Fruit & Flowers - Clustersun - Vanilla Gorilla - B. Squid

Fruit & Flowers – Out Of Touch.

Background - Brooklyn-based "surf noir" garage psych band Fruit & Flowers announce their debut EP, Drug Tax, due out June 30th via Little Dickman Records. Fruit & Flowers are one of the most active bands in the NYC area, and have been deemed one of "NYC's Hardest Working Bands" by Oh My Rockness. The band embarks on its third tour of 2017 in July to Canada and the Midwest in support of Drug Tax. Fruit & Flowers' exuberant, electric performances draw a local following. Ana Becker's angular, expressive guitar style and Lyzi Wakefield's gritty rhythmic backbone merge a post-punk heaviness with psychedelic warmth. Committed and charismatic front woman Caroline Yoder summons a fervent energy, surrounded by distinct, warm and refreshing three part harmonies, the bedrock of Fruit and Flowers' sound.

Conceived in a Bushwick loft with broken AC during the summer of 2015 by Caroline on bass and Shaw Walters on drums, the band was soon joined by Lyzi Wakefield and Ana Becker on guitars and vocals. The band agreed to play its first show at Northside festival just weeks after formation and wrote the record in a furious fit of hot nights and inspired mornings. The band became fully realized when Shaw handed the role of drummer to Jose Berrio (drummer-cum-art director), whose inimitable style elevates the strong rhythmic character of the band.

Drug Tax was born out of necessity, capturing the grit and rush of New York City summer and the newfound chemistry between the bandmates. Weaving together the perspectives and expressions of the band's multiple songwriters, Drug Tax unfolds to present the unique and varied voice of Fruit & Flowers. Lead single "Out Of Touch" is about the ennui of a missed love opportunity, with soaring, sultry vocals, beachy surf rock riffs and fuzzy bass. Album tracks range from the sultry moody and beautiful "Dark Surf" to the post-gothic title track "Drug Tax." 

Drug Tax was recorded at Thump Studios in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The EP was engineered and co-produced by John Thayer, and mixed and mastered by George Harris. Jose Berrio designed the band's logo and album art. Website here, Facebook here.

'Out Of Touch' is described spot on in the above promo, with it's sultry vocals, beachy surf rock riffs and fuzzy bass. All I would add is that the song is pretty persuasive in demanding a second play.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clustersun - Raw Nerve.

Background - Clustersun has just released the psychedelic shoegaze offerings of their sophomore album ‘Surfacing To Breathe’, via Seahorse Recording. Three years after their debut album ‘Out Of Your Ego’, this 4-piece outfit from Catania (Siciliy) have raised the sonic bar, delivering a more complex and layered mixture of gazey reverberations, a massive walls of sound, psychedelic soundscapes and dreamy melodies.

Formed in 2013, Clustersun is Marco Chisari (vocals & bass), Mario Lo Faro (guitars), Piergiorgio Campione (synthesizers, keyboards & backing vocals), and Andrea Conti (drums).

Featuring eight tracks, ‘Surfacing to Breathe’ was produced by Clustersun and Alessio Pindinelli (La Casa Al Mare). Combining shoegaze, psychedelia, post-punk and dreampop, the band’s signature cosmic/spacey dark vibe is still intact with lyrics invoking a dreamlike sense of melancholy and emotional fragility.

“The sophomore album is a very tough step for every band, especially if it comes after a strong debut, as our ‘Out of Your Ego’ was,” says Marco Chisari. “We are so much happy and proud of how ‘Surfacing to Breathe’ came out, mainly because we’ve managed to capture how the band sounds live.” Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

'Raw Nerve' is but a glimpse of the power contained within the multi layered psychedelic shoegaze album that is 'Surfacing To Breathe'. Despite the initial impression of an all out aural assault, the detail and craftsmanship becomes quite apparent as does the dreamier elements contained within.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vanilla Gorilla - Rainbow Girl.

Background - Vanilla Gorilla announce the release of their new single ‘Rainbow Girl’, out Friday 19th May 2017.  Vanilla Gorilla consists of 5 young dudes from the Mid North Coast of NSW, they all share a passion for the earth, creating art and music that they share ever so well with audiences all over.

Drawing from influences of their surroundings they create their own salt water infused rock and roll, with every individual adding their own touch to create Vanilla Gorilla.

Vanilla Gorilla started off playing in garages and school grounds in 2012, since then they have toured up and down the East Coast, with their own headline tours and festival slots. With E.P ‘Colour Flow’ under their belt and newest single ‘Rainbow Girl’ due for release this week, the future is looking swell as can be for the boys.

Speaking on the recording process of ‘Rainbow Girl’ the band commented; “We began by playing the song live, where bass, drums and rhythm guitar were recorded. Then Dylan mixed it and added lead guitar and vocals over the top and added effects when needed.” They added “It probably took 2 months all up to complete because we don't see each other very often - some of us have moved away for University” Instagram here. 

The creativity is apparent right from the opening notes on 'Rainbow Girl'. The music and vocals drift around each other as the atmosphere and power unfolds. Forget the radio edit version, this deserves the full six minutes on any discerning station.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Squid - Radio Silence.

Background - LA based vocalist and lyricist B. Squid announces the release of her music "Radio Silence", the # 1 track from her November 2016 album Cloud 9. "Radio Silence" takes you into B. Squid's world, and most of the video takes place in the recording studio. B. Squid fuses together elements of lyrical flow, jazz, and indie to create her own new, creative and forward-thinking new independent genre. The music showcases B. Squid's larger than life persona. She definitely seems to sparkle and shine.  The music video for "Radio Silence" was featured on an independent pilot about a bulimic girl called "Binge the Series. It is the opening track for the pilot and has received more than 400,000 plays.  

Ohio born, Squid was raised in Ypsilanti, MI, Cleveland, OH and Miami, FL.  Upon graduation from film school at the University of Miami, she pursued film production work in New England and NYC before relocating to her current home in Los Angeles where she resides and works for acclaimed production companies and film/TV directors.

After debuting her first recording alongside a no-budget, self-made video on YouTube, Squid was invited to screen the video at an event but refused, positing that a 30-minute hip hop set would have a far greater impact.  Two months and five new songs later, B. Squid performed her first-ever live show to a full house at O'Brien's Irish Pub in Santa Monica.  Squid was immediately invited to return the following month marking the start of her first residency.   

Six months later, camera in hand, Squid introduced herself to a legendary and actively prolific lyricist named Abstract Rude.  She entered his famed SBRC (sixteen bar rap competition), proved her chops and their partnership was born.  Within two months, a bevy of nationwide Keep The Feel tours began featuring Squid as an opening act and her sound has been evolving on stages before live audiences ever since.  True to her film side, Alyson "B. Squid" Bruno has now directed over twenty music videos and photographed more than six tours and dozens of stages for Abstract Rude as well as many other KTF and Rhymesayers artists. 

In 2015, Squid paired up with local New Orleans composer Ratty Scurvics to record her debut LP Cloud 9 which dropped in November, 2016 on Keep The Feel Ent. Website here, Facebook here.

Funky and feisty 'Radio Silence' mixes melodic rap vocals with a genre straddling arrangement, that is both vibrant and catchy.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Humble Fire - Wall of Ears - Matt Maltese - Major Love Event - Annie Angel

Humble Fire - Taliesin.

