DATE ARCHIVES : March 2013

Adultrock – ‘Chants’

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It has been quite some time since Adultrock, fellow Newbridge compañero Gav Elsted, featured on the blog but that’s not to say he hasn’t been busy.

While neglected here, he’s been receiving plenty of attention further afield, including Annie Mac, who posted ‘In The Shade’ as part of her Free Music Mondays series last month. We have dropped in on Adultrock at a very opportune time. He is in inspired form with brand new track ‘Chants’, a dancefloor-ready, hypnotic and repetitive house tune. This is an absolute gem & I just can’t get enough of it right now. Magnifique!

Check out ‘Chants’ below, you will not  be disappointed. There’s two dates for your diary also; Adultrock will play Camden Crawl Dublin in May & Body & Soul in June

Introducing: Total Normal

Total Normal - Tales of the Expected - cover

Total Normal is the solo project of Thierry Vaudor, a Canadian-born producer now residing in Paris. The name is pretty misleading as it’s anything but normal, as is the title of his debut album, Tales of the Expected which is anything but expected. This playful disregard for convention is a cornerstone of the artist’s charm. 

Vaudor is overflowing ideas and creativity, plundering a selection of samples, bass lines, random bits of dialogue, beats and melody; he has cut and paste them, then chopped and changed them, all to suit his need. The album is inherently a lot of fun, a mix of cool, colourful and jazzy sounds leaving a sense of cheery nostalgia. On listening, you will suspect you have heard it before, even if you haven’t. It’s probably not for everyone given it’s slight oddity, variety of experimentation and dearth of samples but there should be something for everyone  among the 19 tracks.

There’s a couple of choice cuts for your listening pleasure below and if they tickle your fancy, Tales of the Expected is available via bandcamp.

Adam Geraghty – ‘Sticks and Mud’

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Adam Geraghty is a young from singer / songwriter from Athlone and at the age of just 14, yes 14, it makes him the youngest artist to feature on the blog. 

Although by no means the finished article, Geraghty has shown a lot of potential with his debut EP, Revolve. The EP was written, recorded and produced by himself from the confines of his Westmeath home. From which, comes ‘Sticks and Mud’, a gentle, hushed and heart warming ballad with a kind of raw imperfection that doesn’t come around too often. Definitely early days but there is a sincerity in what he’s doing and obviously has time on his side to hone his talent and refine that sound.

You can listen to ‘Sticks and Mud’ below and the rest of the Revolve EP is available on bandcamp.

(Video) Melody’s Echo Chamber – ‘Crystallized’

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Melody’s Echo Chamber‘s self-titled debut (of Melody Prochet & produced by Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker) released last year, proved rather special and is still on rotation around these parts.  

Hardy a surprise then, that any excuse to share this infatuation is grabbed with both hands. Say hello to ‘Crystallized’, the latest single and arguably, the standout track from the Parisian’s debut album. ‘Crystallized’ is beguiling example of Prochet’s flair for dreamy pop being pushed into more experimental, spaced-out zones of bleary psych. Prochet’s light, inviting vocals float above a blanket of reverb and fuzz as the track meanders for a full two and a half minutes, until the breakdown that is. Enter the frazzled electronics and full on fuzz rock.

Yet another superb single from an equally stunning debut. I really hope Melody’s Echo Chamber make an appearance on our shores this year. 

Imploded View – ‘Slo Mo Disco’

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Since releasing his debut album Picnics With Pylons last September, which is excellent in case you’re wondering, Imploded View has kept busy working on, and releasing new tracks. 

Anyway, ‘Slo Mo Disco’ is the latest jam from the Longford based producer and it is a simply wonderful piece of downtempo electronica, the man’s forte after all. ‘Slo Mo Disco’ finds a gentle balance between melodic warmth and ambient minimalism; one listen to this and it will be bouncing around your head all day. In other Imploded View related news, he will performing an A/V show in cinema space at this years Phase One Festival in Carrick-on-Shannon.

Hopefully we get another release from Imploded View this year, maybe another EP or perhaps even album, any road, ‘Slo Mo Disco’ is fine company for now.  

The Revellions – ‘Don’t Wait For Me’

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Remember The Revellions? Back in 2009 they released their rather excellent self-titled debut,  a devastating mix of ’60s rock ‘n roll and gut wrenchingly raw garage sounds. 

