Sunderland based indie, electro ,alt rock outfit Rayne have released their latest single ‘Subject A’ which is taken from their highly anticipated ‘Complex By Design’ album. With well over one year hidden away in the recording studio, Rayne members Ben Potts (Vox/Bass), Adam Dagg (Guitar/Synths) and Steve Naisbet (Drums) are committed to unearthing their very best material to date. ‘Subject A’ is an elevated guitar driven anthem with an epic fist pumping arrangement and soaring vocals that can make you feel like you can do anything. Intensifying synth grooves and dynamic guitars create a massive , galvanic experience that will knock you for six. Blood pumping drums rushes like an elastic speed ball and teamed with the emotional compelling vocals leaves you breathless in a whirlwind rush of swirling soaring musicianship. Its a cool, airy, energetic rapture rock anthem drizzled with dark undertones and mighty walloping hooks.
Rayne will be announcing the full album release details and UK live dates in coming weeks so look out for that. In the meantime stream ‘Subject A’ below
London Alt Rock band Everywhere have announced the release of their second EP ‘Fiction Act’ available on iTunes December 9. This follows the success of acclaimed track ‘Some Other Dude’. The Band recently finished their first proper UK tour with stops in Brighton, Liverpool and Glasgow amongst others. Since their Hypemachine charting debut ‘Eddie’, Everywhere’s music has been streamed millions of times on YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify. They made their first International appearance at the 2013 NME Awards in the UK, playing alongside Django Django and Palma Violets, and later went on to support the Kaiser Chiefs and headline Notting Hill Arts Club in London. The lead single on the EP ‘Some Other Dude’ now has over 1 million plays on Spotify and gained them a feature on BBC Introducing London. This advance success certainly helped pave the way for ‘Fiction Act’. During the recording process of the EP the boys have divided their time between Stockholm, Los Angeles and London to collaborate with multiple producers, including American hit maker Mark Needham (The 1975, The Killers). ‘Shades At Night’ kicks off the ‘Fiction Act’ EP giving us a massive anthem to wrap our ears around. Rich with a luxurious ear-worm melody and a ravishing textured rhythm that gives the track depth leaving you craving more. Shimmering synths keep the track bright and glowing with dazzling scintillation that evokes thoughts of an arena worthy flashing lights display. Its a track that is sure to have a live audience on their feet jumping , dancing and bellowing out the sing-along lyrics. An explosive attention grabbing start to the EP. ‘Heroine’ follows gushing with high spirited energy and lush soaring vocals. Snappy beat gives the track steady bounce and lift while the weaving melodies on synths add a spacey aerial feel. This track is well formed and crafted giving us lavish textures to devour. ‘Some Other Dude’ follows next, a track which we previously featured on Indie Buddie. Its a “go for it” piece of advise full of “carpe diem” vibes and fist pumping high energy. With escalating dynamic vocals, elastic groovy bass and bopping punchy drums this track oozes swagger infused dance vibes. You wont be able to sit still with another irresistibly catchy chorus, its a crowd pleaser. ‘ Let It Go’ brings the EP to a tender close. Synths glitter and glisten with gentle elegance. The track twinkles and sparkles delicately becoming more intense and rich for the chorus. Soaring backing vocals add a dreamy hazy vibe to the track. Its a beautiful graceful end to the EP.
‘Fiction Act’ is a treasure trove of rich melodies that shows Everywhere are blossoming into something quite potent. They are a band that should most definitely be sought after.
Stream ‘Fiction Act’ below
Hailing from Manchester, Baum Jr. is a newly emerging musician with an aptitude for creating catchy electro songs with edgier vocals. He has a background in rock and describes his newly-invented genre as ‘Next-Gen 8-bit’, calling upon influence from film scores and game soundtracks of the 1980’s. His debut single ‘When I Grow Up’ was released in October and is a re-imagination of a Garbage song, the popular American-Scottish alternative rock outfit founded in the mid 90’s. Baum Jr.’s rendition of the track boasts some restructuring and sonic shifts. In lieu of Garbage’s alternative rock stylings from 1998, Baum Jr. has opted for an electronic pop landscape that’s infused with his signature ‘8-bit’ sound. It is elegantly contemporary while wholly retro. ‘When I Grow Up’ is an electronic composition bursting with thick gooey synths that bleep and bloop with bombastic acoustic drums that create a dramatic backdrop for the anthem-like chorus. With an eerie spacey electronic vibe created by the darkened shimmering synths and elastic bounce and rumble beat Baum Jr. gives us a dramatic swirling electronically bubbling punchy track that seems a little subdued by the tactful, edgy vocals. Baum Jr. has rebuilt Garbage’s song from the ground up utilising a new key and style while effortlessly showcasing his complicated, structured music.
