40 Shillings on the Drum have released their new single ‘Mean Streets (Born in the Same Gutter)’. Having kickstarted 2018 with a well-received live album and short UK tour (their first), the band were quickly snapped up for an appearance at Beautiful Days festival alongside the likes of Manic Street Preachers and The Hives. During this festival, the band became friends with Skinny Lister and Tom Gleeson of Slaves to Gravity and Feeder, the latter has now completed mixing duties on the brand new single.The single shows a huge departure from their traditional folk-punk roots, with the band taking a more contemporary, punk-rock sound to new heights. The band’s debut album, also produced by Tommy Gleeson, is due for release in late 2019.
‘Mean Streets (Born in the Same Gutter)’ is a swift slap of alternative rock smothered in dark riffs and a theatrical rawness. Eerie guitars jaggedly slice and shred through the track with relentless stamina while a punchy rhythm creates a buoyant meaty foundation for them to ricochet and soar off. The track is a robust brawny effort from 40 Shillings on the Drum with a substantial rock backbone that will have a mosh pit going wild. The raspy vocals spit out the lyrics in a dramatic fashion creating a spooky quality to this blistering track.Its a dynamic infectious and exhilarating number from 40 Shillings on the Drum.
Stream ‘Mean Streets (Born in the Same Gutter)’ below
Boston self produced indie artist James Burke has released his new single ‘Less Than Binding’ from his upcoming album ‘Future Eye’. He creates interesting, adhesive tracks that submerge you entirely in a unique and tantalizing world created by Burke. ‘Less Than Binding’ fleshes out his sound with its beautiful and elegant composition, precise spacing and luscious electronics. It’s an experience through beat taps, organ- esque keys and reverb. There is an R&B feel to the track with a pop drizzled melody as the laid back vocals drown you in the chilled vibe of this dreamy song. With its aerial approach and ethereal crisp production ‘Less Than Binding’ builds…broods and bubbles into a moody mesmerising beauty.
Los Angeles based music producer, Scro, has released his self-produced music video and single, ‘Played’, featuring Zach Callahan. Native to Sarasota, Florida, electronic producer, Scro, creates a beautiful atmosphere with his selection of classic synth sounds, pushing you back to the 80’s, all while keeping in touch with modern songwriting and production techniques. The track is accompanied by a music video, filmed and animated by himself, catching scenes of Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Universal Studios, and the infamous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
‘Played’ floats delicately on Scro’s meticulous production and wonderful electronics. Bubbling through buoyant beats and wispy ethereal soundscapes this track meanders gently through light breezy vibes and melancholic tones seamlessly creating a richly textured and wholly satisfying listening experience. Zach Callahan’s vocals are velvety smooth and emotionally sweet as he emanates so perfectly the gut-wrenching feeling of being “played” by someone who you’ve mistaken for having something special with. The melty sugared melody coats the track in a delicious sweetness that soothes the tender sombre tones while the light electronics add a sun-kissed radiance to the song. The track has a retro chicness and chilled tone to it that is easy on the ears but richly intricate with lyrics that are relatable and catch your attention.
Four piece rock band The Rah’s have recently released their new single ‘Land of the Dreamers’. This biting track presents The Rah’s precise anthemic sound in all its fiery and powerful splendor. The shredding guitars sharply pierce through the punchy drum foundation with slick refinement and majesty while the sublime rooted bass line punctures through your brain with its infectious darkly coated groove. This track lures and entices through the verses before exploding into a crowd friendly boisterous chorus. With slinky, raw guitar licks and sweltering whines seeping swagger and finesse into the track – this high energy, adrenaline pumping number is instantly like-able.
The band have started on their eagerly anticipated EP and details will follow soon via The Rah’s social media
Alternative Band Northern National have released their new single ‘Not All Family Is Blood’. The Dallas, TX based 4 piece have toured with acts such as Blue October, The Unlikely Candidates and The Band Camino and shared the stage with more. Their track ‘Love is Fire’ was featured on Spotify’s Discover Weekly playlist and charted on Spotify’s Viral 50 worldwide. Music curators such as Topsify, Filtr, and even Coca-Cola, have also featured the song on their playlists.
‘Not All Family Is Blood’ is a subtle anthemic number as Northern National steadily progress the track with intricate melodies weaving through throbbing rhythms and passionate vocals. The track wisps about ethereal soundscapes as chiming keys twinkle between the aerial guitars and swirling electronics. The band present a passionate, well crafted number that rushes on a powerful instrumental progression while the meticulous musicianship and cleverly placed instruments (such as the strings ) flutter before the mighty crescendo.
