The Rhythm Express ft Maiko Watson - Principe Valiente - Naomi Wachira - Max Subar

The Rhythm Express - Jolene ft Maiko Watson.

Background - A few months back I was turned on to a haunting YouTube clip of Dolly Parton singing her most recorded song, “Jolene”. The original 1973 track had been slowed from single format to long playing 33 1/3 speed. That listening experience was both eerie and a revelation. No doubt, Dolly Parton possesses a grand set of pipes. Slowed down it becomes more evident, in that every inflection, bend in a vowel, a word is extraordinary and rocked with emotion. 

With that in mind and captivated by the change of tempo, I began hearing other possibilities. What if this was done with a reggae feel - early Bob Marley and Wailer's rhythm section style and backing vocals reminiscent Marley’s backup singers, the I-Threes. Acutely aware Parton and a cappella sing group Pentatonix just won a Grammy for Best Country Duo/Group Award with an updated version of ‘Jolene’; the song’s alluring story, sumptuous melody and sweeping beauty was more than the Rhythm Express could resist. 

In fact, we decided to keep the song’s country charm with a guest appearance from guitarist Tim Boviconti of Ron Sexsmith/ Burton Cummings fame. Tim’s lap steel, acoustic and electric guitar keeps our ‘Jolene’ rooted in tradition. Great songs lend themselves to all sorts of interpretation. ‘Jolene’ rocks our world. - Enjoy, Bill King (Jolene 7 Arts/Side Door Records). The Rhythm Express Facebook here, Maiko Watson Facebook here.

Making a cover version of a song as instantly recognisable as 'Jolene' does call for some reinterpretation to make it worthwhile. In this case the reggae meets Americana approach is both respectful and creative. Musically The Rhythm Express add their top quality credentials and provide a superb soundtrack, with Maiko Watson's vocals ensuring the genre crossover works. Fabulous version!

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Principe Valiente - Strangers In The Night.

Background - After an outstanding self-titled debut album in 2011 and the breathtaking „Choirs Of Blessed Youth“ in 2014, the Swedish post punk / shoegaze band lead by Fernando Honorato, true to their vision, continues to carve out its own unique musical path. Drawing inspiration from ambient experimentalists like Cocteau Twins, 80's sci-fi soundtracks as well as exuberant vocalists like Bowie and Kate Bush, Principe Valiente ventured deeper into the sonic landscapes of their minds.

The intensity of the athmospheric sound and the interplay of melodic guitar strings, the dark drifting drums, rhythmic bass lines and above all the warm, emotional voice of the singer, have remained. The listener is captured in a mixture of longing and loneliness, which is fluently and hypnotically directed. Calm pieces alternate with energetic compositions, such as the recently released single "Strangers In The Night", and give the album a strong note of ambivalence. The second single "Wildest Flowers" will follow on 28th of April.

With their third work „Oceans“, the band has created another alluring world with "human, all too human" lyrics and phantasmagorical soundscapes. Cool, yet impassioned and loaded with sweet anxiety, Principe Valiente have managed to make an irresistibly beautiful and intense continuation of what was started in the previous two albums.

„Oceans“ was partly recorded by the producer Martin Ehrencrona (Les Big Byrd), and partly in various basements and art school lobbies around their hometown Stockholm, Sweden. The combination of innovative and inspired material makes for an invigorating listen as it is difficult to pinpoint in regard to genre. „Oceans“ will be released on May 12th, 2017 on CD and as a download by afmusic, and as a limited Vinyl edition by Manic Depression Records. Website here, Facebook here.

'Strangers In The Night' has a dark almost Gothic feel to it. Layered rock music swirls around, whilst the vocals add even more atmosphere. There is enough melody, but only enough, the band ensure the feeling they create as the song builds makes this a hypnotic piece.

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Naomi Wachira - Beautifully Human.

Background - “I am an African girl, well I know where I’m coming from, and I know who I want to be...”  is the defiant soul-anthem that jumpstarted Afro-Folk Singer/Songwriter Naomi Wachira onto a whole new path and calling. The words from the title track, African Girl, on her first EP release (2012) paved the way for this Kenyan-born, Seattle-based artist, who is determined make a contribution in the world by offering music that is poignant, hopeful and life-giving.   Five years later, with a critically acclaimed self-titled album (2014), an acoustic EP “ I am Because You Are (2015), comes her sophomore album Song of Lament, which she says, ‘was born out the many tragic losses we’ve witnessed globally - ranging from cases of police brutality to the refugee crisis - that made me grieve about who we’ve become, but also burned a desire in me to create art that would serve society at large and hopefully lessen the chaos around us.’    

