Showing posts with label Brooklyn Doran. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brooklyn Doran. Show all posts

Four More: Computer Magic - Art d'Ecco - Albert af Ekenstam - Brooklyn Doran

Computer Magic - Gone For The Weekend.

Background bio - Computer Magic consists of Danielle “Danz” Johnson. She is based out of Brooklyn, NY and was born and raised in the Catskills in upstate New York (in Woodridge, NY and Rock Hill, NY). She moved to Chinatown in New York City to attend Hunter College. In 2010 she moved to Tampa, FL to get away from city life. There, she taught herself how to make music and put up several EP’s for free online under the moniker of Computer Magic. 

Since then, Danz has released 8 EP’s worldwide and 4 LP’s in Japan. She has written numerous songs for commercials in Japan and tours there frequently. Her full length debut Davos came out on her own record label Channel 9 Records in late 2015. She is currently self-producing her next EP which will be out by the end of the year. Ignacio Rivas Bixio accompanies her for live shows on percussion and on some recordings.

Computer Magic's "Gone For The Weekend" is a unique synth-dance-dream taken from the forthcoming EP, Obscure But Visible due Oct 7th 2016.


'Gone For The Weekend' is an original sounding synth pop song, with a powerful soundtrack and Danielle's vocals immersed within, and occasionally rising above, the melodic wall of swirling sounds.

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Art d'Ecco - I'll Never Give You Up.

Background - Art d'Ecco released his debut album Day Fevers just a couple of days ago. To celebrate the release, Art d'Ecco premiered his new music video for "I'll Never Give You Up". The single is a synth heavy, '80s inspired dance track that's as haunting as it is electrifying. It's a distinct departure from d'Ecco's glam rock inspired single "She So Hot," showcasing his adaptability across genres.

Art d'Ecco's story is anything but usual. After a period of personal turmoil, d'Ecco escaped the city life and relocated to the Gulf Islands of British Columbia to embark on a journey of much needed soul searching and personal rediscovery. He spent the last three years in relative seclusion on the island retooling, writing, and overcoming the obstacles of isolation and regret.

With Day Fevers, d'Ecco peers through a lens of nostalgia with nods to glam rock, classic rock n roll, krautrock, spaghetti westerns, and new wave psychedelia. He sought to deliver an album across different genres with himself as the sonic rug that ties it all together, or rather a playlist. Starting with "Sunrise" and closing with "Sunset," Day Fevers travels through themes of desire, isolation, nostalgia, and personal discovery, taking listeners through all the lows and the highs.

"Formed during the three year period I spent in isolation, tucked away in a cabin on one of the Gulf Islands in British Columbia. I'd fled a bad scene in Vancouver – my life was spinning out of control and I needed a refresh. I was burnt out and over playing music. The scene. The Debauchery. I was emotionally hollowed out. Eventually, I discovered that feelings of alienation and desire were something I could channel into music. I've always been a man of extremes, so it was in this escape that I rediscovered myself as an artist. These songs came from months of writing and from being alone." - Art d'Ecco.


There is most definitely something of a retro 1980's synth vibe running through the hooky and melodic 'I'll Never Give You Up'. The video accentuate's this even further, it's a delight, as are all nine songs on the debut album.

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Albert af Ekenstam - The Devil Bird.

Background - On the 14th of October Albert of Ekenstam’s debut album ‘Ashes’ will meet its expectant audience. Singer/guitarist Sumie Nagano (whose self-titled album on Bella Union is a must for all who love unique voices), drummer/ keyboardist/producer Filip Leyman (who, together with Albert, make up the post-rock constellation Tempel) and trumpeter Max Lindahl (known from a number of jazz bands) have all helped Albert bring it to fruition.

Like Elliot Smith (rest in peace) and Damien Jurado before him, Albert is a brave and straightforward singer-songwriter. His melodies and lyrics are like uncensored and infinitely beautiful letters – without euphemisms and false chords they let you know what’s on his mind. At the same time, they’re universal – if you’ve loved and lost you can relate to them completely.

