Foxton Kings - Burn. Following on from their single Money Money, Perth's Foxton Kings have added yet another smouldering rock song to their arsenal with the fittingly-titled Burn. Full of rhythmic swagger, Burn oozes confidence and charm as it delivers a banquet of meaty riffs and catchy melodies.
Honing the turbulent, all-consuming emotion of falling in love with a complete stranger, Burn sounds as enchantingly lustful as it should.
Produced by Andy Lawson, Burn is taken from Foxton Kings' 2019 EP offering With Love. Full of yearning and desire, Burn pays homage to the age-old ache of unrequited romance... a song written for lonely lovers everywhere.
The combination of Joel Stevens, Cliff Johnson, Dane Koek and Alex Barker brings out the best in all of them. The band's chemistry, both in writing and performance, is their biggest asset, and reveals itself in everything they do. Bringing pop sensibilities to stirring rock songs without diluting them, Foxton Kings will be showcasing their new material this November with a series of single launches across Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. FACEBOOK.
'Burn' is a feisty, high energy piece with plenty of rock and roll attitude coursing through it's veins. A sub three minute blast, this is a mighty tease for their E.P.
BlackieBlueBird are the vocalist Heidi Lindahl and the composer Nils Lassen; together they create delicate torch songs of reverb and echo that captivate the listener with resonating guitars, lap steels, mandolins and a choir of mermaids that sporadically embraces Heidi’s golden voice. The echoes of love and longing, hellos and deceiving goodbyes live within her unique and clear vibrato. Ghost River symbolizes a subterranean river of memories that flows beneath our cities while on the surface we live our lives behind walls, among buildings and clamorous streets, ever pursuing our hopes and dreams. Unaware that deep within we are influenced by the Ghost River, we fulfill what lies in our destinies as tiny twigs floating along the flow of a gentle water stream. Resembling a dream, Ghost River is an album that dwells in a drumless, cinematic atmosphere filled with romantic soundscapes of yearning desire and melodic choruses that caress the ear in a liberating and cathartic way. All songs are written and produced by Nils Lassen. The album is a cooperation between T&E Records, Poisonic, and afmusic. Ghost River will be released on Vinyl, CD and as a download on 23rd of November. BANDCAMP.
The third of twelve tracks on the forthcoming 'Ghost River' album is the delectable song 'Flying Too Close To The Ground' a piece that well demonstrates the sheer creative quality that is present in every song.
This is a fabulously refined collection of music, with some beautifully crafted material that might be termed dream pop, although the depth and sophistication of the album doesn't feel conveyed enough through just that one label. If the featured track appeals to you, then make sure you you check out the album, it really is that good!
Bradford’s resident desert rockers GRDNS showcase Hydraulic Lover, a masterful slice of psych-pop taken from their debut EP, released via UK label Dance To The Radio later this month.
Marking their boldest exploration into psychedelia to date, the band’s newest effort builds on widespread plaudits throughout the blogosphere (DIY, Clash, Dork), debut festival appearances at Live At Leeds/Gold Sounds and numerous support slots alongside fellow rising acts including Gengahr, Husky Loops and whenyoung.
Discussing their upcoming release, frontman Jacob Lyons stated: “Hydraulic Lover is about accepting all the bad attitudes, stupid shit and low vibe activities you get up to when you’re young. It’s the idea that song people treat each other like sexbots and the action of love is more hydraulic than passionate”.
Produced by James Kenosha (Pulled Apart By Horses, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Rhodes) GRDNS’ Hydraulic Lover is out 15th November via Dance To The Radio and will be available on all digital platforms. GRDNS is Jacob Lyons (vocals/guitar), Sam Gledhill (guitar), Cameron Harrison (bass) and John Fitzpatrick (drums)
Live Date: 15 Nov – Salt Beer Factory, Shipley (supporting PINS) TWITTER.