Background - Humble Fire’s second album Builder (out July 14) explores physical and emotional experiences around loss and reconstruction, from family deaths and failed romances to the shocks and stresses they have navigated as a band. Through those experiences, they’ve come to appreciate that reconstruction isn’t something you can tackle on your own: it requires an entire crew. Builder, then, is as much about that process of putting yourself back together, as it is about the relationships that can help or hinder that process. Since Humble Fire’s members have known each other over the past five or so years, they’ve all shown up for each other in different ways as part of that reconstruction crew. They’re lucky to have found family in each other in that way.

Somewhat accidentally, the album also ended up being about working out questions of identity. ‘Who am I now, in this world without my parents in it’, for example? ‘How can I take care of others without losing myself?’ When the band first listened back to the fully assembled album, they realized it had become a sort of therapy in working out some of those questions. More broadly, Humble Fire’s collective identity is also something they try to be very intentional about. As a DC-based band, they’re immersed in and identify with the tradition of DIY independence and social awareness typically associated with the politics of hardcore punk (despite not working in the genre). They strive to embody those values as a band as much as in their personal lives.

Humble Fire owes its origins to Craigslist, which first brought guitarist Dave and singer Nefra together through another project and later recruited Xaq, bassist, who responded to Dave’s ad with a purposeful manifesto that will forever go down in band history. While not the band’s original drummer, Jason had long been a friend and active musician in the DC DIY music circuit before signing on in 2016. In its current form, the band celebrates the diverse musical influences that each member draws from–from bluegrass and classical, to punk and hip hop–weaving addictive rhythms and vulnerable vocals through tightly wound guitar and bass melodies. Facebook here.

Giving some flavour for the bands second album 'Builder' we have the song 'Taliesin'. In terms of refinement and quality it's a fine example of the bands output, however the band draw on a considerable amount of ideas and styles making for a fabulously varied and desirable collection of material.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wall of Ears - Floating Off the Line.

Background - Wall of Ears is a Seattle-based psychedelic pop band, centered around the ongoing musical vision of CW Lott. Wall of Ears performances are collaborative and immersive experiences, drawing from a number of artistic genres. Each Wall of Ears project seeks to create a surreality we can all live in together. 

After releasing two acclaimed and well-received records as guitarist for As Cities Burn and playing in prog-glam outfit Moon Honey, CW Lott wanted to start fresh and locate his own vision. Wall of Ears was birthed in 2009 as a way to documents Lott's unhinged lo-fi homemade experimental recordings, made on drum machines and loop stations and eternal layers of cheap radio shack synthesizers. This eventually swelled into the material that ended up on the debut record Perfect Organ Assembly (Broken Circles, 2013) which showcased a wild palette of influences, from ambient pop weirdness to uncompromising forays into noise and texture. 

Lott left Louisiana to dive into his other life of writing literary fiction and moved to Western Massachusetts to work on a novel about the alien mind. He got sidetracked and ended up composing Hello Beautiful Nothing with the poet / guitarist Jon Ruseski over dense winters and moon-lit snow walks. Lott decided to move to Seattle to dive into the thriving psych-scene and find a full band, which happened just three weeks after relocating to the Soggy City. With a four-piece lineup consisting of Bryant Hammonds, Tony Pettigrew and Derrick Wright, Wall of Ears finished the record in their home studio known as The Sound Shrine. 

Hello Beautiful Nothing is both a reflection and a mantra on disintegrating the boundaries between ourselves and the hyper-complex world humming around us. This record furthers WOE's musical evolution with engaging pop and layers texturized so densely they move through one's ear like a dream. Facebook here.

'Floating Off the Line' has some classic psychedelic nuance, coupled with an expansive pop/rock soundtrack and suitably matched vocals. The video completes the circle with colours and images that seemingly live out the song.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matt Maltese - No One Won The War.

Background - Matt Maltese has shared, his second single of 2017 entitled "No One Won The War", produced by The Maccabees Hugo White. When speaking about the track Matt states,"We lovely humans seem to be on an eternal hamster wheel of conflict and reparation. And nobody wins. Not the people at the bottom or the people at the top." "No One Won The War" is the B-side of a Café Bleu Recordings / Atlantic Records release alongside the previously released A-side "As The World Caves In".

At the age of 20 years old, Matt Maltese is already fully embedded in South London’s thriving music circle. Last year alone, he hosted his own residency in Brixton whilst playing alongside hotly-tipped local acts such as HMLTD, Goat Girl, Fish and Shame. The latter add to an already eclectic collection of artists who have influenced Matt Maltese in some way - the heavy tones of Leonard Cohen, the dirty wit of Jarvis Cocker, and the social commentary of fellow Londoners King Krule and Loyle Carner. These influences place further emphasis on the sense of political unrest that underpins Matt's rich and undeniably accessible songwriting. Facebook here.

Matt Maltese's rich vocals and a distinct piano lead musical arrangement ensure 'No One Won The War' is striking from the outset. Add in the intelligent lyrics and we have a thoughtful, worthwhile and beautiful song.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Major Love Event - Sandy Sound.

Background - Founded in Athens, GA and based in Portland, OR, Major Love Event is an indie pop duo comprised of long-time friends Rebecca Van Damm and C.k. Koch.  Rebecca writes, sings and plays whimsical, lovelorn, evocative songs amplified and enriched by C.k's dynamic and eclectic multi-instrumental stylings and production. 

Though they met as teenagers, it was over a decade before Van Damm and Koch joined musical forces. Playing in separate projects for a number of years, this is the duo's first endeavor as Major Love Event.

On May 12, Major Love Event just released "Sandy Sound," the first single off of their self-titled album released on June 16th. The DIY record, which was recorded in their homes, brings a playful and enticing sound to your ears and will have you quickly falling in love with the band. Facebook here.

Crisp indie pop where expressive and pleasing vocals are accompanied by an imaginative musical soundtrack. 'Sandy Sound' is all of that, produced to a high standard and extremely catchy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Annie Angel - Strange.

Background - How does one introduce a Swedish artist and producer who due to her transcending music and artistic vision has rapidly become one of the most anticipated new acts across the entire Stockholm music scene? Perhaps we can begin by repeating what everyone is saying already…

This multi-talented artist called Annie Angel with debut single Strange is already sounding like an established artist who is bound to explode any minute now. This is what Swedish National Paper SvD had to say about one of her performances at Södra Teatern: ”Annie Angel has a very strong artistic expression. The music varies, it stands on classic pop-rock-soul-ground and is still independent towards music history." All the while Noisey DK calls Annie "a superhuman that goes above and beyond most human capabilities" it is clear that she has a unique spot in the international pop music scene today and is ready to claim it.

Strange - called an escape route through Manchester, California, the 70's New York new wave-scene to Stockholm - is Annie Angel's debut. Her writing, arranging, recording and producing - also produced with Nille Perned (Kent, bob hund) - with as well as her striking vocals, comes to life in 5 minutes of music that could be Talking Heads as well as Amy Winehouse.

Since Annie Angels’s music is on its way out of Sweden and into the world now, we’ve decided that the best way to properly introduce her to the public is to simply let the music and the voice speak for themselves.

