Midweek Muse: Hana Oceans - Hollow Everdaze - Ministry - Samson's Delilah

Hana Oceans - Invincible Borders.

Background - Hana Oceans has released her first, highly acclaimed single 'Invincible Borders'​ from her forthcoming EP. Hana from Gothenburg, Sweden, started making music after gaining inspiration whilst travelling the world at a young age. Hana is fiercely passionate about art, and committed to inspiring people through her music, Hana began studying at Berklee College of Music in Boston prior to releasing her critically acclaimed debut EP “Dust” in 2015. Hana's incredible voice coupled with her ability to write powerful and melodic songs led to Spotify announcing her as one of their featured artists within their 'Spotlight 2016' campaign. Hana now has a growing international fan base which has contributed to over 2 million digital streams on Spotify ​alone.

Up until the day that Hana started making music she had felt lost at sea with all of her ideas, emotions and creativity. On finding her calling Hana has developed a strong commitment to raising awareness of environmental and social issues through her music. Hana takes in inspiration from pop, cinematic music and electro with influence from ranging from artists Ane Brun, Highasakite and Florence and The Machine.
 
‘Invincible Borders’​ showcases Hana​'s enchanting vocals as she turns the attention of her lyrics in a more sinister direction than on the critically acclaimed 'Dust EP'. 'Invincible Borders' ​tackles the Immigration crisis that Europe is still struggling to come to terms with. 

Hana says: “I can't be happy in a world where people have to risk dying at sea for the hope of a better life, only to be blocked by borders if they are lucky enough to reach dry land. It upsets me that over 60 million citizens of the earth are fleeing from conflicts. Nobody should have to live in fear and the more that people start to organise the more chance we have of affecting the politics that have led to so many people facing uncertainty every day. However, I want people to know 'Invincible Borders' is not about all of the negativity surrounding this political crisis. This song is a reminder that there is hope in the world, and that hope is represented by unity only.” Facebook here.

I think the expression atmospheric pretty well summarises the opening part of 'Invincible Borders'. A song with a message, the video brings this further to life, and Hana Ocean's vocals are so well suited for the piece. A juxtaposition between negativity and hope it may well be, sometimes music is a good place to challenge our thinking, whatever the issue, and a song as good as this really helps engage the heart and the brain...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hollow Everdaze - Still Ticking.

Background - Australian band Hollow Everdaze have shared their new video for "Still Ticking". The band explains that the song has "themes of brutal honesty, romance and patience." It's off their upcoming debut album 'Cartoons', out early next year.

Drenched in reverbed lushness, Hollow Everdaze have been reimagining psychedelic pop since they began in 2007 by lead vocalist, Dan Baulch and bassist, Jackson Kay in their small town hometown of Bacchus Marsh in Western Victoria.

Having spent the last year working on the release of their debut full-length album, recorded by rising Melbourne producer, John Lee (known for his work with Beaches, Lost Animal, The Ocean Party), mastered by David Walker (NUN, Beaches, GOAT, Jen Cloher) at Stepford Audio, and with video and art collaborations from James Thomson, Niv Bavarsky and Micheal Olivo, the band are set to unveil their newest work to the world.

Debut single and title-track, "Still Ticking" is soaked in woozy twang and Myles Anderson’s signature swooning violin. It perfectly captures the Australian indie rock ensemble’s delicate melodic layering, while it reintroduces frontman Daniel Baulch’s raspy romanticism and Sixties-style craftsmanship.

Hollow Everdaze capture the urgency of a band who –after settling into their current five-piece line-up – have traced their own weird, divergent path through the haunted backwoods of song-writing. It shows through in their stunning debut EP, released in 2013 which received rave reviews from Australia’s most highly respected journalists and earned them support spots for international artists including The War On Drugs (US), Unknown Mortal Orchestra (NZ) and Wavves (US), plus saw them join American Football (US) on their East Coast tour of Australia in 2015. Facebook here.

With a light and refreshing acoustic start the song 'Still Ticking' soon develops into a very fine track, where vocals and violin dance around each other and the psychedelic vibes are never far off.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ministry - I See Red.