GRDNS are clearly doing something right especially if you measure that, by the number of appearances they have made on Beehive Candy this year, with the latest track 'Hydraulic Lover' notching them up to four features since February. Opening with some fuzzy guitar riffs, the band are soon into their vibrant and catchy alt rock style with those gorgeous psychedelic overtones adding some real edge.
Background - Psychedelic rockers GRDNS share Roulette Love Gun, the third cosmic offering from their forthcoming EP out this summer via Dance To The Radio.
Loaded with intricate, soaring guitar lines and hazy, atmospheric vocals, the quartet’s latest reverb-laden number ebbs and flows with precision and shows a band brimming with creativity following widespread acclaim from the online community.
Having fast established themselves within the Yorkshire music scene and beyond, the four-piece will look to build on impressive support slots alongside Gengahr, Husky Loops and whenyoung with their debut festival appearances at Live At Leeds and Gold Sounds in the next few months.
Produced by James Kenosha (Pulled Apart By Horses, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Rhodes) GRDNS’ Roulette Love Gun is out now and will be available on all platforms. GRDNS is Jacob Lyons (vocals/guitar), Sam Gledhill (guitar), Cameron Harrison (bass) and John Fitzpatrick (drums). TWITTER.
Our third feature for GRDNS this year, again with another track from their forthcoming EP this time we have 'Roulette Love Gun'. There is a lush and expansive feel from the opening moments as the band tease us again, taking another musical direction and doing so with style. Dreamy alt rock with a dash of psychedelic overtones, on the strength of these three tracks I think it's safe to say the EP is stunning.
Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread - Less Than Positive.
Background - Michael Nau will release his new, full band album ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’ through Full Time Hobby on 3rd August. ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’ is the follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed album ‘Some Twist’ and its extension ‘The Load’ EP.
The band have unveiled the first track from the album, ‘Less Than Positive’. Of the song, Michael says "This song's been around and part of the live thing for a long time. I'm not sure how or why it came back around during this session, but it was recorded on the final day. The apartment where we recorded this album has a big spiral staircase in the entrance of the building - we set up drums in there for this one, and hung a mic from the ceiling. Other than harmonies, nothing was overdubbed.".
“There was a musical language that we created; something without a guiding pattern that you could really just jump into and see where things could go,” Michael Nau says of the process of recording ‘Michael Nau & The Mighty Thread’. He’s wildly poetic, especially when recounting his dedication to music, and the work that led to this particular collection of delicately passionate songs. “These things became the vehicle by which we traveled, giving us reason to spend most of our lives in a van of uncertainty.”
The sprawling new album was recorded in guitarist Benny Yurco’s one-bedroom apartment in downtown Burlington, Vermont. Nau and his collaborators had a cool little set up going in Yurco’s spot — drums and bass took over the bedroom, the guitar amp in the bathroom, Nau’s vocals and piano in the living room, and a vibraphone in the kitchen. It’s the first time one of Nau’s records happened all in one place, and “it feels most like a band record than ever before”. Nau and this particular group of musicians held it down together as a true team, which is why Nau named the record in their honour.
The songs on this layered record sound sunny and familiar, like sharing stories and worries with a close friend on a late summer day. In a gorgeous and natural way, he contemplates his own process, those feelings of uncertainty. “Making it too hard just comes easier,” Nau croons on ‘Funny In Real Life,’ an exquisite meditation on creation and self. “Truth is such a beautiful force/And every time we find the chorus/There’s no second-guessing the real/I don’t ever know how I feel.” FACEBOOK.
Michael Nau's vocals are everything Alt Country and Americana needs to set the mood and feeling for these styles. The first taste of the album due in August is 'Less Than Positive' a steady, personal and beautifully natural song that is totally engaging from the opening moments. Without any exaggeration, I am left eager to hear some more...
