Background - 'Drama' – of the interpersonal kind – that’s what Hajk have turned their focus to in 2018. The band burst onto the scene with their self-titled debut album last year, garnering support around the world as well as making a name for themselves in their home country of Norway. Now, the highly anticipated follow-up 'Drama' has been announced for February 2019 – a record that both pulls at the heartstrings and urges you to dance away your sorrows. Lead single and first taste of what is to come arrives in the form of the bubblegum-flavoured new cut, 'Dancing Like This'. It's a lyrically melancholy and wide-eyed love song, with an addictive melody that looks to sugarcoat your tears.
Hajk’s 2017 debut received praise from the likes of Astrid S, Sigrid and Kimbra, as well as actress and model, Chloë Grace Moretz. International acclaim came in waves from Noisey, Stereogum, The Line of Best Fit, Drowned In Sound, V Magazine, The Independent, Indie Shuffle, and more, noting their idiosyncratic, yet supremely catchy pop tunes, while likening them to everything from Fleetwood Mac and Aztec Camera to Dirty Projectors and Little Dragon.
With their second album, 'Drama', a more self-assured band reveals themselves. Sharpened by more studio experience, they have once again produced the record themselves, taking extreme care over every second and minute detail of their work. Blending analogue and digital sounds, switching between programmed arrangements and live takes from the studio, drawing on three lead vocalists and an assortment of guest musicians, Hajk conjured up whatever was necessary to fulfill their creative vision.
The title 'Drama' relates to the drama of humanity and a somewhat naïve yearning for love in a world in which love can sometimes seem in scarce supply. 'Drama' is due for release on February 1st via Jansen Records. FACEBOOK.
We featured Hajk and their 2017 debut three separate times as they impressed Beehive Candy so much. With 'Dancing Like This' we have another enticing indie pop song, as expected the melodic hooks are everywhere and the band provide a vibrant backdrop for the ever pleasing vocals.
Background - Fröst have just released their debut album Matters and the record’s sultry bilingual lead track La Vénus d’Argent as a stand-alone digital single via Lost Room Records.
Fröst is the work of Steve Lewis (Fujiya & Miyagi’s synth player and producer) and French-Swedish sound artist Johanna Bramli (vocalist for Stereolab offshoot Imitation Electric Piano). Together they create a sound that effortlessly blends a bilingual French pop aesthetic with cool electronica, hypnotic motorik beats and trippy psychedelic soundscapes. With comparisons to Kraftwerk, Broadcast, Silver Apples, The Golden Filter and Goldfrapp.
Their music has garnered coverage from Mixmag through to Prog Rock, The Line of Best Fit through to Resident Advisor with massive radio support from Lauren Laverne as well as Nemone and Gideon Coe (BBC 6 Music), Annie Mac (BBC Radio 1) and John Kennedy (Radio X) - among many others.
Matters was written by Fröst, produced by Steve Lewis, mixed by Ed Chivers and mastered by Eric James at Philosophers Barn Mastering. It is released today on CD, Vinyl and Digitally via Lost Room Records.
Fröst have been confirmed to support 77:78 at Oslo, London on 15 October, with additional UK shows next month: WEBSITE.
Live: 2 October: Sebright Arms, London 3 October: Prince Albert, Brighton 6 October: Dials Festival, Portsmouth 13 October Shake The High Road Festival, London 15 October: Oslo, London (supporting 77:78)
'La Vénus d'Argent' is a gorgeous combination of seductive vocals and some layered and cleverly crafted electronica that is driven by simple set of beats. Hints of psychedelic feeling come and go, this is very addictive music.
Background - Riding a wave of momentum that shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, Brighton’s latest indie juggernauts Thyla announce plans for their debut EP and share mesmerising lead single Candy, further solidifying their status as one of the UK’s finest emerging indie acts.
Expertly masterminded by frontwoman Millie Duthie’s commanding vocals, Candy strikes a much more sombre tone than their previous material with a series of carefully constructed guitar parts and dreamy intervals capped off with another trademark anthemic chorus.
Earmarked as one of NME’s 100 Essential Acts for 2018 alongside Dream Wife, Nilüfer Yanya and Pale Waves, the quartet demonstrated their potential in the first half of the year sharing bills with Sunflower Bean, INHEAVEN and Fickle Friends as well as encouraging displays at The Great Escape, Live At Leeds and Dot To Dot.
Praise from all corners of the press, widespread support on the BBC Radio 1 airwaves (one of Huw Stephens’ Alternative Tips for 2018) and recent shows alongside Slaves have only added to the growing excitement surrounding the band heading into what promises to be a busy autumn period.
Discussing their forthcoming release, the four-piece stated: “You know when you have impending doom and you have no idea why because there’s nothing specifically wrong that you can put your finger on, and your dreams are messed up, and when you wake up you wonder what they mean? That’s what Candy is about”. TWITTER.
Thyla appeared a few times on Beehive Candy early on this year and make a fine return with 'Candy'. A refined and beautifully structured indie rocker the vocals are charming and power up with intensity when required. Surrounded by some notable alt/indie rock musicianship, the debut EP is eagarly anticipated.
Background - On October 12th, Southern California-based band The Brevet will release their alternative rock album titled Legs. The upcoming album is a powerfully charged work, full of gritty soulful vocals and distorted guitar riffs.
The video for “So Long” was inspired by the tv series Westworld and acclaimed film Get Out. Video director Sarah Thacker, who was recently featured in the Hollywood Reporter, said, "the piece takes inspiration from both Westworld and Get Out, sort of riffing off concepts presented in those films and putting a retro modern spin on them. Aric and I liked the idea of the video being a lesson in looking for love and purpose in all the wrong places, before finally taking over and righting your ship."
Legs is The Brevet’s third studio album and stands for “L”ike “E”very “G”reat “S”tory. Staying true to its acronym, The Brevet’s upcoming album contains all elements of a memorable tale; reflecting the band’s growth and maturity leading up to the explosive new record. Damm explains, “Our band has been through an evolution these last couple years.
We absolutely love the writing and recording process, but somewhere along the way, our focus shifted more towards touring and performing live, and the music we were creating just naturally started to reflect that energy...We’re writing in a way we want to write now. I’m not trying to follow trends; I just want to write from my heart.” Legs is a powerfully charged work, full of gritty soulful vocals and distorted guitar riffs. WEBSITE.
Opening with a potent and almost rasping soulful vocal piece 'So Long' is a dynamic, powerful and heartfelt song. It's also something of an alt rock anthem without sounding contrived or pretentious, rather the band are just totally into the piece which naturally conveys itself.
Background - Valley Maker, the folk project of Seattle songwriter Austin Crane, will release his new album Rhododendron in two weeks, and today he shares the video for his new single "Beautiful Birds Flying," which was produced by Chaz Bear of Toro y Moi and the video directed by Movie Company (Joseph Kolean and Zach Gutierrez).