Song of Lament, which was recorded at historic London Bridge Studio (Seattle, WA) with producer Eric Lilavois (Saint Motel, Atlas Genius, My Chemical Romance), is a testament to Wachira fully embracing her creative power and its ability spread goodness to the world. As the world churns with chaos and self-inflicted woes born out of fear and mistrust of the ‘other’, she hopes the album will be a balm, a beacon of hope, a reminder of both our darkness and light, but also the belief that mindfulness and empathy can serve humanity in much better ways.  The album delves into issues of violence funneled through political ideologies by weaving real life events with thoughtfulness and compassion, while asking questions about how human beings arrive at this place of utter darkness (Heart of a Man). She highlights issues of human equality, especially when it undermines the divine sacredness of those who are different  (Beautifully Human) and longs for a society that truly takes care of each other (I am Because You Are).  

With an uprise in chaos all over the world,  she acknowledges how easy it is to despair on the status of a world that is hell bent on destroying itself (Up in Flames).  She sings a mournful dirge for the countless lives lost at sea while escaping war torn homelands in search of peace and dignity (Farewell) and questions those who perpetuate violence in the name of faithful religious expression (Where is God?).  And with an existential yearning, she wonders why Africa, one of the most resourceful continents in the world, has struggled to find her footing (Song of Lament).  But not all the songs are heavy.  Her first and last tracks (Our Days Are Numbered, Think Twice) are a reminder that while the sun does not discriminate between the good and the bad, fulfillment is found when we spend our days practicing kindness and wisdom and taking account that our actions really do matter, when all's said and done. She joyously blesses her mother and father, with whom she credits for the woman she is today (Mûrathimwo) and encourages all of us who’ve hit rock bottom in life and feel disillusioned, to never give up or look back (Run, Run, Run).

There is no doubt Wachira is determined to create a niche in the world with her uplifting and sombering music and perhaps inch us closer to one another as we remember our shared humanity.  And like the two predecessors she has long admired, Tracy Chapman and Miriam Makeba, she hopes that she can truly make the world a better place.  Asked about what she really hopes to accomplish with this album she says, “if there’s one thing I learned from my parents, it is to try and leave a place better than I found it. My hope is that this album will do just that. I know we are certainly living in dark times, but I hope that we will all find the courage to be light in whatever way we’ve been gifted… that we will seek to understand those who are different from us and find ways to both acknowledge and celebrate our differences and similarities.” Website here, Facebook here.

The leading single 'Beautifully Human' from the sophomore album "Songs of Lament" is quite stunning. Naomi's vocals have melodic power and range, the music leans a little towards a reggae beat and is vibrant throughout. A song with a simple and yet poignant message, leaves me looking forward to the album with both intrigue and some unashamed excitement.

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Max Subar - Balcony.

Background - Chicago-based singer-songwriter Max Subar has shared his third single "Balcony". Prior to this single Max released two other tracks. The first was "Morning Song", which debuted on Impose and the second was "Blue And Green", which premiered on All Things Go. All three songs will be featured on his debut EP 'In A Dream' due out April 28, 2017. 

Singer/songwriter Max Subar aims to remain bound to his midwestern roots with songs that radiate closeness and warmth. Growing up, his mother’s old nylon guitar became a familiar friend in the wake of moving to Australia and back as well as his parents’ divorce. Max’s grounded relationship to songwriting has helped shed light on his own experiences and struggles; from euphoric intimacy to the isolation of depression and anxiety. His debut EP reflects upon themes of love, loss, and reflection. Website here, Facebook here.

'Balcony' is our second feature for Max Subar, we shared 'Morning Song' a few weeks back. The vocals are again quite intimate and grow in power as the song unfolds, whilst the music is a work of quality and craftsmanship.

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So Many Wizards - JFDR - Garrett Pierce - Hayride Casualties

So Many Wizards - Before She Runs.

