Singers & Songs: Fleurie - Rachael Sage - Tom Misch

Fleurie - Breathe.

Background Bio - Nashville musician Fleurie has released her latest single, "Breathe," a surging track that builds from sparse piano and breathy vocals to pounding drums and crashing strings. In the past year, Fleurie has released four singles and her EP Arrows, which received widespread recognition.

Growing up in Canton, MI, Lauren studied classical piano from an early age, and later developed her love of music while attending school in Australia. Once she moved to Nashville, her professional career as a songwriter began to take shape. With the help of producer Matt Stanfield, and the mixing work of Dave Schiffman (Haim, Charli XCX, Brandon Flowers), Fleurie's recent Arrows EP came to life. Most recently, Fleurie traveled to Stockholm, Sweden to perform at the Royal Swedish Opera with members of the Stockholm Symphony. The experience blended her classical background, with Fleurie's modern electronic/pop sound.

We featured Fleurie last August, commenting at the time on her delightful vocals. 'Breathe' is where we take up her story again, and it is one impressive song. That the song builds and builds is an understatement, it goes from light to epic and with considerable style.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rachael Sage - Loreena (acoustic).

Background promo - Award-winning recording artist Rachael Sage has released her latest full-length studio album, Choreographic (MPress/ILS/Caroline). Self-described as "ballet-pop", Sage delivers a musically ambitious and emotionally accessible tribute to her very first love: Dance. Fresh off the heels of her 16th song placement on Lifetime TV's Dance Moms, Sage and her music have reached an ever-widening audience since her previous release "Blue Roses", amassing over 9.5 million views on YouTube.

Sage has been leading up to the album release with a string of song premieres including "I've Been Waiting", "Heaven (Is A Grocery Clerk)", "Loreena", and "Try Try Try", which is currently at #50 and climbing on the AC Top 200 chart. A soulful vocalist and innovative multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and producer Rachael Sage has become one of the busiest touring artists in independent music, performing 100+ dates a year with her band The Sequins throughout the US, UK, Europe and Asia. She has earned a loyal following for her dynamic piano playing, delicate guitar work, soulful vocals and improvisational audience interaction.

Sage has shared stages with Sarah McLachlan, A Great Big World, Judy Collins, Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn, Jamie Cullum, The Animals and Ani DiFranco. She has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and received numerous songwriting awards including The John Lennon Songwriting Contest (Grand Prize) and several Independent Music Awards. Her songs have appeared on MTV, HBO, the "Fame" soundtrack, and 16 of her songs have appeared in the last 3 seasons of Lifetime's controversial reality series, "Dance Moms" (including several songs accompanying breakout Sia video star Maddie Ziegler's winning routines). 

Jun 02     How The Light Gets In Festival Hay-On-Wye, UK
Jun 05     Hotel Utah San Francisco, CA
Jun 07     The Hotel Cafe West Hollywood, CA
Jun 09     Uncommon Ground - Edgewater Chicago, IL
Jun 11     The Ark w/ Mary Fahl Ann Arbor, MI
Jun 12     Seven Steps Up Spring Lake, MI
Jun 15     The Ninth Ward at Babeville Buffalo, NY
Jun 24     Stoltz Listening Room Easton, MD
Jul 21     Ladybug Festival - Loma Coffee Wilmington, DE
Jul 24     The Burren Somerville, MA
Sept 10     Shank Hall Milwaukee, WI
Nov 18     Nikolaisaal Potsdam Potsdam, Germany.

'Loreena' is a lovely song and an excellent sampler for the new album 'Choreographic'. The release is made up of twelve self penned titles and personally I think each one is a gem. Described as chamber pop, I think her music goes wider than that, and it's the attention to detail that really gives Rachael Sage considerable edge.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tom Misch - Watch Me Dance.

Background promo - Prodigious 21-year old South East Londoner Tom Misch announces his first live EP “Reverie” and that it will be released 15th July through his own label Beyond The Groove. Today he shares the first cut “Watch Me Dance”.