About the track the band said:“Sometime’s when we’re writing music comes first, melodies come first, but in this case that line came first. Some of us are lucky enough to be born into a family, but no matter the circumstances regarding that family, good or bad, you get to also choose the family you surround yourself with as you grow up. You get to pick who you tackle life with on the daily basis and this song is about that. It’s dedicated to those rebels, those rag-tag groups of friends who take on challenges and grow closer together in the hard times. For us, it’s our brothers in this band, the people we meet on the road who give us places to sleep when we can’t afford hotels, the loved one’s who support us pursuing a crazy passion called music, and so many others. Those people are our family as much as the family we were born into. This song was inspired by them.”
Meath eighteen year old independent musician/producer Orla Clarke has released her new single ‘breathe’. This twinkling number is an aerial dream of soft electronics and glistening soundscapes which float delicately around a pop sprinkled backdrop. A sweet toned guitar sparkles, radiating luminosity into the track as the piano jingles along with joyful light hops. The fuzzy synths lead beautifully into the techno hued elements as the dreamy track swirls around your ears with a charming feathery light innocence and delightful bounce. It’s a sun kissed number that showcases the luscious arrangements Orla Clarke is capable of creating.
HAVVK return with their latest brooding cut, ‘If I Don’t Tell You’ via Veta Records. This single is the third release from their upcoming debut album, Cause & Effect, out on 22nd November 2019. HAVVK originally formed in London in 2015, and have since split their time between London, Dublin and Berlin. They have collaborated with Belfast based producer Rocky O’Reilly (And So I Watch You From Afar, Touts, Brand New Friend) for the last two years to help develop their unique sound. In addition to their musical endeavours, Front woman Julie Hawk has also co-founded SelfMade – a platform to explore DIY music in Ireland through performance, discussion, and art, and last year launched Female Fronted Drawn Together – a project through which she has created a playlist of admirable female bands musicians and created an illustration to accompany each song. HAVVK have been praised by the likes of BBC 6Music’s Lauren Laverne, Tom Robinson and Chris Hawkins, as well BBC Radio London and Radio X. Their previous single ”Always the Same” also featured on Spotify’s official Alternative Generation and Feelgood Indie playlists.
‘If I Don’t Tell You’ is a powerful luring track brimming with a polished rawness that is masterful. Julie Hawk’s vocals venture from sweetly lulling to searing while the chiming backdrop creates a prismatic glimmering soundscape. The sweet melody melts upon the edgy backdrop cooling and smoothing the biting instrumentation with a honeyed ear-worm deliciousness and a dark mysterious tone while the ethereal guitars lace the track in a stinging airy vibe. The punchy drums create a buoyant foundation as this trio weave luscious textures through their grunge infused sound seamlessly creating a rich wholly-invigorating listening experience. A little harsh and thrilling – this compelling number will sparkle and pierce its way into your brain demanding repeat plays.
The single tackles the very real and current issue of social media and how we can become lost between a genuine version of ourselves and the one that we feel pressured to present online. Julie elaborates, “If I Don’t Tell You” deals with our experience of trying to engage on a social and political level, in a space that often seems so preoccupied with extremes that there appears to be little room for genuine discussion and a lot of voices and lived experiences get lost in the noise.”
Indie Rock’n’rollers King Kartel have released their new single ‘Lock & Load’. This slinky infectious number stomps in swagger soaked and steaming in exhilarating instrumentation, ready to revolve around in your head for days. With a driving punch on drums pounding through your very core and velvety panache-dripping vocals gliding over the sweet melody this vaporous tune is one sleek charmer. It’s catchy with tasty guitar lines weaving their nimble way through the drum thuds with glossy sharp finesse. The song oozes a rock n roll persona as the track builds tension up to the guitar solo. This solo is the delicious icing on the cake as it shreds and shrills creating that sublime crescendo.Another dazzling hook filled anthem from King Kartel.
Dublin’s grunge disco band Munky have released their debut EP ‘Un, Deux, Trois, Cat’. This poignant precise collection of tracks displays Munky in their grunge drenched, attitude slapped habitat. The tracks flesh out the bands groove infested backbone however, the lyrical content sees our cheeky chappies take a social stance on real hard hitting topics such a victim blaming. These mature themes are devoured in blistering instrumentation and slick refined musicianship.
