The Human Circuit - Wendy Bevan - Trevor Sensor - Jordan Mackampa

The Human Circuit - Greeves.

Background - “Greeves”, the first single from The Human Circuit’s upcoming album, ‘Electric City’, is the perfect introduction to the band. Combining classic Indie Rock elements like male / female unison vocals and a driving beat with the more eclectic instrumentation of Jazz. “Greeves” touches on Arcade Fire, `a poppier take on Talking Heads and piano rock for something truly unique.

Mat, The Human Circuit, on “Greeves”: “We too often look at love as a singularly defined “thing”. By desiring love, we immediately crave the array of expectations composing our concept of it. How much more at peace would we be if we could narrow our focus to the meanings we use to define love, rather than “love”, in and of itself?”

The Human Circuit is a touring Alternative Indie-Rock band from Austin Texas. Their catchy psychedelic grooves range from the mystic vibes of David Bowie to the intricate arrangements of Arcade Fire. Their most recent album, Frequent Seas (2015) independently charted top ten on public and college radio stations nationwide. 

The Human Circuit has performed with bands such as The Zombies, The Octopus Project, Boogarins, The Peach Kings, Smoke Season, Calliope Musicals, Ringo Deathstarr, and has been booked by Transmission Events, C3 Presents, among others. The Human Circuit has performed events and festivals including SXSW, 35 Denton, Pecan Street Festival, and more. Website here, Facebook here.

There is an upbeat feel to 'Greeves' right from the opening notes. Vocals are lustrous and lively whilst the musical arrangement shows off the quality and capability of the band. As a taste for the new album, then the band clearly are capable of some extremely good music, definitely on my must hear list.

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Wendy Bevan - Love From The Moon.

Background - British cold wave artist Wendy Bevan has shared new track "Love From The Moon". t's the title track from her forthcoming new EP, out May 12th on Kwaidan / !K7 Records.

Wendy Bevan’s own take on cold wave inspired electronica has seen her compared to the likes of Depeche Mode, The Knife and Siouxsie Sioux. Her debut album ‘Rose and Thorn’ produced by Marc Collin (Nouvelle Vague) was released on Kwaidan Records & !K7 in September 2016. Wendy’s vocals accompanied by glimmers of dark, pulsing electronic synths, minimalist post punk basslines and featuring live strings from the Balanescu Quartet. Her vivid, often surreal theatrical storytelling to creates something thrilling unique in her vocal delivery, both in performance and on the album. The new 4 track EP, ‘Love From the Moon' is out May 12th. It features a remix by Bruno Coviello (Light Asylum/ Bliscord) and a remix of her song Lover by D-Code & Psylence. In addition there is a new bonus track; ‘Running From Waking’ produced by Robert Harder (Nenah Cherry and the Thing, Brian Eno).

Wendy Bevan is a British Musician and Multimedia Artist who combines a surreal and theatrical approach to her work across genres in performance, photography, live visuals and experimental art-works, on stage, musical performance, galleries and photographic imagery. She has developed a unique cinematic world and style of her own making. Wendy’s free spirit and personality as an artist in the most authentic sense enables her to freewheel between genres making panoptic, multifaceted art works. She believes in creating a universal language and balance in the crossover of disciplines. Her vivid and dramatic imagination reveals her immense creative, surreal energy as a story teller, conjuring an alternative, ethereal universe.

The various roles Wendy has cast herself over the last decade, be it as vocalist, visual artist, lyricist, photographer, filmmaker, and performer she melts and morphs wherever a concept leads her, conceiving and manipulating her work as a means of creating a character, enabling her to deliver immersive experiences to her audiences. Wendy is a visionary and her love of theatricality is ever present in whatever she pursues. The world she creates as an artist will continue to mesmerise, inspire and bewilder audiences. Website here, Facebook here.

'Love From The Moon' is a smooth and clean cold wave piece, where Wendy Bevan's vocals melodically surf above the flowing deep and rich synthy sounds.

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Trevor Sensor - High Beams.

Background - On June 16, Trevor Sensor will release his debut album Andy Warhol's Dream via Jagjaguwar. The album was recorded at Steve Albini's Electrical Audio studio in Chicago, IL and was produced by Richard Swift (The Shins, Damien Jurado), Foxygen's Jonathan Rado and Brandon Darner (Imagine Dragons, The Envy Corps). Backing Sensor up is a rhythm section of Julien Ehrlich (drums) and Max Kakacek (bass) of Whitney. Today, Sensor shared "High Beams," the first single from the forthcoming album. 

"The song derives from the desire to be one of those people on the television - a desire instilled in us since childhood in America and the western world at large. A desire that consumes us, especially those few born in middle America who look for supposedly greater things beyond the horizon of cornfields and prairies, or the northern factory towns of England - those places where nobody of any pop cultural significance is suppose to come from - for there is only so much room in the camera lens, the television screen, and we must save it for the pretty, plastic people," 

Sensor explains. "It revolves around things lost, things hoped for and the dreams we tell ourselves to keep us from the possibly horrifying conclusions that forever creep up on us in the back of our minds. To these conclusions and this desire, I curl back my feelers and hiss - for I am twenty-three and tired."

Trevor Sensor has just announced a spring and summer tour with The Family Crest and Mt. Joy, respectively. Find a full list of tour dates below, with additional dates to be announced in the coming months. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour news page.

There is something beautifully bizarre about the video for 'High Beams' which struck a chord with me, before I fully appreciated the actual song. The vocals are arguably quite unique, and once the music and chorus hooks dug in, the track really did resonate with me. An ingenious song, can't wait to hear more.


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Jordan Mackampa - Battlecry.

Background - Coventry-based singer Jordan Mackampa is sharing 'Battlecry' - the second single from his new EP ‘Tales From The Broken’, set for self-release on 15th May. A track about refusing to be silenced - and standing up for what you believe in, it's a sumptuous, passionate return.

New single ‘Battlecry’ showcases his unique gospel-tinged vocal, paired with irresistible folk-pop instrumentation - delivering a track as delicate as it is powerful and inspiring.

Speaking on the release of the new single, Jordan explained: “Battlecry is a reflection of the times, it’s about standing up for what you believe in, refusing to be silenced and coming together. It was written to make people feel powerful in the face of adversity, comforted in times of isolation and brave in the face of change.”

Often described as a troubadour, Jordan Mackampa is an artist with timeless soul, and lyrics drenched in heart-felt empathy. As a man who was born in Kinshasa, grew up in London and became an artist in Coventry, Jordan’s music is swimming in the sounds and stories of the cities he’s inhabited over the years. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour news page.

Our second feature for Jordan Mackampa this time with 'Battlecry'. I think it reasonable to say that this individual has a certain WOW factor. Musically the piece has a rhythmic background that allows the vocals and harmonies to carry both the melody and the heart of this beautiful song.

