Julia Rakel's music might be described as lo-fi, however it's also packs a dreamy punch with the layers of gentle sounds and her seductive vocals. We've featured Paige Stark once before as a solo artist, along with several Tashaki Miyaki appearances, and she continues to really impress with her latest offering 'Depression Song'. It's less than a month since we first shared 'The Hours' from Hush Pup, 'Oasis' is a very welcome follow up where their experimental pop is once again blissful and endearing.
Julia Rakel - You're Not Getting It.
Umeå-via-Malmö Swedish musician and producer Julia Rakel is the latest addition to Stockholm indie label Rama Lama Records' (Melby, Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Chez Ali etc.) roster. Debut single PDFILWM was released in January and have since grabbed the attention from influential Swedish media as well as international blogs, calling it a "lo-fi gem", followed by People in February. New single You're Not Getting It is out now and is the third and final look into Julia's peculiar bedroom pop before her six track debut EP on March 15.
Just like previous singles You're Not Getting It is the result of hours of music making in the lonesome bedroom. Julia works at the well-known Malmö studio Tambourine and her credits include sound design and music for the award-winning short film Plankton. With her expertise as a producer she's refined her stripped-down sketches to a daydreaming beautiful soundscape that develops with every listen. This, put together with Julia's individual vocals and often ironic lyrics, create a intimate and memorable sound that there will be plenty more of during the upcoming months.
Debut EP indie fEElz lands on March 15. A six track creation that according to Julia is a try to deal with the very different kinds of relationships we have with each other and ourselves through "a lot of irony, drum machines and way too many choir parts". The tracks treat universal topics such as forced acquaintances, love, desperate attempts to be understood, how we feel about our egos and a sad celebration of friendships.
Paige Stark (of Tashaki Miyaki) releases "Depression Song."
Paige Stark is a songwriter, multi-intstrumentalist, & producer from Los Angeles, California. She has released records with her band Tashaki Miyaki & contributed production to fellow Angelenos L.A. Witch & Cherry Glazzerr as well as her own band, Tashaki Miyaki.
This is her debut solo effort. It was recorded by Grammy winning engineer Cassidy Turbin (Beck) with contributions by Jon Brion.
Inspired by the films 3 Women and Paris Texas, "Oasis" is about a feeling of blurriness. Sometimes the blur feels blissful and sometimes it feels like a loss of identity. Going in and out of this blur, occasionally you find something to cling to, that's the oasis. Sonically the track is inspired by dusty landscapes and Danny Elfman's music in Pee-wee's Big Adventure.
Hush Pup makes experimental pop music that sounds a lot like driving at night through the board game Candy Land, soft cotton candy trees brush up against the windows of your glass car as you ride toward a friend’s cabin nearby the molasses swamp. Forming for a show in 2012, they have since played across Canada, the U.S. & Europe.
Their EP ‘Flower Power’ & LP ‘Panacea’, a romantic film-inspired album, will be released on a double cassette with Lone Hand (lonehand.xyz) in March 2019.
We featured the 'Maenads' E.P by Sarah P. back in January however the video for the excellent title track is well worth a share. Australian six piece band The Ninth Chapter mix the genres and styles up with a funk meets folk kinda song. We featured The Arthur Brothers a couple of times last year and now we have an award winning video from them for what is a really good song entitled 'Violet Hum'. Trouble In The Wind share a gorgeous rocker with plenty of passion and feeling to round things off today.
Sarah P. - Maenads.
Maenads is a disco-inspired song about those nights that are empty of feelings. The video's visuals are a fast-forward to Sarah's life in Berlin - rather secluded, away from distractions. "This isolation-by-choice gave me time to process life events that had shaped me."
The song's video features Sarah and Sabina Smith-Moreland cast as a bird that symbolizes mental illness. The video shows the importance of coming to terms with own struggles while not letting them overtake one's life. "I’ve been struggling with depression and anxiety for a long time, but I'm convinced that it's possible to control one’s mental health, rather than living a life controlled by mental illness," Sarah shares.
"Mental illness never truly goes away, but learning more about it can help understand what’s going on inside your body and mind and therefore, control it better."
