DATE ARCHIVES : February 2016

Introducing: BeardFight

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BeardFight hails from North Vancouver, and they pride themselves on producing genre bending electronic music.

Aside from this, info surrounding the producer is pretty scant and in a world of information saturation, it is kind of refreshing. So, let us concern ourselves with the most important thing; the music. BeardFight caught the eye (or the ear to be precise) through their appearance on two recent compilations from Vancouver based music collective, Groundwerk. The compilations themselves are excellent and worthy of further investigation (here) but on both occasions it was BeardFight’s stellar inclusion which stood out. The producer has a thing for a deep, bassy sound, with a dark, subterranean vibes; something both ‘Western Eyes’ and ‘505 (Groundwerk Edit)’ are testament to. The latter is a rework of Arctic Monkeys’ 2007 tune, the dark and sunken sounds are joined by flourishes of drums, bass and glitchy mastery, with chinks of light and floaty dub tones. ‘Western Eyes’ is equally immense. Courting a similar aesthetic, it would work perfect as part the film score for a modern film noir style flick. Again there is light amid the darkness, this time through the sultry vocals. A rather impressive dawn from BeardFight, hopefully the wait for new material isn’t a prolonged one.

You can check out ‘Western Eyes’ and ‘505 (Groundwerk Edit)’ below. If they are to your liking, there’s a whole lot more where that came from over on BeardFight’s SoundCloud.

 

Millions Like Us – Episode 10

 

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We’re thrilled to share yet another Millions Like Us podcast with you all. It’s great to back with the latest in a series of music podcasts hosted by Justin & I, in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now.

On a bi-weekly basis we aim to please, providing  some lively and entertaining chat and eclectic selection of fabulous music from metro Vancouver and elsewhere. There’s plenty in there, well over an hour in fact, of great tunes and plenty of chat.

You can read more on it over here and of course, listen below (and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump too). You can subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic or find us on Facebook & Twitter. Or you can email us at millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com.

2016 has been good to us so far, so thanks for all the support thus far and once again, thanks for listening! And last but not least, thanks to Caroline for the image (and pancakes).

Episode #10 Track list:

Mmoths – ‘Eva’

Three years in the making, Irish producer MMOTHS is gearing up for the release of his long-awaited debut album, Luneworks, on March 11th.

Following from last November’s lead track ‘Deu’, comes the album’s sublime second single ‘Eva’. ‘Eva’ is an evocative piece of music. Blending sound and textures it is bound together by a tick-tock rhythm and Colleran’s smooth, hypnotic vocal, perfectly complementing this atmospheric sea of sounds. An utterly beautiful and captivating piece. This is a tune to get lost in, evoking calmness, it is like finding a welcoming port, in the most volatile of storms. In the intervening years since first announcing himself and his talent with the self-titled debut EP (2012) and Diaries (2013), Newbridge man Jack Colleran’s music has grown and matured. ‘Deu’ suggested as much, and ‘Eva’ has all but confirmed that we’re going to be in for a treat when the debut album arrives.

Luneworks is out on March 11th 2016 through OYAE/Because – a date for the diaries. Lose yourself in ‘Eva’ below or pop over here, to check out the video.

 

Moderat share new track ‘Reminder’, ahead of new album ‘III’

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On April 1st, Moderat, the German electronic trio comprised of Modeselektor and Apparat, will release new album III.

The nine-track record concludes the final installment of the band’s trilogy following 2009’s self-titled debut, and 2013’s II. Building from its minimalistic origins, ‘Reminder’ pulses with a slow, heavy and hypnotic groove, before expanding into a more grandiose, atmospheric, and altogether beautiful track. This throbbing and dynamic tune, stylistically speaking, it’s not far off Moderat’s previous LP. As well as III, ‘Reminder’ will appear on the Moderat’s a forthcoming EP of the same name. Penned for release on February 19th, it will also feature the single and remixes from Paul Woolford and Answer Code.

The trio have announced a huge amount of live dates across the globe, incl. Vicar Street, Dublin on April 6th and thankfully, Vogue Theatre, Vancouver on May 23rd. Check out ‘Reminder’ below, now:

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Freedom Fry – ‘The Words’

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Over the course of the past few years, LA-based duo of Freedom Fry have served us with a string of sublime singles; their ability to craft cheery, infectious and feel-good indie-pop is without question.

