Midweek Muse: Beautiful Machines - Kinsky - Radio On - Sian Cross

Beautiful Machines - Free.

Background promo - Winner of the 2014 Independent Music Award for Album of the Year, Beautiful Machines released their much-anticipated second album, Bridges last month.

Bridges takes the band in a new direction, deepening their exploration of live analog/electronic music. The album is purposefully arranged to take the listener on a journey, like cycling through a Tron-grid landscape to launching into a euphoric stratosphere. Thoughtful, dynamic and full of rich powerful choruses, wide lush verses and tangential bridges, this album strikes a chord and "bridges" technology and emotion.

The 2nd of a trilogy and thematically bridging Disconnect : : Reconnect (2014) with its following concept album Singularity (2017), think of Bridges as an inter-dimensional gateway connecting a circuit or a thought. “Bridge symbolizes transformation and change,” describes frontman, Conrad Schuman.  “Before me was a bridge: transparent, beam of light guiding and accepting; stretching from the dead ashes of an unforgiving nightmare to the jeweled vision of a life to start anew.”

Developing Bridges, Beautiful Machines cocooned in the frigid winter of 2015 in Europe, particularly Berlin, a city that inspires re-invention of such artists as Depeche Mode, U2 and David Bowie. Sampling sounds from CERN in Geneva, reverberating the famous halls of Hansa Studios in Berlin while our Black Star Bowie departed, breathing in the diverse art and electronic music culture all bled into and cultivated connections of curios creations.

Based in San Francisco’s Techa, Beautiful Machines takes on a modern futurist aesthetic, fused with their admiration for sci-fi elements, technology, philosophy and the individual creative mind. From Burning Man to San Francisco’s historical Great American Music Hall, each show is thoughtful and unique, featuring progressive visuals, costumes, interactive elements and audience engagement.

'Free' is one of a number of really powerful electronic rock songs on the latest album Bridges. The band mix lighter moments with seemingly unstoppable, walls of sound. The album is creative, adventurous and at times quite epic.

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Kinsky - Bad For Business.

Background - "Hey hey, they've run down the heroes. Who's gonna save us from the danger as we sail over the edge of the wine-dark sea."

After their critically acclaimed 2013 debut album Sunset On The Good Fight, Sydney soul roots reggae band Kinsky offer up a new 6 track EP. Since mid 2015 songwriter/vocalist Ernie Garland and the band have been putting together the new tracks for what would become The Edge Of The Wine-Dark Sea. With the tracking done, Ernie teamed up once again with legendary Catalan studio engineer Doct’R’n’Ric (pronounced Dr. Enrique) in Tokyo to mix down the new tracks at the esteemed Volta Studios. The result being their biggest, warmest, jumping-out-of-the-speakers- sounding record to date.

During the writing process Ernie was working nights driving a truck on the Tarmac at Sydney airport. Due to the cruisey nature of the job and with a lot of downtime he was able to work on the new tracks whilst at work. "I used to park up in this yard right near the end of the runway. At that time of night it was very quiet with not a lot of plane activity. It was so peaceful there I used to work on the lyrics for the song I was working on that day at home. It was all on my phone. I got a lot done. If it was a keeper I'd lay it on the demo the next morning,” says Ernie.

With heavyweights Terapai Richmond (drums) and Winston Stephenson (bass), Garland wanted to capture the groove from the comfort and warmth of his own home. With his good mate and gun sound engineer Dan Rossides at the controls, they set about capturing some nice pockets that went on to be the bed tracks for the new EP The Edge Of The Wine-Dark Sea.

Kinsky has shared the stage with international acts such as The Skatalites, Groundation and Balkan Beat Box as well as top Australian acts such as Dubmarine and Kingfisha to name a few, quickly becoming prominent faces in the Australian roots music scene, commanding legions of fans along the way. “The Edge of the Wine-Dark Sea” EP by Kinsky will be released 29th of July 2016.

