House Hounds - Crooked Teeth - Salt Cathedral - BERRIES

House Hounds - Karamel.

Background - Forming in late 2013 through a musician classified ad, the boys set out working on material after connecting on the love of shared influences. After a couple of years of gigging and rehearsing, a few singles, radio interviews and airplay, the band started working on their debut EP Saturate. 

Written, recorded and self produced over the course of 6 months, the EP was handed to multi-award winning producer Magoo for mixing duties and mastered by Matthew Gray.

"The EP was recorded over the course of 6 months after long nights and days of pre-production and demoing. All songs were written around the same time frame except the first track ‘Bird' which was written two years prior,” says member Keelan Callaghan on the process of writing the EP.

On display on the EP are 70s influenced vintage synths, overdriven guitar layers and creamy fuzz leads, reminiscent of 90s era alt-rock records and a modern take on a vintage compressed drum sound, are all features of the new release.

Lead single ‘Karamel’, layers 70s influenced vintage synth sounds with a mono recorded drum track. The song’s uniquely structured arrangement is standout.

“The EP was named "Saturate" as an adjective to describe the overall sound of the EP. Having multiple layers of guitars and the use of effects and atmosphere... to me the songs sounded "saturated" in colour, tying them together. Lyrically the songs are about life events that I have experienced over the past 2 years,” says Keelan. The Saturate EP by House Hounds is released today, 23rd of June 2017. Facebook here.

The debut EP 'Saturate' comprises of five distinct and high quality songs. Lead single and the third track on the EP is 'Karamel' a piece that typifies the overall quality of the bands indie pop/rock style. Very assessable and refined music.

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Crooked Teeth - Mirrors.

Background - The seeds of Crooked Teeth germinated in Glasgow where Rob and Jo met having played the circuit in their own bands For Abel and Evol. A couple of years later they moved to London separately where a chance re-encounter on the streets would lead to the formation of Crooked Teeth. Originally Rob suggested Jo play drums or guitar with him in the new band, Jo suggested synths. Despite Rob’s initial wariness of the setup, they went into studio with his friend Sam on guitars. After a three hour synth-propelled noise pop wig-out the lineup was set in stone. Two years and numerous gigs later and their sound has evolved. 

Utilising analogue electronics and guitar-driven psych pop in equal measure, Crooked Teeth’s unique sound has seen them draw much praise, with radio play from Amazing Radio’s Jim Gellatly and Artrocker Magazine. Their debut release, Mirrors, marks their most sophisticated songwriting yet. Recorded, mixed and produced by Jo in his warehouse studio in Manor House, the track captures the uniquely fragmented and cacophonous nature of modern life with its multitudinous anxieties, but Crooked Teeth go one step further than that. In their studiously well-crafted noise pop experiments they’ve found something infectiously listenable and free too.

Taking inspiration from their beloved hometown of London, ‘Mirrors’ is a celebration of individuality in a metropolis that’s becoming increasingly homogenised. Giorgio Moroder style propulsive synth bass and crisp guitar lines give the song a driving groove while the beatific synth leads lend an uplifting poignancy. This is Crooked Teeth at their most life-affirming yet. “You’ll be like no one else” Rob chants as the song crescendos to its heady climax. 

A bold assertion of individuality both musically and lyrically, ‘Mirrors’ is a snapshot of Crooked Teeth at this moment in time - thoughtful, unique and playfully experimental. In many ways it’s reminiscent of A Weekend In The City era Bloc Party, both in its brow-beaten cynicism towards modernity, but also in the rapturous optimism that positively thrums within its beguiling freeform outro. Facebook here.

Stylish and rhythmic 'Mirrors' has that classic electro vibe, with enough of a modern twist to keep it fresh. Vocals and guitars add a further dimension, to what is a quite hypnotic song, that gently progresses into something more memorable.

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Salt Cathedral - Always There When I Need You.

Background - 'Always There When I Need You,' the first track to be released from rising Colombian duo Salt Cathedral's forthcoming debut album Big Waves // Small Waves. The new album is set for release this autumn.

Big Waves // Small Waves was written and recorded over the course of 2016 at the band’s Brooklyn studio. The self-produced record began with sampling sessions in an effort to bring folkloric sounds into the band’s pop writing. After sketching out their song ideas, the band fleshed out and recorded, keeping most of the original demo vocals. The Jamaican rapper Assassin, reggae legend Lee “Scratch” Perry and longtime friend and collaborator Matisyahu each lend vocals to tracks on the album.

