Dub Is A Weapon - Charlottesville 2005 (Internet Archive)

From the Internet Archive this is Dub Is A Weapon performing live at the Outback Lodge, Charlottesville, VA, back on the 9th July 2005. This is a remarkable band whose live dub performances are a real treat to enjoy.

Describing the formation of Dub Is A Weapon we quote the following - “It can’t be done, man!” That’s what Dave Hahn, mastermind behind Dub Is A Weapon, heard when he first floated the idea of a live dub group, as he and his mates listened to some prime 1960s King Tubby cuts in the band van. “Everyone seemed to think you could only do dub in the studio,” Hahn recalls.

Hahn set out to prove them wrong, with skills learned live and on the road, and with help from a Jamaican beatnik percussionist, an old high school friend, and young upstarts from the Brooklyn scene. Together they’ve honed their live take on the genre’s spaced-out grooves.

Concise Background - Founded in 2001, Dub Is A Weapon has set out on a mission to curate the history of dub reggae by offering their unique perspective of dub studio techniques live on stage.The band has spent the last 10 years honing their craft on stage through headlining club tours across the country, supporting the likes of Antibalas, John Brown’s Body, Easy Star All Stars, as well as providing the backing music for the legend of the scene Mr. Lee “Scratch” Perry on his tours throughout North America. 

Dub Is A Weapon’s national debut record titled Vaporized (released on April 26, 2011 by Harmonized Records) has managed to bring all those experiences together in a studio effort that was recorded in the tradition of old jazz records: live in studio. “From the Black Ark days of Lee Perry to Tubby's Waterhouse dubs and discipleship of King Jammy, it's good to see that DIAW are carrying on the torch for dub fans worldwide. Vaporized not only exemplifies the evolution of dub but pays tribute to its history by retaining key characteristics that make quality dub music what it is.” (Chuck Reinemann).

Recording Details: Source mk4 > kc5 > cmc6 > m248 > mme > d8 (48k), Lineage R500 > SRC2000 > DATport > Wavelab 5 > SHNtool > FLAC (lvl 6).

Sound Quality: Very Good - A clear well produced stereo recording, that does this genre proud.

Set List:

Set 1.
01 - Intro/Tuning
02 - Etymology
03 - Insurrection
04 - Rip Van Winkle
05 - Armed and Dangerous
06 - Fever
07 - Han Fei Tzu
08 - Undefeated

Set 2.
01 - Intro/Tuning
02 - Dub is a Weapon
03 - Asheville
04 - Codename
05 - Sadr City
06 - Infinity
07 - Bruce Lee
Encore.
08 - Indestructible

Comments: There are FLAC, Ogg Vorbis and mp3 files along with the streaming material over at the Internet Archive (here).

Stream Below:

Forget The Superlatives - Just Listen!

Science and the Beat - Mean Streak.

Their Bio - This is how the world ends: with deafening indifference and retread of age-old strife. How we choose ride to out this wave varies, but still falls into the principle camps of acceptance and denial. Science and the Beat choose the latter, wanting to live moderately in their impact but decadent within themselves; feeling and loving in productive ways that give meaning to their lives. Science is the means to try and make sense of it all. The beat informs the rhythm and the approach. Nothing else matters.

Multi-instrumentalists Tasha Katrine and Rob Zilla have been carving out their creative vision since being introduced in their teens. The approach has been dexterous, mixing live shows with elaborate video and lighting installations – most notably as More Machine Than Man. As a fixture in the Goth Industrial scene, the pair was conscious of the expectations and rigid identity that develops with a long-term project. To keep those limitations from becoming self-imposed, the mission became letting creativity have free reign.

Future Blue, then, sounds like actualisation: two people growing into their cynicism and finding it to be just as potent as their youthful yearnings. Produced by Wade Alin (Christ Analogue, The Atomica Project) Future Blue pulsates with clean, taut synths that create something like a strop for the sharp and decisive use of guitar. Katrine’s voice has an inherent dewy quality that belies her on-going struggle with Sjogren’s syndrome: an immune disorder that affects the salivary glands responsible for producing moisture in the throat. Their relocation to Seattle from Boston was in search of a more favourable living climate: mild and humid. Extreme cases have resulted in a complete loss of voice and it is pushing Katrine to not only make the most of her voice but to also utilise instruments as well.

The song 'Mean Streak' really does conjure up an element of meanness, the almost stalking vocals will follow you around, warning us not to take any chances. Oh just listen, see if you get my drift.


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Marielle Allschwang - Dead Not Done. (Title track from album).

Background - Marielle Allschwang (Group of Altos, Death Blues, Hello Death) warps and distorts traditional folk music to conjure monsters, angels, and sinister pastures on debut solo album, “Dead Not Done,” to be released Aug. 11 on Gloss Records.

Channelling her first-generation American ancestors as inspiration, Allschwang revels in the sadness and strength of exile, poverty, and identity. Though not overtly political, Allschwang explores feelings of distance, separation, and being a stranger in the world. Intimate tales emerge from minimalist soundscapes.

Milwaukee born and raised by a memoir-writing grandmother, poet father, and singing mother who learned guitar from a nun in the Philippines, Allschwang is now a frequent collaborator in the city’s burgeoning experimental and folk scenes—contributing vocals (and gong) to Jon Mueller’s multi-disciplinary project, Death Blues, violin and vocals in the 16-piece post-rock super group, Group of the Altos, and guitar and vocals to dark-folk outfit Hello Death. All the while, Allschwang has been exploring her musical identity as a solo artist.

