Howling Bells - Live @ Scala, London. 10th June 2014.

Arguably,  London-based Australian indie-rock outfit Howling Bells are one of the must underrated bands of our time. With ten years of experience as a band and four engaging, melodic-bluesy, albums under their belts, it astounds us that they still seem to be flying relatively low under the radar. Perhaps this works in their favour though. Their fan base remains solid, loyal and true and we witnessed this when we caught them playing to a sufficiently full, but still a little bit roomy, Scala on the 10th June.

There is only one word for a live Howling Bells performance and that's mesmeric. Be it the warm, ever changing strobe lighting that alternates between casting their persons into silhouetted shadows before changing and bringing them out into the forefront of our vision, or the gloomy, atmospheric use of smoke machines that gives a dreamy hazy feel; Howling Bells stage environment is completely in harmony with their sound. Free and allusive, emotive yet mysterious,  Juanita Stein is an incredible lead singer and rhythm guitarist. Cool and unassuming, delicate yet raw,  so alluring that watching the four-piece perform is almost spellbinding. Enjoy our highlights below.

Howling Bells || Website || Facebook || Twitter

Read More

Single Review: Kimberly Anne - 'Hard As Hello' (Bastille Remix)

 

On March 24th South London singer-songwriter Kimberly Anne is due to release her new EP 'Hard As Hello' on Polydor Records.  'Hard As Hello' features four introductory tracks, produced by Mark Crew (Bastille, Rag N Bone Man), Rich Wilkinson (Lianne Le Havas, Bombay Bicycle Club), and a special track from Bastille, whose remix of the EPs lead title track can be found below.





Bastille have added an outstanding choral backing and a large amount of electronic production to the delectable track in turn transforming the bouncy Caribbean vibe of the original into a hauntingly emotive number. In fact, Dan Smith of Bastille harmonises so well with Kimberly Anne we would love to see them work together in the future. Absolutely spellbinding.



)

Tour dates

25th March – The Social, London
1st April – XOYO, London (w/ Bipolar Sunshine)
3rd April – Think Tanks, Newcastle (w/ Bipolar Sunshine)
4th April – King Tuts, Glasgow (w/ Bipolar Sunshine)
5th April – Academy 2, Manchester (w/ Bipolar Sunshine)

 

Pre Order || 'Hard As Hello' EP || iTunes
Kimberly Anne || Website || Facebook || Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read More

Camden Rocks Festival announced for Saturday 31st May!

 

 

EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FOR £15
FIRST BANDS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!

This coming Saturday 31st of May sees the return of the Camden Rocks Festival where the best of the current crop of rock, metal, punk and indie bands rub shoulders with iconic rock legends in what is certainly the rock capital of London , Camden Town.

Last year’s event was a sell-out success with over 150 bands taking over Camden. Bands such as Therapy? The Rifles, Sonic Boom Six, Hawk Eyes, Rise To Remain, Turbowolf, Fearless Vampire Killers, The Computers, Lost Alone and many more joined forces with legends such as the Sex Pistols guitarist Glenn Matlock, Carl Barat from The Libertines and Ginger from The Wildhearts for a day of essential rock n’roll fun and action.

£15 super early bird tickets are now available from the link below:
http://www.seetickets.com/event/camden-rocks-festival/various-camden-venues/758656

The first wave of bands will be announced soon but there will be over two-hundred bands for £20 playing in twenty different venues, less than 10p per band!

Venues include:

ELECTRIC BALLROOM * UNDERWORLD * BARFLY * JAZZ CAFE * PROUD * PURPLE TURTLE * DINGWALLS * BLACK HEART * HAWLEY ARMS * MONARCH * THE GOOD MIXER * THE ENTERPRISE * CAMDEN HEAD * LOCK TAVERN * THE CUBAN * BREW-DOG * DEVONSHIRE ARMS * RECORD CLUB * DINGWALLS * LOCKSIDE BAR

For More information:

http://www.camdenrocksfestival.com
http://www.facebook.com/CamdenRocksFestival
https://twitter.com/CamdenRocksFest
 

Read More

Band To Check Out: Talk In Colour & 'Rushes' EP stream

London 'cinematic future pop' quintet Talk In Colour consist of (Kat Arney - Harp, Chris Bangs Cellist/Producer/vox,Mary Erksine - Vox and Keys, Dave Oliver- Drums and Nick Siddall: Guitar). After their critically acclaimed 2012 album 'ColliderScope', Talk In Colour got back into the studio to create their next EP 'Rushes' "more stripped-back, raw sound, melding together their trademark delicate vocal and harp melodies with glitchy electronics, off-kilter percussion and distorted guitar."