Albert’s mother died when he was 12 years old and him and his sister had to bring themselves up alone for the most part. Much of the album touches on loneliness and how he had to take responsibility early in his life in order to manage his own future –including his relationships and how he learnt to build a ‘safe point’ from within before relying on others. Songs like ‘The Devil Bird’ tell the tale of fighting to choose the right way you want to live and not living to the standards built up by outsiders.

They also stir the internal movie projector. With “Ashes” on the stereo and eyes closed, memory fragments, glowing emotions and pure dreams fly and stir through your soul. Filip’s production (which you’ve heard on Anna von Hausswolff’s two latest albums) is both intimate and grand at the same time, making this personal cinematic experience even more sensational.


First of all there are the vocals of Albert af Ekenstam. Genuine, intense, powerful and so good for the ears. Follow this with a song as pleasing as 'The Devil Bird' and you know your listening to something very special. Fabulous voice and song!

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Brooklyn Doran - Say The Words.

Background - Brooklyn Doran is an indie folk songstress, originally from Kenora, Ontario who is now based in Toronto. The singer-songwriter’s music presents a unique and harmonious blend of traditional folk and contemporary pop. Her live show weaves song and storytelling, from humorous anecdotes to emotional ballads, to delightfully folk-infused love songs.

Brooklyn Doran’s music has been featured extensively on CBC and radio throughout Canada, featured in music publications worldwide and Her debut 5 song EP “There’s A Light On” (2014) received a nomination at the Toronto Independent Music Awards for Best Adult Contemporary.

Brooklyn’s debut full-length album “These Paper Wings” was recorded at Catherine North Studios and is due for worldwide release September, 2016.


Brooklyn Doran's new album “These Paper Wings” was released last Friday, which seem's a good enough excuse to feature another track, from what is a finely crafted and produced collection of indie folk songs.   'Say The Words' is the final song in the collection, you can find out more on her Website here.

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Midweek With: Shane Scheib - Fresh Snow - Brooklyn Doran - Alex Bent + the Emptiness - Birdtalker

Shane Scheib - Run! (Radio Version).

Background promo - Shane Scheib is an indie artist based in Nashville, Tennessee. His music expertly blurs the lines between the energy of alternative rock and the verve of indie-pop.

A creative and forward-thinking performer, Shane is known to produce music with an open heart and an open mind, bridging the gaps between clever arrangements and emotional lyrical wit. His distinctive guitar playing is also the result of lots of labour and dedication: when he was 13, Shane fell in love with the mastery and incredible ability of Stevie Ray Vaughn. He watched the bluesman's legendary live performances on video repeatedly, eventually mastering the blues and rock formula. Later, he took it to the next level as a trained jazz guitarist with a versatile mindset, incorporating influences as diverse as folk, pop and rock into his music.

Shane Scheib’s music is a lot like his humor: it’s witty, playful, and a little introspective at the same time. In his own words, “Fast Friends sounds like Bono Imagined Dragons while playing guitars that had White Stripes and Silversun Pickups; it was Fun.”

One of the most striking and endearing features of Shane's sound is definitely his ability to create songs that are challenging and diverse, yet extremely catchy and easy to relate to for a broad palette of listeners.

Shane's upcoming EP, "Fast Friends", will be released on September 13th, and it will be available through iTunes and Spotify.


First track on the new EP 'Fast Friends' the song 'Run' gives you a good idea of what's in store. Musically it leans more towards, energetic indie rock, with one or two more pop influenced moments. There are plenty of hooks and Shane has an ear for melody, that keeps everything quite accessible, without being to format driven. Overall it's a pleasing EP.

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Fresh Snow - I Can't Die.

Background - Fresh Snow, an acclaimed instrumental kraut-noise-psych rock quartet, are back with their second full-length album, ‘ONE’. Recorded with Graham Walsh, in a rural Ontario barn, ‘ONE‘ arrives less than a year after their 2015 EP ‘WON’, via Hand Drawn Dracula (Beliefs, Doomsquad, Etiquette) on September 9th, 2016.

