A couple of months back we featured the debut song 'Need To Change' from Magnapop ahead of their upcoming album 'The Circle is Round'. Today we get another taste of the album with 'Dog On The Door', where the bands deliver a vibrant and catchy alt rocker.
Sonny Winnebago has released 'Take Me For A Ride' a bright and uptempo pop song with Sonny's vocals rightly centre stage, supported by an equally melodic and pleasing musical backdrop.
Ahead of debut album 'Visitor' due next month Dominic Sen has released her final single 'Natural History'. We have already featured a couple of songs from the collection, and once again we have a beautifully arranged & very impressive piece, accompanied by a fine video.
Maddee returns for a third time this year with her brand new song release 'Wwy', a soulful and creatively arranged track and another absolute tease for next months six song E.P release.
We are always on the look out for creative and original music, so Skeleton Flower are very welcome and we have two music videos for 'My Double' and 'Fitcher's Bird' where imagination, art and great music come together superbly.
Atlanta-based, Arizona-born rock band, The Endangered Species round today's musical round up off with a unquestionably refined natural rocker entitled 'Magic Man'.
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Innovative musician and dancer Hannah James and her most recent project The JigDoll Ensemble, announce the release of their impressive new album The Woman and Her Words on October 4th; and first single Canal Song has just been released.
Recorded in Hungary, at the prestigious music venue/studio Budapest Music Centre, the album hosts an international line-up of musicians - András Dés (Hungary – Percussion); Marti Tärn (Estonia – Bass Guitar); Kate Young (Scotland – Fiddle / Vocals); Toby Kuhn (France – Cello).
"I deliberately put together this band of extraordinary musicians because, at this time, I feel it's so important to keep international friendships strong. I have always felt European, not English, and this band is a celebration of that and an example of the great things that can emerge when people from different countries and backgrounds have the freedom to meet and work together". Hannah James.
One of the key figures in the revival of English percussive dance, Hannah is renowned as one of the best accordionists of the British Folk scene, her musicianship extends far beyond the tradition and flawlessly incorporates beautiful vocal-stylings with both classic and contemporary applications of English clog dance.
The new release is a celebration of ageing, gaining wisdom, and of the many women who have delivered essential truths along the way. Artist and puppeteer Katarina Cakova, based on Hannah's stories, created the physical form of 'the woman’, which appears on the album cover.
A previous collaborative project, Songs Of Separation, won the BBC Radio 2 Folk Award for Best Album in 2017; while Hannah's vocal trio Lady Maisery produced three critically acclaimed albums and was nominated for the Horizon Award at the BBC Folk Awards. Her most recent project began solo before becoming the JigDoll Ensemble, was acclaimed as 'the highlight of the festival' at the Folk Expo Manchester in late 2017, debuting to a standing ovation from professional delegates from across the world.
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Magnapop’s new album, The Circle Is Round, is the Atlanta-based group’s debut release for HHBTM Records, and is their sixth album, coming nearly a decade after their previous record, 2009’s Chase Park. Prior to this, the group had a fruitful run during the Alternative Rock heyday of the mid-90s, finding critical acclaim with 1994’s Hotboxing (with single “Slowly, Slowly”) and 1996’s Rubbing Doesn’t Help, which featured their most beloved song, “Open The Door.” And although the phrase was an endearing joke courtesy of slacker film Singles, Magnapop were indeed “big in Belgium,” finding enduring success that has led them to visit the Benelux region numerous times over their three decade career. (They have a tour slated for the area this September.)
Yet let’s not think of it as a “comeback,” shall we? Magnapop never really went away, appearing on the live circuit in Europe sporadically since their last release. The seeds that would blossom into The Circle Is Round were planted in 2011. “We reunited in 2011 when bassist Shannon Mulvaney contacted us about playing a benefit for Criminal Records, a local record store,” says guitarist and songwriter Ruthie Morris. “Playing together was easy, but we knew we needed time together to play our old songs again. The more we played together, the more we realized we wanted to work on new material.”
The Circle Is Round was recorded at Furies Studios in Marietta, Georgia, and produced by the band and studio owner Ed Burdell—he worked with the band on one of their first recording sessions—the album came together quickly this past February. Furthermore, there’s a sense of the circular nature of existence at play, as a few of the songs are some of the band’s earliest. “’Change Your Hair’ was the very first song Linda and I ever wrote together, before there was a band,” says Morris. “Our drummer, David McNair, was the one who came up with the idea of recording it. At first it seemed like a crazy idea, but the more I listened to it, the more I thought it would be fun!” The album also includes two demos from a 1992 recording session, previously unheard until now. Longtime fans of the band will find much to love with The Circle Is Round, while new listeners will get a taste of what converted listeners way back when to become lifetime fans.
