Seemingly Anto Dust have been around for a while, a Facebook page started back in 2009 and an EP dating from 2011 can be found on Bandcamp, I'm going to ignore all that and treat the London based quintet, lead by vocalist/guitarist Anto Cossu, as a new band (the EP was a solo one).
I think their new song "Eyeless In London" is best served that way, gone are the folky roots in favour of a luscious blend of dreamy, psyche pop and shoegaze. The track starts with a bit of birdsong which perfectly segues into the swirling melody which will hypnotise you for the next three minutes only emphasissed by Anto's soft and ethereal vocals - perfect for a lazy summers evening outside with a beer or three - just a shame we live in London then!
Adna is a young singer-songwriter from Gothenburg who released an EP last year at the age of 17 which seemingly garnered her some attention (one of the videos has over 11 thousand plays), my introduction comes from her latest track "The Prettiest", the lead single from her forthcoming debut album Night (due later this year via Despotz Records).
"The Prettiest" combines a sometimes darker sometimes softer range of instrumentation with Adna's beautifully haunting vocals, the result echoes and captivates, natural, stark and damn-right gorgeous.
A track from last years EP "All I See and Hear" is equally magical, intricate electric guitar patterns and restrained drums create a sumptuous, bittersweet melody to get completely lost in. Mysterious and evocative, Adna Kadic is a name I expect to hear a lot of over the next few years.
Since I discovered London based quintet Night Flowers I've read about them four or five times, without fail the words C86 revival or early Pains of Being Pure Heart were mentioned so I'll stay clear of those words here, it does however give you an indication of what to expect with their first track as a full band "Single Beds" (I found an earlier tender, daydreaming track on YouTube here)...
Yes, "Single Beds" is pure, fuzzy jangle-pop at its finest, it instantly charms you with a seemingly effortless, but wholly infectious melody and I want to press repeat as I'm absorbed with beautifully hushed vocal harmonies, rat-a-tat percussion and dreamy guitar shimmers - go grab your pastel coloured Ben Sherman shirt and sing along below:
I won't bore you with the reasons why I'm not at Glastonbury right now and will instead feature an act I've been meaning to for bloody well ages who I discovered thanks to the festival, Bridie Jackson and the Arbour won the Glasto Emerging Talent Competition after being put forward by the lovely Flying With Anna earlier this year in a wonderful contest I had the privilege of being involved with. It will give the Newcastle quartet the chance to woo the festival crowds throughout the weekend (they are playing no less than four times to my knowledge) and no doubt they'll be doing exactly that, their new single "Prolong" will show us folk left behind exactly why too...
Weaving together some of the most beautiful folk harmonies and a rich tapestry of instrumentation with effortless ease and enchanting effect "Prolong" is softer and more fragile than the magical "Scarecrow", the song featured on their Glasto ETC entry, yet just as haunting and spellbinding, with dazzling wordplay and astonishing delivery "Prolong" is sort of track to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.
The single is released on July 29th with some shows to support it.
When Zola Jesus released a live, re-worked version of "Trust Me" a few months back little did I know that it would be an aperitif to news of a new album Versions (due August 20th via Sacred Bones), an album which sees Nika revisit tracks from previous albums Conatus and Stridulum with new arrangements and a string quartet...
The first preview from the release is this utterly beautiful, goosebump inducing version of "Avalanche", slowed down with the original's pummeling synth menace gone, instead comes a bare-boned, heart of the sleeve vocal with Nika's voice crystal clear and pure emotion amongst equally stark, ethereal instrumentation from the string section - the sort of thing that can bring tears to grown men.
Dear Georgiana is the music of Brooklyn-based and Alabama-born Lauren Balthrop who recently released her self-titled debut album, a majestic collection of ten beautifully clear tracks that could have been written at any point over the past sixty years, this timeless quality (and Lauren's gorgeous vocals) help create a fully realised sound that's gloriously nostalgic and instantly endearing.
