Genre Wander: Nick Waterhouse - Seth Lakeman - Lovecat

Nick Waterhouse - It's Time.

Background promo - On September 30th, California rhythm and blues revivalist Nick Waterhouse will return with his third full-length studio album, Never Twice. The first track off of the album was unveiled yesterday via Bandcamp. Never Twice will be released via Innovative Leisure digitally on CD and 180 gram vinyl. Today, Nick Waterhouse has also announced a fall U.S. Tour. Highlights include Music Hall of Williamsburg in Brooklyn on October 8th, The Bottom Lounge in Chicago on October 4th and The Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington DC on October 12th. More tour dates to be announced soon.

With Never Twice, Nick Waterhouse returned to his original collaborator, producer Michael McHugh (Black Lips, Ty Segall, Allah-Las). McHugh was a local legend in the oft-underrated Orange County music scene that Nick grew up in. McHugh was the first person to ever put Nick on tape and in an effort to re-capture the vibrancy of the Huntington Beach scene of Nick's youth, he invited McHugh up to his current home of San Francisco to work the boards once again. Once he had McHugh on board, Nick began cold-calling his favourite players, all of whom miraculously said yes. Jazz musician Bob Kenmotsu's contributed flute, Tom Waits and Elvis Costello collaborator Ralph Carney on sax, Dr. Lonnie Smith protege Will Blades on Organ and a virtual whose who of muso legends on horns, bass and guitar. The result is an exuberant and impeccably recorded album of songs, showcasing Waterhouse's prowess as a musician and a band-leader.

'It's Time' is a clever mixture of styles, a little jazz, plenty of blues and a pleasing soulful delivery. This is a splendid song, a teaser and a half, for the September album release, and just so cool.

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Seth Lakeman - Meet Me In The Twilight.

Background - Seth Lakeman’s eighth studio album is a stunning combination of his dynamic songwriting and playing, the genius of legendary producer Ethan Johns and the sublime harmony vocals of emerging young female trio Wildwood Kin. Between them they have conjured up an epic, soulful album of compelling songs that are stripped back to their very essence.

Ethan Johns has worked with the likes of Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, Ray LaMontagne, Laura Marling, The Staves and Crosby, Stills and Nash.  He agreed to produce the album after Seth sent him one roughly recorded song on his mobile phone, with Wildwood Kin adding their lush harmonies to his own gritty lead vocals.

Continuing Seth’s unique vision for recording in inspiring locations – previous albums have been recorded in a church and a copper mine - the 11 tracks for “Ballads of the Broken Few” were cut ‘live’ with an organic, acoustic vibe in the Great Hall of a Jacobean Manor House and they shine with the atmosphere of that setting. The spiritual-sounding songs have a trance-like quality: they encompass evocative contemporary messages, yet have an ethereal sound as if they have been hanging in the air for centuries. Ethan has let nothing impair the raw, visceral content - just enshrined the pure sounds of voices and ringing instruments. He comments "The kind of record I like captures human performance."

The mood is set from track one. Seth’s soaring vocals are perfectly complimented by the seamless harmonies of Wildwood Kin - two sisters (Emillie and Beth Key) and their cousin (Meghann Loney), also from Devon. When Seth met them at a local charity gig, he was immediately struck by their effortless ability to create intuitive harmonies. There is Seth's trademark stomp, his swooping, sighing and aching fiddle and viola, and strident electric tenor guitar. Multi-instrumentalist Ethan can't resist joining in on subtle underlying "dirty" electric guitar, mandolin and even hurdy-gurdy!

One of twelve songs on the forthcoming album, 'Meet Me In The Twilight' typifies the excellent music that Seth Lakeman consistently delivers. The words written in the third paragraph above, put things far more eloquently than I can, they are also an honest appraisal of what is a delightful album.

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Lovecat - Song For Eternity (feat. Jill Possible).

Background - Lovecat is the DIY synth-pop project from the Vienna-based producer David Haering, and “Song For Eternity” features the very talented Jill Possible on vocals.

The Great Catsby is an album full of driving rhythms, playful basslines, and above all, the voice of a hopeful romantic. It will be coming out exactly five years after the release of his debut EP, and follows various radio hits in Europe and a remix for Morrissey's legendary guitarist and co-writer Boz Boorer. 

