POSTS TAGGED : Hippies vs Ghosts

Hippies Vs Ghosts – ‘No Left No Right’

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By now, regular patrons of the blog should be well aware of the esteem in which Hippies Vs Ghosts is kept around these parts.

Under the guise of Hippies Vs Ghosts, Owain Ginsberg, has routinely blown us away time after time with his kaleidoscopic, Morricone meets krautrock sound and latest single ‘No Left No Right’ is no different. Lifted from the stunning album of the same name, the new single is exhilarating, irresistible and manic.

It is a kaleidoscopic mix of feverish experimentation that blows everything else out of the water. The pace is unrelenting, frantically clamouring to one frenetic crescendo after another before momentarily offering a brief breathe with the relative calmness through some rolling drums and undulating waltz of western tones before exploding toward a frenzied finish. This is a ferocious three-and-a-half minutes of breakneck beats, scintillating riffs, off-kilter rhythms and forged together and delivered with a burning intensity – in all seriousness there is nothing quite like Hippies Vs Ghosts, and the project shows no signs of slowing under the careful stewardship of Ginsberg. Hippies Vs Ghosts continues to develop, grow and deliver outrageously good tunes.

Check out ‘No Left No Right’ below and make sure to get on the new album, here.

Fauna Twin – ‘Edge Of The Coin’

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Claire Jacquemard and Wales’ Owain Ginsberg (Hippies Vs Ghosts / We Are Animal) are Fauna Twin, and the pair will release their debut EP next month.

Inventive, gently psychedelic and embracing a flair for the epic and dramatic, it is keeping with the duo’s excellent work to date. Building from a dramatic, chilling opening, ‘Edge Of The Coin’ thaws gradually to reveal a playfully energised blitz of beats, synth and percussion, cut through the atmospheric textures with an uncontrollable sonic groove. With Jacquemard’s crisp vocals soaring high above, it all builds and bubbles toward a rousing climax bristling with vitality, and one that’ll have you reaching straight for the repeat button. A sublime single; lot’s to look forward to from this talented duo.

The Hydra EP is released on 17 November via Crammed Discs. For now, sit back and enjoy all that Fauna Twin and ‘Edge Of The Coin’ have to offer.

Hippies Vs Ghosts Returns With Scintillating New Single, ‘II’

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Time after time, Hippies Vs Ghosts (aka Owain Ginsberg), has monumentally blown us away with his explosive and experimental union of kaleidoscopic, krautrock sounds. Needless to say, any signs of new material is cause for great excitement!

With that in mind, Hippies Vs Ghosts have returned with a brand new scintillating single, ‘II’, and it is SUBLIME! Possessing all the typical Hippies Vs Ghosts’ brilliance – part psychedelic, part krautrock – ‘II’ is thrust forward through a freewheeling and colourful kaleidoscopic world, with an irresistible groove, blistering instrumentals and scintillating guitars. A ferocious, exhilarating and imaginative four-and-a-half-minute trip; and yet another outrageously awesome tune. Such a unique and vital talent, under the careful stewardship of Ginsberg, this is something we’ve become accustomed to when it comes to Hippies Vs Ghosts – and long may it continue.

You can check out ‘II’ below and if you’re looking for more, why not pop over here and check out Hippies Vs Ghosts’ most excellent back-catalogue?

 

Watch Fauna Twin’s Video for Sublime New Single ‘Water on Mars’

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Having recently re-branded from Pankhabilli to Fauna Twin, the duo of Parisian singer-songwriter Claire Jacquemard & Hippies vs Ghosts‘ Owain Ginsberg introduced their new moniker with a sublime single, ‘Water on Mars’.

