The Desert - hunter & wolfe - A Shadow of Jaguar - Oh Geronimo

The Desert - Soulmates / Playing Dead.

Background - The Desert is a collaboration between singer-songwriter Gina Leonard and guitarist & producer Tom Fryer. Tom’s atmospheric production style which plays with big spaces and other worldly sounds, lives in the space between Gina’s honest and poetic lyrics, allowing her songs to shine that little bit brighter. 

The pair first met at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2014 where Gina played a set for The People’s Front Room, a collective that Tom is a part of. Tom went on to record and produce a few of Gina’s tracks, however it wasn’t until late 2016 that The Desert officially came together to write and record their first collection of songs. 

‘I find it difficult working with other people, it has always just been me and my guitar behind closed doors.’ Gina explains. ‘It was so exciting to find someone I could trust to develop my songs with. We’re pretty different but we work well together’  Facebook here.

We first featured The Desert back in early July & since then they have shared a video for 'Playing Dead' & this week have delivered 'Soulmates'. Three consistently good songs, where the atmosphere and natural feelings are in abundance, The Desert have something very special going on here.


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hunter & wolfe - All The Vultures.

Background - Brooklyn-based rock duo hunter & wolfe released "All The Vultures" this week. This is the first offering from the duo since the release of hunter & wolfe's 2014 full length LP Days And Works.

Late Then Never incorporates their signature singer-songwriter feel with an indie rock flare and a heavy dose of wordplay; it's about struggling to find meaning amidst the noise of modernity. Late Then Never features Doug Schadt (producer/engineer), Harper James (engineer), and Joe Lambert (mastering). The record will be available and will be distributed digitally by Spotify, Bandcamp, iTunes, and Google Play.

hunter & wolfe is comprised of Michael Maffei (vocals, guitar, piano), and Sundeep Kapur (guitar). Kapur and Maffei formed hunter & wolfe when visiting Chicago in 2011. In a (misguided) attempt to impress people, they jokingly introduced themselves as attorneys working at a law firm called "hunter & wolfe." Somehow, the pair ended up performing at a house party that night and decided to keep the name. hunter & wolfe draw inspiration from Radiohead, Elliott Smith, and Arcade Fire.

Brooklyn-based duo hunter & wolfe often wrap their vulnerable lyrical content in sarcasm and loud indie-rock stylings. In this, vocalist Michael Maffei and guitarist Sundeep Kapur ensure that their messages about complacency, lost love, and the paradox of choice in the modern era reflect both a seriousness and self-awareness to not take themselves too seriously. Website here, Facebook here.

'All The Vultures' is fresh, melodic and full of hooks. The duo create a rich & full rock sound, without over doing it and they leave plenty of room for some very fine vocals.

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A Shadow of Jaguar - Don't Want To Die Here.

Background - New York City based gritty rock and rollers, A Shadow Of Jaguar, announce their debut LP RAW, due out October 2017. Speaking on "Don't Want To Die Here," the duo states, "Take your uppers and stomp on the gas because this loud, fast, near death experience will leave you needing a stiff drink and a happy ending." The video was filmed in one continuous shot with no cuts. This unique concept could not have been executed without the dance expertise of Cara Diaz Certosimo, who was recently featured in hip hop legends De La Soul’s latest music video, “Drawn” featuring Little Dragon. The filming of the video included the use of multiple cameras, three TV screens, a handheld projector, and a lot of rehearsing. The music video was recorded live with no edits. It is just as the album title suggests; RAW. 

A Shadow Of Jaguar is a duo made up of Brian Hubbert (lead vocals, slide guitar, bass) and Andrew Oakley (drums, vocals). The duo found it's origins in their hometown of Boulder, CO, in 2015, where they sought to make music they weren't yet hearing on the rock scene. Debut singles "Mama Needs The Bottle" and "Keep On Knocking" were released to raves from AXS and Live For Live Music. Achieving their goal to add more grit into the rock scene, Live For Live Music writes, "In the modern musical environment where so much of our music is programmed to perfection, 'Keep on Knocking' is a much needed reminder that rock and roll is here to stay."