Allschwang credits her involvement in Altos as a turning point in her artistic path. Here she had a fertile arena for collaboration and exploration, and formed a close artistic relationship with fellow band mate Adam Krause, who nudged her to compose songs together for the audio-visual zine, Lemon o Books, in 2012. That collaboration introduced more experimental elements into Allschwang’s music, many of which appear on “Dead Not Done.”

Delicate guitar melodies and tape loop murmurs are now familiar friends, but “Dead Not Done” also features numerous contributions by members of Altos. Bowed metal chair legs and sounding barn wall tremors marry Allschwang’s storytelling with tactile mystery. Generations old, the narratives are animated and revived by a daughter, a granddaughter, and her guitar.

There is a certain beauty here that reminds me in part of Kate and Anna McGarrigle at their most intimate and traditional. Add to that a more electric and heavier sound on some songs and I think, I am as close as I ever will be, in describing this album. In summary a brilliant surprise and an album to play over and over.

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The Rightovers - Blue Blood (Album).

Background and Bio - The Rightovers' ten song LP Blue Blood was released on July 31, 2015, (on aquamarine vinyl via the band's Trebleplane imprint, and on CD and digital via Seattle's Jigsaw Records. Both the vinyl and CD will be distributed worldwide by Darla).

  The Rightovers began under the name Conceptus in the mid-2000s as an outlet for Chris Holmes’ first crudely-recorded songs. Taking inspiration from lo-fi forbears like Pavement, Ween, the Television Personalities and the Clean and combining it with the peerless pop of The Records and The Raspberries, Holmes spent his nights and weekends recording modest odes to fun, fear and failure in his L.A. apartment.

After relocating to San Diego, Chris found a group of like-minded collaborators, and first group Conceptus took shape as a fully-functioning band. The lineup remained together for three years, performing frequently and recording a debut full-length, Trebly Feelings. After growing weary of the crowded Southern California indie scene, Holmes pulled up stakes and relocated to Hawaii to pursue a Master's degree (and further indulge his surfing obsession). The isolation of island living turned out to be a musical blessing, allowing him to refocus his songwriting. Holmes spent his first summer off back at his parents’ house in Sun Valley, Idaho, where he set about tracking a second record, the new Blue Blood.

Holmes recorded instruments and vocals for the chiming, charming collection of songs in his basement over the course of three months before calling in pals Mike Kamoo (The Loons) to play drums, and Sarah O’Brien to add backing vocals. Holmes mixed the record upon returning to Oahu’s North Shore. The release of Blue Blood is already drawing close interest from pop devotees from around the world, and Seattle’s indie pop-centric Jigsaw Records is helping get the word out about The Rightovers’ new record as well.

Keeping it upbeat, straight down the line and thoroughly enjoyable, The Rightovers have a natural flare for jangle come indie pop and rock. What's more important they don't follow a 'safe' format and can mix it up without losing their core style.

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Sundays Alternative Take - Someone Stole The Genre

Basecamp - Watch My Back.

Intro words - Nashville trio Basecamp announce their new EP, Greater Than out August 21st via OWSLA. The EP is a fully realized collection of R&B-tinged dance tracks inspired by the group’s admiration for art and the more technical aspects of electronic music.

Cool vocals over a sparkling soundtrack that pauses and shifts along, their delight in the art of electronic music is clearly defined.

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Pure Phase Ensemble 4 - Morning Rise - (from the album).

The details - Pure Phase Ensemble 4 feat. Mark Gardener (RIDE) to release 'Live at SpaceFest' LP - Pure Phase Ensemble is an international music collective, created especially for the SpaceFest festival in Gdansk, which takes place annually in December and is organised by the Nasiono Association. The city of Gdansk plays host to this blossoming music festival each year in the first week of December, at which time numerous select musicians from Poland and abroad gather to take part in a special workshop series. They collectively compose a concert's worth of music, which they then present live to the festival-goers. Each year, this unique performance is recorded live and subsequently released as an LP.

The programme for each workshop is jointly curated by Ray Dickaty, a British saxophonist improviser and former member of Spiritualized (1997-2002), and Karol Schwarz (KSAS), who also manages Nasiono Records. Along with these two key figures, every festival involves a new musical director - a legendary, internationally recognised musician, who is invited to co-curate the workshop.

During the latest SpaceFest, Mark Gardener, the frontman of celebrated shoegaze pioneers RIDE who also recently released an LP with Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins), occupied this seat of honour.  Past participants include Laetitia Sadier (Stereolab), Chris Olley (Six By Seven), Steve Hewitt (ex Placebo), and Jaime Harding (Marion).

This is a fascinating album and the genres delved in to include - shoegaze, space rock, indie rock, alternative rock, post-rock, dreampop, and ambient. Therefore the featured track is just part of the story, one that has so much to offer and in my opinion, something quite special.

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Wallace - Beauty (Ft. Sampa The Great).

Background - Australian based future-soul singer Wallace has followed up her stunning debut with another stellar track. Beauty is song is about finding beauty wherever you are and finding strength and inspiration internally.

"This is essentially me talking to myself (which I do a little too often). The chorus is me reminding myself that I create my own success: "Caught ya, caught ya, caught ya sewing new starts into my sky" and for lack of a better metaphor every cloud has a silver lining: "Caught ya, caught ya, caught ya re-arranging my clouds", says Wallace.

