Ava Vegas - Plastic Barricades - David Vertesi - Fallon Cush

Ava Vegas - Your Secrets With Me.

Prepare to be transported to a realm where desert landscapes blend seamlessly with dystopian, high-tech visions in the video for Berlin-based, singer-songwriter Ava Vegas captivating, "Your Secrets With Me." The video marks the directorial debut from LA-based fashion designer Erika Maish. A fortuitous meeting in Los Angeles brought together Maish and Ava Vegas, resulting in a stunning visual interpretation of the mesmerizing track. Their collaboration showcases their shared artistic vision and marks an exciting union of fashion and music. “Your Secrets With Me” is featured on her sophomore album, Desert Songs, released this spring via The Orchard, Ava Vegas invites listeners to embark on an introspective and musically intoxicating odyssey.

Introduced by a fellow fashion designer who recognized their potential for dynamic collaborations, Erika Maish and Ava Vegas embarked on a creative journey that pushed the boundaries of their respective crafts. Filming the entire music video on an old mini-DV camera, they embraced a nostalgic aesthetic that perfectly complemented the ethereal nature of the song.

Dressed in Erika Maish's exquisite creations, Ava Vegas exudes a captivating aura that effortlessly intertwines with the music's transcendent themes. Maish's keen eye for fashion and attention to detail resulted in a wardrobe that perfectly encapsulates the essence of the song and enhances the visual narrative.

The collaboration between Erika Maish and Ava Vegas epitomizes the powerful connection between music and fashion, offering viewers a multi-sensory experience that transcends traditional artistic boundaries. Through their collective talent and shared artistic vision, they have created a music video that is both visually captivating and thematically aligned with the depth of the song.

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Plastic Barricades - Second-hand Dreams.

London indie rock band Plastic Barricades is back with a new single “Second-hand Dreams” out today 17th of August 2023. This is the third introduction to the upcoming third album “We Stayed Indoors”, due in autumn this year.

“Second-hand Dreams” explores the world where we are always on a cusp of a better life, but never quite there. Overwhelmed and overworked, we are drowning in an endless ocean of distractions and superficial communication, trying to impress people we don’t actually like.

Our thoughts and actions are being regulated and limited and we are afraid of taking risks and breaking free from the confines of conformity. We live someone else’s dreams, which are moulded by corporations and their relentless ad agencies.

Can we escape this never-ending rat race and find solace in discovering our own authentic path? The single comes accompanied by a quirky music video made using the latest developments in AI-assisted text-to-video algorithms. Produced by the band’s art director Elina Pasok, the video invites you on a quest through the office cubicles and winding corridors in search of a dream that’s truly yours.



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Photo - Justin Broadbent

David Vertesi - Who Am I Now.

For 15 years, David Vertesi has appeared as an integral part of some of Canada’s most exciting indie-rock projects. Whether he’s playing in Hey Ocean!, Shad, Dear Rouge, Hannah Georgas, or Said the Whale, producing Haley Blais, Noble Son, Ashleigh Ball, or Riun Garner, Vertesi brings a uniquely sensuous and brooding sensibility, an intricate sonic depth that multiplies the layers of a song.

In his solo work, these dramatic flairs ignite on full display. Vertesi has an equal command over choreographing lush technologic atmospheres of instrumentation as he does squeezing the naked emotional core from a piano, steady bass drum, and the soft plucking rhythm of a guitar. But it’s his own voice that distinguishes these spectrums of rough-and-tumble and tightly polished stories of confusion, loneliness, death, and ennui. Vertesi’s growling inimitable baritone deepens the tender poetry and sense of humour as he emerges centre-stage as a fully formed front-man of his own musical expression.

“This song was born out of the individual and collective renegotiation of self that I have witnessed since 2020 and the beginning of the pandemic,” Vertesi explains. “With my band of 15+ years [Hey Ocean!] on indefinite hiatus, I was attempting to do this for myself, however, I couldn't help but notice pretty much everyone around me was doing the same: leaving jobs, moving cities, ending relationships. But whether mourning or celebrating the loss of our old lives it seemed like we were all asking ourselves the same question.”

David Vertesi · Who Am I Now

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Fallon Cush - Hang On To Me.