The forthcoming album RAW was made "to stick a big middle finger up at all the fears and doubts that plague us. The goal was to force upon people the uncontrollable urge to scrunch their faces and nod their heads" says the duo. The album was recorded, mixed and mastered in Denver, CO, by Todd Divel and Justin Peacock at Silo Sound (Borahm Lee of Break Science and Pretty Lights Live Band). A Shadow Of Jaguar also credits John Demitro, Vincent Ellwood, Emma Fields, Maggie Miller, Robbie Steifel for their efforts in making this album come to fruition. It will be released late October, 2017 on all digital platforms. Website here, Facebook here.

'Don't Want To Die Here' explodes into life with some full on riffs and rock'n'roll vocals to match. Potent, bold and spirited, just buckle up & enjoy the ride!


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Oh Geronimo - No More Stones.

Background from Oh Geronimo - We just released our new single/video from our upcoming album The Sled. “No More Stones” is now available.

The song itself is about interpersonal strain. A relationship, whether it’s romantic or platonic, is an ongoing compromise that can get pretty messy when you toss both parties’ aspirations, promises and expectations into the mix.

We tried to bring this idea to life with the video. Relationships are like ropes - they become taut when people drift apart. Companionship is an emotional tug-of-war with unpredictable waves of tension and release. You constantly contemplate holding on or letting go. Facebook here.

'No More Stones' is an energised indie/alt rocker with powerful choruses and a real catchy vibe going on. The lyrics tell a story & the video is a clever interpretation of this.


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Sarah P. - The Desert - Electric Eye - First Blush - Cody & Danz

Sarah P. - Summer Prince.

Background - Berlin-based solo artist Sarah P. just released a dreamy video for "Summer Prince" following her solo debut album Who Am I. Sarah P. states, "Today I’m sharing with you a very special video for “Summer Prince” from my recently released debut album Who Am I. It’s very candid, like the song itself – very spontaneous, summery and Greek, if you please. It’s filmed in Marathon and features me… basically, being me. I hope that you’ll enjoy watching/listening it and I wish for all of you to get the chance to visit the sea this summer." 

In contrast to all those amazing, big productions that come out every day, we went for spontaneity and let the scenery speak for itself. “Summer Prince” is inspired by summer holidays with my parents, while road tripping across Greece (through Crete, especially), seeing the landscapes changing and waiting for the moment I would sneak a peak of the sea – the place where I wanted to be the most.

“Summer Prince” is also inspired by all those vivid dreams I had as a teenager and young adult. I’ve always been a hopeless romantic and during those sensitive years where unrequited love was one of the greatest themes of my life, I used to spend a lot of time alone, by the sea, contemplating about all those ifs and maybes that would make me able to be loved back. Later on, at night, whilst asleep, a summer prince – my summer prince, would come to find me. He would give me all those things I wished for – romantic strolls at the beach, sweet conversations about nothing. He would look me right in the eyes because I was the only one he saw. Then he would leave me, and I would think that my dreams were more exciting than my actual life. I would wait for him to come back again the next night – sometimes he did, some others not. Website here, Facebook here.

Dreamy synth's flow along to a relaxed rhythmic beat and Sarah P's vocals just blend so perfectly with the music and melody. 'Summer Prince' is accompanied by an appealing video, encouraging me to take a seaside stroll sometime soon.


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The Desert - Just Get High.

Background - The Desert unveil their debut single 'Just Get High', the first track from their forthcoming debut EP called ‘Playing Dead’. The Desert is a collaboration between singer-songwriter Gina Leonard and guitarist & producer Tom Fryer. Tom’s atmospheric production style which plays with big spaces and other worldly sounds, lives in the space between Gina’s honest and poetic lyrics, allowing her songs to shine that little bit brighter. 

The pair first met at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2014 where Gina played a set for The People’s Front Room, a collective that Tom is a part of. Tom went on to record and produce a few of Gina’s tracks, however it wasn’t until late 2016 that The Desert officially came together to write and record their first collection of songs. 

‘I find it difficult working with other people, it has always just been me and my guitar behind closed doors.’ Gina explains. ‘It was so exciting to find someone I could trust to develop my songs with. We’re pretty different but we work well together’

Lead single 'Just Get High' kicks off with a punchy electro-beat that contrasts with Gina’s reticent vocal delivery. Originally intended to be a demo recorded late one night in Gina's bedroom, Tom time-stretched it into shape and made a kind of down-tempo house beat for it, with a synthesiser part that grows to dominate and take over the whole track. Facebook here.