Inspired by Electric Wire Hustle, Georgia Anne Muldrow and Muhsinah, each verse explores different concepts. The first, stumbling across beauty in a place you didn't expect to find it. The second, realising it's ok to pursue something you're passionate about, and the third learning from a bad experience and growing despite it. Sampa The Great lends a rap to the track,  with her strong, sincere lyrics adding an even more "girl power" element to the music. Be sure to check out Wallace's debut Vinyl Skip, released earlier this year.

Future soul singer and songwriter Wallace Gollan’s music is an exciting mosaic combination of blues, soul, and jazz. She creates music in spaces unfamiliar, addresses silences with harmonies so detailed it is simple and expressive that words are not needed to understand her message. She possesses a type of sound others have labeled in the vein of Erykah Badu, Little Dragon or Carmen McRae. With a contagious smile, a humble personality and a rare name to begin with, Wallace Gollan is set to make some serious heads turn in the music industry.

Soul grooves over a modern soundtrack, Sampa The Great provides a 'pause' that works and the whole thing has that timeless soul feel through Wallace's stunning vocals.

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Silvertron Youth Choir - Spaceship Sunlight (from debt album).

Biography - Doubling down on the zany, beer-battered inflorescence of past projects such as Mongoose Thompson and Nodding Tree Remedies, Thomas Mudrick and the Silvertron Youth Choir take the more hilariously warped happenstances of previous projects and turn them up to 11 with Our God Is A Possum God, the newest release from Mudrick and his Oregon based crew of merry pranksters. As with the aforementioned projects, as well as the prodigious and ever-expanding back-catalogue of Thomas Mudrick’s own solo records (most recently 2013’s (((boing))) and 2014’s Abiqua), Our God Is A Possum God draws listeners into a web of sprightly, imaginative musical vortices that follow none but their own internal piper. With the Silvertron Youth Choir, Mudrick and long time co-conspirator and drum whiz Ian Hartley (The Shivas) cobble together a gem of a record that’s both hilarious and strange, often at once.

Silvertron Youth Choir isn’t short on inanity, assembling what could at times be described as children’s music made for (and seemingly by) mightily stoned adults; a pin wheeling, day- tripping, hipping and hopping, skipping and jumping ramble through the worm hole into a range of delightfully visual and guffaw-inducing ditties tackling all manner of subjects, such as: pies made of whiskey and bacon, soda pop downloading computer programs for red necks, water spider birds on the tundra, philosophical mayonnaise, peanut butter trains, cosmic hybrid creatures riding forklifts, pamplemooses, and, as a lyrical coup-de-grace of sorts, Justin Beiber mounted triumphantly atop a giant rodent.

If all that sounds like an earful of nonsense, it is, and that’s the point. The crux of Silvertron Youth Choir’s tune-wrangling is in their ability to spool out numbers that make liberal use of deft musicianship and pop/folk song craft while remaining ridiculously irreverent and often wickedly funny, eliciting a sense not unlike those uncontrollable belly laughs one gets after too many bong rips. As with so much of Thomas Mudrick’s past work, Our God Is A Possum God is firmly indebted to the Old Masters’ use of dada-inspired non-sequitur as a way to contort the quotidian nature of mainstream pop and rock: early Beck, Zappa, Ween, the Residents, They Might Be Giants, etc..

Weirdly wonderful and the vision of Justin Beiber mounted atop a giant rodent is reason enough to include. Featured track is one dimension of a genre undefinable album, hence the Zappa & They Might Be Giants references above.

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Three More Saturday Songs

Stephen Caulfield - Parkview (album).

Background - Parkview is the debut full length album by Stephen Caulfield. Written, performed and produced entirely by Stephen, Parkview was recorded over a number of years in a self-built studio that looks out over the local park. 

Parkview is an album of 11 songs that showcases Stephen’s ability as a singer-songwriter on piano and guitar, whilst also demonstrating his love of fusing strict electronic music with organic natural sounds using many weird and wonderful instruments and effects that he has collected over the years.

Stephen loves playing with, and altering sounds to create a unique palette of noise, he alters the computer recorded sounds by changing their speed, pitch, timing or dynamics to make new sounds that are then used to make rhythms and melodies. Beneath the production trickery and instrumentation lies a solid foundation of good song writing and Stephen’s solid abilities as a singer. The core component of each song is Stephen’s voice which ranges from lush arrangements of multi tracked harmonies to simple, tender vocals rich with emotion.

The resulting music is a mixture of sounds that include sparse ambient, acoustic guitar and piano, pulsating synthesizers, power driven rock guitar and lush instrumentation. On Parkview, these sounds are brought together to create a diverse album that has a dream like atmosphere from beginning to end. Stephen’s influences include Elbow, Imogen Heap, The Beatles, Thomas Dolby, Kirsty MacColl, Radiohead, Bon Iver, The Blue Nile, Talk Talk, Doves, John Grant, Death Cab For Cutie, The Postal Service, Bombay Bicycle Club, Snow Patrol, New Order and Peter Gabriel.

Considering the time and effort that has gone into this album my expectations were set quite high. I am not disappointed. The quality of the songs and the attention to detail in the production are really good. The featured track is the first on the album and seems a logical starting point.

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Hollow States - Damage I've Done.