As accustomed as we’ve become to Freedom Fry’s stellar proclivity for an irresistible single, the pair’s first release of 2016 is all kinds of wonderful. Besides being typically catchy Freedom Fry fare, ‘The Words’ is their most imaginative blend of styles and genres yet. A sort of hybrid, disco-folk, this infectious number slaloms between mildly psychedelic folk pop hauntings and a beautifully bouncy groove laid down over consistent disco beats, electronic pulses and jangly hooks & sing-along choruses. Comprised of husband and wife duo Marie Seyrat and Bruce Driscoll, Freedom Fry seem intent on serving us with the world’s catchiest tunes and there are no complaint from this quarter. Most definitely looking forward to hearing more from Freedom Fry in 2016.

Check out ‘The Words’ below.

Living Hour – ‘Seagull’

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Canadian dream-pop outfit Living Hour will release their self-titled debut LP this month on Lefse Records.

To get us in the mood, the Winnipeg quintet have shared the first single from the band’s upcoming eight-track record. ‘Seagull’ is a doozy and dream pop, errrr, doesn’t get much more dreamier than this. Comprised in equal parts from scuzzy noise and charming dream-pop, it is absolutely gorgeous. It swells and soars combining so much stirring emotion with gauzy guitar hooks, undulating melodies and drifting, smoky vocals. ‘Seagull’ is as epic an introduction to a band as one could ask for. It is such a big sound and all that’s left now, is to click play and get lost in the sweet, sweet sounds of this amazing, swelling slow burner.

Living Hour’s self-titled debut LP will be released on February 19th via Lefse Records. Check out ‘Seagull’ below.

Also, Living Hour play Vancouver,’s Fortune Sound Club w/ Cullen Omori (formerly of Smith Westerns) on April 2nd, 2016.

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Introducing: Milk

Milk by Lauren J Ray

                                                                                                                                                                                                     Photo by Lauren Ray.

Comprised of former/current members of Watermelon, Village, and Soft Serve, Milk have just released their debut EP, Late Bloomer.

The Vancouver quartet’s debut release is one of sleepy, mellow beauty, specialising as they do, in sweetly crisp guitar licks, dreamy melodies and jangling tones, while singer-guitarist Thom James’ drawl looms large above these laid-back indie-alt-country. Across the 6-track release, it is one treat after another. ‘Don’t Laugh’ is bright, catchy ditty with the clean, jangling tones and crisp electric twang accompanying James’ deep drawl. ‘Standards’ is just as instantly lovable, like Village Green era The Kinks meets melodic alt-country tones. ‘Marmalade’ and ‘Funeral’ showcase Milk’s darker side, not too gloomy, just a shade darker and imbued with sentimentality which eventually merges into dreamy, laid-back indie pop. Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the nicest new sounds of 2016 thus far; sleepy, laid-back and promising stuff from the veritable Vancouver super-group.

Milk’s debut EP Late Bloomer is out now and available here. Meanwhile, there are a number of choice cuts below.

Sweet Baboo – ‘Blowing Up My Mind’

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With his UK tour kicking off this week, Sweet Baboo (aka Stephen Black) has shared the new video for ‘Blowing Up My Mind’, taken from his forthcoming Dennis EP.

The 6-track Dennis EP will be released on Feb 26th 2016 through Moshi Moshi. It includes a Christmas song, 3 covers (Daniel Johnston, The Exciters, The Beach Boys) and 2 previously unreleased tracks from his The Boombox Ballads album sessions. So, back to ‘Blowing Up My Mind’. Originally by The Exciters and a northern soul classic, it was recorded it as a B-side for ‘Got To Hang On To You’ (which name-checks The Exciters and the song too). Retaining the upbeat, bright and soulful nature of the original, he leaves his own unique and compelling mark on this one. Somehow carving out a space between indie pop and soul, what we’re left with is an utterly sweet, charming and breathtaking rendition of truly fabulous song.

