Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1179
June 26, 2020
Daniel Avery Releases Surprise Album "Love + Light"; Listen Now
DANIEL AVERY
RELEASES SURPRISE ALBUM
LOVE + LIGHT
OUT NOW
credit: Vincent Arbele Daniel Avery returns with the surprise album
Love + Light
, his third full-length record. It is out today via Phantasy/Mute in the United States and Canada and via Phantasy worldwide. The ethereal artwork is taken from an image by Avery’s tour photographer, Keffer. A vinyl and CD release will follow. Stream and purchase Love + Light here.
Love + Light arrives unexpectedly following Avery’s recent collaborations with Alessandro Cortini on the critically acclaimed Illusion of Time LP and alongside Roman Flügel under the alias of Noun. Pitchfork described Illusion of Time as “expansive in scope, charmingly rough around the edges, and brimming with possibility...a beautiful record that takes wonder as its defining characteristic,” while Loud & Quiet hailed it as “a record that suggests Godspeed You! Black Emperor in drone mode, reimagining Music For Airports as if the runways were covered in gravel and air traffic control was on strike.” Avery’s previous solo album Song For Alpha was released in 2018 to similar acclaim.
Avery shares, “This record has been a real positive force of energy in my life, to the point where it almost formed itself in front of me. In that same spirit, I wanted to share it with you now, as soon as it was finished. As I started to collect the pieces together, it was apparent that the album would be split into two distinct halves but halves that were inexorably tied together. One could not have existed without the other. Music has always been a source of personal strength for me yet I remain fascinated by the power it can possess of its own volition. Releasing the record in this way, just a couple of weeks after the final note had fallen, felt like a decision made by an outside force yet one I agreed with entirely. Stay safe, friends and I’ll see you on the other side soon. DA xxx”
Love + Light tracklisting
London Island
Dusting For Smoke
Dream Distortion
Katana
Darlinnn
Depth Wish
Searing Light, Forward Motion
Infinite Future
After The Fire
Into The Arms Of Stillness
Fuzzwar
Pure Life
A Story In E5
One More Morning Stream and purchase Love + Light
DANIEL AVERY: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
MUTE: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
RELEASES SURPRISE ALBUM
LOVE + LIGHT
OUT NOW
credit: Vincent Arbele Daniel Avery returns with the surprise album
Love + Light
, his third full-length record. It is out today via Phantasy/Mute in the United States and Canada and via Phantasy worldwide. The ethereal artwork is taken from an image by Avery’s tour photographer, Keffer. A vinyl and CD release will follow. Stream and purchase Love + Light here.Love + Light arrives unexpectedly following Avery’s recent collaborations with Alessandro Cortini on the critically acclaimed Illusion of Time LP and alongside Roman Flügel under the alias of Noun. Pitchfork described Illusion of Time as “expansive in scope, charmingly rough around the edges, and brimming with possibility...a beautiful record that takes wonder as its defining characteristic,” while Loud & Quiet hailed it as “a record that suggests Godspeed You! Black Emperor in drone mode, reimagining Music For Airports as if the runways were covered in gravel and air traffic control was on strike.” Avery’s previous solo album Song For Alpha was released in 2018 to similar acclaim.
Avery shares, “This record has been a real positive force of energy in my life, to the point where it almost formed itself in front of me. In that same spirit, I wanted to share it with you now, as soon as it was finished. As I started to collect the pieces together, it was apparent that the album would be split into two distinct halves but halves that were inexorably tied together. One could not have existed without the other. Music has always been a source of personal strength for me yet I remain fascinated by the power it can possess of its own volition. Releasing the record in this way, just a couple of weeks after the final note had fallen, felt like a decision made by an outside force yet one I agreed with entirely. Stay safe, friends and I’ll see you on the other side soon. DA xxx”
Love + Light tracklisting
London Island
Dusting For Smoke
Dream Distortion
Katana
Darlinnn
Depth Wish
Searing Light, Forward Motion
Infinite Future
After The Fire
Into The Arms Of Stillness
Fuzzwar
Pure Life
A Story In E5
One More Morning Stream and purchase Love + Light
DANIEL AVERY: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
MUTE: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
Francis of Delirium Release Debut EP + Share Video For "Karen"
DEBUT EP, ALL CHANGE OUT TODAY+SHARE VIDEO FOR “KAREN”
Press Photo (Lynn Theisen) “Francis of Delirium are finding their feet as standard bearers for the garage rock scene.” - The Line of Best Fit“(All Change is) a lane-hopping mix of complex guitar pop, heartfelt emo, and raw emotion.” - Secret Meeting
“A duo who are creating a refreshing narrative on self-doubt.” - Earmilk
“For all the young bands that are crafting their sound with inspirations from 90’s grunge rock, I have yet to be moved by any. That is until I played Francis of Delirium.” - Alfitude
Out today, All Change is the debut EP by the Luxembourg-based, Canadian-American duo Francis Of Delirium, a band fast on the rise. First appearing back in January with the instantaneous track “Quit Fucking Around,” Francis Of Delirium have caught attention by making a powerful sound where 90’s grunge collides with indie folk and millennial DIY; different generations of rock explained in part by 18 year-old songwriter Jana Bahrich being thirty years junior to her collaborator Chris Hewett.
