Hailing from the deepest darkest Cornwall, UK band Flashes have released their new single ‘The Upset’. Consisting of members Jim (vocals/guitar), Peasy (guitar/laptop), Dan (guitar) and Graham (bass), Flashes have released 2 albums (Latency and Flashes) and a handful of one-off singles, receiving coverage from Consequence of Sound, Thought Catalog, Amazing Radio and BBC Radio 1.
New single ‘The Upset’ is a hypnotic psyched-out tale of perceived reality recorded in a run-down 19th century chapel where some of the band live. Its woozy dark pop at its best with a thick sticky beat the track oozes and glops surrounded by hazy dizzy psychedelia. Saturated in eerie shadowy tones teamed with haunting whispered vocals the track lures you into a wispy swirling dark abyss. The elastic luring bass adds a sensual quality to the trippy opaque track. The guitar glistens with sharp sparkles through the murky exterior of the track as it churns and sways around revealing light little melodic guitar glimmers. ‘The Upset’ is spine chilling and hair raisingly superb, a must listen.
Stream ‘The Upset’ below
The 220 Project have recently announced the release of their futuristic nine track album ‘Between Two Points of Light’. This will be the electronic duo’s second release, after productions from their first EP, ‘The Lost Particles’, received critical acclaim from ‘Getintothis’. Hailing from Bristol and Dorset, the duo have been producing music together for a number of years. This particular album was inspired by the pairs interest in space travel and science fiction which can be heard in the futuristic and ambient sounds throughout the album. ‘Between Two Points of Light’ is nine tracks of galactic futuristic psychedelic vibes. Its calm placid spacey electronics place you in a state of daze and gentle dizzy bewilderment. Deep warm basslines add texture and grounding to the hypnotic album while soft rapid beats flash like delicate laser lights giving you a blurry narcotic trip. Using a mix of analogue and digital hardware to create a bass heavy mix of psychedelic ambient techno dub featuring 303 squelches and layered synths backed up by thudding kick drums The 220 Project take you on a journey of mind boggling science fiction.
Influenced by groups such as Leftfield and System 7, the duo describe how they developed their sound,
“We’ve developed our sound, being inspired by different artists and styles of music and making something that we wanted to listen to that combined trance, acid and dub elements.”
The album ‘Between Two Points of Light’ is set to be released on 10th March 2017 and will be available via all major media providers. More information on the group can be found on their social media pages or on their official website here
London alt-pop five-piece Nova Neon have released new single ‘Stone To A Balloon’ today. It is the latest single to be lifted from their recent debut album ‘Chroma’. Led by the bluesy vocals of Bianca Lewis, Nova Neon create intricate and original songs powered by electro grooves and indie rock dynamics. The band have headlined gigs at historic London venues The Borderline, The Garage and The Barfly, a show-stealing performance at the Isle Of Wight Festival and a run of sold-out Sofar Sounds sessions. They have gained online praise from Brooklyn tastemakers Afropunk and features with Brit clothing brand Original Penguin. Nova Neon also received radio airplay with BBC Introducing, BBC London and Amazing Radio last year. ‘Stone To A Balloon’ is an enchantingly delicate melancholy laden track which bops along with warm textures and soothing qualities. The track starts with a sway-like flow and sombre tone. It then builds and wakens up into an uplifting radiant emotive crescendo that evokes positivity and reassurance. Nova Neon blend a bluesy groove with indie rock creating a sophisticated mature sound that is refined and captivating. The brooding soul vocals inject intense passion into the track while the warm sweet toned interweaving guitar hooks console and revitalise with dynamic zest. The lilting electronica twinkles with a sparkling delicate elegance that gives the track a feathery lift. To match the genre-crossing mix of sounds on the new track, there is also a complex lyrical narrative. As Lewis explains; “Stone To A Balloon is a love song about a broken relationship, where one person is fighting to keep it alive whilst the other one drifts. The metaphor of stone to a balloon is used to reflect that – one person acts as the stone (the rock of the relationship) whilst the other is the balloon (the drifter). In a working relationship, the two counter each other harmoniously – but in this case, it’s the emotional realisation that it no longer works that drives the song.”