Tom’s new EP is an intrepid and invigorating adventure in sound, bursting with inventiveness. Taking the musical ingredients of J Dilla style beats, John Mayer- esque guitar lines, and free jazz - then putting them all through his very own musical blender. “Reverie” is the most definitive moment of his career to date, foreign and colorful arrangements will entice even the most casual listener. “The reverie EP is a result of me wanting to take slightly more of a role as a songwriter and singer. It's the first release I sing on every track and hopefully indicates the direction I want to go for my debut album,” says Tom about his new EP.

Tom’s success thus far can be partly attributed to the dedicated fan-base he has built single-handedly, evidenced by his 200+k online followers and the frequency with which he reaches the Hype Machine top position. Tom’s previous releases Beat Tape 1 & 2 which he made while still in school are a combination of beats and more fully fledged songs which find the sweet spot between electronica, hip-hop and acoustic. Beat Tape 2 has had over 150 plays on Beats1 and over 10million plays on Spotify continues to find new fans across world and is now available on vinyl. Tracklisting: 1. Crazy Dream feat Loyle Carner, 2. Follow feat Laura Misch, 3. I Wish, 4. Watch Me Dance.

Live dates:
Sunday 29th May – Lincolnshire – Lost Village
Saturday 4th June – Ireland – Forbidden Fruit
Friday 10th June –Paris – Majestic Casual @ YOYO Club
Sunday 26th June – Somerset – Glastonbury
Friday 1st July – Netherlands – Pitch Festival
Saturday 2nd July – Netherlands – Japies Hof Festival
Sunday 28th August – Malta – The Sound You Need Festival.

'Watch Me Dance' has already clocked up thousands of listens in the first few hours. That's hardly surprising given the previous success Tom has enjoyed, however at the end of the day it's about the music, and this is such a delightful and pleasing song. EP eagerly awaited!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dreamy Sunday: Pale Dian - A.R.Kane - Puro Instinct

Pale Dian - Evan Evan.

Background promo - Formed in 2015, Austin-based dream pop trio Pale Dian ride the ashes of their previous project, Blackstone Rngrs, into smudgier, esoteric terrains. The debut LP Narrow Birth is set for a June 3rd release via Manifesto Records, the current home of Dead Kennedys, legendary psyche-pop band the Turtles, and modern signees Puro Instinct, Cellars, Band Aparte, and Drinking Flowers. 

The record explores power and weakness, birth and decay, love and abandonment, beauty and abrasiveness. Narrow Birth refers to both the fragility of life and the complete and utter randomness that we, as humans, even exist on this planet in the first place. It exposes the naked realities confronting us all: "here is me, and there is you,  so now what?
LP, CD, Digital, CS Release Date: June 3rd, 2016

06/03 - Austin, TX - Swan Dive *LP Release Party*
06/07 - Albuquerque, NM - The Bungalow (house show)
06/08 - El Paso, TX - Lowbrow Palace
06/09 - Tucson, AZ - The Flycatcher
06/10 - San Diego, CA - Whistle Stop
06/12 - Los Angeles, CA - The Echo *Part Time Punks & LP Release*
06/13 - San Francisco, CA - Elbo Room
06/15 - Sacramento, CA - The Starlight
06/16 - Eugene, OR - The Boreal
06/17 - Portland, OR - High Water Mark
06/18 - Seattle, WA - Salmon Town
06/19 - Vancouver, BC - Rickshaw Theatre
06/21 - Olympia, WA - Obsidian
06/22 - Spokane, WA - Baby's Bar
06/23 - Missoula, MN - Palace Lounge
06/24 - Salt Lake City, UT - The Borough
06/25 - Grand Junction, CO - The Electric Ballroom
06/26 - Denver, CO - Syntax Physic Opera
06/27 - Omaha, NB - Milk Run
06/28 - Lincoln, NB - Duffy's
06/29 - Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
06/30 - Minneapolis, MN - Licorice Beach

The song 'Evan Evan' is a mixture of shoegaze and dream pop sounds. It's only one of two songs I have heard from Pale Dian and my initial impression of their music, is one of a band with plenty of original ideas and highly creative music. Similarities may be there, that's a little difficult to avoid in such defined genres, however the band come across with energy and a passion for their craft.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A.R.Kane - Green Hazed Daze.

