock and no mistake. The power, rock duo's can create in is notable, however this pair pay attention to the detail and composition, rather than compensate with a wall of noise. The song should put the forthcoming album on plenty of folks radar.

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Monday & Guitars At The Ready: Great Outdoors - Maths And The Moon

Great Outdoors - Dad's Oasis.

Background promo - Guitars have been with us for so long now, it's hard to feel refreshed by them, but it still happens from time to time. With the warmth of a technicolour cartoon comes 'Dad's Oasis', the debut release from Great Outdoors. Amidst working on releases with Totally Mild, Full Ugly, Lehmann B Smith and Free Time, productive overachiever Zachary Schneider has used up his spare time to slowly chip away at a solo LP. Since the bands conception in 2011 the group have remained incredibly selfish, with no releases.

Dad's Oasis was recorded by engineer/house mate Rhys Corr then mixed at Phaedra Studio's with the masterful John Lee (Lost Animal, Pikelet), the album pokes its head and shoulders above the tarpit of guitar-pop emanating from Melbourne, Australia. Rich refreshing textures swell in your speakers with a mercurial nature. These sounds all brought forth by the width and movement of Lehmann Smith's bass, the skewed and warped sound of Schneider's guitars and the lyrical drumming of Johathan Mendelovits. Almost bordering on chamber pop, we hear from old friends like Bass Clarinet, Saxophone and Marimba. However, we're left with enough space to absorb everything in our own time, as the group do away with Phil Spector's wall of sound.

Lyrically, we hear the perspective of a person ducking and weaving their way through relationships in this post-internet generation of 20-somethings ready to call out anything and everything. Themes of betrayal and relationships based on depression and abuse are the perfect juxtaposition to this sunny, bright and uplifting record. Maybe it's because that's how it feels to be in one. We are left with an overall feeling of buoyancy, the album being a real time gestation of a relationship and its release being the break up.  

'Dad's Oasis' is the title track and one of nine thoughtfully developed songs on the album. It's a collection of indie pop and rock music, laden with melodic songs, intriguing lyrics, and exceptional production. Every song has character, there are no passengers on this album, and the featured track is a worthy introduction.


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Maths And The Moon - Futurist.

Background promo - Maths And The Moon are back with their second full-length album 'Familiar Strange'.  Lost in the forest with nothing but shadows, memories and strangely familiar characters, Maths And The Moon present the listener with a collection of thrilling new songs. Brand new tracks 'Magic' and 'Boomerang' sit in full-tilt alt-rock territory alongside recent single 'Futurist' (09.03.16), whilst 'Amongst Trees' and 'Psych-Seeing' weave the listener down a more obscure path into the woods.

The band generate a direct and focussed noise throughout the album, whilst keeping it fuzzy at every opportunity. Catch them live at selected UK shows this Summer "Familiar strangely comes to greet me, I shake his hand but he’s a hologram" 'Boomerang'

Recorded and produced by the band in their Southampton studio, the album will be available directly from their bandcamp page (Here) and across all major digital stores. Maths And The Moon are Andy Fielder (guitar/vocals), Luke Taplin (drums) and Matt Hirst (bass), and formed 2010.

The album 'Familiar Strange' comprises of nine enticing songs, that will appeal to those who enjoy the flavours of Alt Rock music, and quite probably to many more people as well. The band mix up the styles, there's some slow builders, full on rock pieces and even some softer material. Featured song and opening track on the album 'Futurist' gives an idea of what's in store, in what is a pretty cool album.

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Genre Wander: LiquidLight - Jamie Berry (ft. Octavia Rose) - SKYES

LiquidLight - You Never Remember.

Background promo - Selected as Portland Oregon’s 2015 Best Emerging Alt Rock Band, LiquidLight has momentum and they aren’t stopping any time soon. Their newly released first full length album, Uninitiated showcases a band with tremendous potential as a pop-rock powerhouse. Referencing post-punk and alternative bands such as Husker Du and The Replacements, LiquidLight has been described as “melodic, thoughtful and jingle-jangly as well as shred-crazy and powerful”. Founder Anthony Medici’s catchy song writing style and lead vocals steer the tight musicianship obvious in the band. LiquidLight has managed to produce an album that is not quite like anything else hitting your ear drums lately, pursuing balance and clarity with respect to great rock tradition and a sound uniquely their own.