With ‘ONE’, Fresh Snow pushes their own boundaries further than ever, creating something more confrontational, yet more accessible, than anything they’ve done before. The band describes ‘ONE’ as an album that is both structured and instinctual, made without ego or fear of alienating its listeners. Noise and texture is always prevalent, however minimalism is newly explored in places throughout the album, alongside electronic treatments, and English / French vocals.

After a split 7″ with SubPop artists Metz (2012), Fresh Snow earned critical acclaim with their 2013 debut album, ‘I’, and landed on the cover of Now Magazine, as well as being listed for the esteemed Polaris Music Prize, and making numerous year end best of lists. Brooklyn Vegan described Fresh Snow’s music as “mutant, motorik psych,” which the Toronto Star’s Ben Rayner also called “transcendental” and “overwhelming in the best sense possible.”

Fresh Snow’s inventive live shows – performances within pods or around projection screens, leading audiences from one room to another mid-show – are legend to those already in-the-know. They’ve performed alongside groups as diverse as Atlas Sound, Tim Hecker, The Pop Group and Ratking, as well as forming a one-off blisteringly loud band with Metz (FrETZ).

As Fresh Snow continue their journey through the ROYGBIV colour wheel – ‘I’ is red; ‘WON’ is orange; and ‘ONE’ is a yellow cover, the distinctive sonic elements that are the band’s trademarks continue to evolve, strengthen and feedback. ONE is filled with dissonance, stillness, intrigue and molten noise, as Fresh Snow continue to look for the beauty that is found in extremes.

Tour Dates:
Sept 10 Hamilton, ON - Supercrawl Festival
Sept 22 Toronto, ON - Ontario Place - Small World Fest 


'I Can't Die' is one of nine tracks from the 'ONE' album, and is something of a mini epic in it's own right. The album is a fascinating collection of instrumental pieces, with an almost constant theme, in that you just do not know what's gonna come next. Part experimental, the band move from kraut rock to more psychedelic moments, sometimes full on noise rock, and yet everything flows and the melodic moments are just wonderful. Highly creative and enjoyable.

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Brooklyn Doran - The Villain.

Background - The lyric video was shot entirely at the Scarborough Bluffs in Toronto and was created using a series of cinemagraphs. The video team partnered with Flixel to bring these still images to life. The video was filmed by the incredible team at Public Space Productions. "The Villain" comes from Brooklyn's new album “These Paper Wings”. Out September 9th.

“The Villain” captures the idea of regaining strength and power in a situation where I felt trapped and silenced. As women we are often taught to take full responsibility for uncomfortable situations we find ourselves in regardless of whether we have control or agency within them. When a toxic or abusive relationship breaks down- there are a lot of complicated feelings that come with it. With this song, I wanted to express all of those different angles, but most importantly I wanted to tell a story that presented strength and the ability to overcome. I am not only writing for me here; I am also writing for the startling number of women in my life who I know can relate. Through the lyric video, I wanted to showcase imagery that made me feel strong and powerful, but beautiful at the same time. - Brooklyn Doran.


'The Villain' is the second song we have featured from Brooklyn Doran in recent months and it is another engaging song from the debut 7-track album "These Paper Wings" released in September 2016. Full of melodic numbers and the beautiful vocals of Brooklyn, it's a collection of thoughtfully written material, where the attention to detail ensures seven very individual and absorbing tracks.

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Alex Bent + the Emptiness - Paper Mask '16.

Background - Alex Bent is a 22 year-old singer-songwriter from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Emptiness is Bent’s musical expression. Alex Bent is the Emptiness and the Emptiness lives in him. Far from being a blank void, the Emptiness is vast, expansive, textured and nuanced. Intoxicated on emotion, earnestness, longing and poignancy, Alex Bent + the Emptiness are distinctive yet inseparable parts of a whole.

The album was written at a time where he chose to be reclusive out of fear of being hurt or humiliated. He found comfort in creating songs that took the stories he saw in his head and painted them into reality. Alex hopes others may listen and find a similar escape within these songs.