Background Info - Not long ago after their reformation, pioneering dream pop outfit and legendary former 4AD artist A.R. Kane have announced they will be playing multiple shows this summer. Coining the term 'dream pop' for the music they make back in the 1980's, the group went on to influence everyone from My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive to Andrew Weatherall - whose long-running night A Love From Outer Space derives its name from their seminal 1989 track, and also were an important progenitor of such genres as shoegaze, trip hop, acid house and post-rock.

They will be playing Soup Kitchen in Manchester on Monday, May 23. This will be the first time an A.R. Kane line-up has played a non-festival headlining show in about 22 years (the last ones being at CBGBs in NYC and at Hammersmith, supporting David Byrne) and their first in Manchester since playing Manchester Boardwalk in 1987. This is also the first live performance this year, arriving ahead of their slot at Primavera Sound Festival in June and The Good Ship in London on July 13.

Last summer, A.R. Kane made several festival appearances with the new line-up featuring original 'Kaners Rudy and Maggie Tambala, as well as a new member - Andy Taylor. In their coming festival repertoire, they will be performing classic A.R. Kane songs, alongside a handful of new songs. Apart from that, they will also be recording new material for release in 2016.

A.R.Kane are featured primarily as they have live dates coming up ( including Manchester tomorrow), and it's a good enough reason listen to one of their fine songs. Featured track 'Green Hazed Daze' does exactly what it says on the label, it's dreamy, hazed and kind of dazed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Puro Instinct - Tell Me.

Background promo - Autodrama sees Puro Instinct return to their roots, telling the story of a youth spent in the decay of Hollywood. “The infrastructure of Hollywood that people have known for years is this inflated egotistical, hedonistic wasteland,” says Piper. “There’s an awareness of our responsibility to create more meaningful works of art that don’t satisfy the immediate thirst of Hollywood popcorn. Lyrically, one of my goals is to get into that psychology, to push myself to talk about all the things that hurt me about living in Hollywood. I’ve never allowed myself to play along because of my values, for better or for worse. What we’re going for is pop music to not be about vanity and wealth, but still pop music nonetheless.”

For Skylar, the album’s recording coincided with her graduation from LACHSA. “As soon as I was out of school, I found that I was inspired by sound in an entirely new way,” Skylar says. “We decided to spearhead the production of the record ourselves and it was interesting how the arrangements helped convey aspects of ourselves that weren’t easily expressed through language. I was drawn to the spatial relationships between the sounds, the warped rhythms, the melody ideas. It was important to produce everything in a way that felt allencompassing, like peering into a diamond of our truths, recollections, worries, fantasies.”

The results are a purified, more self-assured Puro Instinct. Featuring instrumental performances by Ariel Pink, Franco Falsini of Sensations Fix, and Richard “Sax” Ross, Autodrama is not only lush, but danceable. Skylar’s guitar skills have been given the room they need to create the shimmering planes and ringing angelic textures they always needed. “Six of Swords” is spacious, space-age pop, like Kylie Minogue in zero gravity—but with cryptic, vulnerable lyrics not usually imbued in pop music. “We’re using the vernacular of pop,” Piper says, “but with our values and our soul.”