A highly creative and self-contained duo, intimacy and vulnerability lies at the heart of their music, made impactful by Jana’s high energy vocals and genuine passion to connect with each member of the audience. All Change perfectly illustrates this, a five-track primer that not only delivers on their early promise but shows they’re just getting started.
To coincide with the EP’s release, the band are also releasing a video for EP track “Karen” – yes, a song about “that” Karen. With the video made in isolation by Jana, she says of the track, “Karen is the Karen seen in the memes everywhere but imagined as this narrator in your head that defines how you experience things, generally through a more negative lens. So Karen is about picturing the part of your brain that likes to sow self-doubt in the back of your mind as a stereotypical suburban mom who wants to yell at the manager but instead she’s picking on you. Imagining the narrator as something sort of funny is meant to relinquish some of its power.”
Down about not having been able to tour since the release of their debut single as the world went into lockdown, the live band (a trio where Jana is joined by a drummer and bassist) finally made their return last week at a drive-in show where the audience watched from their cars. With their second EP already in the works, they’ll hopefully be back out touring soon with shows across Europe already pencilled in for later this year. All Change is out now on Dalliance Recordings.
Download EP Art HERETracklisting:1. Broken2.Ashamed3.Karen4.Circles5.Quit Fucking AroundKeep Up With Francis of Delirium:WebsiteInstagramFacebook SpotifySoundcloud Bandcamp
Cut Copy announce sixth studio album 'Freeze, Melt' and share new single, "Cold Water," out now
CUT COPY ANNOUNCE SIXTH STUDIO ALBUM FREEZE, MELTOUT FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
PRE-ORDER/SAVE HERE | MERCH PRE-ORDER/BUNDLES HERE + SHARE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO“COLD WATER”OUT TODAY VIA CUTTERS RECORDS / THE ORCHARD
BUY/STREAM HERE | WATCH VIDEO HERE
Electronic favorites Cut Copy are back today to share their new single, “Cold Water.” Arriving alongside the track is the greatly anticipated announcement of the four-piece’s sixth studio album, Freeze, Melt, dropping on Friday, August 21. Following their highly welcomed return in May with “Love Is All We Share” – a tribute to yearning for connection in the times we’re facing – “Cold Water” continues the beloved Australian export’s long-standing career that retains a fond danceability only Cut Copy can replicate between fans. Every part visceral, as implied, frontman Dan Whitford’s voice lifts and carries on top of stoic chiming machine melodies that lap and flow, echoing, “All I need is you”. A kicking beat taps through, as a rich ambience endures across the five-minute piece of elation that speaks to love in a climate of uncertainty. Dan Whitford on the track: “After extensive touring on our last album, "Cold Water" was one of the first new songs to appear. I’d moved to Copenhagen and had been listening to a lot more ambient and instrumental electronic music and as a result "Cold Water" felt quite different to songs we’d made in the past. It was less dance, but more atmospheric. Also the subject matter explores love in today’s context, where the climate and fate of the planet are becoming increasingly uncertain. Once we’d finished it, it felt like we'd placed a marker in the ground, guiding us in a new musical direction.”
The accompanying music video was made by American contemporary artist, Takeshi Murata, who sheds light imagery, saying it's, "An open window and the midnight sun-lit ocean: These suggest a shifting in the calm. A late-night anxiety and hypnotizing tension between states of consciousness and dream." The single is the second to drop from Cut Copy’s forthcoming album, Freeze, Melt, which will be released on Friday, August 21, nineteen years into their prolific career. The body of work showcases an expansion while maintaining a legacy unmatched in Australian music since their inception. Written during an especially cold Scandinavian winter when Whitford decamped to Copenhagen, the collection takes an evocative turn, finding slowed meaning and influence from the emotional manipulations that feed into their work but have never taken centre stage, ultimately shaping a headier journey inward while lyrically exploring love in strange times.