The release of Fallon Cush's 2019 album, Stranger Things Have Happened was to have been the next step in their progression, with the band preparing to head to Melbourne for shows when the Covid pandemic lockdowns forced the cancellation of their plans.

Mental health issues are spoken about far more frequently than they once were but for Steve Smith, the head honcho of Fallon Cush, the breakdown he suffered at the beginning of 2020 came as a complete shock. Left with crippling anxiety, Smith stopped work, become increasingly isolated and barely pickup a guitar as he disengaged with the world.

Following a period of recovery and change, Smith and Fallon Cush unexpectedly re-emerged in 2023 with the single ‘Grain Of Salt’. Performed by Smith and Josh Schuberth who also recorded, mixed and mastered the track, 'Grain Of Salt' proved to be another soulful, melodic gem from the band. "

Now the band proudly unveil the second single from their forthcoming five track EP Tricks. 'Hang On To Me', is a song that again finds Smith seemingly effortlessly crafting a sublime vocal melody in his affecting and unassuming style. Complemented by equally emotive pedal steel and keys, the warm and breezy country rock song explores the theme of self-care, with a real emphasis on the 'me' of the title.

"I was addressing the song to myself from me but trying to do it in such a way that it could’ve been from someone else as well." Smith reveals. "At that time I was trying to be kinder to myself and the song was a bit of a statement that I’d look after myself better than I had been and that if I did, I’d get through."

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The Bones of J.R. Jones

The Bones of J.R. Jones - The Good Life.

Today, the New York-based artist The Bones of J.R. Jones released “The Good Life” from Slow Lightning, his first studio album in more than 5 years that will be released on October 13 via Tone Tree Music. The new single arrives alongside a moving official video where actress Maggie McDowell does what we all dream of: ditch the chaos of your day job, light a cigarette and hit the open road in search of fireworks, open fields, amusement parks and just a moment of pure joy.

About the new song, Jonathon Linaberry (best known by his stage name The Bones of J.R. Jones) explains:,“'The Good Life' was definitely a product of me trying to break through and learn to enjoy the moment I am in. Even if that moment is hard. Even if it is frustrating. Even if it feels like treading water, which in my mind is a synonym for death. I suppose I wrote ‘The Good Life’ to help remind myself of that. That we can always find a way out.”

“I wanted this video to walk the line of joy and heaviness of life. I wanted it to feel real enough so that we could all relate to that moment where Maggie leaves it all behind (even though we all, always come back). I think that's one of the beautifully sad things about what we do to ourselves as humans. We are gluttons for punishment. We torture ourselves because we don't think there is any other way to move forward. The original concept had Maggie raising a little more hell. Fist fights. Stealing cigarettes. Breaking windows. But I think if we went down that path it would be tough to find the joy in what ultimately is a hopeful song,” he adds about the video.

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Edie Yvonne - Grace Enger - Callum Gaudet - The Haptics

Edie Yvonne - On Your Mind.

Up-and-coming indie pop artist Edie Yvonne has released her formidable new single, “On Your Mind,” a groove that showcases the teen’s lyrical power. With an introspective narrative and a melodic arrangement, Edie Yvonne effortlessly takes listeners on a transformative musical experience, unveiling the essence of her emotional state as it intertwines with a loved one. “On Your Mind” is now available to stream and download on all digital music platforms.

“On Your Mind” artfully portrays a wide range of sentiments, taking listeners on an emotional rollercoaster. "I wrote 'On Your Mind' after feeling like I couldn’t get through to a loved one,” explains Edie Yvonne offering a heartfelt glimpse into her inner world. “I was questioning how to be close with someone and feel so far away, so disconnected." This upbeat, guitar-driven anthem tells a story that resonates deeply, drawing listeners into her situation and igniting a sense of connection and relatability. Through the power of her words, Edie delves into the tempestuous distance between two souls, wondering what occupies the mind of the other person and why they struggle to find a lasting bond. With a desire to understand and embrace the complexities within her relationship, Edie is determined to navigate and mend them while actively seeking to bridge the distance between them.

In her latest single, Edie Yvonne intimately explores the vivid turbulence of being unable to connect with someone she has a personal relationship with. Her lyrics resonate with raw feelings, shedding light on the challenging dynamics of a troubled relationship. “On Your Mind” was written by Edie and is a collaboration with producers Nicky Swedin and Cormac Liotta for Rrose Productions. It comes as a follow-up to her well-received tracks "In the Rain" and "Stain."