The album also explores his past experiences in various rock and punk rock bands, and the gray days between one night of partying and the next. The forthcoming album The Great Catsby is out September 9th via Fabrique Records.

Just a week or so ago we featured the first single, and hot on it's heels comes another really fine share from Lovecat. It's another lively soundtrack oozing energy and rhythm and the vocal duet just rounds the whole song off in style.

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Three Good Ones: Room1Fourteen - Novaa - Cocoa Futures

Room1Fourteen - So Cold.

Background promo - Room1Fourteen are an indie rock trio based in-between England and Switzerland. The band is made up William Mayos (vocals / guitar / piano /songwriter), Rob Green (guitar / production) and David Dasenbrook (drums /bass). “So Cold” is their free download single taken from their debut album “Control”, which are both available on 5th September 2016. “So Cold” is a rock n roll song sprinkled with melodic guitar hooks and a driving rhythmic section.

Will’s vocal is seamless and controlled hiding an underlying sense of frustration to whomever it concerns. The single and album are the follow up to the bands debut “Living In Dreams” EP (2015), which received airplay in Europe, U.S.A and Switzerland along with some positive blog support. They are planning to tour the album in the U.K. as lead vocalist Will is English and wishes to play live in his homeland. 

The bands influences are some of our rock n roll greats from Oasis, to Blur, The Smiths and Pink Floyd, which can be heard in their diverse rock output throughout the album. Keeping true too the great’s who paved the way before us the bands name comes from the number of a hotel room where what can only be described as something truly rock n roll occurred … Rock n Roll forever

There is something of a classic indie rock feel with 'So Cold', and enough of the bands own style and composition skills, to make the song extremely likable. Vocals are refined and sit well in the mix above some tight and powerful trio rock musicianship. The above cited influences are just that, this is no copycat band and if this is the benchmark for Septembers debut album, things are looking good.

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Novaa - Hands

Background - Novaa releases new single 'Hands' off her upcoming Stolen Peaches EP. "Hands" is about trying to connect to someone but not being able to get past the physical level. I tried to give it a very hypnotic, trance-like and also dark atmosphere that is meant to reflect that desperate feeling of not being able to see someone fully and clearly behind his/her human layers. During the song the protagonist is constantly questioning the relationship to the other person and tries to build a deeper connection. But as the efforts turn out to be pointless the protagonist tries to get that depth and devotion by destroying the relationship.

Novaa is a singer, songwriter and producer, and at only 19 years old, comparisons have been made to highly significant and creative artists such as Björk and Grimes. Within her unique sound which draws from elements of Electronica, Folk and Pop, Novaa creates an impactful new genre - "Organic Electronic". Belted by her crystal clear vocals, she builds on soundscapes that float above the common ground. Past the depths of everyday things and activity she finds fragile frameworks of sounds and vibrant bass notes, forming her own musical galaxy and creating magical new worlds to explore.

If the name Novaa seems familiar to you, it may just be because we featured her less than a month ago, with the song Rose. 'Hands' continues the trend of thoughtful, intriguing and melodic music indeed the nine track EP is something very special, with an eclectic mixture of electronic music and Novaa's beautiful vocals.

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Cocoa Futures - The Blue.

Background - Composed around an eerie, looped ice cream-van siren and a big dumb bass riff, ‘The Blue’ is sonically fitting for a track concerning the symbiotic relationship of the gleeful and the gloomy. “It’s a good idea to feel sad sometimes,” says Cocoa frontman Greg, “but the things you can do to avoid feeling down can be really, really fun.” It’s a sentiment delivered through a song that’s anchored by a super-fat metronomic midtempo groove that administers dancefloor thrust to melodic trills and percussive interjections while Greg urges us all to “Catch Up”. Characteristically Cocoa Futures, ‘The Blue’ is electro-inspired dance-oriented pop, at once absorbing and accessible but equally as adventurous, revealing new surprises and musically creative tricks with every listen. Fuck art, let’s dance? No need. Cocoa Futures have them both covered. “Our ethos is pretty simple – to be ambitious about making music we’re proud of. And to have a nice time.” Greg, Cocoa Futures

