Berries - Aistis - Will Johnson - Oslo Twins

Photo Derek Bremner

Berries - Narrow tracks.

In their new video for “Narrow Tracks”, Berries splice fuzzy live footage together with shots of lead vocalist Holly Carter ripping up jigsaws, devouring books backwards, and walking the pavement like a tightrope in her crimson Converse. Each shot reflects the indecision and doubt that runs throughout the song’s lyrics, with many playing in reverse or at an unnatural speed.

“Doubts tingle with the facts, like passing trains on narrow tracks,” the band sing as the video cuts to live shots of the band performing at their BBC Introducing session earlier this year. The new release also acts as a lyric video, layering handwriting-style text over each shot.

The band explain the themes of the song: “'Narrow Tracks' is a song for anyone who struggles with OCD. It speaks of those tingling doubts, the constant stream of dark thoughts and the longing to be able to do the simplest of tasks, but ultimately it’s an optimistic track. It’s about fighting back and finding strength to keep those thoughts at bay.”

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Photo - Sophia Perras

Aistis - Nothing Here Ever Changes.

Art-folk songwriter Aistis delves deeper into theatrical arrangements and introspective lyricism in his most ambitious work yet. Using wit and candour as mortar and pestle to grind the ego into finer granules of inner truth, Lithuanian-Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Aistis returns with his third full-length album, Caviar For Seagulls.

With “Caviar For Seagulls” Aistis has conjured up a sweeping odyssey that delves deep into the complexities of the human experience. His latest compilation is a poignant testament to the power of storytelling, evoking the lyrical mastery of Leonard Cohen and David Berman. As Aistis weaves together folk traditions and theatrical flourishes, he creates an immersive world where vulnerability and theatricality entwine, giving birth to a deeply personal yet universally resonant collection of tracks.

From the whimsical "Nothing Here Ever Changes" to the soul-stirring "Rejoice", and the poignant ode to Leonard Cohen in "86/Dove", Aistis takes listeners on a sonic journey that is both deeply introspective and cinematically grand. Even in the midst of exploring the darker corners of human struggle, the artist finds solace in the words "A part of me believes the best is yet to come". This album is a masterclass in blending melancholy and resilience, crafting a sonic tapestry that is both sorrowful and hopeful. Aistis cements his status as a singular voice in alternative folk, leaving an indelible mark on the genre, with “Caviar For Seagulls”.

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Photo - Jackie Lee Young

Will Johnson - Floodway Fall.

Prolific Texas songwriter Will Johnson announces his 10th solo album, Diamond City, today, sharing the lead single “Floodway Fall.” The Centro-matic frontman and current member of Jason Isbell’s band The 400 Unit, writes: “The idea for ‘Floodway Fall’ cropped up before a summer 2022 rehearsal with Scott Danbom. We were still setting up, getting sounds and levels. I remember him looking out the window, loosely playing along on his fiddle, likely unaware that I was recording it. I quickly forgot about it, then stumbled across it a few months later and decided to see the song through. For the most part, it's a small town document of tension, travel, and ultimately undying love.”
 
The lead track on the album unfolds with Johnson’s distinct cinematic sound, bolstered by longtime collaborator Britton Beisenherz’s production contributions. In the past year Will Johnson has shared stages with Guided By Voices, Alejandro Escovedo, Little Mazarn, and Renée Reed. Next month his full band Will Johnson & Wire Mountain will play SoCo Stomp at C-Boy’s in Austin, TX on Wednesday, March 12th.

Diamond City, out April 4th on Keeled Scales, surveys mythical places whose spirit dwells among barren Midwestern landscapes and stark Southern outlands, reflecting the hollows of Johnson’s childhood in southern Missouri and the spartan Texas expanse where he now lives. Like many towns that line America’s midsection, Diamond City’s fancy name belies its reality. As  with albums such as John Prine’s “John Prine” or Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska,” Diamond City’s vast fortune is found in its gritty folk tales — of hovering ghosts, open wounds, tender hearts, little jokes, and the everyday people and scenery that compose a cracked iconography. Like Muhlenberg County, Kentucky or Mahwah, New Jersey, Diamond City is a place that people may leave but never truly escape.