Sarah P. on the filming of the video: "For the last part of the Maenads trilogy, I decided to film in Berlin - where it all started for me. This video is perhaps my least “ethereal” work-to-date - with “ethereal” being a word that’s often used to describe my work. Berlin isn’t ethereal - it’s boxy and well structured in its chaos. Berlin’s light is very different compared to the light in Athens; in Berlin, the light is moody and arrogant - especially during the winter, where it makes rare appearances. Maenads was filmed at Theaterhaus Berlin - a space that felt homely and brought me closer to my drama school years. I had the pleasure to work with photographer and visual artist Colette Pomerleau and dancer Sabina Smith-Moreland. For the coloring of the video, I worked once again with David Hofmann who previously colored the other two parts of the Maenads trilogy. Although the concept and set are meant to symbolize my life in Berlin, my “Greek Maenads” (Clio “Lil Cli” Arvaniti, Dora Pantazopoulou, Rania Ainiti, Marianna Pagrakioti) make a special appearance on Maenads TV. The additional visuals were filmed & edited by George Geranios, on a rooftop in Athens - the concrete jungle. Lastly, Apostolia Gogara is responsible for the fantastic hair and makeup of the additional visuals."
The Ninth Chapter possess a powerful ability to groove. Layering elements of funk, blues and folk, the Australian six-piece revel in exciting songwriting that takes listeners on a diverse musical journey. With over a decade of touring and three EPs to their name, the band successfully launched their first full-length over the weekend with two massive shows - to keep the good vibes flowing, The Ninth Chapter will be taking their hot show through NSW and Qld over the coming months.
As an amazing live outfit The Ninth Chapter are renown for pairing its heavy groove with thumping horns, but on record the group sculpt a vast landscape of sounds, moods and tempos - a definitive representation of where The Ninth Chapter's musical evolution has taken them. Led by Jaz Munro’s bluesy vocals and slinky guitar, the ablum is a showcase of The Ninth Chapter's dynamic sound: the driving rhythm section of bassist Daniel Bowland and drummer Zac Page, the expansive percussion of Glen McClymont, and the richly layered horn section of Dillon Carlsson and Tom Hilliar.
Following on from the aptly titled taster What's Going To Happen Next, new single My Own Time is the band in total cruise control - one arm out the window and enjoying the ride. Smooth and summery, it is a song that celebrates travelling at your own pace – an ethos very much at the band's core. With its members scattered across Australia's beautiful north east coast, The Ninth Chapter perfectly encapsulate the laid-back lifestyle of Australian beach culture.
With the band proudly committing to a non-digital recording process with Geoff Wright at Lucky Boy Analogue studios in Byron Bay, The Ninth Chapter presents the group in all their glory – from the broad spectrum of genres they span, to their irrepressible live energy. It is a true reflection of their journey thus far. But beyond all else, The Ninth Chapter is a band about mateship... the kind of brotherhood that feeds creativity – both collectively and for the individuals within it. This more than anything provides the chemistry that makes the band's debut album so true to their hearts.
The Arthur Brothers; an artistic alliance centered around the biological brothers Matt and Danny Arthur and the producer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist J. C. Wright. After the releases of ‘Ninth’ and ‘Flawless’, tracks that demonstrated the darker, brooding side of the band, The Arthur Brothers released ‘Violet Hum’ on March 1st via ClearLight Records/Declared Goods.
A rollicking musical collage that seductively takes you on a journey through mad unexpected scene changes. Beginning with a 1930’s wireless parlour sound which transitions quickly through 70s nonchalant pop, sun drenched Beach Boys-esque a cappella vocal bridges, Welsh colliers choir breaks, a calypso beach party scene, and even a ‘The Who - Sellout’ style radio ad break.
It features a horn section that included trombone and trumpet from Tim Hart and Pablo Mendelssohn (member of The Specials horn section and the Book of Mormons House Band) and a string section led by violinist Sarah Anderson (Chrome Hoof, Deep Throat Choir).
The eccentric, eclectic nature of this musical collage of a song is brilliantly manifested in the award winning animated music video by Tribambuka (Anastasia Beltyukova) who used a mixture of different techniques and styles to take the viewer on a crazy journey with the brothers through strange and whimsical worlds on the back of a grumpy fish to messy abstract subconscious states of mind, where chaos and cosmos collide.
