The Special Pillow - The Orange Peels - Umbra & The Volcan Siege

The Special Pillow - Hudson River Dreamboat.

Background - For the past two decades, The Special Pillow have operated from the margins of the marginal, creating a distinctive string-driven sound—a heady brew encompassing concise ’60s-flavored pop gems, dreamy psychedelic reveries, and a propulsive drive redolent of the antipodean indie acts of the ‘80s. In 2015, Yo La Tengo shined a light on the Pillow’s shadowy demimonde with their cover of the band’s “Automatic Doom.” Now, The Special Pillow unleash Sleeping Weird, their senses-shattering sixth album.

Since the dissolution of cult heroes Hypnolovewheel, songwriter and majordomo Dan Cuddy has played bass with such notable combos as Sleepyhead and XL Kings, but has reserved his own compositions for The Special Pillow.

Sleeping Weird is the group’s third project with engineer Mitch Rackin, recorded and mixed at Brooklyn’s Seaside Lounge recording studio. Featured players are charter Special Pillow member Katie Gentile (Run On, Mad Scene) on violin and viola; longtime collaborator Peter Stuart (Headless Horsemen, Tryfles) on a staggering arsenal of guitars; and Eric Marc Cohen (Fly Ashtray) on drums and percussion. All the band members contribute vocals, and the ensemble is enhanced by the keyboards of Ariella Stok (Sloppy Heads) and horns courtesy of Steven Levi and Cheryl Kingan (The Scene Is Now).

A much-abused hyperbolic trope of recent years posits that a given work of art has special resonance with “the way we live now” or is needed “now more than ever.” We won’t attempt to convince you that Sleeping Weird is such a topical watershed. The Special Pillow are in it for life and their lives are reflected in these songs: The days are getting dark and they want a way to keep the world at bay, sweep everything under the rug, and retreat to a cryogenic tomb. But it’s getting older every day and they’re concerned about it and it seems as though their skulls may burst into flames if they don’t speak out loud. They’re floating on, and singing. WEBSITE.

'Hudson River Dreamboat' is a fine example of 'Sleeping Weird' an album consisting of eleven finely crafted songs. The Special Pillow's musicianship is of a high calibre, the vocals and harmonies polished and melodic. However it's the natural feel, the differing levels of energy and brightness, and variety, that makes this collection really stand out.

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The Orange Peels - Trespassing (Album).

Background - If The Orange Peels got paid each time a music critic said, “It’s the kind of music that makes you feel like you’re speeding down the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down,” they’d be billionaires. The Orange Peels formed in 1997, rising out of the ashes of Allen Clapp and his Orchestra—whose debut album 100 Percent Chance of Rain was heralded in the heyday of the burgeoning American indie-pop movement.

The band has featured members of The Mummies, The Ocean Blue, Half Japanese, and Continental since its inception, and has never stopped evolving. In this decade, the lineup has solidified with Clapp on vocals, guitars and keyboards; Jill Pries on bass; John Moremen on lead guitars; and Gabriel Coan on drums. This incarnation is now into its third album together, exploring ever more sophisticated pop landscapes while keeping melody as its North Star.

Clapp’s ear for pop magic has landed his tunes and vocals in major ad campaigns for Coca Cola, Target, and Samsung. On the band’s last tour opening for Matthew Sweet in the summer of 2015, Sweet fell in love with guitarist John Moremen’s playing during the soundcheck for their first show together. The next two years would see Moremen recording and touring with the pop legend leading up to the release of Tomorrow Forever.

On its 7th album, Trespassing (April 2018, Minty Fresh), the band doubles down on melody and experimentation making perhaps the ultimate Orange Peels album. Recorded at the band’s redwooded retreat in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it’s a study in contrasts—organic outdoor drums vs. programmed digital computers; tack pianos and string quartets vs. icy synthesizers. After all, they’re looking at life from both sides now. In the dawn of 2018, it almost feels like the world is finally ready to discover The Orange Peels. WEBSITE.

'Trespassing' is a gorgeous album and being able to share it in full, makes describing it less of an issue. Right from the opening song 'Camera 2' my anticipation was set very high and the band fulfil that promise with style and beauty. Describing the collection as Indie pop feels like something of an understatement, calling it future gold is to cheesy and an over used expression, pressing play, kicking back and immersing yourself, is the best option, and by far...

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Umbra & The Volcan Siege - Someone Will Love You But Its Just Not Me (Album).

Background - Chicago psych collective Umbra & the Volcan Siege have released their fourth full-length on vinyl, cassette (via TMB Limited) and for digital download.

The album features bandleader and multi-instrumentalist Jim Licka (The Luck of Eden hall) accompanied by a core group of musicians (Curtis Evans on guitar, Russ Mallord on drums, Pete Trillo on bass) and joined by guests from the bands Blood People, Oh My God and The Luck of Eden Hall on various tracks.

Umbra and the Volcan Siege was founded in 2006 by Jim Licka embracing his "super hero ultra-identity" as Umbra.. Umbra is surrounded by his siege of musicians which help create a sound-scape of genre bending music.
 
Umbra and the Volcan Siege has released 3 albums and have now released their 4th "Someone Will Love You But It's Just Not Me". WEBSITE.

Psych rock and a whole lot more, 'Someone Will Love You But Its Just Not Me' is a delicious collection of brand new rock and roll, that deserves the "timeless" accreditation. In fact the band visit so many differing points within the rock genre directory, that I am relieved to share the whole album. From psychedelic to blues to prog and more, there is something for every rock fan, the fact that this collective are just so good, really does seal this deal. 


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GRDNS - Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread - Steven Adams & The French Drops

GRDNS - Roulette Love Gun.

Background - Psychedelic rockers GRDNS share Roulette Love Gun, the third cosmic offering from their forthcoming EP out this summer via Dance To The Radio.

Loaded with intricate, soaring guitar lines and hazy, atmospheric vocals, the quartet’s latest reverb-laden number ebbs and flows with precision and shows a band brimming with creativity following widespread acclaim from the online community.

Having fast established themselves within the Yorkshire music scene and beyond, the four-piece will look to build on impressive support slots alongside Gengahr, Husky Loops and whenyoung with their debut festival appearances at Live At Leeds and Gold Sounds in the next few months.

Produced by James Kenosha (Pulled Apart By Horses, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Rhodes) GRDNS’ Roulette Love Gun is out now and will be available on all platforms. GRDNS is Jacob Lyons (vocals/guitar), Sam Gledhill (guitar), Cameron Harrison (bass) and John Fitzpatrick (drums). TWITTER.

