Sarah Jane Scouten - Rory Lavelle - Honeymoon Disease - HOTT MT

Sarah Jane Scouten - Bang Bang.

Background - Two-time Canadian Folk Music Award Nominee, Sarah Jane Scouten has announced the release of new album When The Bloom Falls From The Rose on June 16th, including the new bluesy-rockabilly single Bang Bang.

Observant, outspoken, and at the top of her craft, the new album is a luminous body of work; one that shines a light on the wind-whipped highway of Scouten’s life as a gifted songwriter, scholar of roots music history, and travelling musician. With flavours of Lucinda Williams, Nanci Griffiths, Old Crow Medicine Show and a wealth of old-time and bluegrass music, Sarah Jane’s songs are faithful to a long-standing folk music tradition, but often spill over into modern themes that are outspoken and edgy, from homelessness to midwifery to tongue-in-cheek heartache songs and unabashed Canadiana. 

First single taken from the album Every Song I Sing (released in 2016) exposes the classic country soul of Sarah Jane, equally deeply personal and written for the listener, an anthem for when you’re sad, every sad song becomes about you. New single Bang Bang scales up the beat combining the retro feel of country-folk with bluesy rockabilly; bombastic, irreverent and smutty behind a thin veneer, Bang Bang may not make sense, but it plays in the lyrical freedom that comes with the blues. Website here, Facebook here.

Whatever genre or style Sarah Jane Scouten chooses to write and perform in, she does it with real class. 'Bang Bang' is a feisty rockabilly blast, it's one of a dozen high calibre song that range from folk to country and more, sometimes with timeless character, other times with a more modern slant.

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Rory Lavelle - All These Horrors.

Background - Belfast based alt-rock singer/songwriter Rory Lavelle boasts a vocal so rich in soulful storytelling that is impossible not to be moved. With his debut album Waves scheduled for release in June, his distinctive breed of brooding, melancholic but uplifting acoustic alt-rock showcases his diverse musical influences, which include Bill Withers, David Kitt, Nick Drake and Radiohead.

From opening for Ian Brown to a packed Ulster Hall to spending long cold winter nights sleeping on the floor of a Ford Transit van at this stage Rory has done most of it if not it all. The level of prestige may peak and dip but the passion remains. “I suppose it’s just a hobby more than a job for you these days?” a fan and friend once asked. It’s neither. It simply is.

Growing up in a small border town in Ireland there was little to do but nurture an already burgeoning obsession with 60’s pop-rock. A hum and a foot-tap led to a voice and a guitar which in turn led to Rory Lavelle’s first forays into what would become a life-long career in music. Having experienced previous successes with his bands Indigo Fury and Sparks Fly Rory is soon to release his first solo long-player “Waves”. Heading up the release riotous charge of All These Horrors. With a haunting chorus that will make you want to shamelessly shake your hips in time, Rory says of the single,

A DIY artist to the core, Rory is channeling all his experiences and influences to date to craft something truly unique and mesmerizing. Website here, Facebook here.

The first of ten songs on the forthcoming 'Waves' album is 'All These Horrors'. The featured track veers toward the indie rock genre whilst the album as a whole mixes understated folk rock with more passionate and expansive pieces. Overall it's a distinctive collection of songs that work well together whilst ensuring plenty of variety throughout.


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Honeymoon Disease - Electric Eel.

Background - Honeymoon Disease are back with their new single and seven inch vinyl 'Electric Eel'. The Swedish boogie-woogie rock bands new single got all the hooks, catchiness and melodies to make an instant rock n roll classic. Electric Eel is the first new original song to be released from the band since their debut album 'The Trancendence' was released in 2015. Since then endless tours have turned the band into one of Swedens hardest working rock n roll machines. The video for Electric Eel is produced by Max Ljungberg. The band is touring Spain starting 4th of April.

"Electric Eel is about when your heart is overloading and pushes you to the limit. So settle for the shock and get ready for the take off!" - Jenna

Electric Eel gives a first glimp of what the future holds for Honeymoon Disease. The band will be entering the studio this summer together with Ola Ersfjord (Tribulation, Dead Lord, Night) to record their new album to be released in the fall of 2017 on The Sign Records. The band debut album 'The Transcendence' was released in 2015 on Napalm Records and was co-produced by Nicke Andersson (the Hellacopters, Imperal State Electric and Death Breath). The seven inch vinyl is limited to 700 copies and is available through Freight Train in bundles with patches and t-shirts. Get the record here, website here, Facebook here.