Scotland-bred and London-based, Cocoa Futures are the brainchild of frontman Greg (vocals/bass). They specialise in pristine pop harmonics crossed with a taste for the unexpected. Greg assembled a band including Dave (drums), Zoe (keys) and Jack (guitar) and first came to prominence in 2014 through the self-released upbeat singles ‘Do Something’ and ‘Scotland’, while commanding distinguished reviews for their select live shows, which included the Great Escape and Camden Crawl festivals. This early promise served as a staging post for the band to determine their musical direction and decamp to the studio to write. And write. Crafting and developing manifold demos became a daily pastime for Greg and when he sent a batch of these over to producer Marc Withasee (Micachu & the Shapes), he received a wordless reply that contained an amazing first draft of what would evolve into ‘The Blue’. Withasee and Cocoa Futures bonded over a love of ‘messed up’ pop and the producer was instrumental in setting tempos, tweaking arrangements and bringing out the band’s penchant for building tracks around loops and effects as they collaborated on the four-song ‘Blue’ EP, completed in early 2016. When Greg shared the results with Lost In The Manor Records, the label wasted no time in offering the band a contract and the EP’s release will coincide with a number of key London launch dates. ‘Blue’, mixed by Max Taylor and mastered by Jason Mitchell, is immediate yet intriguing, a collection of fantastic pop moments wrapped up in music of great depth, and its release seems set to propel Cocoa Futures to the frontline of UK pop’s key innovators.

Live:
Friday 16 September: Ryan’s Bar, London N16 (‘The Blue’ single launch)
Friday 7 October: Blogtober Festival, The Finsbury, London N4
Saturday 3 December: Sebright Arms, London E2 (‘Blue’ EP launch).

'The Blue' is due for release on 16th September, with the EP following in early December. The single is a wonderfully mixed up pop song, for me it's brings memories of Devo and Talking Heads, whilst in effect sounding like neither. I guess that's the wonder of "messed Up" music, and I just love it!

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Quality Not Quantity: Shannon Söderlund - The smallest Creature - Rachel Mason

Shannon Söderlund - Tomorrow's Only Tuesday.

Background bio - A fresh musical force on the NYC scene, Shannon Söderlund is serving up catchy pop-rock anthems to a hungry city. With driving guitar riffs and punchy rhythms reminiscent of the late 90’s, Shannon’s anthemic music is influenced by the soulfulness of gospel music and the spontaneity of jazz, resulting in a sound that is at once bright, clear, and deep. Her songwriting and performances capture the complexities of life — the highs, the lows, the trials and the joys — while indulging in head-bobbing grooves and infectious lyrics that get lips smiling and toes tapping.

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Shannon’s childhood was steeped in music. She spent the entirety of her youth playing and singing with her siblings and parents, who served as musical missionaries in Washington State and beyond. They toured internationally from the late ‘80s to the early 2000s, wandering over the continental United States, Mexico, Great Britain, and Europe, singing in 5-part harmony and generally rocking out.

While Shannon has written songs since the tender age of 7, it wasn’t until her college years that she began to pursue the craft of songwriting in earnest. Studying jazz in Washington and Montana, Shannon’s writing began to draw from the diverse history of american music. In 2012 she moved to New York, where she continued honing her craft while performing around the city. She released her first EP of original music in 2014, the demo Innocent Heart. Her follow-up EP, The Magic, is set to be released in the summer of 2016.

Shannon now lives in the delightful borough of Queens, writing and singing wherever and whenever she can. She spends her free time watching the flow of the East River, drinking local beer, and listening to the beautiful music the city has to offer.

From the four song EP The Magic released a short while ago, we feature the first song in the collection 'Tomorrow's Only Tuesday'. What a refreshing set of songs these are, pop/rock by nature, there is energy and depth within each song. Whether it's the stompy power of the featured track, or the more sultry blues feel within 'Addicted' the quality is constant, and always delivered with real feeling, and superb vocals.

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The smallest Creature - Reboot.