The song title might be 'Strange' however the song is anything but. It's creative, sits comfortably across genres, and has emotion, depth and vital musical ingredients that ensure it's many hooks dig deep. Deserves to be heard!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edie Green - Quin Galavis

Edie Green - Smalltime Viticulturist.

Background - Influenced by the diversity of artists such as Hiatus Kaiyote, The Pixies and Radiohead, Perth indie-rock outfit Edie Green have put forth their swirling second EP The Sea It Binds You, featuring new single Smalltime Viticulturist.

Lovingly crafted by four kindred souls and expertly captured by engineering guru Dave Parkin (Jebediah, Abbe May), the final product is a tantalising swirl of fuzzy riffs, world and jazz inspired beats, topped with sweet and sultry vocals - designed to quicken the heartbeat and sooth the mind.

Of Smalltime Viticulturist vocalist Sophie Wiegele says "Smalltime Viticulturist stemmed from one of our more abstract jams, with a quick, jutting verse that contrasts with a smooth refrain where the silky guitars and spacey vocals take over. As a band that's creatively influenced by their surroundings we based the track on a time when touring, on a day off we set-up in the middle of a large vineyard in Margaret River and just jammed all afternoon!"

Having recently supported San Cisco while notching up slots at the Fairbridge Festival, Hidden Treasures Festival and Festival of the Winds, Edie Green are set to launch their new
EP May 26 at Jack Rabbit Slims in Perth. Facebook here.

'Smalltime Viticulturist' is a vibrant indie rock track, with a fabulous rhythm arrangement that helps spice things up. Vocals add the melody and change the pace on this catchy song.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quin Galavis — Question.

Background - Quin Galavis has been an active participant in the Austin music scene for the last fifteen years. A founding member of critically acclaimed bands The Dead Space, and False Idol, Quin also performs under his own name.

His sophomore solo album, 2016's immersive, ambitious double-LP, My Life in Steel and Concrete, appeared on multiple end-of-year top ten lists and was spotlighted in an Austin Chronicle feature story.

The record's soundscape is as varied and challenging as the themes it explores, and it features a host of Austin’s diverse musical elite: Thor Harris (Swans/Shearwater), Sabrina Ellis (Sweet Spirit/A Giant Dog), Graham Low (A Giant Dog), and Ian Rundell (Ghetto Ghouls), to name a few.

June 16th he'll release his third LP, The Battery Line, (Super Secret Records) which will be supported with local shows, and an album tour. Bandcamp here.

One of ten tracks on 'The Battery Line' album and 'Question' is a good example of what to expect with this new collection of material. A constant flow of alt or indie rock songs where delivery is tight and paced, the expertise is there in abundance, as are some finely penned songs.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pascoe - Sparks - The Mrs - The Avulsions - Mauno

Pascoe - Lorelei.

Background - Pascoe is an artist from the isolated streets of Sydney’s day-dreamy suburbia, where small town gossip meets city seclusion. Pascoe is excited to announce the release of her debut single ‘Lorelei’, an introspective narrative of a ruined woman.

After finishing up her music degree, she decided to focus on developing her songwriting. The 22-year-old songstress has been collecting dark tales and crafting them into melodies, capturing an honesty for the mechanics of the human mind.

Seductive synth and thundering drums come together in this brooding marriage of folk and pop to support Pascoe’s sweet vocal as she tells the story of the forlorn siren Lorelei. During a storm driven blackout, she was moved to write about the seductress and the tragedies that befell her lovers.

Produced by Cameron Robertson and Joey Wenceslao of Glades, the dark single tells the tale of a young woman torn apart by the collision of her public and private selves, how she is perceived by herself and others around her. Inspired by the portrayal of women in history and literature, Pascoe observed the intricacies of the relationships around her to construct her own modern take on the fable.

Let this stunning track transport you to the murky depths of the ocean and drown you in a salty reminiscence for poor lonely Lorelei. Facebook here.

'Lorelei' mixes electronic pop sensibilities with more folk orientated vocals resulting in a fabulous song. Story line lyrics are melodically delivered, whilst the music adds depth and a darker feel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sparks - What The Hell Is It This Time?

Background - Sparks (featuring Californian brothers Ron and Russell Mael) have just released "What The Hell Is It This Time?", the new single from the highly-anticipated album Hippopotamus (due September 8, 2017). Sparks are famed for writing songs about unlikely subjects and do not disappoint with "What The Hell Is It This Time?" – “an often uttered phrase when people listen to a new Sparks song,” according to Ron Mael.

Recorded in Los Angeles, Hippopotamus sees Sparks take the pop form, shake it up, and create an album that is adventurous, fresh, and idiosyncratically ‘Sparks.' Described as “the smartest, most consistently evolving band in the history of rock”, and internationally-acclaimed as pop pioneers, Sparks’ music has always been innovative and instantly identifiable.

The title track "Hippopotamus" was first played on BBC Radio 6 Music after Sparks' set at the 6 Music Festival in Glasgow. The song was received with delight on its March 24 release. Together, the two songs "Hippopotamus" and "What The Hell Is It This Time?" are now available for instant download with the full album pre-order here, website here, Facebook here.

I've been a fan of Sparks music for rather a long time. Their distinct and arguably totally unique sound never ceases to please my ears. 'What The Hell Is It This Time?' continues their musical journey where seemingly nothing is ruled out (or in). They just continue to create music, it's what they do, and they never disappoint.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Mrs - Blink of an Eye.

Background - The Mrs combines modern pop sensibilities with soulful, vocal harmonies to create songs as meaningful as they are infectious. 

An all-female band here to remind you to be true to yourself and live that YOLO life, The Mrs is on a mission to give you something different, because they are something different.

In 2014, The Mrs released their "Magic Mirror" video, which featured their first single, "Enough." It became a viral success, gaining over 5 million views on YouTube, and finding its way onto Good Morning America and The Queen Latifah Show. 

It's now been translated into multiple languages by fans. In 2017, The Mrs was a breakout act at SXSW, and released their first full-length album in March of that year. Website here, Facebook here.

OK so I clearly slept through The Mrs viral success that was 'Magic Mirror' and so 'Blink of an Eye' is my personal introduction to the band. I'm not complaining, this is one feisty rock'n'roll tune with bags of passion and hooks galore, a good enough place to play catch up from I would say.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Avulsions - Mars. --- Mauno - Waste.

Background - Flemish Eye is happy to announce a new collaboration between two artists from across our country: a limited-edition split 7” featuring Halifax-based Mauno and Saskatoon’s The Avulsions.  The 7” will be strictly limited to only 300 copies and primarily available on the merch table as both bands go on tour over the spring, including dates next week at The Great Escape in Brighton, UK.

The 7” record features a song from each artist,  each one complemented by an illustration by Chad VanGaalen. Some limited copies will be available in the Flemish Eye shop and in select retailers — but mostly you will have to grab one of these from the bands when you see them on tour over the next month!

The Avulsions - Saskatoon, Canada-based band The Avulsions quickly started to make noise after their formation in 2015 — despite only playing 20-30 shows in Western Canada and with only a handful of songs available online. Centred around the songwriting of vocalist, guitarist, and synth player Samantha Renner — who draws inspiration from an extensive background in classical music and a deep reverence for classic noir-pop groups like The Cure and Martin Hannett-era Factory Records acts — The Avulsions envelop her tunes in darkly lush, intricately ornamented arrangements, betraying a superb collective attention to detail and subtlety.