As with their previous output, their latest musical endeavour is deserving of great praise. A dark pulsating synth alt-pop track that unfolds with a brooding atmosphere and eerie sense of forbidding. Growing at pace, on the back intoxicating rhythm and some darker tribal beats, which conspire with Jacquemard’s gripping vocals, to leave a truly indelible mark. Accompanying the single is their first and excellently shot and crafted video, which only accentuates the vibe of track. A superb debut single, with an excellent first video to boot. Lot’s to look forward to from this talented duo.

‘Water on Mars’ is released on May 6th through Crammed Discs, with an EP to follow this autumn. For now? Check out ‘Water on Mars’ below:

Pankhabilli Become Fauna Twin & Release new Single ‘Water on Mars’

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Fauna Twin is the new name for Wales based duo – Parisian singer-songwriter Claire Jacquemard & Hippies vs Ghosts‘ Owain Ginsberg – formerly known as Pankhabilli.

Under their previous moniker, the pair elicited much adulation and praise for their musical endeavors, and so far, all that has changed is the name. Recently signed to Crammed Discs Records, the freshly re-branded duo have released a new single, ‘Water on Mars’.It’s a dark pulsating synth alt-pop track. Unfolding with a brooding atmosphere and eerie sense of forbidding, growing at pace on the back intoxicating rhythm and some darker tribal beats, which conspire with Jacquemard’s gripping vocals to leave an indelible mark. What’s in a name huh? lot’s to look forward to from this talented duo.

‘Water on Mars’ is released on May 6th through Crammed Discs, with an EP to follow this autumn. For now? Check out ‘Water on Mars’ below:

 

BarryGruff Albums of the Year (2015)

BGs Albums of the year 2015So it is that time of year again, lists, lists and more lists. Well, not be out done, here are my 41 (yes 41, and yes it’s a weird number) albums of 2015.

It has been such a good year for new albums, probably the best since I started the blog back in 2010. So much so that there is very little difference between the top 5, top 10, top 15 and so on. So without further ado, here are my favourite records from 2015:

There is also a Spotify playlist of the Top 20 albums, to save you time and hassle (it’s here).

41. Only Real – Jerk At The End of the Line’

40. Rozi Plain – ‘Friend’

39. Wildling – ‘Molecules To Moon’

38. The School – ‘Wasting Away And Wondering’

37. Sweet Baboo – ‘Boombox Ballads’

36. The Stammer – ‘Days In Between’

35. SexWitch – Sex Witch’

34. Faith Healer – ‘Cosmic Troubles’

33. Girl Band – ‘Holding Hands With Jamie’

32. Joanna Gruesome – ‘Peanut Butter’

31. Fort Romeau – ‘Insides

30. Soft Serve – ‘S/t’

29. Applescal – ‘For’

28. Zefur Wolves – ‘Zefur Wolves’

27. Hot Chip – ‘Why Make Sense?’

26. Drenge – ‘Undertow’

25. The Charlatans – ‘Modern Nature’

24. Gaz Coombes – ‘Matador’

23. Bill Ryder-Jones – ‘West Kirby County Primary’

22. Drinks – ‘Hermits on Holiday’

21. The Expert – Dynamic Drift

20. Boxed In – ‘Boxed In’

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PANKHABILLI – ‘Edge Of The Coin’

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Very fine news greets us today, Wales based duo PANKHABILLI – Parisian singer-songwriter Claire Jacquemard & Hippies vs Ghosts‘ Owain Ginsberg – have put the finishing touches to a debut EP.

The pair have already endeared themselves with a series of sublime singles, a la ‘Come Around’, ‘Water on Mars’ and ‘The Ladder’, and PANKHABILLI have marked this auspicious occasion in the best way possible, sharing new single ‘Edge of The Coin’. It retains a flair for the epic and dramatic, as has been the case with Jacquemard’s efforts thus far. The dramatic, chilling opening thaws gradually to reveal a playfully energised blitz of beats, synth and percussion, cut through the atmospheric textures with an uncontrollable sonic groove. With Jacquemard’s crisp vocals soaring high above, it all builds and bubbles toward a rousing climax bristling with vitality, and one that’ll have you reaching straight for the repeat button. PANKHABILLI has been one of the most interesting new talents to pass the metaphorical BarryGruff desk, and it’s a fine way to sign off on an excellent year.

