Midweek Muse: Linnea Olsson - Blueprint Blue - Tempesst - Astrid Gnosis - Emma Charleston
Linnea Olsson - Hall Of TragedyBackground - The fantasy pop cellist Linnea Olsson drops her new official video for 2nd EP single 'Hall Of Tragedy' Out Now. Having worked with the likes of Peter Gabriel, Sting, Ane Brun and Maia Hirasawa, Linnea leaves no doubt regarding the high level of her talent and musicianship.
Being supported by The New York Times as well as The 405, Linnea's sonic journey within the "cello driven fantasy pop" continues. "Hall Of Tragedy" is Linnea's second single, taken from her forth-coming EP called "For Show", and the official video is yet again another creative thing done by Linnea in its entirety. The EP will be coming out 24th February. Facebook here.
Combining Cello and keyboards the opening of 'Hall Of Tragedy' sets the scene for Linnea's distinct and creative vocals, using them to great effect on this atmospheric song.
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Blueprint Blue - You And Me.Background - Blueprint Blue discovered 'You and Me' and the incredible story behind the song, when Mairead Nash, manager of Florence and the Machine, asked the band to perform at her wedding.
Originally recorded in 1970 by long forgotten soul band Penny and Quarters, 'You and Me' came to prominence in 2010 after an unreleased demo of the song was used in the film 'Blue Valentine' at the request of its star Ryan Gosling. The track, which underpins Gosling's on screen relationship with Michelle Williams, had surfaced after a Chicago based reissue label had unearthed it on cassette at a yard sale.
Blueprint Blue are ex Scum members Huw Webb (bass) and and Melissa Rigby (drums) who are joined by Elliot Hayward on vocals and guitar. They formed in 2013, united by a love of The Grateful Dead, Neil Young, and Jackson Browne. Having already been championed by Tim Burgess of The Charlatans and James Hoare of Ultimate Painting, as well as receiving UK and international airplay and coverage, the band will be playing this year's SXSW music festival. A Pledge campaign to support their appearance at SXSW has reached 78% of its target. Support here.
The band play London's Lexington on March 9th with support from DJs Rhys Webb (The Horrors) and Bahamian Moor, where they'll be launching their EP 'Flying Machine'. Facebook here.
'You And Me' is a melodic indie pop track with a bright and catchy vibe running throughout, and with a chorus line that just adds so many more hooks.
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Tempesst - Sunflower Lady.Background - “Hey you, don’t you know who I am?” – it’s a brazen taunt that echoes the boyish fantasies of tempestuous Australian twins Toma and Andy Banjanin, and that of their new single 'Sunflower Lady'. Now based in London - the duo pull together influences from across the board on 'Sunflower Lady'; a kaleidoscopic daydream fusing the psych-rock tendencies of fellow countrymen Tame Impala or King Gizzard And The Lizard Wizard, with the wit and humour of folk troubadours like Father John Misty and Matthew E. White.
“Sunflower Lady is about being under the spell of a girl,” explains vocalist Toma Banjanin. “You'd do anything to have her - so I had to write a song about it.” Speaking a little more on the idea behind the video, Andy Banjamin said: "Originally the idea was to feature my cat Riley as the star of the video but he was very unhappy that I took him out of the house. So after hours of chasing him around the studio we ended up only getting one shot with him and then decided to take turns dancing in front of the camera. There you have it."
It’s been a big year for Tempesst – now joined by band of brothers Eric Weber (guitars), Jesse Hutchence (bass) and Kane Reynolds (keys) – including back-to-back showcases (The Great Escape, NME Awards, Live At Leeds), festivals (Bushstock, Southsea Fest, Hackney Wonderland) and live dates alongside Mystery Jets, The Veils, Albert Hammond Jr and GUM (Jay Watson, Tame Impala). Fresh from their biggest London headline to date at The Moth Club, Tempesst saw out 2016 with a sold out December UK Tour in support of The Temper Trap. Tempesst now head out on another UK tour of their own - see our tour page for details. Facebook here.
Last time we featured Tempesst the comment "a little bit of swaggering confidence" felt appropriate and with the music video for 'Sunflower Lady' I reckon it's worth repeating. The band create an expansive and timeless rock sound and a very good one at that.
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Background - Visual and sound artist Astrid Gnosis explores social and emotional collapse through her work — a heady mix of abstract textures, fractured beats, cinematic atmospherics, twisted melodies and off-the-wall vocals.
Now living and working in London, Astrid began writing music when she was just 13 years old. She's crafted sonic installations for exhibitions and art performances, alone and collaborating with other artists. She’s made the soundtracks and sound design for a number of short films, the most recent of which will be shown at the London Short Film Festival 2017.
“Music alone is a vessel, it diplomatically drives consciousness into reflection. Words seemed to limit this journey” she continues “but increasingly I felt the urge to narrow my language, and incorporate more violence into music”, she says, “because for me it is vital to speak of the anger and hopes of my generation, and it is now we’re most angry.”
‘Agnosis’, a conceptual six-track EP is about “tacit conflict and subsequent collapse”, painting a greying, dystopian picture of where our futures might be headed. “ Agnosis means ignorance in greek, this EP is the first part of a cognitive map of fear, strength, faith, fate, love and hate.” Astrid Gnosis ‘Agnosis’ (music/is/for/losers) Release Date: 24th February 2017. Bandcamp (pre-order) here.
If your looking for something a little different then 'Severe Delays' could well fit that category. Abstract it may well be, the track develops into a more cohesive piece and for me is another example of music and art combining without any pretentious nonsense. EP eagerly awaited!
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Emma Charleston - Falling.Background - At a time when seemingly everyone is releasing music online and aspiring to full-time careers in the music industry, even today’s most talented artists consider distinguishing themselves a daunting task. On her new single “Falling,”folk pop singer-songwriter Emma Charleston captures both the angst and the optimism of an extraordinarily gifted musician in an overly saturated market. Based at the prestigious and intensely competitive Berklee College of Music, the multi-instrumentalist Charleston delivers a dreamy ballad of a tune that touches on themes of self-doubt, determination, and individuality. “Falling” will be available digitally on February 17 via iTunes, Spotify and other online sites.
According to Charleston, “Falling” originated in the rough and tumble world of a challenging Berklee classroom: “I wrote this song after an exceptionally difficult day of classes. It was a day that pushed me as both an artist and a person. I went through the day feeling like I had to compare myself to other aspiring artists.” With feelings of self-doubt creeping in, Charleston allowed herself to express her feelings in a way that was both musically and emotionally healing.
However, as the songwriting process evolved, “Falling” turned into a hopeful ode to persistence and self-confidence: “In the end, “Falling” became a song about finding yourself in a world of people just like you. It’s an urgent reminder that you have to retain your individuality and find your own way.” Facebook here.
Emma Charleston has a vibrant and melodic voice that is just so suited to a song like 'Falling'. Folk pop with an acoustic soundtrack, it's Emma's vocals that drive the melody, this is a charming song.
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