Mauno - Formed in 2014, Nova Scotia’s Mauno has been working relentlessly at bringing their unique pop rock to as many ears as possible. Driven by the collective boredom, excitement and curiosity of its 4 members (Eliza Niemi, Nick Everett, Adam White, Scott Boudreau), they take their various backgrounds in classical, folk, and math-rock and turn it into something unpredictable and new. Mauno plan a  full length album on Idée Fixe in fall 2017.

Facebook The Avulsions here, Mauno here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour new page.

Two bands and one shared 7" single. The Avulsions provide a powerful wall of sound with vocals a little Nico like (not a complaint!) on the rather haunting 'Mars' song. Mauno are gentler in their delivery with melodic vocals singing above a tight rhythmic musical arrangement. It's an intriguing combination and it works.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Lovely Days - Hawkmoon - Vandana - Chastity Brown

The Lovely Days - Mornington.

Background - “Arms Wide Open is a new collection of songs about welcoming the power of possibility into your life. It explores hopefulness, vulnerability, openness & retreat; but learning how to deal with life’s uncertainty and that it doesn’t always go the way we plan." Tennyson Nobel (Vocals/keyboards).

Like many bands, The Lovely Days started in a garage but with a bit of a difference– brothers Holden and Tennyson Nobel were only five and seven at the time. Most days, they squeezed in behind the Mitsubishi to learn their chops from their songwriter Dad. It was the start of a mad, musical immersion - Mozart one day, McCartney or Radiohead the next.

As soon as they got their drivers licences, they hightailed it to Melbourne from hometown Mullumbimby and hooked up with old school buddy Stephen Dickie and new found friend Jackson McIvor to form The Lovely Days. The Lovely Days emanates musical vibes resonant of the 60’s and 70’s: not to recreate a golden age but purely to invent a new one, authentic, hopeful and always in a groove with stand out harmonies and passionate musicality. The Lovely Days are; Tennyson Nobel [Keyboards, Vocals] - Holden Nobel [Bass, Vocals] - Stephen Dickie [Guitar, Backing Vocals] - Jackson McIvor [Drums]. Website here, Facebook here.

One of five tracks on the new E.P. and 'Mornington' is a zappy and energetic indie pop meets rock type of song. Upbeat and with a message, the band also carve out a defined and individual sound.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hawkmoon - Hologramatic.

Background - Hawkmoon are the collective musical identity of Pat Hehir, Liam Hehir and Reuben Aptroot. Their soon to be released debut album The Saturn Return is an album produced to fill a void in the current musical landscape, where distorted guitars, eclectic songwriters and ‘rock’ have gone underground.

After numerous live gigs, festival appearances and EP releases with earlier incarnations of Hawkmoon and Reuben's Ultrafeedy, the three would be brought together in 2013 under the Hawkmoon banner to create music that was thoughtful, challenging, bold and fresh.

On the heels of the album’s first single Silverline, comes Hologramatic, the second single from the album and one of the more unique and distinct songs the band has recorded. Like the rest of the album, Hologramatic was recorded in Reuben’s home studio and produced by the band.

“Hologramatic was one of the last songs we put together for the record”, says Hawkmoon lead singer and guitarist, Pat Hehir. “We wanted to do something different with this song and had a lot of fun experimenting on it in the studio, like creating loops out of objects in the garage. It has a U2 Achtung Baby-feel, combining a live rock band with processed sounds. From a lyrical perspective, the song captures one of the main themes of the album. One of identity and questioning your place in the universe.” Facebook here.

'Hologramatic' mixes exuberant harmonies and somewhat calmer vocals together which alone, makes the song stand out. Add in the feisty alt rock music and we have one very appealing teaser for the album.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vandana - Jaan.

Background - Vandana is pleased to share the last single from her new EP, Nox Anima. Fusing elements of disquieting electronica with alternative pop, Vandana’s angular, intense music embraces womanhood and otherness as if from inside the mouth of a cave. Her multicultural lifestyle, from India to London to Brooklyn, has influenced her wildly eclectic and self-assured material, which arrives steeped in the knowledge of ancient Indian traditions and fables as well as in assorted vehicles of abstract art and thought.

Inspired by musical pioneers like Aphex Twin, Thom Yorke and Miles Davis as well as the vibrancy of Bollywood, the Gothicism of The Cure and the evocativeness of Fever Ray, Vandana also takes her cues from purveyors of subversion like Edgar Allan Poe, Lars Von Trier and Henry Miller. In this latest material, the naturally introverted singer brings her insular and mysterious writing process to life via slow-dripping, throbbing synths, creating an atmosphere that’s arcane, exotic and brooding.

An instinctive and intimate record - and one that was created in Vandana’s home studio during a period of solitary retreat - the six-track EP makes for a truly absorbing listen. The whole EP twists about on a mixture of abstract and visceral themes, building you up before submerging you in swirls of throbbing sound that threaten to unsettle your very core. Website here, Facebook here.

'Jaan' has a mysterious feel from the word go. The vocals and electronica seemingly take different paths and at the same time compliment each other as the song builds in richness.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chastity Brown - Wake Up.

Background - Following the success of previous release Backroad Highways, a performance on Later ... with Jools Holland with single Colorado and a US tour supporting Ani DiFranco; Chastity Brown has announced the release of her new album Silhouette Of Sirens through Red House Records on May 19th.

An artist who can plumb the depths of sadness in a single note, then release it in the very next breath, Chastity Brown melds folk, pop and soul on her Red House debut, Silhouette of Sirens, weaving together a poet’s lyrical ear and a soul-laid-bare quality. The album’s 10 original tracks introduce us to a new voice – a songwriter of power and conviction who isn’t afraid to bare her heart as she sings of heartbreak, need and love. The album will be released on May 19, 2017 on CD, vinyl and all digital formats.

Based in Minnesota, but with roots in Tennessee, Chastity grew up surrounded by country and soul music. In the full gospel church of her childhood, she played saxophone and drums and found her singing voice and a passion for music. Her first show was in Knoxville, TN, and then it was on to Minneapolis. Since then, she’s been  featured on NPR’s “Favorite Sessions,” CMT, American Songwriter, The Sunday Times, Paste Magazine, Independent and others.

Chastity Brown's vocals exude a mixture of passionate determination, with a little vulnerability. That's enough to make 'Wake Up' grab my attention, however the added pace and energy of the music, pretty much ensures I'm gonna have to hear more.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tunabunny - Ed Prosek - King Washington - Alexa Dark - Carter Lou & The Project

Tunabunny - Blackwater Homes.

Background - Tunabunny release second new track in three years "Blackwater Homes" and announce the pre-order of their 5th album also a double "PCP Presents Alice In Wonderland JR" released June 23rd on HHBTM Records.  

PCPPAIWJR creates a universe of sound, music for the internet age. As our access to music expands, its entire history sits at our fingertips just waiting to be heard.  Just waiting to inspire, this is the future of music—a glorious eclecticism that results in something original and urgently now. You can hear echoes of T Rex, Slits, Electrelane, Chills, Human League, John Cage, John Cale, GBV, Beefheart, Ono, Eno, Fine Young Cannibals, Fleetwood Mac, Luc Ferrari, Bananarama, ? and the Mysterians, Smiths, Syd Barrett, Sun Ra, and on, and on.