Austin says; “Beautiful Birds Flying was the first song I wrote for the album that would become Rhododendron. I wrote it almost immediately after hearing about the horrific Mother Emanuel Church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina – which is a city I love in the state where I grew up. It was meaningful to record the song a few years later with Chaz Bear, who I went to college with at the University of South Carolina. The song wrestles with the presence/recurrence of violence in the world and how to respond to that – feeling tendencies towards escapism, while also acknowledging an inevitable rootedness in places and patterns that are complicit.” On Valley Maker's second full-length album, Rhododendron, songwriter Austin Crane sings about movement - from one kind of belief to another, from place to place, through time. This new record from Crane, a Seattle-based musician and PhD student in Human Geography, reflects both the rootedness and rootlessness that shapes his songwriting on the precipice of his third decade. Like his noted inspirations Jason Molina, Bill Fay, and Gillian Welch before him, he speaks to the strange and transitory ways we mark time through our lives. Years pass and fold in his cosmic American songs.
Rhododendron, which also features the previously released singles "A Couple Days" and "Light on the Ground," is out on October 12th via Frenchkiss Records. WEBSITE.
'Beautiful Birds Flying' is a beautiful song, simple as that really. The music is expansive and yet uncluttered, the vocals and harmonies are exquisite and the melodic hooks just keep on coming. It's folk music at the core, it's also surrounded by fabulous and relaxing vibes.
Background - London newcomers Calva Louise launch pulsating new anthem I Heard A Cry, offering another glimpse of the trio’s unbridled potential ahead of their debut album release early next year.
Having developed a fierce live reputation within London’s flourishing punk scene, the chaotic garage rockers have since earned support slots alongside the likes of Albert Hammond Jr, Spring King and Anteros and will be heading off on tour with label-mates The Blinders later this autumn.
In their newest cut, two minutes of boundless energy showcasing a band brimming with potential, the three-piece lay down a real marker and reinforce why they’ve received extensive backing throughout the online community (Clash, Dork) and across the airwaves (BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Radio X).
Discussing their upcoming release, the outfit stated: “I Heard A Cry deals with the misinformation we often feel regarding what’s happening elsewhere in the world. But at the same time, it’s about the will of many people who are trying to inform themselves”. TWITTER.
Back in July we shared the track 'Outrageous' from Calva Louise and 'I Heard A Cry' is another feisty garage rocker from the band. Masses of energy and attitude is one thing (and there is plenty of that), however this song comes armed with a salvo of enticing hooks and at just over two minutes duration, hitting repeat play is as compulsive as it is instinctive.
Background - Formed in 2011 in Brooklyn, New York, three-piece Vaureen are anything but straight-forward. Combining the off-kilter fuzz of mid-90’s grunge aligned against abreactive passages of noise, left-of-centre shoegaze and the bleak doom of psych-infused stoner rock, Vaureen create a brooding, nihilistic sound, steeped in a raw energy and honesty that could shake even the most apathetic listener. With an acclaimed EP behind them along with a number of US live dates under their belt, the band are now set to release their debut album ‘Extraterra’.
Vaureen’s forthcoming album exhibits their unique brand of ethereal yet intensely foreboding alt-rock, which could be equated to the sound of early-The Breeders meets Fugazi meets Chelsea Wolfe meets The Sword. Tracks such as ‘Stare Into The Sun’ showcase vocalist Andrea Horne’s sonorous and dynamic vocals while stripped back instrumentation seamlessly transforms into atmospheric shoegaze infused post-rock, driven forward by a powerful rhythm section. The entire album is flooded with progressive moments like this with songs evolving at every opportunity. You’d be forgiven for thinking the band might have some affiliation with Sargent House, but despite having these moments of beguiling familiarity their music remains entirely distinctive. Elsewhere, you can hear a much heavier set of influences such as on ‘Forms Beyond My Own’, where fuzz laced guitars descend into doom-inspired riffs, becoming more caustic, whilst also hinting at their more experimental influences.
Recorded by long-time friend and esteemed producer Aaron Bastinelli (Fun Sound Studio), ‘Extraterra’ sees Vaureen release their most dynamic and consummate material to date. Speaking about the album, Andrea Horne (vocals/guitar) says, “I came to music from an art background and I have a form of synesthesia. For me the album is highly visual. The title comes from my personal interest in spaces beyond direct perception, both within and without… like Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot and Charles & Ray Eames’ Powers Of Ten.”
Debut albums boasting the dexterity of ‘Extraterra’ are extremely rare. Vaureen refuse strict categorisation and in doing so have produced an incredibly textured record, which is all at once dark, pensive, expansive and airy, and will appeal to many both on and beneath the surface. The new album 'Extraterra' due out 26th October via Rising Pulse Records. WEBSITE.
Pretty much a month to the day since we first encountered Vaureen they return with 'Secret'. Fuzzy guitars build a shoegaze orientated wall of sound, that mellows just a little when the sweeping and atmospheric vocals kick in, this is powerful and impressive music.
Background - Following recent singles ‘White Lines’, ‘My Body’ and ‘This Is My Cue’, 'Just Goes To Show' is the anthemic new cut from Eliza Shaddad’s eagerly-anticipated debut album Future. Like singing the words of her own secret diary aloud, Eliza’s personal truth is laid bare through her smouldering vocals alongside foggy swathes of vintage 90s guitar. Bringing together the brooding melancholy of The Cranberries, Wolf Alice’s understated ferocity and the sincerity of Marika Hackman, the song’s drive will wound and kiss everything better.
“’Just Goes To Show’ is about that gross, desperate, world-ending feeling you get just as you’re being broken up with," offers Eliza of the familiar raw emotions that drive her latest release. “Like many songs on the album it deals with themes of escape and regret, but in a rare case here it’s from the perspective of the person being left behind.”
Returning to the wildest depths of Devon for Future’s recording sessions, Eliza reunited with Mercury-nominated producer Chris Bond, who had worked on her earlier Run and Waters EPs, to give this track its heady post-rock charm.
Equally at home in libraries perusing Scottish murder ballads and sat under baobab trees decoding Arabic scales, Eliza’s music exists through discovery of the world around her. Whether culled from her travels as a nomadic solo musician, touring with jazz group Hansu-Tori, adventures through pop as a vocalist with Clean Bandit, experiencing folk festivals in her teens, or being raised across seven countries throughout Europe and Africa by her Sudanese and Scottish parents, each song collates and celebrates a variety of musical styles. “There’s a wide and wild array of influences coming out on these tracks - typically creating huge dynamic shifts in each song so they’re going from very quiet, which I guess comes from my folk roots, to this huge wall of sound, very likely from the grunge I used to listen to growing up,” Eliza says. TWITTER.