Salt Cathedral’s first full-length follows their 2014 EP Oom Velt, released to critical acclaim from the likes of Pitchfork, The Guardian, The Fader and Consequence of Sound. The band has toured extensively in North and South America as well as Asia, and has shared stages with the likes of Mitski, Christine & The Queens, Hundred Waters, Cibo Matto, Tei Shi and many more.

Salt Cathedral is the duo of Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada, born in Colombia and now based in Brooklyn, New York. Their name is taken from the fabled Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá, a church built inside a salt mine in their native country. Formerly members of Il Albanico, Ronderos and Losada formed Salt Cathedral to experiment with their Caribbean and various world music influences and inspirations, as well as to explore their more existential songwriting leanings. Salt Cathedral traffics in concepts and ideas like individuality, identity and experience.

Following some US & Colombian live dates, the band will announce some UK shows shortly. Website here, Facebook here.

'Always There When I Need You' has fabulous vocals and a bright and beautiful musical arrangement. Totally addictive and genre crossing, this is just right for hot summer days.

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BERRIES - Wild Vow.

Background - BERRIES have announced the release of their new single 'Wild Vow' - the first track taken from their second EP which sees the band further explore their unique take on riff-driven rock with even more grit and confidence. 'Wild Vow' boasts big riffs and chorus's and further highlights the clever musicianship, weaving guitar and bass lines and well thought out drum patterns that this exciting three-piece are becoming known for.

BERRIES have had an infectious buzz around them ever since they dropped their first release 'Lights' last year, followed by singles 'Waiting' and 'Siren'. Their tracks immediately caught the attention of BBC London Introducing and they were hastily invited into the studio for an interview with Gary Crowley who openly showed his support for the band urging listeners to “keep an ear and an eye out for them as they have a lot of promise!” The bands tracks have also received regular air play by Jim Gellatly and Shell Zenner on Amazing Radio and John Kennedy on Radio X.  

Following the release of their debut EP 'Those Funny Things' the band were approached by a member of Fender’s A&R team who expressed his interest in their unique and energetic playing style. They were endorsed with new gear and included in a playlist of Fender's 'Top 10 favourite new acts' alongside Bryde and featured on Richer Unsigned. Their song 'Siren' was then added to nationwide playlists in Richer Sounds stores, Samsung and Barclays. The band’s EP has been championed by Fred Perry Subculture, Gigslutz, Even the Stars and The Revue along with several other influential taste makers and blogs. ‘Wild Vow’ is their anticipated follow-up single. Facebook here.

Natural and feisty alt rock comes in the shape of 'Wild Vow'. BERRIES just get on play, with passion, power and a fine sense of what makes for a good blast of rock'n'roll.

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Saturday Four: Candi's Dog - Ellie Dorman - Salt Cathedral - Witching Waves

Candi's Dog - I Couldn't Ask For More.

Background promo - Tyneside trio Candi's Dog specialise in acoustic folk-pop, combining inventive structures with ludicrously catchy melodies. The result is a mash-up akin to the likes of Bright Eyes and the lyrical quality of Ed Sheeran. Creativity isn’t something that’s hard to come by for the innovative threesome who can regularly be seen sporting Melodicas, Kazoos and a homemade Acoustic Bass.

Not content with leaving the ear candy duties to their primary instruments alone (consisting of guitar, bass and percussion), Candi’s Dog add delicious, rich vocal harmonies to their audio arsenal, echoing the melodic vocal prowess of the Beach Boys and Crowded House. The satisfying suggestion of pop along with their folksy-rock feel results in their sound igniting a feast of welcomed familiarity, allowing the band to become part of your inner soundtrack with obliging ease.

Favouring the DIY approach, Candi’s Dog have not only opted to make their own instruments but after being left with underwhelming results at the hands of recording studios, the band have taken to home recording. The decision has clearly paid off with the brilliantly catchy single “I Couldn’t Ask For More” fresh off the production line, showcasing the song craft of twin brothers, Matthew and Daniel Slee, and Stephen Justice. Set for release on Monday 29th Feb the upbeat “I Couldn’t Ask For More” is taken from the band’s debut album out later this year.

There is no shortage of folksy music these days. With 'I Couldn't Ask For More' the emphasis is towards pop, with a natural acoustic feel and some very good harmonies. Whether it's reminiscent of others is pretty much irrelevant, in part it has to be, what matters is that this is a great song, both in substance and performance.

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Ellie Dorman - October.

Background promo - Music has always been a big part of my life and impossible to ignore; from a young age experiencing folk festivals to classical music at college to working with bands in clubs and venues across Europe and beyond.

Being constantly surrounded by musical influences I've always felt driven to write my own songs, from experimenting with my own adapted versions of classic folk songs on the piano to playing around with drum and bass beats on logic.