Background - So Many Wizards is the dreamy, jangly dream-punk project led by Nima Kazerouni. The band have shared "Before She Runs", the third track off their upcoming album. 'Heavy Vision' is due April 14 on Lolipop Records. 

What began as a solo bedroom project indebted to Syd Barrett evolved into a fully-formed band that has garnered attention from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Aquarium Drunkard, and Impose Magazine; spins on BBC 1, KCRW, and SiriusXM (courtesy of Lou Reed); festival stops at SXSW and CMJ; and US and UK tours. A week after the release of their debut album, Warm Nothing, Kazerouni’s daughter was born causing his sudden move to Tucson, Arizona, taking him 500 miles away from his bandmates. Despite the distance, the band managed to release their “Night Chills”/”Daydream” 7”, a single with Converse Rubber Tracks, and shared the stage with Thee Oh Sees, No Age, Colleen Green, Audacity, Feels, Terry Malts, Lovely Bad Things, and more.

Now as a father, the delusion of adulthood began to set in. A new collection of fears and anxieties began to creep into his psyche. This was exacerbated by a series of deaths – a family member, a best friend, and the end of an 8-year long relationship. The experience left Kazerouni spiritually exhausted, culminating in a nervous breakdown, or “nervous breakthrough.” Kazerouni was finally able to lose a grip of himself and let all the problems and anxieties that he tried so hard to ignore wash over him. It was here where Kazerouni found refuge in the idea of mortality, instilling in him a newfound determination to make the most of the present, because everyone’s life ultimately ends the same way. This emotional journey, from its dark hues to its liberated epiphany, is chronicled in Heavy Vision. Facebook here.

The vocals are buried deep within the mix and to a degree almost resonate as an additional musical instrument on 'Before She Runs' a delicious dream punk song. With refined musicianship and excellent production this is an additive song.

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JFDR - Destiny Is Upon Us.

Background - The newest video from JFDR entitled "Destiny Is Upon Us". It is the fifth track to get a video off of JFDR's recently released debut album 'Brazil'.

JFDR, the latest project from Iceland's Jófríður Ákadóttir (Samaris, Pascal Pinon, Gangly), is a blend of cyclical guitar parts, soft minimal soundscapes, and poetic wanderings of a journey that ends where it began. Drawing from classical, folk, and electronic backgrounds, JFDR amalgamates the sounds of changing seasons, her voice a current that moves through rough seas to smooth waters. But perhaps JFDR shines the most in her capacity as a wordsmith, employing rich imagery to evoke the subtle emotions embedded in each song.

“I got obsessed with her band Samaris a few years ago,” says Björk, “and then it was amazing to see her do her own stuff. She’s surrounded herself with a really authentic community of friends. There are probably about 150 musicians in Reykjavik, and groups there sort of become the opposite of each other, like, ‘Oh, that singer’s dressed like that, I better dress the opposite.’ Such is the tight-knit scene in Iceland, she continues, that “you naturally develop individuality. Also, you’ll be in a classical band and an electronic band and a metal band, and that’s okay. Everything blurs into each other, which I’m sure you can hear in Icelandic music.” - Björk, (The Guardian) ‘Björk On Her Inspirations’. Facebook here.

Our second feature for JFDR and the new video for 'Destiny Is Upon Us'. Once again we are treated to some fine imagery that allows the music to take centre stage. Original, alternative, creative and gorgeous music and just one dimension of a fabulous album.


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Garrett Pierce - These Wounds/Enough.

Background -  SF artist Garrett Pierce shares two new tracks from his forthcoming album, Dusk. Both songs deal with different kinds of heartbreak, "These Wounds" the traditional kind felt after a romantic breakup and "Enough" tackles problems Pierce faced growing up that were beyond his control - he wrote this about "Enough": "This song explores the problems people face in the Tenderloin through a first-person account.  I grew up with a mother with mental health and drug problems, and I was nearly homeless myself during my senior year of high school, so I’ve channeled my experiences to paint a picture of life on the streets.  We recorded around forty tracks of instrumentation (with multiple tracks of keyboards and guitars) to make this song the most lush on the album.”