Our third feature for GRDNS this year, again with another track from their forthcoming EP  this time we have 'Roulette Love Gun'. There is a lush and expansive feel from the opening moments as the band tease us again, taking another musical direction and doing so with style. Dreamy alt rock with a dash of psychedelic overtones, on the strength of these three tracks I think it's safe to say the EP is stunning.

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Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread - Less Than Positive.

Background - Michael Nau will release his new, full band album ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’ through Full Time Hobby on 3rd August. ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’ is the follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed album ‘Some Twist’ and its extension ‘The Load’ EP. 

The band have unveiled the first track from the album, ‘Less Than Positive’. Of the song, Michael says "This song's been around and part of the live thing for a long time. I'm not sure how or why it came back around during this session, but it was recorded on the final day. The apartment where we recorded this album has a big spiral staircase in the entrance of the building - we set up drums in there for this one, and hung a mic from the ceiling. Other than harmonies, nothing was overdubbed.".

“There was a musical language that we created; something without a guiding pattern that you could really just jump into and see where things could go,” Michael Nau says of the process of recording ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’. He’s wildly poetic, especially when recounting his dedication to music, and the work that led to this particular collection of delicately passionate songs. “These things became the vehicle by which we traveled, giving us reason to spend most of our lives in a van of uncertainty.”

The sprawling new album was recorded in guitarist Benny Yurco’s one-bedroom apartment in downtown Burlington, Vermont. Nau and his collaborators had a cool little set up going in Yurco’s spot — drums and bass took over the bedroom, the guitar amp in the bathroom, Nau’s vocals and piano in the living room, and a vibraphone in the kitchen. It’s the first time one of Nau’s records happened all in one place, and “it feels most like a band record than ever before”. Nau and this particular group of musicians held it down together as a true team, which is why Nau named the record in their honour.

The songs on this layered record sound sunny and familiar, like sharing stories and worries with a close friend on a late summer day. In a gorgeous and natural way, he contemplates his own process, those feelings of uncertainty. “Making it too hard just comes easier,” Nau croons on ‘Funny In Real Life,’ an exquisite meditation on creation and self. “Truth is such a beautiful force/And every time we find the chorus/There’s no second-guessing the real/I don’t ever know how I feel.” FACEBOOK.

Michael Nau's vocals are everything Alt Country and Americana needs to set the mood and feeling for these styles. The first taste of the album due in August is 'Less Than Positive' a steady, personal and beautifully natural song that is totally engaging from the opening moments. Without any exaggeration, I am left eager to hear some more...

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Steven Adams & The French Drops - Ex Future.

Background - Steven Adams & The French Drops share the video for their new single "Ex Future", taken from the album Virtue Signals, out this Friday, 4 May, via Hudson Records. Anger seldom sounds as enticing as it does on Virtue Signals. It is an album that rails against the iniquities of the world and meshes the personal with the political, without ever smacking the listener around the head. Adams (former songwriter/singer/guitarist with The Broken Family Band and Singing Adams) can’t help but be witty and empathetic even as he rages, and the fury is wrapped inside his characteristically sweet melodies.

Virtue Signals captures the sound of a band finding “its own thing”. Laurie Earle (Absentee, Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards, Wet Paint) plays guitar with a loose, intuitive touch; Michael Wood – who had played bass with The Singing Adams – switches to keyboards here, while Daniel Fordham (drums) and David Stewart (bass) from The Drink complete the band.

Following a few years of performing and recording solo (see 2014’s House Music and 2016’s Old Magick), Adams says he wanted to put together “a band where everyone was following their noses. I’ve been calling the shots for ages now, and now I can lean on these people, make more noise. It’s fair to say we share a lot of the same thoughts and feelings about the state of the world. But mostly we talk about food.”

It’s over 16 years since Adams started making music with The Broken Family Band, generating critical acclaim with each subsequent release and maintaining a dedicated cult following ever since. So, all these years later – having been called a national treasure enough times to fill a pirate’s chest, without ever having become an actual pop star – why does Steven Adams still do it? “I write songs and I play them and I try not to overthink it or to feel reliant on this for anything other than what it is; sounds, words, feelings, and an excuse to hang out with good people. That’s virtue signaling, in case anyone asks.” WEBSITE.

With a deep bass riff and lighter vocals 'Ex Future' begins to build layer by layer, into a polished and addictive alt rocker of sorts. The lyrics add intrigue, the band are as tight as anything and the emotional feel builds with intensity, totally play me again music!


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Brooke Annibale - Paper Hawk - Phillip Broussard - Frog Eyes

Brooke Annibale - Glow.

Background - Singer-songwriter/guitarist Brooke Annibale will release her third full-length album Hold To The Light on June 8th. The new record marks Annibale's return following her 2015 critically acclaimed album The Simple Fear and features several major departures in terms of both songwriting and production. Annibale sheds a few layers of her folk-acoustic skin and introduces a new indie-pop direction offering a fusion of textured electronic and traditional instrumentation centered around Brooke's stunning voice and keen, soulful lyricism. This week she released her radiant new single "Glow.

The songs on Hold To The Light develop like Polaroid photos: each reveals a memory suspended between the perspective of the past with all its wistfulness, pain, and joy, and the revelations of the present. Produced by Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Lake Street Dive) at his Great North Sound Society in Maine, Hold To The Light features contributions from seasoned artists Zachariah Hickman (Ray Lamontagne, Josh Ritter) on bass; Josh Kaufman (The National, Josh Ritter) on accompanying guitars; Sean Trischka on drums; and Matt Douglas (Sylvan Esso, Mountain Goats) on woodwinds. Brooke's thoughtful, layered songwriting anchors the production to explore a range of narratives working through themes of seeking truths, letting go, and reconciling the past with the present. WEBSITE.

Tour Dates:
06/02 - Newark, OH @ The Bootlegger
06/03 - Cleveland, OH @ Music Box Supper Club
06/08 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Three Rivers Arts Festival
06/15 - Philadelphia, PA @ Philadelphia Folksong Society
06/16 - New York, NY @ Rockwood Music Hall
06/17 - Northampton, MA @ The Parlor Room
06/19 - Burlington, VT @ The Skinny Pancake
06/21 - Boston, MA @ Fraser Performance Studio
07/03 - Edgartown, MA @ Harborview Hotel - WMVY Porch Concert Series
07/14 - Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Cafe - 2nd Stage (w/ The Sweeplings)
07/15 - San Francisco, CA @ Neck of the Woods (upstairs) (w/ The Sweeplings)
07/16 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge (w/ The Sweeplings)
07/18 - Spokane, WA @ The Bartlett (w/ The Sweeplings)
07/29 - Allison Park, PA @ Hartwood Acres
08/16 - Fort Collins, CO @ Magic Rat.