Background - The band - Sydney three piece comprised of singer Huck Hastings, guitarist Joel Woolf and keyboardist Hayden Woolf - craft songs that are both heartfelt and intelligent; equal parts haunting and jangly. 'Damage I've Done', which even from the title is emotionally weighted, typifies this approach, offering irresistibly catchy pop hooks wrapped up in darker musical tones. Unmistakable within this sound is Huck's effortless and emotive voice.

When debut EP 'Darkness Is Laughing' was released in January, it was met with favourable reviews that praised the band for their elegant simplicity and their strangely melancholic stirring. Its lead single, 'If I Have To Grow Up', showed an honest lyrical expressiveness, and introduced the band's sound of hypnotic rhythms, almost eerie pop guitars and bitter-sweet melodic hooks. 

Recorded and mixed by Tim Carr (Matt Corby, Urthboy), 'Damage I've Done' is a beautifully-produced slice of indie rock that marries catchy pop smarts with honest, relatable human emotion. Hastings bears his soul on the song, with lyrics like “If I could have ten thousand lovers I would / I'd be understood / I'd never let them down and I'd make them all feel good / I'd give out my love to you” adding sparkles of sunlight to cloudy skies. Openly embracing of their home town scene, Hollow States are set to get busier on the live front in support of Damage I've Done with touring planned for the warmer months ahead.

A fine jangly, indie rock song, Hollow States can clearly cut a track that begs for airplay on any mainstream music radio station. Come on programme controllers, cut the bilge and put bands like this on.

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Damien J Brennan - Shine.

Background - Damien J Brennan was born and raised in County Down, Northern Ireland. He learned to play the guitar and began busking whilst backpacking through Italy and Australia. Shortly after his return home he began song writing and on a limited budget recorded some garage demos. These initial recordings received positive feedback and a glowing review from critically acclaimed mastering engineer Pete Maher (U2, Snow Patrol, Katy Perry, Hudson Taylor).

Damien recorded his first professional tracks in Zero Hour Studios and these songs led to gigs locally and in London. They were also picked up for radio play on Tom Robinson's BBC Radio 6 show and Baylen Leonard and Aaron Philips on Amazing Radio, together with a number of regional UK stations. Tony Moore of Soho Radio invited Damien to sing live on his show and to appear live at London's Bedford this August. The future is looking very promising for this up and coming Irish talent.

Some artists teach themselves how to play an instrument and then cut their teeth busking, travelling and producing their own demos. Its no guarantee of further success, but when artists who have worked hard to be heard, have this amount of natural talent, it's no surprise they are being picked up on. After all it is all about the music.

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Thursday - Cutting To The Chase

Sunshine and The Blue Moon - Buffalo Child.

What they say - I think it's safe to say we're a nostalgic bunch. We get our music on vinyl or tape, we take our photos and shoot home videos on film, we drive around in my big old boat of a car, anything that brings us a little farther away from the pervasive technologies that dog all of our daily lives.

Our new video "Lucy" was directed and shot on super8 film by our best friend and honorary band member Laura-Lynn Petrick (....Mac Demarco, Calvin Love, Michael Rault...) in the heart of winter. We're releasing it now since it seems completely inappropriate. We signed with The Hand Recordings and will be releasing our debut LP this fall.

We had no intention of using this footage for a music video, but it just looked so great we thought might as well use it for something. We put it over a demo recording of an old song that people seem to enjoy, we hope you enjoy it too!

What we say - Keeping on the inappropriate theme, Beehive Candy will feature a different demo and just provide a link to the video (here). Actually it's just a feeble way of featuring two numbers from them, easily spotted eh?

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Berlin Blue - Used To Know.

And the promo says - Berlin Blue is a Sydney-based indie rock band consisting of front man and guitarist Alex Toh, bassist Thomas McGreevy and drummer Gerardo Flores Torres. The band’s music can best be described as indie rock mixing Britpop and alternative rock elements, with The Jam, The Libertines and The Mars Volta being among their key influences. Their frenetic yet polished live performances are matched with an onstage charm and wit that has seen Berlin Blue garner a steady following and turn heads at key Sydney venues such as Oxford Art Factory and The Annandale Hotel.

The recent release of their eponymous debut EP showcases the band’s lead single “Used to Know” - a guitar-oriented track that revels in its sing-a-long hooks and pulsating rhythms, the perfect way to introduce one of the newest bands on the scene. At first listen the song shows its true indie-rock heritage, thanks in no small part to its upbeat tempo and crunchy tone. Any thoughts of imitation are quickly abandoned, with the song’s ear- burningly catchy guitar riff demanding immediate attention and carrying through with the band’s pounding rhythms. Along with all this, Berlin Blue also manage to instil their sense of sarcasm and refined irreverence in the track, a rare accomplishment for any band.

And we say - It's a feisty song reminiscent of new wave first time around. No pretentious indulgence here, just indie rock done well, maybe music wise, that's enough for some of us?

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The Vernons - Snap My Fingers.

The story so far - Gold Coast blues-rockers The Vernons are back with an in-your-face hip shakin' number titled Snap My Fingers. The first single from an as yet untitled but soon to be released EP, 'Snap' visits the darker side of the human psyche while belting out a punchy, rockin’ and rollin’ ear-fest. The track's infectious vibe is built on the foundation of a tight riff, great groove and Jonny Nyst's dazzling vocal acrobatics. The super production of the new sessions come courtesy of Brisbane guru engineer Konstantin Kersting (Moses Gunn, Belligerents, Junkyard Diamonds).