Garrett Pierce began writing for magazines and playing in rock bands as a teen in Los Angeles before permanently relocating to the Bay Area in the early 2000’s. His first full-length album Like A Moth was a stripped down acoustic affair with guest appearances by notable songwriters Jolie Holland and Matt Bauer. Garrett then traveled and toured Europe where he was honored to support Nick Cave in Greece. With a pocketful of songs, he returned to make All Masks (Crossbill Records) - a lush album recorded in the gold rush town of Columbia, CA featuring strings, wind instruments and a cast of over ten musicians.

Garrett's 2012 record City of Sand (Narnack Records) was largely biographical, commenting on his dizzying relationship with the city and growing desire to leave for more natural settings. During this period, Garrett began splitting his time between Sonoma County and San Francisco - playing clubs throughout the bay area at night and working in the wine industry during the day.

Garrett has completed his fourth record titled Dusk which was released on April 14, 2017 in partnership with Crossbill Records (here), Facebook here.

'These Wounds' and 'Enough' are two superb songs from Garrett Pierce, an artist we first featured in early February. I was pretty certain I wanted the album on the strength of just one song, these two have sealed the deal. Exceptional songs in my opinion.


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Hayride Casualties - The Catskills Aint For Sale.

Background - Everyone would agree that we live in strange, uncertain times, yet too much of the music we listen to fails to reflect this sense back to us. Hayride Casualties is one band defined and driven by the political and ecological crises of our age.

Started in 2013 by songwriter and activist Daniel DeWald and bluegrass musician Jack Marshall, Hayride Casualties released Live at 226 Madison, a gritty, live EP of an apartment concert attended mostly by young folks working on campus fossil fuel divestment campaigns in NYC. A few months later, the band released single A Hundred Thousand Dollars a Day, a satirical ode to then Exxon Mobil CEO, Rex Tillerson.

In the summer of 2014, Marshall left the band, taking much (but not all) of the bluegrass influence with him. DeWald spent the next three years meticulously reimagining the band’s sound. Hayride’s debut full length album, Fossil Fuel Kid, is the culmination of that vision: a blend of the band’s earlier folk and bluegrass-inspired licks with DeWald’s love of hard-hitting underground and indie rock.

With a lineup including drummer Tim McCoy (Darwin Deez, formerly Savoire Adore), bassist/composer Chris Bordeaux (formerly The Aisles and Raheem), guitarist Mike Abuiso (formerly The Gay Blades, The Venetia Fair) and singer/songwriters Alex Pastuhov and Lesley Barth, Hayride Casualties are masters at creating both barebones acoustic arrangements and rock numbers that seriously rock. Lyrically, DeWald has found a home on the razor’s edge: speaking simply and definitively to the environmental and other existential crises of our time, while managing to escape the cringeworthy directness, or, overly cryptic messaging too often observed in protest music. Hayride Casualties' upcoming album is titled Fossil Fuel Kid, Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

One of ten songs from the forthcoming album release is 'The Catskills Ain't For Sale'. It's an album that can be folk and acoustic one moment, and polished indie rock the next. Musicianship is tight and of a high standard, vocals are just right whatever direction each song might take.

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Ratboys - Kudu Blue - T.E. Yates - Mt. Wolf

Ratboys - Control.

Background - Chicago's Ratboys, led by singer/guitarist Julia Steiner and guitarist Dave Sagan, will release its sophomore album entitled GN on June 30th (Topshelf Records). Drawing influence from the down-to-earth sincerity of late-90s Sheryl Crow and the confessional confidence of Kim Deal and Jenny Lewis, the songs on GN (aka ‘goodnight’) “largely detail experiences of saying goodbye, finding your way home, and then figuring out what the hell to do once you’re back,” says Steiner. The Fader, who premiered the album's first single, "Control" says "the song is a perfect example of the special, personal nature of their music.​"

GN offers a bevy of tales, laments and triumphs, which recount near-tragedies by the train tracks, crippling episodes of loneliness, remembrances of a deceased family pet with freezer burn, and on and on. The songs shift and breathe as worlds all their own, tied together by the group’s self-proclaimed ‘post-country’ sound, which combines moments of distortion and a DIY aesthetic with a devotion to simple songwriting and ties to the Americana sounds of years past.

The songs chosen to close both sides of the record – the slow-burning "Crying About the Planets’" and quizzical "Peter the Wild Boy" - unpack the respective journeys of two real people who were quite literally lost and found. ""Crying" tells the survival story of Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson from a first-person perspective, and "Peter" reflects on the life of a feral child in Germany who was eventually adopted by the King of England," according to Steiner.

