Ladytron - Zoe Sky Jordan

Ladytron - Faces.

Today, Liverpool’s iconic synth quartet Ladytron release “Faces,” the third single from their highly anticipated seventh studio album ‘Time’s Arrow’.

Over an echoing disco soundscape, “Faces” with title taken from the Cassavetes film of the same name, evokes bittersweet longing and euphoric escape, with expansive synth heavy production recalling 1970s euro diva Amanda Lear.

“Faces” follows the first two singles from Time’s Arrow, “City of Angels” and “Misery Remember Me.” Both garnered media praise upon their releases, with “City of Angels'' and its accompanying music video being described by Flood as a “dynamic electronic track with rich, industrial textures and utopian, shoegaze melodies,” while Brooklyn Vegan praised the sound of “Misery Remember Me” as “an ethereal dream pop song, drifting into Cocteau Twins territory.”

“Faces” also follows Ladytron’s announcement of West Coast U.S. tour dates in Spring 2023, where the band will take the stage in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco in support of their forthcoming LP, ‘Time’s Arrow’. These will follow a run of previously-announced UK dates in March 2023 in Glasgow, Liverpool, and London.

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Zoe Sky Jordan - Just Fine (Live From The Great Hall).

Zoe Sky Jordan has just dropped two new singles from her upcoming album, "Just Fine" and "Achievement of Youth". Reminiscent of Soccer Mommy, Zoe's new music focuses on acknowledgement, forgiveness, understanding and self-acceptance.

The title track, "Selfish", kicks in with echoey, haunting piano and synths trailing a diary style confession which reveals a main plotline of Zoe Sky Jordan’s new album.  Penned during the pandemic, which saw Zoe and her husband move in with her parents for seven months, the album is reflective, introspective, investigative and dissective. In the same way that many of us gained perspective once we were forced to sit still, Zoe’s voyage home, after years out on her own living in Toronto and Nashville, gave her fresh eyes and ears to embrace a new frame of mind.

Daughter of acclaimed artist / songwriter / producer power couple Amy Sky and Marc Jordan, Zoe watched first-hand the differences afforded a successful man vs a successful woman in the music industry.  The harsh judgements cast upon her ‘not so stay at home’ mother, impacted the at the time very young Zoe.  She brings those feelings to the surface in many of the 13 tracks that comprise the full Selfish album, set for release in Spring 2023.  Acknowledgement, forgiveness, understanding and self-acceptance are the themes that abound.  This is an album that takes you through all of the emotions and plunks you at the doorstep labelled ‘Be at peace with yourself’.

Musically this album is reminiscent of Soccer Mommy, Snail Mail and Ethan Gruska. The first two singles released off the upcoming album, “Just Fine” and “Achievement of Youth”, were produced by Liam Russell, and mixed by Rob Shnapf (Kurt Vile, Elliot Smith). Stepping into a bolder and more brazen persona, "Just Fine" is a jammy and angsty track complete with sloshy guitar, bouncing drums and hypnotic, soaring vocals that proclaims “I always live up to the hype, never crack under pressure”. Zoe shares with us that the inspiration for "Achievement Of Youth" came from some very powerful words spoken by actress/writer Carrie Fisher: “Youth and beauty are not accomplishments.  They’re the temporary happy by-products of time and / or DNA.  Don’t’ hold your breath for either”.  As the years go by, you get a better understanding of who you are as an individual and you’re happy with just being you.

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Beat Awfuls - The Tearaways - Ghostbox

Beat Awfuls - Interstate Skeletons.

Beat Awfuls is the artistic vision of Boston expat and musical factotum Dave Vicini. Drawing from drugs, pop culture, and his personal experience all with a punk rock ethos, Dave dismantles his inspirations until the result is uniquely Beat Awfuls.  Like his heroes in The Breeders, The Velvet Underground, and Violent Femmes, his songs range from driving, enigmatic rockers to dark, vulnerable laments.  These songs are meant to linger, seductive like a pop hook, all while Vicini explores themes of disaffection, drug dependency and the realities of late-stage capitalism.

Beat Awfuls forthcoming album, PAWS, has the visceral and intimate quality of past releases, but finds new voice with dense distorted guitars, layered synths, and dissonance in all the right places. The title is an acronym for “Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome,” an affliction of the after-effects of substance misuse.  While the title may pinpoint Vicini’s location during the recording process, it doesn’t bind him; this album isn’t a slow, dour reflection on drug addiction and abuse; it’s an earth-clawing grasp to regain ground.

Dave started Beat Awfuls in 2005 as a 4-track bedroom recording project while living in Boston. These early recordings were released as People’s Champ: Anthology 2005-2011.  After moving to Lexington, KY, and forming a band he released two EPs: Party Slip and Hair to the Throne. In 2016, Beat Awfuls released their first full-length album, Nothing Happens on indie label Jurassic Pop. In 2019, Dave made his way back east, recording his sophomore album, Banana Appeal, before landing in Richmond, VA in 2020. In 2021, he reformed the band and then in 2022 he released a split cassette with Colleen Green. Beat Awfuls await their next full-length release, PAWS, slated for Feb. 10, 2023.

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The Tearaways - Charlie, Keith, and Ringo.

The London-based Dirty Water Records has signed the California-based rock and roll outfit The Tearaways to a 5-year deal.

The label will be releasing the Ed Stasium-produced (Ramones, Talking Heads, Smithereens) record on 1 April 2023 called “And For Our Next Trick.” The band features the dual lead singers of bassist John “Fin” Finseth and rhythm guitarist Greg Brallier, lead guitar David Hekhouse and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame drummer Clem Burke (Blondie). Also, from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Benmont Tench plays keyboards and Steven McCarthy (The Jayhawks, The Long Ryders) added pedal steel guitar.

The new record was recorded at the legendary Village Recorders in Los Angeles and was mastered at Sterling Sound by Greg Calbi. The first single being released to radio is “Charlie, Keith and Ringo,” as well as the award-winning video (Raindance Festival directed by Stephen David Brooks (“Flytrap”). The spring single track “Are You Effing Kidding Me” will be released when the record is launched.

