DATE ARCHIVES : August 2017

Louiza – ‘Party Trick’

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West Coast multi-instrumentalist Rebecca Mimiaga, aka Louiza, is gearing up to release her debut LP (under this guise) in October, and ahead of which, she’s shared the title-track.

‘Party Trick’ is sassy and sarcastic as she regales a tale of a party ass-hole; the kind to interrupt stories, leave midway through conversations and ignore their date. Fuelled by all the hallmarks of classic alt-indie sound – crunchy guitars, bubbling basslines & pummelling drums – it is topped of with pristine vocals, for a gloss of pop sensibility. As ‘Party Trick’ bubbles and bounces, these pristine vocals grow in aggression and strength to leave their mark. A powerful song, and one that certainly leaves its mark.

Check out ‘Party Trick’ below & keep an eye out for the release of the full Party Trick LP, this October.

 

Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist #20

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A new regular feature to blog, a relatively short weekly Spotify playlist featuring some of the finest new music to prick my ears over the course of past seven days.

Clocking in at just over an hour, it’s an easily digestible slice of new music, just in time for the weekend. There’s a nice mix of genres and styles too, allowing me to share even more crackin’ tunes. Well, without further ado, here’s #20 – Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist. Enjoy the tunes & enjoy the weekend!

You can follow me on Spotify here.

San Jua – ‘Swirls In The Swimming Pool’

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Dream-pop duo San Jua have have been steadily establishing themselves as an exciting proposition with a series of wonderful cuts of electro-pop.

The Anglo-Swedish pair continue this trend, returning with amazing new single, ‘Swirls In The Swimming Pool’. San Jua have crafted a fabulous sound of dreamy textures and bewitching vocals floating over bubbling pulses, hypnotic pulsing bass and drenched piano loops. ‘Swirls In The Swimming Pool’ is infectious, hypnotic, mesmerizing and ultimately exquisite. We don’t know a whole lot more about San Jua as information is pretty scant, but given the quality sounds, who really cares?

You can listen to their stunning new single ‘Swirls In The Swimming Pool’ below – it does not disappoint:

Fold Announce New EP ‘Written In the Sky’; Share Title-Track

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Experimental Hip-Hop/Trip Hop outfit Fold have solid credentials when it comes to producing incredible music.

Fold’s self-titled debut was magnificent; a stellar piece of work pitting an enviable creativity with a powerful social consciousness to craft something thoroughly powerful, unique and memorable. The Leeds-based outfit have returned with news of a brand new EP Written In the Sky, and as with previous efforts it, the forthcoming EP utilizes vocal samples from historical speeches to convey their messages, including Lorraine Hansberry and Fred Hampton. In addition to the vocal samples, the EP features live singing for the first time, with the band enlisting several guests vocalists, including Daisy Martey of Noonday Underground (and formerly Morcheeba), on title-track ‘Written In the Sky’. Ahead of the EPs release, the title-track offers a glimpse of what to expect, and it’s ever so good. Fast-paced drums, bass, keyboards and brass create a powerful, rich and intricate backdrop for the many voices to resonate in unison, both vocal and instrumental; a key recurring theme for both musical and symbolic purposes. Urgent, smooth and determined, Fold means business, as always.

Stream it below and pre-order Written In The Sky on their bandcamp.

Introducing: KLANGPLANET

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KLANGPLANET is the moniker of German producer Frieder Mollat.

While Mollat’s work extends back to the mid ’90s, 2017 and KLANGPLANET marks a personal milestone embarking on his solo adventure with he first steps of which, being his aptly titled debut EP, Electronic Journey. KLANGPLANET’s preference is for the chilled, downtempo and meticulously crafted electronic flavours, which are merged with field-recordings from different surroundings to produce an alluring sound collage and musical journey. His latest single ‘Island’ is a prime example with its ambient beats, deep house grooves and relaxing sound of seagulls and lapping waves; delivered with an unwavering precision it is transfixing and tranquil in equal measure. With its lush approach, ‘Downtown’ is so laid-back and chill it is almost a lullaby (even the sound of distance emergency sirens can’t break its spell). Add to that some some lapping waves and pattering beats, you may quickly find yourself destined for the land of nod. This is vivid, cinematic and immersive; music to get lost in, escapism at its very finest.

Stop what you are doing and tune into KLANGPLANET’s EP Electronic Journey, it’s available here right now.