You’ll want to know about the title, you’ll have questions about the title. Turn on your TV, open up your laptop, sift through your phone, pay attention to the surreal dystopian nightmare all around us. PCP Presents Alice In Wonderland Jr is quite simply what it means to be alive in 2017. Facebook here.

We featured 'Incinerate' earlier in the month and then along comes 'Blackwater Homes' and a chance to share a second song from the bands forthcoming album. As regards the album we said "The album takes us from psych to indie rock and a whole load of other places. Sometimes it's quite avant garde other times hook laden and sparkling, there is never a dull moment", I think the new song might just reinforce that!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ed Prosek - Flesh & Blood.

Background - Californian singer-songwriter Ed Prosek releases new EP Flesh and Blood Part 1.

Recorded in Berlin, the artist has flipped the perspective from his previous work, with his new output yielding a much darker, heavier sound. Prosek brings together his singer songwriter roots and a more complex exploration of raw sound, instrumentation and arrangement, moving away from his folkier roots.

At the end of April he teased with "Tear It All Down", a track inspired, in part, by post-apocalyptic 2009 film, The Road. "Tear It All Down" tells a story of perseverance, but ultimately hopelessness. Borne out through both the lyrical themes and the music itself, it’s as if the very weight of the sound of the chorus is the burden of uncertainty carried by us all, and the emptiness of the verses, the stark and brutal void of the calm before the storm. The fear of the unknown is a palpable presence within the song.

Prosek’s evolution from acoustic singer songwriter to this new direction has been a natural progression through both his personal growth as an artist, and a reflection of a less certain world. Ed Prosek will be on a headline tour throughout Germany and the Netherlands in May, with festival dates and international showcases throughout the summer. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour page. 

Title track from the EP (Part 1), and 'Flesh & Blood' gently grows into a rich and layered singer, songwriter piece of notable quality. One of three songs it demonstrates well Ed Prosek's ability to turn up the power and emotional feel with great effect.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

King Washington - My Reflection.

Background - LA-based indie rockers King Washington have just released the official music video for their second album single "Superman," from their forthcoming studio album Potential. The album is due out May 19 in digital, CD and LP formats, and is available now for pre-order (here). The Pledge Music pre-order is also live (here), and includes exclusive bundles with signed product. 

"Superman" captures the frustrations of the artist - the feelings of not being good enough despite countless time and effort to improve and succeed. It buddies up to the band's inspiration behind the album title Potential and together, both titles reflect the push-pull of trying to get recognized, while also balancing the need for outside gratification to mark one's assessment of their own talent. The video crystallizes this as the camera follows fine artist Danielle Lee throughout her day as an aspiring artist. Ultimately, as King Washington's Tyson Kelly points out, "There is an underlying message that good things come to those who perservere." 

Drawing from diverse influences such as Grizzly Bear, The Crash Kings, The Talking Heads, The Beatles and Crosby, Stills & Nash, Los Angeles’ own King Washington are in the midst of creating the New California sound. By fusing classic vocal harmonies and lyrical melodies with a contemporary approach to songwriting, the band has created a unique sound that is as creative as it is familiar.

This album sees members Tyson Kelly (guitar, keys, vocals), George Krikes (lead guitar, vocals), and Billy Lee (bass, vocals) joined by David Contreras on drums. With two albums behind them, and a tour history that includes playing over 150 shows across the US since 2014 (sharing the stage with the likes of The Artic Monkeys, Collective Soul, and Ambrosia), King Washington plans on continuing the trend of blowing audiences away across the nation... as one of LA Weekly's top live shows in Los Angeles. Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour page. 

The vocals and harmonies stand out on 'My Reflection' an indie rocker that has plenty of melodic hooks, along with a feisty beat that gives the song an additional dimension to the overall piece.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alexa Dark - Blur.

Background - Alternative rock songwriter and guitarist, Alexa Dark, announces her debut EP, Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts, due out August 2017. The album was produced by Angelo "Doc" Velasquez (The Weeknd's Trilogy, The Fray, Christina Perri) and mixed by Patrick Kelly. 

Raised between Spain, London and Germany, now based in New York City and London, the songs are inspired by Alexa Dark's transient lifestyle. The songs were written in bedrooms, planes, between drinks outside East London clubs during early  morning hours and on the concrete of various metropolitan cities. Conceived in heartbreak, in transit and from boundless nostalgia, these tracks intertwine cultural and personal narratives, influenced by the Spanish singer songwriters played in her childhood kitchen, in addition to female rock legends such as Patti Smith, Debbie Harry and Kim Gordon. 

Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts is a collection of songs cultivated in the brief moment when the party is over, when the sobriety comes just before the morning does. "Blur" is one of the first songs Alexa wrote and has evolved to cater to many different relationships and situations throughout her life. It's a "fuck it" anthem, of sorts, but still portrays vulnerability, baring her bones. "Nothing More" is an "anti-love" song, about loving but in an untraditional sense. Referring to the EP's title, "Empty Drinks" is a party anthem that encapsulates the sober realization and reflection on the emptiness felt at the end of the night. Website here, Facebook here.

Alexa Dark's vocals are well suited to alt rock, tuneful with just a little rock'n'roll edge. 'Blur' is one very catchy song, the music is a little understated allowing the song both lyrically and through it's fine delivery, to shine through.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carter Lou & The Project - Do Or Die.

Background - Lead by Washington, D.C.-based musician Carter Louthian, Carter Lou & the Project's beginnings stem from tragic circumstances. The night before he was set to go to college, Lou snapped: his two best friends had recently killed themselves a day apart, and his girlfriend had just broken his heart. 

Combined with the reality of the packaged post-college suburban life he was heading toward, he felt even more emptiness. He boldly told his parents that he wasn't going to university in the morning and has chosen to pursue music instead. Since then, the band has packed out numerous headlining shows and earning a prestigious endorsement from PRS Guitars. 

"Do Or Die" is the first single from Carter Lou & the Project's forthcoming self-titled album, produced by Mark Williams and Rick Beato (Shinedown, Needtobreathe). The single's lyrical content arises from Lou's past heartbreak and finding the strength and trust to fall back in love again. Facebook here.

'Do Or Die' is a tight, rhythmic rocker that doesn't try to be anything else. Energised music alongside passionately natural vocals makes for a fine personal introduction to the band.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hanne Hukkelberg - Quiet Boy - Stutter Steps

Hanne Hukkelberg - The Whip.

Background - One of Norway’s most acclaimed, influential and vital artists, Hanne Hukkelberg returns in extraordinary form, with her first new single in five years — ‘The Whip’. Self-produced by Hanne herself, ‘The Whip’ is a complex, schizophrenic four minutes of supremely intelligent pop music. This will come as no surprise to fans of Hanne’s previous work, with the new single bringing her sound right up to date — sounding more relevant, and just as intriguing as ever, aligning with the electronically manipulated tendencies of modern pop music.

‘The Whip’ signals Oslo based Hukkelberg’s forthcoming fifth album, joining a nationally adored and internationally acclaimed back catalogue including ‘Featherbrain’ (2012), ‘Blood From A Stone’ (2009) and Norwegian Grammy Award-winning debut LP ‘Rykestrasse 68’ (2006). 