Background - Steven Adams & The French Drops share the video for their new single "Ex Future", taken from the album Virtue Signals, out this Friday, 4 May, via Hudson Records. Anger seldom sounds as enticing as it does on Virtue Signals. It is an album that rails against the iniquities of the world and meshes the personal with the political, without ever smacking the listener around the head. Adams (former songwriter/singer/guitarist with The Broken Family Band and Singing Adams) can’t help but be witty and empathetic even as he rages, and the fury is wrapped inside his characteristically sweet melodies.
Virtue Signals captures the sound of a band finding “its own thing”. Laurie Earle (Absentee, Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards, Wet Paint) plays guitar with a loose, intuitive touch; Michael Wood – who had played bass with The Singing Adams – switches to keyboards here, while Daniel Fordham (drums) and David Stewart (bass) from The Drink complete the band.
Following a few years of performing and recording solo (see 2014’s House Music and 2016’s Old Magick), Adams says he wanted to put together “a band where everyone was following their noses. I’ve been calling the shots for ages now, and now I can lean on these people, make more noise. It’s fair to say we share a lot of the same thoughts and feelings about the state of the world. But mostly we talk about food.”
It’s over 16 years since Adams started making music with The Broken Family Band, generating critical acclaim with each subsequent release and maintaining a dedicated cult following ever since. So, all these years later – having been called a national treasure enough times to fill a pirate’s chest, without ever having become an actual pop star – why does Steven Adams still do it? “I write songs and I play them and I try not to overthink it or to feel reliant on this for anything other than what it is; sounds, words, feelings, and an excuse to hang out with good people. That’s virtue signaling, in case anyone asks.” WEBSITE.
With a deep bass riff and lighter vocals 'Ex Future' begins to build layer by layer, into a polished and addictive alt rocker of sorts. The lyrics add intrigue, the band are as tight as anything and the emotional feel builds with intensity, totally play me again music!
Background - Psych-rockers GRDNS share latest effort Juniper, the second cut from their upcoming EP out later this year. Emerging from the largely forgotten and multi-cultural northern city of Bradford, the indie quartet burst onto the scene in February with woozy, off-kilter rock number Night Dance before heading out on the road with Husky Loops and whenyoung, drawing widespread acclaim in the process.
Discussing the release, frontman Jacob Lyons stated: "Juniper takes influence from both the modern and vintage surf sounds with a prog/alt section at the end but doesn't particularly sound like either. It was the first song we got together as a full band and the lyrics frequently reference the colour blue and a few of its colour palette relatives. The meaning of the song is open to interpretation, like all the rest will be".
GRDNS' own blend of psychedelia, heavily influenced by Tame Impala and Humbug-era Arctic Monkeys, has already landed them support slots with acts including Stereo Honey, Sea Girls and The Pale White and they'll be playing their debut London show in May before an appearance at Live At Leeds. FACEBOOK, TWITTER.
Live Dates: 02 May – Sebright Arms, London 05 May – Live At Leeds Festival.
We shared 'Night Dance' from the band just over a month ago describing that track as having "a delectable psychedelic feel." The new song 'Juniper' is more alt rock in nature, with GRDNS comfortably demonstrating that they can explore differing styles whilst retaining an armoury of hooks that makes their music so engaging. It has to be said, the EP is eagerly awaited.
Background - "Niños Del Sol" is the 3rd album by The Division Men from Austin, Texas. The album was recorded over a period of two and a half years while touring and living in Texas. Five of the ten songs have been rerecorded. These songs have come off the first LIVE album titled "Live at Clap of Thunder." By revisiting the older songs, the band was able to open itself up to experimentation and collaboration.
The Division Men's named was derived from the idea of artists collaborating from all over the world despite their locations. J. Spencer and wife Caroline continued to actively write and perform together under the already established name.