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Photo - Freya Davies

Oslo Twins - I Wake Up Slowly.

Bristol-formed, London-based outfit Oslo Twins today release new single 'I Wake Up Slowly' a riveting, pulsating new taste of forthcoming EP 'Tresor', out 14th March via Half-Normal Records.

Produced by band members Eric C. Davies and Claudia Vulliamy in their east London studio, new EP 'Tresor' highlights a rejuvenated sonic depth for the London outfit - drawing influence from Nation Of Language, Angel Olsen, This Mortal Coil, Everything But The Girl, Lamb, Chromatics, Grace Ives and Ladytron.

New single 'I Wake Up Slowly' is thudding and transportive - "Plunging in plum coloured sleep / Bruises from another dream" sings Claudia Vulliamy, drifting between the spiralling, minimalist synth-pop arrangements.

Speaking on the song's lyrical inspiration, Claudia Vulliamy said: "In a sense it’s about beginning to move after being stuck inside your head, going from something statuesque to something dynamic. That’s why the upbeat rhythm and pace of it, the syncopation and the repetition, felt essential. But it’s also about literally waking up and trying to remember something that felt significant to your sleeping self. For me, the deepest sleep produces dreams that feel deep purple, a colour that matches the sound of a deep, rumbling bass and sometimes feels like a bruise upon waking."

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Elizabeth M. Drummond - Claude - Berries

Elizabeth M. Drummond - Crisis.

Getting lost in a window into somebody else's own existential crisis shouldn’t feel as joyful as it’s made to sound in Elizabeth M. Drummond’s sensational first steps as a solo artist. In her aptly named debut single out today titled “Crisis”, you’ll find a track that runs on the pure adrenaline that came from her own self-realisations and the honest reactions that followed.  Drummond was formerly a member of the critically acclaimed band Little May, who toured with The National & City and Colour, whilst headlining their own headline shows across the globe.

Speaking about the song Drummond said, “I wrote Crisis when I had moved cities after leaving Little May and a long relationship. I felt like everything I ever identified with had just exploded in front of me. I also realised I had been living on auto-pilot for as long as I could remember, and that I had been ignoring what I actually wanted for my life. At this point, I had started to feel a huge amount of relief and humour in surrendering to the idea that things couldn’t get any worse. In many ways I felt like I had become “no one”, and this started to become liberating. This song marks that time and those feelings for me.”

The song was written between Sydney & Melbourne, however, It was in Melbourne that she took it to her friend James Seymour for his opinion and he then went on to co-produce Crisis.  Drummond said “ We co-produced the rest of the song together at Small Time (a studio in Brunswick, Melbourne). We threw everything at it, and most of it didn’t work. Liam Gough (from The Teskey Brothers) played drums on this one. His playing really informed where everything else was going to sit dynamically. Zac Barter played strings on it, and that really added another layer of depth and weirdness to the song that I loved. As much as I like the song, I’m relieved I never have to produce it again - it was a bit of a pain in the arse.”

Ask Drummond who she is and she’ll describe herself as a self-confessed misfit with an anxious disposition. Her plans of pursuing a career in acting were sidelined by the breakout success of her band Little May, which she had started with her childhood friends. Their first release took off, a record produced by Aaron Dessner of The National followed and this inevitably led to them touring the world… It was fast, furious and it took its toll. Elizabeth M. Drummond pulled the ripcord, not for any selfish ambitions but to seek the time to repair herself, regain a sense of identity and beyond the band environment, to recover from the bruises of a few poisonous relationships.

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Claude - twenty something.

Claude—the Chicago based existential dream pop solo project of Claudia Ferme has announced that her debut full-length album, a lot’s gotta change, will be released on August 12th, 2022 via American Dreams Records.