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Chloe Foy - The Howlin' Souls - The Vex - Quiet

Chloe Foy - Are We There Yet.

Background - Following live dates this month in support of Jesca Hoop, Chloe Foy returns with "Are We There Yet", the second track to be taken from her forthcoming synonymous EP which will be released on Friday 12th May. Showcasing her talent for skewed, ambitious folk songwriting, The Line Of Best Fit described her first single 'Flaws' as "stunning" in their premiere last week. Folk Radio UK said in their premiere of 'Are We There Yet' that "she has a unique quality, one that can be heard in her vocal delivery and which is heightened by delicate musical arrangements."

Chloe Foy has previously been likened to such artists as Laura Marling and Sharon Van Etten. Her songs are imbued with lyrical and textural inflections evocative of much of the music she loves - taking inspiration as much from neo-classical music as much as wider trends within indie-rock, Chloe’s new EP comprises carefully constructed arrangements that delicately compliment her cryptic lyrics.

Chloe’s last single, ‘In The Middle Of The Night’, received generous support from Steve Lamacq on both his Radio 6 & 2 shows. The single has generated over one million plays on Spotify, being featured on two popular playlists ‘Stress Buster’ and ‘The Most Beautiful Songs in the World’. Facebook here.

Our second feature for Chloe Foy and once again we have a fabulous song. 'Are We There Yet' demonstrates her artistry and finesse, melodic and captivating vocals and a beautifully produced musical arrangement, makes the forthcoming EP something to be excited about.


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The Howlin' Souls - Free And Young.

Background - Formed in Downtown Manhattan in 2012, The Howlin' Souls have emerged onto the music scene with a fresh yet classic sound that has been welcomed by critics & fans alike.

Singer-songwriter, Pete Smith has infused his Indiana roots into his songs with raspy and honest vocals and lyrics reminiscent of Petty and Dylan. Pete’s guitar playing is supported by lead guitarist and New York native, Scott Sepe, who lends his nostalgic riffs to the Souls’ sound, pulling from the blues and modern rock standards he mastered as a teenager. The rhythm section is comprised of New England natives, Nate Lang (drums) and Robbie Sokolowsky (bass). Their shared love of classic blues, Motown and R&B offer a humble yet infectious backbeat groove.

The Howlin’ Souls’ collective influence includes British rock greats The Rolling Stones, as well as the blues legends that inspired them - Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed and the iconic Howlin’ Wolf (whom they honor in their name). Fritz Lang, long time engineer with time at CBGBs, Record Plant NYC, Sigma NYC and others as well as touring with Miles Davis, the Stones, Prince and other icons of music, co-produced the record with songwriter, Pete Smith.

Smith and Sokolowsky self-produce the band’s music videos while Lang has been taking roles in front of the camera, most recently as drummer Carl Tanner in the Oscar nominated film Whiplash. In the Fall of 2016, the band released their first single, “Anyway You Take It.” Their debut self titled EP, The Howlin’ Souls has just been released. Website here, Facebook here.

The bands self titled EP comprises of four songs and 'Free And Young' is a fine bluesy rocker that gives the listener an idea of the calibre and talent of the band. They can and do mix there rock'n'roll styles, adding variety to a passionate and potent collection of music.

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The Vex - EP.

Background - Though hailing from London’s outer fringes, where the capital unceremoniously bleeds into Kent, The Vex actually came into being some 1,500 miles away, with an Eighties pop superstar playing his part. While on tour in Moscow with a previous band, the schisms in the group were made apparent by an offer of management from one Adam Ant. The faction that opposed the deal broke away to form The Vex, playing their debut gig at Moscow’s BlastFest, where the only thing that wasn’t ice-cold was, typically, the band’s beer rider. 

Back in the UK, Josh (guitar/vox), Jacko (guitar/vox), Andrew (bass) and Joshua (drums) soon honed a sound inspired by the classic roots and rock of both Kingston, Jamaica, and London, England. Dealing in dirty guitars and big beats, played with passion and precision, the quartet’s heavy rocksteady sonics became a draw on both sides of the Thames, their ferocious shows earning them a rep as one of the best live bands on the circuit. The Vex hit hard and they cut deep. Spin this EP and hear for yourself. 

About the ‘The Vex’ EP - A vital meditation on life, death and melodica, The Vex’s eponymous third EP ups the ante with its vice-like grooves, searing rock’n’roll edginess and volcanic dynamics, peaking with the fluid vocals of Jacko and Josh. It was recorded straight to tape at Ranscombe Studios in Medway and engineered by Jim Riley, key protagonist of the famed Medway scene. Within are five songs that tackle the big issues impacting on 21st-century existence, evidence of the band’s awareness that in our wide, wonderful and sometimes terrifying world, peace, love and unity are the only things that truly matter. Facebook here.

The Vex's five song, self titled third EP is boisterous and exuberant, with the bands robust and dynamic heavy rock-steady, providing a scintillating listen. It pretty much demanded a second play!

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Quiet - Powerful Me.

Background - Quiet is anything but. It’s gnawing, encapsulating atmosphere, with real post-punk / metal-rock songs within dark, heavy, disturbing sounds. Their debut EP introduces the listener to a deep world of intimate confessions and barely concealed revelations — songs made from subterranean urges, feeling like a forbidden roller coaster ride through tidal wave riffs surrounding epic lyrical psychodramas. 

Quiet is a brand new Seattle band made up of lead Avtar (ex-Atomic Bride and Our Mother the Mountain bassist, now on guitars), Count Louisifer lll (bass), Eamon (guitar), Ulysses (drums), and features the lead vocals of Æon (ex-Wandering King). This is basically everyone else's first "real" band in a sense, as they put it, brought together by Avtar, who eventually connected with Æon through a mutual friend. 

The quintet write and rehearse in the same space as The Gods Themselves and Kid Leather, the members of which came from Atomic Bride like Avtar did. After some woodshedding, vox and drum-free for a year, the band found their missing members, and roiled on the lovely yet leviathan “Deepest Blue Sea,” their first single that was the first step in realizing the expansive emotional palette they were after. 

Quiet's debut EP 'Walk Into The Night' will be accompanied with a Barboza release show on June 9, 2017.

'Powerful Me' gives some idea of what to expect on the bands EP, although it's not actually included within the collection itself. The band tend to drift across genres with imaginative albeit sometimes darker musical ideas. As debut's from recently formed bands go, clearly they have something to offer, I guess expectations will be set quite high on the strength of these few tracks.


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Fire in the Radio - Sketch Club - Black Dough - Meg Mac - A Victim Of Society - Rosie Carney - Wild Domestic

Fire in the Radio - New Air.

Background - Philadelphia-based Fire in the Radio will release their sophomore album New Air on 16th June via Wednesday Records. The album is the follow-up to their 2015 acclaimed record Telemetry and can be pre-ordered now at Bandcamp. This week the band revealed the official video for "New Air" from the upcoming release. 