Label chief Paul Manchester: “We are thrilled to have assembled an all-star team including global distributor Cargo Records UK, Wipe Out Music Publishing, and US publicity specialist Lou Mansdorf in the US to help launch this project.“

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Ghostbox - Orbit.

Ghostbox is composed of, Mike Buccino: Bass, Ted Knight: Guitar, Synth, Greg Parent: Drums & Percussion, Tim Parent: Guitar, Synth, Dermot Quigley: Vocals & Percussion, Andrew Stein: Percussion & Produced by Marc Dykeman

"Orbit" has a blues-infused psychedelic sound, which could be compared with The Record Company or The Black Keys. Other artists we appreciate include The War on Drugs, Radiohead, Bon Iver, and Lord Huron.

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Sophie Jamieson - Manuela Iwansson - IST IST

Sophie Jamieson - Boundary.

Sophie Jamieson has released her highly anticipated and already much acclaimed debut album Choosing via Bella Union. Additionally, Jamieson has shared a video for “Boundary”, one of album’s many standout tracks, about which she says: “This song comes from a kinder place than some of the others on this record. It steps back and acknowledges self-inflicted pain and the repeated effort to heal. It’s about trying and failing, knowing there is something you’re trying to grasp but that keeps slipping out of your reach. The journey isn’t smooth or pretty but it’s hopeful, and the light starts to creep in once you choose to be honest with yourself.”

Released via her new home at Bella Union, Choosing is a strikingly personal document of a journey from a painful rock bottom of self-destruction, to a safer place imbued with the faint light of hope. It’s an album that sings openly of longing and searching, of trying, failing, and trying again – and always and throughout, the strength of love in so many varying forms.

Following on from the pair of EPs she released in 2020, Choosing finds its own shape by a subtle reforming of Jamieson’s sound into something both organic and simpler. Sophie describes the songs on those two EPs as “black holes” and while Choosing covers similar ground it never takes its eye away from what lies beyond, never fully releases its grip even when everything is telling her to let go.

“The title of this album is so important,” Sophie explains. “Without it, this might sound like another record about self-destruction and pain, but at heart, it’s about hope, and finding strength. It’s about finding the light at the end of the tunnel, and crawling towards it.”

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Manuela Iwansson - Dark Tracks (Album).

Swedish new wave punkster Manuela Iwansson released her debut album ‘Dark Tracks’ a week ago through Lack of Sleep Records, a long-awaited effort that is the result of almost four years of work after unveiling her self-released EP ‘Dream Lover’ in 2018. Highlighted by the 80s-esque, gritty synth-pop anthem that is focus track ‘Strangers on a Train’, the album flaunts a musical journey that takes from the callous rock stylings of the late 70s and mixes them with the new wave evolution characteristic of the Blondie era, all serving to present an alluringly dystopian listening experience that lingers on the beauty of impermanence.

‘Dark Tracks’ is unrelentingly self-explorative. Iwansson wears her heart on her sleeve for anyone to see as she belts across the ten tracks, familiarizing listeners with a darkness stemming from unmet desire and lovers lost. The album plays like a jukebox with every song standing on its own as a vintage and vigorous tour de force. The singer and bassist seamlessly synergizes with a cast of musicians including guitarist Henrik Palm and drummer Erik Klinga, and engineer Joakim Lindberg mixes the project to a quality reminiscent of the soundscape of four decades past.

Iwansson had this to say about the fabric of the project: “The album is basically a portfolio of me. It is very much a debut album - a little rough around the edges at times, but made with a lot of heart. I put a lot of thoughts into the lyrics, and a lot of emotion into the melodies. At times I play around with words a lot, and I constantly want to improve my writing … The whole project is about 80s aesthetics with 70s punk vibes; grit, rain, cities at night, neon lights, trains, and cars, and movement; leather and lace and rock ‘n’ roll. Nothing ever looks as good as a photo booth photo in black and white.”

The Stockholm-based artist once toured the world with punk outfit Terrible Feelings but now looks at her solo career as an opportunity to make timeless new wave hits, boasting a sound inspired by influences such as Pat Benatar and Suzi Quatro yet entirely her own. With ‘Dark Tracks’, makes a point of crafting earworm hooks and choruses that work in the middle of a rowdy yet heart-wrenching punk aesthetic.

Manuela Iwansson · Dark Tracks

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IST IST - Mary in the Black and White Room

IST IST - pause for reflection with the philosophical new single: “Mary In The Black And White Room”. A reminder of their keenly-anticipated third album ‘Protagonists’ (slated for Spring 2023 via Kind Violence Records), the track finds the band revealing one of its most cerebral, synth-driven moments.
With shades of classic OMD, The Cure and New Order, “Mary In The Black And White Room” effervesces in the darkness with its potent blend of layered synthesisers, darting basslines, and labyrinthine lyrical intrigue.

“Mary…” is inspired by a thought experiment proposed by the philosopher Frank Jackson that has since become known as ‘the knowledge argument’ (or ‘Mary's room’). Hypothesising the work of a scientist called Mary, who exists in a black and white world where she has extensive access to physical descriptions of colour, but no actual human perceptual experience of colour; Jackson’s theory wonders whether Mary will gain new knowledge if she actually experiences seeing colour.

Speaking about the track, frontman Adam Houghton says: “Mary in the Black and White Room is about trying to figure out if experience trumps knowledge. See ‘the Knowledge Argument’ where the subject, Mary, exists in a black and white world but has extensive descriptions of colour, but you don’t know if she knows what they actually look like until exposed to it. Really interesting stuff.”

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H.C. McEntire - Portland - Scott Goldbaum - The Velvet Hands

H.C. McEntire - New View.

H.C. McEntire shares “New View,” the latest single from her forthcoming album Every Acre, which releases January 27 via Merge Records. Accompanied by a music video directed by Jethro Waters and performed by choreographer/dancer Maya Orchin, “New View” straddles the line between music and poetry, weaving back and forth between each realm. Citing poets “Day, Ada, and Laux, Berry, and Olds,” McEntire’s voice is at moments fierce and others tender, offering a sense of both giving and taking, releasing and claiming.