Produced and engineered with Michael Mac (Tenci, Tasha, Devin Shaffer, Mia Joy), the album includes contributions from fellow Chicago musicians such as Dustin Laurenzi (Twin Talk, Bon Iver), Vivian McConnell (V.V. Lightbody), Maria Jacobson (Fran), among many others, and was mixed and mastered by Andrew Weathers.

“This album is a snapshot of my early-to-mid twenties — formative, sometimes confusing years,” says Claude. “I can pinpoint specific experiences and instances that correlate with each song. Yet, I was frustrated I still didn’t have things figured out like I thought I should and that things weren’t working out the way I’d hoped they would.” Through catchy hooks, wistful production, and deadpan humor, lead single “twenty something” reflects Claude's frustrations of society’s expectations when faced with reality, which is represented visually with an accompanying music video directed by Reilly Drew.

Regarding the video, Claude shared the following: “I wanted to explore the ‘snapshot’ aspect of the album and way of concretizing experiences through the different landscapes and outfits you see throughout. The emptiness and the surreal and dream-like quality of these spaces serve as a representation of my internal environment. I’m alone in each scene, on some strange kind of journey, walking, thinking, looking inward, even when I’m surrounded by people.”

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Berries - Haze.

Berries have unleashed a third cut from their debut album ‘How We Function’. Rhythmic and rambunctious in equal measure, meticulous new track “Haze” seesaws between infectious and ansty in a beat and evokes how unexpected the onset of intrusive thoughts and mental hurdles can be.

Just as biting as earlier tracks “We Are Machines” and “Wall of Noise”, albeit with a more measured edge, the new track showcases the band’s tight musicianship and ability to find optimism and craft an arresting melody in a tough time.

“”Haze” represents the barriers we often put up and how scary but also uplifting it can be when they break down. The “Haze” descends when least expected and is hard to fight through, but it’s important to recognise the strength it takes to open up and fight past the intrusive thoughts and be the best version of yourself.”

Blending gravelly garage rock stylings with uplifting hooks and a hopeful vision for the future, “Haze” arrives as a third glimpse into Berries’ forthcoming debut  ‘How We Function’ — an album ostensibly about mental health struggles and the resounding empowerment of overcoming and learning to live thoroughly with them.

Having sieved the last four years of their lives through tight, crunchy guitar lines and puncturing rhythmic patterns, ‘How We Function’ explores the band’s musical and emotional DNA revealing what it takes to not only overcome personal problems but set yourselves down a path to being truly independent in sound, ambition, heart and mind. “We really couldn’t have put more into it,” adds Holly, “we are so proud of the end result.”


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Elle Celeste - BERRIES - The Local Honeys

Elle Celeste - So Few.

Calgary-based singer/songwriter Elle Celeste releases the second single, “So Few,” from her debut solo album Call On Me, due out in Autumn 2022. Much like the title track, shared back in March, “So Few” offers another powerful glimpse of Elle Celeste’s stunning artistic vision that combines familiar folk-rock elements with cinematic atmospherics, all propelled by her haunting voice, reminiscent of Cat Power’s Chan Marshall and Sharon Van Etten.

“This song was inspired by the original Blade Runner from 1982,” Elle Celeste says. “I enjoy the gloom and dread in the film and the feeling that everyone is just existing. Vangelis did an incredible job on the score. I tried to emulate his synth tone in the intro. Overall, this track is my ode to the rise of machines.”
Elle Celeste’s new material builds on the “21st Century folk music” approach of her former band Copperhead that blended punk, ambient and electronic sounds with traditional elements. She wrote eight of Call On Me’s nine tracks, later crafting them with longtime musical collaborator Kirill Telichev and producer Casey McMechan, better known as the electronica artist Tyrek. 

