Just Like Honey recently released 'The Wood Room Sessions' an album of acoustic and stripped back versions of some of their songs. The band have taken the original alt rock and dream pop material into new territory and wow does it work, as their music morphs into Americana, folk and other genres doing so with constant beauty and demonstrating excellent vocals and musicianship.
From Cliffs and Caves we have 'Defiance' accompanied by a music video. It's a song with a clear message and the piece takes the duo into a determined and earnest indie rock vibe, with hints of their folk instincts adding depth.
Liverpool synth/alt rock band The Cheap Thrills have just released 'Time Waster'. Energised and hook fuelled, the single is a taster for 'Vue Du Monde' their new E.P due out in mid October. On the strength of this song, that is something to be anticipated!
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Just Like Honey - The Wood Room Sessions (Album).
During the production of their critically acclaimed 2018 album "The Weight of the Stars", Alternative Rock/Dream Pop band Just Like Honey had the idea to record acoustic versions of a handful of their songs.
As the abstract idea took tangible shape in spring 2019, musicians sans traditional rock pedigree like American violinist Miranda Avery and Israeli cellist Telalit joined forces with the band during two extensive recording sessions.
During the Wood Room Sessions Just Like Honey’s songs took on a life of their own. Stripped of the bands’ usual guitar noise, the tracks started to reveal their hopelessly romantic heart. Much to the band members’ own surprise, a few of the songs even turned into some kind of American Folk courtesy of Darlene Jonasson’s ability to play the mandolin and thanks to the inexplicable use of a resonator guitar. On a side note you may be interested to learn that “Out in the Storm”, one of the tracks eventually laid down during the Sessions, was written by Patrick Le Mar on the spur of the moment during the first stint of recording.
It deals with the mystery of missing people and merely took shape in its Bluegrass version as of yet – a fact that might change in the not-too-distant future. According to one’s personal gusto The Wood Room Sessions could either be considered as a side project of Just Like Honey or simply as a yet undiscovered facet of the band, which has picked up its electric guitars again in the meantime and continues to lay on the fuzz and the reverb on every occasion.
Mother/Daughter duo Cliffs + Caves announce the release of the music video for their lead single "Defiance", recently featured on their critically-acclaimed album release Capsize. Stepping away from their traditional Indie-folk blended sound, Cliffs and Caves create a fierce indie-rock song that breaks the silence of anyone who has been victimized or silenced before.
Written as a battle cry, standing up for the powerless who can't speak up for themselves, the song was originally inspired by an interview from a victim of sexual violence. The song takes on different meanings for every person who listens - breaking the silence and speaking out against any type of oppression no matter how big or small it may seem. Overall, Cliffs + Caves aims to say "we won't be quiet anymore" and hopes that the lyrics of "Defiance" will empower others to speak out and speak up to help others who may be being silenced by their own oppressors or bullies.
In an era of female empowerment, mother-daughter duo Lindsey and Claire Justice are unabashedly sharing their voices to empower others through their unique blend of indie-folk music.
The duo has worked with well-known producers Jamie Candiloro (R.E.M., The Eagles) and Chris Jacobie (Penny & Sparrow, Duncan Fellows) to develop their musical style that showcases the depths of their skills as songwriters and instrumentalists with intimate lyrics lilting intrinsically over smooth musical progressions. Balancing powerful harmonies with delicate acoustic soundscapes, their newest EP, Capsize, explores the musical ingenuity that's created when artistry runs in the family.
The Cheap Thrills are a synth rock band from Liverpool. Renowned for producing sonic pop songs with infectious hooks and melodies.
'Time Waster' is the new single released from EP "Vue Du Monde" a glimmering and bold statement of intent that shows that these scousers mean business. The EP will be released digitally and in vinyl format on the 18th of October through Eighties Vinyl Records.
"A glimmering and bold statement of intent that shows that these scousers mean business."