We featured Honeymoon Disease just over a month ago, and the brand new single 'Electric Eel' deserves a share. Once again the band demonstrate that they can turn up the power with some unashamed full on rock'n'roll.


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HOTT MT - Tranceforming.

Background - LA-based experimental pop duo, HOTT MT, have shared their video for "Traceforming". The song is from their forthcoming new album 'AU' (Alternate Universe,) out today Thursday, May 4th via their own label, Mutation Records.

The video was shot at their own warehouse space in Los Angeles, Non Plus Ultra, which was recently shut down. The duo says of their recent loss, "All of us at Non Plus Ultra have been together for years. Our ideals brought us together, and we built a space and a business on them. Non Plus Ultra showed us that we aren't alone in our desires. There are so many people in this town who share our values. We've made and lost spaces before, but this time we've got an incredible support system."

LA Weekly just named HOTT MT #25 on their list for "The 30 Best LA Rock Bands from the Past Decade, " and said, "They're the most ambitious psych-rock band in L.A., who stalked Flaming Lip's Wayne Coyne into a collaboration in 2012, and quietly dropped a track last year they produced for Kesha, without permission from Dr. Luke. They referred to the leak as "musical terrorism," a bold statement by the landlords of L.A.'s most interesting art space, Non Plus Ultra." Website here, Facebook here.

Our second feature for HOTT MT and again we have a rich synthy song, this time entitled 'Tranceforming'. The vocals are dreamy and melodic and the atmosphere builds as layers of music unfold.


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Kill For Eden - So Many Wizards - Carl Louis - HOTT MT

Kill For Eden - Love You So.

Background - Kill for Eden are London-based purveyors of classic hard rock, radio ready riffs and powerful female vocals. Their music has been championed by XFM (presently Radio X) and Kerrang!, and seen the band likened to Skunk Anansie, Halestrom, The Cult and Garbage. The quartet have released two EPs and a self-titled album, that boasted “blistering riffs, hook-laden choruses, great vocals and a strong selection of tunes” (Fireworks Magazine). Their upcoming second studio album, Petty Crimes, is released in on 21st April 2017.

Based in London, but with a distinctly international flavour (two Brits, an Australian and a drummer from Siberia), Kill For Eden have been making high-octane heavy rock together since 2011. Kill for Eden is singer Lyla D’Souza - a seasoned professional hailing from Australia - Dave Garfield Bown - veteran guitarist who has toured alongside acts from Joe Cocker to Rammstein - alongside bassist Julian Palmer and drummer Wally Miroshnikov. 

To date the group have released two EP’s (2011’s Kerosene and 2013’s Living on Mars) as well as a self-titled album (also 2013). This album saw their music hit the airwaves on XFM, Kerrang! Radio, Bloodstock Radio and on numerous independent stations across Europe. They have appeared on stages including the legendary Hard Rock Cafe, Cockermouth Rock Festival, Camden Rocks and more. The band have not slowed down - despite various members starting families in the intervening time. They continued to gig throughout, and in 2016 entered the studio to begin work on their second full-length album. The result is the forthcoming Petty Crimes. Website here, Facebook here.

One of twelve tracks 'Love You So' gives a good feel for the forthcoming album 'Petty Crimes'. It would be easy just to repeat the promos description of 'classic hard rock' however there is enough variety across the album to suggest the music goes beyond that, and certainly 'hard rock' would be an over statement for some of the material. Passion, energy and hooks galore are also a hallmark of this classic meets modern collection of songs.

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So Many Wizards - Sic Boys.

Background - So Many Wizards is the dreamy, jangly dream-punk project led by Nima Kazerouni. The band have shared "Sic Boys", the first track off their upcoming album 'Heavy Vision' is due April 14 on Lolipop Records.

What began as a solo bedroom project indebted to Syd Barrett evolved into a fully-formed band that has garnered attention from Pitchfork, Stereogum, Aquarium Drunkard, and Impose Magazine; spins on BBC 1, KCRW, and SiriusXM (courtesy of Lou Reed); festival stops at SXSW and CMJ; and US and UK tours. A week after the release of their debut album, Warm Nothing, Kazerouni’s daughter was born causing his sudden move to Tucson, Arizona, taking him 500 miles away from his bandmates. Despite the distance, the band managed to release their “Night Chills”/”Daydream” 7”, a single with Converse Rubber Tracks, and shared the stage with Thee Oh Sees, No Age, Colleen Green, Audacity, Feels, Terry Malts, Lovely Bad Things, and more.