Catch what we made of the 'Rushes' EP and what we thought when we saw Talk In Colour live at Charlie Wright's Music Lounge earlier this month, over at our sister site, The Sound of Confusion. Meanwhile, the EP is available to stream below on a try before you buy basis! Enjoy.

Buy 'Rushes' EP || iTunes || Bandcamp || Amazon

Talk In Colour || Website || Facebook || Twitter ||

Read More

Psapp announces details of new LP 'What Makes You Glow' & 'Everything Belongs To The Sun' single stream.

I was first wowed by off-the-wall,  London-based, experimental/electronica duo Psapp, back in 2006 when I stumbled across their fabulously quirky track 'Hi', whose animated accompanying video is in my top 10 list of music videos you have to see at least once in your life!

 Psapp recently unveiled their new, highly energising, hand clappy, mummery, cat meowing, baby crying, tribal themed single 'Everything Belongs To The Sun'  with the announcement of soon-to-be confirmed details of their new album 'What Makes Us Glow'.  

Well chaps, 'What Makes Us Glow' is Psapp’s fourth full-length record and will be released through The state51 Conspiracy on November 11th. What can you expect to hear? In true Psapp style, "a vast hyper-colour psychedelic whirl of an album, with intricate orchestration, layered vocals and a pioneering spirit. These songs thrum, buzz and of course, glow." We can't wait to get our hands on it.

Tracklisting:

1. Life Hums

2. Wet Salt

3. The Cruel, The Kind, The Bad

4. Seven

5. That’s The Spirit

6. In The Black

7. Everything Belongs To The Sun

8. Bone Marrow

9. Your Hot Knife

10. The Well and The Wall

11. What Makes Us Glow

12. In and Out

Psapp || Website || Facebook ||Youtube || Twitter

Read More

Video: Flyte - 'Over and Out'

Flyte || Facebook || Twitter || Soundcloud

Fancy a slice of alternative indie pop in the purest, simplest form? Meet Hackney four-piece Flyte (Will Taylor, Nick Hill, Jon Supran ,Sam Berridge) who are effortlessly making credible, catchy guitar-pop, pretension-free and with a modesty that makes us wonder if they are aware of how good they really.

 Set to release their 3-track EP 'Live' in the UK on September 16th, Flyte have recently made their debut video for their current single 'Over and Out' which was shot in their bedroom using green screen, the band and an egg. Catchy, chilled out and compelling, these guys have put the fun back into guitar music with a sound that washes over you like a gentle, warm, wave coming home to the shore.

Read More

Single Review: Jagga - 'Out of Control'

East London based singer and producer Jagga started the year by parting ways with major label Sony and "the carefully crafted vocal melodies and standard musical structures" expected of him on the label, in favour of exploring a rawer and more creative approach to writing and the delivery of his vocals and his sound.

Fortunately, this change of direction and experimentation has paid of and this can be seen in his new single 'Out Of Control'.  Combining a cinematic, orchestral sound with an essence of melodrama, the song is loosely arranged to allow each section to breathe, grow and desperately climax in its own time. We're fans, are you?

Jagga || Facebook || Twitter || Soundcloud

Single || 'Out Of Control' (out September 9th )  

Read More

Strummerville and King’s Cross celebrate an intimate event for Joe Strummer's Birthday

Gone, but not forgotten, Kings Cross and Strummerville had a little shindig this week (Wednesday 21st August) in celebration of co-founder and lead singer of The Clash, Joe Strummer's, would be 61st Birthday. The evening entailed a drinks reception and live ukulele performance on Kings Cross Viewing Platform overlooking Granary Square from Paul Redfern of punk rock tribute ukulele band The pUKES. Here he is, doing his thing!
















Kings Cross holds poignant memories for Joe Strummer for the following reasons: he was a former member of the famed art school today known as Central Saint Martins that is situated in Kings Cross itself,; during his time with The Clash they made their mark on the city by helping to create the revolutionary new genre of music defined in the UK: ‘punk’. Joe also worked very closely with Kings Cross band The Pogues, producing their records and even briefly acting as their lead singer. His legacy continues to influence the music and pop culture of today inspiring generations. As a tribute, ClashBar in Kings Cross was created proving the mark he made in British history. Legacy well left we say!

Read More

Video: iTCH - 'Life Is Poetry' (Spoken Word)

iTCH || Website

Check out the almighty London based MC and poet  iTCH's stripped back spoken-word video of his track 'Life Is Poetry.The simple video is set in black and white and shows a close up of iTCH's face as he confidently shares his extraordinary lyrical ability, which switches between themes of political disappointment and his own contentious thoughts that only intensify and deepen as the reading goes on. Absolutely invigorating, enjoy!