They have been relatively quiet since then. Now, after a two year break working on their forthcoming second album Give It Time, The Revellions are back with ‘Don’t Wait For Me’, the first track taken from the aforementioned second LP. ‘Don’t Wait For Me’ is just marvelous. Refining their ’60s rock ‘n roll influenced sound, The Revellions have swapped rawness for a more soulful vibe, due in no small part to the oh so soulful voice of Ali Moore. It has been far too long an absence from The Revellions but it’s great to have them back with us once again. You can listen to ‘Don’t Wait For Me’ and an oldie ‘I Don’t Mind’ below. 

You can also catch The Revellions live at Retro Revival Club w/ September Girls + The Vincent(s) + Evil Sons on Saturday April 6th in Sweeneys, Dame St. Dublin. Doors: 9pm Adm: €5

Introducing: Beard Of Wolves

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Feel like you don’t have enough noise in your life? Are things are just a little bit too quiet? Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Beard Of Wolves.

Not for the faint-hearted, the north Wales pair sound like their blood is boiling, bombarding the listener with a ferocious barrage of rock, garage and drums and bass. Propelled by a devastating combo of filthy basslines and pounding drums, this ruthlessly abrasive sound is taken to another dimension with by splashes synths and screeching vocals. If that’s not clear enough, just check the twisted noise and fuzzed up mayhem that is ‘My Father Drives The Death Star’, ‘Wet Mouth’ or anything from their debut EP in fact. Imagine mashing Death From Above 1979, Eagles of Death Metal and Klaxons together before feeding it through crackling speakers, and your almost there. A truly scintillating racket!

This is by far the most melodic mayhem you’ll hear this year, to keep things relatively brief, their self-titled debut EP is an absolute belter.

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SOnance HOtel – ‘Sub-Dude’

Sonance Hotel 2013

We could all do with some good news to kick off the week, right? Well, SOnance HOtel has returned with his first new material since the release of his criminally underrated 2011 debut, Don’t Look Behind You. 

With new single ‘Sub-Dude’, we once again find the music performed entirely by Brian Gallagher (Humanzi/The Mighty Stef) and picking up where he left off last time, with his take on a classic indie sound. ‘Sub-Dude has somber feel too it, aided by Gallagher’s voice it conveys a certain sense of melancholy and knowing. Offset by a winding melody and some wonderfully lush instrumentation, there is hopeful beneath the sullen exterior. There is no ‘definite’ information on whether a new album is forthcoming but hopefully there is, and with it, Gallagher receives the recognition for his undoubted talent.

‘Sub-Dude’ is out now & available free for a limited time from bandcamp. 

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Sue Denim – ‘Hollow / ​After The Rain’

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Bangor native Sue Denim stepped out on her own, sans Robots in Disguise, with her debut solo album And The Unicorn in the latter part of last year. Recorded and co-produced in North Wales with David Wrench (Bear In Heaven, Caribou & Y Niwl), it’s a lovable collection of simple and honest songs which makes for cheery listening.

Her latest foray comes in the shape of new single ‘Hollow’ & it’s companion, ‘After The Rain’; two sweetly seductive folk songs with dreamy pop core. Musically it revolves around an acoustic guitar, piano and Sue’s soothing voice – the perfect platform to allow her free flowing melodies and lyrics to run wild. Sensational stuff really, one can’t help but feel a tinkling magical sensation when listening to these two. There is a spot for this in even the coldest of hearts.

‘Hollow / ​After The Rain’ is out  now and can be picked up from bandcamp.

Introducing: Benjamin Damage

Benjamin Damage

Swansea born / Berlin based producer Benjamin Damage has stepped out on his own with his excellent debut solo album Heliosphere. Although this is a first album under his own name, Damage is no novice, having already released a tidy body of work in collaboration with Venom and Doc Daneeka.

Loosely speaking what we’ve got here is techno, damn fine techno at that. He does however, delve into a textural depth that goes far beyond the constraints of the genre taking in touches of dubstep, garage and rave. In doing so he’s found a cloudy space between pile-driving techno, the more minimalist delicacy of the genre and an almost ambient slumber. Although this more drowsy side to his sound is maintained throughout, these atmospheric spurts are by no means the pulse of his sound. The music is propulsive and can be dark, mysterious, yet never brutal. Even when in full flight, with rhythms twisting and turning, the momentum is never lost.

An assured and focused sound that packs as much punch as it does intrigue, Heliosphere is out  now on Modeselktor’s very own 50Weapons label.

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