DATE ARCHIVES : June 2015

Introducing: Pale Honey

 

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Pale Honey are indie-rock duo – Tuva Lodmark (guitar / vocals) and Nelly Daltrey (drums) – from Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Swedish pair released their solid self-titled debut album last month, one whereby their guitar-and-drums combo embraces a concoction of sleazy rock n roll, scuzzy dream pop and moments of reflective beauty. It maintains a distinct, stripped-down and pretty minimalist approach that blows up at will, the onslaught of noise (incl. cowbells, synth and laser-gun sound effects) is diced with the enervated vocals stylings of Lodmark, making for a rather remarkable amalgam. ‘Youth’, ‘Tease’, and ‘Lonesome’ are quintessential of this, and their sound; bass-heavy, sparse percussion and quick bursts of fuzzy guitar, interspersed with splashed of illuminating synth, which fizz and flare unexpectedly. The duo are well equipped with the slower, subtly tender and emotionally charged moments too, of which ‘Desert’ and ‘Sleep’ are testament to. Electrifying, attitude filled stuff indeed. Whether you’re wishing to kick start your eardrums with some high-octane activity or some subtle shades of unleashed emotion, Pale Honey have you covered.

Pale Honey’s self-titled LP is out now via Bolero Recordings/Instant Records (Stream/Purchase). You can sample some choice cuts below.

Slow Riot – ‘City Of Culture’

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Irish post-punk trio Slow Riot – Niall Clancy (formerly of The Vagabonds), Aaron Duff & Paul Cosgrave – are releasing their debut single, ‘City Of Culture’, via Straight Lines Are Fine on July 10th.

Having already shared some promising demos with world, ‘City Of Culture’ offers a perfect introduction (or re-introduction) to the band. A sarcastic ode to the cultural status bestowed upon their native Limerick in 2014, ‘City Of Culture’, combines classic post-punk influences of Gang of Four, Television, Wire, while conjuring up the likes of Girl Band, The Rakes, Sluts of Trust and Future of the Left at different points song, for a fired-up, raucous three-and-half-minutes of post-punk. Exploding out of the blocks with ferocious vitality and energy, Clancy’s apathetic yet angry vocals are buried in the midst of dark, bass-heavy rumblings, layers of sharp guitars and searing noise. Dark, brooding and bone-rattling; impressive stuff indeed.

‘City Of Culture’ is taken from their forthcoming Cathedral EP, due later in the year, both were recorded at the Manic Street Preachers’ FASTER studio in Cardiff with producer Kevin Vanbergen. For now, there’s the no so small matter of ‘City Of Culture’. Check it below.

CZARFACE (Inspectah Deck, 7L & Esoteric) ft. MF DOOM – ‘Ka-Bang!’

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Two years after releasing their brilliant self-titled album, CZARFACE – comprised of Wu-Tang Clan’s Inspectah Deck and 7L & Esoteric – will return with their new album this summer.

Due to hit shelves this week, the forthcoming LP, Every Hero Needs A Villain, includes guest appearances from Method Man, Meyhem Lauren, GZA, Large Professor, JuJu of The Beatnuts, RA The Rugged Man and MF Doom. Ahead of next week’s release, we’ve been afforded another taste of what to expect in the shape of ‘Ka-Bang!’ featuring the latter, MF Doom. It is a banging hip-hop track as the title suggests, with the emcees going for it, to the back drop of snappy beats, flourished of eastern touches and some superhero-sampling from radio comic book adventures. With less than a week to go till the new album is with us, it is another top notch taster to get us even more excited. Czarface’s debut was an utterly fantastic record and thankfully it appears as though they’ve lost none of that zip, gloss or bounce that contributed to its greatness.

Every Hero Needs A Villain is out June 16th through Brick Records. You can pre-order the album here or just listen to ‘Ka-Bang!’ below.

Tomorrows – ‘The Circle’

 

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Trading in psych, prog and pop, Dublin quintet Tomorrows – comprised of members from Biggles Flys Again, The Chapters, Jethro Pickett and Woodheart – find themselves in the midst of a creative flourish.