Caroline was born in San Antonio, Texas. She spent her childhood surrounded by music. Caroline is the granddaughter to the master craftsman, Don Martin Macias, known for his handcrafted bajo sextos. Proud of the craft of her grandfather, she made an effort early on to make music an active part of her life by first experimenting with school band & later picking up the bass guitar. From 2007 until 2012, she played bass guitar for Tito & Tarantula. J. Spencer Portillo was born in Los Angeles, California but was raised in El Paso, Texas. His El Paso roots offer a huge influence on the lyrics which frequently present atmospheric portraits of love, life in a border town and death.
The new album was recorded at their in-home studio in Austin, Texas. The Division Men has a distinctive sound that has been described as dark, romantic, ethereal and haunting. The Division Men will be actively touring and promoting their new album "Niños Del Sol" from August to December 2018. WEBSITE.
From the opening moments the musical production signals quality and depth as 'Heaven Knows Why' quickly unfolds. That's hardly surprising considering the calibre of those who have worked on the new album, beyond quality however there is heart and passion in abundance. I'm not sure what genre to try and fit this song into, lets just say it's unavoidably addictive.
Background - Preoccupations are days away from unleashing their latest creation New Material, out this Friday on Flemish Eye in Canada (Jagjaguwar in the rest of the world). Now the band are following with a third single and a stunning new video directed by Ruff Mercy. The video for “Disarray” was shot at Saunton Sands in North Devon in the UK and features Matt Flegel, the band’s songwriter, vocalist and bass player.
Matt says, "When I was writing "Disarray", it started off with an image of a mother combing her daughters hair that came into my mind, I liked the metaphor of splitting the braids and combing through the tangles, and wrote the rest of the lyrics around that image. This song sat untouched for close to 6 months as a recording with just bass and drums before we came back to it and wrote and recorded the guitar line while out of our minds one night in the early AM."
Director Ruff Mercy noted, "For me the word Disarray conjures up images of a mind unravelling in a chaotic way. I wanted to physically show that inner turmoil without having to have Matt or an actor run around with a painted face looking distressed so to cut up and distort and draw over Matt’s image felt like an interesting way to show this."
Preoccupations are preparing for their next world tour which kicks off next month with shows in Toronto (The Garrison, April 13, and a Horseshoe Tavern on April 14) and then Montreal (Theatre Plaza, April 16). The 4-piece will then tour the North America with dates in Winnipeg, Edmonton, two in Calgary and Vancouver on May 9th, before continuing on an extensive tour of the UK and Europe. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
Preoccupations are getting plenty of attention with 'Disarray' having 20 thousand plus views before I can even embed it here. Dreamy indie pop/rock with just a hint of bands like The Psychedelic Furs, this is one gorgeous song from a band who are clearly on something of a well earned roll right now.
Background from Kira May - I’m an experimental pop artist from Toronto. Back in 2014, I released my debut EP Health, and have since shared stages with the likes of Jean-Michel Blais, Absolutely Free, Diana, Your Boy Tony Braxton, and more. Following Health’s release, I took a step back to focus on treatment for the anxiety and depression that had been holding me back since childhood. During this time I wrote a full-length album as a documentation of that journey. Sense will be released this spring, and I’m thrilled to share the video for its lead single with you today.
“Muscle Memory” explores the ways in which our bodies hold onto our painful histories. This is partially a love song for my body, which continuously strives to protect me and push for my physical and emotional survival, but it is also an exploration of the “letting go” required to move forward. When past traumas are no longer dangerous to us, although well-meaning, our bodies’ attempts to protect us can actually become harmful.
This song looks specifically at the damaging effects of negative interpersonal relationships as a very young person who is still forming. In my case, the response was to retreat so deeply into the safety of my own body that it became difficult to get out. Director Allison Johnston brought the sentiment of the song to life in the video, in which we see past experiences and vulnerabilities emerge from within the body itself. Sense was co-produced, engineered, and mixed by Sandro Perri. FACEBOOK, BANDCAMP.
Swirling synth sounds and a slow beat introduce 'Muscle Memory' a song that mixes Kira May's distinctive & appealing vocals with a remarkable soundtrack that develops layer by layer. The video adds more, making the combination of both a powerful proposition.