Eliza Shaddad is another artist we have featured just once before ('White Lines' back in April) and her latest single 'Just Goes To Show' is a gorgeous indie rocker that just exudes class. On the strength of the singles shared so far, her debut album is looking very good, to say the least!
Background - Julie Kember shares revealing new single 'Undone' from her upcoming album 'Million Lives'. With critical acclaim, chart success, international TV syncing and awards a-plenty, it is hard not to see Australian songstress Julie Kember as a bona fide overachiever. The beating heart of all her wild success is wonderful music that touches the soul. Built around the gorgeous timbre of her voice, Kember's songs are majestically poetic, cinematic and relatable – providing her with a passport to tour the world. From Tamworth and Boyup Brook, to Nannup and Nashville, Julie Kember's music is at home anywhere it touches the ground.
Capturing her story in all its globetrotting glory, Julie Kember is currently preparing her new album, Million Lives. Some of her revelations on the album are deeply personal and vulnerable. Thumping blues number and first single Undone is a perfect case in point. Written under the storm cloud of anxiety, Julie took the emotion of her struggles as an artist and from them created a metaphor we can all relate to. It is a representation of both the dark tunnel of mental illness, and the light that exists at the end of it. Summoning strength and determination, Undone is the voice of encouragement.
With a WAM Award for Outstanding Regional Artist, and several coveted WA Country Music Awards in her trophy cabinet, it would be easy for people to assume Julie Kember is a genre specialist. Alas, the multi-talented songwriter is better known for a more sophisticated, nuanced sound. Incorporating the best aspects of blues, soul, folk and pop, her music is versatile and creative – expanding beyond one style into a wondrous new thing all its own. Sewn throughout all of Julie Kember's deeply personal songs, this beautiful uniqueness is what makes Undone and the forthcoming Million Lives an exceptional work of art. FACEBOOK.
'Undone' is a fabulous alt country rocker, with Julie Kember's enticing vocals just right for the style. Passionate, mischievous and with a hint or two of attitude, this is put simply, a catchy and appealing song.
Background - Hailing from Melbourne’s inner suburbs comes Mantell, an indie rock quartet set to take on the city’s ever-evolving music scene. The band offers a fresh take on the genre with an alluring mash up of diverging guitars, harmonious base lines and classic seventies drumming, contributing to their unique and modern edge.
A blend of dulcet and upbeat tunes which pay homage to influences including Big Scary, The War on Drugs and Radiohead make up the self-described ‘racket’ that is Mantell. The band had humble beginnings as two brothers jamming in their suburban garage, soon joined by a cousin and a high school friend to complete the outfit.
Officially formed in 2013, Quintin and Connor Tuan, Brayden Filippone and Sam Reader experimented with different styles and utilised an array of techniques before they reached their signature sound for their debut EP thirty two.
The opening track Lulu was recorded at their home studio in their garage over the period of a week with a mix of vintage instruments and analogue recording equipment. Mantell’s take on old school recording techniques is a nod to the music that the boys hear on their favourite albums. Matt Stapleton (of Magic America) mixed the song and helped shape the sound with his unique approach to post production processing and effects.
Lulu captures the carefree essence of youth through a nostalgic lens, with the lyrics creating an evocative narrative. The track drew some of its inspiration from the jangled guitar sound heard in Hockey Dad tracks such as ‘So Tired’. The outro features a guitar solo reminiscent of The War On Drugs- a sound which you can sing along as well as you can a vocal melody. FACEBOOK.
Opening with some steady and rhythmic guitar riffs 'Lulu' seemingly upgrades as soon as the sweeping and melodic vocals begin. The clever synth driven reprise and classic rock drumming throughout add even more, and as my first listen to Mantell, this is a real delight to hear.
Background - Jesika von Rabbit releases Dessert Rock, and the LP title is a funny play on the name of the synth-infused singer-songwriter's home in the California desert. Known as "Queen of the Hi Desert," Jesika von Rabbit has been making fun music about her beloved desert region, but this time she takes a few pokes at her quirky surroundings.
Jesika von Rabbit has a great outlook on life and sense of humor that keeps her fans clamoring and a sense of music that people respond to. Her music has been called enlightening upbeat pop by the critics and her work is familiar to TV watchers, as her catchy tunes are often used on series and TV commercials.
The album opens with the upbeat "Calypso Facto," moves into the social commentary "Palm Springs Livin'," before wending its way through the rest of the selections, all of which are related to her own life.
"Dessert Rock is built on the themes of freedom, adventure and little darkness that all stem frpm personal experience," von Rabbit said. "We all have hard times once in a while but hopefully the good times outshine the rest. Our music is fun with a message. We want the people to have fun and think, too." WEBSITE.
This is one of those "if you like the featured song you must check out the album" moments. 'Calypso Facto' is but one dimension of the whole piece and an addictive one at that. The album is full of upbeat and feel good vibes, it's not without depth and feeling either, in fact there is a considerable amount of ideas packed into the collection, so dig deeper and enjoy...
Background - Abby Zotz contemplates the stories an old house could tell in her second video release from her solo recording, Local Honey. Good Bones, another co-write with long-time collaborator and former Two Roads Home partner Bryan Williston has a warm folk-country feel and features her live band and videography and direction by Ryan Osman.
Ryan's careful attention to detail and the presence of the band create the deep fondness and humour found in real human connection and add depth to the message of the song: “that we stand alone, but within a larger community, and that our bones, like a home's, must be lived in and loved if we're to make any sense of this life.”
Sharing her personal journey with an enchanting voice, soul-touching lyrics and a range of musical styles, Abby Zotz weaves tendrils of hope together with strands of humour, resilience and, ultimately, joy.
A gifted musician and vocal artist, Abby’s message is an uplifting and often poignant expression of the human experience. She explores tiny fragments of life, both the lighter side and the struggle of finding hope in a troubled world. Her songs are at once intimate and relatable.
From classical and world music to country and traditional folk, Abby’s exposure to a medley of styles in her childhood set the tone for a life-long thirst to explore new musical avenues and expand her range. Her multi-faceted career has taken her from the Royal Conservatory of Music Concert Hall to tavern stages to trios and (almost) everywhere in between. WEBSITE.
'Good Bones' and 'Stability' are taken from Abby Zotz's debut solo album 'Local Honey' which has just been released. The music video for 'Good Bones' captures the mood of the song with all it's melodic charm and classic Americana sophistication. I have also included 'Stability' from the album as it helps to demonstrate the musical diversity found within this tasteful collection of tunes, that and it also happens to be my favourite.