H.C. McEntire expounds on the new single: “Inspired by a late-night meditation under an October full moon, the lyrics for ‘New View’ were written from a place of possibility and promise – the feeling of falling in love, affirming its realness and rawness, committing to the openness and bravery required for it to fully emerge, being willing to let it lead. It is about leaning into the notion that what you seek is seeking you and making room for its manifestation.”

She continues, “Musically, ‘New View’ is the most collaborative composition on Every Acre, an album that rejoices in creative partnership – Luke, Casey, Daniel, Missy, and myself. In many ways, it is a song that wrote itself, while the tape was rolling – five bodies in a room together, each willing to offer an unfiltered view from where they were standing.”

 
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Portland - Stardust.

Belgian duo, Portland have released the new single, "Stardust" which marks another taste of their forthcoming album Departures – out via [PIAS] Recordings on March 17, 2022. "Stardust", written and composed by Sarah Pepels, is a true wonder of a song. Sarah’s magnificent voice tiptoeing gently through winds and melancholic organ sounds, slowly growing and gaining confidence while getting to the breathtaking chorus. It’s a song about lost love, lives turned upside down and putting the pieces of a broken heart back together.

“In January 2021, I was heartbroken, I had to leave a lot of memories and a part of my life, my love, behind,” Sarah explains, “I didn’t know where to go, but I knew, I had to write music to put those thoughts and heavy emotions into. I needed to be alone, so I went cat-sitting at my niece’s apartment. I locked myself up for four days with nothing but the warmth and company of the furry kittens. It turned out to be a very intense and cathartic journey. And so ‘Stardust, a song that means the world to me, was born.”

It’s also about healing, getting stronger and more confident. The song starts off shy and slowly, barely noticeable, but grows into a beautiful, epic and majestic celebration of once’s inner strength.

Portland is the magical & musical bond between Jente Pironet and Sarah Pepels. The two shared the same student house while studying at the PXL Music School in Hasselt and more so, they shared the same love of music with a specific soft spot for the work of Elliot Smith. Portland, a nod to the home of the late singer-songwriter, came to life. From the start it was clear the chemistry between Jente and Sarah was palpable. Their voices blend and complement each other as a perfectly mixed gin & tonic. Tangy yet soothing, addictive and intoxicating.

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Scott Goldbaum - Trigger Finger.

Los Angeles based multi-instrumentalist Scott Goldbaum, whose credits include Sting, LAUV, Keith Urban, Skylar Grey, Charlotte Lawrence and Maddie Poppe, is releasing his first solo EP “Protector” this fall.

Prior to his five year hiatus from releasing music, Scott Goldbaum's speciality was in providing “transient and breathtaking guitar work” (The Deli Magazine) as well as “beautifully textured vocals” (Indie Music Filter) both on stage and in the studio fronting his former bands Forebear, Wise Cub and The Harm. With songwriting cuts regarded by Consequence of Sound “as an exhilarating testament to abilities” his brand new EP is sure to satisfy fans of the artists whose music inspired the production including Chris Isaak, Radiohead, Bombay Bicycle Club and Damien Rice.

“Protector” is his self produced folk-infused indie rock EP with lush string arrangements by Molly Rogers (Hans Zimmer, Game of Thrones), upright bass from Kaveh Rastegar (Sting, John Legend, Bruce Springstein), drums/percussion by Kiel Feher (Selena Gomez, Zella Day) and mixing from the famed ScottGordon (Alannis Morissette, Alexi Murdoch).

Thematically, the record follows a vulnerable character who’s in need of protection as he becomes the protector of others.  "Drive Too Fast" is a face first collision course into the dark corners of a speed induced lifestyle.  Whereas "Trigger Finger" takes place in a school, a grocery store, a parade, a place of worship or just about any other public gathering place in America. "Blood Knot" acknowledges the roots you grew out of and the tree limbs you wish to keep attached while others tear off in the wind.  In contrast to the beginning of the EP, "Mourning Coffee" makes a distinction between codependency and partnerships that are chosen and decisively cared for while the world is falling apart around you.  "Incremental" is a mediation to stay on the course of progress and empowerment, despite the shadows that closely follow.

 

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The Velvet Hands - Over It Now.

Rising London-via-Cornwall four-piece The Velvet Hands have dropped their last track of the year, “Over It Now”. The track arrives as a tantalising sneak-peek of the new album ‘Sucker Punch’, which lands 3 February 2023, with a special vinyl edition planned for release on Blood Records.

Blending hedonistic hooks reminiscent of The Strokes with a slacker kind of storytelling plucked straight from Pavement’s playbook, the band’s latest outing is an anti-capitalist anthem spun with an easy-going, lackadaisical charm.

As The Velvet Hands explain: “One of the more laidback songs on the album, this came from the four of us just playing around in rehearsal. Lyrically the song focuses on ‘the grind’ culture, which personally we have always found to be exploitative and somewhat ridiculous. The main message is that not everything in life is about money, and you can do things at your own pace. In a nutshell: stick to your guns.”

The band’s final release of 2022, “Over It Now” comes ahead of their second studio album ‘Sucker Punch’, which will be streaming from 3 February 2023. Delivering coming-of-age tales with slacker-rock sensibilities, the new record combines the punchy guitar licks of The Strokes or Parquet Courts with rousing punk choruses that recall The Clash or The Vaccines.

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Sunglasses For Jaws - Life In Mono - Nick Kizirnis - Raven Shelley

Sunglasses For Jaws - For Another Day.

London based outfit Sunglasses For Jaws have released their new single "For Another Day" alongside a video directed by Andrea Banjanin. The new single is the second track be released from Sunglasses For Jaws' upcoming album 'A Room In Europe' - out 16th February 2023 via Pony Recordings.

Combining a love of Scott Walker, Somalian 70’s funk, Hollywood strings with a dash of Portishead, new album 'A Room In Europe' was produced by the band in their East London studio, mixed and mastered by Elliot Heinrich  (Sorry, Parquet Courts, Deadletter).

New single "For Another Day" stems from an acoustic guitar piece the band had previously written - inspired by Bach’s use of a sustained bass-line staying in one place while a melody plays alongside it. This initial idea grew in the studio with the addition of synth chord triggers and a wonderful string arrangement composed by Clementine Brown.