Beginning in December 2019, the trio assembled Call On Me over the next 18 months, building sonic landscapes to complement Elle Celeste’s unflinching lyrics, many based on her personal experiences. “I feel I’ve matured in almost every way making this record,” Elle Celeste adds. “It’s motivated me to keep looking for ways to connect my experiences and song concepts with audiences.” 

In all, Call On Me provides a dramatic first impression of a dynamic new voice on the Canadian independent music scene. With an ear trained to the past, but with her eyes firmly set on the future, Elle Celeste is an artist with unlimited potential.

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BERRIES - We Are Machines.

BERRIES have unveiled their latest  single ‘We Are Machines’ taken from their forthcoming debut LP ‘How We Function’ (out 8 July 2022).

Once more tackling a hard-hitting theme head on with a razor-sharp blend of fuzzy guitars, driving riffs and gritty rock melodies, ‘We Are Machines’ arrives as BERRIES announce the release of their first cohesive full-length record ‘How We Function’, out 8 July 2022 via Xtra Mile Recordings.

Tracing the thread of guttural garage-rock that ran through earlier single ‘Wall of Noise’ — but lacing it with a more infectious sort of optimism — ‘We Are Machines’ blends jagged noise-driven instrumentals with a rhythmic guitar riff and catchy, convulsing melodies that wriggle in the head long after the track has come to a close. The track itself grapples with the struggles we as humans face in a society hell-bent on dehumanising individuals.

As BERRIES explain: “It is a song about struggling in a demanding society and being exploited by people who have little empathy or concern for your well-being. The song touches on how we are forced to become machines, trying to maintain an impossible level of perfection and how we need to fight against this. Admitting we are only human and finding the strength to stand up and push for balance and rights. In turn, becoming a different type of machine.”

With its expert alloy of barbed guitar lines, polished yet anarchic and densely layered rhythms and melodious vocals, ‘We Are Machines’ is a skillful second glimpse into BERRIES’ forthcoming debut ‘How We Function’ — an album ostensibly about mental health struggles and the resounding empowerment of overcoming and learning to live thoroughly with them.

Of the new record songwriter, guitarist and vocalist Holly explains: “The album is about strength and growth, and recognising the dark times and how you get over them. We’ve got over a lot of mental health struggles, but we wanted the album to have an empowering vibe to it as well. This is our journey to growth. Mental health is not a shadow over what you’re doing — this is really healthy and we can talk about this stuff.”

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The Local Honeys - Dead Horses.

When a master songsmith like Tom T. Hall calls someone “a great credit to a wonderful Kentucky tradition,” it’s time to pull up a chair and pay attention. As it pertains to the nearly-decade-running duo The Local Honeys, he was right on the money. The duo—Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs—have long been an integral part of Kentucky’s musicscape, and on July 15th, they’ll be adding a new entry into the Bluegrass State’s rich musical canon. Their first release on La Honda Records (Colter Wall, Riddy Arman, Vincent Neil Emerson), The Local Honeys features ten winsome vignettes of rural Kentucky, conjuring 90’s alternatives sounds with hillbilly Radiohead lilts, soaring above layers of deep grooves and rich tones masterfully curated by longtime mentor Jesse Wells, a GRAMMY-nominated producer, musician (currently a member of Tyler Childers’ band The Food Stamps), and Assistant Director at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State.

Today, The Local Honeys shared their first taste of the new album with “Dead Horses,” an emotional look at the tragedy of animal husbandry. With lines like “Suppose we’re all just animals with slightly different hides,” Stokely displays a cut and dried existence on the farm and the world at large while drums and banjo meld together propelling the tune from verse to verse. The accompanying music video finds Stokley and Hobbs surrounded by nostalgic photos of their equine counterparts, contributed by the band’s fanbase, adding weight to the meaning of the song itself. The“Dead Horses” video can be viewed right here and pre-order or pre-save The Local Honeys ahead of its July 15th release at this link.

