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MÊL is the long awaited new musical project by the voice of mythical Dyffryn Conwy psych, garage folk band ‘Jen Jeniro’, Eryl Prys Jones.
MÊL has the familiarity of Eryl’s past work, the other worldly stream of consciousness poetry and his attachment through music to the natural world around him. It’s this honesty of expression that captivates the listener into the world MÊL envisage.
Written by Eryl whilst walking in Lyn Parc in Gwydir Forest near Llanrwst and meticulously produced by fellow ex ‘Jen Jeniro’ member Llŷr Pari, ‘Mêl i Gyd’ leaves us transfixed and wanting more.
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Vermont enigma Black Fly releases the soaring electronic track ‘Green’, following the heartfelt tribute to his home, ‘Wait’. Alongside it comes another beautiful visual, this time directed by Patrick Golan (MorMor, Omar Apollo, J Balvin). It's been a while since we've heard from Black Fly, though secrecy and absence seem to be his MO. Very little is known about the Vermont native, but the music speaks for itself. The record label that he calls home, Samedi Records (Altopalo's critically acclaimed 'Frozen There'), has shown a distinct knack giving a platform to mad scientists.
Releasing his single ‘Sign 2’ a couple of years ago, a buzz began to follow Black Fly, his visuals racked up almost 60,000 views on YouTube. He continues his venture into visual art with the new singles ‘Wait’ and ‘Green’ – both videos simple at their core but in turn revealing the complexities in nature and humanity.
‘Green’ is a pulsating electronic cut accompanied by Black Fly’s hoarse, yearning vocals that add a similar element of grit in his sound. Diverting from the peaceful countryside in his last release, he plunges into the city for the new video.
Explaining the process, he describes how “’Green’ was filmed in and around the boroughs of NYC with the help of a large cast. The video is intercut between an interior and exterior world. Documenting people with a variety of backgrounds all trying to relate and relay the same material.”
“From cramped audition, to performance in various frigid winter locations, each actor lip-synchs over the same stabbing synths and perpetual beat. In mood and in message, ‘Green’ aims to find the vitality in bleakness,” a concept that is coming to define Black Fly’s approach to life and music.
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"ZINNIA's debut album Sensations in Two Dot focuses on moments of doubt - creative, societal, and personal - exploring what it means to hold compassion through the multifaceted, grey areas of life.
Whether in the isolated town of Two Dot, Montana (population 143) or the buzzing streets of Toronto (population 2.6 million), these nine songs probe the complex, unsettling similarities found in the human experience: the hauntings of unrelenting dreams, tensions and tender triumphs in relationships, systems of abuse threaded through communities, and the search for compassion and visibility in everyday interactions." - Raechel
ZINNIA is the Toronto-based art pop project of Rachael Cardiello. With layered synth and driving beats, ZINNIA brings an explosive range to Cardiello’s writing, equal parts intimate and fierce. Recently described as “Kate Bush meets Meatloaf” and first to proclaim a deep love for Bruce Springsteen, this is ZINNIA.
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Salt Lake City, Utah might be best known as the world headquarters for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That may change as a fertile counter-cultural underground music scene is slowly seeping into nationwide consciousness with artists such Neon Trees, Imagine Dragons, The Moth & the Flame, Sego, and Desert Noises. Up next, something weird and tuneful is poised to be Salt Lake City’s nice prime musical export. Self-described slacker rockers oh!no?ok. stake their claim to the mantle with the fearlessly catchy debut, randy warhole (or somethin).
oh!no?ok. is comprised of high school friends Ryan Osborn, Cole Miller, Jackson Ludlow, and local guitarist Nick Storey. The band is a year old, and has been working closely with locally-renowned producer Nate Pyfer (The Moth & the Flame, Kaskade, Sego). Lead vocalist Ryan and Nate laid the groundwork for the band’s music, though each member brings his unique flair, making the process a cohesive collaboration. They play the kind of music you’d hear blasting forth from a suburban garage in the height of the alt-rock boom of the 1990s but they update this scruffy aesthetic with sleek but-not-too-polished production and a dose of raw skate punk. Their songs feature cleverly abstract lyrics, bold musical dynamics, experimental textures, adventurous arrangements, and sharp pop-rock hooks. This melding of tuneful and arty conjures an array of classic and current alt-rock innovators such as Weezer, Pavement, The Presidents of the United States, Butthole Surfers, and Spoon, FIDLAR, Car Seat Headrest, and PUP.
The quartet is the local scene buzz band, playing packed shows regionally and earning accolades from key scene tastemakers. Underneath their playful veneer and intriguing wordplay, oh!no?ok. tuck in themes and narratives that illustrate society’s vices, cynicism, and the lies that we tell ourselves to avoid confronting our insecurities and depression. Ryan says: “Our music is, in part, a commentary on issues humans have struggled with as long as we’ve been around. Issues such as entitlement, pride, drug abuse, video game addiction, online persona management, and idolization. The primary theme is how we often take the first step in recognizing that we struggle with these issues, but we lack the motivation to actually fix our problems. This results in us being hyper aware of our flaws but feeling powerless to improve ourselves. Our ultimate goal is to share our message and passions with the masses.”
The band’s forthcoming debut randy warhole (or somethin) is a bold release that’s as catchy as it is playfully confounding. Throughout the 12 tracks, the band twists through shambolic indie rock, pent-up punk rock, art-damaged alt-rock, and synth-y 1980s new wave. Each sonic fishtail is hook heavy, and the band effortlessly finds a way to balance the downright strange with the sing-able.
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