Elevating the song to a more dramatic, electronic/Portishead-inspired place; vocalist Olivier Huband’s Sinatra-esque, crooner-like vocal adds captivating emotion to the piece, transporting the listener to somewhere between a romantic night in Paris and an empty English working men’s club.

Speaking on the release of new single "For Another Day" - the band shared: "Welcome to the world of lover boy, of croon, of regret. The world of feelings where you spend your time ruing your past failings while holding on to the fonder memories. If we could have one more day, one more moment, one more kiss, maybe things would’ve lasted longer? But here we are. Face to the wall, heart in a cinch, singing lullabies to no one”.

 

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Life In Mono - Blackout.

Alternative-rock four-piece Life In Mono return with their upcoming double A-side singles ‘Blackout/Sex To White Noise’ released today December 2nd 2022, following their recent support slot alongside The Virginmarys.

The band formed in 2019 after Adam and Sarah met whilst studying at Bath Spa University, drawn to one another by a shared artistic vision. James came aboard thanks to a blistering performance at a local jam night and Mike, the final cog in the machine, was the perfect drummer at the perfect time.  The result? Darkly emotional alt-rock that will caress your soul then drag you into the mosh pit.

Although individually Life In Mono’s eclectic musical influences range from Meshuggah to Bach, via Hendrix, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, AC/DC and Deftones, collectively there are echoes of PJ Harvey, early Placebo and The Mysterines alongside a darker, heavier undertone.

With a massively exciting and engaging live presence and multiple releases scheduled through the beginning of 2023 the band are expected to storm through the festival season with a UK tour to follow in the Autumn. Their recent singles ‘Smile For The Camera’ and ‘The Cold’ saw them receive support from the likes of BBC Introducing amongst others.

Life In Mono · Blackout

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Nick Kizirnis - Someone (re-imagined).

For almost 20 years, guitarist/songwriter Nick Kizirnis has explored songs and styles ranging from Americana to pop, from rock’n’roll to experimental. He has worked with Tobin Sprout (Guided by Voices) and The Breeders (last years’ “The Dirt Eaters” for 4AD) as well as his own instrumental surf trio The Mulchmen and 90’s art-damaged grunge rockers Cage.

Since releasing his 10th album, The Distance, Kizirnis has seen his music shared across the U.S. and Europe, and has now begun releasing a series of singles reimagining his diverse catalog. “Someone," the Ohio-based songwriter’s second single of 2022, is a bedroom pop torch song with beautiful, plaintive vocals from Lung’s Kate Wakefield over a lo-fi blend of Bradley Coomes’ electronic beats and vintage drumming from Son Volt’s Mark Patterson.

Despite the move away from guitar, bass and drums to electronics and effects, the song’s message of undying love remains intact. As Wakefield sings “Am I someone you used to care about?” the song holds on to hope that love can endure any separation or challenge.

Kizirnis and producer/multi-instrumentalist Bradley Coomes decided to work together on “Someone” - a song that originally appeared on Kizirnis’ most recent album, The Distance - after Kizirnis released a “re-imagined” version of “Way to Me” from the same album in August.

 

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Raven Shelley - Erroneous Lives.

Raven Shelley is a casual creator of chaos who doesn't quite fit into the modern world and all its strangeness. Her intense, complex, and honest music is influenced by her love of literature, poetry and visual mediums. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Bob Dylan and Ani DiFranco, Shelley has a unique sound that perfectly showcases her passion for the arts.

"When I first moved to Manchester to embark on a three-year uni course, the city was a shock to the system. The traffic, the noise, the people, everything contrasted sharply with the market town
where I had spent my teenage years. However, in a way this all helped to numb the pain of a recent separation. I was walking down Hathersage Road when the melody and words for the chorus of what became ‘Erroneous Lives’ popped into my head. It drowned out the bustling noise around me, and the moment I got home I ran to my room and finished writing it. ‘Erroneous Lives’ is – for me – forever associated with the cacophony of getting to know Manchester and its dirty grey streets."

Growing up in the south of France, she educated herself in English literature from a young age and went on to study it at university. It was this that sparked her desire to create lyrics that can also be described as poetry. For Shelley, “all the hurt, all the anger, all the love, everything that runs through me can be found somewhere in my lyrics, because to write something real, you have to pour yourself onto the page and into the songs.” Shelley truly understands the power of creative mediums, drawing inspiration from authors, visual artists and filmmakers, including Thomas Hardy, Shakespeare, Schiele, Van Gogh and Nicolas Roeg.

The Animal Farm Label · Raven Shelley_Erroneous Lives

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Metronomy Ft Sebastien Tellier - Marthe Halvorsen - The Adam Ft Lasse Storm

Metronomy Ft Sebastien Tellier - J'en Ai Assez Vu.

Metronomy share Small World (Special Edition), a new version of their acclaimed seventh studio album Small World that features reimagined versions of the record’s songs by some of the band’s favourite artists, and is available digitally from today via Because Music.

Today, fans can hear Porij’s characteristically sonically expansive version of "Life and Death", and watch the festive video directed by Diane Sagnier, for "J’en ai assez vu", Sébastien Tellier’s version of Small World’s closer "I have seen enough".

Of the collaboration, Metronomy band leader Joe Mount adds: “I once did a remix of the Sébastien Tellier song, La Ritournelle. It was impossible to improve it or to turn it into anything I liked better than his wonderful original. Still, the arrogance of adulthood made me push on. I met Sébastien for the first time about fifteen years later—only last year in fact in Paris. I don’t know which comparison he’d hate most, but I’d imagine it’s that he might be this generation’s Serge Gainsbourg. In this version of the song, I’m aiming to be this generation’s Claude François."

While Small World was an album that saw Metronomy return to simple pleasures and nature by embracing more pared-down, songwriterly sonics, the special edition of the record finds Metronomy and friends embarking on a sprawling journey through genres - from avant-garde electronica and cosmic disco to laidback folk and more.

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Marthe Halvorsen - For the Dreamers & the Bold.