Speaking about the video the band says: “’New Air' was written as a response to the current divisive climate in our country.” They add, "It's told from the view of two people struggling to find a way forward in an untenable relationship. As we were conceptualizing the video we wanted something that embodied these concepts. The director, Adam Peditto, helped us settle on the idea that using color would be a unique and compelling way to express this narrative. Thus, throughout the video you see a juxtaposition of red, blue and purple underlying the story of the two main characters. It gives the video this film noir-type quality. Adam and his team beautifully shot these images over two winter days in Philadelphia that included dramatic temperature shifts, strong winds and (as the video depicts) a fairly significant thunder and lighting storm. The result is video that is reflective and haunting, yet hopeful, and perfectly captures what we were trying to convey." 

New Air was recorded with Steve Poponi at Gradwell House studios (Beach Slang, Into It. Over It.) with additional engineering by Angus Cooke. The record was mixed by Jesse Gander (Japandroids, White Lung) and mastered by Alan Douches. Fire in the Radio began work on New Air following significant touring in support of 2015’s Telemetry, which included performances at Gainesville, Florida’s FEST and Montreal’s Pouzza Fest. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

'New Air' is a formidable, dynamic full throttle blast of  impressive rock'n'roll. The band just crack on and provides us with two and a half minutes of musical fireworks, tremendous!


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Sketch Club - Quiet.

Background - With each member hailing from a different hometown, Sketch Club formed in Melbourne in 2009. Experimenting in the early stages, they quickly settled on a song writing method that works best for the indie rock outfit - 3 gentlemen playing music in a room together until something good happens.

Combining brooding reverberated guitars with melodies that play with the part of your brain that likes to hang on a hook, these threads are tightly woven together with a rhythmical groove designed to make you move. With two previous EP's Burn This House and Break Rewind garnering attention and solid support at their live shows, the lads seemed ready to use this energy to begin a new phase of writing and recording.

This space is now filled with new EP Primal Calls & Graceless Falls. Moving away from it's rockier predecessors, this latest offering is a deliberate move towards a more complex and layered soundscape. To achieve this, the lads teamed up with super producer John Lee (Ocean Party, Stonefield, Lost Animal) at Phaedra Studios in Coburg, Melbourne. "We wanted to make a record that had that thing going on where every time you listen to it you find something new to prick your ears up. John nailed the sounds we had in our heads before we started recording, with both his intuitive production & artful mixing.” 

The first single from this inspired time in the studio is "Quiet", a deliciously catchy strut down the street with lyrics that conversely talk about the solace of solitude in a world with too much noise. It's a fresh sound from the trio that oozes pop with a distinctly dark edge. Initially taking form as a dreamy and ethereal track, Lee’s production influence was at its strongest here, with the record quickly knocked into the shape of a punchy indie-rock song. The Primal Calls & Graceless Falls EP by Sketch Club is available in digital stores now. Website here, Facebook here.

'Quiet' is the second of six tracks on 'The Primal Calls & Graceless Falls' EP by Sketch Club. The featured song typifies the bands expansive and flowing alt rock style. The power a rock trio can create is there throughout however the band don't over use this and craft some melody and fine vocals along the way.


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Black Dough - Here We Go.

Background - Black Dough was formed in Gothenburg, Sweden back in 2013 – and shortly upon that the four piece recorded their debut EP, ”first punch!”. Since then Black Dough has been playing constantly, visiting clubs and festivals all over the world – from Dublin, Ireland to Rabat, Morocco. 

Sporting a sound hard to define, the experimental unit has been called everything from jazz punk to voodoo rock. With the release of ”Freaky Family”, the band’s new full length album due to May 2017, Miranda Raeder – front person and composer – decides to label it experimental rock. Beautiful, dissonant, heavy and dirty.

The third song from the forthcoming album is ”Here Wo Go”, is out on all digital services now. Black Dough are: Miranda Raeder (vocals, guitars), William Soovik (drums), Elias Hällqvist (bass), Erik Boman (guitars, saxophone, synth, noise). Website here, Facebook here.

There is a slow and commanding rhythm that gives 'Here We Go' a spacious sound as the music increasingly grows in force and presence. All of which is the perfect backdrop for Miranda Raeder's exquisite and imaginative vocals. The song twists and turns with  moments of breathtaking sonic power alongside more measured intrigue.

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Meg Mac - Low Blows.

Background - Fresh off the release of her keenly anticipated new single ‘Low Blows’ and announcement of her forthcoming debut album, Australian artist Meg Mac is pleased to announce that she will be returning to the United States this summer to tour.

Kicking off in New York City at iconic venue, Bowery Ballroom, the headlining tour will see the Melbourne based artist tour through major markets like Chicago, make an appearance at Firefly Festival and close out in Los Angeles.

Leading up to the release of her new song, ‘Low Blows’, Meg Mac spent long periods in America writing and touring; performing at major festivals including Governor's Ball, Hangout Fest and Field Trip Festival, tours with Clean Bandit and an inspirational North American ‘Black Messiah’ tour with D’Angelo as well as her own debut sold out shows in NYC and LA. 

Her 2015 self-titled EP garnered critical acclaim in the States. Her track, "Roll Up Your Sleeves" was play listed on stations across America, and featured in the US TV series ‘Girls’ and ‘Grace and Frankie’. 
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Recorded in Fort Worth, Texas at the Niles City Sound Studio with additional production at Electric Lady in New York, her new song and title track "Low Blows" premiered exclusively on W Magazine and is a dynamic, soulful, personal exhortation that’s distinctly and unique. Meg Mac’s debut record “Low Blows” is due July 14 via 300 Entertainment. Facebook here, tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page.

'Low Blows' has already gained some considerable attention, and deservedly so, this is one totally catchy, melodic and vibrant song. The video shares the recording sessions, the music does the rest and with style.


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A Victim Of Society - The Quick And The Dead.

Background - "Freaktown" is the sophomore album and lovechild of A Victim Of Society. The sound of rock psychedelia, that the duo used to have, met new band member, Padelis, and his drum kit and together they pushed everything into high gear. 

The result is "Freaktown", eight songs full of psychedelic guitars and primal beats recorded with respect to the bands’ live performance and sound. The album is focused on what happened when the three of them started playing together. 

The songs that they composed are the soundtrack of all the things they talked about and the things they talked about are found in the lyrics of these songs. They worked on electronic beats, drums, guitars and bass synths and turned them into eight living things. 

They played every song live, over and over again, in the same obsessive order, until each one of them was alive and ready to be captured in the studio. "Freaktown" is all of these elements together, locked, in the form the band gave them. Out on LP (incl. cd version) and digital album via Inner Ear. Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

A vigorous and snappy riff signals the band are about to blast into life with 'The Quick And The Dead' a compelling rock song that sustains the high powered performance throughout. Straight down the line, unpretentious rock'n'roll.