Recent singles 'Saint Or Sinner', 'Codependence' & 'Smile When You Sleep' were played by John Kennedy & Steve Lamacq on BBC Radio 6 & Radio X and featured on Spotify's 'Hot New Bands' and 'Indie List’.
Molly Linen just released her new single 'When They Didn't Care'. Molly's vocals are described as beguiling, emotive, yet serene, which I agree is a fair assessment, she is also a creative songwriter as is witnessed by this very fine song.
New Zealand vocalist Ria Hall has a new single out entitled 'Cause & Effect' a gorgeous mixture of classic reggae music and her natural soulful vocals, backed by vocal harmonies that again add those reggae vibes.
Duo Beatific have a new video for' She Loves Him' the first single from their debut EP out in December. The vocal harmonies are wonderful as this dreamy song drifts along sounding carefree and relaxed.
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Molly Linen - When They Didn't Care.
Lost Map Record’s latest signing Molly Linen returns with a new single ‘When They Didn’t Care’, released on streaming services and via Lost Map’s PostMap Club series on 27th September. It is taken from Linen’s debut Outside EP which follows on 4th October.
Molly Linen is a Shropshire-born, Glasgow-based songwriter and guitarist. Her beguiling voice is both emotive yet serene recalling the dulcet whispered tones of Cat Power, layered upon melodic guitar lines which draw influence from artist such as Devon Sproule and Nick Drake.
Linen’s latest single 'When They Didn't Care’ touches on, as Linen explains, “Worrying too much about what other people think, and the moment you realise that they don't actually really care.” The single follows the release of Linen’s wonderfully received debut single ‘Away’ (May 2019), which was described as “remarkably mature, so beautifully focused, and so frightfully exciting” by influential blog For The Rabbits, and included on several high profile Spotify playlists including NPR’s ‘New Music Friday’ round-up as well as producer Lar Gotrich’s own playlist. At radio, the debut single was played on BBC 6Music (Gideon Coe) and BBC Radio Scotland (Vic Galloway and Roddy Hart), whilst unreleased tracks from the Outside EP have received additional support from Pete Paphides (Soho Radio) and Cerys Matthews at 6Music.
Molly Linen’s forthcoming debut Outside EP is a collection of accomplished, atmospheric and personal songs written in, and inspired by, Linen’s life in rural Shropshire and the West End of Glasgow where the EP was recorded. As Linen expands “Some of the songs on the Outside EP reflect on my personal experiences of being out in nature and feeling the many emotional benefits, whilst others are observations of being in particular environments and noticing small details.”
The Outside EP was written by Molly Linen (guitar/vocals) and features Beth Chalmers (keyboard, harmonium and vocals), Liam Chapman (drums, synth and vocals) and Gemma Fleet (bass). It was recorded by Ronan Fay at Green Door Studios, Glasgow, and mastered by Steven Ward. ‘When They Didn’t Care’ is released on 27th September as a digital single on streaming services and via Lost Map’s PostMap Club, with the Outside EP following on 4th October digitally and on 10” vinyl.
New Zealand-vocalist Ria Hall returns with her first new music in nearly two years with the single ‘Cause & Effect’. This waiata is the first taste of a new album inspired by current political, social and racial climate, one that musically brings together elements of classic reggae and soul.
‘Cause & Effect’ combines Hall’s stunning voice with an all-star band, creating a sound that evokes memories of classic 70’s reggae and soul, with a modern, slick and conscious tilt.
Co-written and produced by Laughton Kora, the track features Kora himself alongside Rob Ruha & Troy Kingi on backing vocals, members of L.A.B. & Sons of Zion making up the band, and a horn section led and arranged by Warren Maxwell (TrinityRoots).
‘Cause & Effect’ is the first single from Hall’s second full length album, which will be released January 24, 2020.
San Francisco-based duo Beatific released a visualizer for "She Loves Him," the first single from their debut EP out in December.