Background - Neo-psychedelic quartet GRDNS release debut single Night Dance, the first slice of woozy, off-kilter rock taken from their upcoming EP out later this year via Dance To The Radio.
Emerging from the largely forgotten and multi-cultural northern city of Bradford, the desert rockers take the influences of Tame Impala and Humbug-era Arctic Monkeys and create their own blend of psychedelia which has already landed them support slots with acts including Stereo Honey, Sea Girls and The Pale White.
Described by frontman Jacob Lyons as a “tantric tail of a quiet night in with a supernatural poetic cosmic titan of a lover with atomic eyes”, the band (comprised of other two main members Cameron Harrison (bass) and Sam Gledhill (guitar) alongside drummer John Fitzpatrick) support Husky Loops with whenyoung later this month before an April UK tour (TBA) and appearance at Live At Leeds.
Produced by James Kenosha (Pulled Apart By Horses, Dinosaur Pile-Up, Rhodes) GRDNS’ Night Dance is out now and will be available on all platforms. FACEBOOK.
Live Dates: 27 Feb – Chapel, Leeds (w/ Husky Loops & whenyoung) 05 May – Live At Leeds Festival.
From the opening moments of 'Night Dance' there is a delectable psychedelic feel. The music and vocals merge together with more psych vibes flooding through, as the song builds with energy and atmosphere.
Background - Kadija Kamara takes us into the highways of her expansive imagination on ‘Nothing Left To Lose’, her new EP out now.
Based in London, Kadija Kamara is a singer songwriter who best describes her sound as ‘Alt Soul’. With a love of 60’s and 70’s analogue sounds, Kadija combines her affinity for retro soul music with a host of modern influences. To date, her accomplishments include winning the MTV Iggy Artist Of The Week poll, voted by readers and being awarded funding for her Artist Development Programme by PRS for Music. From collaborations with the likes of Joey Negro, Zeb Bias plus many more, to backing vocals for Zara McFarlane on …Later With Jools Holland. Kadija has released records under various labels, including Z Records, Defected, and Soul Heaven among others.
Kadija recently curated a night called Lady, which showcases leading female musicians in the underground and commercial music scenes. She currently holds a residency at the popular Music venue 'The Finsbury', with label/promoters Lost In The Manor. Its huge running success led to the first Lady Festival at ‘Pop Brixton’ in October last year, marking the first Birthday of LADY & LADY Live Events.
Having had the stunning ‘Eyes On You’ selected by readers for Tom Robinson’s Fresh On The Net’, and with praise from CLASH, The Revue, FAME Magazine, Get In Her Ears, and Hype Machine to name a few, the stage is set for her long-awaited EP Nothing Left To Lose. It’s a diverse set of songs showcasing her broad emotional range and tinderbox potential. Mostly, it’s a clear indicator that Kadija is a free-thinking experimentalist producing work that is totally unique and risque, and that already puts her ahead in the game. FACEBOOK.
Kadija Kamara has delivered a fabulous EP with 'Nothing Left To Lose' a collection of four soulful and creative songs. There is emotion, power, and a gorgeous array of retro meeting today styles, add to this her vocals, which are a perfect match for these genres, and I think we have a winning combination that deserves to heard far and wide.