Sweet Baboo’s 6-track Dennis EP will be released on February 26th 2016 through Moshi Moshi. You can order it here and treat your ears to ‘Blowing Up My Mind’ below.

UK live dates:

29th Jan – Clwb Ifor Bach, Cardiff
2nd Feb – The Musician, Leicester
3rd Feb – Tom Thumb Theatre, Margate
4th Feb – Moth Club, London
5th Feb – Night and Day Café, Manchester
6th Feb – Picture House Special, Sheffield
7th Feb – The Fulford Arms, York
12th Feb – Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda
13th Feb – Moles Club, Bath

In Praise of Super Furry Animals: An Almost 20 Year Obsession

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The magnificent and legendary Super Furry Animals, make their return to Vancouver this week, playing The Imperial on Thursday, February 4th.

As one of my all-time favourite bands, I am more than guilty of some bias, but I can honestly say I believe they are one of the finest bands ever to grace this earth. Throughout their long and fascinating career, Super Furry Animals have proven themselves as one of the most enigmatic, creative and brilliant psychedelic pop bands of our time. Super Furry Animals are truly unique.

They have the stories; they procured an army tank equipped with a techno sound-system, caused national security alerts with 60-foot inflatable monsters, went into the Colombian jungle with armed Guerilla fighters, drew up plans to convert an aircraft carrier into a nightclub and turned down a seven-figure sum from a certain cola company who wanted to use ‘Hello Sunshine’ in an ad, instead allowing the track to be used in a short film about human rights abuses by anti-poverty charity War on Want. Yet these tales only tell half the story. Most importantly, there is the music.

Super Furry Animals have produced some of the most exciting and memorable records of the past two decades, in their own uniquely surreal, weird and wonderful pop genius. With an inherent gift for giddy pop melodies and excelling at rich, heart-felt and powerful slow songs too, it is an eclectic back-catalogue, imaginatively mixing up electronic beats, indie, surf rock, neo-psychedelia, Japanese culture and more.

My first encounter with Super Furries was seeing them play ‘Demons’ on TFI Friday, I then acquired ‘Something 4 The Weekend’ in some bargain bin or other, and that was enough to set in motion a process of acquiring whatever music of their’s that I could and albums, Radiator and Out Spaced, remain all-time favourites. It hard to put my adoration for these Welsh heroes into mere words for fear of underselling the virtues of their music but let’s just put it simply; in providing a constant soundtrack to my life ever since my school days, their music has afforded me so much joy.

So, needless to say, the fact Super Furry Animals play Vancouver next week is extremely exciting. Like a kid waiting for Christmas, since the announcement was first made, I’ve been counting down the days till February 4th. It has also got me thinking about the first time I saw them live, years back, 1999 in Dublin’s Olympia Theatre. It was a school night and we had a mini-bus drive us (cans and shitty fake IDs on hand) to Dublin. The gig was unbelievable. Only the second I had ever gone to at that point and it was an unforgettable experience, and one that has left an indelible mark on me. Many years on and almost ten thousand miles from where a 15-year-old me awaited that show excitedly, there’s pretty much the same level of anticipation for this week’s gig. Roll on Thursday night!

So with that, I’ll leave you with the excellent S4C documentary on 20 years of Super Furries, The Furry Years and a couple of choice Super Furry favourites.

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BarryGruff January 2016 Playlist

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Your regular monthly round up all the blog action, in a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured throughout the month.

January was a busy month, especially for new record announcements and whatnot. We had tunes from The Coral, Yuck, Sea Pinks, Steve Mason, exmagician, Ulrika Spacek, Coves and The Last Shadow Puppets, from their respective, new and forthcoming albums. We had introductions to Bousada, ACCU and Honey Moon, while there were excellent new singles/EPs from Seazoo, Allure, Applescal, Marta Ffion, Courtney Barnett, Shit Robot and Golden Fable. Oh, and there were two new episodes of ‘Millions Like Us’, Justin Beats & I’s new music podcast extravaganza for 604now (if you missed them, check ’em here). You can also subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic or find us on Facebook & Twitter.

Well then, that’s that for another month – listen to BarryGruff’s January 2016 playlist below. Enjoy!