Sculpting their sound from long nights out, hung-over days in and their parents’ old vinyl records, The Vernons distil a distinct modern blues-rock sound and have been compared to the classic sounds of The Black Keys, Jack White and Kings of Leon. The band’s recordings so far spread across two EP releases and have been critically applauded around Australia and the United States, where Esquire Magazine insisted to its readers: “Remember, you heard 'em here first.” Quickly becoming renown for their 110% give-it-all live attitude, The Vernons have been headlining tours in support of their releases, while supporting the likes of Hoodoo Gurus, Wolfmother, Seasick Steve, The Rubens, Wolf & Cub, Stonefield, Ash Grunwald and more. The band also have the Big Day Out festival under their belt.

Snap My Fingers is out this Friday August 7 with upcoming EP release and tour details TBA, but in the short term the band will be headlining the Food and Fire Festival in Roma, Queensland on September 12.

Our little story - Almost rockabilly in part, this song is a little bit like The Stray Cats turning the amp up to eleven. Attitude in abundance, your hips never had it so good....

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Wednesdays Triple Play

Fresh Snow - Proper Burial feat. DIANA's Carmen Elle.

Background - Toronto instrumental four-piece Fresh Snow announces their sophomore album 'Won,' out September 11 via Hand Drawn Dracula on vinyl/digital and on limited cassette edition via Reel Cod Records. The album's first single "Proper Burial" features vocals from DIANA's Carmen Elle.

Born in a dive bar on Toronto's Bloor Street in 2010, four friends gathered to make improvisational music based on their love of drones, noise and-less obviously-strongly melodic pop music. Since their first show in 2011, Andy Lloyd (bass, keys) , Brad Davis (guitars, keys), Jon Maki (drums), and Tim Condon (keys, etc) have released a split 7" single with METZ, a full-length album, "I" (Reel Cod Records), and a cover of 'Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge on Seattle', featuring vocals by Julie Fader on the Nirvana tribute album, Milkin' It (Hand Drawn Dracula).

They have been invited to perform at NXNE, Wavelength, Long Winter, Electric Eclectics, and Arboretum Festival, along with venues throughout Ontario and in Montreal putting on their live show that's featured them in red hoods, wooden masks, and playing inside a pod full of projectors. Primarily an instrumental band with a core line-up augmented by guest horn and string players (including Trent Severn's Laura C. Bates), Fresh Snow is not easy to pigeon hole.

Considering the background info provided, the featured song is a straight forward piece, that keeps things simple and the vocals round out the song, making the forthcoming album of real interest.


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Color Collage - Shareholder.

Color Collage's album 'Pieced Together' is out this Friday (August 7th) on Paper Garden Records. We featured them a few weeks back, however with another song to share and a Brooklyn residency starting tonight, how could I resist another mention. Facebook page (here).

8/5   - Brooklyn, NY @ Pete's Candy Store (residency)
8/7 - New York, NY @ Fulton Stall Market (207A Front St in South Street Seaport) - Record Release Show with New Myths & Strange Names.
8/12 - Brooklyn, NY @ Pete's Candy Store (residency)
8/19 - Brooklyn, NY @ Pete's Candy Store (residency)
8/26 - Brooklyn, NY @ Pete's Candy Store (residency)

Described as 'electronic doo wop' all tends to become clearer with this fine song.

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Valdaway - Beautiful View.

Background - Recorded with acclaimed engineer Dave Parkin (Jebediah, Abbe May), 'Beautiful View' is the stellar first single taken from the forthcoming album 'Boom Shake Heartbreak'. The track is a shining example of the band's take on Alt-anthemic rock with a modern sonic palette.

The story of Valdaway begins some ten years ago in an isolated small town in the scenic South West of WA, when three young brothers and a best mate started jamming in the garage of their family home. Honing their craft and developing their chops throughout virtually all of WA's best known pubs, an earlier incarnation of the group saw the release of debut material, but it it wasn't until 2013 that it really felt right to brand the emerging outfit as Valdaway. 'Beautiful View' is out August 7 through all good digital retailers.

Well if this is what Alt-anthemic rock sounds like, then the odd song now and then will do no harm. Seriously, this is well honed no nonsense rock, simple as that really. Facebook (here).

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Genre Wandering Tuesday

FLORALS  - Becalm.

What we are told - Based out of Los Angeles, CA. FLORALS uses a mixture of live instruments, synthesizers, and organic textures to create their own take on electronic music. FLORALS are Ryan Koch (producer), Stephanie Marie Rick (vocals) and Joey Singleton (guitar).​ ​They've been covered by outlets like The Grey Estates​, Darling Magazine​ and Buzzbands LA who praised "the band's gloomy atmospherics" and "Rick's bright, feathery vocals."

I love the expression 'Trio Of Doom' on their Soundcloud page​, it's a little melodramatic and yet does give a hint to the sounds they produce. On that basis I guess 'Becalm' is fairly upbeat, whatever it's a really good song. Facebook (here).

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The Zanders - Until My Body Breaks.

Background words - The Zanders is a project born from the creative mind of Heath Petzold, with the assistance of many friends he has accumulated in the Sydney music scene over his years playing gigs, rock and rolling, and enthusiastically participating in whatever debauchery he could find. Heath is best known for The Cadres a band for which he was the founder and songwriter, and the persona that made their live act unquestionably amazing. The Band first hit the Sydney music scene at the famous Annandale Hotels Uprising competition and finished Runners up in 2009.

