BEEHIVE CANDY

Night Drive - Rise and Fall. Background - Like a synesthesia-induced landscape found within the vivid worlds of films a la Tron or The Neon Demon, Austin + Houston duo Night Drive arrive today with the scattered and lo-fi visuals for their track "Rise and Fall". The group are also thrilled to announce their debut self-titled record, due June 16th via Roll Call Records. Inspired by sci-fi cinematic landscapes, the duo's modern synth-pop seeks to explore the darker currents of abstract emotion. With infectious melodies wrapped in thoughtful lyrics, layered over pulsing dance beats, the group create an ethereal electronic world drenched in noir aesthetics. With the handful of tracks and remixes they've released, the duo's dreamy songs have already garnered attention from the likes of SPIN as well as causing a stir from tastemakers in the blogosphere. Night Drive's self-titled debut album brings to mind the aesthetics of acts like Interpol or The Knife, and...

The Proper Ornaments - Deep One Perfect Morning. Background - The Proper Ornaments – the project of James Hoare (Ultimate Painting, Veronica Falls) and Max Oscarnold (Toy) released their sophomore album Foxhole on January 20 via Slumberland Records (US) and Tough Love Records (ROW). This week the band shares a non-album track; a cover of The Jesus & Mary Chain's "Deep One Perfect Morning,".  Here's a quote from the band about how the track came together: "We've been obsessed with Darklands for a long time now, we just love that record.   It's difficult to differentiate the songs, it feels like a big long pessimistic one, like existentialist Beach Boys music, where the ocean is polluted and the nice cars have been burned or stolen." Facebook here . This cover version of 'Deep One Perfect Morning' is well worth a share and mention. We have featured The Proper Ornaments four times now, so clearly something they do appeals, on this...

Marlon Brando Island - A Troubled Past. Background - The origins of Marlon Brando Island lie in the prolific bedroom recordings and determinedly DIY ethos of vocalist and guitarist Marcus Fulcher, whose up-and-at-’em attitude would soon establish him as a notable presence on London’s solo singer/songwriter circuit. However, it took the muscular contributions of Marco Testa Ryan (drums) and Edward J Thorpe (bass) for Fulcher’s sprawling, widescreen songs to realise their full potential. The London trio’s aggressive, experimental, innovative post-punk output has been variously likened to artists as diverse as Shellac, The National, Cloud Nothings, Talking Heads and Future Islands.  The glue that binds these disparate influences into a cohesive and intoxicating alt-rock unit is the band’s shared belief that music can be transformational, that it should make such an impression on the listener as to change them for ever. And with a sound as stimulating as Marlon Brando Island’s, th...

Valley Queen - Destroyer EP. Background - On April 26th, Valley Queen will embark on a spring North American tour, spanning from the west to the east coast. The band will headline seven shows, and support Laura Marling on thirteen dates, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. The Los Angeles 4-piece released their first-ever EP, Destroyer, this month. Singer and songwriter Natalie Carol leads a band reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac and My Morning Jacket with vocals evocative of Florence Welch. The band's sound brings to mind the soul of Motown and the power of southern rock. "Carol presides over ambling Americana jams that positively soar,” said NPR Music upon including the EP’s single “Stars Align” in their SXSW Austin 100. Filling out their sound is Neil Wogensen with bass and vocals, Gerry Doot's drums and Shawn Morones on vocals and guitar. Website here , Facebook here , tour dates are on Beehive Candy's tour page. Adding to the references...

Lunar Twin - Waves. Background - After much excitement following the release of their single ‘Waves’, Lunar Twin are releasing their new 'Night Tides’ EP through iconic Texas-based dreampop-shoegaze label Moon Sounds Records.  This is the band’s third significant release, following their debut ‘Lunar Twin EP’ (2014) on Lunar Industry Records, the duo’s own imprint, and ‘Champagne Remixes’ (2015) through German boutique label Emerald & Doreen Records.   The EP literally flows from beginning to end, taking listeners on a journey through lush downtempo, synth and chill wave, and ultimately to the ocean at night. Tracks ‘Waves’, ‘Coral Sea’ and ‘Blood Moon’ seamlessly blend indie electronica and tropical noir, while synth and chill-wave are at their best on ‘Prayers of Smoke’, ‘Birds of Paradise’, and ‘Night Tides’. A few years after a chance meeting at the Denver Underground Music festival, Bryce Boudreau and Chris Murphy started working under the Lunar Twin moniker ...

Spiral Stairs - Emoshuns. Background - Spiral Stairs (Pavement's Scott Kannberg) releasesd his second album under that name, Doris and the Daggers, a couple of days ago, on the Nine Mile label in the US,  on Domino in Europe (digital / physical) and on Coolin' By Sound in Australia / New Zealand. He has also shared the official music video for "Emoshuns," directed by Joe Salinas, and also announced a full North American tour. The album features guest appearances from Matt Berninger of The National, Broken Social Scene's Kevin Drew and Justin Peroff, Kelley Stoltz and Shudder To Think's Adam Wade. You can’t hurry genius – not even the genial, unforced and unpretentious genius that has long been Scott’s forte. What’s for sure is his second album as Spiral Stairs, Doris And The Daggers, is worth the wait. It’s some of the best music Scott’s been involved with, and also some of the most personal and emotional music he’s ever written, reflecting the life chang...

Those Lavender Whales - Lose My Mind. Background - Columbia, South Carolina indie/psych pop band Those Lavender Whales, are releasing their sophomore record ‘My Bones Are Singing’ via SC label Fork & Spoon 4/7/2016. Written around singer Aaron Graves’ struggle with a rare, life threatening brain tumor in 2014, the tracks on My Bones Are Singing are existential, intricate pop songs that highlight spirituality, growth, family, and hope.  Throughout the record, in the darkest spots and the brightest moments, though, Graves sticks to the central motif of his oeuvre as Those Lavender Whales, which he started in his college dorm room at the turn of the millennium: striving to be a better person. “I know it really hurts to grow,” Graves concedes on “Open Up,” before offering, “I know you’re taking us through rougher weather.” My Bones Are Singing marks a considerable growth for Those Lavender Whales, too. Recorded with Chaz Bundick (Toro Y Moi) in Berkeley, California, and at G...