Now as a father, the delusion of adulthood began to set in. A new collection of fears and anxieties began to creep into his psyche. This was exacerbated by a series of deaths – a family member, a best friend, and the end of an 8-year long relationship. The experience left Kazerouni spiritually exhausted, culminating in a nervous breakdown, or “nervous breakthrough.” Kazerouni was finally able to lose a grip of himself and let all the problems and anxieties that he tried so hard to ignore wash over him. It was here where Kazerouni found refuge in the idea of mortality, instilling in him a new found determination to make the most of the present, because everyone’s life ultimately ends the same way. This emotional journey, from its dark hues to its liberated epiphany, is chronicled in Heavy Vision. Facebook here.

Described as dream punk 'Sic Boys' lives up to expectations. The vocals add the dreamy element, whilst the music is a mixture of punk like riffs and chord changes. it's also enormously catchy, you have been warned!

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Carl Louis - Easy (feat. Frøder).

Background - Growing up on the Nordic coastline, producer Carl Louis has spent much of his career broadening his musical horizons with a number of notable credits to his name. Originally a member of electronic duo CLMD, Louis co-produced a number of notable releases including ‘Stockholm Syndrome’, which went multi-platinum in Norway and was also premiered on Pete Tong’s Radio 1 show. Afterward, Louis left the group in 2014 to pursue his own personal ambitions.

Having spent the last few years producing singles for other artists, including ARY’s debut single ‘Higher’, as well as releasing his own mini-album in 2015, Lewis has now returned to deliver his latest full-length ‘Memory Lane’. While its title may suggest a more nostalgic sound, his latest material is a smorgasbord of contemporary influences and inspirations. With a largely classical direction, the mix of ideas and directions on his latest release are clear throughout.

Whether it is the ‘Random Access Memories’-era Daft Punk sound of ‘Human Being’ or the uplifting trip-hop style of ‘Easy’, ‘Memory Lane’ manages to gather together a whole range of sounds and is able to pull off a cohesive release. New single ‘Easy’ sees the producer create an uplifting and powerful introduction, which sees him collaborate once again with Spotify Spotlight artist and ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ vocalist Frøder, and is out now with the album to follow 26th May 2017 via Toothfairy (NOR). Facebook here.

'Easy' mixes beautiful vocals with a delightful sound track that is sometimes stripped back to allow for notable additional layers of sound to build through. Plenty of attention to detail ensures this song, stands out in the electronic music scene.

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HOTT MT - At Night In China Town.

Background - LA-based experimental pop duo HOTT MT shared their video for "At Night in Chinatown". The song is from their forthcoming new album 'AU' (Alternate Universe,) out May 4th via their own label Mutation Records.

The video was shot at their own warehouse space in Los Angeles, Non Plus Ultra, which was recently shut down. The duo says of their recent loss, "All of us at Non Plus Ultra have been together for years. Our ideals brought us together, and we built a space and a business on them. Non Plus Ultra showed us that we aren't alone in our desires. There are so many people in this town who share our values. We've made and lost spaces before, but this time we've got an incredible support system."

LA Weekly just named HOTT MT #25 on their list for "The 30 Best LA Rock Bands from the Past Decade, " and said, "They're the most ambitious psych-rock band in L.A., who stalked Flaming Lip's Wayne Coyne into a collaboration in 2012, and quietly dropped a track last year they produced for Kesha, without permission from Dr. Luke. They referred to the leak as "musical terrorism," a bold statement by the landlords of L.A.'s most interesting art space, Non Plus Ultra."

Hour Of The Time Majesty Twelve (HOTT MT) is an experimental pop group based in LA. Together, couple Spooki Tavi (guitar/vocals) and Ashi Dala (bass/vocals) create cartoon-like psychedelic fantasy in the dusty shimmer of East Hollywood. Since their formation in 2012, the group has collaborated  with: The Flaming Lips, Ariel Pink, Erykah Badu, and Ke$ha. They have also opened for: The Flaming Lips, Bat For Lashes and Galaxie 500. The duo will be releasing their 2nd full length album, titled 'AU' (Alternate Universe), in May 2017. Website here, Facebook here.

The story telling music video, gives some additional meaning to 'At Night In China Town' however this is a fine synthy and dreamy song more than capable of standing out with the audio only. HOTT MT are creative and confident, an exciting proposition, that promises more.

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