Opener "Don't Let Me Go" oozes with a languid, syrupy affection where hollow drums and slow jangle guitars echo around Lauren's honey-toned vocals, the dreamy atmosphere Lauren exhudes is forlorn but always soft and makes me go weak at the knees. A similar trick is used on "Wait For Me", possibly my favourite on the album, a bittersweet ballad with the repeated cries of "Wait for me, wait for me, at the end of the world", I doubt an apocalypse has ever been sound-tracked as beautifully as this.
There's a variety of instrumentation throughout to keep your interest, lead single "Wanna Be In Love" is the most vibrant track on the album, a breezy, a chirpy retro-pop aesthetic with forthright drums and bright, twinkling keys while the absorbing "Young Girl" also packs a sweet punch. Both "Let's Dance" and "Please Don't Tell Me A Lie" have a american country feel, complete with hushed male vocals and guitar twangs - it fills the air with an atmospheric melancholy that, as with the album as the whole, is rich, heartwarming and beautiful. Irresistible I think I'd call it.
You can download the album via the Tummy Touch Records Bandcamp now.
An introduction found via last months Bushstock line-up which I never actually went to but nevertheless introduced me to the talent of Rosie Carney, a young singer/songwriter based over in Ireland but originally from Portsmouth...
I've not heard a second track from the 16 year old yet so I'll tone-down the forthcoming superlatives but if Rosie comes up with a release as incredible as her debut track "What You Have Been Looking For", she'll be in for one hell of a future.
The song is sparse, stark and haunting as genteel guitar pickings create a meandering melody for you to lose yourself amongst her heartfelt lyrics, though it's Rosie's voice that hits you the hardest, a spine-tingling vocal full of raw emotion, beautiful and intimate, a new folk star is found.
A quick return for Tape Waves (so I'll keep this post short) with their promised new track entitled "Somewhere", the A-Side to their forthcoming debut vinyl (released via Box Bedroom Rebels next month).
Continuing very much in the same vein as earlier tracks "Ready Now" / "Wherever You Go", "Somewhere" is a beautiful lo-fi pop track guaranteed to make your day that bit brighter with simple, breezy melody twinkles and soft percussive bliss repeating themselves in your head whilst the dreamy and deliciously charming vocals wrap themselves around you like comforting cotton wool - just gorgeous.
I thought I'd posted about Suede earlier this year with their wonderful come back single "It Starts and Ends With You" but apparently not, so take this post as a long over-due catch up. As it's looking like Pulp won't be doing anything new in 2013 (the "After You" Record Store Day release aside) it's down to Suede to provide my mid 90's nostalgia this time around.
I first 'got into music properly' (by that I mean my own tastes and not liking Meat Loaf thanks to my Dad) when I was in year nine, around the same time as Blur's The Great Escape and Pulp's Different Class albums. I soon got into the whole Brit-pop scene and by the following year when Suede's Coming Up came along and I was hooked, who wouldn't be when you hear the poppy brilliance of a "Trash" or "Beautiful Ones". It remains one of my favourite reminiscing albums to this day, alongside Semisonic's Feeling Strangely Fine and the aforementioned Pulp as you asked...
Fast-forward to their new album Bloodsports and latest single "Hit Me" sounds like that same Suede and for people as obsessed as I, that can be no bad thing, bursting straight out of the gates with strong percussion and fizzing guitar hooks "Hit Me" is as energetic and stylish as anything from Coming Up and believe me (or listen to it for yourself) when I say the rest of the album is great too, Suede aren't just stomping radio-pop songs built around the distinctive vocal of Brett Anderson, there are some lovely romantic ballads ("For The Strangers" / "Always") and then the brooding melodrama of the excellent "Barriers" or "Sabotage" too. Welcome back Suede - it doesn't feel like it's been over ten years.
They play Kenwood House on August 23rd and I plan on pretending I'm 14 all over again - tickets.
It's been a long, busy week and I'm nursing a sore head after the Beautiful Strange gig last night, as I belatedly tackle a few of the mails I've had building up over the last few days I look for something soft, soothing and beautiful to take my mind away from my self-inflicted woes, the Melbourne quartet Jimmy Tait, led by Sara Retallick's sultry slow-burn vocals does just that on first listen to the sixth (and counting)...