Certain personal stories - the tour adventures recapped in "GM," the struggle to learn to show affection as divulged in "Molly" - find Ratboys just as eagerly exploring subject matter that comes from within, and then illustrating the highs and lows with soaring hooks and plaintive ones. Even in the moments that lie somewhere between bliss and misery, a tension persists between Steiner’s sweet vocal delivery and Sagan’s physical, almost-off-the-hinges guitar playing that lends each song a deeper sense of colour and movement.

Ratboys join Pet Symmetry and PWR BTTM for a handful of US shows this summer. All confirmed tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

'Control' is an alt rock song that features melodic hooks throughout. The vocals and guitars interact with each other giving the track some additional feeling, it's likeable from the start, and by the finish it's a must listen to again, type of song.

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Kudu Blue - Drink Alone.

Background - Brighton based electronic pop four-piece Kudu Blue have unveiled new single ‘Drink Alone’ - the brilliant second track to be lifted from their much-anticipated debut EP, ‘Shaded’. Written, recorded, and produced entirely in one of their bedrooms in their hometown of Brighton, the upcoming EP incorporates a diverse set of influences to create something that sounds both timeless, yet refreshingly modern.

Pairing glistening RnB touched production ideas, with pop-leaning songwriting, ‘Drink Alone’ is a song which elegantly swells, exposing layers of inspiration and influence as it drifts forward. 

The idea behind new single ‘Drink Alone’ was conceived by singer Clementine Douglas whilst working a bar shift in their home town of Brighton: "The lyrical inspiration came a few years ago now. I was working in a pub in Brighton and we'd often have a drink during our shift. This one day I was trying to be good and decided to stick to some nutritious H2O. The girl that I was working with said "please don't make me drink alone", I thought it could be a good song premise so wrote it down, then had a pint."

The final finished recording of the track itself has been a long in the making. "The track is one of the first that we wrote as a band and has been in the set over 2 years now” the band explains. "It seems to go down well live and people often sing it back to us after the show. It's probably quite relatable, we're in England — everyone likes a drink.” Facebook here.

Our second feature this year for Kudu Blue with the newly released song 'Drink Alone'. Once again the band provide us with another stylish and beautifully constructed song that mixes genres like a cocktail, one that can be drank alone but is better shared (oops, couldn't resist)...

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T.E. Yates - Media Machine.

Background - Most musicians boast of exploding onto their local scene in a glittering blaze of media hype and spontaneous applause. The unassuming, unusual and enigmatic T.E. Yates however, snuck in through an open window.

His name was not on the top line of event posters but rather a discreet artist signature in the bottom corner; his first gig flyers and album covers were ones he designed for other bands not himself. He’s performed in front of huge crowds but always as a hired hand or supporting player, a multi-instrumentalist in the shadows – mandolin, banjo, harmonica, even musical saw – you may have heard him on the tracks of other artists without even knowing it. But now T.E. Yates has stepped out of the shadows, taking centre-stage with a formidable backing band (both onstage and on record) comprising members of Victorian Dad, The Bedlam Six, Ottersgear, Gorilla Riot and Honeyfeet.

Even when performing solo the man doesn’t travel light, his weird and wonderful drawings regularly making an appearance between songs, baffling and delighting audiences in equal measures.
His debut album “Silver Coins And White Feathers” is by turns moving, catchy and ambitious, brimming with influences from all across the genre spectrum, the subject matter ranging from astronomy to the Suffrage movement – a real treat for music lovers of all persuasions.

T. E. Yates' debut album 'Silver Coins and White Feathers' is released through Debt Records on Friday 26th May, with a launch party at Gullivers in Manchester’s Northern Quarter on Thursday 25th May. The launch event also features support from The Happy Soul, Aidan Smith and James G. Wilson, with a DJ set from the album’s producer Biff Roxby. Website here, Facebook here.

The opening track on the forthcoming 'Silver Coins and White Feathers' album, is entitled 'Media Machine'. The featured song gives an idea of the style you can expect from the twelve tracks that make up the LP, however this is a collection that ensures each song has individual character. If 'Media Machine' makes an impact with you, the album will not disappoint, in fact I would suggest there are plenty of stronger pieces within this collection, all in all this is worth a full listen at the very least.