"This song is about the merging of two bodies and souls... and the unshakable faith that everything is alright in the world when you are held in the bliss of pure and summery love," singer/songwriter Elad Marish says on the single.
"Engulfed in serenity and drenched in creativity, Beatific offers their terrific new single titled ‘She Loves Him," Jammerzine raves in their review. "Beautiful vocal harmonies abound over a captivating crystal clear guitar riff that carries the music forward like a lucid dream."
Known for his sound design and mixing videos for A-list clients like Beyoncé, Eminem, and The Jonas Brothers, Marish was a songwriter long before becoming a respected industry figure and President of the American Association of Music Producers. While not Marish's first band or side project by any means, Beatific is the first collaboration between him and Jeremy Black, the former drummer of Apollo Sunshine known more recently for his collaborations on the Bon Iver and The National-organized music festival PEOPLE. Their collaborative debut EP, Sunshine, arrives December 6th.
Hunting have just shared 'Whatever You Need'. It's a mixture of alt and electro rock with a smooth flowing vibe and plenty of upbeat energy.
From Ruthie we have 'The Tide' ahead of her debut EP ‘Universal Heartbreak Now’ which follows in November. It's beautiful and melodic pop that is gorgeously arranged.
Understated and dreamy psych rock comes our way in the form of 'I Love My Friends' by Martian Subculture. It's also quite hypnotic.
We have a music video from Tokyo Tea Room for 'Things Are Changing'. The psych pop bands song is gentle and dreamy with the vocals down in the mix, sounding distant which just adds to the track.
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Hunting - Whatever You Need.
"Whatever You Need" is about meeting someone you like so much you’d do anything to make them happier, give up anything to make their life better.
"For me, I met that person right before leaving town to live in Europe for two months to write songs and try to catch Bowie’s late 70’s Berlin vibe. Though, all the while I felt like it’d be way more fun if she was there tripping around with me. The lyrics ‘We’ll get high on our Fame, all stoned on our vain’ is a reference to what it must have been like to be Bowie and Iggy Pop lighting up that city."
Hunting is barely recognizable as the same band that released a debut album five years ago: it’s gone from a solo project to a trio, from folk to catchy electro-rock, and from wistful melancholy to buoyant exuberance. All this can be heard on the group’s sophomore album, Whatever You Need, due out in summer 2019 via Nevado Music.
Songwriter-producer Bradley Ferguson initially intended the album as a quick follow-up to 2014’s rootsy Hunting LP, but the initial sessions stalled. Instead, Bradley put Hunting on the back burner: he produced an electro-pop LP for Vancouver vocalist Jessicka, and acted as a bassist-for-hire in an array of projects.
Hunting eventually got back on track with the addition of two new members: Jessicka came on board as a full-time backing vocalist, while songwriter Dustin Bentall joined as a co-frontman. “We went back and started the album from scratch,” Bradley remembers. “We decided to approach it in a more organic way. I had been editing it to pop perfection — but then we breathed new life into it and it came together really quickly.”
Dustin Bentall is a well-travelled troubadour in his own right, and he contributed five of his own songs to the recording sessions at Afterlife Studios. Dustin says, “I had this batch of songs that weren’t really going to fit my next record, and I realized they worked seamlessly with Hunting.”
Bradley and Dustin’s songs mesh perfectly on Whatever You Need, tied together by pillowy vintage synth pads and surging rock rhythms. Returning collaborator John Raham (Destroyer) acted as engineer as well as drummer, Paul Rigby (Neko Case) added additional guitars, and Mother Mother’s Ryan Guldemond co-wrote a handful of tracks.
Blessed with the ability to conjure challenging emotions into melodic and engaging pop, the hotly-tipped Ruthie shares her brand new single ‘The Tide’. It’s the first track to preview her debut EP ‘Universal Heartbreak Now’ which follows on November 22nd. It follows her three independently released singles ‘Land of My Lover’, ‘Spirit Now Moves’ and ‘What Kind of Woman’.