The video has been recognized at a number of international film festivals including, Best Music Video, Feel The Reel International Film Festival 2018, Glasgow, UK and International Animated Film Festival ReAnima 2018, Bergen, Norway, along with numerous other events.
Presenting the new music video 'Fall Guy' from San Diego Trouble in the Wind. This video marks the lead single off of their album 'Hammer On'.
Trouble in the Wind has been labeled as folk, Americana, alternative, country, surf rock …etc but the Southern California quartet likes to brand themselves as “rock and roll”.
The band’s stripped-down organic sound is a multi-instrumental collective fronted by songwriter Robby Gira, whose staggering powerful voice creates the center of attention of their songs.
The band is completed by musicians Kyle Merritt, Trevor Mulvey, Larry Doran providing lush instrumentation including accordion, upright bass, brushes, banjo and electric guitars. Trouble's songs are emotional at the core and blend a range of styles from ballads to surf folk to soulful rock.
Vancouver duo Porteau are about to release their debut album 'Water’s Gate' on March 15th. 'Penelope is one of ten songs in the collection and is a good indicator of the quality and beautiful sounds they create. The Hold Steady confirm they still have the knack to write and perform great new songs with this first offering from them this year. Rock Eupora have shared a video for 'Inbetween' a sumptuous rocker that suggests the new album will be rather special.
Porteau - Penelope.
Porteau is the creation of Victoria Williams and Craig Stevenson. The Vancouver duo’s debut album Water’s Gate transports listeners to a world of pragmatic mysticism. Layers of lush vocals and washes of light, modulated guitar are the foundation of their songs. Pulling the record into diverse moods and through vivid textures, their sound weaves through folk-inspired passages, celestial soundscapes, and electronic flourishes. Ethereal and expansive, Water’s Gate is Porteau’s open space for experimentation, and carves a wave into their own unmapped styling.
Collaboration between the couple came about by happenstance. Victoria saw a painting of Andromeda by Gustave Doré and was instantly captivated. She asked Craig if he could help her write music that sounded like the painting looked – cold, urgent, yet liberating. A mutual understanding and inspiration was found from this piece of art. It was a driving and unifying force that was the genesis of Porteau. Using this as a catalyst, a record naturally revealed itself. Sounds which had been independently cultivated now flowed together and a confluence of ideas began to occur. They were heavily influenced by both traditional folklore and the West Coast landscape. Porteau uses this imagery as a backdrop to explore and unearth personal experience.
The couple spent their evenings piecing together the songs on an acoustic guitar. They called upon longtime friends to join them and bring to life their vision of a lush and diverse instrumentation on each track. Utilizing their background in jazz, many moments were improvised in studio, allowing each musician’s natural voice to come through. These recordings of Water’s Gate did not occur overnight – the process took place over the course of many years. Layer by layer, they added individual instruments to the arrangements. With rock-driven drums, fluid basslines, heavy synth, crystalline pedal steel guitar, and pads of unified horn lines, Porteau’s full band sound was slowly brought to life.
The Hold Steady - The Last Time That She Talked To Me.
The Hold Steady are releasing their first new song of 2019. “The Last Time She Talked To Me” arrives at all DSPs and streaming services via Frenchkiss Records on Friday, March 8. The song is now available exclusively at The Hold Steady’s Bandcamp page. Fans can download the single by donating to The K + L Guardian Foundation, a fund set up to benefit the children of Unified Scene founder “jersey” Mike Van Jura, who died in November 2012.
Recorded at Isokon Studios in Woodstock, NY, with producer Josh Kaufman and engineer D. James Goodwin, “The Last Time She Talked To Me” is the ninth in an amazing series of THS single releases over the past 15 months, a string that includes “Confusion in the Marketplace” b/w “T-Shirt Tux,” “The Stove & The Toaster” b/w “Star 18,” “Eureka” b/w “Esther,” and “Entitlement Crew” b/w “A Snake In The Shower.” Additional performers include Stuart Bogie and Dave Nelson on horns and Annie Nero on backup vocals. All of the aforementioned singles are available now at all DSPs and streaming services as well as the official Hold Steady Bandcamp HERE.