No word on when we can expect the release of the EP but for now you can check out ‘Edge of The Coin’ below, along with the previous tracks here.

 

Millions Like Us Podcast – Episode #5

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Delighted to once again to share a brand new episode of ‘Millions Like Us’, a music podcast with myself & Justin Beats, in conjunction with Vancouver news & culture site 604now.

A bi-weekly digest of music from metro Vancouver and beyond, the fifth installment has the usual chatter and top tunes, comprised from an eclectic mix of styles and genres. There’s also a chance of winning tickets to see the excellent Joanna Gruesome, in The Cobalt, Vancouver on November 15th – tune into the show and then email your name to millionslikeuspodcast[at]gmail[dot]com – winners be notified before 5pm, Friday, November 13th.

That’s about that then, we hope you enjoy episode #5. You can read more on it here and listen to episode #5 below, and the tracklist (with links) is after the jump. You can subscribe to ‘Millions Like Us’ on iTunes & Podcast Republic or find them on Facebook & Twitter.

Hopefully you enjoy our curated pickings, here’s to good listening.

Episode #5:
Unalaska – ‘Air Transylvania’
Kyross – ‘Fragments’
Queen of Jeans – ‘Dance (Get Off Your Ass)’
Big Harp – ‘Diev’
The Statics – ‘Fake Sorrow’
Soft Serve – ‘Better Off When You’re Gone’
Hippies Vs Ghosts – ‘Three Shadows’
Joanna Gruesome – ‘Psykick Espionage’
White Poppy – ‘Sublimity Form Natural Phenomena’
Avid Walker – ‘Who’s Your Lover’
Soft Haze – ‘Love Song’
Super Furry Animals – ‘Slow Life

 

 

BarryGruff’s April 2015 Playlist

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A regular monthly feature to the blog; a nice, neat and handy playlist of tracks featured during the month.

It was another excellent month for new music, one which saw the return of CZARFACE, Miaoux Miaoux, Girlpool and Jinx Lennon, with new tracks from their respective forthcoming albums. There were new singles from The Urges, Wilding, Fold, Tuff Love, Hippies Vs Ghosts, Lazy Day, Freedom Fry & Imploded View, and tracks from forthcoming EPs from Tomorrows, Graham Cooney & JUNK.

Also featuring on the playlist are: The School, Fueds, Mowbird & Cotton Wolf. Yeah, so, April was pretty damn good.

Listen to BarryGruff’s April 2015 playlist below.

Hippies Vs Ghosts – ‘Droogs’

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Since exploding into our lives close to two years ago, Hippies Vs Ghosts, the side project from We Are Animal guitarist & vocalist, Owain Ginsberg, has monumentally blown us away time after time, with his kaleidoscopic, instrumental Morricone meets krautrock sound.

Keeping tabs on Hippies Vs Ghosts has been both fascinating and exiting, and we’re never left waiting too long for another instalment. With that in mind, Hippies Vs Ghosts have returned with a brand new single, ‘Droogs’. It’s got that typical Hippies Vs Ghosts’ sound; kaleidoscopic mix of Morricone meets krautrock, that feels organic, exhilarating and entirely unusual, in the best way possible. It’s got an irresistible groove that’s interspersed with some of the brightest shades yet and carved up with some ferocious saw-tooth guitar moments. The project shows no signs of slowing as Hippies Vs Ghosts, under the careful stewardship of Ginsberg, continues to develop, grow and deliver outrageously good tunes.

You can check out ‘Droogs’ below, ahead of its release on April 20th – pre-order here. You can also check out Hippies Vs Ghosts’ GruffWuff inclusion, ‘Three Shadows’ – of which you can download here for FREE.