I

Read More

Video: Josh Record covers Lana Del Rey - 'Summertime Sadness'

 

 

 

 

http://joshrecord.com/ ||https://soundcloud.com/joshrecord

 

 

The enigma that is Josh Record strikes again with another unique cover. This time it's Lana Del Rey - 'Summertime Sadness'. Recorded by Josh in his studio, the cover is big on synth and electronic production, once again showing Josh Record's experimental approach to music, where he is seemingly boundary free and unafraid to mix it up a bit. Just what we like to see. Catch the video below.

 

 

Read More

Video: Dear Joy - 'Cartoon Song'

Dear Joy is the bright and breezy music project created by the beautiful Thai/Scandinavian singer/songwriter Lou Vilstrup.  Fusing various styles, including acoustic folk/acoustic pop/ and alternative jazz, Dear Joy have created a wonderfully charming five-track EP.

One of the tracks from the EP 'Cartoon Song' comes with a lovely home made video that begins in black and white where Lou Vilstrup makes her way off of the tube and through the London Underground, blows up a balloon, floats up the stairs of the Underground and then her world turns into colour where she spread the joy and happiness around the streets of London! She changes a road crossing message from "Look Right" to "Look Happy" then goes around the streets changing suited business types into fun, carefree, kooks!

Watch out for: A man who accidentally ends up in a dress. Wellington boots walking around a park on their own. The silliest, happiest dance routines. And a little lego man falling into a tin of alphabet spaghetti in particular.

We've never fallen in love with a music video before, until now. So thank you to Lou Vilstrup and all involved for the originality, the creativity and the complete disregard for conformity. We have the hugest smile on our faces and hope the joy is contagious for you guys too!

Dear Joy || Website

Buy 'Dear Joy' EP || Bandcamp

Read More

Video: Riva Starr Feat Rssll - 'Kill Me'

http://rivastarr.com/   ||  http://snatchrecords.com/

London producer and DJ, Riva Starr, released his second album 'Hand In Hand' last month (1st July) via Snatch! Records , and we're really digging the video that accompanies his track 'Kill Me' taken from the aforementioned album. 'Kill Me' features Rssll on vocals (of indie band The Research) has a chilled- out fun and catchy sound that takes on a bit of a 90's Fat Boy Slim vibe from time to time.

The video, which is a video tribute to Daniel Askill's masterpiece We Have Decided Not To Die is  wonderfully captivating, quirky, transcendent and pulsates along to the tune. Progressing from his house and club roots into an alternative pop sound seems to be working very well for Riva Starr and the video is definitely one of the most enjoyable we've come across in a while. Well played!

Read More

Video Review: Helene Greenwood - 'In The Sunshine'

Helene Geenwood || Website || Facebook || Twitter

On 23^rd September, charming, London based singer-songwriter Helene Greenwood releases ‘In The Sunshine’ – the first single taken from her upcoming debut album, ‘Collectable You.’

With likenings to  the wonderful Regina Spektor, my original thought was that Helene's music sounds a little like a maturer  and richer version of Gregory and The Hawk.

Newbies, what can you expect from her sound? Well, "The style of my songs reflects an unsettled climate, defying easy categorisation with influences from pop, folk, jazz and contemporary sounds." and let me tell you, it's beautiful!

Written in one day, Helene says  'In The Sunshine' is about "the nature of time. How it can pass gradually as if on a Summer's day and then seem faster as people's lives pass by. I love the contradiction in this."

The accompanying video produced by Helene & North London artist Rebecca Lennon is reflective of this. Shot on Hampstead Heath on a hot lazy day the video has a vibrant, retro, lazy simplicity to it that compliments the song's dreamy aspects.

Representing an intriguing voyeurism  Helene says, "We used lots of old family Polaroid shots to create a strange, dislocated world... We wanted it to feel like you're looking into all these people's lives." The artistic elements to this video are a perfect yet slightly strange fit to a brilliant song.

 It's  refreshing to see a talented artist who can make a video work without over complicating it, trying too hard, or going off on a completely irrelevant tangent and we like the sensory stimulating, thought evoking video, very very much.

Read More

Video review for 'Steel Bones' and details for Vuvuvultures Album Launch 27th July

Ahead of their debut album launch 'Push/Pull' on Monday 29th July through Energy Snake Records, the enigmatic four-piece that are Vuvuvultures have released a charming new video to accompany their debut single 'Steel Bones'. Produced by Gabriel Gettman, the

wonderfully shot video featuring the band and strippers is being both sensual and hounding, dark yet classy, erotic yet elegant, and is very befitting of the song itself.