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Grace Enger - Well Here We Are (E.P).

Hoboken, New Jersey artist Grace Enger has released her new EP, “Well Here We Are”, which is dripping with emotive pop ballads that just keep getting better as you make your way through it.

After having fallen in love with songwriting at a young age, Grace Enger has gone on to recently find immense attention for her solo music and has gained a large following on Tiktok through her original songs. 2023 has seen many successes for this rising artist, as she has just begun supporting Maisie Peter’s on her US tour, alongside the arrival of this stunning new EP.

The vibrant pop sound the EP exudes includes impressive contributions from Dan Wilson (Adele, Taylor Swift) and Alexander 23 (Olivia Rodrigo, Tate Mcrae). Across the whole project, “Well Here We Are” explores a variety of themes and styles, and lyricism that comes directly from the heart, making it an earnest, heartfelt collection of tracks, which will resonate with many.

The EP features pre-released singles “Bad Guy”, “When It Was Over”, “The Cut” and “The Neighborhood" (her debut single in 2022). Alongside these tracks, she has released several other stellar new singles to delve into.

 

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Photo - Megan Currie

Callum Gaudet - Winnebago Lovers.

Callum Gaudet shares a past self’s visions of the future on new single “Winnebago Lovers.” “This is a love song from my youth, but not for any one person; it’s a love song for the kind of person I hoped to be with, and the kind of life I wanted to live,” said Gaudet (he/him). “I grew up in rural Nova Scotia where the ocean, the woods, and the stormy weather were all big parts of my upbringing. When I moved to the city after graduating from high school, I was enamored with the cultural diversity, the food, and the fact that live music happened every weekend.”

That said, trading locales created a dissonance between Gaudet’s youth and early adulthood. “By leaning so far into a new direction, I lost my old self,” he said. “I realized that I missed the outdoors, I missed finding myself in situations that I wasn’t prepared for. Doing camping trips and long distance treks put me in situations that required human spirit to overcome, and that resilience, the ability to laugh at trouble, was what I realized I was looking for from a partnership. This song is an ode to resilience, support in the face of adversity, and a love of bad weather.”

 “Winnebago Lovers” hails from Gaudet’s album, Ghosts, out this October. “This process has been like publishing a collection of short stories,” he said. “About half of these songs started with characters. As soon as I could see these characters I started searching for what happened to them. Sometimes this was a practice in writing, and sometimes this was an exploration of my own emotions. I could look back at something that happened in my life and appreciate the significance, retelling the story to myself with a fresh perspective.”

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The Haptics - Zeroes.

The Haptics Illuminate the Depths of Mental Health with Latest Release 'Zeroes' which is a Heartfelt Tribute to Shared Journeys and Unyielding Unity

Zeroes: Anyone who's spent time in psychiatric care, especially in a hospital setting, knows the hopelessness of their long hallways and empty gazes. But there's also a powerful unity in suffering together, even at your lowest point. That's what inspired these words and propels this song to its conclusion, which is an acknowledgement of a mental health patient that Jin met years ago who unfortunately passed during her care. - explains the band.

The Haptics formed in 2022, united by a love for post-punk. Based in Vancouver, their music blends dark post-punk beats with Alternative Rock and Grunge. Their name signifies a focus on sensory experiences. Influenced by Joy Division and The Cure, they modernize the genre. Their live shows captivate with high energy and introspective lyrics. The debut album from late 2022 received acclaim for emotion and instrumentals. The band is involved in visual arts, reflecting their aesthetic. Strong social media presence and collaborations have expanded their fanbase. The Haptics' willingness to experiment keeps their sound fresh.

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Bo Milli - Margo Cilker - Montao - The Breath

Bo Milli - Come After Me.

Bergen, Norway-based indie-rock starlet Bo Milli has announced her long awaited debut EP will be released this autumn and has released its latest taster, new single "Come After Me".

Tipped by many to be one of the next breakout Norwegian artists, Bo Milli's new single "Come After Me" follows recent track "Making Friends" and arrives ahead of a coveted slot at Øya Festival this Saturday.