Since introducing themselves three months ago, each passing month has heralded a stellar new Tomorrows’ track after another. Having already treated us to the Kraut-influenced ‘Another Life’ and the beautiful tranquil sounds of ‘Free’, from the same session comes ‘The Circle’, a shimmering psych-pop wander through a world of enviable calm. The new track follows on very nicely from ‘Free’ and ‘Another Life’, maintaining the bright, shimmering psych aesthetic at its core, ‘The Circle’, combines this with a sweet harmonies and infectious strum for an unforgettably calm and pleasing four-and-a-half minutes. Hopefully this continuing the positive trend is maintained and the evidence so far suggests we have little to worry about, nor shall will we have to wait too long.

You can check out ‘The Circle’ below and their previous, equally exceedingly excellent works here.

Also, Tomorrows play their first London show in The Old Blue Last on Friday, June 12th, with marvelous Welsh band (and longstanding BarryGruff favourites) Seazoo – check the info here.

Dan Amor – ‘Penwythnos Heulog’

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North Walian marvel Dan Amor is held in the highest regard around these parts (and elsewhere too), and his brand new single ‘Penwythnos Heulog’, is a timely reminder of what a bona fide treasure he really is.

Drawn to obscure and different sounds, his wizardry is one of psychedelic playfulness mingling with splotches of spaced out throwbacks and infused with Welsh culture. Retaining an entirely unique sound and style, these elements are fashioned to form delicate songs that an emit an irresistible warmth. Amor’s fabulous latest single ‘Penwythnos Heulog’ (Sunny Weekend in English) ticks all those aforementioned boxes, and in the process, producing a loveable, mildly dizzying and waltzing psych pop song. Pairing a gentle strum and piano, with a big heart-swelling melody, warped spaced-out psych synth and Amor’s acute vocal delivery; it’s infectious, charming and adorable, with a classic pop twist. Dan Amor has out done himself this time. An utter joy to behold.

You can stream ‘Penwythnos Heulog’ below, ahead of it’s release June 26th via Recordiau Cae Gwyn. You can also check out Dan Amor’s GruffWuff inclusion, ‘Can’t Sleep’ – of which you can download here for FREE.

Sen Segur Call It A Day With Parting Gift: Debut Album ‘Films’

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Wonderful Welsh psych wonders, Sen Segur, have, after five and a half years of making, recording and performing music, called time on the band.

Performing in both Welsh and English, the four-piece – Benjamin Ellis, Sior Amor, Dafydd Evans & Gethin Davies – released a slew of great releases, constituting of fun and supremely engaging collection of modern psych-pop. Something of a pop music recycling plant, Sen Segur borrowed from some of the finest sounds of past decades and but transcended their influences in a rather simple manner: by consistently producing really great songs and crafting their own unique cosmic concoction of modern psych-pop.

This pretty miserable news has been slightly more palatable by this: as a parting gesture, Sen Segur have released their debut LP, Films. It’s an excellent record and nice way to bow out, encapsulating everything that made (sniff) Sen Segur so charming and wonderful. The many facets of their wonderful lo-fi-indie-psych fusion are to be found swirling in a cloud of dizzying splendor. Take the gently swaying beauty of ‘Cylion’, the blissfully playful and cheery psych-pop of ‘Films’, slightly more spaced-out ‘Gwreiddyn’, emotive and idyllic folk of ‘Yn Dy Fyd Heddychlon’ and urgent post-punk grunt meets psychedelic surf rock of ‘Salwn Siawns Olaf’. Each track is very different, yet somehow very similar. Sen Segur’s sound is sparkling with enough ingenuity and charm, so as to make the past seem like an undiscovered country, and one well worth a visit too. A bittersweet but fitting way to bow out, with this, genius odd-ball wizardry.

It’s always a shame to see a really good band depart the stage but hopefully we hear from them sooner rather than later (albeit separately), and hopefully they’ll find success in whatever they turn their hand to. For now? You can sample some choice cuts below and Films is available to buy/stream here.

 

Introducing: Energy Slime

Energy Slime is Vancouver psych-pop duo Jay Arner and Jessica Delisle, whose genius odd-ball wizardry, has the propensity the mesmerising.

