Frøkedal - LTF / Cracks.Background - Oslo, Norway based artist Frøkedal has released a new double single — ‘LTF’ / ‘Cracks’. Two captivating pieces of music, ‘LTF’ and ‘Cracks’ are similar in the sense that they both describe how feelings of love are often accompanied by an almost-physical fear. Yet, the two songs differ in their urgency, instrumentation, and overall artistic delivery.
‘LTF’ is full of twists and turns, as Anne Lise Frøkedal navigates her way around bustling drum work and complex guitar passages, hinting at a state of emotional bedlam: “Everything we aimed to be / The image stirs so easily / Too fast to follow / I don’t know what you’re doing to me”.
Speaking a little more on the tracks, Frøkedal explained: "‘LTF’ is set in an urban landscape, and inspired by the escalating chaos of daily life, whereas ‘Cracks’ gets back to basics – it’s more vulnerable, and mature in that way. ‘Cracks’ suggests that the problem lies in our nature – nothing is more scary than exposing our weaknesses and imperfections."
Instrumentally, the double release could be argued to be one of Frøkedal most diverse yet. "I wanted the arrangements in ‘LTF’ to channel the more chaotic nature of the lyric” Frøkedal says.
"The second instrumental in ‘LTF’ is like a mini-postcard from last year when I was a clueless Norwegian trying to navigate the busy and bustling streets of Beijing. I laughed a lot when I realised I had musically recreated that moment” - perhaps referencing the tumultuous instrumental finale to the track.
"‘Cracks’ is painfully honest. It was difficult writing a song like that, but I really wanted to try shortening the distance a little, lay it open. I got Familien [Frøkedal’s band] to sing a verse with me, because the theme feels universal. One of my favourite percussion instruments is the Cajun triangle, and you can hear a trace of it in the bridge of ‘Cracks’. To me, it sounds like a reminder of danger lurking around the corner.”
Despite track-by-track production, Frøkedal’s lyrical output has taken a much more thematic approach with recent single ’Stranger’, and the double single released today: “When I started writing this new material, I was picturing different ages or stages in our lives when our vision gets a little blurred. I wanted the songs (and the characters) to channel these critical moments when decisions are dominated by emotion and not necessarily by logic,” she says.
‘LTF’ and ‘Cracks' join Frøkedal’s already-impressive body of work, having previously collaborated with Robyn Hitchcock and fronted successful Norwegian outfit Harrys Gym. She remains a core member of I Was A King, who count Sufjan Stevens and Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake among past collaborators. Purchase here, Facebook here.
I mentioned back in June that I hoped I might be able to share some more material from Frøkedal this year & now we have two superb new songs 'LTF' and 'Cracks'. Both have the hallmark of quality that she consistently delivers, if you like either of these two tunes I thoroughly recommend her Norwegian Grammy-nominated debut LP of 2016, ‘Hold On Dreamer’.
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Background - Now counting down the days until their self-titled debut album is released on September 1st, INHEAVEN have already received an overwhelmingly positive reaction for the collection. Now the band present a final taster for the album by sharing the new track ‘Stupid Things’.
Produced by Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, Pixies), ‘Stupid Things’ captures INHEAVEN at their most anthemic and romantic. As co-vocalists James Taylor and Chloe Little share sweet vocal harmonies over the track’s pounding rhythms, ‘Stupid Things’ takes you to a different place to the rest of the INHEAVEN songbook - a place where Brit attitude, boisterous grunge and Springsteen-esque Americana live in perfect harmony.
Lyrically it’s a song that reflects a near universal youth experience. As the band explain: “‘Stupid Things’ is a song for daydreamers. It’s about a love that exists outside of reality, it’s a romanticism you’ve created in your own head - but in the real world you have never even spoken to this person you think you know so well. It’s a school crush that feels like it will last forever. And it’s our very own coming of age soundtrack.”
INHEAVEN’s debut is the sound of a band who are set to change the lives of teenagers the length and breadth of the nation, and beyond. It’s a set that sprawls across the alt.rock spectrum from feral snapfire punk to the moody melodic distortion of shoegaze and the loud/quiet/loud dynamics of grunge. The life-affirming energy of their music combined with their individualistic ethos combine to make a band worth investing in beyond simply adding a few tracks to your Spotify playlist. Facebook here.
Following on from the live song 'Vultures' that we shared at the end of May, we now have 'Stupid Things' a thunderous rock anthem that combines melody and a rich rock arrangement with vocals and harmonies adding something quite special to this fabulous track.
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Knifey - Summer Girls.Background - The new Knifey single is another perfect encapsulation of the surf-punk's Modus Operandi; it's as much a rallying cry for a rawkus beach party, as it is a wistful look back at what could've been.
Dripping with summer soaked nostalgia, the track is a last stand to the waning days of perpetual sun and a holiday romances. Blasting out your speakers, the song comes from their debut LP 'Beached', out this September 29th.
Quote about the song from lead singer Max Trinz: From frantic highs to ardent lows, Summer Girls is a song about romance and passion in the deep summer. It's about the fast kind of love you can blink and miss while speeding down lazy summer roads.
Reflective, patient hooks rise above relentless percussion and blistering guitars. Like all Toronto summers, the song is short and precious, and, like the coming fall, quickly slows into a dreamy, reflective outro that yearns for things not appreciated in their time. Facebook here.
It's third time this year for Knifey on Beehive Candy and this time we have 'Summer Girls' a sub three minute sparkling surf punk song. Passionate, vibrant and charged with power, it's more evidence that this band can turn out fabulous music that should be noticed.
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Background - Cody & Danz have shared their new video from their debut EP. The song "So Small" comes from Only The Hits, which released on July 14th via Channel 9 Records in the USA and Tugboat Records in Japan. Cool Hunting calls the song "rambunctious" and says it "carries tremendous force without disrupting the pop sensibilities and musical intelligence of the two musicians."
On the video, Cool Hunting adds, "Directed by Derik Smith, the visuals offer a candid-like take on an ordinary hang with Crump and Danz. It's simple, fun and works in tandem with the song." Look out for a John Stamos appearance, as well.
The two artists both have burgeoning solo projects: Cody Crump and Computer Magic. Cody lives in LA and Danz lives in NYC. Consequence of Sound says, "Though about 3,000 miles separate these two musicians, their minds meet on one project, their collaborative debut EP, Only The Hits." Website here, Facebook here.
Whilst we are in the habit of undertaking additional features for artists in 2017, lets not miss out on Cody & Danz this time with the new music video for 'So Small'. Potent, grungy, and punk fuelled, it's both primal and magnificent!
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