Nova Neon will be playing live shows in support of the new single and album in 2017. For more info, head to http://novaneon.com./
Stream ‘Stone To A Balloon’ below
Producer and DJ TrinoVante has recently released his debut album ‘Live Love Laugh Learn Light Liquid Liberate’ after years of experimenting with Electronic Music Software and reaching the peak of his production knowledge. He has described his style of dance music as emotional, spiritual and passionate, the 19-track album has received critical acclaim from BBC Introducing and some tracks on the album have also been released under digital record labels. Created as a feel good album to help raise spirits and give listeners a new found appreciation for the beauty of life, the album features mainly uplifting tracks, some of which have nostalgic garage undertones. ‘Live Love Laugh Learn Light Liquid Liberate’ is the perfect house party album laced with quick synth stabs and airy tropical vibes in tracks like ‘Light Pink Flower’. The tracks feature drops that explode softly, welcomingly and warm with infectious grooves sprinkling sunshine yet grounded with deep beats and spacey synth soundscapes. Sleek laser-like flashes of electronics light up the tracks. While passionate vocals feature on some of the tracks complementing them and heightening the entire experience. TrinoVante surges us with a wave of soft adrenaline-pumping energy with funky elements and a rush of summer vibes to keep you dancing all night.’5 4 3 2 1 Liberate’ brings a slightly heavier hypnotic acid trip with flickering electronics and driving sticky beat. Each track pulls you further and further into its trippy intoxicating swirling bright peppy hypnotism until you embrace it and join the kaleidoscope of euphoric sounds.
‘Live Love Laugh Learn Light Liquid Liberate’ was self-produced and influenced by a large variety of genres and artists which can definitely be heard in the unique sound throughout this album. It was released earlier in January and is available via all major media providers.
Stream ‘Live Love Laugh Learn Light Liquid Liberate’ below
Enola Fall is an indie band from Tasmania, Australia. For the last decade Enola Fall have become a fixture on the Australian indie scene, playing major festivals and supporting acts like Courtney Barnett, The Jezabels, Amanda Palmer and The Violent Femmes on tour. Anchored by singer/guitarist/songwriter Joe Nuttall, the band have picked up press acclaim with Huffington Post, USA Today & Stereogum, toured across the USA and enjoyed regular radio support from tastemakers at Triple J & over 100 American stations.
The band have now unveiled ‘Closer’, the first taste of their upcoming fourth album which is due for release in the Spring. The track illustrates the band’s talent for deceptively complex explorations of humanity and sexuality combined with a wry sense of humour, and the new video for the track features re-edited educational films from the 1940s that are given a new lease of life with dark emotive undercurrents. Coated in dark eerie tones this track is a spellbinding brew of bewitching swirling bubbling emotions smudging thick sticky beats against atmospheric electronica. Brooding vocals haunt with hair-raising chilling enchantment while the enthralling guitar hooks memorise and enslave you in its maze of weaving psychedelia. Gritty fuzzed elements add danger and peril to the track while the smooth alluring vocals lure you deeper and deeper until you are completely swallowed up by the track. The shift to female vocals is a refreshing striking contrast that blends perfectly with Nuttall’s vocals, adding diversity and power to the track.
Enola Fall will be hitting the road in support of the new single and album in 2017. For more info, head to https://www.facebook.com/enolafall/
Watch the video for ‘Closer’ below
London-based duo Ten Fé have released their new single ‘Twist Your Arm’ which was produced by Ewan Pearson (Jagwar Ma, M83, The Rapture). It is a taste of whats to come from their upcoming debut album ‘Hit The Light’ which is due out February 3rd. Ben Moorhouse and Leo Duncan have already given us the acclaimed singles ‘Make Me Better’, ‘In The Air’, ‘Elodie’ and ‘Turn’ which accumulated over 6 million streams on Spotify. ‘Twist Your Arm’ is a relaxed bouncy pop track with trippy swirling electronics chilled with breezy natural tones and soaked in effortlessly cool funky swagger. Your heart skips a beat in time with the pulsating punchy beat as the melody sweeps you up into a fluffy cloud of psychedelic bliss. This deeply yearning track twirls with loose floaty ecstasy while pulling you into its depths with the propulsive strong beat and elastic bass. The funky guitar adds an infectious groove and energetic refreshing lift to the track while the velvety smooth vocals soothe and coo with hair raisingly creamy richness and lush falsetto in the chorus. The track builds to a massive Gospel like crescendo that compels you to sing along and sway back and forth clapping along.