Taken from the new album "Dead, In The Water", 'Paper Mask '16' is the opening track, and as I was not sure which one to feature, it seems a good enough starting point for Beehive Candy. Alex describes his music as "Dark Piano Pop" and in those three words he pretty much sum's the new album up. Deep and sometimes emotional material, may sound like hard going, however the pop element really does lift the material up enough, through melody, a good choice of additional sounds, and a gentleness that soothes. In fact it is because of that, I find myself dipping back into the album, to enjoy a little escape of my own.

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Birdtalker - Graveclothes.

Background - Nashville alternative group Birdtalker has announced it will support The Saint Johns on tour this September. As a duo, Zack and Dani Green of Birdtalker will kick off the tour in Birmingham, AL on 9/7, and close out the shows on 9/30 in St. Louis, MO. See above for a full list of dates.

This tour follows the release of Birdtalker's debut EP, Just This, which was released on 8/19. The Wild Honey Pie premiered the EP, saying that even when the band, "...delve[s] into more uncertain and strained subject matter, they’ll still remind you to 'put what’s heavy behind' and that we 'don’t need no mournful sounds.' Simply put, you feel lighter by the end of this EP than before you began listening."

A few months after marrying, the band’s founders Zack and Dani Green began writing songs together. Neither had pursued music before, however, after finishing their first song together, each felt an electric surge and from that point on there was no turning back. Friends in Nashville began to take notice of the duo’s original tracks, and Birdtalker quickly grew into a five-piece ensemble. Just This EP reflects different themes of adulthood, touching on the evolution of the pair’s marriage, to prioritising what is most important in one’s life.

The six-song EP was recorded in Nashville at Glass Onion Recording Studio with co-producers JD Tiner (Erin Rae) and Dan Fernandez (Great Peacock). In its brief time performing together as a band, Birdtalker has had notable appearances in Nashville opening for The Strumbellas, Escondido, and Marc Scibilia.

Announcing their tour dates seems a reasonable enough excuse to feature another song from Birdtalker's new EP and this time it's 'Graveclothes'. Another reason is the fact that all six songs on the EP are just so good!

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Friday Five: Wojtek the bear - Twin Graves - Tiergarten - Brooklyn Doran - Ranch Ghost

Wojtek the bear - Dead from the waist up.

Background promo - Glasgow four piece wojtek the bear release their debut single “dead from the waistup” on 17th June. Their debut offering marries quintessential indie pop songwriting with melodies and hooks as big as mountains.

The single was recorded and produced by Chris McCrory of band catholic action and is accompanied by a video shot in the wilds of South Lanarkshire by Beth Chalmers whose recent clients include Low and Martha Ffion.

The band will be playing a number of shows in the coming months to support the release including a launch gig on 16th June at Govanill Baths in Glasgow and 19th August at DF Concerts catapult showcase at the Record Factory in Glasgow.

'Dead from the waist up' is my introduction to Wojtek The Bear. It's a breezy indie pop song and for me it's just a delight. Catchy and with lyrics worth taking in, it's a fine way to get to know a bands music.

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Twin Graves - Strife.

Background promo - After emerging last year with debut EP ‘Walk In Circles’ and singles ‘Love You To Death’ & ‘No Future’, Irish/Blackpool duo Twin Graves return with brand new single ‘Strife’ which will impact 17th June.

‘Strife’ is taken from the bands forthcoming second EP ‘Exiled’, produced by Matt Peel (Eagulls, Bad Breeding) and recorded at The Nave studios in Leeds. ‘Strife’ is about reaching a crossroad in life and questioning the choices in front of you but ultimately following your heart rather than head. ‘Strife’ captures the post punk attitude of previous releases but also nods to the avant-garde pop sounds of bands such as Talking Heads.

Twin Graves are: Jeremy Aris Polychronopoulos (vocals/guitar) Zarah Lawless (vocals/bass/synth).