"All My Friends" is a perfect evening in alone song, I'm on the water tonight but the restrained guitar twangs and languid beats make me which I was sipping at a bourbon, the hushed, entwined vocals and slow, creeping rhythms ooze outlaw country, all wrapped in hazy mystery whilst the repeated refrain of "All my friends, sitting on the fence, they never rushed to my defence" tugs at your heart - wonderful.
Grab the track via Bandcamp now with an album coming later this year.
When I talked about "Lost In The Middle", the debut track by the Los Angeles duo The Lift back in April I described it as a "pure heart-breaking beauty", words that could instantly be used again to describe their second single "Make Me Believe", an incredibly pretty ballad that rewards your every listen and makes you glad to be existing at that very moment soaking in its soul.
Restrained piano and drums lead Amber Ojeda's devastatingly beautiful vocals, soft and intimate she delivers the emotion of the track perfectly and on the fifth or sixth listen in, I'm still all giddy at the knees - and to use those original words again, an absolute heart-breaker indeed.
Both "Lost In The Middle" and "Make Me Believe" are taken from The Lift's debut EP which is available now via iTunes.
Not sure how the hell I managed to miss this but I certainly did until last night, one of my favourite discoveries of the last half year or so are La Luz, I talked about their wonderful Damp Face EPback in January (make sure you get it via Bandcamp or on tape by the ever wonderful Burger Records now), a record I instantly fell in love with thanks to a "combination of classic doo-wop backing vocals and surf-rock cool with a dusty Widowspeak-esque dreamlike sound"; now it's time for the follow up...
The Seattle quartet have been picking up some impressive press (including a Pitchfork premiere) for new single "Brainwash" - due via Suicide Squeeze Records on July 16th - a beautifully melodic jangle guitar introduction paves way for a fast-paced racing rhythms with swirling pysch keys and rat-a-tat drums skittering alongside the twanging guitars and delicious harmonies - Pre-order "Brainwash" just in time for the summer now via Big Cartel.
Tapes Waves had me all weak at the knees with their beautifully charming debut digital debut single back in April (if you haven't already, make sure you grab it from Bandcamp). Now they return with a cover of the Beach Fossils track "The Horse" (ahead of a limited edition four track 7" is coming out via Manchester's Box Bedroom Rebels soon)...
The cover is quite an apt one, Beach Fossils fans should find much to favour with Tape Waves' playful surf-pop. Their version of "The Horse" is pretty faithful and retains much of the hazy, sun-soaked melody and jangling guitar hooks of the original but (and perhaps it's because of my much publicised love of a soft female voice - a role which Kim Hart fits to perfection) I can't help but fall for this version and it's dreamy, nostalgic bliss.
That 7" will be limited to 100 copies - one shall be mine I promise!
Editors have shared another new track from their forthcoming album The Weight Of Your Love, the similarly titled “The Weight”, a real stark beauty. Gone are the pounding beats and epic guitar hooks of the last track “A Ton of Love”, or the booming synths of a “Papillion”, instead “The Weight” is all dark, brooding atmosphere built around Tom’s baritone vocals, his typically strong song-writing and some luscious string arrangements, full of emotion and fragility rarely seen from the band before it highlights a maturing band unafraid of what people may have to say.
I’ve been an Editors fan boy over the years, I’ve seen them over twenty five times (second only to The Joy Formidable who are at over fifty), they even went to the same university as me, at the same time but I don’t recall ever seeing anything about Pilot (the initial name of Editors) around Stafford town, although I was in a Prince bubble at the time and didn’t really go to gigs (nor like female vocals, so you may have guessed how much my musical tastes have shifted).
I always try to approach a new album by one of my favourite bands with open eyes, change is good, three albums that sound the same is boring and the change Editors did with album three In This Light And On This Evening instantly met with approval here and although The Weight Of Your Love seems to have stripped back much of what made me initially love the band, I have to say I’m enjoying the new direction so far. I’m more of a mellow, whisky drinker than a youthful jumping around the room sort of person myself these days!