The soft melodic vocals glide above the musical arrangement on 'Glow' a rhythmic and flowing indie pop soundtrack, where traditional instrumentation mixes alongside imaginative electronic swirls of sound.


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Paper Hawk - Written In The Lines.

Background - Crafting an intimate, ethereal sound, inviting you into their private world, Paper Hawk’s debut EP The Tide is released this week through Brighton’s boutique record label Folklore Sessions. The 4-track record signals the beginning of a new adventure for this emerging band. Alongside digital distribution on iTunes and Spotify, a limited run of 50 physical copies will be available in June, a month after the digital release date. Each record comes with a handwritten thank you letter, additional artwork, and a signed art print. Although new to the scene, Paper Hawk have swiftly left their mark playing across the country with sets at Glastonbury, 2000 Trees, YNOT and the Alternative Escape Festival.

Recorded in the living room of their Brighton flat the record marks a cathartic release from a tumultuous few years. From the defeated notes of ‘Trails’ - a hypnotising whisper chronicling the throes of a volatile relationship - to the comforting promise of support in ‘Northern Sky’ - The Tide is a collection of songs written with a hand-on-heart approach and striking honesty.

Produced by Josh Trinnaman (the brain of jazz-IDM fusion band, Luo), the intimate guitar and vocal arrangements are brought to life with rich soundscapes and electronic ambience, creating a dream-like atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you captivated.

Paper Hawk is an alt-folk duo currently based in Brighton, who combine intricate guitar driven melodies with hushed tones and raw confessional lyrics. A collaboration of two songwriters, Rebecca Brandler and Scott Booth, the project began after the two met a few months after both moving to Brighton to study. Rebecca heard Scott playing a cover of ‘Ocean’ by John Butler and instant musical sparks were ignited and she knew she wanted to write music together. The bond was then nurtured in a cold basement flat with muted rehearsals to avoid complaints from the neighbours but has proven to pay off, being nourished into a harrowingly beautiful EP with layers that muster unique strength, blanketed with velvet vocals.

We featured the song 'Trails' from the new EP just last month, and it is with pleasure to be able to do the same for 'Written In The Lines,' with Paper Hawk's splendid new EP being released just yesterday. The latest song features some beautiful vocal harmonies, accompanied by a refined musical soundtrack, driven along by a resonating bass line.

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Phillip Broussard - All Over Again.

Background - In November 2017, Seattle-based acoustic blues-pop singer-songwriter Phillip Brousard released his debut EP, "Wavelength." The EP was dedicated to the memory of his father. First single, "Just Wanna Believe" thrust Phillip into the national spotlight, garnering critical praise and radio airplay.

Born and raised in Washington State, Phillip Broussard discovered his passion early in life, when his father brought home a guitar. His father's original intention was to play the guitar himself, but he soon found Phillip picking up the guitar, when he didn't think anyone was watching. Phillip grew up under the influence of his father's favorites, Pink Floyd, James Taylor, Jimi Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. What started as just a few chords, ignited a desire to share his new found passion with the world.

Then, tragedy struck at 18 years old, when Phillip's father, grandfather and uncle passed away within 6 months of each other. Phillip put down his guitar and enlisted in the United States Navy, in an attempt to quell his grief. Early on in his Naval career, someone handed Phillip a copy of John Mayer's cd, "Room for Squares". This album reignited Phillip's passion for the guitar. In 2007, Phillip deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. During this time, he refined his guitar skills… TWITTER.

'All Over Again' has some notable Americana characteristics to it, as the accomplished acoustic guitar playing and natural vocals of Phillip Broussard accompany each other, within this engaging and inviting song.


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Frog Eyes - Your Boss's Shirt.

Background - Frog Eyes are set to release their final album Violet Psalms May 18th on Paper Bag Records, and have shared the new single "Your Boss's Shirt." 17 years after their teetering debut, the Vancouver band unveils Violet Psalms—a giddy lament; a gnashing jubilee; a rain-drenched allocution on hope vs. horror, paradise vs. pride, Marx and Brexit and bad acid trips.

It's an ending like a beginning. "We were trying to pretend it was our first record," Carey Mercer says. This is their final record, Frog Eyes' last gasp—but the art-rockers wanted to capture the energy of a debut, the freedom you feel "when there's no expectation that anyone will actually listen." They made it at home, burrowing under the house where Mercer lives with drummer Melanie Campbell. The goal was to blot out the world, focusing on what they could grow down there, four musicians in a basement. Could they squeeze out ten songs? Was there enough paste in the tube to squeeze out 10? "In the end there was. Which is rad."

No guests, no engineers. A self-invention. Violet Psalms began with its frantic, reverb-drenched guitar, squiggling over a modulation pedal. Next Mercer and Campbell concocted the drum parts—imagining them as onomatopoeia then recording them in fragments, kickdrum by kickdrum, tom by tom, with tailored effects. "The goal was to disorientate," Mercer explains, but also to work by instinct, gut—a cut-up of music and image, songs that coil back and kiss. The band pruned as they went, adding Terri Upton's bass parts, taking other parts away. Whereas past LPs used piano, Shyla Seller worked with shimmering synths—chords like bleeding watercolour, shadows casting on a wall. TWITTER.

On the 1st April we featured the track 'Idea Man' (you can also checkout the bands tour dates in that edition), and now just over a month later, we have 'Your Boss's Shirt' to enjoy ahead of the bands final album release later this month. Once again the vocals are distinct and fascinating, as the band develop some slow chunky beats and more, all of which interacts beautifully.

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Yonatan Gat - AHI - Shriekback - The Goon Sax

Yonatan Gat - Cue The Machines.

Background - Yonatan Gat recently shared his new album Universalists' opening track "Cue the Machines". The undefinable track opens with an Italo-Spanish choir recorded by Alan Lomax in 1950s Genoa – but it only takes 20 seconds for the voices get manipulated, chopped and mangled beyond recognition into stuttering rhythms below Yonatan's live band – guitar, bass, saxophone and drums working up an uncontrollable maelstrom of punk and free jazz.

Since his days as co-founder of legendary Israeli garage-rockers Monotonix, Gat's music has always had a strong sense of chaos. Getting his start in a band that was wild enough to get banned from their home country has certainly sipped into Gat's manner as a bandleader. And the far-and-wide world travels that come with playing over 1500 shows in 50 countries and 5 continents made another mark on his sound.

Universalists lists numerous collaborators, the most important of which being Silver Jews frontman David Berman credited as album co-producer, in a rare collaboration during a quiet 10 year period. "We were talking about how to contain the live energy in a studio recording," recounts Gat, "Berman was there all along, encouraging me to edit like a writer, filmmaker or painter does. To break the cycle, to capture live energy into wax we talked about subjecting fiery performance to post production, which is another way of saying being hard on yourself."