“During one of our recent tours of Benelux we were interviewed on a Belgian radio program,” says Morris. “We were talking about the four of us reuniting and coming back together as a band. The interviewer said something in Flemish and he translated it as "The circle is round" to describe our situation. At first it sounded kind of funny, but the more we thought about it, the more poignant and appropriate it seemed.” - Indeed.
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Sonny Winnebago is the moniker of Welsh-Australian troubadour /musician Harvey Jones, who's spent the entirety of 2019 living out of his battered suitcase and beloved camper van, all whilst feeding other people's cats and dogs. He was born with hypermobility syndrome which allows him a heightened flexibility, creating a very dynamic and unusual performance style. His infectious music embodies a 'melody is king' approach to pop writing, drawing inspiration from 1970s figures Harry Nilsson & Cat Stevens.
Following a string of profiled support slots, including Michael Kiwanuka & Joel Baker, Sonny Winnebago will be releasing his anticipated debut single 'Take Me For A Ride'. It is one of four tracks he'll be releasing with the support of Welsh artist development scheme 'Forté Project', enlisting the skills of producer Charlie Francis (R.E.M, The High Llamas), featuring session musicians Davey Newington (Boy Azooga), Matt Evans (KEYS) and Steve Black (Sweet Baboo).
Harvey says that 'Take Me For A Ride' was written from a place of restlessness, following the event of a long-term friendship going south."It's a true story, and a relatable one too, with strong themes of detachment and self-empowerment" Backed up by an uptempo rhythm section and bright, choppy chords, 'Take Me For A Ride' ultimately engulfs the listener with feelings of summer abandonment and child-like joy.
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‘Natural History’ is the final single from Dominic Sen's debut 'Visitor' out on October 18 on Roll Call Records. Chronicled in this song is protagonist Tal Naata’s experience of finding meaningful connection during a trip to the American Museum of Natural History following months of social isolation post-arrival on Earth. Her companion, a paleontology graduate student, transforms into something more as looking at objects from our distant past begins to lay out before her a future of endless possibilities.
“‘Natural History’ makes tactile the rush of a fantasy becoming reality -- the first few, intoxicating brushes of physical contact, a hypersensitivity to every single sensation” comments the albums’ author, Dominic Sen, a Galaxy M64 émigré who was drawn to Earth by our colourful pop culture, convinced they had a shot at Earthbound stardom.
But connection means vulnerability and vulnerability comes with a cost: “In this snapshot, Tal may be free falling enthusiastically into infatuation, but she still holds onto secrets and the fear that she will not be valued fully as an alien or, as she slowly learns from her terrestrial experiences, as a woman” explains Sen.
Dominic Sen's terrestrial debut is a space opera and thought experiment that tells the tale of Tal Naata, a biologically human female coming from a distant and socially progressive civilisation to study Earth. Taking Tal Naata’s story as their prism, Sen casts our own primitive ideas of gender, duality and social cohesion back at us through shimmering, crystalline pop that pays homage to our recent past.
Like Tal Naata, the album's creator Dominic Sen is themselves a visitor to Earth. The seventh and only surviving child of the supermassive black hole at the centre of “The Evil Eye Galaxy,” Sen drifted around space in limbo until intercepting the radio waves from Earth’s broadcasts during 1980’s and 1990’s.
‘Visitor’ will be released on Roll Call Records on October 18. It will be immediately available for pre-order, including as a limited edition LP in “Interstellar White” vinyl. Dominic Sen will play an album launch show in NYC on Oct 26 @ Trans-Pecos,
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The Toronto-based artist, Maddee is today sharing the wonky funk of ‘WWY' - listen here. Taken from her forthcoming debut six-track EP, ’Red Mind’, which is due for release on October 17, 2019, the new cut finds the artist locking into oscillating grooves underneath syrupy electronic textures.
‘WWY’ - an acronym for ‘Where Were You’ - finds the 21-year-old artist collaborating with Louie Short to mine personal experiences once more, this time with Maddee turning attention to times of abandonment in close relationships. Speaking about the track she says: “‘WWY’ was written about a really bad night I had where I was seeking comfort and support from the person who I thought was supposed to be there for me and quickly found out that they weren't. I thought I needed their support and in the end, I had to learn how to provide that for myself.”
The latest cut to be taken from the EP further examines the overarching subject of the forthcoming collection, wrestling with the ramifications of a negative relationship and the emotions that Maddee felt throughout that period. From love to infatuation and naivety, the complex theme of love and emotion is further accentuated through the accompanying scarlet artwork.