Until My Body Breaks is produced by Paul Conrad, who’s most recent single “Records” is achieving great success. Heaths old band mates, Jack Maher and Tim Watt are also very involved in making this project. Their own music knowledge has been invaluable to the creation of “The Zanders” sound.

Passionate vocals guide this anthem of a song, mixing power and refrains to great effect. In other words I like it.


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Mazde - Pitch Black (feat. LissA).

The story so far - Mazde (pron. Maz-Dih) is the brainchild of 21-year old beautiful Bonn born electronic producer Matthias Dierkes. Now based in Berlin, the young gun, who trained in both classical and jazz composition from the age of six, first gained attention with his melodic and bass thumping remix of Disclosure's 'Help Me Lose My Mind'.

Now recently back from a six-date Australian tour and with regular shows across Europe, Mazde is readying himself for the release of his debut EP, with fellow German musician LissA featuring on every track. The singer/songwriter's emotional, sincere lyrics and naturally soft and honest vocals perfectly compliment Mazde's beats and impassioned piano chords. Mazde x LissA EP will be released on 28th August on Stoney Roads Records (the label imprint from the leading Australian electronic music site). With over 20 million plays on his Soundcloud from his originals and remixes and his recent Mix Up Exclusive for Triple J (alongside What So Not, Claude Vonstroke, RL Grime & more), Mazde has forged a reputation as one of the most exciting and innovative electronic artists breaking through right now.

This would comfortably fit into one of our 'Sunday Alternative Take' round ups, however I really don't want to sit on it until the next one. Musically this is just so cool and the vocals wonderful, I think this will be getting a lot of attention.

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Hippo Campus - South.

Background - Hippo Campus return with brand new EP 'South' (produced by Low’s Alan Sparhawk) available 2nd October on Transgressive Records. The EP's title track was premiered by Huw Stephen’s on Annie Mac's BBC Radio 1 show. Hippo Campus are four Minnesotan boys, yet to hit legal drinking age making music that is infectious, joyful, and thematically soaked with the sense of cynicism accompanying the youthful search of self-meaning. On ‘South’ Hippo Campus delve deeper into their transcending journey into adulthood and the playful elasticity of singer Jake Luppen's voice amplifies the bands bright, optimistic, and emotionally resonant sound.

Anyone who spends to much time hanging around Beehive Candy may recall we featured Hippo Campus back in June. Well it's a case of another song, another feature, because this is such an impressive band and superb song, simple as that. Website (here).

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Robyn Hitchcock - Sgt. Pepper - London 2007 (Internet Archive)

This may well prove to be a recording that divides opinion into love, or hate camps, like no other we have featured. From the Internet Archive this is Robyn Hitchcock back on the 1st July 2007, live at the Three Kings Pub in Clerkenwell, London. Why the love or hate thing? Well for some fans of The Beatles, doing a full cover version of the Sgt. Pepper album, and in your own style and interpretation may prove a step to far. I have always admired The Beatles music, however when I came across this, I was fascinated and I have to say incredibly impressed.

For those not familiar with Robyn, this is the introduction from Wikipedia - Robyn Rowan Hitchcock (born 3 March 1953) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. While primarily a vocalist and guitarist, he also plays harmonica, piano and bass guitar. Coming to prominence in the late 1970s with The Soft Boys, Hitchcock afterward launched a prolific solo career. His musical and lyrical styles have been influenced by the likes of Bob Dylan, John Lennon and Syd Barrett. Hitchcock's lyrics tend to include surrealism, comedic elements, characterisations of English eccentrics, and melancholy depictions of everyday life.

He was signed to two major American labels (A&M Records, then Warner Bros.) over the course of the 1980s and 1990s, but mainstream success has been limited. He has earned strong critical reviews over a steady stream of album releases and live performances, and a "cult following" for his songs. More details (here).

Robyn is accompanied by some superb musicians and the approach to the music is both in good humour and yet with a real attempt to make something special with the material. Perhaps it helped performing in a well respected pub, (with a strong tradition for excellent beers) and clearly the audience are loving this performance in what is a small club style environment. I think Robyn's voice just lends itself to the material, the band nail it and morphing into 'The Midnight Hour' during 'Good Morning Good Morning' really is something else.

Recording Details: Source AUD -> Edirol R09 Lineage SP-CMC-2 -> Edirol R09 -> Audition 2.0 -> FLAC.

Sound Quality: Excellent quality audience source, this is clean and crisp throughout.

Set List:

01 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
02 With a Little Help from My Friends
03 Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds
04 Getting Better
05 Fixing a Hole
06 She's Leaving Home
07 Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!
08 Within You Without You
09 When I'm Sixty-Four
10 Lovely Rita
11 Good Morning Good Morning
12 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
13 A Day in the Life
14 Strawberry Fields Forever
15 Penny Lane
16 Sunny Afternoon
17 Waterloo Sunset
18 Are You Experienced
19 Hey Bulldog
20 Kingdom of Love
21 All You Need Is Love

Comments: This can be obtained in MP3, Flac, and Ogg Vorbis formats over at the Internet Archive (here).

Website: Official (here).

Stream Full Concert Below:

Sundays Alternative Take - Variety & Class

Tongues - Religion.

Background - Meet Tongues, the budding electronic artist out of Glasgow, Scotland. New track, ’Religion’ is his latest slice of storming synthetic pop, full of driving rhythm and modulated vocals, and is a taste of his fantastic debut EP, due September.