Each track Ten Fé have released brings something new to the table displaying fine musicianship and diversity. Their debut album ‘Hit The Light’ is going to be one satisfying feast of juicy tunes that will brighten up 2017.
Stream ‘Twist Your Arm’ below
Temples of Youth are an upcoming electronic duo from Winchester, UK. Paul Gumma and Jo Carson began working on their live set in December 2015, with the desire to bring their music to the stage with a limited number of hands, Jo on percussion and Paul on guitar, utilising samplers and effects to recreate their sound. Their ever growing emotive body of work has attracted the attention of BBC Introducing, and the pair were invited in for live sessions for BBC Introducing South and BBC Introducing Solent. Their first track ‘Enso’, was selected by Steve Lamacq for airplay on his BBC6 Radio Show and their third track, ‘Dunes’, was played by Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1. The duo were named ‘Ones to Watch in 2016’ by the Selector Radio Show – part of the British Music Council and were also nominated for a Best of British Unsigned award.
Temples of Youth have just released their new single ‘Divide’ which displays some truly compelling stuff. Its majestic and beautifully magical with a twinkling of ambient synth and sparkling shimmering guitar this track sets a wonderfully mysterious and enchanting scene with glittering instrumentation like morning due. Delicately presented Temples of Youth effortlessly ease you into their elegant soundscape. Dark undertones give depth and mystery to the track like ‘Divide’ appears to hold a treasure within its core, unveiling secrets as the track progresses into glimmering perfection. The warm powerful vocals take the limelight with soothing depth and strength as the melody flows with grace and fluidity highlighting and enhancing the vocals.
Stream ‘Divide’ below
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
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.
Heez has released his EP ‘Codependent’ its a five track meandering labyrinth of intricate electronics churning with dark tones and poetic lyrics. Previously featured on Indie Buddie ‘Dancing’ kicks off the EP with its snappy beat, interweaving electronics and shadowy atmospheres. The heavy hearted vocals add emotion to the track while the rap adds rhythm and gives an edge. The quick synth-stabs which are a recurring feature in Heez’s EP give the track an elastic bendable quality while providing a strong sharp whack beat that has a trance effect. ‘The XX Makes Me Sad’ which we also featured this year is a deep rooted flex wave track that is sticky and muggy in thick slap beats and punchy electronics. The haunting lull of backing vocals give a subtle ghostly wailing effect to the track as if they groan and moan with anguish conveying the depression and sorrow of the track. ‘Cold Soul’ follows with distorted spoken vocals and simple accompaniment drawing the listeners attention to the lyrics. The slight echo and “wah wah” vibration to start has a psychedelic vibe. A strong beat enters giving something solid to hold onto before you slip into a trance. ‘Must Be Love’ brightens the tone of the EP with a catchy pop melody for the chorus. Rap vocals brings an R&B feel while the soft instrumentation has a feathery feel and cheery vibe which contrasts the entire EP up to now and showcases Heez can do happy but his way. ‘Sunday’ is a slick sensual light at the end of the dark swirling psychedelic black vortex tunnel that was the first half of the ‘Codependent’ EP. Filling us with hope for the future and optimism. Its a daydream of hazy sunshine with a hint of reggae thrown in and a brighter glimpse of that whack beat teamed with razor shape edgy guitar and strums from a warm mellow acoustic guitar.
Stream the ‘Codependent’ EP below