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Rosie Carney - Your Moon.

Background - The enchanting and powerful new single from the absolutely brilliant Irish songwriter Rosie Carney, which is getting an official release through Akira Records today. 

In Rosie’s words, "Your Moon is a song written about realizing different truths within yourself or within a relationship, and finding meaning in that truth. I wanted to capture the feeling of realizing that, even though at times the circumstances and timing may seem right in things, doesn't necessarily mean that it is what's truly best for you. We spend a lot of time doing things for other people in life, focusing on what's best for someone else, and trying to please people. But sometimes we have to realise what's truly best for ourselves and what would be more beneficial in the bigger picture. It's about being selfish in the best possible way, and not being afraid to put yourself first.”

Rosie writes the kind of music that'll stop you dead in your tracks, and she's proven a deft hand at creating sublime tonal flourishes to compliment her vivid lyrics and enchanting voice, with this one being no exception. Her music tackles difficult themes that recount her personal struggles with anorexia, depression, sexual assault and more, which she pens with disarming honesty (you can read more about that here). Facebook here, tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page.

Third time around on Beehive Candy for Rosie Carney an artist who consistently impresses with her beautiful music. 'Your Moon' ensures that remains the case, a charming soft and melodious song that is both intimate and moving.

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Wild Domestic - New Year, New Me.

Background - Indie/ alt-rock band, Wild Domestic is the brainchild of Matt Carlson. Born in Paraguay, Carlson moved to Charlotte, North Carolina when he was six months old, and it is where he resides to this day. According to Carlson, he knew from a young age that music was his true calling, and according to his family, he has been singing since before he could talk. As a teenager, Carlson began playing an assortment of instruments including guitar, bass, drums and keys, most of which were self-taught. Completely immersed in the arts as a teen, Carlson was involved as an actor in a number of plays and commercials. While attending college, Carlson simultaneously continued his music career. Following stints in several different Charlotte area bands, he made the decision to pursue a solo career and took on the moniker Wild Domestic.

After spending the last few years writing and performing both locally and nationally, Carlson released his self-titled debut EP, Wild Domestic in 2015. The follow up EP, Singular is slated to be released in early 2017. Wild Domestic’s writing, production and performance is a reflection of Carlson’s personal views and voice. His soulful, honest, and sometimes quirky lyrics are underscored by his strong alternative rock background, which is influenced by bands like My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, Talking Heads and Arcade Fire. Wild Domestic connects in a fresh way with a broad and progressive audience. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured Wild Domestic towards the end of last year and 'New Year, New Me' is well worth giving the band another share. The simmering power soon unleashes another impassioned rocker of a song. Vocals are measured and emotive and the band instinctively know when to turn up the heat.


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The City and Horses - Bleeding Knees Club - MKB ULTRA - First Hate - Old Sault

The City and Horses - Shades.

Background - Last Friday, The City and Horses released their new album, Ruins. This marks the third album of The City and Horses under Paper Garden - and treats listeners to an array of indie-pop, idiosyncratic songs - fresh, familiar, and all about the funk.

The City and Horses are out to get you. To get you feeling better about your breakups, screw ups and photos needing touch ups. Following in the footsteps of melodic mopers before them, TCAH make music for the disaffected. 

Front man Marc Cantone, who works as a children’s television producer by day, writes idiosyncratic songs that are fresh, familiar and all about the funk (emotional or otherwise).  And the emotional funk is a key aspect of the band. Having spent his adult life in the throes of OCD, Marc has become a dedicated and vocal supporter of mental health rights and issues. Website here, Facebook here.

'Shades' is the first of twelve songs on the brand new 'Ruins' album. The City and Horses have consistently written and produced appealing indie music, and the quality just keeps on coming with this latest release. I simply chose the first song to share because I was spoilt for choice and as it's first on the album it's first on Beehive Candy!

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Bleeding Knees Club - Chew The Gum.

Background - Bleeding Knees Club’s new EP Chew The Gum was released a little earlier this month. Frontman Alex Wall spent time in New York and Los Angeles and released three solo albums as Wax Witches on Burger Records. Upon moving back to Australia, Alex immediately dove back into writing for Bleeding Knees Club and has been working with producer John Patterson of The Grates. The band also just signed with Inertia Music and added Michael Barker (guitar), Gio Alexander (bass), and Nick Leighton (drums) to the lineup to make BKC a full live band for the first time.

The four track EP is the first fresh material from BKC since 2013's anthemic single "Feel." All four songs were produced by long-time friend (and fan) John Patterson from The Grates, and the title track recently received a NSFW visual accompaniment via a music video conceived by frontman Alex Wall and starring band members Michael Barker (guitar), Gio Alexander (bass), and Nick Leighton (drums).

In their time, BKC have notched up an enviable list of shows worldwide with the likes of Wavves, Best Coast, Black Lips, OFF! and more, plus festival appearances at Splendour In The Grass, Falls Festival, St. Kilda Festival and Sounds Of The Suburbs. We are thrilled that they are back in the live game, having just announced a string of Australian headline dates with support from weirdo psych rockers The Pinheads (excl Adelaide, Hobart and Mandurah. Website here, Facebook here, tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page.

The video is "a little different" for the EP's title track 'Chew The Gum', however it works in a bizarre way. Musically though, everything immediately comes together with some vibrant upbeat no nonsense rock'n'roll that dives from punk to indie and elsewhere on the blistering four song EP.


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MKB ULTRA - Black Ship.

Background - A veteran Seattle musician, Mia Katherine Boyle combines singer/songwriter craft with musical collaborations bringing hints of American folk, soul and experimental. Her musical friends, including Jack Endino complementing her on wild psyche-blues guitar, inspire new directions but she remains grounded in confessional, blues-tinged rock. Their first full length together as a band, the eponymous MKB Ultra, shows them at their sizzling, storming best. 

MKB Ultra’s self-titled third album is made of songs crafted out of power riffs and and pop song structure, then deconstructed into interludes of madness, or rather, controlled chaos. Infused with soul-inspired vocals, it both harkens back to a time when rock was wild, finding a combined sound of magnetic rock riffs and sonic rebellion.
     
Mia says, “Most of the songs were written during a difficult time in this country - Enron, 9-11, the Iraq invasion. Things were not going well politically. Sadly, they have only become more relevant which inspired me to re-record them and add a few more songs that represent my struggle to move beyond political rhetoric and get closer to the spiritual understanding that love is real and personal power is real".
     
The lead track is “Black Ship,”  -- alluding to the journey of slaves, the maritime voyage goes mutinous to rhythmic melodies and a relentless groove. This band's understanding of rhythm is played out perfectly by turning invocations like “Cause & Effect,” “Forever Now,” and “Strange Attractors” into powerful anthems. Bandcamp here.

A thumping beat and some funky rock ardour underpins 'Black Ship'. Vocals are naturally blues rock in nature as MKB ULTRA deliver an intense and pleasing alt rock song.