'Bad For Business' is the second song we have featured by Kinsky this year, down to the fact that they have a new EP release next week, and I just love their music, simple as that really. Absolutely recommend all roots reggae fans to give them a good listen.

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Radio On - Coast.

Background - London quartet Radio On are back with a brand new video for their latest single ‘Coast’. Radio On are Sam Hayward (Vocals), Adam Hartley (Guitar), Alex Deery (Synths) and James Johnston (Percussion). Having met whilst studying in London, they took their name from the seminal 1979 film by Chris Petit, one of a number of European art-house road movies that heavily influences the band.

These films became a major touchstone for the group, with their emotional depth, artistic merit and accessibility providing an ideal combination for the band to aspire to in their work. Their interplay between kinetic familiarity and atmospheric contemplation struck a chord and provided a neat musical philosophy for Radio On to build on.

The lead track to Radio On’s debut single released in May 2015, ‘You’re Always Right’, furthered the online support already gained by the band’s previous offering, receiving premieres from The Line Of Best Fit and Clash. The release also saw Radio On perform an oversold single launch show at The Islington in London, followed by shows at The Barfly (supporting Citizens!), The Great Escape Festival 2015 and Club NME at Koko. The single was subsequently hailed as BBC Introducing’s Single Of The Week, whereby frontman Sam was interviewed by the Lancashire station as well as the track being played every day for a week in September 2015.

‘Lost In The Crowd’ is the first single to be taken from Radio On’s debut EP, entitled Coast. With the rest of the EP to follow in 2016, this first offering represents a discernible step up in the song-writing and production prowess harnessed by the band through their 2015 activity – a prolific slice of electro-tinged indie-pop that has already proved a live favourite with the band’s growing fanbase.

The new video for the latest single 'Coast' is a good one, and is featured now on our BeeVids page. That said the song is as pleasing when just listening, so being the wonderful music site we are, you have a choice.

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Sian Cross - Tell Anybody (Radio Version).

Background promo - Stunning new single from Sian Cross ahead ff UK tour with Sons Of Pitches. In an era where Disclosure and Rudimental bring the heart of drum and bass back to life, Sian Cross arrives with her own take on it.

Forming a sonic synergy similar to that of Dems and Dua Lipa, with the personal style of her song writing, it’s the evocative lyrics, based on true stories that create an additional connection to the listener with Anne-Marie esque vocals. Inspired by a man's struggle with his sexuality, Tell Anybody is a powerful offering with Sian’s unconstrained passion spilling into her words. Sian will be heading out on tour with the incredible Sons Of Pitches, so be sure to check out her tour dates below...

Tour Dates
11th Nov - Basingstoke Anvil, Basingstoke
12th Nov - Falmouth Pavilion, Falmouth
14th Nov - St Albans Arena, St Albans
21st Nov - Cadogan Hall, London

'Tell Anybody' is an emotional and atmospheric song. Soft and gentle moments, compete with explosions of angst and passion, in what is a pretty unique, and quite addictive electro pop song.

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Genre Wander: Benny Mayhem - Limestone Chorus - Cowtown - Justin Llamas

Benny Mayhem - Song For Absent Friends.

Background promo -  Benny Mayhem has covered a lot of ground, literally and figuratively. Written in a hotel room in the Austrian Alps, his latest single 'Song For Absent Friends' is both a tribute to and a product of, the songwriter's considerable world travels. From being a guitar-strumming teenager in his bedroom at the turn of the millennium, to a decade as the shirtless-and-writhing frontman of Perth rock monsters Project Mayhem, to performing 450+ shows in nine countries worldwide... the musical journey of Benny Mayhem has its own overfilled passport.

From a home base on the west coast of Australia, Benny Mayhem has toured the world in a way that few other artists have considered... as a wandering troubadour. And through this lifestyle choice, Benny has toured continental Europe twice and the UK thrice; working his way up from busking outside tube stations to the UK's festival circuit within two years. But, more importantly, he has met people and seen places that have changed and forever enriched his life.