Vuvuvultures will be intimately launching their album tomorrow (Saturday 27th of July) at  Hoxton Hall - you can find out more via the Facebook event  or buy a ticket to the launch here.

They will also be performing in-store at Rough Trade the week of the release on Tuesday 30th July so  it's exciting times ahead for  the sensationally, talented band!

 

http://vuvuvultures.com
http://twitter.com/vuvuvultures
http://vuvuvultures.tumblr.com

http://youtube.com/vuvuvultures

 

Read More

Video Review: The Traps - 'The Honey Drip'

Birmingham/London four-piece The Traps (Jamie Berry - vocals, guitar, his brother Nick Berry - bass, vocals, James Minhas - guitar and Daniel Webb - drums) are doing something pretty cool right now: they're stepping apart from 'commercial' British indie and taking us to a purer, non -overly accented, 'mockney' style that we seem to hear in leaps and bounds these days

To accompany their latest single 'The Honey Drip' is their official video produced by Genevieve Landry of Eva Productions which is hot, fiery, passionate and retro which fits the seductiveness of the song perfectly. It features a woman dribbled in honey, smouldering close ups of beautiful girls (especially their eyes), moody indie shots of the guys playing their instruments, silhouettes, fiery oranges and reds, psychedelic kaleidoscopes of changing backgrounds and super cool and informative lyric breaks! All in all, it's complex and clever, as well as super sexy and you can check it out below.

The Traps' website

Read More

Sessions Video: Duologue - 'Push It' @ Sofar Sounds festival - London

Here's a really lovely video from super talented, electronica/rock quintet, Duologue performing 'Push It' live at  Sofar Sounds Festival in London on May 26th, 2013.

Duologue's website

Read More

Video Review: Jingo - 'Same Without You'

 

 London based Jingo (consisting of Jack Buckett, his wife Katie, Joseph Reeves and latest edition Sahil Batra) are a four-piece making eclectic pop rock music. Taking an alternative route these guys released two debut singles earlier on in the year - one of which was the powerfully angst and challenging track 'Same Without You' which has a bizarre but completely captivating animated video that accompanies the resonating, smouldering vocals courtesy of Katie, the eerie and the elegant yet fierce classical tones to the bass and guitar lines. The master behind the peculiar video animation is Jake Strunk - I'm not quite sure what was happening but it made me feel a little bit uneasy, a little bit sad, and a little bit hopeful all in equal measure! Check it out below.

   

 Also get yourselves over to Jingo's Soundcloud to hear a couple more of their tracks- 

 And their Facebook page to keep an eye out for what these guys are up to! 

Read More

Jimmy Eat World announce UK tour dates to coincide with new album release

Jimmy Eat World have had a busy time of it in the UK lately. What with releasing their SEVENTH studio album 'Damage' on June 10th, having spent time in London  including a live double header with Queens Of The Stone Age as part of Radio 1 Rock weekend, performing at Download Festival plus to a sold out show at Koko.... what do these guys have planned next?

Welll, their UK tourt in support of 'Damage' kicks off on Spetember 5th in Birmingham, culminating in London on the 19th of November. Tour dates as follows:

September

                                                            5th – Birmingham, Academy

9th – Glasgow, Academy

10th – Newcastle, Academy

12th – Leeds Academy

13th – Manchester, Academy

14th – Bristol, Academy

November

19th – London, Brixton Academy

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here

.

Read More

Video: No Middle Name -' Another Season'

No Middle Name is the  project of David Bailey (one half of Indie Pop/Electronica duo The Title Sequence). With the opportunity to debut his creative side, Bailey's first single 'Another Season' - taken from his forthcoming album - is accompanied by a slightly peculiar yet thoroughly lovable animated music video .

Tenderly crafted by the man himself from no experience, a low-budget scanner and a pad of paper, Bailey's revealing himself as a man of many talents and has made a video that fits perfectly with 'Another Season's' dream-pop/synth-laden sound, supported by the delicate vocals of Lindsay West.

No Middle Name - Another Season from TTS VISION on Vimeo.

'Another Season'  is out on the 8th of July via Mollusc records.

Read More

Benga's new single 'Forefather' ft. Kano makes Zane Lowe's Hottest Record

'Forefather' is the third single taken from Benga's  third studio album 'Chapter II'. It's also the first song to be released since Benga signed to Sony Music UK this year. Teaming up with Kano, these guys have created a track that's a credit to Underground Rap.  Last night (March 7th) it was tipped as  Zane Lowe's 'Hottest Record In The World' - But what do you think?

Benga || Website || Facebook || Twitter

Read More