Marthe Halvorsen is a Montreal based Norwegian artist and composer who weaves together dreamy evocative indie folk music. With a unique sincerity in her voice, Halvorsen has a special ability to touch something deep inside the listener.

"For the Dreamers & the Bold," the title track from her upcoming sophomore LP, (out spring 2023), came to Halvorsen at a time when she was feeling a bit frustrated with humanity. She felt that the social political climate was getting harsher and more polarized, creating distance between people. She was longing for another reality with more nuances and compassion, and for a world where humbleness is seen as a virtue.

The song was recorded at the legendary MixArt Studios in Montreal, engineered by Philip Shaw Bova (Feist, Father John Misty) and the final mixing was done by Jonathan Anderson (Ocie Elliott, Rosier) at Protection Island Studio in BC.

On this new album, I have been diving deeper into the producer role, spending time crafting and perfecting my sound. As a woman in the music industry, it is important for me to be in charge of my own sound, and I feel very honored to work with some very talented collaborators who are all helping me bring my vision to life.

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The Adam - I Don't Believe (feat. Lasse Storm).

The Adam returns with a new single taken from his forthcoming debut album The Adam Featuring The Adam. Taking his cues from the golden era of rock n roll’s "British Invasion" of the mid-1960s, this single comes out with vocalist Lasse Storm, on fine form as he rips into the track giving us a fine ol’ list of what he doesn’t believe in. It’s glorious in every way as it pokes holes and fun at modern day society and all its largess and hypocrisy.

‘I Don’t Believe’ rocks and rolls to the urgent cries of Lasse Storm’s vocals, but equally by the soul stirring guitar playing from The Adam, who cranks his sound all the way to rock heaven with a combination of deadly riffs that remind you exactly what great rock n roll can do, while the rhythm section bring the thunder and lightning to complete a perfect storm.

The Adam, real name, Adam Olsson, hails from Copenhagen but has been living near Oslo for the past nine years, combining his guitar and music composition work with filmmaking and visual production. Having started his career in the Danish underground scene playing with instrumental surf rockers The Good The Bad, supporting the likes of BRMC (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) and playing on stage with Wayne Kramer (MC5), followed by a stint in pop icon MØ’s band, The Adam decided to put down a record which he felt showed his patronage to British rock and pop music of which he’s always adored.

The Adam explains, “I've always hated musicians who come from a band and have to go solo. I’ve always loved the idea of the band, so I don’t expect anything from this, but I had some good people work on the record with me and tried to create that band energy.”

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Erik & the Worldly Savages - Verra Cruz

Erik & the Worldly Savages - Burn My Life.

Erik Mut is a man on a mission, having broken the shackles of Western society and trailblazed his own path of rebellion, adventure, leadership and musical passion. His powerful Folk Punk project Erik & the Worldly Savages musically and lyrically reflects his manifest philosophy of seeking personal freedom, cutting ties with the past, reprogramming your mind and embracing life wholeheartedly.

An expat since 2008, Erik left his home in Toronto, Canada at the age of 25 to let the cultures of the world wash over him, inspiring his life, work and music. Erik & the Worldly Savages formed in 2008 while Erik was in Belgrade, Serbia. While based in London and Belgrade, the band played over 250 shows across Europe with lineups of musicians from many countries. In 2016 he started Support Adventure, a company which gives remote jobs to expats and digital nomads, now with more than 160 staff members living in over 20 different countries, creating a business manifestation of the band’s message of trans culturalism.

"Burn My Life" comes with an accompanying music video. Using archival video and photos from his childhood and youth, Erik explores his peaceful upbring in Canada and how he sacrificed the idyllic “1st world” life behind to embrace a life of excitement abroad.

"I wrote this song recalling a time in 2008 when I was leaving my life in Canada and moving to Serbia to launch Worldly Savages, become a singer songwriter and take music seriously. I knew that I had to leave my life in Canada behind to find inspiration and possibility in a new country. At the time, somebody said that the hardest part was to get to the airport, where you could see all of your past as a finished chapter. This brings possibility to the future.

 

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Photograph - Jerry Kirkman

Verra Cruz - The World Is Crashing In.

British alt-rock infused trio Verra Cruz are back with their new single “The World Is Crashing In.” Verra Cruz form the British alt-rock infused musical project of trio Marc James (guitar/lap steel/vocals), Henry Cross (bass) & Jimmy Cooke (drums). Known for their hard-hitting anthems and signature lap steel guitar, of which they stumbled upon in a small boutique guitar shop in Memphis, TN, the three-piece band have been creating mighty, raucous tracks, laced with spiritual and personal themes. The band admits, "We’re not afraid to sing out about injustice in the world."

Following an incredible repertoire to date, the trio are back with their next single “The World Is Crashing In”, a gripping ode to love, loss and simply raw emotion.

Marc explains, “The World Is Crashing In” was written during the painful season of Henry's divorce. It was tough going for all of us to watch 2 people we loved dearly, separate. For me it brought up painful memories from my own childhood. The second verse was written from a time in my own childhood. Our family home had been flooded due to a burst pipe, it wrecked so much stuff including my mum's wedding dress that she had kept. It seemed like a dark and apt metaphor for the impending carnage of what was to come.”

Recorded in Germany with producer and engineer Udo Rinklin, their compelling chronicles pair sublimely with sonic abilities to produce a tune that mirrors their subject matter sublimely. They continue, “We re-recorded the drums at The Old Chapel Studios down the road from Jimmy. Bob & Jen at CatBeach hired Bryan Cook to mix and we loved his mix instantly!”

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Dayna Kurtz - Fe Salomon - Mazey Haze

Dayna Kurtz - Lulu and the Broadsides (album).

New Orleans music is for dancing. From King Oliver’s hot jazz to Big Freedia’s frantic bounce, whether the sounds are made for quick-stepping in a parade or swaying slow in your sweetheart’s arms, the common thread running through nearly all of it is that it’s made to move to: wiggle, shimmy, shake your hip and let your backbone slip.