Leading the release of the 3-year-in-the-making highly anticipated LP, Yonatan will perform a unique concert in NYC's Le Poisson Rouge which he describes as "immersive", in which different musical projects—all led by Gat—will all be playing separate sets in different parts of the venue, blending into each other with no breaks between the sets. Opening the night will be legendary jazz double bassist, multi-instrumentalist, poet and composer William Parker. WEBSITE.

Having heard just three tracks from the 'Universalists, I'm not sure there will be just one song that typifies the collection, such is the eclectic nature of this material. 'Cue The Machines' is a fabulous piece, that I would struggle to describe without just reiterating the above promo description in my own words. It's a case of please listen and I hopefully you will understand where I am coming from.


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AHI - Breakin' Ground.

Background - Canadian singer/songwriter, AHI (pronounced EYE) has today announced details of his forthcoming album ‘In Our Time’ which is set for release via 22nd Sentry/Thirty Tigers on August 10, 2018. In-line with announcing the new album, AHI is sharing new single ‘Breakin’ Ground’, his first piece of new music since performing at Nashville’s DIY Musician Conference 2017, attracting the attention of NPR who would later invite him in for a Tiny Desk Session in January 2018 - watch at this link here. AHI will support the forthcoming release date with a string of UK dates to be announced shortly.

First single ‘Breakin’ Ground’ arrives as an inspirational tale stimulated by the songwriter’s own experience of overcoming adversity. It highlights AHI’s honesty, warmth and authenticity, capturing his ability to unify his range of folk, soul and rock influences, personal philosophy and penchant for melody.

AHI’s 2016 independent Canadian debut ‘We Made It Through The Wreckage’ was released digitally worldwide in January 2017. Without any promotion, publicity, marketing or budget to pull from, AHI’s songs were gradually discovered, reaching and converting one new fan at a time. His intimate and captivating live performances only enhanced and accelerated interest. The album began to receive recognition in Canada and beyond with AHI winning the 2017 Canadian Songwriting Competition award for Folk/Singer-Songwriter and the 2017 Stingray Rising Star Award for his infectious song ‘Ol’ Sweet Day’, a song that would make the  Billboard Spotify Viral 50 Chart and go on to receive over 2.4 million streams. WEBSITE.

What a voice AHI has and his delivery on 'Breakin' Ground' is just so good! Bluesy, rocky and soulful the song is addictive, simple as that.


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Shriekback - And The Rain.

Background - Seminal British alternative rock outfit Shriekback has announced they will release their fourteenth album ‘Why Anything? Why This?’ on May 25. As a teaser, they are previewingthe first single ‘And The Rain’, along with a darkly intriguing video filmed by Howard Davidson (a.k.a. Hodah).

Shriekback was formed in 1980 by ex-XTC keyboardist Barry Andrews and bassist Dave Allen on his departure from Gang Of Four, in collaboration with guitarist Carl Marsh from Out On Blue Six. Under the auspices of the visionary Y Records label (home to The Slits, The Pop Group and Pigbag), the group found their voice experimenting in EMI Music’s KPM demo studio in London, refining a uniquely recognizable sound in 1982 on their first full-length album ‘Care’ and eventually achieving wider recognition with the singles ‘Lined Up’ and ‘My Spine (Is The Bassline)’. In 1983, they were joined by drummer Martyn Barker (King Swamp, Billy Bragg).

A move to a major label, Arista, allowed the band to fully realize their sound on ‘Oil & Gold’(1985), a milestone album that remains the band’s best-known (helped by the success of the single ‘Nemesis’) and the foundation of their popularity on the US college circuit and elsewhere.

‘And The Rain’ is dark and infectious, conjuring up steamy, swampy, Southern Gothic blues. This 14th studio album, which boasts a wide, organic and detailed sound, is already being described by early listeners as their best since the landmark album ‘Oil & Gold’. The sound is dense, woody and fibrous. Here we find evolved Bo Diddley beats and African blues”. However you describe it, this is Shriekback refocused, reinvented and reinvigorated.

Band members have also pushed themselves musically and sonically – Barry contributes a lot of guitar, Carl has essayed some slide guitar and keyboards and Martyn has brought in a whole arsenal of world percussion alongside his drumkit. Regular Shriekback listeners will hear more guitars and live drums and fewer loops and electronics. The sonic palette is very broad.

New collaborator Scott Firth (of P.i.L) adds irrefutable bass to selected tracks, while Shriekback regulars Wendy and Sarah Partridge contribute their ever-invaluable backing vocals. Live drums were recorded by Ian Caple (who’s been with Shriekback since the beginning) at Yellow Fish in Lewes and Christoph Skirl at Echo Zoo in Eastbourne. The album was mixed and mastered by Stuart Rowe in The Lighterthief Bunker, Swindon – his fifth Shriekback album in this role, an indication of the value placed on his objective ear and technical skill. WEBSITE.

The second of ten tracks on the forthcoming album is 'And The Rain' a song that typifies the sheer quality to be found across the collection. Shriekback explore differing directions always with fabulous vocals and a musical set up that is sublime. Rock & Roll lovers from all points on the musical compass should give the album a listen, it's a goldmine of musical treasures from a band whose music has matured into something quite epic!


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The Goon Sax - She Knows.

Background - Freshly signed to Wichita Recordings, Australian teen trio The Goon Sax announce a brand new album, We're Not Talking, due out on 14 September worldwide. They will be heading to Europe for shows at the end of May supporting Frankie Cosmos, including a date at Gorilla in Manchester on 28 May as well as their own headline show at London’s Sebright Arms on 29 May, before heading off for their first US tour in June.

They share the first single, “She Knows”, which marries sublime indiepop with frenetic, scratchy post-punk. The song is full of surprising angles and jagged sounds to create a perfectly awkward pop gem.

Taking the lead on this track is James Harrison, who explains further: "She Knows has become a very fast song, which took us a lot of practice to be able to finally hit and strum our instruments fast enough, with a lot of string breaking. I hope it makes people energetic and excited to listen to, it’s a song about losing hope, stubbornness and heartache. I’m not sure if it’s our saddest song, but maybe if you lock yourself in your room for a couple of days and only listen to it you might not feel so happy, it is also okay if you feel happy to this song! Even better!!!"

The Goon Sax are James Harrison, Louis Forster and Riley Jones from Brisbane, Australia. Still in high school when they made their first album Up To Anything in 2016, their brand of awkwardly transcendent teenage guitar pop took them into end of year lists for BBC 6Music, Billboard and Rough Trade, and earned them raves from the Guardian, Pitchfork, Spin, Uncut, Rolling Stone and elsewhere. According to Metacritic, Up To Anything was the 8th best-reviewed debut album anywhere in the world in 2016.