In an age where popular culture pushes to “out-extreme” the latest and greatest, LiquidLight pursues balance and clarity with respect to great rock tradition. With a high standard of execution, strong melodies and elements of psychedelic and alternative influences, the music conveys a new, yet referential optimism.

Songwriters Anthony Medici and Cory West, the leading forces of LiquidLight, are each highly accomplished multi-instrumentalists backed by an explosive and versatile rhythm section - drummer Zack Rodrigues and bassist Gage Dean. Medici's lead vocals lend a cryptic yet powerful element to the sound and structure of the band, echoing the melodic sensibilities of the college/alternative era.

The songs and album have been around for a few months, however they must have passed me by first time around. Anyhow, catching up on them has been more than worthwhile. The featured song 'You Never Remember' has an addictive laid back melodic, indie rock feel to it. The band are more than able to deliver more punchy material along the way, as demonstrated on the current album 'Uninitiated' which mixes up the rock'n'roll, keeping the listener in expectation of what's to follow.

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Jamie Berry - Lost In The Rhythm ft. Octavia Rose (Original Mix).

Background words - They last recorded together back in 2012 creating the electro-swing classic Delight. Now, this year Jamie Berry (Electro-Swing producer & DJ from Leeds), teams up again with enigmatic singer Octavia Rose with their new single through Flak Records 'Lost In the Rhythm', which will feature on their upcoming debut album later on this year!

Fusing original vintage style vocals, horns, and Gypsy guitar, with contemporary analogue bass synths and energetic beats Lost In the Rhythm is Jamie’s biggest production yet, and is the start to a very exciting first album!

This is such a fine song, what's not to love about it. Octavia Rose's vocals are so well suited to this style of song, whilst Jamie Berry delivers a wonderfully rich take on swing. Vibrant throughout the song is a roller-coaster of  swirling musical vibes that non dancers will struggle to stay still to.


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SKYES - Quarks.

Background promo - SKYES releases their highly anticipated Quarks EP. The EP release follows the success of SKYES first few singles, "Quarks" "Dry" and "Give Me More." The hauntingly brilliant tracks showcase lead singer Dallin's vocal ability and range, as well as the bands overall original and unique style. The band had a massively successful SXSW run, having performed two official showcases and opening for band, X Ambassadors.

"Quarks" has achieved massive viral success as it was featured on Spotify's New Music Friday and Weekend Buzz play lists last week with over 149K listens to date. The three members of SKYES like to say that their band was born in the back of a van, somewhere in the middle of America.  More specifically, they describe, “where the drive from New York City to Los Angeles really starts to take hold, right around Joshua Tree.”  So, maybe, SKYES is a perfectly appropriate name, illustrative of an endlessly talented trio whose music the 405 has called “a mysterious, holy-like experience.”

Formed in 2010, SKYES is comprised of Dallin Knightly (vocals/piano), Dan Tirer (guitar) and Artie Fleischmann (bass). Dallin and Dan grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs, while Artie’s first musical playground was about 150 miles up 1-95, in Long Island.  After playing together in bands like Funky Butter and Emanuel and the Fear, Dallin and Dan joined rocker Ryan Star’s touring band, where they met Artie.

Since their inception, SKYES has evolved from a ragtag sleepless rock and roll rebel rousers to an experimental synth-pop powerhouse, releasing several acclaimed digital singles and an eponymous EP along the way.  Drawing on influences like Tom Waits, Talking Heads and Radiohead, SKYES has perfected a sound that is as powerful as it is ethereal, highlighted by buoyant rhythms and Dallin’s seductive, silky vocals.

Title track from the EP and previous single release, 'Quarks' is a good indicator of the fine quality of material contained on this five track EP. The band can mix up the energy, moods and rhythms, and are not afraid to experiment within what is broadly synth-pop music. It's a good collection of songs, from a band who have clearly honed their skills and know how to write and produce some very good material.

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