Over the years, The Local Honeys have paid their dues, garnering countless accolades and accomplishments (tours with Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, praise from the New York Times), and have become the defining sound of real deal, honest-to-god Kentucky music. With The Local Honeys, Stokley and Hobbs ended up with the most nuanced, moody, deep-holler sound they have captured to date. “This is the first time we’ve actively gotten to express who we are and where we’re from” says Linda Jean, “The songs on the album speak for us,” adds Montana “they’re about what we know, reflections of us as people. We realized we have the power to add our own narrative into Kentucky music.”

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Varvara - Martha Ffion - Amaroun - Berries

Varvara - Anxiety.

Background - Varvara have released their new single 'Anxiety' and announce the new album 'Go'. Varvara from Hamina, South-East Finland have come a long way since the release of their debut album back in 2011. Varvara was originally formed by main songwriter and guitarist-vocalist Mikko Kiri in 2007 when moving back to his old childhood neighborhood after studies around Finland. Mikko wanted to start a band that would locate in Hamina and gather its’ influences from the late 90s and early 2000s; a period he had first gotten actively involved in music.

Soon Mikko found himself among friends and decided to name the band after a statue they used to gather round before nights of misbehaving. Varvara Schantin (1870-1941), the hometown hero who that statue represents, was born in Russia but became an important figure in the small town of Hamina. Schantin handed out food and refreshments to soldiers as they were preparing for war and their possible date with destiny. Varvara's beginnings were humble, but the band quickly became more than a friendly pastime as demo releases became picked up on by various sections of the Finnish music media. With the help of an old friend Tommi Muhli, Varvara helped establish Haminian Sounds, a collective of musicians which releases music from local acts including Varvara and organizes events to cheer up the small town’s nightlife.

Since then Varvara's output, three albums and an EP, has slowly been recognized as a distinctive collection that harnesses diverse influences into a unique sound. The 2016 album ”Death Defying Tricks” was the bands first release actively promoted outside Finland. The album represented a self-confident band with an exceptional sense of melody amongst a series of quirky details. Combining off kilter rock shapes to straight-up rock, Death Defying Tricks collected nothing but praise in domestic and international rock media. Following the release the band also made their first shows outside the Finnish borders.

Now Varvara is ready to unleash their upcoming fourth full-length album ”GO” to be released February 2018 under their own Haminian Sounds imprint. The new album ”GO” as a whole is about that moment when summer turns into autumn. This reality hits you right in the face reminding that the calm and relaxation of summer is over. From time to time there is a strong contrast between energetic rock tracks and gloomy lyrics. Produced and mostly recorded by the band themselves ”GO” offers an intriguing mix of aggressive garage and melodic rock sounds. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We have featured Varvara once before getting on for a year ago, and now we have a foretaste of the bands new 'Go' album with the single 'Anxiety'. This is one of those songs that is energised and addictive from the opening moments, alt rock in nature and with some edge, the album is looking good.

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Martha Ffion - Take Your Name.

Background - Irish-born, and now Glasgow based singer-songwriter Martha Ffion has announced her eagerly anticipated debut LP entitled 'Sunday Best’ which is released 9th March 2018 on Turnstile Music. 'Take Your Name' is the first single to be announced from 'Sunday Best'.

'Sunday Best' is by far her most adventurous and accomplished work to-date, the lush instrumentation bringing her detailed lyrical vision to life. Through a series of gleaming guitar-pop songs that drift between soft-centered balladry and something altogether more cutting and forceful. It’s perhaps true to say that our relationship with music is steered solely by connection. Sometimes that’s a very direct thing; the words we sing along to relatable to our own desires and experiences. Occasionally, however, it manifests itself in other ways, a captivation drawn from something we can’t conveniently place or pigeon-hole; songs and sentiments we watch from afar, trying to find a way inside.

Martha Ffion’s work has always flourished within the latter of these two paths. While her Irish roots and current home city of Glasgow have undoubtedly informed her work, so many of her songs resonate all the more for feeling wildly devoid of time and place, an alluring cast of characters drifting in and out of focus, each one examining Ffion’s own thoughts on what it means to be “good” in a society that has such determined expectations.