After returning to Australia and being joined by his bandmates at Melbourne’s Park Orchard Studios to enhance and complete the recording, the record’s sense of place was further enhanced by the mixing contribution of Swedish legend Christoffer Berg (Robyn, The Knife), finishing the record in Svenska Grammofonstudion in Gothenburg. The Neve console they used was also used by Bowie/Eno/Visconti to make Lodger, and was also used by Queen, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, AC/DC, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder and Jonny Cash. The result of finalizing the record at Svenska Studios is a treat for the mind as well as the body.
Born from a bedroom recording project by Whitford and expanding to a full-fledged band with guitarist Tim Hoey, drummer Mitchell Scott, and bass player Ben Browning, Cut Copy’s output has stood the test of time. Their unique sound and unencumbered taste have earned praise locally and globally, performing on the likes of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live, and picking up nominations for several awards. 2008’s In Ghost Colours, featuring “Lights & Music” and “Hearts on Fire” received nominations for the ARIA Awards' Best Dance/Electronic Album and Album of the Year at the J Awards, while 2011's ARIA chart-topper Zonoscope was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the Grammy Awards and awarded Best Dance Release at the ARIA Awards.
Their strength is also evidenced by their powerful live shows, which have graced the stages at Coachella, Primavera Sound, and countless other global marquee festivals. Their secret power – being able to convert crowds of thousands into a unified, joyous dancing whole. When you add over a thousand sold-out headline shows over five continents to the mix, you can just about begin to understand their appeal, instantly apparent the minute you step foot inside a Cut Copy concert. Freeze, Melt is the band’s sixth LP, and their first full-length release since 2017’s renowned, Double J Feature Album Haiku From Zero. The second chapter of the acclaimed act’s reemergence in 2020, “Cold Water,” delivers a warm-hearted sentiment that Cut Copy enthusiasts are bound to adore.
Photo credit: Tamar Levine (@tamarlevine)
PRE-ORDER/SAVE HERE | MERCH PRE-ORDER/BUNDLES HERE + SHARE NEW SINGLE & VIDEO“COLD WATER”OUT TODAY VIA CUTTERS RECORDS / THE ORCHARD
BUY/STREAM HERE | WATCH VIDEO HERE
Electronic favorites Cut Copy are back today to share their new single, “Cold Water.” Arriving alongside the track is the greatly anticipated announcement of the four-piece’s sixth studio album, Freeze, Melt, dropping on Friday, August 21. Following their highly welcomed return in May with “Love Is All We Share” – a tribute to yearning for connection in the times we’re facing – “Cold Water” continues the beloved Australian export’s long-standing career that retains a fond danceability only Cut Copy can replicate between fans. Every part visceral, as implied, frontman Dan Whitford’s voice lifts and carries on top of stoic chiming machine melodies that lap and flow, echoing, “All I need is you”. A kicking beat taps through, as a rich ambience endures across the five-minute piece of elation that speaks to love in a climate of uncertainty. Dan Whitford on the track: “After extensive touring on our last album, "Cold Water" was one of the first new songs to appear. I’d moved to Copenhagen and had been listening to a lot more ambient and instrumental electronic music and as a result "Cold Water" felt quite different to songs we’d made in the past. It was less dance, but more atmospheric. Also the subject matter explores love in today’s context, where the climate and fate of the planet are becoming increasingly uncertain. Once we’d finished it, it felt like we'd placed a marker in the ground, guiding us in a new musical direction.”The accompanying music video was made by American contemporary artist, Takeshi Murata, who sheds light imagery, saying it's, "An open window and the midnight sun-lit ocean: These suggest a shifting in the calm. A late-night anxiety and hypnotizing tension between states of consciousness and dream." The single is the second to drop from Cut Copy’s forthcoming album, Freeze, Melt, which will be released on Friday, August 21, nineteen years into their prolific career. The body of work showcases an expansion while maintaining a legacy unmatched in Australian music since their inception. Written during an especially cold Scandinavian winter when Whitford decamped to Copenhagen, the collection takes an evocative turn, finding slowed meaning and influence from the emotional manipulations that feed into their work but have never taken centre stage, ultimately shaping a headier journey inward while lyrically exploring love in strange times.
After returning to Australia and being joined by his bandmates at Melbourne’s Park Orchard Studios to enhance and complete the recording, the record’s sense of place was further enhanced by the mixing contribution of Swedish legend Christoffer Berg (Robyn, The Knife), finishing the record in Svenska Grammofonstudion in Gothenburg. The Neve console they used was also used by Bowie/Eno/Visconti to make Lodger, and was also used by Queen, The Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, AC/DC, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Led Zeppelin, Stevie Wonder and Jonny Cash. The result of finalizing the record at Svenska Studios is a treat for the mind as well as the body.