Tongues sets the standards very high in this new music round up. Tongues is a class act, sometimes it's just easy to say - "let the music speak for itself". Find out more (here).

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Sharer - Body Tonight

Background - Alongside Nick and JD, the vocals on "Body Tonight" are by Jo Lampert (Tune-Yards, AVAN LAVA) and Xavier Smith. The single will come out on August 21st, with remixes from Midnight Magic and LEFTI.

Here’s what Nick and JD have to say in their own words:
"I used to go see JD simply as a fan while living in London. Her live shows were always absolutely fantastic, leaving me a sweaty mess. When the opportunity arose for me to work with her, I jumped at it. A few months later, here is the beginning of our new friendship. I couldn’t be more excited to share it." - Nick van Hofwegen 

"Nick and I were matched up to write songs for other people, but after about two seconds of sharing, we knew what we had was something completely and utterly ours. Love and respect for your collaborators is so important, and working with Nick is such a beautiful expression of our mutual admiration. I love our process and can’t wait until the world gets to share the joy." - JD Samson.

Funky, soulful and lively. It's a little like a highly electrified Chic, old soul and funk modernised for today's ears.

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Jereco - Too Slow.

Background - Jeremiah Maslin, also known by his stage name Jereco, is a Pop/Electronic music instrumentalist, vocalist, and producer. Born in Wagga Wagga NSW, Jeremiah grew up on a farm outside of a small town called Ardlethan where he still resides.

After being heavily influenced by Punk and Metal music throughout his teenage years, 2015 saw Jeremiah make an unexpected transition from being the drummer in a Punk band, to a producer and vocalist of Pop/Electronic music. The stylistic switch resulted in his first ever original songs being produced that showcase skills far exceeding that of his experience in the genre. His debut single ‘Too Slow’ featuring his own vocals accompanied with his sister’s, was written on guitar before being interpreted using electronic sounds. The single was recorded at home with his father Rod Maslin producing vocals as well as mastering the track.

Massively catchy song, with hooks that get under my skin. Electro Pop debut's of this quality are rare. Love the vocals as well. Facebook (here).

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Flush - Come Back Baby.

Background - From Aeroplane: "Flush is a new project I started in order to release all edits and reworks I do on planes and in airport lounges. It will be focused on House Music from the early days. Often sample-based but not always, it's a mixture of Chicago House and French Touch a la Crydamoure. Initially the plan was to just put these out on the Internet, but the people at Strictly Rhythm thought the first song “Come Back Baby" was good enough to release.

Old school house perhaps, this is full of summer vibes and if you were around in the early days has an element of nostalgia. It's a good one.

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Jodie Aysha - Turn Me Out (Ass Up) Ft. BVRZZ.

Background - We've got big news here from one of the most iconic voices in the Garage & Bassline world as 'Heartbroken' legend Jodie Aysha lets out the first word of her upcoming House release 'Turn Me Out'. Switching up her unforgettable vocals to fit the 2015 sound of House - she's nailed a brilliant single which is coming out 22nd August.

The UK was lit up in 2007 when Jodie Aysha’s unforgettable vocal on ‘Heartbroken’ broke
through the underground after years of circulation on the UK Garage and Bassline circuits. Already one of the benchmark releases for a long spell before commercial release – the early hearings blew up in the Garage world and put Jodie in front of a global audience once the rest of the world caught up. 1.5 million UK sales and a U.S Billboard Dance Chart top 10 slot later and the release was cemented into electronic music history forever. Regarded as one of the definitive breakthrough tracks of an era – Jodie’s name was etched amongst the legends that launched the sound of the streets into a global phenomenon.

Another song that has that summer anthem feel to it, those inclined to dance will just love this, those inclined to just listen will be pretty happy as well.


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Beca - Hit To The Head - and Bayonet.

Background - Electro pop artist Beca reveals a fresh, dark, fearless sound that is all her own. Musically gifted at a young age, she graduated from the Juilliard School and traveled the world, performing with an array of artists while developing her own path and voice. Bursting onto the indie pop scene in 2012, her first two EP’s “Let’s Run Wild” and “Born To Fly” were released via UK label, This Is Music Ltd. (Little Boots, Charli XCX).

The breakthrough hits earned praise from Filter Magazine that said “her talent for whimsical sounds and a breezy voice is worth listening to over and over again” and from Stereogum that described her music as “wispy, ethereal electro pop.” Included on the EPs are a number of remixes by notable names, such as Ashley Beedle, Klic, and Madeaux.

Beca has made appearances at CMJ, SXSW, Miami Fashion Week, and NXNE (Red Bull Sound Select Showcase opening for Sleigh Bells). Her song "Enabler" was a Finalist in the 2014 ISC International Songwriting Competition, Electronica/Dance Category. Most recently, Beca finished recording her debut full-length album with producer Morgan Wiley of Midnight Magic, to be released Autumn 2015.

Lot's to like about Beca's music, there are two songs featured below, 'Bayonet' also has a video which you can find on her website (here). 'Hit To The Head' is an intriguing remix that really does have an ethereal feel to it.


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Zenith Myth - Shadow Fortune.