St Van Cortlandt & the 101 have released the first track off their forth coming EP ‘The Lion Tree’. The single ‘Like The Arrow Miss The Stone’ is about a “younger brother’s relationship with his older brother. It touches on the ideas of idolising an older sibling to the point of wanting to be them, while still being sheltered and protected and guided by them almost to a point that it becomes unhealthy”. Band members Daniel Van Cortlandt (Vocals/Guitar), Troy Fannin (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Chika Obiora (Bass), David LeBlanc (Drums) and Matthew Watanabe (Keyboards) display their straight shooter beefy rock with ‘Like The Arrow Miss The Stone’. Its a “bull by the horns’ punchy energetic track. With thumping drums and raspy rugged vocals that give the track muscle and a meaty substance. The mighty driving riff pulses throughout the track keeping a flexible energy and power. While that forceful bounce beat is the strong arm giving the track sturdiness and support. The refreshing addition of keyboard softens the track a little and adds a sticky slap of psychedelia that takes St Van Cortlandt & the 101 to another level and makes their sound unique.
Stream ‘Like The Arrow Miss The Stone’ below
Yorkshire singer-songwriter James George has released his debut single ‘Make You Mine’. The track is a storming two minutes of classic indie rock n’roll showcasing brooding guitars, infectious melodies and shimmering synths. It has already picked up over 10,000 streams online and James George is developing a steady growing fan base. ‘Make You Mine’ is a short blast of garage rock that is sprinkled with enough inventiveness to make it a success. The production of this track is bang on as we are swallowed up in a concoction of shadowy misty synths, steady thumping beats and intoxicating psychedelic guitar. The song creates a dark daydream atmosphere with longing crooning vocals that remain cool and almost detached while the yearning tone on guitar almost wails in pain expressing his longing. ‘Make You Mine’ is full of mysterious tones with an eerie atmosphere. This is a track that will leave you craving for more.
Stream ‘Make You Mine’ below
Endless Peaks are a 4-piece band that create Indie Rock music with a psychedelic twist.The band are based on the South Coast of England in Bournemouth and are here to make waves with their emphatic and uplifting music. Endless Peaks consists of 2 brothers Lloyd Allen (Vocals/Lead Guitar) and Luis Allen (Bass Guitar) from Buckinghamshire . Soon after the brothers moved south they teamed up with Chanelle Smith (drums) and Connor Dean (keyboard). Their debut single ‘Staircase’ is the first of 3 tracks to be released this year from the band. ‘Staircase’ is a track that will transport you to a world of exhilarating bright indie rock sprinkled with blissful psychedelia. It is bursting with a swoony dreamy vibe coated in energetic overtones. The keyboard gives us a smooth and uplifting atmosphere which adds an airy fresh tone while the zealous guitar riff is sharp and ripe giving a fantastic variety in texture to the song. The drums are steady and fluid adding strength and grounding depth to the track which is otherwise aerial and otherworldly. The vocals are confident adding swagger and attitude to the track.
A great debut track from Endless Peaks look forward to hearing more.
Trickster Guru is the alternative rock and electronic project of Los Angeles singer songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Christopher Caplan. Trickster Guru’s debut EP ‘Problem Child’, was released earlier this year. He has also released a video for the title track ‘Problem Child’. ‘Problem Child’ is a innovative emotional track that tells us a story by beautifully fusing vintage rock and soul with the excitement and innovation of modern electronic synth. The track begins with a steady fuzzed beat that holds the foundation throughout the track. The vocals enter in a smooth tender manner. This track flows fluidly with a sway waltz -like quality. The addition of the synths and beats from alternative electronic co-producer AWAY enhances the passion and evokes the emotion of desire in the track giving an effective release of tension for the crescendo. Caplan has a deep smooth velvety vocal which is luring and seductive. With a dark mysterious atmosphere lingering in the background while the soft instrumentation and vocals attempt to ease your mind this track evokes every emotion and creates goosebumps while you are seduced by its melody and swoon like atmosphere of indulgence.