Happy Monday, it’s all been go my end with Father’s Day
yesterday and numerous other things too. Today I’ve only got time for a quick
(and self concerning post) updating you on the latest Beautiful Strange (www.beautifulstrange.co.uk) release
(yes another, the fourth so far this year)...
Keebo, a band I’ve featured here a couple of times now
delighted me by saying yes to the release of a their debut single on Beautiful
Strange, you might have heard the brilliant “Native American” before when it
featured on a whole hosts of blogs (as well as this one), now you can own it
yourself as a limited edition (one hundred) cassette tape – not just any old
cassette tape either, a glittery florescent purple one, yes indeed.
The b-side is a new track “Follow” and you can stream it
below:
The single is being launched this Friday, that’s Friday June
21st at The Black Heart in Camden, the tapes will be available of
course and the band will play alongside two of this blogs favourite acts, both
from Liverpool as it so happens, Bird and SeaWitches. That's makes for a guaranteed brilliant night, even if I say so myself!
The poster for the event by Hannah Morgan is below, if you
can make it, it would be great to say hello. Add yourself to the Facebook event
page https://www.facebook.com/events/627160037311339/ and buy advance tickets via: http://www.wegottickets.com/event/222174
Send me an email if you want to know anything else! Thanks.
I can't work out if San Francisco's Evil Eyes are a full band or a duo, I'll go with the latter because it's the complimenting boy / girl vocals that initially caught my attention amongst the spidery guitars of their latest release "Keep Your Mind On Me", a digital single released last year and available on their Bandcamp now...
The single comes ahead of an album due later this summer on creeps along with sinister psychedelic swirls and twanging guitars crossing over genres perfectly as its super catchy melody embeds itself in your head amongst hazy dream pop vocals. "Half A Heart" likewise brings quivering guitars, infectious rhythms and sultry vocals to the table with silky smooth results. Heading for a long walk in the desert today? Here's your soundtrack...
When you come back from The Great Escape you always later discover bands and think "Oh, I wish I'd discovered this lot a bit earlier, this is bloody excellent". This is the first time that's happened to me (so far) this year... Kid Wave are a London based quartet whose two tracks, available for free download via Bandcamp were actually released last year but lets not worry about my overdue discovery...
You'll not hear too many better songs to introduce you than "All I Want" either, a track which thunders along with catchy lyrics, great guitar hooks and a raw energy that's bound to have you hooked within the space of four minutes. The band recently played with one of my other new band loves Sisters and you can see some similarities in the powerful sheen of their garage-pop/rock sound.
Their second track "Brimstone" is the heavier and seers with a fuzz-toned menace, a killer quagmire of noise, distortion and dizzying intensity matched by equally fiery, charged vocals; perhaps even a Stories era PJ Harvey would be proud of this...
After a couple of typically fuzzy posts comes something that's brought me to my knees, so devastatingly beautiful is the debut EP of Alice Boman, a singer/songwriter from Malmo.
"Waiting" was the track that did it to me, a noticeably home recorded sound (you can literally hear the cassette tape hiss) only adds to the wholly emotive and absorbing journey with Alice's hushed whispers and delicate piano sparkles creating a sound that is unbearably sad yet overwhelmingly gorgeous and absorbing.
The track is taken from Alice's debut EP "Skisser" ("Sketches" in Swedish) which was released May 30th via Adrian Recordings, the other four tracks are similarly stark, wonderful dreamscapes. Three of the tracks are numbered rather than named, each intimate, naturally fragile and majestic with "What Are You Searching For" closing this spine-tingling release with more forlorn, aching wonder.
I'd not heard of Alice Boman until a post on Kalamitat yesterday so thanks for the discovery must go to them.
There's no respite in this game; yesterday Brighton's Tyrannosaurus Dead released a video to the title track from their 12" EP Pure // Apart (available now via Odd Box Records) and you're probably gonna love it as much as me.