Gina Leonard's vocals are intimate and reflective and very hypnotic on 'Just Get High' as is the beautifully crafted soundtrack. Combined they create a song that could be late night listening material, provided your energy levels have not sapped completely away.

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Electric Eye - Turn Around, Face The Sun.

Background - We’re at Broen Studio in Bergen. Øystein Braut, Njål Clementsen, Anders Bjelland and Øyvind Hegg-Lunde have locked into a groove that never seems to stop. Their bodies are swaying in time with the music, their heads are eagerly shaking to the song that’s pumping out of the room, and it seems like they’ll never get out of it. Maybe they don’t want to get out?

It’s a little more than one year since Electric Eye released their second album, 'Different Eye', and only eight months since their live album, 'Live at Blå', came out. But now they’re standing here again, ready to pull you into a new whirlwind of psychedelic and hypnotic rhythms.

Since the last time they’ve travelled the world and visited countries like USA, UK, Japan, Italy, Germany, Denmark and many more. They’ve been everywhere to play concerts, which is where you really want to experience Electric Eye. Now they’ve brought all of their concerts into the studio, together with all of their experiences and a bunch of new songs. 

We’re back in Broen Studio, and it’s difficult not to be fascinated. The band will release their third album in November 2017, and now they’re ploughing through their new single, 'Turn Around, Face the Sun'. It sounds like a soundtrack to a movie that hasn’t been made yet, it’s villainy acid prog, it’s ethno jazz, it’s old school hip hop grooves mixed with the easily recognisable Electric Eye sound. Website here, Facebook here.

New single 'Turn Around, Face The Sun' slowly comes into being, with immediate hints of psychedelic vibes, that increase as the vocals begin and the music builds. Electric Eye would appear to be, on something of a creative roll right now!

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First Blush - Before & After.

Background - First Blush on "Before & After": "Before & After is the oldest track on my forthcoming album Monologic and was the song that ended up setting the tone for the whole album. As the title suggests, I think it evokes a sense of transition and flux, the feeling of standing sideways across the threshold of a door and looking in both directions before taking the next step. Sonically, Before & After also influenced the rest of the album with distorted synth bells and pads taking center stage and guitars being used more for accents and atmosphere."

A refresher on First Blush: First Blush is the brainchild of Charles Sekel, a former Julliard pre-college program kid-turned-indie musician. Sekel's music is a reflection of his battle to defeat a continuous cycle of self-destructive behaviour stemming back nearly a decade. From his college days as a classical/jazz musician at the Peabody Institute, Sekel struggled with alcohol abuse and panic attacks, and turned to original music to help with his mental health. Now completely sober thanks to the help of music, a good therapist and assistance from his girlfriend (now wife,) he was able to pull himself out of addiction and confidently release his solo venture.

"Before & After" follows First Blush's previous releases, the single "Wouldn't We All?" and trippy, gif-inspired music video for their track "Gold." Facebook here.

'Before & After' is our second song feature for First Blush this year. Vocals are centre stage as the song starts, and remain a focal point, as the music erupts into a powerfully layered soundtrack. Having only heard two songs from First Blush's forthcoming album, things are looking pretty promising.

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Cody & Danz - Make it in America.

Background - Cody & Danz are teaming up to release their debut EP, Only The Hits, on July 14th via Channel 9 Records in the USA and Tugboat Records in Japan. They have now shared their first video, "Make it in America.

The two artists both have burgeoning solo projects: Cody Crump and Computer Magic. Cody lives in LA and Danz lives in NYC. 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." 

After playing many of LA’s staple venues - from Soho House to The Roxy to The Standard, Cody Crump has plans to tour in the very near future. His music will be featured in the upcoming film “The List.” He has had music featured on HBO's "Leftovers," Showtime's "Penny Dreadful, and most recently his song "Burn" was in ABC's "How To Get Away With Murder."

Danz has toured North America multiple times with acts such as Neon Indian, Ladyhawke and Chad Valley. She’s played the Primavera Festival in Spain, Martini Art Love Festival in Moscow,  and has toured Japan multiple times. She has many shows locally in LA and New York City, so stay tuned for upcoming dates for Computer Magic, Cody Crump and Cody & Danz. Facebook here.

Our second feature for the debut EP, this time with the new music video for 'Make it in America'. It's already gained plenty of attention, and as vibrant indie rock songs go, I reckon this one will ensure the EP, also gets plenty of attention.

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