With a wide-mouthed, window-rattling sound that stacks up solidly alongside the great blues shouters – Big Maybelle, Big Mama Thornton – Lulu and the Broadsides double-dog dare you not to get out there and move what the good Lord gave you. There’s the whomping “Pretty Good Love,” their scorching, primal take on Iggy Pop’s “I Need Somebody,“  the noirish strut of “You’re Trouble” and Dayna’s tender, aching sounds-like-a-classic soul-ballad “How Do I Stop.”

This is heart-thumping, pulse-pounding blues for both body and spirit, for joy and desire – scorching ballads for slow grinds side-by-side with red-hot movers to jump and jive to, with a nasty beat and a wild guitar. You’ll sweat through your dress, kick off your heels and get back on the dance floor barefoot - Alison Fensterstock.

 
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Fe Salomon - Interstate 10.

Worlds away from the twisted Middle England countryside Fe Salomon tapped into on earlier release “Quintessential England”, “Interstate 10” transports listeners to the endless metropolis of the United States.

Synced to majestic and widescreen arrangements cut straight from a Hollywood flick, “Interstate 10” finds Fe ruminating on her earliest experiences of touring America at the tender age of 19. A backing singer at the time, with no money and only a futile fake ID to make-do with, she remembers:

“”Interstate 10” connects far-flung events that occurred during my travels around the US, including having to escape from a violent manager who gambled all the money away in Vegas. The song was written with my old friend, producer Ru Cook, and it was originally envisioned as a country song.”

With a filmic narrative that deftly conjures the ceaseless stretches of the country’s great highways to the perils of pursuing the American dream, Fe’s dreamily despondent vocals add drama and intrigue, to a cinematic score that builds towards a grandiose, atmospheric climax.

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Mazey Haze - I Feel Like A Child.

Indie-rock rising talent Mazey Haze has announced her new EP 'Back to the Start' will be released on 7th April 2023 via LUSTRE. The EP announcement coincides with the release of its second single "I Feel Like a Child", quickly following a string of European tour dates supporting Paolo Nutini and Feng Suave.

On new single “I Feel Like a Child”, with its whimsical, bossa nova flavour and euphoric choruses, Mazey Haze finds release in accepting that it’s okay not to be on the same page as someone else. The song was written as she looked out her bedroom window... “The trees are really pretty in the summer, and you can see the sunshine and all the leaves moving”, she recalls. The opening verse follows her trying to articulate the scene through her own lens, finding delight in mundanity, just like a child would. “The song is about the fact that everyone has their own perception, and that’s fine. There’s no right or wrong. There’s no truth. But what’s important is keeping in touch with your imagination.”

The Amsterdam based artist's forthcoming second EP is reflective of this desire for simplicity: a collage of self-reflection, where thought, feeling and a powerful sense of place merge to make singular worlds that are entirely her own. Toning down the more ethereal, synthetic textures present on her debut EP, Mazey Haze's new material finds her rooting herself to the earth, together with a little less perfectionism. Organic, acoustic sounds, her love of French New Wave cinema, Italian film scores and 60s psych-rock informs the vein of nostalgia that runs through it, finding its way back to a distant world.

Speaking more on the lyrical inspiration of "I Feel Like a Child", Mazey Haze said: "I Feel Like a Child is a song about beautiful mundanity in comparison to superficial humanity. I think these two have an amazing contrast next to each other and they’re two things that have always fascinated me. I want to try and understand why I feel so wonderful and calm when I’m alone looking at some birds in the sky, leafy trees or listening to classical music. And why I feel overwhelmed and confused by so many people (including myself) so much. But mostly, I've figured out that there’s no sense in thinking about these things, but more so to act upon it and feel it."

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Bad Hammer - Emily Breeze - SOMOH

Bad Hammer - Away.

Berlin-based shadow-pop newcomers Bad Hammer have shared sombre love song, 'Away'. The track and accompanying video are the final pieces to be shared ahead of the release of their debut album, End Of An Age, which is due out this Friday. On their new album, the duo blend melancholic melodies with poignant guitar riffs, meandering along warm synth pads and subtly driving drum beats to dazzling effect. Thematically the songs that make up their forthcoming debut, End of an Age, are connected by referring to a state of being on hold, undetermined, between looking forwards and back, holding on to something and anticipating change.

Bad Hammer are Lisa Klinkhammer (synthesisers, vocals) and Johannes Badzura (guitar, drums, vocals). In 2019, they released their debut EP, Extended Play, and have been touring extensively throughout Europe ever since, opening for like-minded artists including Molly Nilson, Sean Nicholas Savage, Jaakko Eino Kalevi and more.

The album’s title was inspired by a photobook of the same name by British photographer Paul Graham. The images were taken at the turn of the millennium, not long before 9/11. “Somehow we felt that these pictures captured a feeling that we were also observing in our surroundings, some kind of coming of age on our own personal level as well as sensing a change to come on a much larger scale,” explains Badzura.

Bad Hammer's timeless pop songs take inspiration from the past. “We use analogue synths from the 80s and a drum machine from the early 90s so the sounds are kind of nostalgic but we like to subtly mix genres, like putting some dubby rim shots onto a pop beat,” says Klinkhammer. “On some of the songs we like to try and subvert traditional songwriting techniques by occasionally denying the ultimate climax. Or in some simply destroying it! Like the way our rather candy 60s song ‘Away’ is destroyed at the end with some guitar shreds,” she continues.

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Emily Breeze - The Bell.

The Bell is the third single from Emily's upcoming solo album Rapture due for release February 2023 which Emily describes as "A collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate flamboyant failure, excess and acceptance", recorded at Rockfield Studios with Stew Jackson (Massive Attack).

A story teller through and through, Emily describes the single as "a love song to nights spent in the local pub where you swing by for a quick pint after work. You are probably meeting a friend who is having a crisis, just one quick pint and then straight home. Your first glass is empty just as the conversation is getting to the important part but it's fine, two pints on a work night is totally fine.

Crisis friend leaves to put the kids to bed and just as you are putting your jacket on, in walks an old mate who you haven't seen for ages. Go on then, just a half, oh alright yeah a pint, you have a lot to catch up on. You crack jokes and reminisce in the sepia glow of the golden hour and it is fun. Real actual fun. You talk of good times and desperate times, you're getting sentimental now, this is some grade A lager fuelled nostalgia.