Both a hook-laden sing-along and a song from the heart, 'Song For Absent Friends' is an ode to the people that have helped shape Benny's journey and, indeed, the person he is today. Equipping himself with a new live band, 'Song For Absent Friends' finds Benny embellishing upon his trademark folk-punk sound with some Sunnyboys-style Australian power pop and a touch of Californian punk. And why not indeed...

From here on, Benny has two touring formats: solo and full-band; both of which will visit Australia and Europe over 2016/17. And as he already prepares to get back on the road, Benny will be studio-bound, adding the finishing touches to his most interesting and personal album to date. Nostalgic, yet ushering in a new era, 'Song For Absent Friends' headlines this fresh chapter in the tale of Benny Mayhem while recapping the story that came before it. It is the perfect introduction of the shape of things to come.

Vocally it's a little bit folk, and musically it's fairly power pop as mentioned above, however combining both elements 'Song For Absent Friends' can't help but have that folk punk feel to it, mostly in this case due to Benny Mayhem's vocal delivery. What matters though, is that it's a fine old song.

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Limestone Chorus - Woods & Water.

Background - Woods & Water was written while experiencing an unfamiliar juncture in life and it's the first you'll hear of the new album 'Deer Friends'. Lacking understanding and a sense of personal direction, the tune describes the search for familiarity. The rediscovery of people and places who make us feel whole, safe and grounded. The song is driven through memory and nostalgia, pulling on emotional connections that shape a person.

Our debut album, 'Deer Friends', is heavily rooted in the merging of two themes, our love for Mother Nature and a love for human connection. These themes are what flows from one song to the next and what we hope you begin to get a sense of with this first song. In this song we celebrate the interweaving of nature, love, friendship, moments, and memory. The album 'Deer Friends' is due out July 29th via our friends at IndoorShoes.

'Woods & Water' typifies the overall high quality of Limestone Chorus's debut album. This is a band who clearly love their music and deliver a mixture of alt rock through to Americana type songs. It's easy on  the ears, however some of the songs get quickly through to the heart.

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Cowtown - Tweak.

Background - Cowtown are to release their 4th studio LP Paranormal Romance this August 19th with Athens, Georgia label HHBTM Records in the USA on ghostly white vinyl. The Sheffield DIY label Audacious Art Experiment and new Folkestone label and record store Hot Salvation will release in the UK on limited pink vinyl.

Formed in Leeds 12 years ago, but like Gang Of Four, born in a variety of other places, Cowtown are made up by David Michael Shields (drums), Hilary Knott (keybass/vocals) and Jonathan Nash (guitar/vocals) and play econo, dynamic, over-stimulated rock music that embraces a heavily abridged history of rock n’ roll. Serious about fun, the band are a firm favourite of BBC 6 DJ Mark Riley, performing music with an emphasis on positive expression and confronting collective anxieties, creating live shows that focus on what they enjoy and discarding the rest.

Picking up from 2013’s Dudes Vs. Bad Dudes (released by TAAE and the band’s own label City Hands) their latest offering is wildly economic, clocking in at 23 mins across 12 tracks. Drawing influences from bands like The Coneheads, Devo and The Breeders, as well as films such as Teen Wolf and Ghostbusters, songs are later distilled into their absolute fundamentals. It’s not about what they want but what they need, with the delivery being as urgent and tightly wound as possible.

Paranormal Romance was recorded amidst the floods that swept through the city last winter by Matthew Johnson (Hookworms/Suburban Home) at the band’s practice space, Tranquility Base and later mastered by Tom Woodhead (Forward Russia) with artwork by fellow Hookworms pal Jonathan Wilkinson a.k.a Idiots Pasture. The album encompasses the centralised DIY affair that Cowtown have come to epitomise as one of the longest running bands to come from the LS6 area. Jamming econo, recording econo and propelling themselves econo.