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Mt. Wolf - Heavenbound.

Background - London’s Mt. Wolf have experienced much since their early days as a band – line-up changes, enviable hype and interest and, most of all, a sense of expectation that has never left them. With upcoming debut album Aetherlight set to not only meet but exceed those tall expectations, today they release the emotive and thought-provoking video to the anthemic “Heavenbound”. The song owes a melodic debt to the literate, epic songcraft of Echo & The Bunnymen and The National while retaining the sky-scraping atmospherics that have become the band’s trademark, capturing the band at perhaps their most anthemic yet. Visually, the short films captures that same ethereal connection as it charts a man’s final minutes, projecting the sense that love will always be so much stronger than hate.

The director James Ayling, of Cape Films, says of the video: “I think everyone will have their own interpretation of the video. For me, it was about the idea of death acting as a force to unite people. For some death offers the chance to reflect and ask for forgiveness; for others, it provides an opportunity to find peace and the ability to forgive.”

And this from Mt. Wolf frontman and album co-producer Bassi: “'Heavenbound' deals with the different journeys entangled with death. The song is largely about letting go and moving on, while the video takes a slightly different approach: compassion, forgiveness and unconditional love for others can triumph in the face of hate and violence.”

Our first taste of Aetherlight was the 6 minute opus “The Electric” and now alongside the video for “Heavenbound” the album is now available to pre-order direct from their label CRC Music here, Facebook here.

'Heavenbound' is the third song we have featured from Mt. Wolf a band that continue to impress, with a distinct, mature and lofty sound. The video is emotive and pretty deep stuff, it does however add to a track that is heavy on meaning, and delivered with absolute beauty.


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The Foreign Resort - Wy - Idiio - Hajk - John K. Samson

The Foreign Resort - She Is Lost.

Background - Danish post-punk trio The Foreign Resort release their new single 'She is Lost' on April 19. This is the first song from the band’s next full length album, marking a return to the analogue sound of their 'New Frontiers' album, only this time the sound is more minimalistic and with plenty of electronics and spacious drums to create a dreamy yet upbeat soundscape full of contrast. The release is timed with a 10-day Canadian tour and a performance in Toronto at the prestigious Canadian Music Week. 

For lead singer Mikkel B. Jakobsen 'She is Lost' is a very personal song about what he sarcastically refers to as “the summer of love”: “It was one of the worst summers in my life. I came out strong on the other side, but this song was written partly when things were looking very bad and I was not doing the right things to get to a better place and partly when I had realized it was not just me who was the problem. Hence the title 'She is Lost'.” 

The band has also contributed the track 'Skyline/Decay' to 'Alternative F?acts: A Shoegaze Resistance Compilation'. Curated by DKFM Shoegaze Radio, this involves shoegaze and dream pop artists in opposition to tyranny, and in support of civil liberties and women's health. All proceeds from this compilation shall be split evenly between American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood. 

The Foreign Resort are Denmark's finest musical export of post-punk and dark new wave, led by singer and songwriter Mikkel Borbjerg Jakobsen. The band combines the shadowy mysticism of The Cure’s Pornography era with a driving production aesthetic akin to LCD Soundsystem. Intricate reverb-enveloped guitar lines glide over Steffan Petersen’s motorik bass and Morten Hansen’s powerful drumming, all while Mikkel’s taut and sincere vocal delivery demands your attention. Bandcamp here, Facebook here, website here, tour details on Beehive Candy's tour page.

We are featuring the album version of the new single release 'She Is Lost'. With a very tight rhythm and vocals and guitar carrying the melody, this is a gorgeously refined post punk song.

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Wy - Bathrooms.

Background - Wy stands out like a diamond in the rough in the midst of the occurring comeback of the dream pop genre. The duo combines mellow instrumentation with attitude and desperation - incisive guitar melodies in combination with Ebba's powerful vocals make their songs swiftly shift between a feeling of dejection and hope. 

With their floating synthesizers and melancholic guitars Wy do sad pop music where bare emotions are camouflaged by reverbed pop melodies. This young duo serves up a taste of tears in heaven.

With their debut-EP "Never Was" they gave a glimpse of the deep emotion that lays ground for their contemporary sound. Their upcoming first full-length LP "Okay" will seek to arouse even deeper emotions, with the duo continuing their exploration of the doubt and confusion of being a 20-something today. 