With ‘The Tide’, Ruthie expresses bittersweet feelings with a sweeping beauty that elevates the mood of the moment. Set to a dreamy backdrop of modern pop and country-tinged folk, it drives to a crescendo in which her multi-layered vocal harmonies surge to create a choral wall-of-sound. Ruthie’s style echoes the likes of Angel Olsen and Jenny Lewis back to Fleetwood Mac and Joni Mitchell, while her distinctively English accent adds a unique touch.
“‘The Tide’ is another banger about feeling terrible,” says Ruthie. “It’s about sitting in my room feeling lonely, like the sea had just spat me out onto a deserted beach. It’s definitely melodramatic and now I can’t remember ever feeling that way, but that’s the alchemy of songwriting: you can crystalize a feeling that becomes an object to look at rather than an overwhelming tidal wave. I also wanted to echo a very classic country music narrative of ‘Once I had everything, but now I’ve lost everything.’”
The four-track ‘Universal Heartbreak Now’ EP represents the biggest statement of Ruthie’s career to date. Eoin Loveless of Drenge contributes haunting duet vocals and psychedelic flavoured guitar to ‘No One On This Earth’, while all four tracks were mixed by Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Future Islands). The songs were all written with Ruthie’s creative collaborator Ben Lewis.
Ruthie’s timeless, lovelorn songwriting has enamoured a growing following. She’s gained wide-ranging airplay including Radio 1, Beats 1, 6 Music and BBC Introducing at home along with daytime spins at triple j and double j in Australia and New Zealand. Key playlist adds include Spotify’s New Music Friday UK, Amazon’s Fresh Indie plus lists curated by NME, Dazed and DIY. Add Nylon and Wonderland to an ever-growing range of backers and it’s clear that Ruthie is on the way up.
Ruthie started playing her debut headline set with a homecoming show at Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds before impressing at the Bluedot and Deer Shed festivals. She has also supported new Domino artist Sasami plus Anna St. Louis and Barrie. Further live dates:
12th Oct – Tenement Trail, Glasgow
19th October – SWN Festival, Cardiff
30th November – All Dayer with The Magic Gang, Leeds.
"I Love My Friends was written in the midst of a lot of my friends and I growing up really fast for many different reasons.
It’s basically a love letter to all those who have kept me occupied with dumb s throughout long periods of very very dull s. There’s also a line in their about a friend of mine naming her cat ‘Lofi’" -Martian Subculture
From his base in Ireland’s Limerick City, Martian Subculture creates leftfield, lo-fi psych rock. An eerie, restrained vocal is surrounded by kooky, comatose guitars on tracks that oscillate between themes of love, loneliness and interplanetary exploration.
Recorded alone in a bedroom studio, Martian Subculture introduces his latest single “I Love My Friends” as another invitation into a new sonic universe.
As life progresses, various pressures and influences, both internal and external start to pull you in a myriad directions, requiring choices to be made on a personal plane. Resolving yourself to an unyielding whole and accepting the best way to deal with these changes is the theme of hazy Canterbury psych-pop band Tokyo Tea Room’s mesmeric new single ‘Things Are Changing’. The sonics are reminiscent of bedroom-pop artist of today in MUNYA, Men I Trust or Inner Wave as well as taking cues from Tame Impala, DIIV and Mazzy Star.
Primary songwriter Daniel Elliot elaborates on the meaning behind the track: “‘Things Are Changing’ is about recognising yourself growing up, seeing yourself change and trying to find a balance. The lyrics are telling a story of someone discovering their own flaws, analysing them and moving forward.”
It’s a relatable theme, and has great synergy with the group’s approach to song-crafting and production. Deciding on a fresh start at the beginning of 2019, and realising how much their sound had matured, the band removed all their previous output from digital services, choosing indeed to move forward in their new sonic direction.