Background - The smallest Creature is the brainchild of Stefanos Marnerides, with the name starting off as an alias around 2007. At the time, Stefanos was composing and performing small gigs in New York, while also putting together demo recordings with the help of Stefan Held in Brooklyn, NY.

In 2011 Stefanos moved to Larnaca and signed up with Fishbone Records, though that collaboration ended peacefully later on. Meanwhile, The smallest Creature turned into a power trio with long standing friends and past bandmates Stephanos Nicolaou on the bass and Iacovos Stylianides on the drums. For a brief period Pavlos Chrysanthou joined as a lead guitarist, while Demetris Marnerides accompanied on the guitar and piano occasionally.

Over several live shows the trio evolved and gave flesh to a number of original songs, which were eventually recorded towards an album release in Fishbone Studios, under the old Barrel House pub, with engineer Marios Hadjikos, a.k.a the Mole. The album is in the final stages of production and it will be released independently soon.

'Reboot' is one of four song's Ive been able to listen to from The smallest Creature, and on the strength of that I have a feeling the promised album will be pretty special. Reboot gives an idea of the thought and creativity found in the bands music, overall I think the alt rock tag is a fitting one, however expect them to explore many different ideas and do them extremely well.

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Rachel Mason - Tigers in the Dark.

Background - Renowned performance artist and musician Rachel Mason, freshly signed to Los Angeles-based Cleopatra Records, has announced her forthcoming single ‘Tigers in the Dark’, along with an accompanying video, directed by Matthew Spiegelman and choreographed by Haylee Nichele. This is the first single from the forthcoming album ‘Das Ram'. The single, which is due out on September 9, will be followed by the 'Das Ram' LP, to be released digitally by Cleopatra Records and on limited edition cassette by Practical Records.

This song is written from the voice of an imaginary animal-human hybrid, who expresses the idea that real life only occurs on the stage, as it represents the creative dimension where everything is possible.

‘Das Ram’ is the first complete set of songs written and performed with Mason's longtime creative partner Jeff Hassay. An artist, writer and publisher, who also co-runs an art gallery, Hassay recorded, mixed and produced these tracks at his studio in Los Feliz. He has previously worked with Jonathan Richman (Modern Lovers), Jennifer Herrema (Royal Trux, Black Bananas), Avi Buffalo, Chris Cohen (Deerhoof), and Carolyn Penny Packer (Bouquet).

“Tigers In the Dark is one of those songs that felt like it was already written when I started singing it. Jeff was playing this little guitar riff and I just heard the lyrics and the melody instantly. It felt like it was just handed to me,” explains Rachel Mason. “The voice of the character in the Tigers song feels like it just wanted to exist with or without me. I'm just the vessel that gets to carry it out into the world right now. The video feels like it magically coalesced.”

In scripts, sculpture, rock operas, performances and songs spanning over a decade, Mason has created imagined worlds where animals, objects, mythological creatures and all forms of non-human entities have taken shape through her body and voice. Her shows wrap the audience in fantastical narratives which interweave musical, theatrical and narrative elements into unexpected operatic journeys.

'Tigers in the Dark' has a feisty vibe running through the song. Rachel Mason's vocals demand your attention, as they explore the drama of the music. With a marching beat, the track is something of a mini epic.

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Genre Wander: Yellow Castle - Ethan & The Reformation - MERGES - Edamame

Yellow Castle - Restless Creature.

Background promo - Indie pop duo, Yellow Castle, formed by Peter Money (19) and Emily Matthews (21) from Perth, WA have released their catchy debut single ‘Restless Creature’ into the wild world of music through The A&R Department. Money and Matthews have been in the Perth music scene for a few years recently branching off from Rich King Matthews to become a duo.

Fans of Rich King Matthews, 44th Sunset, Mumford and Sons, The Kooks, Dresses, Slow Club and The Ave: Brothers will remember and enjoy Matthews’ sweet harmonies and jaunty piano riffs combined with Money’s upbeat acoustic guitar and warm vocals.

‘Restless Creature’ speaks of the calm at the end of an anxious spiral, where the “what ifs” and fears that keep you up at night, are dulled by the support of those you love, and who love you. The track was recorded and produced by Sam Wylde at Dalkeith Road School of Music, who says of the pair, “they deliver a really nice blend of catchy hooks, clever lyrics and smooth harmonies, a super exciting new band.”

