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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