The Goon Sax toured UK and Europe twice on that record, played shows with Whitney, US Girls, Twerps and Teenage Fanclub, graduated school, and then turned their focus to album number two. They flew to Melbourne to record with James Cecil and Cameron Bird, respectively former/current members of Architecture In Helsinki. TWITTER.

Fresh, catchy and unpretentious 'She Knows' is a feisty indie pop/rock song that delights. The vocals and harmonies are backed by some simple yet energised rhythmic music & combined the hooks just dig right in.


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The Pinkerton Raid - Where the Wildest Spirits Fly (Album Premiere)

The Pinkerton Raid - Where the Wildest Spirits Fly (New Album).

Background - Durham, North Carolina’s The Pinkerton Raid makes ebullient, dynamic Americana and indie pop. The music starts with Jesse James DeConto’s intimate songwriting. A big, joyful band of six to 10 players can bring brilliant brass and bright harmonies. Or Jesse can whisper over plaintive picking on his ancient Gibson J45.

It’s why The Pinkerton Raid has shared stages with high-energy pop acts like The Collection, The Soil & The Sun and The Old Ceremony or with gentle folk singers like Noah Gunderson, Denison Witmer, The Cactus Blossoms or Lowland Hum. They’ve played notable venues from The Surf Club in St. Paul to the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington D.C. They’ve also played festivals and music series all over the East Coast and Midwest.

Their self-titled debut in 2012 and their 2014 follow-up A Beautiful World won significant acclaim. Critics have hailed their 2017 effort, Tolerance Ends, Love Begins, comparing the sound to both the dark beauty of The National and the pure joy of Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes. Over the course of three full-length albums, the desperate wail of DeConto’s indie-rock songwriting has yielded space to the hooks of classic pop and the charms of twee folk.

Near the start of The Pinkerton Raid’s fourth full-length album, Where the Wildest Spirits Fly, songwriter Jesse James DeConto asks, “Where’s the star to lead us home?” Amid landscapes pigmented with pain, the question is a quest for meaning, in resistance to Camus’ absurdity and the Will-to-Power in the White House. And the answer, over and over again, in a repeating cycle of realistic truth-telling and undeterred hope, is simply this: We sing together.

Where the Wildest Spirits Fly will be/was released on Tuesday, May 1 and the band will celebrate the release with a show at Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina on Saturday, May 5. TWITTER.
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It was back towards the end of November 2016, that we first came across The Pinkerton Raid and it is with real pleasure that Beehive Candy can be first in featuring the bands new album in full! 'Where the Wildest Spirits Fly' comprises of eleven beautifully crafted tracks and from the very first song 'Meteors' expectations are set high.

Musically the band drift stylishly across differing genres, that include Indie rock/folk/pop, with hints of Americana adding more intrigue and anticipation as the album unfolds. Whatever direction they choose, there is always at the very least, a pleasing & fresh vibe.

Vocals and harmonies are notable throughout, as is the tight and engaging musicianship, this is a band that come across as comfortable in what they are doing, and keen to please, something they do consistently. Natural, uncomplicated, melodic and fresh, The Pinkerton Raid have produced a fine album here, we don't do many premieres by choice, this one was to good to pass up on, so dive in and enjoy 'Where the Wildest Spirits Fly.'


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Kluster - Shaman Elect - Margot - Carter Sampson

Kluster - In Your Hometown.

Background - Kluster was founded by four friends and a virtual drummer in Malmö 2014, a real life drummer joined in shortly afterwards and the gang was complete. Since, the quintet has been active on as well the Malmö indie scene as playing shows in Berlin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, supporting acts such as Frankie Cosmos and Nicole Sabouné. Debut single Over My Head was released in February to praise from Line of Best Fit, Spotify's Fresh Finds and more. Today, the success of the debut is followed by new single In Your Hometown and the announcement of debut album civic, out June 15th via Rama Lama Records.

In Your Hometown is yet another glimpse of Kluster's playful sound - a melting pot of broad influences such as pop, punk, noise, lo-fi, indie and jazz. According to the band, "In Your Hometown is somehow about paranoia; it's about a very scared man who hid in his hoody for all his life and never discovered the world around him. He was a great collector of thoughts and things but remained trapped in his own mind".

The members have a history as academic jazz players, forming Kluster after longing to find a collective process free from strict genre playbooks and narrow-minded academic rules. A process that resulted in Kluster's captivating characteristic dynamic and turning points, alternating from melodious to dissonance, complex to simple.

Debut album civic is out on June 15th via Stockholm indie label Rama Lama Records (Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Delsbo Beach Club, Melby etc.) and is the labels first full-length release. The LP was recorded at Malmö's famous Tambourine Studios and is a elegant  showcase of the quintet's exciting ability to blend experimental and accessible in their very own way. Or to put it in Kluster's own words, "civic is a look into the everyday ordinary, the changeable and the constant" with eleven songs treating "situations, emotions and people in our mind at the time, consciously or not". TWITTER.

Kluster's desire to play what feels right to them, rather than sit in one specific genre silo is all apparent on 'In Your Hometown' a vibrant "Indie Anything" tune. This piece has some beautiful twist and turns and gorgeous hooks that change shape along the way but always keep the interest at a high level.

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Shaman Elect - Ships Ahoy.

Background - Tight grooves, crisp tones, emotive lyrics, waves of mood oriented improvisation.​ ​Shaman Elect was born inside warehouses turned art studios in Brooklyn, NY. It started as a fusion of styles between Ethan Warshowsky (synths, vocals) and Fredy Garcia (guitar, vocals). 

Together, they began developing each other’s songs by combining elements of jazz, rock, and electronica.​ ​In early 2017, leading up to their first live performance, Mike Malkowski (drums, vocals) joined the group, contributing his inventive and dynamic drumming. Expressive singer, Sarah Warshowsky (lead vocals) became the group’s frontwoman.

"“Ships Ahoy” is about the inevitability of change, and how we choose to act in its presence. The final scene of the film ‘Apocalypto’ was actually a big inspiration for the track - after a crazy tribal chase in the Mexican jungle following a human sacrifice gone wrong, white man in majestic Ships shows up on the beach for the first time. 

After so much personal and localized drama, and achieving survival against seemingly insurmountable odds, one single unpredictable event changes everything. The film ends with the protagonist (Jaguar Paw), looking at the Ships from the safety of the jungle with his family. TWITTER.

There is a tight sophisticated musical vibe from the opening chords on 'Ships Ahoy', where the bands slick performance, is accompanied by some melodic vocals that sync beautifully. Jazz rock and electronica seemingly collide and do so to great effect, this is impressive to say the least.