"Pure & Apart" draws you in immediately with its languid pacing and swathes of raw distortion which hangs onto melancholy with sweet, heart-aching lyrics and the soft, not quite dreamy dual vocals of Billy Lowe and Eleanor Rudge, a beautifully crafted piece of melodic fuzz-pop.
I'm yet to see T Dead live (though I have thankfully, finally seen Eleanor's other band The Hundredth Anniversary now) - the next chance for me to correct that is on July 21st when the band play an Odd Box night at The Buffalo Bar - details.
I'd be lying if I said I listened to every band who followed me on Twitter but that's how I came across the Virginia based quartet of Surfing, who hooked me with the rather lovely "Hollow Sparrow", a track that perfectly combines modern US and UK influences...
The chugging, swirling guitar melody recalls the garage-grunge pop of a Yuck where hard-hitting drums and lo-fi guitar riffs provide mosh-pit inducing rhythms for the blissfully sweet vocals to intoxicate, the hazy, dreamy feel they produce really makes the track stand-out and from numerous surf-rock influenced bands I'm instantly interested to hear more - which I soon will be able to with the band planning a 7"vinyl release this summer...
An overdue post, surprise! I've been meaning to post about Big Deal again since before The Great Escape in truth but it's now almost a month since I saw them their for the first time, a set that was dramatic, thunderous and full of perfect energy for a Saturday night.
Since that th duo / expanded live quartet have released their second (and aptly titled) album June Bloom and shared a new single (also available on 7") "Dream Machines", I'll concentrate on the singles for ease (and because there are numerousgreatalbumreviewsalready, if you want one of those)...
"Dream Machines" instantly radiates like the carefree summer anthem it should become with glistening guitars and robotic beats complimenting the dual honey-toned vocals of Alice Costelloe and Kacey Underwood, you can almost reach out and touch its youthful beauty during its three minute long emotive roller-coaster. Earlier single "In Your Car" uses a similar forumla, strong power-pop with distorted fuzz and compelling drums bursting straight out of the gates, June Bloom sees Big Deal making tracks that they are clearly enjoying to make, playful, pretty and wonderful - it's a triumphant success.
Something you've probably seen featured on just about every blog you may read over the past few days, here's it again, I don't care, this track is too good not to feature... Lykke Li adds her devastating vocals to a track with David Lynch, "I'm Waiting Here" is a heavenly combination of soft synths and haunting vocals that will (if you've a normal functioning heart) bring goosebumps all over.
Part whispered / partly spoken words, "I'm Waiting Here" is accompanied by a lonesome all-day drive video which perfectly transports you to the languid, dreamy state of melancholia / bliss that will make the next six minutes the best of your day.
The track features on the new David Lynch album The Big Dream due July 15th.
I'd be lying if I said I had any knowledge of the original here but TOY & Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes) have produced a stunning cover of a track re-titled "The Bride", originally by Iranian artist Amir Rassaei and entitled "Aroos Khanom" the collaboration is taken from a forthcoming compilation and is released on 7" vinyl via Speedy Wunderground on July 1st - limited to just 250 copies with a B-side dub version called “Here Comes Dub Bride" (pre-order at £10 delivered here).
After initially glistening with haunting piano keys "The Bride" soon becomes increasingly captivating as Natasha's vocals take a forceful hold on you, here more searing than perhaps ever before whilst shimmering guitars build to a blistering, powerful finale as Natasha's repeated wailing cries of "Now My Heart..." echo. Shivers ensue....
I'll refrain from giving an almost monthly self-pitying comment about the state of my mailbox and instead head straight to a discovery found in it, Glasgow quartet Lost Ghosts, whose debut track "Tunnels" immediately commands repeat listens with a mixture of shimmering guitars, hard-hitting drums and analogue synth patterns.
Perhaps my favourite thing about the track though is the build-up at the end with strong instrumentation and soaring harmonies and then there's the vocals too, switching from the haunting-like quality of Gabby Biazotti's voice to dual vocals effortlessly, perfectly complimenting the strong melody and memorable hook - although I'd probably advice against going around singing "I've got a gun and a bullet"...