Preserving their sound, but in a well-groomed manner, the first single "Bathrooms" from their upcoming album surely will touch some of your inner areas that you might have forgotten about. Facebook here.

Deep, dreamy and slowly flowing 'Bathrooms' is a beautiful soulful and moody sounding pop song. Full of emotion, the video helps convey the feeling further. Keeping a watch for the new album.


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Idiio - One Night.

Background - Raised in Christchurch, New Zealand and now residing on the Gold Coast, Australia, Idiio are known for their passion towards music. They strive to create emotion through music around people, whatever the situation may be. Idiio are keen as biscuits to today release their new single into our ears. After receiving worldwide adornment with their breakout single, 'Holding Me Back', Idiio's new track, 'One Night' is out today via GD FRNDS.

'One Night' is Idiio appearing as their most resolute to date. Distinctly haunting, the song cruises on neo-soul vibes before descending into some cleverly structured, yet weighty and solemn bass dips. Taking cues from contemporaries Sampha and Jarryd James, Idiio craft ingenious and sensual electronica.

Frontman Tyler Vivian said this about the track, "'One Night' is a calling from a higher energy that you are pouring your heart and soul into. You'd grow with that person being the blossomed flowers on the tree that represents you. But the higher energy gives you insight to be weary about who this person really is, under all the roses. Put trust in that consciousness, put trust in your gut feeling."

After a generous heap of lineup shifts and now adding two live members as permanent editions, Idiio retain as a blusterous four-piece format–sparing nothing when it comes to their power of soul electronica. Emotions are high for Idiio's reinventive clench on electronic music and 'One Night' pushes them further into the void. Facebook here, tour details on Beehive Candy's tour page.

Mixing soul and electronic music in a highly creative manner Idiio have delivered a superb song with 'One Night'. Vocals bring the soulful feelings and the soundtrack is rich in content and something to be enjoyed with the volume just a little up!

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Hajk - Nothing Left To Say.

Background - Hajk's new single 'Nothing Left To Say' is out this week on all streaming services. Debut album 'Hajk' out Spring 17 via Jansen Plateproduksjon.

Hajk’s debut album is finally here, and the newest member of the Jansen family dazzles us all. Their beguiling mix of indie and intricate pop smarts has gone straight to the hearts of the listeners and fans.

Their first release, Common Sense, was listed by Norwegian radio stations almost before the band got out of their rehearsal space, and the follow-up single Magazine received a great reception from international media. In the US, Vice picked up the single straight away, and this blazed the trail for the band over there. Indie Shuffle went on to include Magazine in their top 10 songs of 2016.

Considering that they’re such a fresh band, Hajk have been surprisingly quick to adjust themselves. Not long after they’d written enough for a set of music, they played at Slottsfjellfestivalen, Øyafestivalen and by:Larm. They were playlisted by radio before they left the stage at those festivals, and now they’re here – with a confident debut and a collection of songs that any band would have envied.

Hajk are fronted by Preben Sælid Andersen and Sigrid Aase, who share the vocals, while Johan Nord (drums), Knut Olav Buverud Sandvik (bass) and Einar Næss Haugeth (keys) are the band’s backbone. Musically, Hajk are situated in a modern landscape, but looking back to the fine pop of the past, with an emphasis on very strong melodies. The band are influenced by artists like Dirty Projectors, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Amason, but still they stand firmly on their own feet, with an original sound that also challenges the genre they belong to. Facebook here.

'Nothing Left To Say' might be described as funky indie pop, and as such you can expect plenty of hooks alongside some vibrant music and vocals.



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John K. Samson - Alpha Adept.

Background - John K. Samson has released a new video for “Alpha Adept”, a song from his latest full-length album, Winter Wheat, which was released in October last year, on Anti-.

The video was made by John K. Samson’s good friend and musician/artist Shotgun Jimmie, who made the video for John as a present.

John K. Samson will be touring in Europe and UK in May this year. Website here, Facebook here, tour details on Beehive Candy's tour page.

Second time around on Beehive Candy for John K Samson and this time with the new video for 'Alpha Adept'. Another fetching song that is accompanied by some intriguing images that give there own story line to the song.


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