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Margot - Desensitised.

Background - South London’s Margot emerge with strikingly accomplished debut single Desensitised, a dream-pop lament to the repetitious nature of modern capital-city life.

From the opening guitar chimes onwards the touchstones to dream-pop artists old and new are apparent, yet there’s a unique thread running throughout, generated by the collective way the quintet create not only their music, but art and visuals as well.

Throwing their concrete surroundings into the hazy sounds, Margot bring routine realism to life: “Desensitised is about the commute to office blocks, and how its oppressive nature, from the geography to the lonely crowds, can infiltrate, misdirect and dowse appetite and ambition” explains vocalist Alex Hannaway “Writing the song was cathartic, an act of strength and perseverance, a determination not to become desensitised."

Making a decision to be completely self-sufficient through the creative process, Margot record over long weekends at drummer Ben Andrewes' place, in between working weeks. This DIY approach and the autobiographical realism are reflected in the subject matter of the songs. FACEBOOK.

Having lived in London for a good many years, some of which included a daily commute into the city albeit some time ago now, 'Desensitised' still resonates that experience, one I suspect has only become more arduous down the decades. Margot manage to catch so much of that, and in just five minutes convert it into a meaningful, and very special song.

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Carter Sampson - Lucky.

Background - She calls herself "lucky". We would like to blame it all on talent and charisma. And whoever has been so lucky to see and hear Carter Sampson perform or to be familiar with her CDs, will know exactly what we are talking about here.

When we released her Wilder Side album in 2016, we knew we had one talented lady on the label, but we could never imagine that she would immediately hit the Euro Americana Chart to stay there for 4 months, that she would do 7 European tours within the next year, that the reviews and airplay just kept coming and that as a result we had to release a compilation of The Queen of Oklahoma by public and media demand.

Now, 2 years later, Carter Sampson returns with 10 new tracks that include crowd pleasers like Rattlesnake Kate and Queen of the Silver Dollar. A great mix of originals and well chosen covers. The enthousiasm of Carter and her players to share these new recordings with us just bursts out of the speakers full energy! WEBSITE.

May 2018 Carter Sampson "Lucky" Tour:
With fellow-Okies Lauren Barth and Jesse Aycock.
Za. 5-5  Leusden – In The Woods
Zo. 6-5 Amen – De Amer
Ma 7-5 Eindhoven - Mr. Frits
Do 10-5 Goes – Het Beest
Vr 11-5 Wageningen – Junushof
12th - The Glad Cafe, Glasgow.
13th - Fulford Hall, Stoke On Trent
14th - Kitchen Garden Cafe, Birmingham
15th - The Hawth Theatre, Crawley
16th - St Pancras Old Church, London
17th - Fat Lil's, Witney
18th - DK Copenhagen, Reffen
Za 19-5 Amsterdam – Paradiso Noord
Zo 20-5 Arnhem – Luxor Live
Ma 21-5 Zuilen – Parelsessies
Di 22-5 Den Bosch – Blue Room.

'Lucky' typifies the fabulous new album from Carter Simpson, due to land in late May. Americana is as good a description as any for this collection of music. Whether the tempo is fast or slow, the material personal or a cover version, Carter Simpson makes it her own with beauty and total commitment apparent throughout. 

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Wendy McNeill - Personality Cult - Ennor

Wendy McNeill - This Hope.

Background - Wendy McNeill does not need any further presentation, since the debut album 'Such A Common Bird' 2004, she has released five albums, made music and toured together with Ane Brun, The Tiny and worked with Loney Dear. Her sixth album "Hunger Made You Brave" has just been released and this week we get a music video to the single "This Hope".

In this part of the world tonight- through the shadows there’s a bell that’s ringing- In this part of the world tonight- there’s a growl and the softest sigh- In this part of the world tonight- there’s a child, and I see her dancing- as she pivots her face toward me- she’s kicking at stars and laughing

In this part of the world tonight- there’s a bear weightlessly lumbering- through the steps of a twice dead girl and the promise of a different world- In that part of the world tonight- there’s a river and a father crying sees wind messing with the reflection not the message that the stars are sending- "sorry for your troubles friend- but life gives and it takes- like all the beasts and elements- you need to learn to play- even the hearts of galaxies have black holes at their base- but timeless is love’s offering you’re going to be ok"

In this part of the world tonight- a soul accepts it's failings- In this part of the world tonight- a fear becomes a friend- In this part of the world tonight- strange shapes whispering ‘freedom’ he abandons the strain of striving opens his arms and breathes in - Wendy McNeill. WEBSITE.

'This Hope' refuses to be easily categorised into any one or more genres, which makes this gorgeous taste of music all the more wonderful. Keeping it very simple, like this song equals devour the new album, and enjoy the delicious musical feast that awaits. 


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Personality Cult - Decay.

Background -  Personality Cult, are a brand-new post-punk project out of Los Angeles. The brainchild of the prolific artist and songwriter James Clifford, Personality Cult will be releasing its self-titled debut EP on June 1st (move over, Kanye) and now, he's sharing its undeniable lead single “Decay,” which opens with a wall of airy synths and guitar tones reminiscent of Disintegration-era Robert Smith, and doesn’t let up in intensity for the duration.

With vocal similarities to Depeche Mode’s Dave Gahan, Clifford deliberately employs rough production techniques to add a punk flavor to new wave-inspired songwriting. Think if New Order had attended the sessions for Raw Power and decided to make a similar sounding record, or if The Smiths abandoned guitars and got into Kraftwerk.

Propulsive drum machines clash with abrasive guitar lines, while Clifford’s evocative baritone keeps everything balanced with lyrics that touch on isolation, youth, and finding hope in obscure places. The three tracks on the EP are purposely unpolished and compact, designed to impact the listener on a visceral level. The focus isn’t so much on form and harmony as it is on translating fragments of the subconscious. At once acerbic and vulnerable, the EP makes for an engaging listen. FACEBOOK.

With a feisty beat and some carefully layered synth sounds 'Decay' is already sounding good before the vocals kick in adding a real post punk presence to the song. Atmospheric and dramatic this is a fine and addictive piece.

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Ennor - Wave After Wave.

Background - Cascading harmonics and intricate finger style thrust us into the immersive sonic world of Ennor’s ‘Wave After Wave’. A melancholic reflection on climate change, the band question at what point will we have gone too far, an apposite reflection that metaphorically extends to universal concerns of the human condition in love, friendship, politics. No less rich in the idyllic imagery that courses through their catalogue, Ennor’s peerless sound is awash in multitudinous textures and colours.