Tour Dates:
06/30 – Washington, DC – DC9 *
07/01 – Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s *
07/02 – New York, NY – The Bowery Ballroom *
07/03 – Allston, MA – Great Scott *
07/05 – Montreal, QC – Bar Le “Ritz” P.D.B. *
07/06 – Toronto, ON – The Garrison *
07/08 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern *
07/09 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th Street Entry *
07/12 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern *
07/13 – Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios *
07/15 – San Francisco, CA – Swedish American Hall *
07/17 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo *
07/19 – San Diego, CA – The Hideout *
07/20 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar *
07/22 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada *
07/23 – Austin, TX – Barracuda *
07/25 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade *
07/26 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle *
07/27 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar *
* = w/Fear of Men

'Tell Me' is a taster for the forthcoming album 'Autodrama' and a chance to announce that Puro Instinct will be opening for Fear of Men on tour this Summer (dates above). The song is catchy and melodic and a fine tease for the album due in late June.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday &: Heliotropes - Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal - Fieu - Hockey Dad

Heliotropes - Normandy.

Background promo - Brooklyn-based Heliotropes have released the official audio for 'Normandy,' the second track from their upcoming album Over There That Way, out July 15 via The End Records. Heliotropes is comprised of founding member/songwriter/vocalist Jessica Numsuwankijkul, along with a rotating cast of collaborators, including drummer Gregg Giuffré, bassist Richard Thomas, and guitarist Ricci Swift, who are all featured on the band's upcoming album.

The band's first recorded offering came with 2012's Ribbons 7", followed the next year by their debut LP entitled A Constant Sea, which was named by Mother Jones as one of the 10 Best Albums Of 2013. Since then, the band has performed on the road with Esben And The Witch and toured nationally with stops at South By Southwest, Firefly and Culture Collide, sharing the stage with a far-reaching variety of bands including Thurston Moore, The Geto Boys, Matt and Kim, Kurt Vile, Parquet Courts, The Black Angels and The Raveonettes.

 6/16 - New York, NY - Palisades

Heliotropes have a lush flowing sound within the song 'Normandy' drawn along by soft captivating vocals and a strong melodic line. It compares well with previous offering 'Easy' and suggests we are in for a diverse and pleasing album this coming July.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal - Natural.

Background promo - Josh Hoyer & Soul Colossal’s combination of soul, funk and R&B is in a word, electric. Best displayed in their high-energy live show, the blend of Hoyer’s honest lyrics and his soulful (sometimes in-your-face) vocals merge with his top-notch band to create an undeniable chemistry.

The magic of their live show caught the attention of producer Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo), who joined with the band to record their third full-length album. Their most ambitious project to date, Running From Love was recorded at Nashville’s historic Sound Emporium, and once again features Hoyer’s trademark vocals and the band’s signature groove. The album was released on April 8, 2016, on Silver Street Records, on vinyl, CD and digital formats.

The hard working band completed several national tours in 2015, playing more than 150 shows in 32 states, including opening for R&B legends George Clinton/Funkadelic and Booker T Jones.

The band is supporting the release of the new album with tours through the Midwest and Southern markets, including Omaha, Denver, Milwaukee, Madison, Minneapolis, Chicago, St Louis, Indianapolis, and Nashville, among others.

They have been described as "Authentic Soul/Funk with a punch...", and I cannot argue with that. 'Natural' is one of ten potent songs on what is a exceptional collection of tracks. Josh Hoyer has the power and energy a vocalist needs to surround himself with such excellent musicians, especially when they seem hell bent on bringing the roof down.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fieu - Impossible.

Background promo - Harnessing her widespread musical ability to embrace a new and refined sonic direction, Queensland alt-pop revelation Fieu (Emily Brewis) brings absolute fire in new single ‘Impossible’.

Since releasing a debut EP in 2014, she has topped Triple J Unearthed charts, gained national radio play, and been recognised for her writing with "Honourable Mentions" in the International Songwriting Competition and QMusic Awards. With a growing CV of support credentials for artists including Woodlock, Montaigne and Ayl a, Fieu is a fresh face that is swiftly becoming a familiar one.