Blending richly textured dream-pop with surging indie rock, Bo Milli's new single "Come After Me" is adorned with an irresistibly youthful edge. "I'm on my own / overthinking" Milli cries in the track's exhilarating chorus; punctuated by crushing guitar strums and propelled forward by a zestful rhythm section.

Co-produced by Odd Martin (Sigrid, Sløtface) and co-written with Henrik Michelsen (Maisie Peters, Little Mix), "Come After Me" is again emotionally fuelled by the cold Bergen night life - a recurring theme across her debut EP - with Bo Milli this time specifically overthinking on her journey home from a party...

Speaking more on "Come After Me", Bo Milli said: "I'm fantasising about a big romantic gesture from someone I'm worried might not be that interested. I'm walking home from a party they're still at, overthinking the whole night and feeling that if they come after me, that'll somehow prove we're on the same page. Although I haven't told them how I feel, I hope they'll know to leave the party and run after me like in the movies."

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Margo Cilker - With The Middle.

Margo Cilker is set to return with her highly anticipated second album Valley Of Heart’s Delight on September 15 via Loose. In anticipation of the release, she is sharing the record’s final single, “With the Middle,” a stirring ballad about the all-too-familiar struggle for self-care. Holler praises "'With The Middle' is everything we’ve come to expect from Margo Cilker, one of the most distinctive and self-assured voices to have stepped out of the world of American country-folk in the last few years". Of the track, Cilker offers:

"After hearing 'With the Middle' about 30 times on a video shoot, my friend Bart texted me, 'Regarding your middle song. Have you considered napping?' I guess this is a song for those of us who can’t nap. It takes me to a time when I felt incredibly fragile. I like the way Sera’s production bolsters the song; the track was almost unbearably lonely before the drums, bass, piano and steel."

Cilker initially announced Valley Of Heart’s Delight with opener “Lowland Trail,” which saw Rolling Stone exclaim, “The singer-songwriter is poised to have a breakout year.” They went on to name the track one of the "20 Best Country Songs of 2023 So Far" listing Cilker among standouts like Megan Moroney, Zach Bryan, Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Leon Bridges, Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Ashley McBryde, Morgan Wade, Lainey Wilson, and more.

The forthcoming 11-track set was produced by Sub Pop alum Sera Cahoone (who also contributes drums) and recorded by John Morgan Askew (Neko Case, Laura Gibson) with studio players from The Decemberists, Band Of Horses, and Beirut. The title Valley Of Heart’s Delight refers to a place where Cilker can't return: California’s Santa Clara Valley, as it was known before the orchards were paved over and became more famous for Silicon than apricots. She is the fifth generation of her namesake born there, and in this new collection of songs, family and nature intertwine as guiding motifs, at once precious and endangered, beautiful and exhausting.

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Montao - Costa Del Mersey.

Oh this is really good and it's an opportunity for Beehive Candy to add some more genre traveling under our belt! For me it's a mixture of 'Old School Meets Today' and it's done with creativity and style, so enjoy, as we add the background story. As a homage to his home town of Liverpool, Montao has returned with a dreamy sun drenched track, lovingly named after the coastline along Merseyside. The track interweaves amidst a variety of nuances and musical suggestions, whilst slapping a massive smile on your face.

The head nodding laid back vibe transcends the picture being painted with simple instructions...to kick back, spin this over the summer months, and to simply have some fun! This hazy ray of trip hop brings Montao back onto the scene, and Costa Del Mersey is a welcome addition to his collection

After decades of experience as a multi instrumentalist, recording artist, music publicist, artist manager, and everything else in between, these aspects have fused together and spawned a new musical landscape in the world of Montao. Following the incredible success of his single releases to date, including a plethora of international radio support, multiple blog features, and playlist placements, Montao returns with string of releases dropping throughout the rest of 2023 under the umbrella of Def Pressé Records.

His up coming collaborations will include tracks featuring Slug (Atmosphere), Copywrite, Koncept, RoQy TyRaid, and Lane Shuler. His music transcends from the depths of quirky samples, sofa style beats, and paints a cinematic story based around all the elements of the stories he creates combining elements of Trip hop, Hip hop, and Lo-fi influences. Encapsulated amidst the terrain of a curious and sometimes confusing world, Montao is putting things right…one beat at a time.