The Hold Steady are visiting London this week for “THE WEEKENDER,” a sold out three-day concert event that will see the NYC-based band taking the stage at London’s Electric Ballroom on Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9, followed by a limited capacity third show at Oslo, in Hackney, London on Sunday, March 10. In addition, an exclusive screening of The Hold Steady’s acclaimed 2009 documentary, A Positive Rage, will be held the afternoon of Sunday, March 10 at the Picturehouse cinema in Hackney.
Neither here nor there: that’s a tough place to be. Sometimes I only feel halfway present. It’s hard for me to live in the now — I’m always looking for the next best thing, always en route. I get so caught up trying to plan and control my future that I miss a lot of realtime fulfillment.
It's safe to say that most of us stay too busy - which I think is partly a reaction to what we value as a culture. We associate worth and meaning with accomplishments. I think it’s good to be driven, but I think it’s more important to be present. I’ve been trying to love myself (and others) right where I am and without qualifications or conditions. I believe that humans are inherently valuable! And if that’s the case, maybe the in-between is what it’s all about
This confession is how Clayton Waller, the Nashville-via-Mississippi fuzz pop artist known as Rock Eupora, opens his self-titled album. With three albums under his belt and an established position in the Nashville rock scene, Waller has developed Rock Eupora’s sound into a perfect blend of punchy guitars and unforgettable melodies.
On the new album, Waller contends with the challenges of a 20-something-year-old searching for his place in the world. Written, performed, and produced by Waller himself, Rock Eupora is simultaneously Waller’s most cohesive and sonically adventurous album to date.
Recorded in a professional studio as opposed to his typical DIY approach, the change in setting allows the depth of detail in each track to be fully appreciated. Seamless transitions weave the songs together in what resembles a stream of creative consciousness — yet, every song tells a story strong enough to stand on its own. With a slight eighties influences and what Waller describes as “psychedelic tendencies”, Rock Eupora makes for a well-developed follow up to 2016’s Soon the Sun Will Come.
Commitment to his craft is what has carried Rock Eupora this far, garnering attention from venerable local media such as Nashville Scene and national outlets like PureVolume. It is evident that Waller really believes every word he’s singing, making it easy for listeners to believe, too. This sincerity is what gives Rock Eupora the ability to connect with people of varying ages and backgrounds, a gift that doesn’t come naturally to all artists. In a live setting, Rock Eupora comes to life as a full band to create a fast-paced and action packed rock-n-roll experience
The very idea of fusing folk, EDM alongside other genres had me intrigued and Metaspion doesn't disappoint with the splendid track entitled 'Pyros'. Trampoline released their debut album last month and 'Emilys Tea Party' is to good to pass up on even if we are (ahem) a little late to the party. Sun Salute share some gorgeous roots music channelling natural reggae vibes with a timeless feel. Watling & Bates give us a taste of Australia meets Americana style country music, that is both imaginative and a little on the Gothic side.
Metaspion - Pyros.
There is a new single from acclaimed Norwegian electronica artist Metaspion entitled "Pyros" (feat Skam R' Tist). Metaspion is known for fusing folk, EDM and other genres in intriguing ways as evidenced on his 2018 full-length Folktronica Schmolkfonika..
About new single "Pyros", he says: "It was a "wow!" moment when I first put an 808 kick over a Hardanger fiddle playing a folk riff. I remember thinking this is something the world has never heard before. It was like something exploded or caught fire. Which later led to the lyrics."
Metaspion is a departure from Morten Richter’s glam rock past. He felt rock n roll didn't make sense anymore and needed reinvention. His passion for both folk music and electronic music would eventually lead to a new folktronica solo project. It's a fusion of the old and the new: traditional Scandinavian folk music and the quintessentially modern genre of electronic dance music or EDM. Richter plays the majority of the instruments on the album himself with the occasional guest appearance. Like DJ's today, the fiddler was the star of the party in the 1800's and provided music people could dance to, even capturing them in a trance-like state.
That’s what Richter hopes to achieve with Metaspion; “I want to bring those vibes and that energy into the electronic music today and combine it with crazy new sounds.”