You stop counting drinks as it’s just started raining and somehow everyone you have ever known and loved is here. A Little Richard song comes on the stereo and you declare that soul and rock n roll are the highest forms of art. You seem to be making a speech and enter a heated debate with that weird guy who always sits at the bar as the quiet voice inside telling you to go home surrenders completely to the pub, the conversation, the good tunes, the cold beer and the old friends.  F it tomorrows gonna be alright.”

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SOMOH - I Know You Care.

London’s SOMOH impresses once more on her sophomore single ‘I Know You Care’ further cementing herself as an artist worth keeping an eye on throughout 2023 with her brilliant debut EP ‘A Plan To Get Home’ being a stunning piece of work out in the first quarter.

Speaking about this mellow, cathartic new single, SOMOH said “This song is about how people’s intentions don’t always reflect well in how they act towards you. I tend to just walk away from situations that hurt me, without holding the person accountable because I’m not the best at confrontation. At least I can get my anger out in writing songs!”

Last month SOMOH released her debut single ‘Anything’ which amassed lots of tastemaker support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Clash & The Line Of Best to name but a  few.  Along with today’s new song, Anything will also make its way onto the tracklist of her debut EP ‘A Plan To Get Home.’ The song’s lyrics spoke of the meaning behind loving somebody deeply. 

She said “This song is about coming to terms with your love for someone & knowing that you’d do just about anything for them. It’s a scary but beautiful feeling to fall that deeply for a person.” The song was produced and mixed by Joel Johnston & Mack Jamieson, who has also produced and mixed the entire EP that will be released on Tiny Library Records.

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Nigel Wearne ft Lauren Housley - Welcome to the 21st! - That Old Quiet Lighthouse - Astro Yeti

Nigel Wearne ft Lauren Housley - To The Edge.

Ominous, poignant and mysterious; To The Edge is a potent lament of fate gone wrong. Two lovers by the riverside grappling with truth; that irrevocable moment when the past cannot be undone and everything changes. Why was the timing so wrong? “We needed truth / But now there ain’t time to heal”.

Wearne’s lush Gretsch guitar swathed with spooky Hammond organ, drums and double bass set the scene. Morricone-esque horns tug at the heartstrings, as Wearne and Housley croon and cast shadows across the tale in all its mystery. A soulful, minor-key slow-burn that skirts the fringes of jazz and 60s rock ‘n’ roll.

It was early 2019 in the bustling Arts Café in Montreal, Canada. Nigel and Lauren were both in town to showcase at Folk Alliance International and found themselves on camera as part of a documentary on theconference. Instantly hitting it off, they spoke about the future of folk music and their mutual admiration of John Prine, all the while sharing their dry wit. After reconnecting in New Orleans in early 2020, they got to work during the pandemic and the rest is in the tape-reel.

 

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Welcome to the 21st! - Dyatlov Pass (Album). 

As concept albums go this one is something very special. The subject matter is well chosen and intriguing to say the least, however it's the musical compositions and fabulous arrangements that really grabbed our attention. We will let the band fill you in on the rest.

Dyatlov Pass is an 8-song historical concept album by Welcome to the 21st! about the mysterious fate of eight college-age students and their guide who died while on a winter trek in the USSR's Ural Mountains in February 1959. The students were found over time after they disappeared, with varying injuries, and no one knows exactly what happened. It remains an open inquiry to this day. The theories as to what happened include an avalanche, a military test gone awry, and some even believe a malevolent supernatural intervention.

The album follows the 20-something nature travelers from meeting up before they left (Hang on to Yourself - Song 1), to the early part of their voyage through a peaceful winter environment (Sing to the Moon - Song 4), with hints of warnings along the way (Warning Signs - Song 3).

The middle of the album tracks the group’s eventual demise near a frozen mountain pass (Dyaltov Pass - Song 5 and Lost but Found - Song 6), to the search and recovery teams that looked for them (Boots in the Rain - Song 7) and who have sought for years to determine what actually happened (Misleading Clues - Song 8).

The album was written and conceived of by Bob Blumenfeld (Guitars, from Texas, US) and Touanda (Vocals, from Manchester, UK), who met online through AirGigs. The rest of the instrumentation was mainly performed by, and mixed and produced by, John Dufilho a multi-instrumentalist, drummer, and long-time established indie music producer from Dallas, Texas. Bob’s other bands include The Disappearing Act and Lowdog. John is best known for his work with his band Deathray Davies.

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That Old Quiet Lighthouse - Decade.

That Old Quiet Lighthouse are as much a familiar sound as they are distinctly unique - a statement only decipherable by listening to their debut EP “Dubious Beginnings”. Genre-wise, the most concise they could be after hours of intense deliberating was ‘Indie-singer-songwriter-math-folk’.

Big Thief, American Football, Fleet Foxes, all inspirations you’ll no doubt hear as they hit you right in the feels, lovers of the bittersweet so they are. Lead singer/bassist Ashley Garrod channels the keen insight of Pinegrove’s lyricism, balancing from-the-heart melodies with passionately intricate bass lines. Gabe, as the rhythmically tight, emotive backbone of their alternative sound, sits comfortably beneath the expressive and varied textures crafted by guitarist James Cooke.

Never ones to be satisfied, TOQL have a plethora of talented and unique musicians they constantly feature on tracks. Virtuosic jazz tenor horn player Nat Martin, to synth/violin mastermind Pip Rousiamanis, as well as cellists, flautists & singers who all front their own projects. ‘Decade’ is a somewhat-chaotic take on a ‘last goodbye’ kind of love song, penned in the first couple of months of lockdown. “Like many of us, I had had all of my work disappear over-night, and in the midst of the despair and the uncertainty I had turned to the bittersweet comfort blanket of reminiscing over my last relationship.”, says TOQL frontman Ashley Garrod.

“To me it represents both a coping mechanism for that time period, and a big leap forward in terms of our sound and identity. It’s as of yet the most experimental tune I’ve written”, he reveals. With ‘Decade’s’ spoken word delivery and hypnotic textures, That Old Quiet Lighthouse seek to strike a balance between outrageous and satisfyingly audible. A boundary-pushing cathartic track, ‘Decade’ aims to help soundtrack people’s lives and put memories into a new perspective.