A rich electric lead flows into the track, foreshadowing the song’s mounting crescendo towards it’s relentless skygazing second half. Restless drums and stacked vocals exhilaratingly draw the listener on to the proverbial edge before Ennor’s searing outro reveals a blinding ambition and humbling instrumental nous not commonly seen in folk rock groups. By turns both intimate and visceral, ‘Wave After Wave’ is a stunning testament to the musicianship of its makers - a vital new sound that could only hail from the surfer heartland of the UK.

With their musical and emotional roots embedded in the far corners of Cornwall, Ennor write songs that have a palpable sense of openness and raw emotion. It’s the culmination both of their journeys across the UK and a nostalgic longing for the Cornish sea. By turns folk and rock, the four-piece’s infectious sound has garnered attention from London to Penzance, as well as the acclaim of BBC Introducing. The poeticism and sincerity of frontman Tom Elliott is propped by the blistering work of the rhythm section. TWITTER.

We first featured Ennor just last month with 'Farewell To Atlantis' describing that track as "a marvellous mixture of upbeat rock tinged with some delicious folk sensibilities." Now we have 'Wave After Wave' a slower and more folk centric song. The vocals are bright adding a melodic dimension to the piece, whilst the musical arrangement is subdued to start with, but slowly unleashes the bands natural rock energy.

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Polychrome - Robert Hinton - The Garrys - Quiet as a Mouse - OX

Polychrome - Don't Be A Stranger.

Background - “Don’t Be A Stranger” is an ode to Stranger Things title sequence composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein of Survive. Analog synths accompany Victoria’s ethereal vocals in the opening of the second single of the album. The track paints a parallel universe to the rest of the album, making it a standout track. Opposing the glossy synths of the lead-single “Final Kiss”, “Don’t Be A Stranger” leads the listener into ghostly, uneasy sonic territories. The track ends with distortion filters on both Victoria’s vocals and the lead synth, pulling us into a post-apocalyptic digital nightmare.

'We were binge-watching the Stranger Things on Netflix in between recording sessions, and we love the theme music Survive did. We had some time off whilst mixing the album, and so we had the idea of making the theme tune into a song - as an homage to the original. We got busy with the synths and vocoders, and just as we were finishing, there was a spooky power cut and it shut down all our computers and we thought we'd lost everything we'd recorded! Luckily it seems iCloud is immune to the upside-down and it saved the day...' - Polychrome

Victoria studied Creative Music Tech in Cambridge and has contributed a large amount of the production on the album; she feels there is still a massive fight for women in the industry and wants them to get into production and songwriting in the typically male-dominated industry. Victoria considers production during the songwriting process, visualising which effects, samples, and techniques might be used.

East-London-based Polychrome, who channel the spirit of Cocteau Twins with the electronic ecstasy of M83, are made up of Oliver of The Bronze Medallists and Victoria of Victoria and Jacob. FACEBOOK.

We featured 'Final Kiss' by Polychrome last month and said at the time "whatever influences Polychrome might be channelling, they are doing so with significant style." The new song 'Don't Be A Stranger' a cover of sorts for the Stranger Things theme is a beautiful piece. Vocals are gentle almost a melodic whisper of sorts, the synths drive the track with majestic rhythm, collectively this is a gorgeous & atmospheric piece. 

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Robert Hinton - Footprints.

Background - Blending the beautiful storytelling of folk and roots music with some of the more hard hitting attributes of modern rock, Perth singer-songwriter Robert Hinton returns with his new single Footprints, taken from the soon to be launched album There Are No Winners Here, Only Beginners Here.

Growing up in the northern suburb of Craigie and still just a stone’s throw from the ocean, it's no surprise these surroundings have had a strong influence on Hinton’s lyrical content, in the literal sense and the metaphorical. Footprints is an exquisite duet featuring female Perth artist Kim Stolen and a perfect example of Hinton’s raw sincerity and dynamic versatility as a songwriter.

There Are No Winners Here, Only Beginners Here is a solid ten track offering from Hinton and his third album following the well received Winter Sun (2013) and Explaining Colour (2015). Opening with the bluesy, guitar driven Moth to the Flame, the wonderfully crafted body of work goes on to feature ballads, sing-alongs and ambient trips while exploring energetic and reflective moods, closing with the aptly titled When the Sunlight Fades.

A regular live fixture up and down the West Coast, Hinton performs both solo and with a four-piece band, having shared the stage with many local and interstate acts while supporting Oz legends like James Reyne, Mental As Anything and Darryl Braithwaite.There Are No Winners Here, Only Beginners Here out May 11 (pre-order).

The first single from the next months album release is 'Footprints' a refined acoustic singer songwriter affair that is melodic and engaging. The dual vocals are the icing on the cake, adding even more depth and beauty, to a track that oozes quality.

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The Garrys - Makeout at the Drive-In.

Background - Canadian sibling trio The Garrys release their new single 'Makeout at the Drive-In' on 13th of May 2018, through Grey Records. A shimmering slice of surf pop,  tremulous guitar licks are draped in subtle strings, framed by percussive backdrops and infused with The Garrys longing entwined vocal harmonies. This delectable song conjures up images of summers days of the past spent pulling up to Drive in with your date.

'Makeout at the Drive-In' is a shimmering slice of surf pop,  tremulous guitar licks are draped in subtle strings, framed by percussive backdrops and infused with The Garrys longing entwined vocal harmonies. With elements of dream pop that could be lifted from a Beach House record, allied to the influence of reverb-heavy 1950s harmonies and a cinematic quality that recalls the Twin Peaks soundtrack. This delectable song conjures up images of summers days of the past spent pulling up to Drive in with your date

The Garrys are a trio of sisters from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada who play garage surf pop doo-wop. Their harmonies are dreamy and precise, and their instrumentation stays true to the likes of Dick Dale and early Beatles. Formed in the spring of 2015, The Garrys pull a strong influence from early reverb rock'n'roll and 1950s era vocal harmonies. If Ed Sullivan went on a date with the Shangri-Las, they would eat ice cream sandwiches and dance to the Garrys. Like father, like daughter(s). The Garrys are Erica Maier, Julie Maier, and Lenore Maier. BANDCAMP, TWITTER.

'Makeout at the Drive-In' really does convey a sense of gorgeous summer days gone by. The Garry's have created a distinct and totally hook filled surf pop song, I just know I will play this again (and again) - fabulous!

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Quiet as a Mouse - Northern Rain.

Background - Quiet as a Mouse are an Edinburgh based indie/alternative band formed by Alex Moran (Singer/Songwriter), Darren Irwin (Lead Guitar), Eamon Gilson (Guitar) and Martin Patrick (Bass) and Graham Longbottom (Drums) in 2012.