'Impossible' may as well refer to Emily’s vocal prowess, which while being absolutely stunning, is perfectly showcased in this single. This was achieved with the help of Aria award winning producer Joel Quatermain (Meg Mac, Eskimo Jo e, Little Birdy) who has strengthened her ability to layer detailed instrumentation under soaring vocals. Being the first of many releases prepared for 2016, ‘Impossible’ is the perfect intro to the new Fieu. Impossible single launch at Brisbane's The Zoo, June 2nd.

'Impossible' is a really good example of how pop music can still be fresh and pleasing. Fieu has a fine voice, and with such a well constructed song and soundtrack, it allows her to shine.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hockey Dad - So Tired.

Background bio - Australian duo and Leisure Coast legends Hockey Dad are set to release their debut album Boronia on August 12th via Brooklyn indie label Kanine Records. Their story is simple: best mates first, band second, and their music flows from their surroundings: sunny and jangly guitar driven rock complete with anthemic choruses. Yet please do not mistake their laid back vibes for anything but tight execution and a drive to share their good times with the world.

Zach Stephenson (guitars/vocals) and Billy Fleming (drums) have been best friends since age 4. Living two doors down on Boronia Street in the small Australian coastal town of Windang, it was around 13 when they discovered Zach's Dad's old gear in his garage and about 15 when they started sneaking into local music venue RAD BAR and playing other bands' instruments while they were not around. By 18, they were touring Australia under the name Hockey Dad, which was gleaned from a Simpsons episode. The duo brings an incredible energy and youth to their warm and jangly guitar tones, telling tales of beaches and babes.

The past year has seen the duo move from aspiring garage band to Australian indie pop stars. After releasing their debut EP Dreamin' on local Aussie label Farmer and the Owl, Hockey Dad won Triple J's Unearthed Fall Festival Competition in 2014 gaining them national radio play and sold out shows across Australia. With headlining festival appearances in their hometown under their belt, in 2015 they headed stateside for CMJ where they met up with Brooklyn indie Kanine Records (Surfer Blood, Splashh, Beverly) and cemented a deal to release their debut album in the US.

Boronia is 11 tracks of pure unadulterated fun that comes straight out of the surf and skate culture surrounding them in their native Wollongong. "As a kid growing up, it was inevitable that we'd be picking up boards and hitting the waves, as we're only a couple minutes walk away from the beach. The video for 'I Need A Woman' serves as a dedication to our childhood, just hanging around the beach and having sick fun." But skating and surfing wasn't enough to fill up their days, Billy grew up on his older brother's stash of 90's punk, while Zach grew up with his dad's collection of Aussie Gold records. "It's funny because one minute we'll be throwing bones to Parkway Drive, and next thing we're sobbing to Aretha Franklin."

Their debut album Boronia is a testament of the good times that the boys have pouring out of them. And now they want to share those good times with the world.

'So Tired' has already received plenty of plays and no wonder, the duo's brand of indie pop is just so bright and smile inducing. They deliver an expansive sound, with uncomplicated themes and so much dynamic energy. They have seemingly captured sun and surf and converted it to music, last band to do that so naturally well may have been The Beach Boys!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Friday Four: Bin Juice - The Vacationists - John Jefferson - Corbu

Bin Juice - Astro Surf.

Background Info - We are delighted to share the news of Sydney 5 piece Bin Juice signing to Monday Records, and announcing the recording of their debut studio EP.

Bin Juice is just the right dose of Funk, Psych and a live set that leaves every punter talking for days. Their signature song-writing centres around their love of jamming, organically spurting out addictive melodies they then turn into songs.

Described as “a force to be reckoned with”, Bin Juice ticks all the right boxes, from clever lyrics to electrifying riffs. The boys have developed a seasoned reputation for high-energy performances and drawing a pumping crowd wherever they play.

Bin Juice has played alongside bands such as: Flowertruck, Winston Surfshirt, Capital Coast, Raindrop, Salvador Dali Llama, White Blanks, Powla, Bad Valley and Phantastic Ferniture.