Her debut album, ‘Sunday Best’, spans the first songs she properly wrote to her most recent compositions, and is by far her most adventurous and accomplished work to-date, the lush instrumentation bringing her detailed lyrical vision to life through a series of gleaming guitar-pop songs that drift between soft-centred balladry and something altogether more cutting and forceful. Recalling the work of Sharon Van Etten and Jenny Lewis, while still sounding thrillingly distinct, ‘Sunday Best’ is a formidable coming-of-age record, and one that stands as a truly accomplished debut. FACEBOOK.

Live Dates - March 2018
Wednesday 7th - Cardiff - Clwb Ifor Bach
Thursday 8th - London - The Waiting Room
Friday 9th - Edinburgh - Sneaky Pete's
Saturday 10th - Glasgow - Mono
Sunday 11th - Newcastle - Think Tank.

It's a very welcome second feature for Martha Ffion and another fabulous taster for her forthcoming 'Sunday Best' album, this time with 'Take Your Name'. Melodic dream pop, with a timeless feel that could be decades old and yet it's fresh and beautiful, love it!


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Amaroun - Made A Fire.

Background - Peckham, London newcomer Amaroun's new single is a slice of soul infused indie-pop titled ‘Make A Fire’. Amaroun (singer-songwriter Jay Brown) joined the highly acclaimed Communion Presents stable of artists in December – a natural fit for her unique brand of electronic soul-tinged guitar pop.

Of ‘Made A Fire’, Jay says: “The song was written in a heightened state, in the aftermath of my coming out. It’s a narrative progression from my previous single ‘Bed Bugs’, where I was deep in confusion, distraction and escapism. In ‘Made A Fire’ I’ve found clarity in the thrill of meeting someone new. When you find that person and there’s this instant connection you can’t deny, it’s something that’s hard to describe. This song is simply gratitude in musical form for that person and that feeling.

Currently working with artists including Charles Watson (Slow Club), LA Salami, Adam French, Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots) and Francobollo on a forthcoming recording project, Amaroun headlines Archspace in London on March 6th and is confirmed for this year’s Liverpool Sound City festival. FACEBOOK.

'Made Of Fire' is immediately catchy indie pop infused with melodic hooks and plenty of soulful feeling. One of those songs that would make any music radio play-list all the better for it's inclusion.


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Berries - Faults.

Background - Berries’ new single “Faults” is the second single from their much-anticipated upcoming EP. ‘Faults’ showcases the fresh, surprising alt-rock sound that they have become well known for. Laced with Holly’s brooding vocals and tongue-in-cheek lyrics, Faults is both relatable and unexpected and sarcastically plays with those all-too-familiar battles of independence, responsibility and unrealistic expectations.

Berries are an alt/rock trio known for their energetic shows and original take on riff-driven rock. Their upbeat melodies and cool guitar riffs, powerful bass lines and distinct drum beats have earned them regular support from Tom Robinson at BBC 6 Music, John Kennedy at Radio X, Jim Gellatly and Shell Zenner at Amazing Radio and Gary Crowley at BBC London Intro where they were recently featured guests. They have also been selected by Fender as one of their top ten favourite new acts and have been picked up by Fred Perry Subculture, Record Collector Magazine and most recently Lock Magazine. Berries spent the past year travelling the UK playing various shows and festivals including a sold-out show in Manchester for Scruff of The Neck, Tramlines Fringe, Head For The Hills, Camden Rocks Festival and Kazoopa and ended the year with a sold out headline show in London.

Holly from the band explains, “Faults is the latest release from our second EP. We feel this track showcases a different side to us, we have taken our sound in a different direction. We always aim to write music that is exciting live, which means our set is full of very diverse songs that try to keep the audience on their toes! Faults still has all the energy and breakdowns that we love but with an added eerie, bluesy element in the verses”. FACEBOOK.