Background - Cleopatra Records will be releasing the long-awaited 'Trax! Rarities' double album by industrial-alternative rock legends Ministry, led by the outspoken super talented Al Jourgensen. This is a special limited edition double LP collection of early rare tracks and versions from Wax Trax!-era Ministry, as well as several previously unreleased gems from Al Jourgensen-related side projects - namely Revolting Cocks, PTP, Pailhead and 1000 Homo DJs. 

Scheduled for release on December 9th, this new Ministry collection will be pressed on clear vinyl with a printed inner sleeve.  Super fans will also be pleased to learn that this double LP includes the very rare Revolting Cocks track 'Drums Along The Carbide!' For over 30 years, Al Jourgensen has proven himself to be the undisputed king of industrial music, godfathering a genre that millions have grown to love. He is the only original member of Ministry remaining since the band’s formation in 1981.

Originally a new wave synthpop band with melodic and stylized output compared to to the more aggressive music for which they would eventually become known, as embodied in such tracks as ‘The Game Is Over’, ‘Let’s Be Happy’ and ‘Same Old Madness’. Ministry ultimately changed their style, resulting in them becoming an industrial metal pioneer in the mid-1980s. This 'Trax! Rarities' release celebrates hidden gem from their early days.

Ministry inspired numerous groups, including Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson and KMFDM. Jourgensen continues to influence and morph, both in his style and music. While the latter is deeply rooted in Industrial, he is still creating new forms as most recently can be heard in his latest project SMM (Surgical Meth Machine). A multi Gold and Platinum selling artist, his drive to entertain has seen him play the part of producer, musician, author and composer. Website here, Facebook here.

'I See Red' is but a toe in the water, regarding the 'Trax! Rarities' collection, now being released as a limited edition vinyl double LP. Still it's a massive excuse to share a song, on this occasion that's enough!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Samson's Delilah - Mr. Gorey.

Background - There is a fierceness, an intensity here woven through the soundscape that is Samson's Delilah, that pulls you in to the depths of your soul and that resonates long after the last note has been delivered. Utterly captivating, Samson’s Delilah is heavily influenced by Latin guitar, reggae, rock opera and other world music and driven with thought provoking songwriting. The thread of the "guroove" runs deep, and you will not be disappointed by the fusion and spell that they weave.

Seth Macdonald and Shara Gustafson, are well known on the Northern Alberta and B.C. festival scene having made their mark in the funk/rock/reggae/world groove high energy dance band "Mamaguroove”.   With Samson’s Delilah, Seth & Shara have ventured into new musical territory.

The dream team band behind and beside them is Dan Barton (every single band in Red Deer, Alberta) on drums, Tim Bennett of Adelaide, Australia ( Aurora Jane &  Formidable Vegetable Sound System, Digging Roots) on bass and third part harmony vocals as well as sought after "beast of the fiddle" from Calgary, Scott Duncan on violin.

They have opened for Alex Cuba, Matt Andersen, Sultans of String and Oscar Lopez. They have shared the stage and performed with Rachelle Van Zanten, Linda McRae, Digging Roots, Jack Garton, Pharis Romero, Don Alder, Delhi To Dublin, Adrian Glynn, Maria in the Shower, Lester Quitzau and more.

In their "spare" time, they are the organizers of the annual Robson Valley Music Festival. Shara and Seth are actors & musicians in the Robson Valley Theatre Collective & Wishbone Theatre productions that produces a show every Fall.  They are also bio diesel producers and forestry contractors, music makers, and gardeners living in the rural hamlet of Dunster B.C. The band's full length album. "Unfinished Humans" was released in June 2016. They will be performing at the Cold Snap and Tongue On The Post Winter Music Festivals this coming January ’17 and February ’17 as well as a few smatterings of shows in Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan.

'Mr Gorey' is the eleventh and final track on the album 'Unfinished Humans' an album that somehow passed us by in the summer. Still better late than never, I would suggest that liking the featured song, equals check out the whole album.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------