DATE ARCHIVES : May 2012

The Pictish Trail – Of Course You Exist

Scottish alt-folker The Pictish Trail (aka Johnny Lynch) will be releasing his second album, ‘Secret Soundz Vol.2’, later in the year.

However, before all that, we have the Of Course You Exist EP, providing a glimpse into what we can expect from the forthcoming album. The oddball alt-folk sounds that make ‘Of Course You Exist’ are wonderful, warm and fuzzed up, with his scuzzed-up vocals straining to be heard against a backdrop of murky distorted electro beats and guitars. 

The EP is available in that most unusual of formats; an item of clothing. It is sewn into the seams of a t-shirt and a sweatshirt, as two different download bundles.

You can stream ‘Of Course You Exist’ and the equally great remix from Edinburgh-based FOUND below. 

The Pictish Trail – Of Course You Exist

Download: The Pictish Trail – Of Course You Exist (FNDRMX)

SlowPlaceLikeHome – ‘Shady Jane’

SlowPlaceLikeHome (aka Keith Mannion) is to release a third EP, There Go The Lights Again, sometime next month.

If the EP is anything like its predecessors, it’s going to be great. The first cut from the forthcoming EP is ‘Shady Jane’. It continues Mannion’s slow building and expansive wanders through rich electronic music. An thoroughly relaxing track and the perfect antidote to a stressful day.

Give it a listen below and keep an eye out for the EP next month.

Cian Ciaran (SFA) – ‘You & Me’ + Debut Solo Album

Cian Ciaran from Super Furry Animals is set to release his debut solo album, Outside In, on July 30th.

The album is being released on his own Strange Town Records and will feature, among others, fellow Super Furries Daf and Guto. The first taste of things what to expect in July is ‘You & Me’, a song of lamenting lyrics with truly beautiful textures, strings and sounds. This a simply gorgeous composition, which does more than whet one’s appetite, his album could be something quite special.

You can check out or download ‘You & Me’ below and make up your own mind.

Introducing: King Twit

King Twit are Liverpool-based purveyors of lively and supremely catchy alternative-indie-folk.

The band formed in late 2011 and quickly to hit the road, blagging dates across Europe before returning to produce debut EP, Bicycle. Heavily indebted to the likes The Shins & Captain Beefheart, accompanied by a mix of up tempo scratchy guitars, snappy percussion, wonderful brass and an unmistakably distinctive vocal drawl, the EP is lively, infectious, endearingly likeable.

King Twit are currently in the midst of on an Irish tour (the full list of dates are here) you can also ‘name your price’ and get Bicycle from bandcamp.

Download: King Twit – The Partys Been A Prison All Along

Download: King Twit – Parking Space

Download: King Twit – Bicycle

(Video) No Monster Club – Waking My Idols

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Having released their superb album Dublin a few weeks back, No Monster Club have dropped a short and snappy video for ‘Waking My Idols’. 

‘Waking My Idols’ encapsulates everything that makes NMC so great, catchy pop melodies, spiky vocals and thrashy reverbed guitars all wrapped up in a little over a one minute bundle of outstanding punky surf rock.

There are very limited copies of Dublin left but check out NMC’s website to see how to pick one up.

Candidate – ‘April Again’

We caught up with Candidate when they released their debut album A New Life last year. 

Now relocated to NYC, the band continue draw inspiration from mid ’80s British indie, releasing their newest track, ‘April Again’. It continues their love affair with this sound while it has a much more uptempo feel, echoing harmonies, ear-catching electric guitar riffs and a very real shimmering aesthetic. A great way to re-introduce themselves and here’s hoping it’s not too long till we hear more from these guys.

Check it out and download ‘April Again’ for free below.

Introducing: Black Manila

Formed in 2010, Black Manila are a London based garage rock band, resurrecting the licks, dirty guitar riffs and gravelly tones of old fashioned garage rock jams.

The band already have a few single releases under their belt but with ‘Fiasco’ and b-side ‘England’, they have really found a groove. ‘Fiasco’ is a ferocious rock-out, sneering vocals sithe through a haze of repetitive guitars while ‘England’ stomps along a softer edge into an epic droned ramble. Both tracks are dispatched with a sense of assured confidence and swagger to boot.

Both ‘Fiasco’ and b-side ‘England’ are out now & available as a FREE download.

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Download: Black Manila – Fiasco

Download: Black Manila – England