DATE ARCHIVES : April 2018

New Half Man Half Biscuit LP Due In May; Share ‘Alehouse Futsal’

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As reported elsewhere, Half Man Half Biscuit will be releasing their difficult fourteenth album in May.

Rather snappily titled No-one Cares About Your Creative Hub So Get Your Fuckin’ Hedge Cut, the album contains 13 tracks (lucky for us) and is previewed by taster ‘Alehouse Futsal’. A storming sub-two-minute album opener, ‘Alehouse Futsal’ does the job of assuring all and sundry who have been waiting close to four years for a new album that HMHB remain brilliant, unique and essential. Musically, it’s pretty familiar, like pulling on your favourite, most comfortable shoes but it’s clear that the Wirral’s most famous sons are losing none of their allure with age; their sound is as sharp and spiky as ever and if anything, they sound more irked and snarky than usual – which is saying something. Like any HMHB fan, news of a new record is a time of celebration, so needless to say its May 18 release date can’t come quick enough.

Listen to ‘Alehouse Futsal’ below now. No-one Cares About Your Creative Hub So Get Your Fuckin’ Hedge Cut is out via Probe Records on May 18.

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Been Stellar – ‘Everyone Smokes in the City’

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Been Stellar are New York-based, Michigan bred indie outfit revolving around the duo of Sam Slocum and Skyler Knapp.

Taking their inspiration from their new surroundings of NYC, their garagey indie vibes are heavily indebted to The Strokes and a plethora of slackerish garage-punk bands. Been Stellar’s latest single ‘Everyone Smokes in the City’ combines The Strokes-esque sounds with NYC as their muse, born as it was from an observation about the prevalence of smokers in New York compared to their previous locale. It is a hazy lo-fi blast of melodic fuzz as pressurised vocal harmonies fizz over hyperactive strumming and snappy percussion. With its high-energy, electrifying chorus and oodles of charm, it, much like tobacco, is rather difficult to resist the temptations of ‘Everyone Smokes in the City’.

Check out the mightily addictive ‘Everyone Smokes in the City’ below:

Drens – ‘No’

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Drens are a fuzz loving garage rock / surf punk foursome from Dortmund/Cologne, Germany.

Their debut ‘Wilhelm Be Gone’ was released in January of this year and has been quickly followed by the brand new single, ‘No’. A freewheeling frenzy of energetic surfy punk-tinged indie, ‘No’ packs a hell of punch. Unleashing itself with all the energy of a coiled-up spring, wave after wave of hi-octane racy riffs, spiky guitars, snappy drums and rumbling basslines coalesce with equally springy (Zebedee-esque) vocals for a whirlwind salvo of raucous vitality. A lively, infectious and fun tune, it is a bona fide two-and-a-half minutes of punky indie gold (and the video is pretty nifty too).

Listen to ‘No’ and its predecessor ‘Wilhelm Be Gone’ below:

Rally Club – ‘Space’

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Beginning life with a series bedroom recordings in 2015, San Diego foursome Rally Club specialise in a melodic brand of indie-pop that is both instantly likeable and likely to have your head bopping from the get-go.

Their latest single ‘Space’ is a perfect case in point. You’re immediately sucked in, powerless to resist the tantalising allure of jangly hooks, surf-pop riffs and garage rock reverb. This is easy on the ear, chorus-drenched melodic indie-pop that rides on the wave of something that is fantastically infectious. A light dusting of fuzz adds a sense of sun, sand and summer to a song that is all at once, rousing yet beautiful and somewhat mildly melancholic but oozing coolness. This is the kind of musical gem that should set all those who cross paths with it, tongues wagging in appreciation of its sheer marvellous.

Tune in to ‘Space’ below now:

Nicolas Kluzek – ’95to78′

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Nicolas Kluzek is a Parisian born, Dublin-based artist and producer who’s sounds will delight – although not exclusively – the children of the night.

Kluzek’s preference and/or penchant is for downtempo, nocturnal electronic delicacies – as evidenced by late night delight and new single, ’95to78′. It is a late night chill out tune with its peaceful chimes mingling with a mix of pristine, glistening and washed sounds. Beats are precise as the production is pristine, as it sparkles with an effervescence and positive vibe. ’95to78′ the soundtrack of late night contemplative walks in suburbia where street lamps reflect and twinkle in pools of standing water afternoon a cooling, spring shower. This is a majestic track, one that washes over you with ease but also one which will leave an indelible mark on your daily disposition; for the better.

Listen to ’95to78′ below and if that is to your liking, there are more of that ilk right here.

Superheart – ‘Satellite’

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UK-based musician and producer Luke Batt aka Superheart has already introduced his nouse for comforting and dreamy, electronic synthpop jams with singles ‘Count On Me’ & ‘After Midnight’.