Bradford’s Mik Davis has created an Atmospheric, Dark-wave, experimental psychedelic sound in his solo project They Called Him Zone. They Called Him Zone’s new EP ‘Miami’ gives you a glimpse at the underground music scene by Incorporating elements of Dark-Wave, Electronica and Goth Rock. The new video and final single from the ‘Miami’ EP is the eerie and sinister ‘Sunset Beach’. The track is a trippy psychedelic journey that is both twisted and claustrophobic. The video is produced and edited by They Called Him Zone creator Mik Davis’ with the dance performance accredited to UK poet/writer – Joolz Denby. ‘Sunset Beach’ is a dark mysterious track that is full of sinister tones that make your hair stand up and your skin crawl. With whisper like breathy vocals that fill you with fear and make you look around you in case you are being watched or followed like in a horror movie. Contrary to what you might expect from the title of this track it has no sunny vibes instead its consumed with a concoction of shadowy haze and chilling psychedelia. With is techno and hypnotic tones it has a trance effect and is almost bewitching. Its dark hypnotic electronic sounds seem to almost lure you down a dangerous road where horror awaits and their is no escaping. The steady beat adds to the entrapment as it is soft and gives a constant feature that your mind almost subconsciously holds on to.
This track is a psychedelic electro Pop/ Rock nightmare- like concoction that is dark and luring yet a fantastic piece of musicianship and is perfect for the underground music scene.
Watch They Called Him Zone’s eerie and sinister ‘Sunset Beach’ video below
Velvet Kills are an electro punk, electro rock, post wave duo with Susana Santos on vocals/bass and Harris Iveson on guitar/synths. The group came to life in 2015, beginning with a chance encounter on a trance dance floor where Susana and Harris discovered their mutual love for rock, synths and beige Steinberger guitars. Velvet Kills has since gained a steady following, leading to their debut EP, ‘Memory’, being released in March this year. They are now planning a Europe Tour, followed by an album release this Autumn.
Their debut EP, ‘Memory’, is a striking, rhythmic , seductive EP that exudes a fantastic mix of sounds and textures that explodes the mind with a euphoric atmosphere of full rich sensual music. The EP begins with the track ‘Rain’ which is an electro rock track full of attitude and oozing cool lustful swagger. With trance dance beats and slick guitars this song lures you into a world of dark alluring psychedelia while Susanna’s deep seductive vocal is captivating and inviting. ‘Clog’ follows again with a confused psychedelic atmosphere. The sound is complex and abstract with the instrumentation taking the attention almost as if the vocals are accompanying the music. It gives the feeling that the room is spinning and you are in a haze surrounded by churning electronic sounds or hallucinating in a dessert with no water. ‘Red Shoes’ calms the tone slightly from the intensity of its predecessor. The track appears more cinematic and dramatic with strings playing a main feature. It has a dark “dooms day” feel with the strings and guitar playing in a call and response manner adding deep undertones to the song. ‘Memory’ finishes the EP in a shadowy tone with soft beats and dynamic synths. The vocals are again deep and luring grabbing the listeners attention. This track has a dark dance quality with light synths at times and lustrous guitar to add a refreshing contrast.
Velvet Kills ‘Memory’ EP is full of driving beats and bewitching textures that are tempting and enticing, with striking seductive vocals, gritty guitars and abstract sounds this EP is an experience and a really solid debut.
Look forward to hearing more from Velvet Kills
ISLE are Scottish electro-pop duo Liam Rutherford and Ben Singer. The have created a refreshing blend of electro pop and rock that is just infectious. Their track ‘Kid’ is an energetic explosion of dynamic synths winding guitar and snapping beats. With beautiful piano feature in the background and even a Celtic undertone this song has everything and more. From just seconds into the song you are blasted into a swarm of amazing sounds that blend remarkably well together. The animated spirited vocals adds an anthem-like quality to the song with fist pumping intensity that makes this song vibrant and enthusiastic. ‘Surrender’ is a melodic track with again a beautiful piano feature running throughout. Its upbeat positive tone is conveyed with clap along bridge, snapping snare and uplifting “oh wo-oh” backing vocals. Its a catchy rhythmic track that you can’t help but sing and clap along to.
Stream ‘Kid’ and ‘Surrender’ below
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