Background - After the crushingly cathartic eponymous debut, Zenith Myth’s sophomore effort "Eclipsed V” has seen the project shift into electronic experimentation mode.  With a metronomic pulse, the record manages to mesh mid tempo arpeggiated synths with intricate drum programming and real drums to bend genres and analog sounds. The guitars are all still in there (6 different guitarists played on the record), but they give way to drones and modulated synthesisers that capture a subtler, more nuanced instrumental dreamscapes this time out. Think eighties synth progressions with classic rock drum fills, alongside waved out guitar loops woven together just enough to bring you in but disorient simultaneously, and you pretty much get the idea of what "Eclipsed V" sounds like. 
Deconstructionist from the start, the record transports you to uncharted territory melding mesmerising bass lines, sampled sounds with dark droned out guitars and synths.There are also acoustic guitar flourishes at times hinting at the rock sounds of a young Fleetwood Mac, with the ambiance of Boards of Canada and some early Cure melancholy thrown in for good measure. 

As with the last record, I reached out to old friend and collaborator Jordon Zadorozny (Blinker The Star), to help capture the feeling and spirit of the sounds that were in my head.

When a promo states that the artist's genres are - Electro, Wave, Synth, Drone Rock, I expect a lot of varying styles and that is what you get with this album. The first track from the album is featured below and if you like it, the album is definitely worth checking out.

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Quality Not Quantity - Three To Enjoy

Totally Mild - Down Time - 'Street Date', August 7th, 2015, Bedroom Suck Records.

Promo words - Totally Mild are a four-piece based in Melbourne, Australia. Fronted by Elizabeth Mitchell, a woman with an exciting tendency to sing in a falsetto not many can match, the band perform absolutely perfect, skewed, disjointed pop music that sounds as though it was handed down from the heavens. Zachary Schneider (Full Ugly, The Great Outdoors) follows close behind on lead guitar, his lines interlocking with Mitchell’s to form a structural frame. This is matched by Lehmann Smith (Kes Band) and Ashley Bundang’s rhythm section, an enigma in itself. The playing is sparse, accentuation perfect. The end result has got us wetting our pants.

Since developing out of Mitchell’s solo project of the same name, Totally Mild have put Melbourne into a spin. They perform to fans who know the words to every song, and have been singled out to support the likes of Real Estate, Laura Jean and The Harpoons. The band also have an armament of Australia’s finest talent behind them, with album artwork courtesy of Darren Sylvester, and music videos produced by Geoffrey O’Connor, Xanthe Dobbie and Nina Renee. Down Time will be Totally Mild’s full-length debut, and is sure to rock the metaphorical boat of Australian music.

The physical release or should I say 'street date' is upon us for the very fine music of Totally Mild. The featured track is first on the album and so let it be our introduction too, lot's to enjoy.

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Jessica Domingo - Masterpiece (EP).

Promo Words - Jessica’s latest single from Masterpiece EP is “Everything Just Wasn’t Enough” and it’s one of her best genre-busting songs (available on iTunes). A vivid mix of passionate left-of-center pop with urban passion and realness, the sweetness and strength of Jessica Domingo freshly redefines the boundaries of commercially-appealing music. 

Jessica’s You Tube channel is extremely popular for a performer in this region, due to her amazing original tracks, as well as a superb Kendrick Lamar Medley, and a cover of Frank Ocean’s “Thinking About You” — which has garnered more than two million views. ‘Masterpiece’ was recorded by multi-platinum Grammy award-winning producer Mikal Blue at Revolver Recordings in Los Angeles. Jessica has also already toured the West Coast to packed houses. While on the road, Jessica was invited to the YouTube Space Headquarters to film, a rare opportunity offered only to the YouTubers who have over 10,000 subscribers. Jessica got qualified and accepted by Vevo to have her own channel now.

On a day when a certain 'new PC operating system' has been trying very hard to ruin it, the soothing passionate voice of Jessica has been calming me down and providing a welcome distraction. 'Everything Just Wasn't Enough' is a beautiful song. Website (here).

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Conor Mulroy - 'The Last Circus Act' - Album.

Promo Words - The Last Circus Act  is a spiritually-led musical  journey in its entirety - one that was prompted by an unexpected, near-death skiing accident that left Conor in an ICU for 5 days and with a broken hip.  This happened in the Beartooth mountains of Montana. He draws the lyrical material on The Last Circus Act from this experience, using a different lens from his well-received 2012 mandolin-focused release “Foxfire.”  

The Last Circus Act features keyboardist Patrick Warren (Bob Dylan, Tom Waits), pedal steel/dobro player Dave Easley (the Brian Blade Fellowship), vocalist Lindsay Paige Garfield and drummer Tom Arey. Feingold also wrote string arrangements for the record. Lewis mixed The Last Circus Act and Lurssen Mastering put the final touches on it. Composer and Multi-Instrumentalist Conor Mulroy is a student and explorer of music since he picked up his first guitar at age 8 and began shredding solos to Metallica’s “Ride The Lightning.”

Conor has traveled the globe leading groups in performance halls and recording sessions with ensembles ranging from solo instruments to orchestras.  He plays the mandolin, guitar, 5-string banjo, piano, and bass, among many other instruments.  He has written music for orchestra, film, the concert hall and ensembles ranging from acoustic to metal and everything in between. Conor also received a master’s degree in music composition at the University of Maine where he studied with Dan Sonenberg. He also owns his own record label, Melmac Records, through which he has independently released four records: Salinger (2009), The Glass Ocean (2010), The Unwinding Path (2011) and Foxfire (2012).

A case of 'better late than never' with this album which has been about since early July. It's to good to miss out, the musicianship is superb, the songs match that craftsmanship both in melody and style. Take a listen to 'In Winters Wind' chosen at random, as the contenders to feature are many. Website (here).

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