Eventually full of inspiration and broad collection of sounds, I became more serious about wanting to produce a sound that people will appreciate and like as art sharing my experiences of life through my own music.

'October' is the first of four songs on the debut EP from South East London based Singer Songwriter - Ellie Dorman. Talk about setting the bar high, this is a rich and vibrant collection of songs. Musically we are spoilt with an eclectic choice of sounds and instruments whilst vocally Ellie's singing and interpretation pulls everything smoothly together.

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Salt Cathedral - No Ordinary Man.

Background promo - “No Ordinary Man” is the new single from New York-based Colombian producers Nicolas Losada and Juliana Ronderos as Salt Cathedral. Coming in advance of their full-length debut, and following on the heels of "Holy Soul," lead track off 2014’s Oom Velt EP, No Ordinary Man is a hip-hop and soul influenced ballad that speaks about love, the need for reassurance, the fear of letting go and the desire to be extraordinary.

Recorded in Williamsburg’s Bunker Studio, Salt Cathedral’s plaintive new single signals the continued development of th electronic tenor and danceable eclecticism that has defined their sonic trajectory. Through their collaborations with producer/musician John Davis (Jojo Mayer’s Nerve) they achieve a recording where every detail of the sparse arrangement pulses with heart rending clarity. Understated and achingly beautiful, “No Ordinary Man” is the duo’s most mature and affecting song to date, as well as a bold & sure footed précis for 2016, their forthcoming full length, and the remarkable evolution of their new meaningful sounds.

Salt Cathedral is the electronic project of New York based Colombian musicians Juliana Ronderos and Nicolas Losada. Their music combines elements of trip-hop and ambient genres with folkloric influences from many cultures. The band's most recent record, Oom Velt, was released in 2014. "Oom Velt," makes reference to the individuality of experience – the discrete "worlds" as they are experienced by different organisms. Guardian UK, in their coverage of the EP's lead single "Holy Soul," describes Salt Cathedral as "purveyors of breezy electronic pop with lightly tropical rhythms and deathlessly pretty vocals’’.

'No Ordinary Man' is a soothingly good electro pop song, with a huge helping of soulfulness. It's no wonder they have been noticed both sides of the Atlantic, with music and singing this well crafted, it's a simple case of 'more please'.

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Witching Waves - Pitiless.

Background promo - The winners want us to believe the world is beautiful, but Witching Waves has seen the world and knows this is a lie—that everything is lost and nothing is to be trusted. We (HHBTM Records) saw them open for Eureka California in the UK in late 2014 and could not get the songs out of our head so we’ve jumped on the second album.

Emma Wigham, Mark Jasper, and Ed Shellard are Witching Waves, and they sound like exiles in their own country. And like all exiles, they know the only safety is in numbers, and the only comfort is in friends. Witching Waves come from a world of DIY and co-operation. Mark Jasper works at Sound Savers recording studio, a love of labour turned into a labour of love in one of the rapidly vanishing not-so-nice parts of London.

Every window is filled with witnesses. We watch the world go by, each of us observing and observed. You can hear them switching instruments, trying out roles. Watching the world fall apart all around them, Witching Waves knows that being right is pointless—the television tells a hundred lies in the time it takes you to speak a single truth, and for every book you read, your neighbour reads none—but the only alternative is to participate in the slow silent psychic death that is mainstream 21st century life.

When ‘Seeing Double’ breaks down towards the end and Jasper starts screaming: See them on the street you ask them why / See them in the car you ask them why / See them on the stairs you say to them / What are you doing here why won’t you leave me alone? You know he’s not going to get any answers, but he isn’t there for answers he’s there for the screaming.

Because this music is rooted in UK DIY and the only alternative to the clean smiles of 21st century surface life is dirty frowns, you might hear the fuzz, the flattened shouts, and think you’ve heard it before, but then you notice the guitars at the end of ‘Red Light,’ how they swell & buzz like an attack of locusts, and the oceanic rise & fall of album closer ‘Flowers’ and you realize that in their endless explorations of black & white, WW has created a universe of infinite textures and shade.

Witching Waves "Crystal Cafe" (HHBTM USA / Soft Power UK) - Release date: February 26th, 2016.

Taken from the forthcoming 'Crystal Cafe' album, 'Pitiless' is one of those cut to the chase songs, that sets out it's agenda within seconds. The song has an instant punk feel to it, although it is far more than that. Vocals are buried in the mix, occasionally rising and pulsating along with the instruments. It's a contradiction, both raw and yet refined.

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