Background - It's been a busy year for Warbly Jets: the band released their debut S/T LP last fall, followed it with multiple worldwide tours (including dates opening for Liam Gallagher), and most recently, had their single "Alive" featured as the intro song to the new PS4 game Spider-Man (Marvel / Sony / Insomniac Games.) On the heels of the game's release, they're sharing a new video for their track "Shapeshifter" and announcing preliminary tour dates for 2019.
Warbly Jets are heading back into the studio this month to record the follow-up to their debut LP, due out later this year. With the goal of keeping fans on their toes, they promise that it will be something you're not expecting to hear from the band: "On this new collection of songs, we made an effort to set no particular stylistic boundaries," frontman Samuel Shea explains. "As an artist I believe it's extremely important to make drastic differences as you transition through phases. That was something that Julien [O'Neill] and I talked about from the conception of this band. I hope you always hear what you're not expecting when you listen to a new release from us." WEBSITE.
Warbly Jets on Tour: 1/11 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo 1/12 - San Francisco, CA @ Bottom Of The Hill 1/25 - Las Vegas, NV @ Bunkhouse 1/26 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The State Room
We featured Warbly Jets a couple of times last year and on both occasions were impressed with their somewhat genre defying music. 'Shapeshifter' finds the band in a full on rock and roll mode, with a splashing of psychedelic vibes, as once again they take another musical twist, doing so with this sub two and a half minute musical blaster.
Background - Greek art rock band The Callas don’t just make music, but also films, art shows, and more, and after collaborating with Sonic Youth’s Lee Ranaldo on the soundtrack of their film The Great Eastern, they’ve now also made a collaborative album with him. It’s called Trouble and Desire, and it’s due out on October 26 via Inner Ear and Dirty Water Records.
Lee Ranaldo said: It’s been a pleasure for me to know and collaborate with The Callas on their new album Trouble and Desire – we met a few years ago and I’ve been drawn into their artistic world in Athens. I’m a fan of their visual art tapestries and their art studio/venue and I’ve been having a great time making music with these like-minded travelers. Our collaboration took off quickly and was such a natural fit – we speak the same language and the performances we’ve done together have been a total blast! I love the community of artists that they have gathered around them, and I hope we will do more collaborations in the future.
We’re premiering the title track along with its video, which is mostly made up of performance footage of Lee and the band. This song is a perfect example of how Lee Ranaldo and The Callas “speak the same language” (as Lee put it). It’s got elements of ’60s psych, droning but driving jams, and a speak-sung vocal delivery — all elements that you can also hear in Sonic Youth and Lee’s solo material. WEBSITE.
With a dark and moody opening and the chanting of 'Trouble And Desire' the band launch into some gorgeous and potent rock where the vocals are gritty and determined. The harmonies sweeten things as they add even more hooks, to what is a splendid teaser ahead of next months album release.
Background - A year on from critically acclaimed second album The Nothing (★★★★ - The Independent, ★★★★ - Uncut, ★★★★ - Mojo) The Last Dinosaur return with a re-imagining of the Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab For Cutie) penned Me & Magdalena, written for and recorded by The Monkees for their final album Good Times. It is also their first single for new label, Phases.
Featuring backing vocals from Nettwerk artists Austin Basham and Jack In Water and beautiful lap steel from Nashville resident Hip Hatchet this ode to a love beyond measure is the perfect song to soundtrack the transition between Summer and early Autumn as the warm comforting glow of the evening shifts from the setting of the summer sun to the heat of the camp fire.
The band play the Sebright Arms tomorrow 26th September supporting Horse Feathers and a headline set on the 2nd of Oct at The Finsbury. WEBSITE.
A gentle and refined musical backdrop makes the perfect companion for the intimate vocals on 'Me & Magdalena'. The detail from each musical element stands out with superb clarity and the harmonies add to the heart and soul that this tender song exudes.
Background - Ani Glass releases her new single 'Peirianwaith Perffaith' (Perfect Machinery) on the 26th of October through Recordiau Neb. She will be performing at Pop Montréal on the 28th and 29th of September and will be attending as part of the Focus Wales delegation, supported by PRS Foundation's International Showcase Fund and Wales Arts International.
Ani Glass is back with her new single 'Peirianwaith Perffaith' (Perfect Machinery) underpinned by a tapestry of pulsing and prodding synths, samples and programmed beats bathed in the neon of the city’s industrial glow. Her sublime pirouetting vocal refrains infuses a knowing pop universality into the overwhelming experience of life in the city’s engine room. Ani says it’s about how the “search for identity in a moving city and society insists on a sense of stillness often found in the shadows of progress”.
Released as a single in 2016, the industrial electro-pop of ‘Y Ddawns’ (The Dance) is a rallying call for those seeking inspiration in language and art. Ani followed this with the release of her debut EP ‘Ffrwydrad Tawel’ (Silent Explosion) on Recordiau Neb which included six infectious, socially conscious electronic pop songs. They stand as a document of Ani Glass’s artistic evolution invested with grander themes concerning the Welsh language and politics. A Remix version of the EP was later released and featured reinterpretations by Carcharorion, Cotton Wolf, Plyci and R. Seiliog.
Ani Glass is the persona of Cardiff-based electronic pop musician, producer, artist and photographer, Ani Saunders. Fiercely proud of her heritage, Glass sings in her native languages Welsh and Cornish, and in 2016 released her first solo material with lead single ‘Ffôl’ (Foolish) being chosen as single of the week on BBC Radio Cymru and gaining plays on BBC 6 music.
Ani is also known for her work with The Pipettes, joining in 2008 to record the Martin Rushent-produced Earth Vs. The Pipettes album. Prior to her stint with the polka-dotted pop band, Glass was a member of Genie Queen, managed by OMD’s Andy McCluskey. TWITTER.
'Peirianwaith Perffaith' (Perfect Machinery) is a beautifully landscaped track where the musical layers intertwine gracefully against a steady beat. Ani Glass's vocals melodically flow above on this imaginative and catchy song.
Background - For being such a young artist, Alfreda has already found her true voice. Her single, “Thunder” is a perfect example of this, through revealing vulnerabilities while simultaneously communicating an insecurity we all have to go through.
"Thunder sounds like it's about a competitive dynamic with a friend, which it is, but for me, it's more about that feeling you have when you want to be heard, but don't know how, so you blame other people for stealing your 'thunder' from you. For me, I guess I wanted attention, but I was far too shy and insecure at the time to put myself out there. So I just got a bit jealous when people thrived around me, which is obviously irrational and childish because we should all support each other. But writing the song really helped me get out of that state. Hopefully, the song will connect to fans if they're going through a similar situation, but have trouble identifying or expressing it. I think this is quite a regular feeling for people, and the only way to overcome it is to be more honest with yourself, and kinder to yourself."
Alfreda doesn’t force heart-wrenching emotion into dramatic ballads with message-heavy chants. The intelligently simplistic narrative and R&B crooning throughout “Thunder” helps elevate the single’s more conventional song structures to present a convincing argument that the young songstress will be one making her way to the top very soon.