The new track straddles the divide between electronic and organic, both in terms of premise and production; contemplating a cyber society embroiled in, and consumed by, filtered reality. “The Whip is a combination of personal experience and a wider observation of society and how I feel people are living their lives, striving for this unrealistic idea of perfection,” Hukkelberg explains.

“I wanted to write about how nice – and necessary – it is to need someone. To be vulnerable in a society that encourages us to look like someone that has everything, all of the time, and doesn’t actually need anything.”

'The Whip’ features the stunning guest vocal of Highasakite’s Ingrid Helene Håvik – one of Hukkelberg’s many cohorts, with past collaborators including Todd Terje, Jaga Jazzist, Jenny Hval, and Emilie Nicolas. Website here, Facebook here.

'The Whip' mixes gorgeous synths and beats with delicious vocals, as the two elements bounce around each other. Maverick pop of sorts, that is incredibly addictive.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quiet Boy - Supergirl.

Background - Quiet Boy’s ‘Supergirl’ developed from a very dark time in principal member and songwriter Gaz Tomlinson’s life. The track, taken from upcoming debut EP ‘Earwig’, works through negative and positive cycles of thought, with its slow burning tempo and acoustic lo-fi meets electro-glitch sound palette.

The song was initially an ode to Tomlinson’s partner, musician and performer Brigitte Aphrodite, and the loss of a major book of her poetry (‘Throwing words into the ocean’) on a night spent on a Hastings beach. The video revisits the same stretch of beach but the track takes on a new persona as ‘Supergirl’ confronts the misunderstanding and persecution of LGBTQ individuals and their relationships.

Gaz explains, “For the visual we wanted to subvert the surface meaning of the song. Supergirls can come in any form and be different things to different people. In this case this is what the song means to band member Alex Faye Braithwaite.”

He adds, “the song ‘sung by a man about a woman’ acts as a counterpoint to the video, where we see a ‘woman singing about a woman’. The words on her body express the stigma attached to her sexuality, and the bravery involved in washing them away”

Their 4 track debut EP ‘Earwig’ includes Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing favourite ‘Redeem’. There is much to delve into and savour, both musically and lyrically – the collection was produced (with Gareth Tomlinson and band member Russell Ditchfield) by Nick Trepka (Emmy The Great, Speech Debelle).

Quiet Boy is a collaboration between 5 musicians led by Tomlinson. They are: Gaz Tomlinson, Russell Ditchfield, Emily Sills, Alexandra Braithwaite and Stuart Roberts. With a series of festival appearances and shows across the UK including Glastonbury Festival in June, Quiet Boy are a must-see live. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour news page.

Lo-fi and at times quite spartan music, ensures that when the song ups the power, it also unleashes passion and emotion. 'Supergirl' beautifully defies specific categorisation, the video adds to that, it's not necessarily experimental, it is gorgeous.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stutter Steps - Submarine.

Background - Stutter Steps debut new track 'Submarine' from their upcoming 12" Floored on Blue Arrow Records, due for release on June 2nd, 2017. Stutter Steps released their debut album on Wild Kindness records at the end of 2015. Group mastermind Ben Harrison, a curator at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, and collaborator with Dean Wareham (Galaxie 500/Luna/etc.), crafted one of the bittersweetest indiepop debuts in years. 

Critics who took the time to listen were stunned. With its jangling guitars and plaintive organ, its literate heartfelt lyrics and the skip in its step, Stutter Steps sounds like the missing link between early Flying Nun and the Go-Betweens (geographically, this would put then in the middle of the Tasman Sea and I hope they’ve got a boat).

They return now with a new six-song EP, Floored, on Blue Arrow Records, home of Jonathan Richman among others, that expands on the promise of the debut. Harrison has the rare ability to combine emotions in a song, so ‘Encino,’ with its wistful chords and lyrics of regret, becomes greater than the sum of its parts. The organ on ‘Weak Restraint’ makes you dance (Stutter Steps has never sounded more like The Clean than they do here) while the words make you weep. It would take a heart of orange granite not to be moved. Facebook here.

We featured Stutter Steps in March and the latest track 'Submarine' pretty much confirms our initial enthusiasm was well founded. Melodic with plenty of heartfelt vibes, it's another fabulous track.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kylie Odetta - Swimming Tapes - Rival Cavves - High Signs - Monogold

Kylie Odetta - Stress.

Background - 19-year-old Kylie Odetta has always been able to access a musical maturity that transcends her age. By 6 she was playing piano fluidly, by 12 she was recording her own material in her own iconic style and, as of 2017, has clocked in hundreds of shows that include opening slots for Gavin DeGraw, Colbie Callait and Mat Kearny. 

The slow-burning R&B that is saturating the mainstream as of late was always in alignment with Odetta’s sensibilities, culminating in 2016’s High Dreamer EP which was a pivotal moment in her musical trajectory, both personally and professionally. Its bluesy ballads accessed the lower register of her sultry voice, drawing comparisons to contemporary soul torchbearers like Yuna, Lianne La Havas and Adele and securing coverage in outlets as varied as Paste and The Music Ninja. 

Odetta’s mellow yet modern aesthetic was molded from a youth spent listening to both top 40 radio while entrenching herself in the pantheon of jazz pianists: Ellington, Monk, Coltrane, etc.… The symbiosis between pop and blues has always been apparent in her unique style and is something she drew on heavily when returning to the studio earlier this year. The name of her newest EP, Undertow, plays on her intention to follow her muse and not defer to mainstream trends - moving in a direction that is different from that of the surface current.

Undertow is due out May 19th, website here, Facebook here.

If I describe 'Stress' as resplendent, beguiling and similar, I might still be accused of understating just how good this song is. Kylie Odetta is young, pretty and can sing, enough these day's to have TV talent shows falling over themselves to hype her up. A closer listen at both her vocals and piano skills, suggests there is some real depth to Kylie's musical interpretation and naturally developed talent. Resplendent, beguiling? go watch and listen (here), and decide for yourself!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Swimming Tapes - Queen's Parade.

Background - London-based indie band Swimming Tapes share new track "Queen's Parade". The track was produced by Adam Jaffrey (Palace, Gengahr, Leif Erikson). Stay tuned for more details on the new EP which will feature the single, to be announced soon. The band have announced a number of UK tour dates, including stops at The Great Escape and Dot To Dot Festivals, and a headline show at The Lexington.

The now London-based five piece arrived in 2016 with a self released demo track, ‘Souvenirs’, which quickly won them acclaim from the blogging world. Follow up tracks ‘Set The Fire’ and ‘Cameos’ saw them reach the top spot on the Hype Machine chart, earned the band their first play from BBC Radio 1, and tipped them well over 1 million track streams on Spotify. Swimming Tapes rounded off the year with the release of their debut EP, named after their first single ‘Souvenirs’, on burgeoning London indie label Hand In Hive, and have firmly cemented themselves as ones to watch for 2017.

"Queen's Parade" is available digitally now via B3SCI Records (US) and Hand In Hive Records (UK). Swimming Tapes are Robbie Reid (guitar + vocals), Louis Price (guitar + vocals), Jason Hawthorne (guitar), Paddy Conn (bass), and Andrew Evans (drums). Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour page.