The group’s live reputation has quickly grown as QAAM have supported Hinds (Deers), The Orwells, Palma Violets, The Big Moon, The Orielles, Coasts and The Crookes. Their first batch of London shows were with Club Fandango at Bull & Gate & Buffalo Bar as well as headlining Birthdays and The Old Blue Last.

These outstanding performances have earned them “Gig of the Day” from Ruth Kilpatrick at Amazing Radio, airplay support from Tom Robinson (BBC 6 Music), Vic Galloway (BBC Radio Scotland), Chris Martin, Charlie Ashcroft and Jim Gellaty at Amazing Radio.

Quiet as a Mouse are releasing their debut album 'Is It Funny When It Hurts?' (Part funded by Creative Scotland and produced by Kris Pohl (Idlewild) at Post Electric Studio in Leith) on 27th April 2018. WEBSITE.

The second single 'Northern Rain' falls kind of midway between the styles to be found on the brand new album 'Is It Funny When It Hurts?' released today! I say that's because Quiet As A Mouse can be anything but quiet and when they are going full steam ahead they deliver some feisty rock and roll material. On the other side of the coin they can and are melodic, gentle and quite touching at times. They have already received some well deserved recognition within the UK, hopefully that will travel further, as Scotland continues to grow some fine artists.


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OX - Hidden.

Background - The Gothenburg-based quartet OX delivers colorful post-apocalyptic pop. 

With a fusion of brittle yet powerful voices, beats, organ, and ukulele they have created a dreamlike soundscape characterized by melancholy as well as euphoria.

Their first video “Hidden” was released this week and is recorded by the Swedish filmmaker and editor Simon Hjortek (Magnificent Beast). Ox are Ida Gudmundsson, Tone Persdotter, Simon Larsson & Ragnar Bern. FACEBOOK.

Ox appear to be one of those bands that let their music do the talking, as the above few words are all I have been able to uncover about them. So what does 'Hidden' tell us. Well first of all Ox have a pretty definitive sound, where melody and energy combine to give us some catchy vibes despite being described as post-apocalyptic pop. There is a hint of Altered Images with this track, consider that a massive thumbs up, and the creative video adds another level of interest. Keep an ear out for Ox, they are well worth having on our musical radar.


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Ay Wing - Ellevator - Bad Breeding

Ay Wing - Strange

Background - “'Strange' tries to find humour in an age where many of our own identities seem based on an insta-filter and the right angle.” Ay Wing A parody of 21st-century digital narcissism, the video partnering ‘Strange’, the latest dazzling electro-pop release from Ay Wing, features the singer cast as various iconic movie characters, transported into the social media arena, taking selfies in the most precarious situations. Thus we have everyone from Princess Leia to Morticia Addams to Uma Thurman’s Mia Wallace wielding the selfie stick at inopportune moments.

Inspired by Andy Warhol’s celebrated “...famous for 15 minutes” quote, ‘Strange’ continues Berlin-based singer-songwriter Ay Wing’s run of smart, slick poppy nuggets, with its bouncy synth foundations, indisputable earworm of a chorus and even a Baroque-style breakdown all sure to rack up the likes and shares on the very social media channels it cheekily pokes fun at.

The track forms part of a new EP, ‘Ice Cream Dream’ – three colourful takes on eclectic electronica and kaleidoscopic psych pop that encapsulate Ay Wing’s joyful partnering of sweet, seductive tunery with subject matter and songcraft of great depth.

A singer, songwriter, producer, performer and bandleader, Swiss-born, Berlin-based Ay Wing has it pretty much covered when it comes to ensuring her beat-driven fluorescent synthpop is exactly as she wants it. And, primarily, she wants it so that her audience dance and her listeners are entranced. Big on retro synths, bouncy guitar riffs and dirty beats, hers is accessible electronica of the classic kind, savvy three-minute pop bangers enhanced by Ay Wing’s strict attention to the most exacting musical detail.

Prior to the release of the ‘Ice Cream Dream’ EP in the spring of 2018, Ay Wing has been prolific in her appearances on stages across Europe, from clubs to open-air festivals to sweaty live-music dens, making sure that all who see her recognise a new pop star-in waiting. ‘Ice Cream Dream’, in all its technicolour glory, backed by further showcase gigs across Europe, will ensure that Ay Wing will not be waiting for long. FACEBOOK.

The vocals are just a little sultry and most certainly engaging on 'Strange' a catchy and feisty song, where electronica rubs shoulders with psych pop and a few other places along the way. The video adds a splash of colour and humour to this desirable track.


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Ellevator - Voices.

Background - Good music seems instantaneous: a decisive rush of expression and dopamine. Hamilton, Ontario's Ellevator capture that direct hit of immediacy, with a closer listen revealing the meticulous design of their muscular pop songs.

Frontwoman Nabi Sue Bersche delivers raw lyricism with quiet power. Her nimble melodies anchor the electric hooks and cinematic timbres Ellevator has refined on countless stages.

The bands self-titled debut EP is now officially out. "We conquered our fears, learned our lessons, lent our ear to strangers, took advice, ignored advice, played to empty bars, sweat it out with full rooms, bet the farm, spun tall tales, told the truth, rode the highway, took a long, hard look in the mirror, got proud, and stayed humble to bring you this record. We offer it to you and hope you find some piece of yourself in it. It’s made of everything we’ve got". TOUR DATES, TWITTER.

'Voices' is a hook fuelled alt rocker where the band are musically tight and vibrant whilst the vocals add melody and emotion, on this whirlwind of fresh sounding rock and roll.

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Bad Breeding - Dehumanised.

Background - The third Bad Breeding single Dehumanised, is taken from their forthcoming EP Abandonment out this week on One Little Indian Records.

The Stevenage-based anarcho punks recorded the EP on the eve of a European tour, in one room in Berlin with Ben Greenberg (Uniform) at the controls. The result captures all the urgent turbulence of their live show, bristling with an uncontained power.

Bad Breeding will also host a headline show at The Waiting Room in Stoke Newington on International Workers’ Day (1st May 2018) to help raise funds for People for People - Stevenage, a locally-run group that provides relief for marginalised sections of the town’s community.

On the four tracks that make up the Abandonment EP, the band engage in an honest and attentive fury that avoids ulterior motive. True to themselves and where they come from, the band fix upon an irrepressible surge of agitation that is, in every sense, important at a time when ‘profit negates life’, when the neglected are ‘left to sink’ and when there seems to be ‘no end to disillusion’. WEBSITE.

Shows:
1st May - IWD @ Waiting Room, London
6th May - Prince Albert, Brighton.

Strap yourselves in tight for some full on and timeless sounding anarcho punk! 'Dehumanised' hurls out the power and emotion from the opening moments, the band soften the pace marginally to make room for some deeply embedded vocals, punk lovers from any era should give this a listen.

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