Maddee cut her teeth initially with features on the ‘Colours EP’ from Toronto-based producer, Harrison - from here, she picked up slots opening for the likes of Lil’ Yachty, Willow Smith and Tennyson, alongside which she showcased across festivals including SXSW, NXNE and Field Trip. A pair of debut singles were released in 2017 (produced by Toronto’s Birthday Boy and Shagabond respectively), earning the buzz-building artist tips from tastemaker blogs, Majestic Casual and the attention of Red Bull Sound Select who handpicked her as one their spotlight artists.
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Skeleton Flower’s debut album is a musical collection filled with gritty honesty, wild imagination, a generous sense of humor, and unleashed artistic expression. It is based on a new performance that is a semi-autobiographical exploration of a creative person’s struggle with identity, depression and the awakening of personal power.
The Stranger Recommended, Don’t Miss: “They've created a seven-song collection that takes indie rock to art school in the manner of St. Vincent, Dirty Projectors, and Deerhoof. Nishimura’s endearingly quirky voice comes off like a Japanese Joanna Newsom, and Nortness’s bass clarinet and saxophone lines sometimes skew the songs into chamber-jazz territory. However, Skeleton Flower's final two tracks—“The Red Shoes” and “Mirrored Sky”—hint at Björk's phantasmal electronic songcraft, and are all the more interesting for that.” –Dave Segal
“"Listen and watch after reading the fairy tale (or a synopsis of it), and it’s impossible not to be struck by how elegantly Nishimura’s visceral words metamorphose and compliment the source. The beauty of “Fitcher’s Bird” is that, as befits any great dark fairytale, enchantment and eeriness walk hand-in-hand. It’s an uneasy but irresistible path.” –Anthony James Kay, Artist Home
As with all of Degenerate Art Ensemble ’s work, Director Haruko Crow Nishimura draws on her own difficult and at times violent childhood which led to major breakdowns and years of depression. The work balances compelling supernatural narratives along with exploring how, through creativity, Crow was able to not only survive, but also share the fruits of her imagination with others and transform herself in the process.
The Skeleton Flower dance performance was shown as a work in progress in Bulgaria as part of the Spotlight USA Festival and premiered in Seattle in March of 2019 and they are excited to debut the Skeleton Flower band in September.
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Atlanta-based, Arizona-born rock band, The Endangered Species, tell a tale of loss, hardship, and redemption on their video "Magic Man” and forthcoming, self-titled album, produced by music industry veteran, Joey Huffman (Izzy Stradlin, Soul Asylum, Drivin n Cryin). Music this raw and authentic stems from experience, and brothers and central figures, Wade and Robin Divver, have had more than their fair share of hard times. On February 12th, 2001, their father was brutally murdered by the Sinaloan drug cartel. The only living memory the brothers have of their father were his most prized possessions: a 1983 Fender Stratocaster and a 1967 Gibson SG. The album arrives October 18th, just in time for their father’s birthday.
Eight years later, inspired by their life experiences and their passion to see the world change for the benefit of all species, the pair officially started their band The Endangered Species.
The concept of the video is to capture the groove of the song. The idea was to show all types of different dance being done to the song. Pole dancers, break dancers, astronauts on the moon listening to the song, dead people dancing, etc. The lyrics are more serious and dark in nature, so instead of a doom and gloom video I wanted to create a video that put the focus on the groove of the song. I think it makes the song more fun and exciting for the listener. The lyrics will speak for themselves for the listener who can relate. As I stated before Magic Man is the drug dealer who is benefiting off the addicts addiction. Fueling the demise of others for his own gain. The song expresses the path of the desperate addict giving up more and more to satisfy their addiction, until they are so desperate they take everything they need from Magic Man by putting a gun to his head.’But they ask so politely indeed.’ The video was created and produced by Robin Divver (Rock & Roll Rd. Productions).”
For the Divver brothers, The Endangered Species are more than just a band: they are a movement raising awareness, consciousness, and trying to spark an awakening of thought and revolution in their listeners. If humans do not become more conscious of their impact on the earth, the other species that exist, the water, the future generations, humans will cease to exist. They urge fans to stand up and change the world for the better, to not be mindless sheep used as pawns in a society ruled by the powerful elites and their money first mentality. They want to be a voice for the people who have been forgotten, left behind, and demand change. The pair live by the motto, “Try to save a life a thousand years away, it starts with a change inside yourself.”
The brothers and family lived a humble life in Arizona on Rock & Roll Road, where Robin was born at home. Living off the grid one mile from the U.S. Mexico border, they pumped water from a windmill, took bucket baths, had no electricity other than a generator, and utilized two school buses that once served as the family’s home. In fact, Wade was given birth to in one of the buses while his parents lived in Contreras, New Mexico. Despite the hardship this family faced, they got through it thanks to their shared love of Rock & Roll. But it was going to take a while before the family saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
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