Upcoming Tour Dates
March 2nd – Liverpool, Popped Music Presents, Sound
March 3rd – Manchester, Scruff of The Neck Presents, Aatma
March 16th – London, Camden Assembly Scruff of The Neck Presents
March 23rd – Brighton, Scruff of The Neck Presents, Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar
April 11th – London, Mark Beaumont Presents at The Monarch
May 12th – Hanwell Hootie Festival.

Alt rock with a few other similar genres circling around, Berries are refreshing to hear and 'Faults' is a natural and unpretentious rocker, one that makes the upcoming EP a very attractive prospect.

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House Hounds - Crooked Teeth - Salt Cathedral - BERRIES

House Hounds - Karamel.

Background - Forming in late 2013 through a musician classified ad, the boys set out working on material after connecting on the love of shared influences. After a couple of years of gigging and rehearsing, a few singles, radio interviews and airplay, the band started working on their debut EP Saturate. 

Written, recorded and self produced over the course of 6 months, the EP was handed to multi-award winning producer Magoo for mixing duties and mastered by Matthew Gray.

"The EP was recorded over the course of 6 months after long nights and days of pre-production and demoing. All songs were written around the same time frame except the first track ‘Bird' which was written two years prior,” says member Keelan Callaghan on the process of writing the EP.

On display on the EP are 70s influenced vintage synths, overdriven guitar layers and creamy fuzz leads, reminiscent of 90s era alt-rock records and a modern take on a vintage compressed drum sound, are all features of the new release.

Lead single ‘Karamel’, layers 70s influenced vintage synth sounds with a mono recorded drum track. The song’s uniquely structured arrangement is standout.

“The EP was named "Saturate" as an adjective to describe the overall sound of the EP. Having multiple layers of guitars and the use of effects and atmosphere... to me the songs sounded "saturated" in colour, tying them together. Lyrically the songs are about life events that I have experienced over the past 2 years,” says Keelan. The Saturate EP by House Hounds is released today, 23rd of June 2017. Facebook here.

The debut EP 'Saturate' comprises of five distinct and high quality songs. Lead single and the third track on the EP is 'Karamel' a piece that typifies the overall quality of the bands indie pop/rock style. Very assessable and refined music.

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Crooked Teeth - Mirrors.

Background - The seeds of Crooked Teeth germinated in Glasgow where Rob and Jo met having played the circuit in their own bands For Abel and Evol. A couple of years later they moved to London separately where a chance re-encounter on the streets would lead to the formation of Crooked Teeth. Originally Rob suggested Jo play drums or guitar with him in the new band, Jo suggested synths. Despite Rob’s initial wariness of the setup, they went into studio with his friend Sam on guitars. After a three hour synth-propelled noise pop wig-out the lineup was set in stone. Two years and numerous gigs later and their sound has evolved. 

Utilising analogue electronics and guitar-driven psych pop in equal measure, Crooked Teeth’s unique sound has seen them draw much praise, with radio play from Amazing Radio’s Jim Gellatly and Artrocker Magazine. Their debut release, Mirrors, marks their most sophisticated songwriting yet. Recorded, mixed and produced by Jo in his warehouse studio in Manor House, the track captures the uniquely fragmented and cacophonous nature of modern life with its multitudinous anxieties, but Crooked Teeth go one step further than that. In their studiously well-crafted noise pop experiments they’ve found something infectiously listenable and free too.

Taking inspiration from their beloved hometown of London, ‘Mirrors’ is a celebration of individuality in a metropolis that’s becoming increasingly homogenised. Giorgio Moroder style propulsive synth bass and crisp guitar lines give the song a driving groove while the beatific synth leads lend an uplifting poignancy. This is Crooked Teeth at their most life-affirming yet. “You’ll be like no one else” Rob chants as the song crescendos to its heady climax. 