Friday 22nd July -  Festival 23, secret location
Saturday 23rd July - Bluedot Festival, Jodrell Park, Cheshire
Sunday 24th July - The Harley, Tramlines, Sheffield
Friday 26th August - Album Launch at The Brudenell Social Club w/ Crumbs and Milk Crimes
Saturday 27th August - The Audacious Art Experiment Summer Weekender, The Picture House, Sheffield
Saturday 17th September - Freakender, Old Hairdressers, Glasgow
Friday 23rd September - Liverpool Pyschfest, Camp and Furnace, Liverpool

'Tweak' is a blast of punk rock'n'roll with hooky vocals, and harmonies that fits really well, even if they remind me immediately of a classic Bangles song. Mind you with the whole song, coming in at around one and a half minutes in total, you hardly have time to notice!

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Justin Llamas - Got It Out For Me.

Background - “I’ve always been an artist...and art can be expressed in so many differ-ent ways.”
Originating from the Bay Area, Justin Llamas is an emerging Pop artist who describes his style as “edgy and aggressive with a dark undertone.” He first emerged online in 2010 when he started uploading covers to YouTube. In only a few years he gained over 2 million video views and a loyal fan following. His most popular video to date, a cover of Sia’s “Chandelier,” gained so much attention that it was even shared by the original artist on most of her social sites, gaining over 700,000 views.

Justin’s voice has been described as a “melting pot” of Pop, R&B, and Alternative Soul--which he considers to be the result of his mixed up-bringing and widespread interests growing up. From music to dance, and comic books to animation, he believes all of his interests have shaped him into the eclectic artist he is today. His electrifying talent caught the eye of Vena Brewer, previous man-ager of Grammy-nominated artist Keyshia Cole. With a storytelling voice and an unstoppable drive, Brewer believes Justin to be the next big artist to ambush the music scene.

Now, Justin is releasing his first original project with his debut EP Gold. The EP’s title song features vocals from multi-platinum artist Amina Harris, while the EP’s title itself was inspired by the California Gold Rush and the “journey” those make to follow their dreams--something he considers a necessary step in his own life.

'Got It Out For Me' is the first song on Justin's five song debut EP. It's honest pop music and does not pretend to be anything else. What really works for me is the mixture of mature understated production, and the overall focus on Justin Llamas vocals. With so much #### in the Top 40 charts these days, surely there's room for a song like this, to raise the standards.

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Magnificent Monday: Don DiLego - ChrisP ft Mercy - Babaganouj

Don DiLego - Drive Like Pirates (single edit).

Background - Magnificent Ram A, the new album from musical troubadour Don DiLego, out last week via Velvet Elk / One Little Indian Records. Seeing  it’s roots form in Portland, OR with producer/engineer Gregg Williams (Blitzen Trapper, Dandy Warhols, The Decemberists), and wind it’s way back East to the wooded Pennsylvania retreat that is Velvet Elk Studios, DiLego has released a stunning collection of songs, laced with gorgeous melodies and haunting vocals.

Many of the original sessions found their way onto his last album, 2012’s Western & Atlantic, which won an Independent Music Award for “Best Roots/Alt Country Album.” The remnants of those original sessions form the foundation of a project he’s long thought about…a collection of click-track free analog recordings that embrace their imperfections and happy accidents.

On the heels of producing the recent releases from Jesse Malin (New York Before the War, Outsiders) and Hollis Brown (Loaded, 3 Shots), Don set aim at finishing the album that’s never been far from his mind. An album that would be, perhaps, less meticulous in process than his critically acclaimed Photographs of 1971.

From the thunderous drone of the opening track “Karma King,” to the more intimate and personal one-take vision of “Idiot Heart,” it’s his most ambitious set of recordings to date.

From the new album Magnificent Ram A, we feature the single edit of 'Drive Like Pirates' which is one of ten good quality songs on the album. It's a varied collection of music that leans towards Alt Country & Americana, but is happy to stray beyond those confines, leaving the listener wondering, quite whats coming next. Anyhow if those sort of genres grab you, then grabbing this album seems a reasonable action.