Fuelled by dreams, camomile tea and backing of the ones who mean most, Yellow Castle’s future plans include an EP and global touring. They have already dipped their toes into the music scene with a handful of shows in their hometown and a taste of interstate touring at The Horse in Surry Hills. August will bring them a month’s residency at The Good Shepherd in Perth, a slot at the Monkey Bar in Mandurah and everything else that they can get their hands on. “Restless Creature” by Yellow Castle will be released 26th of August 2016. 

I'm not sure whether to describe this as indie folk or indie pop, I guess what really matters is how good 'Restless Creature' is, and in my opinion, this is a beautiful song. Yes the modern folk twist is there, along with a feel good, upbeat mixture of singing and playing. Its a definite play again, which perhaps is the best measurement.

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Ethan & The Reformation - Hollandia.

Background - Bury/Manchester based psych-rock quintet Ethan & The Reformation are pleased to announce the release of their debut single ‘Hollandia’ which is out now via Bohemian Sex Club on all good digital platforms. A captivating five piece whose retro pop/rock sound pays homage to the greats of the era including The Doors, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The 13th Floor Elevators, in a comfortably familiar, yet refreshingly new take on psychedelia, souped-up and over-driven for the modern age.

‘Hollandia’ was recorded at Manchester's Vibe studios and was produced by Dean Glover and mastered by Pete Maher, whose impressive roster includes The Rolling Stones, U2, Jack White, Noel Gallagher, The Killers, Beady Eye, Paul Weller and many more. Formed in September 2015 by frontman and rhythm guitarist Ethan Davies, the song writer struck up a friendship with lead guitarist Mick Mac in July 2013, whilst both performing at Wonderwall Festival in Flensburg, Germany on a bill that was topped by Jefferson Airplane. Two years passed before another chance meeting between the pair at Liverpool International Festival of Psychedelia.

A week or so later at Mick's home, they began to develop songs written by Davies, where it quickly became apparent to them that this was something they had to pursue. After a handful of meetings, they had demoed four tracks with which they approached bassist James Cordeiro and drummer Thomas Oliver Gorton. Davies had known both from around Manchester and was immediately struck by their unity as a rhythm section, moving quickly to recruit the pair. The line-up was completed with the addition of Jack Wakeman, nephew of Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman, on keys.

With gritty vocals and a mean guitar riff 'Hollandia' notifies the listener in seconds of which direction the song is going. Harmonies add some more colour, whilst everything else unashamedly marches on with real rock'n'roll attitude.

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MERGES - ATL.

Background - Nashville alternative artist MERGES makes her debut with the captivating single, "ATL." “ATL” was recorded in Nashville at Glass Onion Recording Studio with co-producers Markus Midkiff (member of Kopecky), and JD Tiner (Erin Rae, Birdtalker). 

MERGES describes the song as “That feeling when you’re in a relationship that’s becoming worse each day, but neither person is breaking it off or even wants to admit it's not good."

Originally from South Dakota, Kelsey Merges moved to Nashville in her teens and has watched Music City evolve from a town known only for country music, to a haven for independent artists pursuing music of all genres. MERGES’ brand of dark-pop draws influence from artists such as Banks and James Blake, and she blends electronic, R&B, and pop melodies on this new project.

Soft melodic vocals drift above a somewhat darker musical soundtrack. 'ATL' is a creative and pretty individual song, that only becomes a little more mainstream with the harmonies. This is a strong and quite powerful debut single, that suggests we really should expect to hear more.

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Edamame - Ochre.

Background - Following the stunning success of his previous full length album releases, Edamame is joining up with experimental/ambient electronic music powerhouse Emancipator for the next release on his Loci Records imprint.  "Ochre" is now out for streaming and purchase.