Many say “variety is the spice of life” and that's exactly what Trampoline are bringing to the tablein 2019! With the trio's release of their debut concept album, Happy Crimes (released in February), avoiding the label of just one genre is exactly what makes them stand out from the musical pack.
"Michelle’s provocative vocal delivery – comparable to Patti Smith or Fiona Apple – is tailored to suit the message of each song on Happy Crimes. From the intensity of “Mary Alice” to the sweetness of “Twins on Fire,” she is a singer who employs a wide range of vocal techniques to get her point across with sincerity." - Grace Hrabi, Stylus Magazine - "Trampoline will be everyone's favorite band by 2019." - Gary Yates, film director.
“I think that as soon as a genre becomes established, there is an expectation of what a band/group is supposed to sound like,” Trampoline drummer, Steve Martens, explains. “To some degree, we kinda fit in the rock category; a better summation of us is 'unpredictable human beings making funny and thoughtful noise in an intentional and cohesive manner', but that's a mouthful.”
Charged by the whims of satire, playfulness and deeply heartfelt emotion, Trampoline explores the highs and lows of the human experience and has you bouncing while they do.
“What excites me most about song writing is the notion of transforming something dark and painful into something bright, beautiful and funny,” Trampoline lead vocalist/guitarist, Michelle Lecnik, says. “Suffering quickly becomes comedy once it's worked through my system (or once it becomes more conscious) and the spirit of these songs reflects the process of transcending disturbing emotional material and the bliss that ensues.”
Born of the snow season in Victoria, jamming and snowboarding together, Sun Salute are an international collective of musicians that draw inspiration from nature, travel and community. Their philosophy is both simple and infinitely complex: to use the power of music for healing and change.
Politically driven and unafraid of voicing the truth, Sun Salute are not without their bite, but even at their most lyrically pugilistic they are positive and uplifting. No More, the first single off their album due out this year, is a perfect example of all of the above. Taking a full reggae ensemble, giving the horns a delicious Motown twist, and delivering socially conscious lyrics through an epic tropical melody; No More is a glorious hybrid of tones, styles and ideologies.
Featuring local Indigenous custodian Ken Dodd, No More lends its voice to the original owners of this land and to all people around the world whose cultural values, sacred protocols and ancient voices have been silenced by corruption and misinformation. Serving a call-to-action for people to rise up against the increasing corporate influence over the planet, Sun Salute pay honour to the creed of saying what you mean and meaning what you say. That is the philosophy of Sun Salute in a nutshell. Be real. Speak the truth.
Returning to their roots in the Victorian snowfields, the band tracked their new material at reggae icon Nicky Bomba’s mountain cottage with legendary engineer Robin Mai (John Butler Trio, Melbourne Ska Orchestra). Refining and finishing the tracks with reggae maestro Paulie B (The Beautiful Girls, Bobby Alu), Sun Salute's ARIA Award-winning production team has done an exceptional job in capturing all of the classic reggae rhythms, dubs, solid grooves and jams of the band's notorious live show.
Drawing inspiration from the spirit of the land, Watling & Bates are raconteurs of contemporary rural Australia and revivalists of the country’s past. In The Dead of Night is a song shrouded in magic, mystery and morbid curiosity, as it emerged from the mists of the McPherson Ranges.
Written by Geoffrey Bates, the song arose as if from a dream. It was not until the discovery of some archival news articles that the song’s meaning and story became clear. Its embodiment by the duo becoming eerily potent.
Watling & Bates are songwriters from Unumgar, on the western edge of the Northern Rivers of NSW. Fiddle, banjo, and guitar provide a backdrop for their tales, which recount local history, simple joys, or the complexities of a troubled mind. Their songs move like a will-o-the-wisp between Australiana and Americana, Gothic country and dark folk, hillbilly and honkytonk. Their influences are drawn from a diverse and eclectic range of artists, from the old time music of the Appalachian Mountains to contemporary Australian country Gothic.
Watling & Bates’ career highlights range from small country halls to the streets of the city. They performed in an Opera Queensland small hall production in 2016, with an original work included in the script. In 2018 they head lined a small hall tour of the Bundaberg region, culminating at the prestigious Moncrieff Entertainment Centre during the Bundaberg Crush Festival.