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ChrisP ft Mercy - Dress Up.

Background from Chris and Mercy - “Dress Up” is a new collaboration by Brooklyn songstress Mercy Weiss and Christopher Pellnat (us).

We would like to suggest a song that we believe is interesting, not because it breaks any new ground harmonically, musically, or in terms of genre-jumping or genre-erasing,  No, this song is interesting simply because it makes you smile.

And it's not a smile of derision or condescension (we hope).  "Dress Up"  is a fun boy-girl duet with impish charm - no "irony" and no apologies. We are unsigned and DIY.

'Dress Up' is pretty well summed up by Mercy and Chris above. It's also pleasing to see that a good number of folk have already had a listen. Just to add my penny worth, it's a sweet, fabulous duet, and the understated production, exposes the real talent of this fine duet.

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Babaganouj - Sorry.

Background promo - Drenched in Brisbane pride, power pop-rock outfit Babaganouj have grown a legion of fans since their 2011 inception. While keeping with their distinctly Australian style, The Nouj’s sound is reminiscent of Teenage Fanclub, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, and Yuck, taking inspiration from Creation Records and Flying Nun classics.

In 2014, the band gained national radio attention with their releases ‘Too Late For Love’ and ‘Bluff’. This success took them on headlining tours, as well as prominent billing on The Blurst of Times Festival tour. Driven by Charles Sale’s signature on-stage power lunges, the Triple J Unearthed favourites have supported the likes of The Preatures, Smudge, Veruca Salt, The Lemonheads, Northeast Party House and The Creases.?

Continuing their powerhouse rise, 2015 saw Babaganouj play at the inaugural Mates festival in Sydney, Brisbane’s Bigsound conference, and come in as finalists for Qmusic’s Billy Thorpe scholarship. They also released their singles ‘Can’t Stop’ and ‘Hit Song’ to a head-boppingly enthusiastic reception.?

With their EP “Pillar of Light” released earlier this year the trio have undertaken the ambitious project of recording another two EPs in 2016. By undertaking three releases in 2016 the band will expand the scope of their craft, showcasing each members vocal and songwriting talents. This has allowed the band to focus their power-pop racket while exploring new styles and themes. In everything ‘Nouj produces are infectious lyrics, intense riffs and unreal magnetism.

The new single “Sorry” is taken from the second of three EPs due for release this year. 'Sorry' showcases rhythm guitarist Ruby McGregors undeniable song writing ability and sugar sweet vocal skills. Their 2nd EP for 2016, “Hard to Be” is due for release in early August.

Friday 19th August 2016 - Sydney, Oxford Art Factory - NSW
Saturday 20th August 2016 - Melbourne, Croxton Front Bar - VIC

We featured Babaganouj a while ago, and 'Sorry' well deserves a feature. It's a feisty song, mixing power pop and plenty of rock, beneath the perfect fit vocals and harmonies. Another play again song.

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Quality Not Quantity: Curse Of Lono - Black Surf - Alphabetic

Curse Of Lono - Five Miles.

Background - Curse Of Lono was formed in London in 2015 by singer Felix Bechtolsheimer following the breakup of British roots pioneers Hey Negrita.  The five-piece have been busy recording their debut album with producer and Boxed In front-man, Oli Bayston. What started as a casual jam with a few friends quickly yielded a stunningly cinematic record, with the dubut EP due for release this October.

The band have also created 'The Doghouse Sessions' and will be releasing one each month, Felix explains:

On April 10th we invited our friends form Ont’ Sofa into ‘The Doghouse’, our rehearsal room in London, to record and film us for an afternoon. We wanted to capture what our songs sound like when we’re playing them live in the room where we get together every week and where many of them were conceived, with no overdubs or studio trickery. We managed to get ten tracks down and we will be releasing one of these a month for the next ten months as ‘The Doghouse Sessions’.

Live -  Wednesday 20th July @ The Old Queen's Head - Angel.