Alfreda is a singer/songwriter based between London and Berlin. While she now lives in London, she grew up in New York City, which is where her father, a respected poet and playwright encouraged her to start writing. In 2006, she and her family relocated to Sussex, where Alfreda began experimenting with music software and recording her own songs. At 16, she decided to make the move to London to pursue her dream. The next couple of years were spent writing and experimenting different sounds with a producer, as well as getting a band together and playing live shows around the city.
After Alfreda’s longtime collaborator Craig Walker (Power of Dreams, Archive) introduced her to the Berlin music scene, she got to know many new producers and songwriters and now credits her time spent in the German capital for defining her style. Her music features appearances from musicians such as Tyler Pope (LCD Soundsystem) and Knox Chandler (Siouxsie and the Banshees), and she has been produced by Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, PJ Harvey) and Jan van Der Toorn (Outkast, Snoop Dogg, Bryan Adams). FACEBOOK.
Alfreda has one of those voices that quickly resonates and requires closer attention. On 'Thunder' she delivers her lyrics in a natural yet characterful manner. The hooks are everywhere and I sense that Alfreda is going to be gaining far more attention with material of this calibre.
Background - It’s the game of contrasts - visible vs. invisible, dark vs. light, devotion vs. resistance. Neo-soul singer Lui Hill narrates this in his single 'Revolver,’ drawing a parallel to love itself. How long should we fight? When did we fail? Is it time to escape?
Anyone who's been following the musician's work will know that 'Revolver' has already made an entrance as part of a longer story. Hill now concludes this five-part video series and releases a live session for 'Revolver,’ where the singer shows unusually direct, full-force drumming. A contrast to the content of the song? Not really. Lui Hill seems to exude the pain and helplessness conveyed in the lyrics, and for a moment allows viewers to penetrate deeply into the Peron Lui Hill.
The release of the live session fuels the anticipation of his upcoming tour, which will kick off in October and guide him through Europe (dates here). Supported by the artist duo Fye & Fennek, they seamlessly blend in with the contrasts surrounding Lui Hill by adding their own mix of empathetic singer/songwriter mentality with danceable electronic beats.
'Revolver' has appeared on the self-titled album by Lui Hill (release 08.10.) and is part of a five-part video series in which Hill tells his very own version of a fairy tale classic. Inspired by Christian Andersen's, "The Little Mermaid,” the artist takes you to the darkest corners of Los Angeles.
The debut album 'Lui Hill' was eagerly awaited nationally and internationally, following a series of single releases that earned him a spot in major US playlists such as New Music Friday, Weekly Buzz or Young & Free, as well as a faithful following of over 260,000 monthly Spotify listeners. Furthermore, Lui Hill has attracted the attention of internationally acclaimed media such as Earmilk, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Decoded Magazine, Rockerilla and Gaffa.
A slow steady rhythm and stripped back musical backdrop leaves plenty of room for Lui Hill to display his distinct and soulful vocals on this high class live session version of 'Revolver'.
Background - Marvin’s Revenge are a three-piece grunge/alternative rock band from the small town of Wirksworth, Derbyshire. With a distinctly sharp northern slur and a backline reminiscent of the best of DC, Seattle and LA’s music scenes this is just the revenge you were looking for.
They all originate from the town of Wirksworth but mainly play gigs in Nottingham as it is their biggest local city and has a reputable scene for live music. All members have been playing together for around 3 years and have been parts of different bands, but Marvin’s Revenge formed just under a year ago. They have been gigging and writing music together since.
Job (drummer) and Ollie (guitars) first started jamming together 5 years ago as they were in the same music class at school. Luke joined them soon after when he began to learn guitar. All of them went to the same secondary school so through seeing each other every day and developing common interests and friendship they eventually formed a band. Their three favourite bands and main influences are Foo Fighters, The Beatles and Radiohead.
They say about new single ‘Overlook’, “After our release of ‘D’EP’ we decided we wanted to record something in a studio instead of a bedroom. So, we were put into contact with Dubrek studios in Derby and we got straight to it. The single was released last Friday the 21st of September. If we could describe it ourselves we would say it’s a mix of calm, ambient melodies, gritty vocals and powerful drums with contrasting crunchy, bass heavy guitar tones and loud dramatic choruses. We feel that it is not particularly influenced by anything but past influences have had an effect on the creation of it.” FACEBOOK.
Genuine, natural and full of grunge rock passion 'Overlook' is powerful and poignant. Add in some alt rock maturity both musically and with the arrangement and the intense (and fabulous Derbyshire regional accent), and you have a notable song, and a band to keep firmly on your musical radar!
Wovoka Gentle - 1,000 Opera Singers Working In Starbucks.
Background - London trio Wovoka Gentle returns with new single '1,000 Opera Singers Working in Starbucks', out now on Nude. The new single perfectly showcases the band's composite sound, on which solid songwriting nods in different directions to experimental pop, electronics and a touch of psychedelia. Of the song, the band said, "We wanted to make a track that was almost disconcertingly upbeat while essentially being about a last-ditch cry for help. We took quite a lot of inspiration from old kids tv themes, particularly towards the end. The title refers to a kind of nightmare image; we wanted to make a track that was dreamlike, but with the potential to descend into a nightmare".
'1,000 Opera Singers Working in Starbucks' is accompanied by a wonderful animation video, created by Kate Woodland: "My style of animation is playful, I have an interest in exploring nonsensical themes through visual metaphors. The process begins by initially scanning pages from art and culture magazines, using Photoshop I cut out various parts of the images and combine them into a new frame. I manipulate and work into the cut-outs and build the scenes from scratch, frame by frame. I met Wovoka last year after a friend introduced me to the band. We discussed working on something together and after listening to the new track it seemed like a great opportunity to make this happen".
Wovoka Gentle are an experimental three-piece from London, comprised of William Stokes and twins Imogen and Ellie Mason. Taking its root in folk and Americana songwritng, the Wovoka sound draws upon the psychedelic soundscapes of the late 60s as well as contemporary experimental, pop and collage music; marrying classic instrumentation with sampling, analogue synthesis and sound manipulation. WEBSITE.
If we ran a song title of the year competition then '1,000 Opera Singers Working In Starbucks' would without doubt be a contender. Anyhow we don't, we just feature music we like (or love) with this track being firmly on the love side of the scales. Upbeat, creative and oozing charm, this is a touch quirky and a whole lot addictive.
Background - The Wave Pictures return with the promised second album of the year, Look Inside Your Heart - a warm, joyous record celebrating friendship, happiness and drunken party times. In addition to playing their biggest London headline show to date at Koko on 22 November, the band have announced a UK tour in January.