Ironically enough, the man behind the downtempo "Ochre" album comes from a metal/rock background, having begun the Edamame project after years on the road touring with various bands. "I always had a soft spot for ambient and more chilled out melodic music though, even when I was surrounded by screaming and heavy guitar riffs," he told the Chicago Tribune in an exclusive piece. “Ochre” is his 10th album, a monumental achievement that was inspired by a recent trip to perform at a music festival in Guatemala. Rather than using solely computerised samples, Edamame used naturally derived sounds and field recordings on his phone of organic samples like birds chirping and outside chatter to show off his various inspirations from around the world. For Edamame, music is not merely a hobby, it’s a method of introspection, transformation, and a personal comfort zone in which he can truly express his creativity and vision.

Hailing from Chicago, Edamame is the stage name of 27-year-old ambient electronic music producer Ed Harris. With sounds equally inspired by the great outdoors and the worldís divergent cultures, Ed's productions often teem with organic sonic textures personally field-recorded during his planetary exploration. Edamame has carved out his unique sound by synthesising instrumental hip hop with downtempo melodies further informed by his deep love for world music.

The title track and one of ten on the new album 'Ochre' typifies the ambient and beautifully crafted music within this collection. The intriguing and quite eclectic range of samples and natural sounds are blended together in a superb manner. Moods and tempo shift from track to track, and a pleasing melodic vibe is never far away. Judging by the number of listens on three songs already, I really do hope this is on the way to being noticed far and wide.

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Fridays Alternative Take: The Orb - The Grand Undoing - Tim Muddiman & The Strange - Cubicolor

The Orb - 5th Dimensions.

Background promo - On October 14th Kompakt present The Orb’s 16th album, COW / Chill Out, World!, which marks a creative renewal for the duo. It also features contributions from Youth and Roger Eno, and is encased in minimal ‘ambient cover art’ courtesy of The Designers Republic.

Despite apparently clear connotations to their history, influences and peers (like Alex Paterson’s uncredited role in the KLF’s ‘Chill Out’ album, or the cover cows of Pink Floyds ‘Atom Heart Mother’), the album’s title is actually an instruction, or at least a friendly suggestion. Whilst Alex calls it “a protest album in reverse”, Thomas Fehlmann further explains, “We didn’t intend to rehash old chill out vibes. On the contrary. It’s the 21st century and it seems like a good idea for people to sit back and chill the f out, before continuing to act destructively. To chill out is to act consciously, guided from a calm centre.”

Featuring only the occasional presence of buoyant, gently rhythmic pulses and loops, Alex Paterson describes COW as “Our most ambient album yet”. Sounds bubble, flutter and float through various atmospheres and moods, from bucolic and picturesque, childlike wonderment, the texture of bygone memories, to the universe’s infinite depth.

COW’s creation came together in different circumstances with a different working method to their last album. As 'Moonbuilding 2703 AD' was originally commissioned by the English National Opera, the duo immersed themselves in that new world and maintained a close, continuous dialogue with the opera’s orchestrator and technicians. The production fell through due to budget cuts and the recordings were then adapted for album format, hence its 6 year gestation period.

COW on the other hand, took just 6 months to make. One of main reasons for its speedy completion was Alex’s recording of sounds whilst touring the world, straight to Ableton, using his iPhone. Field recordings were easily captured, whilst the countless hours of ‘downtime’ travelling, or at sound-checks became valuable moments for spontaneous creative laptop productivity.

'5th Dimensions' will be one of ten tracks on the bands sixteenth album, and boy is it a good one. If the album is as ambient and pleasing as this piece of music, I will be one very happy person. If  people can't chill out to this, then they really should pause, for thought!

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The Grand Undoing - Most Of All We Just Go Around.

Background - Seth Goodman, who records as The Grand Undoing, has two extreme passions in life: drinking sparkling wine and creating psychedelic post-rock Americana confronting alienation and mortality. This strange mix, the bubbly and brooding, has become the stock-in-trade of TGU’s growing catalogue.

An only child, Goodman leaned hard on his record player while coming of age just outside Boston. The area’s free-form college radio and vibrant club scene also had a profound effect. The final piece fell into place later in life when Goodman developed a deep affinity for classic country and roots music. All these influences would swirl and collide with his deeply entrenched outsider's sensibility to form The Grand Undoing’s distinctive sound.