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Astro Yeti - Box Wine.

Blending elements of funk, ska, and psychedelic-rock, new Conch Town Record signing AstroYeti return with their new single ‘Box Wine’, the third release to be taken from their upcoming debut album ‘Gnarly Gumlie’s Voodoo Van’.

The Key West trio’s latest offering is another punchy example of the bands lyrical wit and impeccable musical talents, this time flexing their versatility with a slow, dub and reggae infused heavy groove, self-diagnosed as "Tropical Space Funk". Vocalist and guitarist in the band, Mike King shares: “Box wine is a song about chasing your dreams no matter how hard the path might seem and feeling the weight and power of responsibility to  actualize those dreams."

Blending tight offbeat rhythms with layers of choppy, bright guitar lines, funky bass, splashes of organ and splashes of dub delay, the band once again create a track full of all the fun, energy and flair the band have become known for, both on their local live scene as well as across press and radio internationally. Topped with strikingly charismatic, husky, stylistic lead vocal, the track gradually builds its way to a fuzz drenched, gut busting guitar solo and explosive, euphoric climax.

Describing themselves as “a secret society of Space-Caper solving time crime fighters”, AstroYeti’s unique blend of trippy island rock tinged spacefunk is perfectly matched with their out of this world image - a band of colorful miscreant universal explorers making joyous music with bags of energy and musical depth.

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The Trouble Notes feat Carola Zerega - Little Tealeif - Thomas Truax

The Trouble Notes - Liberty Awaits feat Carola Zerega.

Liberty Awaits is an epic paying tribute to the great immigrant voyage. “The initial idea for the song came when trying to pay homage to my late grandfather, Leon English.” Says Bennet. “His ancestors fled hard times in Ireland and crossed the Atlantic in search of a better life. I wanted to highlight the importance of that journey to my very existence.”

While drawing influence from the Great Famine that led to the death and displacement of millions of Irish, the song is meant to tell a broader tale of the migration saga and transcontinental journey. Featuring on the track is Ecuadorian singer Carola Zarega, who along with the band, channeled her own experiences when contributing to the recording.

The track begins with a melancholic violin melody. Eerie string arrangements and the dreamy vocals of Carola Zarega create a contradictory soundscape that leaves the listener a feeling of hopeful despair. An upbeat folk dance coaxes the listener from the trance, representing a kind of “last hurrah” before the perilous journey across the sea. Carola’s vocals soon take on a new form, as the song breaks from the traditional dance and becomes more pensive. The band creates an emotional soundscape on top of which Carola’s vocals float above the waves, the melodies both apprehensive and courageous.

The journey begins to accelerate as the ship battles the elements before excitement builds at the eventual site of land. Suddenly the listener is brought full circle, with the reemergence of the folk dance, this time with more nuance. The voyagers have arrived in a new land but have not lost their traditions.

A big song, and a massive video earning the honour of sharing same title as the group’s up coming studio album. The video was filmed and edited by Martin Förster & Eric Schmidt @Centre Films GmbH in Radebeul, Germany. Filmed in Radebeul, DE at: Die Schmiede, on a field; in Lelystad, NL on the Admiraal Van Kinsbergen; in Kortrijk, BE at Mary's Irish Pub.

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Little Tealeif - Pedestal People.

Just released on indie label Not Saints, Little Tealeif’s new single ‘Pedestal People’ is a brooding earworm of a debut. Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Charcoal’ (out 25th November) Little Tealeif blends elements of dance, rock, hip-hop, and pop with the mastery of producers like Mark Ronson or Rick Rubin.

Currently based in Kent, the multi-instrumentalist, producer, and lyricist’s music is easily relatable and tackles modern themes such as isolation, inadequacy, addiction, and self-belief; all delivered with perfectly crafted genre-bending skill.

Having discovered guitar bands in his early teens, Little Tealeif’s passion and fascination for all things music was instant and he quickly became a prolific songwriter. After spending time travelling in Australia in his 20s, Little Tealeif returned to the UK and founded his first band with dreams of making music his life. Sadly, alcohol and drugs were becoming a regular feature for Little Tealeif and he relocated to Paris in a desperate bid to reinvent himself. Finally, after a chaotic ten years, in which music barely featured, Little Tealeif returned to the UK and checked himself into rehab. Today, he is clean and sober, making music again, and loving life.

Speaking about the upcoming release of ‘Pedestal People’, Little Tealeif said: “Pedestal People was written about acquaintances who had their lives together and I was a little bit jealous of that. I’ve come to learn that nobody has their lives together and it’s just a perspective on that situation of comparing ourselves to each other.” When asked about what listeners will take from his music, Little Tealeif said: “I hope people take joy from it and that they can understand the layers and the messages in the songs. I hope they can also see that I’m a bit tongue in cheek, a bit jokey, and don’t take myself too seriously.”

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Thomas Truax - Everything's Going to Be All Right.

American singer-songwriter and inventor Thomas Truax has joined forces with infamous drummer Budgie for “Everything’s Going to Be All Right”. An eerie post-punk track that sees sharp spoken-word vocals, atmospheric guitar wobbles and reverb-drenched tremolo descend towards a catchy chorus that sees Truax bear his upbeat rock’n’roll teeth, “Everything’s Going to Be All Right” is taken from a new album ‘Dream Catching Songs’ (due January 2023).

Initially recorded in Berlin before being completed in Birmingham, the eclectic new track sees Truax - who has become known for his self-made musical contraptions - bring another of his inventions to life. Mother Superior is a motorised mechanical drum machine made almost entirely from recycled parts, and the machine features on the track alongside esteemed English drummer Budgie, best known for his work with Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Slits and The Creatures.

A bizarre and buoyant cut of outlandish beats and offbeat idiosyncrasies, Thomas Truax explains of the track: “The scene is a kitchen full of ‘beautiful losers’, crowded around a messy kitchen table, wrestling with current circumstances and celebrating comfort in friendship. There are references to William Shatner’s ‘real space flight’, Coco Chanel’s old flat, and characters from my fictional world ‘Wowtown’”.

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