They have now shared the video for first single from the album, “Roosevelt Sykes”. The video was directed by Fraser Watson and features the band walking in the park where they encounter some people dancing. Dave Tattersall describes the song as; “Lyrically, a tribute to Roosevelt Sykes, a giant of piano blues, to all firemen, to my friend Giles, to John Fahey and to my dreams and to all dreams. Musically, an African pop party in the vein of Zimbabwe’s The Four Brothers and The Bhundu Boys but done with absolutely no puritanical slavery at any kind of authenticity or even accuracy.”
Like the first album they released this year, the more contemplative Brushes With Happiness, Look Inside Your Heart was recorded late at night whilst inebriated back at the tiny Booze Cube Studio in Stoke Newington, live to reel-to-reel tape with no computers of any kind. The album is peppered with giggles and chatter, which adds a sense of spontaneity and place.
As singer and guitarist Dave Tattersall explains: ”Look Inside Your Heart is intended as a rallying cry in the war against the machines; while a computer may have beaten world-champion human being Lee Sedol at Go, a machine could never have made music as joyful, spontaneous, happy, poetic, broken and rambunctious as this. Look Inside Your Heart is a bullet in the face of all pop-poseurs and robot wannabes, a die-hard continuation of the vulnerable rebel tradition of rock and roll music, a vibrant work of outsider art and a masterpiece of electric folk.”
Twenty years after forming in Wymeswold, Leicestershire as teenagers, The Wave Pictures have gone on to be one of the UK’s most prolific and beloved bands. Fond of classic rock, jazz and blues, they are also one of the most accomplished, with Tattersall’s guitar solos becoming the stuff of legend. They have collaborated with varying bright stars of the musical firmament, such as last year’s rock’n’roll surf-garage-rock project with Charles Watson from Slow Club, as new band The Surfing Magazines, or their ongoing partnership with ex-Herman Dune member Stanley Brinks, or the very close partnership with Billy Childish for 2015’s Great Big Flamingo Burning Moon.
They first experimented with recording an album all in one go, straight to tape with 2016’s acoustic A Season In Hull. They took the concept further with Brushes With Happiness, making sure that it was a magical album that was completely improvised, with no songs written in advance echoing the jazz and blues recordings that they admire. WEBSITE.
If Talking Heads were an traditional African band then 'Roosevelt Sykes' might just be their song. However it firmly belongs to The Wave Pictures, and it's a joyous lovable and exceptionally catchy affair. The video adds some more, as the bands talent seemingly pours out in all directions.
Background - Britpop icons Suede are delighted to announce their eighth studio album, The Blue Hour. Produced and mixed by Alan Moulder at Assault & Battery Studios, The Blue Hour is the follow up to the band’s hugely acclaimed UK top ten 2016 LP, Night Thoughts.
The Blue Hour is an expansive, ambitious work which, like Night Thoughts, was written as a continuous piece, although there are fourteen distinct, thematically linked songs on the record. The album sees Suede continue to explore new ground sonically; featuring a choir and spoken word, as well as string arrangements from the band’s Neil Codling, and one from Craig Armstrong (The Invisibles). Armstrong previously worked with the band on their 1996 LP Coming Up, and on films such as Romeo + Juliet and The Bone Collector.
The stirring presence of the iconic City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, which was integral to the recording of The Blue Hour, is one of the album’s most significant touches. The Blue Hour is the final part of the triptych of albums recorded by the band since they reformed and released 2013’s Bloodsports. The record is also complemented by some of the subject matter of Brett Anderson’s recent memoir, Coal Black Mornings.
The band explain: “The Blue Hour is the time of day when the light is fading and night is closing in. The songs hint at a narrative but never quite reveal it and never quite explain. But as with any Suede album, it’s always about the songwriting. The band, the passion and the noise: The Blue Hour.”
All the hallmarks of a classic Suede album are present on The Blue Hour, but everything seems to have opened up into a genuinely progressive, expansive and definitive body of work. Brett Anderson’s immediately recognisable vocal delivery and distinctive lyrics are more assured than ever, whilst the music sees the band play at the peak of their powers, with a visceral, brooding sense of dynamic and drama that is theirs alone. WEBSITE.
The final track on Suede's eighth studio album is 'Flytipping' a song that helps showcase 'The Blue Hour', the bands stunning new album. I've been a fan of the bands music since I first heard them back in 1993 (yep it's that long ago), and it's not that they particularly need Beehive Candy's support for any of their releases, but the sheer and consistent quality that is present continually across the new album is quite breathtaking. So much so, that I am excited and in turn compelled to run a feature.
It would be easy to write a cliche like "this is a real return to form from the band" however in fairness I don't think they have ever lost their creative instinct, rather with this collection of music, they have upped their game even further. At a time when many are questioning if whole albums are still relevant, Suede have produced one that really does deserve to be listened to in full, or as one whole piece. The above promotional background tells us more and it's a very fair & honest summary of the band and their work.
Background - Instrumental violin rockers Armonite hail from Pavia, Italy, a place entrenched in musical history. Like their classical predecessors, they employ no voice, lyrics or guitars in their compositions, yet the band actively pushes their craft forward with a blend of electronic, world, and progressive rock.
Spearheaded by the duo of composer Paolo Fosso and violinist Jacopo Bigi, both classically-trained musicians, Armonite seeks to tap into a modern universal language, removing all barriers to reveal a sound that is visceral and direct. While Jacopo was obtaining his Master’s in Violin Performance, pushing the boundaries of classical protocol by using the electric violin to achieve a distorted guitar tones, Paolo was mining the burgeoning technological side of music. “Since I was a child, I’ve loved music tech” Paolo reflects. “Programming in Basic on the Commodore-64, moving into sampling on a 4-Channel, I’ve followed it all the way into the bleeding edge of modern sequencers.”
The duo officially formed the band in 2015, inspired by their shared love of the great literary and cinematic works of the modern age. Their debut LP, The Sun is New Each Day, set them up for a successful tour through the UK, Italy, and Switzerland. When the tour dust settled, the band focused their energy on building their YouTube channel, publishing renditions of modern themes from Game of Thrones, Pirates of the Caribbean, Suspiria, and Metal Gear Solid. These viral videos garnered the attention of LA-based indie label Cleopatra Records who signed on to release Armonite’s newest album And the Stars Above.
“Our goal is to capture and raise the imagination” Paolo asserts. “Everyday life can be so saturated with cynicism, sometimes we need a ladder to the stars - a reminder that we can live on the vertical dimension of life, high above the surface level.” WEBSITE.
Two tracks are featured 'Freaks' and 'Clouds Collide' which collectively help give a fuller feel for Armonite. 'Freaks' opens gently with piano, soon to be joined by violin and other musical layers as it builds spectacularly. The vocals on 'Clouds Collide' takes this track in a very different directions as does the sprightly musical arrangement.