You can download "Tunnels" on a pay-what-you-like basis via Bandcamp now.
I recently talked about the a-side to Editors come-back single "A Ton of Love" (due June 17th two weeks before their fourth album The Weight Of Your Love which follows on July 1st), a track which saw the band swagger with a stadium sized combination of pop hooks and booming vocals. Not content with that, we've been treated to the single's flip side, a rather wonderful track called "The Sting"...
Editors are (to me at least) one of the best b-side bands around, numerous tracks better than most bands album tracks exist right from the start, all were bundled together on the breathless Unedited boxset (seven CD's and seven LP's) - "You Are Fading", "Banging Heads", "No Sound But The Wind" to name just three exceptional ones - "The Sting" can easily take its place amongst them.
Somewhat starker than a version I remember from a few years back (the track has been floating around the live set for a good three years), the emphasis is put firmly on Tom's baritone vocal, building in emotion and power amongst skittish drums and a layered, brooding piano melody, (and I'm writing this for the second time today) "The Sting" is sure to appeal to fans of The National as well as early Eds adopters, a beautifully plaintive ballad from a band still yet to do much wrong in my opinion.
Over a year ago now I featured the New Zealand duo French for Rabbits (Brooke Singer and John Fitzgerald) here when my heart was stolen by their debut EP Claimed by the Sea (still available via Bandcamp), now they're back to do it all over again (and hopefully steal yours too)...
New track "Goat" is the first material since and it similarly spins a dreamlike web of bittersweet beauty, a perfect accompanying video is wistful, longing and plain gorgeous too. Brooke's vocals are whispered softly sweet amongst gentle slow-burning layers of gorgeous instrumentation as the touching tale of stubbornness unfolds - it's a trait that's never been portrayed as beautiful as this I'd wager - grab something to hold on to and watch/listen below (and download on a pay what you like basis again from Bandcamp).
I was disappointed when NO disappeared from last months Great Escape line-up, no official reason was given but their European tour was seemingly put on hold for a few months, there's something to be excited for now though (well if live near London) as the Los Angeles group have announced that they will play three gigs here at the end of the Month / early July. They've also shared a new video for their track "What's Your Name", originally available on last years White Iris 7" via bandcamp (and on vinyl too)...
The lead track is a beautiful, anthemic ballad with dynamic instrumentation standing to the fore of Bradley Hanan Carter's drawling baritone, a creeping melody full of emotion and sublime plaintive mood sure to ignite intrigue to many people who've recently found themselves addicted to The National's Trouble Will Find Me.
The single is backed with the rousing call to arms "Eleven Eleven", more upbeat, energetic and passionate, it promises to be a big live favourite with driving percussion and fuzzy rhythms swirling around your brain bringing almost compulsive beat nodding (I think that's the technical term for it!) on my every listen - stunning I think the word is.
I’ve featured Sophie Jamieson here a few times already and with good reason too. Towards the end of last year and early this I talked about a beguiling singer/songwriter with a great future ahead of her. Today, the release of her first ‘proper’ single confirms just that, “Waterloo” / “Gold” is available to download (free) via Bandcamp now.
“Waterloo” sees Sophie’s delicately played acoustic accompanied by shimmering guitar and pared-down drums which add beautifully haunting textures to her genuine, pure vocals and down-right beautiful lyrics.
“Gold” is more lonesome, stark and introspective, circling guitars, carefully placed percussion and those vocals – Sophie doesn’t need much more to produce atmosphere and goosebumps to the listener.
An EP Where follows this release via Folk Room Records on June 24th and is launched with a show at London’s Slaughtered Lamb on June 26th – details.
Compiling my album of the year lists at the end of 2013 is going to be tough, I can say that with relative ease already, 2013 sees many of my long term favourite acts with releases out already or planned soon (Editors being the next).