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First Hate - The One.

Background - Danish duo First Hate have shared a video for new single "The One." The track is from their forthcoming new LP A Prayer For The Unemployed, out May 12th on Copenhagen-based label Escho Records. "This is a song for all the lovers who weren’t supposed to be together after all," the duo explain, "And for all the people waiting to find the right one. Patience is not only about being able to wait it’s also about how you behave while you wait, Life is not always about keeping your promises, it’s about following your heart."

First Hate also announces a string of European tour dates in support of the release this Spring. You can find current dates and more info on the band and album below. Stay tuned for additional international tour dates to follow.

Rising from the snake pit into the international spotlight, it’s been a short and steady climb for Copenhagen duo First Hate. Since the release of their self-titled debut EP in September 2014, which featured hit singles “Girls In The Club” and “In My Dreams”, the band showcased early on music that transcends genres, making the underground more accessible through piercing beats. In support of the EP, they toured with both Trentemøller (October 2014) and Iceage (April 2015).

Summer 2015 was spent in the studio which resulted in the follow-up EP The Mind Of A Gemini (released on Escho in March 2016). Headline shows at Lille Vega in Copenhagen and Tape in Aarhus proved the band's steady rise was now hitting a bigger audience, with singles “White Heron” and “Trojan Horse” getting heavy rotation on national radio. 2016 found the band on the road with fellow Copenhageners Lust For Youth around Europe plus tours across Asia and North America and festival dates across the world including a notable triumphant set headlining the Countdown Stage at Roskilde Festival. Facebook here, tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page.

'The One' isn't just catchy it's infectious. There's a little taste of New Order in the songs structure and delivery, however the band are striking both with the deep and darker vocals alongside a sophisticated musical arrangement that morphs between rock and dance with ease. Fabulous song!


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Old Sault - Sleeping With Danger.

Background - Named as an ‘Artist to watch in 2016’ by triple j Unearthed, Old Sault, releases her first single for 2017 ‘Sleeping with Danger’ on Friday April 29, and also announces her much anticipated debut EP.  

‘Sleeping with Danger’ portrays a dark and mysterious side to Old Sault. Combining an indie folk sound and heavy drum work with her hushed, understated vocals; emotive lyrics breathe real life in to the track. Old Sault has been hard at work in the studio recording her debut EP Mostly Worried, due out May 12, under the guidance of ARIA-winning producer Govinda Doyle (Angus & Julia Stone).

The EP’s first two singles ‘Ghost’ and ‘Sail Home’ were well received with the former gaining local praise from triple j’s Dom Alessio and Richard Kingsmill as well as internationally from Italian tastemaker blog ‘Going Solo’. With two successful singles under her belt and a previously unseen live show, ‘Sleeping with Danger’ is the next piece in musical puzzle in the lead up to her debut EP making 2017 looking to be a break out year for Old Sault.

Old Sault releases ‘Sleeping with Danger’ on all platforms and debut EP Mostly Worried Friday May 12. Live shows to be announced soon. Facebook here.

We featured Old Sault a couple of times last year and the latest song 'Sleeping With Danger' continues the high standard of music we were enthralled with previously. Alt rock that builds from an understated beginning into a more expansive piece, as mentioned above Old Sault is an artist to watch out for.

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Silent Riders - Black Needle Noise (With Bill Leeb) - Her Crooked Heart - Scratch Massive - Psymon Spine - Beta Days

Silent Riders - I See You.

Background - Fresh from acclaim for their self-titled debut album, Danish electronic trio Silent Riders have now unveiled the video for single ‘I See You’ and it’s full of great slightly Blair Witch-esque fuzzy woodland horror imagery.

This Copenhagen-based trio seemed to have sprung from some murky unknown world, if we are to believe the statements of the band themselves. Little is known about Lu, Gee and C who comprise the group, or what is behind the masks they wear during their performances. They might have materialized from shadows in the woods, lurking in the dark until they were ready to share their sounds with the world. This mythical sphere that they have created for themselves is accessible through their music, which is a vision of electronic music that is organic and alive with both warmth and danger. 

Led by the sultry voice of Lu, we are taken into the dark woods of the Silent Riders with almost cinematic brilliance as Gee and C mans the machines that weaves the atmospheric dronings of this world. A world that could be easily mistaken for one created by David Lynch or Tim Burton. The rhythms that form the path to this domain have been tried and tested by previous travellers, known to us by names like Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire or Tolouse Lowtrax. 

With "I See You" they offer up a brilliant pop diamond of all the elements of their sound palette. With Lu in her most soulful voice, bouncing off of an almost funky drum machine, all drenched in layers of dark analog ambience. i-D Magazine described the track as “the complete opposite of coziness and conviviality with a pulsing piece of moodtronica that wouldn't sound out of place on the upcoming Twin Peaks revival”, whilst BBC 6 Music’s Nemone, Radio X’s John Kennedy and Amazing Radio have also supported it with airplay. Facebook here.

Dark rumbling synths and a slow haunting rhythm provide the backdrop for 'I See You'. The compelling and soulful vocals add even more mood to the song, and the video is in harmony with both the music and the whole vibe of this song.


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Black Needle Noise (With Bill Leeb) - A Shiver Of Want.

Background - Through his project Black Needle Noise, legendary producer John Fryer has paired up with Bill Leeb, founding member of the industrial music group Front Line Assembly and also dream electronica project Delerium, on a new single ‘A Shiver of Want’.

This is a titillating offering, creating its own imaginary sonic playfield where Nine Inch Nails meets Massive Attack. Here, John Fryer and Bill Leeb show impressive longevity and innovation, indicating how interesting and relevant they still are to the genre, never ones to simply use technology by the manual. 

Recognized as one of the most innovative sonic architects on the music scene, his imprint has been massive over the years, being formative in developing the trademark sound we associate today with such bands as Nine Inch Nails, Cocteau Twins and, of course, This Mortal Coil (as one of only two constant members, along with Ivo Watts-Russell, providing keyboards, strings and synthesizer sequencing). 

John Fryer started his career in 1979 at London’s Blackwing Studios (London) and soon began working with seminal bands on the 4AD, Mute, Rough Trade and Beggars Banquet record labels, including Depeche Mode, The Wolfgang Press and Cocteau Twins. His achievement in helping develop the latter’s pioneering ethereal and ambient sound ultimately led Watts-Russell to recruit Fryer as his partner for This Mortal Coil.

Bill Leeb is an electronic musician and record producer, best known as a founding member of the industrial music group Front Line Assembly. Though the band has had consistent underground success, Leeb's most widely known efforts are through his side project Delerium, which had a major worldwide hit in the late 1990s with "Silence” featuring vocals by Sarah McLachlan, which reached number three on the UK music charts and has been described as one of the greatest trance songs of all time. Facebook: Black Needle Noise here, Front Line Assembly here, Delerium here.