This bold approach however hasn’t stopped Tokyo Tea Room achieving success on a wider level including live slots alongside Wolf Alice and Super Furry Animals, acclaim on key tastemaker site The Line of Best Fit and spins on audio indie bible BBC 6 Music. As well as this they’re rapidly building cult following in the hazy corners of YouTube and Spotify, resulting in over one hundred thousand plays in six months on Spotify alone for the last two singles.
A key tenet of the band’s approach is their focus on aesthetic, which is strong and consistent throughout, and unique whilst holding a candle to the canon of psychedelic and shoegaze pioneers they take inspiration from. For this release, they have teamed up for a forthcoming music video with established Brighton-based visual artist InnerStrings, a well-known figure in the Psych scene who has previously been involved in events such as This Is Psych Fest, and this year’s Bella Union’s Great Escape Festival showcase.
Tokyo Tea Room are Daniel Elliot (Synths/Vocals), Ben Marshall (Bass), Beth Plumb (Vocals/Keys), Sam Teather (Drums), Ryan Debling (Guitar) and Graham Nunn (Guitar)
Hannah James has shared 'Canal Song' which is the first of ten tracks on her forthcoming 'The Woman and Her Words' album. Beyond Hanna's distinguishable and melodic vocals the album has an array of rich musical arrangements as a variety of creative avenues are explored. The often intriguing lyrics add even more to a highly credible and pleasing album.
A couple of months back we featured the debut song 'Need To Change' fromMagnapop ahead of their upcoming album 'The Circle is Round'. Today we get another taste of the album with 'Dog On The Door', where the bands deliver a vibrant and catchy alt rocker.
Sonny Winnebago has released 'Take Me For A Ride' a bright and uptempo pop song with Sonny's vocals rightly centre stage, supported by an equally melodic and pleasing musical backdrop.
Ahead of debut album 'Visitor' due next month Dominic Sen has released her final single 'Natural History'. We have already featured a couple of songs from the collection, and once again we have a beautifully arranged & very impressive piece, accompanied by a fine video.
Maddee returns for a third time this year with her brand new song release 'Wwy', a soulful and creatively arranged track and another absolute tease for next months six song E.P release.
We are always on the look out for creative and original music, so Skeleton Flower are very welcome and we have two music videos for 'My Double' and 'Fitcher's Bird' where imagination, art and great music come together superbly.
Atlanta-based, Arizona-born rock band, The Endangered Species round today's musical round up off with a unquestionably refined natural rocker entitled 'Magic Man'.
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Hannah James - Canal Song.
Innovative musician and dancer Hannah James and her most recent project The JigDoll Ensemble, announce the release of their impressive new album The Woman and Her Words on October 4th; and first single Canal Song has just been released.
Recorded in Hungary, at the prestigious music venue/studio Budapest Music Centre, the album hosts an international line-up of musicians - András Dés (Hungary – Percussion); Marti Tärn (Estonia – Bass Guitar); Kate Young (Scotland – Fiddle / Vocals); Toby Kuhn (France – Cello).
"I deliberately put together this band of extraordinary musicians because, at this time, I feel it's so important to keep international friendships strong. I have always felt European, not English, and this band is a celebration of that and an example of the great things that can emerge when people from different countries and backgrounds have the freedom to meet and work together". Hannah James.
One of the key figures in the revival of English percussive dance, Hannah is renowned as one of the best accordionists of the British Folk scene, her musicianship extends far beyond the tradition and flawlessly incorporates beautiful vocal-stylings with both classic and contemporary applications of English clog dance.
The new release is a celebration of ageing, gaining wisdom, and of the many women who have delivered essential truths along the way. Artist and puppeteer Katarina Cakova, based on Hannah's stories, created the physical form of 'the woman’, which appears on the album cover.