Background - NYC's Charly Bliss have released a song titled "Heaven," a staple of their live show. Of the song, Eva Hendricks says: "'Heaven' is one of the first songs I wrote after Guppy, and to me it sounds like the ending of one phase of our sound before we knew what was going to come next.
We played it live every night of our album release tour and it was really incredible to see the way people reacted to and connected with the song. It's our first love song, and I basically had to force myself to write the lyrics as a songwriting challenge to myself.
I think I was always worried that songwriting was something that only existed to me as a coping mechanism, and that once I was happy I wouldn't have anything interesting to say or write about. I'm proud of the sweetness and simplicity of this song, and we're super happy to release it finally!" Charly Bliss will be touring the US with Death Cab For Cutie later this month and throughout October. WEBSITE.
'Heaven' is a powerful rocker where the band are gutsy and make an intriguing alternative to the melodic and seductive vocals. That said, Eva Hendricks is more than able to ride out the musical onslaught, on this addictive rock and roll song.
Background - Dan Franklin is a Los Angeles based artist/actor/producer/songwriter/composer. As a multi-instrumental performer, Dan Franklin spans every genre, playing with everyone from Slashto LeAnn Rimes on every stage from Disneyland to the Grand 'Ole Opry.
He has produced albums, singles and videos for many artists including Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars) which has millions of views on YouTube.
In addition to playing well with others, Dan has released several albums and singles as a solo artist. His album 'The Best Ride of Your Life' was funded by a very successful Kickstarter campaign that enabled him to record at Abbey Road Studios in the UK, and enlist some of the finest musicians Los Angeles has to offer, including Vinnie Colaiuta, Wayne Bergeron, and Andy Martin. He recently released his 3rd studio album, Pieces, featuring the single "Heartbreaker".
Dan Franklin has had his scores featured on Fox, MTV, VH1, CBS, NBC, Comedy Central, as well as the big screen. His acting life has found him roles in short films, commercials, as well as the upcoming feature film 'The Haunted Man'. WEBSITE.
Opening with some very slick bluesy guitar riffs 'Heartbreaker' soon adds in some melodic hooks as Dan Franklin's vocals start to make their unique mark. The video adds to the story line, as the rock and roll digs in deep.
Background - Doe Paoro has released a sultry new song and video 'Cage Of Habits' the latest taste from her forthcoming album ‘Soft Power’, out 19th October on ANTI- Records.
Co-written by Doe (nee Sonia Kreitzer) and Wynne Bennett of Twin Shadow, 'Cage of Habits' is her most confident plunge into soul-inspired pop to date, packed with brassy instrumentation, infectious rhythms and ecstatic gospel harmonies.
“A short phrase or one line can inspire an entire song because of the conviction that the specific phrase is something that needs to exist in the world,” she says. “In this case, it is the title of the song, and it was a total fluke: I was corresponding with a friend in Berlin, whose first language was German, and asked him how he was doing and he wrote something along the lines of ‘Oh, everything is too much the same, the usual parties and my cage of habits.’”
To accompany the track, Doe Paoro has released a gritty video directed by Austin Roa (Jade Bird, Hippo Campus) and shot in Dallas, TX. "This song feels so raw to me and I wanted to embrace that by not relying on anything outside of myself to convey the gravity of it, which is why it’s so minimal,” says Doe. “The alone-ness of it is intended to reflect the solo nature of overcoming our own loops." WEBSITE.
Doe Paoro's vocals are gorgeously distinct as they simply demand you stop and listen. 'Cage of Habits' mixes soul, blues and emotive feelings together the resulting sound becoming very contagious, with the video conveying all of this and more.
Background - Australian psych band Stonefield just kicked off their North American tour, which includes co-headlining dates with Frankie and the Witch Fingers, a 7" release show in NYC, and a performance at Desert Daze (see below for all upcoming dates.) They're touring in support of their third LP, Far From Earth, released earlier this year on King Gizzard's Flightless Records.
To celebrate, the band has shared a new video for album track "In The Eve," which is just as hypnotizing as the song itself.
Made up of sisters Amy, Hannah, Sarah, and Holly Findlay, Stonefield's sound pays homage to the prog, metal, and psych powerhouses of the '70s while remaining uniquely their own. Their latest album was produced by Stephen McBean (Black Mountain) and features Rob Campanella (Brian Jonestown Massacre) and Gregg Forman (Cat Power.)
Tour Dates:
9/22 - Denver, CO @ The Hi-Dive** 9/23 - Lawrence, KS @ Replay Lounge** 9/24 - Davenport, IA @ The Raccoon Motel** 9/25 - Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen** 9/26 - Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop Bar** 9/27 - Detroit, MI @ Deluxx Fluxx** 9/28 - Toronto, ON @ Night Owl Fest** 9/29 - Brooklyn, NY @ Baby's All Right (Greenway 7” release show)** 9/30 - Winooski, VT @ The Monkey House 10/2 - New York, NY @ Berlin 10/3 - New York, NY @ Berlin 10/6 - Mexico City, Mexico @ Hipnosis Festival 10/10 - Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon 10/11 - Tijuana, Mexico @ Marko Disko (w/ King Gizzard) 10/13 - Moreno Beach, Lake Perris, CA @ Desert Daze.
This is our third feature for Stonefield in less than a year with the new music video for 'In The Eve'. Their simmering rock and roll tension is given some melodic reprieve on this song, allowing the vocals and harmonies more space as the psychedelic vibes slowly expand, fabulous!
Background - British cult outfit The Venus Fly Trap have announced they will release their new 'Icon' LP via Glass Modern Records. This Bladerunner rock n roll sees post-punk fuse with dark electronica envisioned through rose-tinted shades and dark acidic visions.
Founded in Northampton by Alex Novak (vocals) and Andrew Denton (guitar, programming) in 1986 after Novak parted company with darkwave post-punk band Attrition, mythology has always been part of The Venus Fly Trap's psyche, alongside space and science fiction. This is music created for imaginary films for your mind.
The Venus Fly Trap emerged from the same fold as Bauhaus, with Novak having attended art school with three-quarters of the band and gigging alongside Bauhaus in several previous bands. Bauhaus' Kevin Haskins would later produce the band's 1989 EP 'Rocket USA / Cloud 9 / Opium War' and co-produced the 'Shedding Another Skin' LP (1992) with Pat Fish (The Jazz Butcher). Fish also produced their 'Pandoras Box' album (1991).
Produced by Martin Bowes of Attrition fame and also Pigface, the new 'Icon' album follows the 'Nemesis' LP (2008) and 'Metamorphosis', which released on limited red vinyl in 2016. The Venus Fly Trap draws inspiration from many sources, including psychedelia via post punk electronica, reggae via Bauhaus, film noir, The Velvet Underground, Joy Division, The Doors, Sisters of Mercy and Nine Inch Nails.