Batt has returned with an equally sublime single ‘Satellite’. Opening with bubbling electronic synthesizers, it conjures up a warm and comforting vibe, instantly whisking one away to a place of peace and tranquility. An ever so pleasant, dreamy and silky synth-pop delight with an effervescent melody and mildly melancholic hushed, velvety tones atop, making for a perfect combination. ‘Satellite’ is the essence of spring, with the sun peaking through to afford some mild warmth amid a cool, crisp but refreshing breeze. And with it, this third and final installment brings to a close, his terrific ‘Flower’ trilogy.

Listen to ‘Satellite’ below now and if that is to your liking, why not try out the previous pair here?

Introducing: Clara Marie

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Originally from Fermanagh, Clara Marie’s fledgling musical steps began singing la chanson française during a seven year sojourn in gay Paree. Inspired by the timeless nature of Parisian culture, her music carries with it the surreal quality of her time spent there.

Having returned to Ireland and now residing in Dublin, Clara teamed up with musician and producer Kayak (Hugh Cresswell) to fuse electronic elements with her classical style and in doing so, managed to create something rather special.

The first fruits of their labour is Clara Marie’s debut single ‘Boat or Bike’. Conjured up on a bridge in Amsterdam, it is a whimsical daydream of a song, with more than a mild dose of avante garde surrealism. It gently bobs along a steady waltzing beat, joined by spooky, twanging guitar and dripping keys and compelling, somewhat haunting, fluttering vocals completing the edgy fairground surrealism. ‘Boat or Bike’ is beguilingly hypnotic, tiptoeing the listener delicately into a transfixing haze. A spellbinding introduction to the delectable talents of Clara Marie.

You can treat yourself to the wondrous ‘Boat or Bike’ below now. And for those of you in Ireland, you can catch Clara Marie at Body & Soul and Electric Picnic this summer.

Country Priest – ‘Compromised’

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Taking their name from the 1954 Robert Bresson film, Diary of a Country Priest, Chicago foursome Country Priest – P.D. Young, Kylene Young, Drew Flippin & Mike Middleton – have a way with crafting earworm cuts of indie-rock.

A case in point being new single ‘Compromised’, lifted from Chicago outfit’s forthcoming EP, Icarus. Urgent, frenetic and armed with a mightily melodic hook, ‘Compromised’ purrs as it goes through gears, as percussion and guitars cut through with a mild layer of fuzz – and vocals grow, swell to soar above melodic, ear-pleasing fuzz below. Indie-rock can be a much maligned term but when done well, as is the case here, it is as rewarding as any genre.

Tune into ‘Compromised’ below, it’ll have you foot tapping away in no time at all.

 

Dilemma Season – ‘Fault Lines’

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Dilemma Season is the musical alter ego of Vancouver, British Columbia-based artist and musician, Scott Hardy.

Through Dilemma Season, Hardy extricates an undeniable talent for evocative lyrics, the craft of songwriting and Americana-tinged alt-folk. ‘Fault Lines’ is an exemplary example of this as it rumbles, rolls and stomps its way into your heart. An irresistible track, Hardy’s distinctive vocals – sounding world-weary and wise – are first to suck you in, only to be joined by a gentle guitar which is intermittently cut with a stomping beat that eventually surges onward with an electrifying guitar and tidy riff work for an uptempo finish. A wonderful tune, with a hint of rawness yet beautifully crafted music. There’s a touch of Wilco, Bright Eyes/Conor Oberst to ‘Fault Lines’, an that is in no way a bad thing at all.

You can listen to ‘Fault Lines’ below. And if you like that, Dilemma Season’s latest record is available to digest here.

OMALOMA – ‘Bubblegum’

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Beginning with ‘Ha Ha Haf’ in 2016 and ‘Aros O Gwmpas’ and ‘Eniwe’ a year later, Omaloma have carved out special space on the musical landscape with a series of blissful, spacey psych-pop singles.

Omaloma aka Welsh artist George Amor – formerly of now defunct Welsh psyche supremos Sen Segur – has added ‘Bubblegum’ to this burgeoning list of stellar singles.

‘Bubblegum’ is Amor’s first on vinyl, released as a 7″ single and download, it is utterly divine and arguably marks the high point of the project thus far. Sung in English and Welsh, ‘Bubblegum’ is a four minute sojourn to a spellbinding interstellar paradise. It coolly swaggers as it moves on by, leaving us in a dream-like state, with an alluring blend of slinky, synth-pop with psych brush strokes, woozy synth lines and Amor’s soft, soothing bilingual vocals. Instantly lovable, it breezes gracefully by with a seductive soulful underbelly and charm to woo you, so powerful is this that it will have you headed straight for repeated listens.

Tune in to ‘Bubblegum’ below and the 7″ and download can be found here.