Background - Band Of Gold have premiered the new single 'Well Who Am I' from their forthcoming album 'Where's The Magic'. Nina Mortvedt of Band Of Gold has said "'Well Who Am I' is a quick look at how the brain works when in an obsession, making the smallest of details significant and amazing. It's the yearning and irrational passion that you never get to live out. It makes you numb, feeling like you're in a constant purple sunset. We had such a blast recording this one, and what Nikolai does with his guitar... I'll let that speak for itself." Band Of Gold are a Norwegian duo consisting of the exceptional songwriter Nina Mortvedt and dynamic musician and producer Nikolai Eilertsen. Eilertsen has been known previously for his stellar bass guitar work with the likes of Todd Terje, Elephant9, and Susanne Sundfør, amongst many others but with the addition of some of Norway’s most creative musicians, they are now crafting their very own brand of skeletal funk, country soul and chamber pop, to create an eclectic, glowing concoction. The collaboration between Norway’s Nina Mortvedt and Nikolai Hængsle as Band Of Gold, made a splash in 2015 with their self-titled debut being crowned with the Nordic Music Prize against heavy competition such as Bjork and Jenny Hval by the jury of Jeannette Lee (Rough Trade Records), Jude Rogers (The Guardian), Stuart Maconie (BBC) and Jonathan Galkin (DFA Records). This year will see the release of their highly anticipated follow-up album, ‘Where’s The Magic’ on Jansen Records. Rich bass and drums, silky guitar and dreamy synths courtesy of Hængsle, help guide Mortvedt’s coy vocals, with a twang reminiscent of Natalie Prass, throughout. Hængsle’s tone might be subtle and understated on the latest single from the album ‘I Wanna Dance With You Again’, but her words certainly aren’t. “There’s a hand around my heart and it’s tearing me apart,” she laments. FACEBOOK.
'Well Who Am I' is one very addictive song. The beats and associated music, interact with vocals that just mesmerise and draw the listener in even further.
Background - Multi-instrumentalist and composer Theodore has announced another sterling single ‘Towards? (for what is to come)’ slated for release on 2nd March via United We Fly. The Greek performer has already garnered considerable success with his previous album It Is But Its Not which was co-produced by Clive Martin (Queen, Reef) mixed by Ken Thomas (Sigur Rós, Moby, M83) and performed live at the fabled Studio 2 at Abbey Road Studios. With over 1.7 million Youtube views, he has received radioplay from the likes of BBC Radio 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne and French station RadioKC, as well as support from publications such as Tsugi and Szene. Theodore has graced the stages of Live at Heart Festival and Reeperbahn Festival -where he was named Best Performance Of 2017. He supported Sigur Ros and DIIV at Release Festival (Athens) in 2016, has just performed Eurosonic Noorderslag and looks forward to showcasing his talents at this years SXSW Festival.
Based in Athens, Theodore's schooling in piano and traditional Greek folk music lead to a professional music career in London, where he studied Music Composition in 2011. Theodore has written music for theatrical pieces such as Matina Megla’s Window, Vladan Nikolic’s film Bourek, and was commissioned to write a new score for Buster Keaton’s classic silent comedy of 1928, The Cameraman. Theodore and his band then performed the score live to the film screening, in the unforgettable setting of the Temple of Zeus in Athens, which he describes as “one of the best moments of my life.” Theodore has gained notoriety for his memorable live performances, dazzling audiences with his mesmerizing stage presence.
Fusing classical composition with electronic elements to create beautiful, atmospheric and often cinematic songs, his sound is characterized by contrasting styles. Citing influences such as Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Doors, Chatzidakis, Vagelis Papathanasiou, Nils Frahm, The National, Olafur, Arcade Fire, Max Richter, his unique mélange of influences allow a broad scope of movement from ethereal, to melancholic, to classical, to post rock. ‘Towards? (for what is to come)’ is a sonic stream of consciousness, capturing every nuance of Theodore’s technical wizardry. Covering a wide sonic scope, he drowns ethereal melodies in a cauldron of psychedelic sounds.
Speaking of the single Theodore says “Towards? (for what is to come) is going to be the first song of my upcoming album. This is the initial question I will be exploring throughout the album. It is about the two different sides of one’s personality; the conscious and the magical one and inspired by the battle between them.”WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
'Towards? (for what is to come)' is six minutes of musical creativity. Sometimes haunting, always flowing and richly layered, the song is an epic of sorts, one that builds into a crescendo of flavours and then quickly ebbs away.