A previous collaborative project, Songs Of Separation, won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Album in 2017; while Hannah's vocal trio Lady Maisery produced three critically acclaimed albums and was nominated for the Horizon Award at the BBC Folk Awards. Her most recent project began solo before becoming the JigDoll Ensemble, was acclaimed as 'the highlight of the festival' at the Folk Expo Manchester in late 2017, debuting to a standing ovation from professional delegates from across the world.
Magnapop’s new album, The Circle Is Round, is the Atlanta-based group’s debut release for HHBTM Records, and is their sixth album, coming nearly a decade after their previous record, 2009’s Chase Park. Prior to this, the group had a fruitful run during the Alternative Rock heyday of the mid-90s, finding critical acclaim with 1994’s Hotboxing (with single “Slowly, Slowly”) and 1996’s Rubbing Doesn’t Help, which featured their most beloved song, “Open The Door.” And although the phrase was an endearing joke courtesy of slacker film Singles, Magnapop were indeed “big in Belgium,” finding enduring success that has led them to visit the Benelux region numerous times over their three decade career. (They have a tour slated for the area this September.)
Yet let’s not think of it as a “comeback,” shall we? Magnapop never really went away, appearing on the live circuit in Europe sporadically since their last release. The seeds that would blossom into The Circle Is Round were planted in 2011. “We reunited in 2011 when bassist Shannon Mulvaney contacted us about playing a benefit for Criminal Records, a local record store,” says guitarist and songwriter Ruthie Morris. “Playing together was easy, but we knew we needed time together to play our old songs again. The more we played together, the more we realized we wanted to work on new material.”
The Circle Is Round was recorded at Furies Studios in Marietta, Georgia, and produced by the band and studio owner Ed Burdell—he worked with the band on one of their first recording sessions—the album came together quickly this past February. Furthermore, there’s a sense of the circular nature of existence at play, as a few of the songs are some of the band’s earliest. “’Change Your Hair’ was the very first song Linda and I ever wrote together, before there was a band,” says Morris. “Our drummer, David McNair, was the one who came up with the idea of recording it. At first it seemed like a crazy idea, but the more I listened to it, the more I thought it would be fun!” The album also includes two demos from a 1992 recording session, previously unheard until now. Longtime fans of the band will find much to love with The Circle Is Round, while new listeners will get a taste of what converted listeners way back when to become lifetime fans.
“During one of our recent tours of Benelux we were interviewed on a Belgian radio program,” says Morris. “We were talking about the four of us reuniting and coming back together as a band. The interviewer said something in Flemish and he translated it as "The circle is round" to describe our situation. At first it sounded kind of funny, but the more we thought about it, the more poignant and appropriate it seemed.” - Indeed.
Sonny Winnebago is the moniker of Welsh-Australian troubadour /musician Harvey Jones, who's spent the entirety of 2019 living out of his battered suitcase and beloved camper van, all whilst feeding other people's cats and dogs. He was born with hypermobility syndrome which allows him a heightened flexibility, creating a very dynamic and unusual performance style. His infectious music embodies a 'melody is king' approach to pop writing, drawing inspiration from 1970s figures Harry Nilsson & Cat Stevens.
Following a string of profiled support slots, including Michael Kiwanuka & Joel Baker, Sonny Winnebago will be releasing his anticipated debut single 'Take Me For A Ride'. It is one of four tracks he'll be releasing with the support of Welsh artist development scheme 'Forté Project', enlisting the skills of producer Charlie Francis (R.E.M, The High Llamas), featuring session musicians Davey Newington (Boy Azooga), Matt Evans (KEYS) and Steve Black (Sweet Baboo).
Harvey says that 'Take Me For A Ride' was written from a place of restlessness, following the event of a long-term friendship going south."It's a true story, and a relatable one too, with strong themes of detachment and self-empowerment" Backed up by an uptempo rhythm section and bright, choppy chords, 'Take Me For A Ride' ultimately engulfs the listener with feelings of summer abandonment and child-like joy.