First came 2011’s Appeasing the Sick, then 2014’s White Space Flavors and Parties on TV. Both made bold musical statements that landed in the vicinity of “David Bowie on acid backed by the Swans” (Indie News At Noon.) With his latest release, Sparks Rain Down from the Lights of Love (out on Secret Candy Rock Records), Goodman manages to push his musical boundaries even further. He romps from style to style but never abandons his love of the almighty hook and cohesion – albeit the cohesion of constant upheaval.

When reflecting on the heady topics presented in the new material, Goodman explains that the end result is meant to uplift and inspire. He hopes The Grand Undoing’s music will provide a cinematic escape, make great driving music, or be the perfect accompaniment to a bottle of sparkling wine.

One of ten genre hopping songs 'Most Of All We Just Go Around' is a fine song, however it can only scratch the surface of the music from The Grand Undoing. The one constant is the quality, otherwise this is a little like a restless child who cannot sit still, always off trying something else out. In this at least we are left with great songs and don't have to do much parenting.

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Tim Muddiman & The Strange - Hand And Claws.

Background - Over the last 18 months Tim Muddiman has released, written and produced a vast amount of work. Tim and his band have regularly impressed publications in The UK, USA, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Mexico, Ireland and Belgium as well as having worldwide radio play and also support from BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 6.

Paradise Runs Deeper is a deeply crafted album with songs of survival and healing. Big blues guitar riffs and sometimes dark modern grooves and modern production have brought this album to have its own unique sound and character.

Tim Muddiman and The Strange is best described as a combination of genres and is ultimately unique. It has its own sound that is not immediately categorised. It is fresh and song driving with heavy trem guitar hooks, crafted drum breaks and clever studio programming. Tim Muddiman is also a producer and musician for Gary Numan, Pop Will Eat Itself and various other projects. Influences can heard from Bjork to Fleetwood Mac to Nine Inch Nails and also 80's electro and blues. The band consists of other musicians from a professional touring back ground. If you like good music . You'll like this band.

From the forthcoming album release 'Paradise Runs Deeper' I have chosen the song 'Hand And Claws' that appeared on YouTube back in late April. It really is a challenge to try and describe the overall sound of the album, thirteen songs vie for your attention, each one having its own attributes. I guess the feeling I have is that of something quite deep, powerful and at times emotional, whilst never to dark. There are a few other music videos by Tim Muddiman (here), that give more incite into this creative and intriguing album due for release on September 9th.

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Cubicolor - Dead End Thrills.

Background - Cubicolor present their debut album - ‘Brainsugar’ - to be released on September 16th on Anjunadeep. Cubicolor have emerged as one of the most exciting acts to come through the European underground in recent times. Championed by Pete Tong as one of his artists to watch, praised by Mixmag, Spin, Clash, and DJ Mag, and supported by a host of heavyweight DJs, Cubicolor look set to break through with their anticipated debut LP.

Having launched in 2014 with two members, Dutch producers Ariaan Olieroock and Peter Kriek, Cubicolor now welcome British vocalist , and former Duologue front-man Tim Digby-Bell into the band as their third member, following much loved collaborations on ‘Falling’ and ‘Mirror Play’ over the past 12 months. In his time with Duologue, Tim produced, co-wrote and sang on two records acclaimed by the likes of The Guardian, NME, DIY Mag and The Line Of Best Fit.

On ‘Brainsugar’ we hear an evolution in Cubicolor’s sound across a host of diverse and infectious tracks, combining beautiful songwriting with brilliantly cohesive clarity, echoing their influences; Radiohead, Massive Attack and Moderat to name a few. Tim’s lyrical depth and haunting vocal style shine throughout the album, which features 8 vocal tracks and 4 instrumentals.

Throughout August and September 2016 Cubicolor bring their well-honed electronic sound to venues large and small across North America for a DJ tour, including a string of underground club shows and notable festival performances at Electric Zoo and Nocturnal Wonderland where they perform on Anjunadeep label stages alongside the likes of Âme, George Fitzgerald, Lane 8, HVOB, Henrik Schwarz and Yotto. Cubicolor are currently developing a full live show to be launched later this year.

I can see the freely admitted Radiohead influences in the song 'Dead End Thrills', that said this is a lush and beautiful song that oozes melodic vibes. Add me to the list of those keenly anticipating their debut album.

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