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The Breath - Don't Rush It.

The Breath announce details of their new album, ‘Land Of My Other' and share new track "Don't Rush It". Ten original tracks of raw, gorgeous, acoustic-minded music. Songs that tell stories in ways that soothe, stir, exalt, and touch emotional chords that will bring tears of lamenting joy, to your eyes. ‘Land of My Other’ is set for release on vinyl, CD and digital via Real World Records on 13th October 2023.

"If it all falls tomorrow, be glad of today" …sings Ríoghnach Connolly, on "Don’t Rush It", the first song to feature from the album. It might be about the toll we pay for leaving home, the mistakes we make by hurrying grief or something else… it’s the opening track of an album where Connolly’s emotions run the gamut: righteous, sorrowful, joyous. Authenticity is at a premium. Shame is cast aside.
‘Land of My Other’ is written and performed by the sublime partnership of Ríoghnach [Ree-uh-na] Connolly and guitarist Stuart McCallum.  For the widely acclaimed duo, this is the third album under their moniker The Breath.

"We work like two halves of a single songwriter," says McCallum, the Manchester-based composer and producer. "Imagine a guitarist and a singer who are not separate but are separate people. We just have this really special connection that lets us listen, adapt and evolve a piece of music together."

Connolly nods her agreement. "Stuart is the yin to my yang," says the BBC Folk Singer of the Year, her north of Ireland accent un-tempered by two decades of Manchester living. "He has one face. I have many. He's very measured. I'm not. I like mayhem. He doesn't. I know where I am with him."

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Lucy Lorenne & The Early Birds - Laura Groves - Ora Cogan - Echo Ladies

Photo - Mediaroid

Lucy Lorenne & The Early Birds - Tamagotchi Nights.

Melbourne's dynamic six-piece indie pop rock outfit, Lucy Lorenne & The Early Birds, are dropping a vibrant and nostalgia-driven pop anthem, 'Tamagotchi Nights', accompanied by an equally charming music video today Friday, August 11.

With her debut EP, 'Summers Gone', already under her belt, the charismatic Lucy Lorenne and her band continue to grow their endearing sound as they explore new depths of sonic and lyrical maturity with this power pop anthem that takes a colourful trip down memory lane.

'Tamagotchi Nights' – co-written by Lucy Lorenne, Matt Hargreaves and Flagrant Artists producer Ben Oldland (Ūla, Ashwarya, Alley Eley, Genes, Sian Fuller) –  is a vibrant boppy number that pays homage to childhood innocence and fantasy. With an air of melancholy for the more innocent times gone by, the song captures the essence of post-millennial nostalgia.

Lucy Lorenne & The Early Birds create a captivating soundscape that goes on a joyful trip down memory lane. Opening with an 8-bit synth riff, the track bursts with a delightful blend of upbeat guitars and charming video game-like synth lines, infusing the song with a playful atmosphere. The driving drums keep the energy soaring, while Lucy Lorenne's absolutely adorable vocals and heartfelt lyricism add a touch of innocence and sincerity to the mix. Effortlessly weaving together the catchy 8-bit elements with infectious indie-pop hooks, the track is a mixed bag of emotions that builds to an exhilarating and euphoric chorus.

 

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Laura Groves – Radio Red (Album).

Much of Radio Red, the first full length album Laura Groves has released under her own name, was written, produced and recorded by Groves in her studio, watched over by two radio transmitting towers. “I became very drawn to them and they became like symbols to me; they were always awake, sending their messages, the red lights always came on at night and watched over whatever was going on in my life.” The album deals with themes of communication - missed and intercepted signals, chance meetings, synchronicities, the channels through which we try to express our true feelings, the outside interference that can get in the way and the joy of letting go and allowing the messages to flow freely.

Working its way through years of Laura’s life as an artist - early experiences of releasing music, live performance, touring, build up and breakdown, the record was a way to tune in to the many, often conflicting signals of fragmented memories. “I’ve always been very sensitive and open to what’s happening around me, and also struggle with the sheer amount of noise sometimes. There was a radio tower on the hill opposite the house where I grew up - I would look out at the network of streetlights winding up towards it and it all had a sort of mystery to me. It was a kind of escapism and a comfort, with an undertone of melancholy that was hard to put into words. I think that glow, that strange feeling, is what I’m always searching for and exploring through making music and artwork.”