The duo Twin Graves create quite a powerful sound with the new song 'Strife'. Vocals are really good and a key feature, as the song develops they are slowly engulfed by the ever growing soundtrack.

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Tiergarten - Der Zorn Gottes.

Background promo - It was late 2013, when Mats Rybø, a songwriter for the girls in the famous band Katzenjammer started to get serious attention for forming the band Tiergarten. His delicate vocals may garner much of the attention but the electronic sound wrapped in an effortless power-perormance is what unifies the sound's entirety.

Tiergarten has refined and perfected their style into a new sound that they feel encapsulates the essence of pop music with a rock dynamic, alternating between moments full of drama and a delightful energy. The Oslo based band members are: Mats Rybø, Anne Marit Bergheim, Odd Kristian Svedal, Stian Sveen and Trine Skullestad Hølland.

The first single, "Der Zorn Gottes", is driven by the two lead vocals and its perfectly balanced synths. The topic concerns megalomaniacs, the driven and twisted individuals who think they act on behalf of higher powers. It fuels a passion within the person that is simultaneously righteous and reviled, a dangerous dichotomy that plays perfectly into the strengths on display within the song.


According to the band 'Der Zorn Gottes' "concerns the megalomaniacs, the angry and twisted avengers who think they act on behalf of higher powers". They then add that "catchy synth pop" follows. Well I completely agree with the song being catchy, in fact it's something of an epic. Very impressive!

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Brooklyn Doran - Paper Wings.

Background from Brooklyn - “Paper Wings” is the first single from my forthcoming album “These Paper Wings”. The song began as a poem that I wrote several years ago, that I revisited when writing for the album.

The single and the album were recorded over 2015 and 2016 at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton Ontario. Produced, mixed and recorded by Dan Hosh (City and Colour, Arkells, Rose Cousins) and mastered by Elliott Brood's Stephen Pitkin at Modest Heights Recording. 

The track tells the story of Icarus, but is told from the perspective of the sun. I feel like this song, while still in the realm of indie-folk is a truer representation of where I feel I am musically right now.

A big part of the process for me is creating a conversation through music. And it's something I am incredibly interested in. It's one of the main reasons that I make music and put it out into the world. 'These Paper Wings' is set for release in September 2016.


'Paper Wings' is a gentle song, that demonstrates just what a really fine voice Brooklyn Doran has. Musically it's a quite laid back, acoustic piece, just right and in all a delightful song.

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Ranch Ghost - Ragged Mile.

Background promo - Lookin was recorded almost entirely live and produced by Mitch Jones (Fly Golden Eagle, Thunderbitch, Majestico) at his studio in East Nashville. This album was Ranch Ghost's first endeavor into recording the sonic incarnation of each of its member's thoughts, inspirations, and creative energy. The band has been audibly molded by the vibrations of Link Wray and Captain Beefheart's Magic Band, while the influence of Nina Simone, Hank Williams, and Miles Davis remains slightly obscured underneath the murky surface.

Jones helped bring forth into the world a musical apparition, simultaneously bearing the primal growl of The Velvet Underground and the punctured speaker cones of The Kinks. Deliberately injected within this chaos, there lies the necessary space for singer Joshua Meador’s prose to be able to stand comfortably, but with canines bared.

Upcoming Ranch Ghost Tour Dates:


6/18 - Nashville, TN - The East Room (album release show, w/ Clear Plastic Masks and Sun Seeker)
7/15 - Memphis, TN - Mud Island Amphitheater (w/ Alabama Shakes).


There's plenty of energy and rock'n'roll vibes in 'Ragged Mile' a song that thumps along, taking the listener with it. The band do indeed have a live feel about them, and the music is all the richer for that.

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Bumper Catch Up featuring: Rubblebucket - Mollie Elizabeth - Lilly Hiatt - The Kearns Family - WILDES and St Francis Hotel - Lucette - Caroline Strickland - Mon Rayon - Lala Salama

Keeping the comments a little shorter so we can cram a few more songs in than usual, this is our first bumper catch up of some really fine r...