NAH. – ‘Take Me Home’

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NAH. are a five-piece based out of Washington DC, who blend lo-fi indie vibes with a touch of psychedelia.

Together, this five-piece create an expansive sound that is captivating and deeply emotive; and one that is hard not to fall under its spellbinding powers. Capturing this aesthetic is their newest release ‘Take Me Home’, taken from their latest EP Social Meteor. Opening with a hazy and atmospheric sound, ‘Take Me Home’ slowly reveals itself drawing the listener deeper and deeper under its captivating spell. It all builds toward a stunning climax enveloped in guitars, synths, pulsing drum beat and frazzled psych-tones. Matching the stirring and affecting mood of ‘Take Me Home’ is the powerful yet fragile, moving vocals from Emma Bleker. Nothing short of brilliant!

You can listen to ‘Take Me Home’ below & the EP, here.

Penguin – ‘Fiction’

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Penguin are protopunk-influenced alt-rock newcomers from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, who made their musical introduction with debit single ‘Not A Problem’ back in May.

On that occasion the Geordie outfit delivered a cut of anthemic, indie-rock brilliance; and they are at it again with latest single. ‘Fiction’ is an irresistible three-minutes of relentless, fast-paced alt-pop fizzing with a lively electricity. Propelled onward by clattering percussion, driven guitars, meaty riffs and playful rhythms, ‘Fiction’ is as infectiously sing-a-long as Futureheads at their very best. And if that comparision where not enough, the wonderfully exuberant breakdown finale brings to mind the late, great Beta Band. An utterly marvellous fun and riff-filled adventure to a place of sheer joy! If this doesn’t warm your heart and plaster a delirious grin across your face, nothing will.

‘Fiction’ is out now, listen to it below.

Introducing: The Psychic Alliance

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The Psychic Alliance are a Canadian band, based out of Vancouver, who excite and enthral with their fuzzy west coast psych.

The Vancouver outfit recently released their third LP, Evil Against Evil – blending psych with stomping sixties garage, b-movie horror tones and touches of The Stooges, MC5, Black Sabbath, Ray Davies & Bowie. Offering a favour of their heady brew is ‘No Fixed Address’; a blistering ’60s garage stormer filled with swinging guitars, scintillating riffs, frenetic organ and percussion; and all delivered with a ‘we-mean-business’ attitude. ‘Yesteryear’ is also full of psychedelic endeavour but offers a more melodic take on their West Coast psych. The organ work is still the driving force, and joined by jazzy drums, spooky feedback and guitar licks a plenty. ‘Yesteryear’ like ‘No Fixed Address’ – something of a feature on their new LP – is prone to full-on psych freak-out at any moment, with a healthy dose of the macabre but with an underlying playfulness or wry humour.

To get a flavour of what The Psychic Alliance are all about, you can listen to ‘Yesteryear’ & ‘No Fixed Address’ below.

Their new record Evil Against Evil is available here.

Wall of Ears – ‘We Go Outside’

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Seattle-based outfit Wall of Ears – comprised of Chris Lott, Tony Pettigrew, Bryant Hammonds, Derrick Wright & Jon Ruseski – introduced us to their sublime and subtly seductive brand of psychedelic pop with single ‘Floating of the Line’, back in May.

Following on from those wonderfully lush undulations, Wall of Ears have returned with another premier piece of West Coast psych-pop pleasure in the shape of ‘We Go Outside’. The new single postures itself in a similar space as early Franz Ferdinand but donned with a psych-tinged shroud. Staccato guitars join disco rhythms, stuttering drum, splashings synth and cymbals to allow the rich, warm, honeyed croon resonate completely. Having released their latest album Hello Beautiful Nothing back in April, ‘We Go Outside’ provides a tidy reminder of what’s in store on that record.

Listen to ‘We Go Outside’ below. Tune into the album here.

Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist #19

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A new regular feature to blog, a relatively short weekly Spotify playlist featuring some of the finest new music to prick my ears over the course of past seven days.

Clocking in at just over an hour, it’s an easily digestible slice of new music, just in time for the weekend. There’s a nice mix of genres and styles too, allowing me to share even more crackin’ tunes. Well, without further ado, here’s #19 – Something for the Weekend: New Music Playlist. Enjoy the tunes & enjoy the weekend!

You can follow me on Spotify here.