Swimming Tapes clearly have an ear for a fine melody and 'Queen's Parade' is no exception. Bright indie music with some appealing vocals and harmonies, backed by some glittering guitar lead music makes for a very catchy track.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rival Cavves - Creep.

Background - Marissa Longstreet and Matthew Lieberman first encountered one another in 2012. An LA native, Lieberman's new group Magic Bronson was looking for a rehearsal/studio space and had stumbled upon a warehouse in the San Fernando Valley that seemed to fit what they wanted. Upon arrival, Lieberman met the owner's sister who happened to be Longstreet. 

Having recently moved to LA from upstate New York, Longstreet was fronting an indie dance band and just getting her feet wet in the LA music scene. Over the next 3 years Lieberman and Longstreet found themselves playing multiple shows together with their respective bands.

Fast forward to 2015 when Lieberman moved into the same North Hollywood neighborhood as Longstreet. They began to hang out more frequently and spent a lot of late nights listening to Lieberman's record collection and showing each other new music and bands. Using his vintage Roland Juno-106 Synthesizer, Lieberman began making beats influenced by these hangouts and started giving them to Longstreet. 

Armed with a mic and laptop she began putting Lieberman's beats into garage band and tracking vocal ideas. Within a few weeks they had a number of songs and Rival Cavves was officially born. The duo debuted in June ’16 with the buzzed single “EZ Way Out” which Indie Shuffle called "a dream/synth-pop electronic jam that exudes LA vibes and LA swag.”  Their 7 song self-titled debut expands on their unique ability to fuse dream & electro-pop in the best possible way. Lieberman’s array of glitchy synths and sweeping soundscapes provide the perfect springboard for Longstreet’s bouncy, poetic and hypnotic vocals. Facebook here.

'Creep' builds around a focused synthy rhythm and some understated and yet menacing and plaintive vocals, now there's a juxtaposition. Or in English, it's a fabulous electo song.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

High Signs - A Much Larger Ocean.

Background from High Signs - We just released our new single “A Much Larger Ocean”. It’s a song about the struggle to remain positive without clinging to empty hope or unfounded optimism.

Staying present, grounded, and connected to what and who we care about is more of an action than a desire, but it is one that needs to constantly be teased out. Even if we can find this piece of mind for just a moment, it is something we can hold onto and continue to find strength in. If nothing else, it is a mindset to aspire to.

After forming in the basement of a DIY venue in Toronto, we reset our approach to music in 2016, focusing on writing songs that are honest and simple. “A Much Larger Ocean” exemplifies our process, and acts as an introduction to our full-length debut “If So, Then What?”.  Recorded by Collin Young at B-Town Sound, and mixed by Jesse Gander (Japandroids, White Lung), the album will be released this summer. Facebook here.

'A Much Larger Ocean' launches itself like a whirlwind going at breakneck speed and refuses to ease off. Two and a half minutes of perfect rock uproar, now that's enough to wake a good few listeners.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monogold - Naked.

Background - Brooklyn-based Monogold have just shared their artistic new video for "Naked," taken off of their latest release, Yolk, out now via Chill Mega Chill Records.

Since the release of 2015's Good Heavens, which was Monogold's acoustic-based effort, they have torn down any preconceived notions that they or anyone else had of them. After completely stripping down their sound for Good Heavens, the Monogold boys took this new foundation of simplicity and started building with their signature, catchy power-trio melodies and hooks. They still like to go deep on the lush soundscapes, but their songs have become a bit more focused and driven by the instrumentation and the vocals. 

With their new EP in hand titled, Yolk (Chill Mega Chill Records) out now, Kelly, Apuzzo, and Falotico are giving the world a small taste of what is to come in the future of the band. The four song EP is a prelude to another full-length record which is in the process of being mixed right now. As with their new found musical simplicity, the lyrical content will tackle the simple things: breastfeeding, giving birth, being born, sex, bugs, and more.

There's about two albums worth of songs written, and Monogold couldn't bear to keep them to themselves anymore. Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

An intriguing music video that's charming in it's own right, just happens to be accompanied by a fabulous and equally artistic song that is 'Naked'. Warning this is exceptionally catchy!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CIITY - TAWLS - Sophia Kennedy - Martin Simpson - Lød - Witching Waves

CIITY - DNVR.

Background - Dallas based Indie-Pop band, CIITY, have been creating music since 2015. Their highly anticipated new single, ‘DNVR’, just might end up in your summer playlist.

The latest single from their EP Parallels, the song was recorded at The Lair studios and produced by Matt Noveskey: owner of Austin based Orb Recording Studios. Singer Carter Davis says, “‘DNVR’ is about not seizing the opportunity you were given and having to live with the regret of never having the fulfilment you wanted.” 

This song is an Electronic/Alternative mixture that creates a cloud of ambient swells, driving drums, and catchy synths to peak interest in the listener. A perfect match for fans of The 1975, St. Lucia, Foster the People, and Coldplay.

CIITY, has been making waves across the North Texas community since the release of their first single, ‘Late Night Confession’, in October 2016 and continue to lure new listeners with their creative lyrics and unique sound. North Texas radio stations like 91.7 KXT and 96.7 the local ticket frequently feature their newly released EP. Website here, Facebook here.

With a smoothly textured electronic feel and some fine and distinctive vocals 'DNVR' is a vibrant and pacy indie song.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TAWLS - 2+2.

Background - TAWLS is a treasure chest of original songs and stories which draw on an eclectic mix of folk, nursery rhymes and electronica.

Their debut single, ‘2+2’ bursts into our ears with the nostalgic sounds of a playground. It whisks you into day-dreams of simpler times, while tackling grown-up questions about relationship fights and compromise. “We’re supposed to be grown up, so how come it feels like we’re still just two kids trying to navigate the monkey bars?” say TAWLS on the meaning of ‘2 + 2’. It’s a melting pot of influences; textural production, an understated singing approach and unexpected rhythmic punctuations. One may hear elements of Sufjan Stevens, Regina Spektor and Hiatus Kaiyote.

Written and recorded in bedrooms across the country from Perth WA to Mittagong NSW, this song possesses a whimsical attraction and an infectious hook that will have you groovin’ in your boots.

This is the work of two musical nomads, from Perth, to Sydney to Berlin they live and breathe, creating and collaborating with music. TAWLS are euphorically uplifting.

‘The Adventures of Wonderchild & Little Seal’ (TAWLS) is a chronicle of the musical escapades of Anna-Kat (Wonderchild) and Ronan Chapple (Little Seal). Anna-Kat and Ronan both completed the Bmus (Jazz Performance) at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Facebook here.

Inventive and sprightly '2+2' mixes melodic vocals, alongside some intricate electronic sounds where the rhythm twists and turns creating a beautifully different song.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sophia Kennedy - Build Me A House.

Background - Elegant, melancholic, sometimes menacing, with smoldering piano melodies, desolately whistling organs, and a jaunty jaw's harp loop; kissed by the golden Californian sun, or shrouded in gloomy, dreary fog: Sophia Kennedy is currently the most versatile composer in German pop music – not to mention the greatest singer. Her debut album "Sophia Kennedy" reveals her as a dramatic romanticist and distanced diseuse, as a deft lyricist and master of melody. In her eleven songs, she travels from doo-wop to dubstep, from classic crooning to breathless R'n'B, from Frank Sinatra to Beyoncé. Her talent for songwriting is deeply rooted in history, yet it seeks nothing but the present: both historically versed and timelessly beautiful at the same time.