'A Shiver Of Want' is both innovative and menacing. It's also exceptionally addictive both vocally and musically. Synths and whispered vocals slip in between eruptions of sonic intensity. It's like a piece from a modern day Gothic opera performed in a dark shadowy theatre.

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Her Crooked Heart - Are You Good You Are.

Background - Her Crooked Heart is the new name; the new music of Rachel Ries – multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, hired gun, singer. Her Crooked Heart’s first release, To Gentlemen (CD & 7” vinyl EP), hits the ground spinning May 5, complete with Rachel’s own limited edition artwork and featuring members of Bon Iver & Field Report.

Along with numerous and diverse collaborators through the years, Rachel has proven herself ever-curious to expand her sound, her scope, and sail on past the confines of ‘singersongwriter.’ After all, sometimes what the heart wants is a syncopated horn line and a string section; a choir of angels and a bass synth, leaving exaltation and devastation.

But one thing has remained true since Rachel’s first homespun release: her sly and compassionate voice, excavating the depths of an all-too-human heart, armed with levity and a pen. It’s the messy humanity that’s of interest here. The trying and failing; the loving and losing and loving again. The choosing to be brave even when you’re shaking in your tattered boots. So please, make welcome: Her Crooked Heart. She’s been here all along.

This quartet of tunes on the EP is culled from a larger, rollicking session recorded in the woods of WI, winter of 2016/17. The songs on To Gentlemen are a snapshot of the album yet to come; an album that is in turns disarmingly spare and deeply danceable. All the songs wade through the ever-rich and roiling waters of loving, leaving and finding new life again. Website here, Facebook here, May tour dates on Beehive Candy's tour page.

The first of four songs on the forthcoming EP is 'Are You Good You Are' which typifies this charming and imaginative collection. Rachel Ries vocals are charismatic and melodic with some fine musicianship supporting her across each track.      

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Scratch Massive - Standing By My Door.

Background - With their extraordinarily epic and artful musical poetry, Maud Geffray and Sébastien Chenut – the two sonic warheads who make up the electronic music group Scratch Massive – have always been able to enrich sensory experience in a way that brings together the fringe and the extremes, the here and there, the past and the future, with a never-disappointing desire to express the blues of the soul and the blues of the world.

The Parisian /L.A DJ/producer duo has made its mark with icy grooves and epic productions, a perfectly-executed musical path that has led it to become one of the driving forces of French electronic music of the last 20 years. After the dark and melancholic convulsions of its studio album Nuit de rêve, Scratch Massive invites us to intimately explore new heights through the sublime images and existential travels of a moved teenager in Los Angeles presented in Junior – the new project series of director Zoe Cassavetes.

This intense musical duo has undertaken a veritable revolution, giving body and soul to their latest project. Recorded under the Los Angeles sun at Atwater Studios, Junior is a troubling and enraptured vision of The California Dream - the one that always seems to slip away at the last moment from under the feet of Logan, the film’s disappointed heroine. On this album, Scratch Massive trades in (temporarily?) its somber ways and the dark beauty of its electronic odes for a new pop sensibility nourished by the grand air of the Pacific Ocean and the frenetic rhythm of a city that never sleeps.

Quite simply, with Junior, Scratch Massive has made a modern electronic album, perfectly at ease with the influence of pop, as a way to revisit and reexamine its clichés, its stylistic effects, and the hungry nostalgia for the 1980s. Bordel Records Facebook here.

One of sixteen tracks on the new 'Junior' album is 'Standing By My Door' featuring Maud Geffray on vocals. The song does have some 1980's influences, at one point it was almost like listening to Blondie and Gary Newman merged together (and that's meant as a compliment).

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Psymon Spine - Yoana.

Background - Psymon Spine, are an incredible young experimental pop band based in Brooklyn, who are releasing their debut album You Are Coming To My Birthday, via Axis Mundi Records on June 9th. This week, the band is sharing its pulsing, psychedelic first single “Yoana”, along with its awesome (also: NSFW) kaleidoscopic video, ahead of their PopGun show w/ Mr. Twin Sister and iDeath (Andrew from MGMT) at Brooklyn Bazaar this Saturday, April 29th.

Psymon Spine's constantly shifting sound is informed by the band’s varied musical backgrounds, which range from house music to punk, West African music, Tropicália, gamelan, and more. The songs that comprise the new Psymon Spine album partner fuzzy synths with distorted bass lines, lush vocal harmonies, and fast dance beats coupled with flowing string arrangements.

In 2013, the band met and began collaborating with Graham Dickson of London-based band Crystal Fighters, who would go on to start Axis Mundi Records and sign them, eventually releasing their acclaimed debut EP in early 2015. The next several years would be spent writing and recording their album, touring, DJing, and performing alongside the likes of Mr Twin Sister, Is Tropical, Juan MacLean, Guerilla Toss, and MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden (who they DJ with at The Lot radio often!). Website here, Facebook here.

'Yoana' helps give an indication of just how experimental Psymon Spine are, but only an indication. The new album deserves to be described as eclectic, as the music shifts genres, momentum and styles without notice. The featured song is chameleon like, as it moves pace and intensity and defies any one genre.


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Beta Days - This Art Ain't Mine.

Background - Beta Days are proud to release the first single "This Art Ain't Mine", from the upcoming debut album, S.T.T. This first track kicks off with bright, jangly guitars and a light melody that wisps away the listener. The lush, guitar pop sound is reminiscent of indie champions Wilco and Real Estate. Pensive, dreamy rock. Beta Days is the one-man project of songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Bill Bierce. The project evolved from Bierce's late night writing sessions that would start around 3 AM, as it was the only time neighbouring bands at his practice space weren’t around to drown him out. Isolation and lack of sleep began to wear down, and at several points, Bierce began to seriously question everything. Depression and stagnancy ensued over many months, but eventually, there was enough material to record a proper full-length LP. 

With his friend Andrew Grant (H. Stone) hitting record and providing emotional support during Bierce’s many breakdowns, S.T.T. (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday - an acronym for the days of the week they would record) was recorded throughout 2015 in Grant’s private studio in Rhode Island.

Sadly, Bierce's mother passed away during the album's mixing, while simultaneously his father occupied a long-term hospice stay from a head wound which had left him in a vegetative state a few years prior. Everything had once again been cast into doubt, but Bierce stayed the course and completed the record mid-2016. The end result is a hazy reflection on idealized youth, relationships, isolation, and the drudgery of adult life. All of this is presented through a prism of evasive lyrics and tightly arranged instrumentation, leaving the listener to draw their own meanings from the songs.

Bierce expanded the project into a live band shortly after completing the record, including his ex-Wandas bandmate Keith McEachern on bass. The group has enjoyed the contrast of raw energy with more guitar-oriented live performances. Beta Days debut full-length LP, S.T.T. will be released everywhere June 23rd, 2017. Website here, Facebook here.