The razor sharp funky sting of ‘Zordon’ kicks off the EP with sweltering guitar whines and jagged riffs. Zachary Stephenson’s vocals prance and pine through the catchy melody with intriguing whoops and wails while the slick bass groove buoyantly hops and springs between the rich drums and intricate guitars. Thrilling psychedelia dissolves the gritty backdrop in a dizzying acid of fizz while this splintery dark number introduces the band with grandeur, exposing their debut EP in all its exhilarating glory. Just when you think Munky can’t surprise you any more than they already have, Stephenson’s splintery tongue fluidly rolls out a rap lyric for the acute ’Cuck Rock’. With a funky elastic and somewhat elegant display on bass and guitar the track smoothly flurries behind his narration.The instrumentation is tight and pretty slick as the slinky guitar weaves superbly between the elastic rhythm before the track explodes into a bloodthirsty assault of aggro that is destined to be epic live. Bassist Niall Donnelly brings the track to an end as he takes his “moment to shine”. ’Cuck Rock’ leads magnificently into the effervescent ‘You’ve Got Male’.
Track after track these guys create one hell raising EP filled with sizzling grooves, biting guitars, psych, raw grunge and battering rock with just the right dosage of flamboyance and panache drizzled on top. However it’s that sweet hair raising intro to ‘Ms. Communication’ that shows just how far these guys have come. I’ve heard this track live before and in a more raw format but the meticulous attention to detail and subtle changes the band have made to polish this gem up has to be a pinnacle moment within the EP. The soft female backing vocals blending and beautifully harmonising with Stephenson’s emotional, suffering vocals is immaculate. His vocals have improved and this track shows this perfectly. The passionate turmoil is bubbled and boiled in a fiery brew of funk with a bluesy aftertaste. This concoction creates a bracing sense of urgency and agony. The dark verse kicks off the track swallowed up in a funky slick bass line and eerie guitar twinkles which builds the cold icy tension. The track becomes more dynamic and mosh ready before an epic catchy chorus and crescendo-blast which screams attitude and rebellion. The sweet lamenting and lonely guitar melodies are perfectly placed throughout the song and that shredding solo is the final dramatic kick in the ass. This gripping track exudes class, finesse and the true skill of Munky. Finally the striking well placed ‘One in Five’ brings the EP to a powerful end. This barbed fiery track is about victim blaming culture and Munky provide a passionate heartbreaking narrative over a swirling backdrop of rumbling, agitated rhythms and sharp guitar pines. The guitar weeps, stings and shrills through Stephenson’s distressed vocals while the drums bubble and boil over to the mighty expressive crescendo. It’s a track that grabs your attention and is superbly written.
Munky pulled out all the stops with ‘Un, Deux, Trois, Cat’. It’s an impressive EP, containing cheeky funk, smothered in an honest and mature shell that showcases the majestic and proficient side to Munky’s musicianship.
Promising Singer/Songwriter hailing from North East England, The ÆTHER, aka David has released his second studio album ‘ÆTHEREAL’. Written during the British heatwave of 2018, the album is a collection of optimistic tracks, underscored with hope, resilience and a love of life.
‘ÆTHEREAL’ is a richly diverse and perfectly blended collection of electronic, dance, indie, funk and pop. The ÆTHER delivers a tasty nine track assortment that is the perfect summer soundtrack. His luscious pop melodies saturate each track in deliciousness while his soulful vocals are full of emotional tenderness that holds everything together. From the electronic ‘Im So Sorry’ and ‘Urgh’ with their chicness and 70’s funk flecked choruses the album is doused in suave romantic tones. Tracks like ‘Miracle’, ‘Deep In Love’ bring that dance laced summer vibe and free “caution to the wind “ atmosphere while packing in deep lyric content between the flashing electronics, swirling dazed soundscapes and funky guitar. The falsetto vocals are particularly sweet and showcase Davids’ warm range. ‘Sun & Moon’, ‘Like No Other Can’ takes us from the dance party to a chilled soul / R&B hued slow mover. It’s a slick romantic number to dim the light to and swoon over. ‘I Can’t Take This Feeling’ is the emotional sorrow filled track of the album that brings stormy clouds and rain filled with turmoil with contrasting electronics and dark beats. The ÆTHER brings the album to a close with two tender heartfelt numbers ‘I Think Im Falling Going Nowhere’ and ‘Let Me Adorn You’.
‘ÆTHEREAL’ is filled with delicate tones, chilled vibes and oodles of soul which contrast beautifully against the albums dynamic electronics and funky guitar injections. Each song flows into the next with zealous finesse while the smooth vocals caress and glide over the melty melodies. It’s a charming album.
You can catch The ÆTHER live at:
13th April Tynemouth Surfcafe – Newcastle
9th June Chapel Arts Centre – Bath
Stream ‘ÆTHEREAL’ below
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