This is the wavelength Laura is tuning into and trying to pin down in “Sky at Night” and the “faraway feeling” that she talks about being consumed by in the hymn to miscommunication and determination “Any Day Now”. This faraway feeling makes itself known as the need to open up and show emotion in the chord voicing of “Synchronicity”, true friendship, togetherness and isolation in our online world in “Sarah” and the heartbreak that can come with the breakdown of communication in electric piano love song “I’m Not Crying”. The “Silver Lining” of the final track, which returns to Laura’s early love for fingerpicked guitar, leads us back to the power of the redemptive love that always seems to show up just when everything seems lost.

Self-recording and production is a core part of Laura’s songwriting process. “I remember years ago getting hold of some basic recording software and being instantly drawn in. The idea of being able to layer up my voice was a dream, like building an orchestra out of what I had at home.” The passion for home-recording, using the resources available at the time, working through limitations and capturing textures through layering, forms the foundation of Groves’ experimental and off-centre pop music and electrified folk music. The sound world of Radio Red is made up of echoes and snapshots of half-remembered pop songs, piano ballads, chopped up TV theme tunes, ambient synthesized sounds and electronic music; tuning in between channels without fully belonging to any one of them, with the comfort, familiarity and strangeness that can come with hearing voices on the radio.

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Photo - Stasia Garraway

Ora Cogan - Katie Cruel.

Experimental singer-songwriter Ora Cogan will release her new album Formless on Aug 25, an LP that finds beauty, absurdity, humor, and unlikely joy in the bleakest of times. Cogan’s smoky, psychedelic approach to gothic country and hazy folk merges with post-punk, groove, psych rock, and traditional balladry.

This week Cogan releases "Katie Cruel,” a tragic ballad about a sex worker traveling with light infantry soldiers. ‘Once they called me the roving jewel, now they call me Katie Cruel.’ The haunting track is a defiant, vindicating, feminist proclamation that flips the script on the way women are vilified.

Ethereal vocals and a shuffling brush snare lay over a sitar-like guitar pattern to underscore the strength of the lyrical message. "You can demean a woman and call her 'Katie Cruel’," said Cogan. “So what… F if I care!”

Formless, finds beauty, absurdity, humor, and unlikely joy in the bleakest of times. Cogan’s smoky, psychedelic approach to gothic country and hazy folk merges with post-punk, groove, psych rock, and traditional balladry. "Katie Cruel" follows the VHS/Super 8 video for the first single “Cowgirl” and the haunting "Dyed."

Recorded in mostly off-the-floor takes with rhythm section David Proctor and Finn Smith on analog tape at Vancouver Island’s Risque Disque studio and co-produced by Cogan and Loving’s David Parry, the album features international guest stars including Cormac Mac Diarmada from LANKUM, who plays strings on “Feel Life,” and a duet with Y La Bamba on “Ways of Losing.”

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Echo Ladies - Coming Home.

Last month, Malmö, Sweden shoegaze/dreampop trio Echo Ladies announced that they have signed to Rama Lama Records/Gazehop Records and will release their second album Lillies on 8th September 2023.

Commenting on the track, the band say: “‘This song is heavily inspired by two of our favourite bands, A Place To Bury Strangers and The Jesus & Mary Chain. Our aim was to make the song feel like a big wave of noise, feedback and guitars that hits you in the face. Can’t remember how many layers of fuzzed and distorted guitars are on this track, but it’s maaany.”

Echo Ladies are Matilda Bogren, Mattis Andersson and Joar Andersén—three school-friends who, after playing together in a few different bands, realised that they worked best on their own. In 2014, after looking for “a name that represented our sound”, they became Echo Ladies, partly inspired by the name of the drum machine from another of their favourite bands, Echo & The Bunnymen (though their own drum machine, for now, remains nameless).

Following a quiet spell for the band while the rest of the world turned upside down, Echo Ladies are now proudly returning with their second album Lillies, recorded and mastered by Joakim Lindberg at Studio Sickan in Malmö, and following on from their acclaimed 2018 debut Pink Noise on Sonic Cathedral, which was one of Rough Trade’s albums of the year.

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