As first singles go 'This Art Ain't Mine' sets expectations high for the debut album. The guitars are vibrant and the vocals smooth and natural, there is a hint of alt rock throughout, alongside some refined indie vibes.

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Morganway - Artificial Pleasure - Low Island - Hannah Aldridge

Morganway - Hurricane.

Background - Originating from North Norfolk’s rural outback, Morganway’s fiery, Americana-influenced style is packed full of powerful riffs, charismatic five-part harmonies and compelling, honest song writing. The band was established by twins Callum (acoustic guitar, lead vocals) and Kieran Morgan (lead guitar), and features Yve Mary B (lead vocals), Matt Brocklehurst (keyboard) and Simon Tinmouth (drums).

The Norfolk five-piece pride themselves on the high standard of their engaging live performances, and they have caught the eye of a range of festivals. Subsequently, they recently headlined The Open's prestigious OH1 festival, in their hometown of Norwich, on the Banking Hall stage. Other early 2017 shows include London gigs at The Troubadour, The Islington and The Bedford, as well as a special headline performance at Cambridge’s muchloved Portland Arms.

Morganway released their second EP ‘The Hurricane EP’ a few days ago, following the glowing reception of their debut EP ‘No Tomorrows’ last year. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured Morganway last month and the new video for 'Hurricane' provides us with an opportunity to share the title track from their latest EP. The Americana influences give the band a natural, honest sound and their fine compositions and all round delivery is a delight.


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Artificial Pleasure - Like Never Before.

Background - After just a handful of tracks, Artificial Pleasure have earned plaudits for their dancefloor-friendly, art school-styled electro-pop with many critics placing them as descendents of influential and timeless greats such as Talking Heads and David Bowie.

The latest stage in the quartet’s introductory mission comes with the release of their brand new track ‘Like Never Before’ which also acts as the title track to the band’s debut EP of the same name. While ‘Like Never Before’ echoes the sparkling riffs and vociferous funk grooves of their recent tracks, it’s also a track that’s darker-hued in nature. An almost industrial introduction imbibed with doomy synths sets a cinematic tone before Phil McDonnell’s crooning baritone and an insistent clatter of cowbells switches the tone from apocalyptic to animated.

In addition to ‘Like Never Before’, the EP is completed by the opener ‘All I Got’ - the first of Artificial Pleasure’s tracks to reach a wider audience - as well as the recently issued follow-up ‘The Hand On My Shoulder’.

The band maintain a firm DIY ethic. Almost all of their material is self-produced and self-mixed, with McDonnell and Brennan leading the way with the arrangements before Brennan’s self-taught engineering skills heighten the strength of the finished track. All of the songs are written with live performance in mind – the result being an exertion of raw energy: no tricks or gimmicks, just pure adrenaline. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured the fabulous video for 'All I Got' last month describing the track as "High Octane rock'n'roll that is delivered in an effortlessly cool manner, and head turning vocals". The latest song to be released by the band is 'Like Never Before' which is an electro pop beauty. Powerful synths and a robust beat provide the backdrop for the defining vocals, another magnificent song!

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Low Island - Rest Your Head.

Background - Hot on the heels of landing over a million streams at Spotify, Low Island add to their burgeoning discography by sharing the brand new track ‘Rest Your Head’.

After ‘Holding It Down’ blended menacing vocals, dancefloor intensity and a cacophonous wall of sound, ‘Rest Your Head’ drops down the gears to present a very different angle to this intriguingly multi-faceted band. Its groove is a dreamlike trance in which mellifluous vocal harmonies head a soothing production rooted in hypnotising synths and downtempo beats.

Low Island was formed as an accidental by-product of a theatre score composed by Jamie (vocals/guitars/keys/electronics) and Carlos (vocals/guitar/keys). The pair, who also enjoyed some success in the world of dance music with a residency at The Warehouse in Leeds, called upon bassist Jacob with whom they’d played in an alt-rock band as teenagers. The line-up is completed by percussionist Felix, who previously toured with the Brooklyn jazz ensemble Snarky Puppy.

They introduced themselves to the world with the ‘Just About Somewhere’ EP, which prompted comparisons with the likes of Caribou, Arthur Russell and Grizzly Bear, and it was soon followed by ‘Holding It Down’. Low Island’s radio support to date has included Huw Stephens, Phil Taggart and MistaJam (who picked the band as a recent New Name) at Radio 1, and at 6 Music by Tom Robinson, Tom Ravenscroft and Lauren Laverne. Facebook here.

'Rest Your Head' is very different from a track we featured by Low Island back in January. This is a flowing, dreamy and tranquil song where the melody is warm and hazy. This band have talent and are firmly on my musical radar.

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Hannah Aldridge - No Heart Left Behind.

Background - In literature and in songwriting, the American South is where writers go to face their fears. Hannah Aldridge doesn’t just dip her pen into the well of the South, the Muscle Shoals native embodies it. With every song, she’s facing down demons of a life once lived from substance abuse to failed relationships and scars from the lashes of the bible belt. 

“Gold Rush” is Hannah Aldridge’s second album, a follow up to her 2014 debut “Razor Wire.” While that album launched her career, drew the attention of music writers and sent her touring across the world, “Gold Rush” shows a more mature and introspective artist with more life experience - and music experience - under her belt. The honesty Hannah Aldridge crafts into each track is off-set by her stubborn, maybe defiant, nature, which gives her music a hopeful silver lining. 

“I start writing with ‘this is how I’m feeling and I need to talk about it.’ Doing that helps me sort out my own thoughts on it. My music is an introspective look at the things that happened in my life. It’s me trying to sort through and put feelings into words,” she said. Hannah Aldridge is the daughter of Muscle Shoals legend Walt Aldridge. An Alabama Music Hall of Famer, Walt Aldridge is a prolific and decorated songwriter of countless Number One and Top Ten hits recorded by the likes of Lou Reed, Reba McEntire, Travis Tritt, Earl Thomas Conley, Ricky Van Shelton, Ronnie Milsap, and Conway Twitty.

Mixing her personal life and the sounds of her hometown, Hannah Aldridge’s new album also draws in influences from across the rock genre. Working with people with one foot in country music and one foot in rock, Hannah Aldridge makes a fresh kind of Southern Rock styled by Southern Gothic storytelling. You can hear it in “Gold Rush”’s ode to burning out, or in the yearning of “Burning Down Birmingham”, and anthem-for-the-lonely “No Heart Left Behind” – a track that is shot-through with wild riffs.

Hannah Aldridge shares the video for new single "No Heart Left Behind." New album "Gold Rush" is out in the UK on June 16 via Rootsy Music. July UK tour dates can be found on Beehive Candy's tour page, Website here, Facebook here.