An album that is a sure-fire to appear in those lists is Laura Marling, for me at least, she's taken a mighty step up from her already impressive highs with her fourth LP Once I Was An Eagle. I've talked about a few of the tracks here already so today I’m going to focus on a breathtaking live acoustic session of "I Was An Eagle/You Know"…
Here striped back, pure and simply sensational the two tracks from LP1 Side A of the record (or tracks two or three from the CD if you prefer), easily the best side of vinyl 2013 has given us so far, merge together effortlessly and are epic, soaring pieces of brilliance. Dark, sweeping and ringing with intensity throughout, Laura’s lyrically excellence is long undisputed, here her telling use of space and prose (even after hearing the tracks a good twenty times or so since release) still leaves me breathless. An extraordinary piece of work from one of this generation's true stars.
Laura recently announced (and them promptly sold-out) a series of 16 (yes sixteen) gigs in conjunction with Secret Cinema in a East London location, I'm going next Friday and I cannot wait.
You can order the album now - from LM store - you'd be foolish not to.
I was gutted not to get to see Emily Wells last night (well tonight when I'm actually writing this as the clock nears midnight) but family commitments sometimes have to take priority over my compulsive addiction to music, a sure show-stopping set was bound to be on offer for those lucky people at the Water Rats, instead I watched a couple of things on television I’d rather not think about whilst my Daughter’s peacefully sleep in the room next door…
The reason for my disappointment is a new one, I’d not heard of Emily before late last week – Saturday in fact when Resident Records named her debut UK release (there’s been many more in the US) Mama their album of the week – but old or new infatuations can hit just as hard. Mama is a double album released via Partisan Records and contains the original record released last year across the pond and also an acoustic version of nearly all the tracks.
“Passenger” is a fine introduction to a talented artist who refuse to pigeon-hole herself within a singular genre, drenched in luxurious strings and Emily’s strikingly beautiful voice are dubby beats and a layered but mellow melody that slowly , intoxicates itself in your brain, where it remains, creeping around you with intrigue and wonder. “Mama’s Gonna Give You Love” combines a similarly languid dub loops with off-kilter menace and confirms a rare talent.
Avoiding getting into a full album review and switching to the acoustic recordings, “Darlin’” switches out the darkly undertones for quickly picked guitar and beautifully soft vocals, lonesome and stark it makes for emotional, and at times heart-breaking, never more so than on the devastating “Los Angeles”, tender acoustic guitar and ethereal whispers combine to send shivers down your spine.
For the second consecutive year I'll be heading to the wonderful End of the Road festival at the end of August, when I did my Introducing post on The Graphite Set last week I posted about the first discovery made from looking (only briefly so far) at its wonderful line up (of course, I hardly need introduction to Caitlin Rose, Savages, Pins, Daughter, Warpaint, Widowspeak and many more of the wonderful artists also on the line-up), here's the second; Broken Twin, the nom de plume of Copenhagen's Majke Voss Romme who recently released her debut four track EP Holding On To Nothing (available on 10" vinyl via Broken Records).
I’ve timed this post extremely badly as summer finally takes over, this is EP you’ll want to savour when you’re alone with the outside world blocked out of view. The sparse, uncluttered instrumentation, little more than gentle acoustic and piano chords, of the opening track “Beaches” instantly send shivers down your spine as you are introduced to the beguiling tone of Majke’s pure, fragile vocals, wrapping you in a calming yet melancholic state of beauty.
“Float” combines subtle electronic nuances and strings to piano and similarly strike hard while “Out Of Air” is perhaps the most affecting of all, intimate doesn’t even come close, here her vocals are delivered with such anguish that it’s bound to move even the sternest of souls. Heart-wrenching yet gorgeous – End of the Road, you certainly have the line-up of the summer.
I've mentioned The Mariner's Children here twice but have never actually featured them in their own right, now is time to change that... After enjoying their set for a second consecutive year at The Great Escape last month (albeit a noisy one this year) the Brighton collective (which includes Emma Gatrill and members of other bands from Brighton) led by Ben Rubinstein confirmed themselves as one of the most exhilarating and beautiful acts in the UK folk scene today.