‘Natural History’ is the final single from Dominic Sen's debut 'Visitor' out on October 18 on Roll Call Records. Chronicled in this song is protagonist Tal Naata’s experience of finding meaningful connection during a trip to the American Museum of Natural History following months of social isolation post-arrival on Earth. Her companion, a paleontology graduate student, transforms into something more as looking at objects from our distant past begins to lay out before her a future of endless possibilities.
“‘Natural History’ makes tactile the rush of a fantasy becoming reality -- the first few, intoxicating brushes of physical contact, a hypersensitivity to every single sensation” comments the albums’ author, Dominic Sen, a Galaxy M64 émigré who was drawn to Earth by our colourful pop culture, convinced they had a shot at Earthbound stardom.
But connection means vulnerability and vulnerability comes with a cost: “In this snapshot, Tal may be free falling enthusiastically into infatuation, but she still holds onto secrets and the fear that she will not be valued fully as an alien or, as she slowly learns from her terrestrial experiences, as a woman” explains Sen.
Dominic Sen's terrestrial debut is a space opera and thought experiment that tells the tale of Tal Naata, a biologically human female coming from a distant and socially progressive civilisation to study Earth. Taking Tal Naata’s story as their prism, Sen casts our own primitive ideas of gender, duality and social cohesion back at us through shimmering, crystalline pop that pays homage to our recent past.
Like Tal Naata, the album's creator Dominic Sen is themselves a visitor to Earth. The seventh and only surviving child of the supermassive black hole at the centre of “The Evil Eye Galaxy,” Sen drifted around space in limbo until intercepting the radio waves from Earth’s broadcasts during 1980’s and 1990’s.
‘Visitor’ will be released on Roll Call Records on October 18. It will be immediately available for pre-order, including as a limited edition LP in “Interstellar White” vinyl. Dominic Sen will play an album launch show in NYC on Oct 26 @ Trans-Pecos,
The Toronto-based artist, Maddee is today sharing the wonky funk of ‘WWY' - listen here. Taken from her forthcoming debut six-track EP, ’Red Mind’, which is due for release on October 17, 2019, the new cut finds the artist locking into oscillating grooves underneath syrupy electronic textures.
‘WWY’ - an acronym for ‘Where Were You’ - finds the 21-year-old artist collaborating with Louie Short to mine personal experiences once more, this time with Maddee turning attention to times of abandonment in close relationships. Speaking about the track she says: “‘WWY’ was written about a really bad night I had where I was seeking comfort and support from the person who I thought was supposed to be there for me and quickly found out that they weren't. I thought I needed their support and in the end, I had to learn how to provide that for myself.”
The latest cut to be taken from the EP further examines the overarching subject of the forthcoming collection, wrestling with the ramifications of a negative relationship and the emotions that Maddee felt throughout that period. From love to infatuation and naivety, the complex theme of love and emotion is further accentuated through the accompanying scarlet artwork.
Maddee cut her teeth initially with features on the ‘Colours EP’ from Toronto-based producer, Harrison - from here, she picked up slots opening for the likes of Lil’ Yachty, Willow Smith and Tennyson, alongside which she showcased across festivals including SXSW, NXNE and Field Trip. A pair of debut singles were released in 2017 (produced by Toronto’s Birthday Boy and Shagabond respectively), earning the buzz-building artist tips from tastemaker blogs, Majestic Casual and the attention of Red Bull Sound Select who handpicked her as one their spotlight artists.
Skeleton Flower’s debut album is a musical collection filled with gritty honesty, wild imagination, a generous sense of humor, and unleashed artistic expression. It is based on a new performance that is a semi-autobiographical exploration of a creative person’s struggle with identity, depression and the awakening of personal power.