If you fancy a slice of lively, passionate, southern rock then 'No Heart Left Behind' from Hannah Aldridge ticks all of those boxes. If the new album is on a par with this song, then I reckon a considerable number of music lovers will be very satisfied.


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Lara Smiles - Mankind - Rebecca Raw - Bonzie - Jet Rewind

Lara Smiles - Lies.

Background - Fusing an intriguing mixture of indie and electro styles, the music of Lara Smiles is guitar-driven, synth-inspired and brimming with layers of alt-pop. Self-written and produced by the legendary Youth, ’Lies’ will be included on her long awaited debut album due out in the late autumn of 2017.

She has also recently worked with The Orb and Jah Wobble and will be a featured artist on upcoming new album releases by both. 

Influenced by many genres of music, Lara started out writing punk and soul tunes on her guitar, but all-night raves in her teens led to a love of dance music and experimenting with samples. 

Her previous single releases have received airplay on BBC 6 Music and XFM/Radio X. She has also performed at some of the world’s largest venues and will make her fifth appearance at the Glastonbury Festival this summer. The new single 'Lies' is out 19.05.17 (WonkyPop Records). Website here, Facebook here.

The guitar fronted music on 'Lies' is dynamic and a little funky, whilst Lara Smiles vocals add some spirit and edge, as the atmosphere builds, on this hook fuelled track.


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Mankind - Three Handfuls Of Dirt.

Background - With their previous releases leaving the Stockholm underground and warehouse scene well and truly shaken, Mankind are back with a new single from their upcoming EP “Death”. With Sweden already getting drunk on disorder, it’s about time the rest of mankind joined the madness.

With previous track “Blood, Sugar” produced by no less than Gordon Raphael (The Strokes, Three Trapped Tigers) and propelling into aurally calculated chaos within a matter of seconds, new single “Three Handfuls Of Dirt” almost seems reticent… key word: almost. The song kicks off with a surprisingly regiment Spector-esque bass beat and nonchalant vocals, (seemingly) following a linear climb. And just as we settle with this steady structure Mankind do what they do best and, with the retro vibe of The Doors and the rawness of The Jacques, they smack down a true frenzied climax on our unsuspecting ears.

With a savagely unexpected finish, engulfed by suddenly recognizable silence, we’re left in a vulnerable pit of adrenaline… alone, on the bus. A must see live single which will be out 28th April everywhere via Lazy Octopus. 

The first of four songs on the forthcoming EP and the first thing that struck me with 'Three Handfuls Of Dirt' are the vocals. Comparable to Jim Morrison both by their depth and richness, they need and receive a band that can deliver some potent and dominant rock music. It's a fabulous EP and by the time you get to the last track Mankind have delivered enough of their own creativity and originality to establish their own identity.

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Rebecca Raw - Connection.

Background - Rebecca Raw is a British singer/songwriter whose songs are a unique blend of pop, soul and folk elements. Growing up in suburban London, Rebecca began learning the cello at the age of seven and shortly after, picked up the clarinet too. She sang in choirs throughout her younger years and the classical tradition was the backbone of her training right up to her obtaining a music degree from Cambridge University.

Alongside this, she developed a love for performing jazz, soul and pop music and once she graduated, Rebecca began dividing her time between teaching the cello and performing as a singer at events. Having always been fascinated by great lyrics and captivating melodies it was only natural that she herself would begin to explore the craft of writing songs. 

Her debut EP ‘Deep Within’ (2017) is a bold statement which partners intimate storytelling with a rich, contemporary sound.  Her honest and thought-provoking lyrics are the heartbeat of this offering and her smooth, mesmerising voice is the compelling communicative vehicle that defines this release. 

Rebecca tells authentic musical stories with insight, warmth and sensitivity. She comments that "each song was born as a personal response to a challenging time but hope prevails in my life and I always try to encapsulate this in my music.  As others reach into the heart of these stories I hope that they will discover for themselves more treasures of this rich, wonderful, crazy thing called life." Website here, Facebook here.

'Connection' is the first of five tracks on 'Deep Within' Rebecca Raw's debut EP. Her engaging and melodic vocals stand out above an elegant and subtle musical arrangement. There is plenty of variety across the collection, each song makes it mark, sometimes quite gently and on occasion with a little more energy added to the soundtrack.

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Bonzie - Combback.

Background - Bonzie shares new track "Combback". The song is the second single to be released from her forthcoming new album, Zone on Nine, out May 19th. “All of my songs basically start as a conversation I’m having with myself alone in my room,” says 21-year-old Nina Ferraro, who’s created under the moniker of Bonzie since age 17.

Produced by Ferraro, in collaboration with Jonathan Wilson (Father John Misty, Conor Oberst) and Ali Chant (Perfume Genius, Youth Lagoon), Zone on Nine follows Bonzie’s recently released double singles As The Surface Rose and How Do You Find Yourself, Love? On the title track to the former, Ferraro spins a beautifully sprawling reverie from a song first composed on “this old piano I grew up with, the day before it was going off to someone else,” as she explains. “I was in this unfurnished house—the last bones of the house I grew up in—with literally only myself, this piano, and walls.” Merging orchestral flourishes with electronic experimentalism, the self-produced “As The Surface Rose” is paired with lyric-free B-side “Half Full” (a sparse and dreamlike track recorded at Wilco’s famed Chicago studio The Loft).

In tracking the path from her first time songwriting to the continent-crossing production of Zone on Nine, Ferraro notes that a certain sense of purpose has endured in her artistry. “I’m always open to taking the song wherever it wants to go—more like I’m a vessel for the song itself, rather than a person who’s actually making the song,” she says. And with Zone on Nine, in all its unbridled grandeur, each listen illuminates the unending wonder that’s sparked so much of her songwriting. “I think we’re here to experience things and express our experience, and to notice and enjoy how we each have our own different perspective,” says Ferraro. “I feel obligated to participate in life that way, on a very visceral level. To me there’s a rhythm that already exists in the world, and I want to be a part of that.” Website here, Facebook here.

We featured the first single from the forthcoming album a few weeks back and new song 'Combback' is another irresistible song where the vocals are beguiling and the understated music slowly wraps itself around the song.

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Jet Rewind - Someone Else.

Background - Stockholm indie rock act, Jet Rewind, have shared their new single "Someone Else". 

Stockholm based indie rock act Jet Rewind's shares the same name an old VHS-player that allows you to rewind tapes within 60 seconds. For the band, Jet Rewind symbolizes a certain nostalgia and a dream to go back to something long forgotten. 

Consisting of Samuel Heiligers (vox) Johannes Palmroos (bass) Emmanuel Hailemariam (guitar) & Anton Haeffler (drums), the project is still in it's infancy with "Someone Else" being the band's first single.  "Someone Else" is a hopeful guitar-based song about finding your element. Facebook here.

'Someone Else' is a melodic indie rock song, where the band keep things simple, allowing the delightful chord changes and appealing vocals to work there charm.

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