An insight to the live shows power is found within a couple of videos recently recorded at The Lexington, take the stunning “Sycamore” for example. The lead track from a recent EP where a musical jigsaw comes together flawlessly, perfectly delivered lyrics weave themes of love and death whilst the melody, seemingly at the drop of a hat, switches from up-tempo bursts of euphoric instrumentation to darkly, plaintive (yet gorgeous) ethereal landscapes.
This delicious tapestry of sound continues with "In My Bed", soft and soothing beginnings build with subtle and devastating grace to a fiery and striking heart whilst the heartfelt “Wolves Within The Wood” is the perfect exercise in restraint - I could listen to those harmonies all day.
The Sycamore EP is available now via Broken Sound with a debut full-length due in the autumn.
An increasingly reoccurring theme is that after lavishing praise on a band, for me later to have some involvement with them with Beautiful Strange, my little bedroom run (well it’s not really run from my bedroom, my like my work office) label / promoting name.
It’s only natural, I suppose, for me to pick bands I’ve had an impulsive reaction to post about and it gives me a buzz to see those acts later live or when the initial delivery of a release arrives. Swiftly following from the impeccable Souvenir Stand tape (forgetting my unwritten rule to cover bands I’m involved with superlatives) is the next release, a limited tape release with a band I've featured here almost from day one, Tallinn’s The Sinclair Sinclair…
The tape is due to be released on July 1st (on clear cassettes) and brings together their beautiful The Dreamers of The Dreams EP with a new track from the same period, “What If”. You can listen to it below and if you’re interested in finding out more about the label / events (or even pre-ordering via Bandcamp) please head over to the Beautiful Strange website: http://www.beautifulstrange.co.uk/
Promo over! So many great posts to come later this week, music, you are treating us well.
A year and a half ago almost now I described the debut LP from California's Summer Twins (one of the most apt names for a band ever, comprised of twins Chelsea and Justine Brown and with a sun-kissed sound perfect for sunny days) as 'all kinds of sugar and spice and all things nice' so it's great to have something new to bite into now (and at the current time of year after my original Christmas time discovery)...
They return with two new tracks taken from a forthcoming EP and 7" (via Burger Records) due 'June 4th. "Forget Me" continues the always sweet sheen trademarked on their debut with irresistible, heart-felt pop melodies bubbling around jangle guitars and bright drums. "Forget Me" manages to be charming, gorgeous and instant but also sounds fuller and more dynamic than anything Summer Twins have done before, a perfect come-back track (or introduction if you missed them first time around).
"I'm No Good" is straight from the 50's and is ultra swoon-some, bring you to you knees sort of stuff. Doo-wop harmonies sung beautifully and a perfect, pure melody - how can you refuse that.
Update: The CD EP and 7" are now available to order here. Whoop!
I only discovered this late last night, how I missed it, I have no idea... "Pale" is the blisteringly good new song by the impeccable Young Romance, their first after a quiet start to 2013 bursts the cobwebs away straight off the bat with a fuzzed up introduction of jagged guitars and fast-paced drums.
Bigger and heavier than anything they've done before, it retains the band effortless knack of combining charm and emotion and Claire's beautiful, powerful vocals sound as perfect as ever, "Pale" is here to pick up the mantle I first gave to the London based duo after the track which introduced me, "Follow On Your Own", my 'new favourite band'...
No release news yet. Young Romance have a few dates coming up including one with Flowers and Fever Dream on June 29th - details - if you aren't at Glastonbury, I command you to attend (well, if you live somwhere near London too)
Hi June, it's nice to have you here. Please can we have a prolonged period of nice weather now please. A couple of quick posts today, I'm out for the day seeing as much sunshine as I can...
To help you get in the mood for our impending summer (all fingers crossed) here's a wonderful blast of short, sharp rock & roll from the Boston based duo Silkies.
I've talked about their effortless blend of scuzzy garage and 60's pop a couple of times here already and this track, "Walk at Midnight", the first to be taken from a forthcoming EP is exactly that. The melody is clearer than ever before and the ringing guitars waltzing with racing beats will be sure to have you up dancing before it's fleeting duration is out. Just ace.
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