The pair’s forte is for dizzying collages of shape-shifting, synth laden, psych-pop with swirling textures and filled with ideas spiralling out of control. They made their debut toward the end of last year with the release of New Dimensional, which crammed 10 songs into a jam-packed 13 minutes (or two sides of a 7”). It’s an unforgettable 13 minutes of warm and layered technicolour, often odd-ball, sounds. From the gentle whirlpool of shimmering and lush, but truly psychedelic, dream-pop of ‘Only Clouds’ to ‘Cool Ship II’, a bouncy, bobbing tune, whose neon glow sprouts from splashes of synth and Delisle’s bright vocals or ‘Star On The Ground’. Their pièce de résistance, it is shrouded in a blanket of reverb and fuzz, with frazzled electronics and flutters on synth peaking through, as their dreamy pop is pushed into the experimental, spaced-out zones of bleary psych. Sit back, relax, and allow yourself to be immersed in the spacey, far-out world that is Energy Slime.

You can check out some choice cuts below or stream/purchase New Dimensional now. Energy Slime also play The Lido, Vancouver on June 18th w/ Cult Babies – all the details are here.

Alaska Wilson – ‘Invisible Boy’

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Regular patrons may remember David Harks from a string of stellar singles he released last year, that ended up forming into the fabulous, Lomo EP.

While we don’t have a new material from Harks’, what we are privy to though, is the latest release from his label, JumJum Records. The single ‘Invisible Boy’ is a sublime debut from newcomer Alaska Wilson. Info on Wilson is pretty scarce but what we know is he currently resides in Dangriga on the coast of Belize, suffice to say, the single speaks for itself. ‘Invisible Boy’ whisks an elegant blend downtempo pop, soul and electronics, as hypnotic synths combine with waves of feel good, woozy summery vibes. There’s a hint of the Balearic about it and tempered by some tender vocals from Wilson. An intriguing first outing from Wilson, let’s hope we’re not waiting too long for more tunes.

‘Invisible Boy’ is out now & you can sample its delight below. Also, the fantastic artwork was carefully created by Ilya Gulyaev – I really like it.

Freedom Fry – ’21’

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No one quite does cheery, infectious, feelgood indie-pop like Freedom Fry, the Franco-American duo of Marie Seyrat and Bruce Driscoll, really are in a class of their own.

This combination of talents has served them (and us, the listener) rather well to date, producing stellar single after single. With each new release, they’ve upped the stakes and their latest single ’21’, is no different. Recorded with the help of audience’s during their recent residency at the Echo in LA, who provide the vocals and claps, it is a bright, buoyant and wholly irresistible indie-pop tune. Fuelled by the vocal exchange between the two, it is an upbeat affair bursting with exuberance, hopeful optimism and all manner of summery feelings. Yet another catchy, charming and smile-inducing tune, and unmistakably ‘Freedom Fry’. The pair seem intent on serving us with the world’s catchiest tune, and as they continue on their merry quest to do so, it’s going to be a fun-filled ride.

For now, you can stream the wonderful ’21’ below; time to put the sun back in our hearts. And in case you’re interested, I’d a quick chat with Freedom Fry before their Vancouver show back in April (you read it here)

Hyde & Beast – ‘Hard Times Good Times’

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Retro loving psych-rock duo Hyde & Beast have announced their return with news of a forthcoming new EP, Hard Times Good Times.

Released on July 24th, the EP is the first new material from drummer-turned-songwriting duo, Dave Hyde (The Futureheads) & Neil Bassett (The Golden Virgins), since their superb and emotionally heavyweight second album Keep Moving last August. Preceding the EP’s release is stunning title-track, ‘Hard Times Good Times’, and it’s a doozy. Fitted with ballsy riffs, a stomping beat, glam rock era groove and some stonking blasts of brass, it is topped off with some sweet 60s-style pop harmonies, for a sumptuous slice of retro rock ‘n roll stomp. As with all their work to date, ‘Hard Times Good Times’ really feels like a labour of love. Harking back to late 60’s / early 70’s classic pop, it bears more than a shade of similarity with some stellar names from those days – The Beatles, T-Rex, Wings & Faces to name but a few. Fairly decent company to be in, no?

Hyde & Beast’s new EP, Hard Times Good Times, is out on July 24th. Ahead of that why not get acquainted with the title-track below?