'Astro Surf' has a eclectic mixture of sounds and just the right vocal styling to match the music. It's funky, different and rich in ideas and sound. The EP should be a fascinating listen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 The Vacationists - It Could Be Much, Much Worse.

Background promo - Sydney band The Vacationists, return with their bouncy and shimmery indiepop single “It Could Be Much, Much Worse”, which will be launched on May 21st at Brighton Up Bar.

The Vacationists first made some noise on the local indie radio scene in late 2014 with infectious single “Smile, you’re in Kensington”. They specialise in energetic tunes with playful song structures as filtered through layers of hazy guitars and keyboards. They call Sydney’s inner west home, but their unique indie-pop sound hails from all over the world.

The band has in the past brought their loud and fun shows to Oxford Art Factory,  Annandale Hotel, Lazybones Lounge, FBi Social, Petersham Bowling Club, and many others. This new single sounds like something The Smiths and The Jesus and Mary Chain might have penned on a bender after an early 90s hiphop gig. The Vacationists release ‘It Could Be Much, Much Worse’ today Friday 20th May 2016.

Saturday 21st May 2016
Brighton Up Bar (single launch) Sydney NSW

The song 'It Could Be Much, Much Worse' is melodic, refreshing and delivered with quality musicianship and superb vocals. Upbeat and extremely catchy, the band deserves to be heard.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 John Jefferson - Fool's Paradise.

Background promo - John Jefferson is set to release his debut EP Helmsman, on the 24th of June 2016.

Jefferson wrote the tracks on a narrow-boat while travelling through the Hertfordshire countryside last summer. He then recorded the tracks on a ship called Lightship95 at the London docklands last Christmas. The nautical theme to the production of this EP inspired Jefferson to name it Helmsman.
Jefferson’s is a multi-instrumentalist with influences mostly American from the 60's/70's and artists such as: Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Blaze Foley and The Doors. Inspiration which can be seen perfectly on Helmsman.

The 5 track-EP, is an ethereal, bluesy, Americana infused affair. Most of the instrumentation on the EP is Jefferson’s bar the drums.   From one masterpiece to the next, Jefferson has managed to create a beautiful sound which will remind you of a Californian beach drive.

Jefferson will be playing the live circuit with his band over the summer including: 21/06 Victoria in Dalston.

There is something of a laid back Americana feel to 'Fool's Paradise' and the theme continues on the forthcoming EP. Well structured songs full of melodic hooks and in some cases a little more energised, as debut releases go, this one is notable and sets standards very high.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Corbu - Through Emptiness.

Background promo - Taken from their recently announced debut album Crayon Soul, the dream-like ‘Through Emptiness’ floats on its spaced-out synths carried by its blissful yet haunting melody.

Much of the debut album was inspired by the intense dreams front man Jonathan Graves has experienced since childhood. ‘Through Emptiness’ traverses the contrasting emotions during and after dreams; experiencing joy in an unknown place where anything is possible, yet knowing that the dream will end. Jonathan says: “Dreams can be beautiful and cruel at the same time. People you've lost flicker back into existence for a moment, and then they're gone again. There's a tremendous comfort in knowing those spaces exist, even if just in your mind, mixed with the sadness of being dropped into them randomly and then having them ripped away."

Crayon Soul is released on 5 August 2016 via 3 Beat (EU) & Big Picnic (US). Mixed by Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Tame Impala, Mercury Rev),  the album was announced recently along with ‘Polygon Forest’, which received praise from the likes of Stereogum, DIY and Clash.

Crayon Soul follows two acclaimed EPs, We Are Sound and Everything You Imagine Is Real, which garnered praise from the likes of Nylon, Stereogum, The Guardian, NME and more, as well as capturing the attention of Jessie Ware, who personally requested the band to remix her song ‘You & I (Forever)’.

Deep synthy sounds introduce 'Through Emptiness'. It's a song that slowly gathers momentum as the melody establishes itself and dreamy vocals glide gently above a lush soundscape. It's both music and well crafted art, no wonder the amount of attention the band have already received.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------