About this new album, Alex Novak says, "I was inspired by ancient mythology how it has been subverted via cinema and TV screen idols / godesses..and the nature of fame via TV and the internet... the fascination of being famous for being famous, drawing on what Warhol said "in the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes'. WEBSITE.
With no disrespect to the other artists featured in this round up, we are finishing on something of a high today with The Venus Fly Trap and the opening and title track 'Icon' and the second piece 'Vitesse' both from next weeks album release. Both songs uniquely include spoken words by Sylvie Denton which adds some additional feel, the band are however pretty much on fire throughout, starting from a post punk central plank and going off in so many directions (psych, electronica, reggae and more). All brand new material, the bands creative juices are all apparent throughout, on this glorious musical journey.
Background - Dahlia Sleeps return with the news of new EP ‘Love, Lost’ - set for release December 3rd via Beatnik Creative. Recorded and produced in the band’s own basement studio in South London, the EP news arrives today alongside the release of its stunning lead single, ‘Storm’.
Written about the blurred boundaries that we so often encounter when two hearts or two bodies meet, it’s a song that was formed initially on the piano in singer Lucy Hill’s living room. Luke Hester, the bands producer then built the beautiful instrumental piece around it the very next day. Hester's haunting, skeletal electronic production, paired with Hill’s delicate, soulful vocal make for a stunning partnership - and signifies a new dawn for the band.
“It’s a song that feels truly us - I feel this comfort in it that I don’t think I’ve felt before”, says Lucy. “I’ve been reading a tonne of poetry in the last year or so and that's massively inspired me to step up in my writing. When you’re telling a story thats important to you, each word has to count for something. I think that philosophy runs through everything we’ve created on this upcoming EP.”
Speaking on Storm's video accompaniment singer Lucy Hill said: "The directors Ruby and Leo did such a beautiful job exploring the emotions that 'Storm' brings up. We wanted to keep the video super simple when translating those emotions onto screen - they are such a universal struggle but they play out differently in each of us. I hope the video captures that for people."
Already drawing comparisons with London Grammar, The XX, Daughter and Cat Power from the blogosphere, on the forthcoming new EP 'Love, Lost' - Dahlia Sleeps zero in on painful human emotion, combining intimacy and defiance. TWITTER.
Soulful, passionate and beautifully arranged and produced, 'Storm' is a moving and enticing song, where the heartfelt vocals and sensitive musical backdrop work so well together. The video adds more, matching the mood of the song, whilst providing an additional dimension to the track.
Background - This is Foxhole’s third and final new single “Count Basie and His Daughter’s Shoes”, taken from Well Kept Thing, the bands’ first new album since 2006. The rhythmic seed for “Count Basie and His Daughter’s Shoes” — a sampling of ’30s era big bands, cut, shifted and reversed beyond recognition — was born in the same small coffee shop in Bowling Green, KY where Foxhole cut their teeth; nearly two decades later, it’s now owned by a band member and serves as the de facto HQ for the group. The three-act structure of the song takes listeners from a post-apocalyptic speed-racer vibe to a melodic interlude with soaring trumpets recorded in a pond-side cabin in rural Massachusetts, bridging the dissonance of the intro with the quiet, resolved meditation of the end. As far as what Count Basie himself had to do with any of it, that particular motivation has long receded from memory. Hope you can give it a spin and keep the band in mind for Beehive Candy, would love to figure something out since they’ve been on hiatus for so long… until now!
Continuing in the vein of the videos set to vintage film for their previous singles “Noble Scales” and “After the Walk”, the band is also sharing a music video for “Count Basie and His Daughter’s Shoes”. Utilizing footage pulled from the eponymous 1926 German silent film, the video for Foxhole’s latest single accompanies Faust as he strikes a deal with Mephisto in a blood contract, exchanging his soul for power and glory. It’s a tempting offer, especially as the people around him are taken to the grave by the plague... and Faust is well-meaning, but like any good person, he infamously finds out best intentions have opened the door to his own greed, lust, and ambition - a timeless tale!
Written across 12 years, five states and three countries, Well Kept Thing is a sonic autobiography, telling the story of a band growing up and journeying apart, while fighting against distance and the demands of adulthood to preserve their friendship. It's the culmination of more than a decade of writing, recording, revising and waiting. As members started new careers (as a coffee shop owner, a farmer and commercial fisherman, a creative director, an admission to MIT’s Media Lab), married, had children and continued their nomadic tendencies, with members living around the globe, each change brought a new perspective on a growing repository of ideas. Slowly, a new writing process emerged, and with it, a new aesthetic. WEBSITE.
'Count Basie and His Daughter's Shoes' is our second song feature for Foxhole following on from 'After The Walk' back in late July. As mentioned previously their material is predominately instrumental, however as the latest song demonstrates, there is nothing lacking as a result, in fact it enables our imagination to thrive, particularly when accompanied by a video like this!
Background - "The Zeppelin" is the new single by Sarah Nixey (Black Box Recorder), taken from her forthcoming album Night Walks, which is out on 5 October via Black Lead Records. Against the backdrop of wartime England, "The Zeppelin" tells the story of a woman battling with the end of a love affair. Nixey is releasing it as a four track EP comprising the single, two definitive remixes and a live studio version.
Night Walks is a glittering, nocturnal album, written whilst struggling with insomnia, the songs are set in a metropolitan sub-world where everyone dodges the dangers of reality. The lyrics describe episodes that take place over one night, spanning several decades, in a tiny enclave, at the heart of London's bohemia. Night Walks is a modern, sophisticated album, rooted in classic record making.
Nixey won over audiences as the singer of darkly glamorous pop group Black Box Recorder at the turn of the 21st Century, along with fellow band members Luke Haines (The Auteurs) and John Moore (The Jesus and Mary Chain). The band just released a box set of all three albums called Life Is Unfair via One Little Indian.
Since then, Nixey has honed her own musical voice with an eclectic solo career. Night Walks arrives seven years since her second solo album Brave Tin Soldiers, which was described by The Independent as “a thing of subtle gorgeousness,” and Uncut called it an “understated triumph.” Her debut solo album Sing, Memory, from 2007, was praised by CD UK who said; “In a time before Alison Goldfrapp and perhaps Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Sarah Nixey was the closest thing you’d get to royalty in the charts.” WEBSITE.
Back in July we featured 'Coming Up For Air' and commented that it was "a song that has timeless pop sensibilities, an imaginative arrangement and vocals that are enticing and just cannot be resisted". Now we have 'The Zeppelin' a moving, atmospheric and fascinating piece, where the lyrics are as important as the gorgeous vocals and creative musical backdrop, as they combine and sink there musical hooks in very deep.