'Five Miles' is pretty representative of the quality, craftmanship and hook laden, alt rock music Curse Of Lono create. The Doghouse sessions are going to be a real treat by the look of things and we will dip in and out of them on BeeVids, starting with the song 'London Rain'.

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Black Surf - Sink.

Background - Black Surf return with blistering new surf-grunge track "Sink" from upcoming EP "Let's Pretend It's Summer", Out August 26th on Cowboy Records.

Black Surf have an unusual backstory having formed in 2014 through the wonders of FaceTime and Dropbox. The fruits of their exchanges between Leeds, UK and Sydney, Australia have come to form their debut EP Let’s Pretend It’s Summer, recorded at Greenmount Studios (The Cribs, Pulled Apart By Horses, The Vaccines).

Black Surf specialise in the kind of fuzzed-up, adrenaline-shot indie-rock that’s straight to the point and doesn’t outstay its welcome. The reckless pace of new track Sink’s synth-flecked bubblegum buzz is matched only by its enthusiasm and wild abandon. Talking of the track, vocalist Ali Epstone says;

"Sink is essentially a song about the conflict and battle of harnessing the stillness within us, in this fast-paced whirlwind of life. We have become Human-Doings and lost sight of the Human-Being. Most people are experiencing either attraction or aversion in any given moment, either wanting to be somewhere else for pleasure or relief in the future or stuck dwelling in the past. Being present, finding peace in the space between the constant need for sensations in this day and age can be a rarity, so I wanted to document that in some way and spread the love maaan."

As the song winds up to start, you are right to expect an explosion of musical pleasure and 'Sink' delivers. Surf Grunge is an apt description, however the energy and emotion really carries the song.

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Alphabetic - French Boyfriend.

Background - For such an ostensibly uncomplicated song, Alphabetic’s smooth new single ‘French Boyfriend calls to mind a veritable trove of melodies and feelings, some contemporary, some classic. The lead single to their debut album Touch (released July 15) features velvety riffs and chords that hint at a musical affinity with the luxurious side of pop music, perhaps a nod to The Cure. But lyrically the song is creepy and voyeuristic - a kind of modern retelling of the Talking Heads hit ‘Psycho Killer’ without the murder. Guitarist and co-vocalist Walter Heale’s verses project him into a car outside an ex-beau’s house in Paris wondering ‘what’s so great about french boys anyway?’ as he sees her going to bed with another man. Rebecca Lever's charming voice (lyrically in character as the object of his affection), rebukes him as she thinks ‘about calling the police again’. Fun and totally flippant, it’s also a love song to Paris - a city which the band hold dear in their hearts, and listening to the buoyancy of the music, it’s also an influence which seems to have seeped into the cracks of their songwriting.

The seeds of Alphabetic were first sown when Raph - bassist and producer for upcoming debut album Touch - took a break in the Caribbean after a long stint on the road. Upon deciding to get together his teenage jam buddies they set about revisiting some of their old songs as adults. Though they reside in London, Alphabetic have always been rootless. The first time they made music together was in the mountains in Italy - in a rented house almost getting snowed in. But three weeks later they emerged with the seeds of an album and a live set. Their first rehearsals took place in a converted barn out in the countryside before they relocated to studios around London. Alphabetic’s music resists categorisation - as at home on the dance floor as they are in headphones, they evoke the art-school eccentricity of timeless groups like Talking Heads and Roxy Music, but they also belong firmly in the present. Their playful lyricism and musicality calls to mind LCD Soundsystem while their smooth and bright sensibilities achieve a similar end to the critically overlooked Talk Talk. In a nutshell, Alphabetic are experimenters, and they aren’t beholden to space and time. With tunes as colourful as theirs, today’s often monochrome indie scene gleams that much brighter.

'French Boyfriend' is melodic and rather catchy. Musically it's bright and breezy and the vocal interplay works a treat. It's a good taste of the album, in as much that, this is the quality of music to look forward to.

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