The Stranger Recommended, Don’t Miss: “They've created a seven-song collection that takes indie rock to art school in the manner of St. Vincent, Dirty Projectors, and Deerhoof. Nishimura’s endearingly quirky voice comes off like a Japanese Joanna Newsom, and Nortness’s bass clarinet and saxophone lines sometimes skew the songs into chamber-jazz territory. However, Skeleton Flower's final two tracks—“The Red Shoes” and “Mirrored Sky”—hint at Björk's phantasmal electronic songcraft, and are all the more interesting for that.” –Dave Segal
“"Listen and watch after reading the fairy tale (or a synopsis of it), and it’s impossible not to be struck by how elegantly Nishimura’s visceral words metamorphose and compliment the source. The beauty of “Fitcher’s Bird” is that, as befits any great dark fairytale, enchantment and eeriness walk hand-in-hand. It’s an uneasy but irresistible path.” –Anthony James Kay, Artist Home
As with all of Degenerate Art Ensemble ’s work, Director Haruko Crow Nishimura draws on her own difficult and at times violent childhood which led to major breakdowns and years of depression. The work balances compelling supernatural narratives along with exploring how, through creativity, Crow was able to not only survive, but also share the fruits of her imagination with others and transform herself in the process.
The Skeleton Flower dance performance was shown as a work in progress in Bulgaria as part of the Spotlight USA Festival and premiered in Seattle in March of 2019 and they are excited to debut the Skeleton Flower band in September.
Atlanta-based, Arizona-born rock band, The Endangered Species, tell a tale of loss, hardship, and redemption on their video "Magic Man” and forthcoming, self-titled album, produced by music industry veteran, Joey Huffman (Izzy Stradlin, Soul Asylum, Drivin n Cryin). Music this raw and authentic stems from experience, and brothers and central figures, Wade and Robin Divver, have had more than their fair share of hard times. On February 12th, 2001, their father was brutally murdered by the Sinaloan drug cartel. The only living memory the brothers have of their father were his most prized possessions: a 1983 Fender Stratocaster and a 1967 Gibson SG. The album arrives October 18th, just in time for their father’s birthday.
Eight years later, inspired by their life experiences and their passion to see the world change for the benefit of all species, the pair officially started their band The Endangered Species.
The concept of the video is to capture the groove of the song. The idea was to show all types of different dance being done to the song. Pole dancers, break dancers, astronauts on the moon listening to the song, dead people dancing, etc. The lyrics are more serious and dark in nature, so instead of a doom and gloom video I wanted to create a video that put the focus on the groove of the song. I think it makes the song more fun and exciting for the listener. The lyrics will speak for themselves for the listener who can relate. As I stated before Magic Man is the drug dealer who is benefiting off the addicts addiction. Fueling the demise of others for his own gain. The song expresses the path of the desperate addict giving up more and more to satisfy their addiction, until they are so desperate they take everything they need from Magic Man by putting a gun to his head.’But they ask so politely indeed.’ The video was created and produced by Robin Divver (Rock & Roll Rd. Productions).”
For the Divver brothers, The Endangered Species are more than just a band: they are a movement raising awareness, consciousness, and trying to spark an awakening of thought and revolution in their listeners. If humans do not become more conscious of their impact on the earth, the other species that exist, the water, the future generations, humans will cease to exist. They urge fans to stand up and change the world for the better, to not be mindless sheep used as pawns in a society ruled by the powerful elites and their money first mentality. They want to be a voice for the people who have been forgotten, left behind, and demand change. The pair live by the motto, “Try to save a life a thousand years away, it starts with a change inside yourself.”
The brothers and family lived a humble life in Arizona on Rock & Roll Road, where Robin was born at home. Living off the grid one mile from the U.S. Mexico border, they pumped water from a windmill, took bucket baths, had no electricity other than a generator, and utilized two school buses that once served as the family’s home. In fact, Wade was given birth to in one of the buses while his parents lived in Contreras, New Mexico. Despite the hardship this family faced, they got through it thanks to their shared love of Rock & Roll. But it was going to take a while before the family saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