Sophia Kennedy produced and recorded the album together with Mense Reents, best known for his work with Die Vögel and Die Goldenen Zitronen. Together they developed the spartan arrangements and electronic textures that determine the willfully dense sound of this album. Often, Kennedy's voice is the only instrument that pursues a harmonic development over the repetitive structures. Then she doubles and multiplies her voice and sings alongside herself in a choir. She shines with bold syncopation over a hobbling piano, as well as in the field of the melancholic lament that suggests a late Beach Boys ballad. This results in multi-dimensional, highly individual music, which easily escapes all the traps of inwardness: just as her lyrics unfold from seemingly simple wordplay to subjective confessionals without ever regressing into the euphuistic pathos of romantic self-reflection.

This is the first songwriting record to be released on Pampa Records, and yet "Sophia Kennedy" is perfectly at home on this label, which for almost a decade has been making the connection between tradition and modernity, avant-garde inventiveness and pop sensibility. One can detect different traditions and historical impressions in every track – yet you can forego all the analysis and simply enjoy the craftsmanship with which Sophia Kennedy creates an absolutely contemporary musical language from her knowledge of classic songwriting: "I want to take tradition to the limits, to where it becomes extreme," she says, yet it sounds so easy and not at all preconceived. The unheard-of refinement of this music lies in its apparent simplicity: "You just can’t be afraid," says Sophia Kennedy, "that it turns out to be pop music." Facebook here.

If Sophia Kennedy's distinctive and delightful vocals don't get you on 'Build Me A House' then the piano lead and innovative music surely will. It's the only song I have heard from the new album and it's good enough to ensure I will check out the rest.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Martin Simpson - Blues Run The Game.

Background - World renowned guitarist, singer and songwriter Martin Simpson releases his 20th solo album in 40 years ‘Trails & Tribulations’ on September 1st 2017 via Topic Records. The brand-new studio album, his first new solo work since 2013’s widely praised ‘Vagrant Stanzas’, will be available in standard and deluxe CD, digital download and standard vinyl (the latter through Vinyl 180).

‘Trails & Tribulations’ is a collection of songs about nature, about travels and about real life stories. There are traditional songs, poems and contemporary songs by great writers, and songs that I had to write because nobody else knew what I wanted to say. I travel, I learn songs, I write and try to get better at the skills required for me to do my job. I look at the world as I pass by, on the road, out of the train window, or as I stop and pay close attention to the square foot under my nose. There is so much to see and to hear and to inspire and to try and understand. I had a huge amount of fun playing and recording these songs, using different instruments, different noises, old friends and new ones, all of whom brought so much to the mix. Martin Simpson, April 2017.

Produced and engineered by Andy Bell, ‘Trails & Tribulations’ features some of Martin’s most inventive playing yet, showcasing his virtuosity on a variety of instruments including acoustic guitars, resonator guitars, Weissenbown lap steel guitar, electric guitars, 5 string banjo, ukulele – and voice.

Guest musicians on the new album are: Ben Nicholls (string bass and electric bass guitars), Toby Kearney (drums and percussion), Nancy Kerr (fiddle and viola), Andy Cutting (diatonic accordion and melodeon), John Smith (electric guitar and backing vocals), Helen Bell (strings), Amy Newhouse-Smith (backing vocals) and his daughter Molly Simpson on vocals. Website (includes tour details) here.

With his musical track record 'Blues Run The Game' reassures us that Martin Simpson can still turn out an inventive, original and top quality song. Melodic and with wonderful musical craftsmanship, the album may be a few months away, however I reckon it will be well worth the wait.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lød - Folder

Background - Danish group Lød have shared the icy, brilliant  "Folder" ahead of their first EP for Tough Love Records (worldwide ex-Denmark) & Part Time (Denmark). Limited to 300 copies on 12", you can pre-order the 4-track EP here.

The four original members of Lød formed after graduating school in Copenhagen, inspired by the post-punk that was prominent in the fervent, close-knit music community of the city. The first version of Lød was very much birthed in this same shadow: loud and heavy.

With time and addition of a fifth member, their sound began to rely less on distortion, foregoing aggression for a greater focus on melody and rhythm. Bands like LCD Soundsystem & Kraftwerk provided further inspiration and it became an ambition for Lød to create music that - while never taking the easy route - could make people dance. With their debut EP, released via London-based label Tough Love, they have very much achieved this. They're a dance band, in the same way one might consider NEU a dance band.

The recording of Folder began in October 2016 with engineer Julius Pedersen, who helped the band shape tracks that had taken more than six months to write. The result is a 24-minute, four song debut EP sung in Danish. You might consider it uncompromising were the songs not so accessible.

And despite their length, these are 'songs', with defined melodies and structure. Looping and monolithic, early commentators in their home country have noted a “trance-punk” aspect to their sound. Such nomenclature can be tedious, but it's not a million miles from the truth. Bringing to mind the likes of Preoccupations in their similarly propulsive take on post-punk, Lød add a further glacial edge indebted to both early industrial and no wave. Facebook here.

Now trance punk is a new genre for me, however it does help convey what the new track 'Folder' is all about. Rhythmic and potent, even at eight minutes length this is both addictive and play again material.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Witching Waves - Better Run.

Background - Odd Box is delighted to be reissuing the debut album 'Fear Of Falling Down' by Witching Waves. The record was originally released on the Soft PowerRecordings (now sadly defunct) in 2014. It has long since sold out and the record sells for ££££s second hand. When Witching Waves approached the label with this idea it seemed to make perfect sense.  Here's some words from the band on why they wanted to reissue the LP.

Graeme from Soft Power came up to me after our set in front of literally no one in Edinburgh. It was our third gig with our new bass player, who had learned the songs in a soundcheck before an equally empty room in Manchester. Graeme said to me “I can’t wait to hear the EP, if even you wanted to do an album, we’d be up for that”. I politely thanked him, as my adrenaline soared. We were going to make An album based on this man’s very poor judgement. 

We had like five songs, and wrote six more. We recorded it. I agonised over every snare hit, and we made our first ever LP. Fear Of Falling Down came out in December 2014. I don’t think it made any charts. I think Tom Ravenscroft might have played ‘Better Run’ on his show. And we continued going up and down the country playing to almost no one.

Something strange happened though, ‘Better Run’ had a great video by Moe Meade, and a lot of people liked it. The record had received a glowing review in Drowned In Sound, and Norman Records, my favourite record shop, had deemed it worthy. Then the record sold out in less than a couple of months. All of our copies went in no time and before we knew it we were being asked where our LP was, and how people could get their hands on it. 

We’ve made another record since then, and that has done alright too. People still ask me about FOFD though, and seem at least moderately sad or genuinely put out when I say that we don’t have any left. One of those people happens to be Pete Dale out of Milky Wimpshake. Now it’s time for Fear Of Falling Down to get another shot, and be available to at least the people who asked for it the first time. Thanks to Trev from Oddbox this is possible, and maybe, just maybe, we’ll play to some people in Edinburgh. Bandcamp here.

The featured music video for 'Better Run' is mentioned in the promo above. It typifies the music found on the reissued 'Fear Of Falling Down' album, where unpretentious, hook laden totally natural songs are the norm.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------