A bold assertion of individuality both musically and lyrically, ‘Mirrors’ is a snapshot of Crooked Teeth at this moment in time - thoughtful, unique and playfully experimental. In many ways it’s reminiscent of A Weekend In The City era Bloc Party, both in its brow-beaten cynicism towards modernity, but also in the rapturous optimism that positively thrums within its beguiling freeform outro. Facebook here.

Stylish and rhythmic 'Mirrors' has that classic electro vibe, with enough of a modern twist to keep it fresh. Vocals and guitars add a further dimension, to what is a quite hypnotic song, that gently progresses into something more memorable.

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Salt Cathedral - Always There When I Need You.

Background - 'Always There When I Need You,' the first track to be released from rising Colombian duo Salt Cathedral's forthcoming debut album Big Waves // Small Waves. The new album is set for release this autumn.

Big Waves // Small Waves was written and recorded over the course of 2016 at the band’s Brooklyn studio. The self-produced record began with sampling sessions in an effort to bring folkloric sounds into the band’s pop writing. After sketching out their song ideas, the band fleshed out and recorded, keeping most of the original demo vocals. The Jamaican rapper Assassin, reggae legend Lee “Scratch” Perry and longtime friend and collaborator Matisyahu each lend vocals to tracks on the album.

Salt Cathedral’s first full-length follows their 2014 EP Oom Velt, released to critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, The Guardian, The Fader and Consequence of Sound. The band has toured extensively in North and South America as well as Asia, and has shared stages with the likes of Mitski, Christine & The Queens, Hundred Waters, Cibo Matto, Tei Shi and many more.

Salt Cathedral is the duo of Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada, born in Colombia and now based in Brooklyn, New York. Their name is taken from the fabled Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, a church built inside a salt mine in their native country. Formerly members of Il Albanico, Ronderos and Losada formed Salt Cathedral to experiment with their Caribbean and various world music influences and inspirations, as well as to explore their more existential songwriting leanings. Salt Cathedral traffics in concepts and ideas like individuality, identity and experience.

Following some US & Colombian live dates, the band will announce some UK shows shortly. Website here, Facebook here.

'Always There When I Need You' has fabulous vocals and a bright and beautiful musical arrangement. Totally addictive and genre crossing, this is just right for hot summer days.

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BERRIES - Wild Vow.

Background - BERRIES have announced the release of their new single 'Wild Vow' - the first track taken from their second EP which sees the band further explore their unique take on riff-driven rock with even more grit and confidence. 'Wild Vow' boasts big riffs and chorus's and further highlights the clever musicianship, weaving guitar and bass lines and well thought out drum patterns that this exciting three-piece are becoming known for.

BERRIES have had an infectious buzz around them ever since they dropped their first release 'Lights' last year, followed by singles 'Waiting' and 'Siren'. Their tracks immediately caught the attention of BBC London Introducing and they were hastily invited into the studio for an interview with Gary Crowley who openly showed his support for the band urging listeners to “keep an ear and an eye out for them as they have a lot of promise!” The bands tracks have also received regular air play by Jim Gellatly and Shell Zenner on Amazing Radio and John Kennedy on Radio X.  

Following the release of their debut EP 'Those Funny Things' the band were approached by a member of Fender’s A&R team who expressed his interest in their unique and energetic playing style. They were endorsed with new gear and included in a playlist of Fender's 'Top 10 favourite new acts' alongside Bryde and featured on Richer Unsigned. Their song 'Siren' was then added to nationwide playlists in Richer Sounds stores, Samsung and Barclays. The band’s EP has been championed by Fred Perry Subculture, Gigslutz, Even the Stars and The Revue along with several other influential taste makers and blogs. ‘Wild Vow’ is their anticipated follow-up single. Facebook here.

Natural and feisty alt rock comes in the shape of 'Wild Vow'. BERRIES just get on play, with passion, power and a fine sense of what makes for a good blast of rock'n'roll.

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