Born from a bedroom recording project by Whitford and expanding to a full-fledged band with guitarist Tim Hoey, drummer Mitchell Scott, and bass player Ben Browning, Cut Copy’s output has stood the test of time. Their unique sound and unencumbered taste have earned praise locally and globally, performing on the likes of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel Live, and picking up nominations for several awards. 2008’s In Ghost Colours, featuring “Lights & Music” and “Hearts on Fire” received nominations for the ARIA Awards' Best Dance/Electronic Album and Album of the Year at the J Awards, while 2011's ARIA chart-topper Zonoscope was nominated for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the Grammy Awards and awarded Best Dance Release at the ARIA Awards.
Their strength is also evidenced by their powerful live shows, which have graced the stages at Coachella, Primavera Sound, and countless other global marquee festivals. Their secret power – being able to convert crowds of thousands into a unified, joyous dancing whole. When you add over a thousand sold-out headline shows over five continents to the mix, you can just about begin to understand their appeal, instantly apparent the minute you step foot inside a Cut Copy concert. Freeze, Melt is the band’s sixth LP, and their first full-length release since 2017’s renowned, Double J Feature Album Haiku From Zero. The second chapter of the acclaimed act’s reemergence in 2020, “Cold Water,” delivers a warm-hearted sentiment that Cut Copy enthusiasts are bound to adore.
Photo credit: Tamar Levine (@tamarlevine)
Japandroids Release Live Album 'Massey Fucking Hall' Today, Vinyl Coming October 2
JAPANDROIDS RELEASE LIVE ALBUM
‘MASSEY FUCKING HALL’ TODAY
VINYL AVAILABLE ON OCTOBER 2, PRE-ORDER IT HERE
LISTEN + WATCH “HEART SWEATS” LIVE
"Japandroids has become something of a unicorn in today's landscape ...
a vibrant, self-sufficient guitar-led band that keeps growing its audience without making sacrifices, aesthetic or otherwise." – The New York Times
“It's clear that Japandroids' world has expanded beyond one another ...
The result remains thrilling, but it's a different kind of excitement -- with lower peaks but a wider base" - Billboard
Vancouver duo Japandroids are releasing their first-ever live album today, reverently titled Massey Fucking Hall after the historic Toronto venue where it was recorded. Now available digitally, it will be released on vinyl on October 2. The album’s 12 tracks include live versions of songs from all three of the band’s critically acclaimed studio albums. Listen and watch their Massey Hall performance of the 2009 song “Heart Sweats” HERE.
“We’ve actually recorded a number of shows over the years, and for one reason or another, they just didn’t turn out,” drummer David Prowse explained. “We both like where this show catches us. We are at a bit of a crossroads in some ways between the band that put out Post-Nothing back in 2009 and where we are going. This setlist captures the first three albums really well and shows how much we’ve changed since those Post-Nothing days. We still have the energy but we have better command of our instruments and our voices. It feels a little less off the rails but still has a ton of momentum.”
Massey Hall is a celebrated Toronto venue that originally opened in 1894. With a capacity of nearly 3,000, the theater has hosted historic performances from fellow Canadian artists Oscar Peterson and The Tragically Hip. Landmark live albums by Neil Young and Rush were also recorded on its stage. A band known for their kinetic live shows and rigorous international touring schedule, Japandroids hope releasing their first-ever live album during this global pandemic can be a healing balm for their fans.
“I really, really miss live shows,” Prowse admits. “I miss playing them and I miss being in the crowd. When you love music, there are few things more uplifting and cathartic than being in a room full of people at a live show. To not have that opportunity to experience live music together with a group of people has been hard to adjust to. It’s disorienting and it makes me sad to think about it. I hope that maybe in some small way people who are feeling similarly can find some solace in this record. They can hear the crowd and listen to us having the time of our lives at a historic venue and maybe that makes life a little easier for a minute, and reminds them that those moments will happen again down the road.”
Photo Credit: John Ordean
JAPANDROIDS
Pre-Order ‘Massey Fucking Hall’
1. Near To The Wild Heart Of Life
2. Fire’s Highway
3. Heart Sweats
4. Arc Of Bar
5. Younger Us
6. North East South West
7. The Nights of Wine And Roses
8. No Known Drink Or Drug
9. Continuous Thunder
10. Young Hearts Spark Fire
11. Sovereignty
12. The House That Heaven Built
https://japandroids.com/
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Erasure Share New Remix EP; Announce Virtual LA Pride Appearance
ERASURE
SHARE “HEY NOW (THINK I GOT A FEELING)” REMIX EP
WATCH THE BAND MAKE A SPECIAL APPEARANCE FOR
THE LA PRIDE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
SATURDAY, JUNE 27 AT 8PM PACIFIC
NEW ALBUM
THE NEON
OUT AUGUST 21
credit: Phil Sharp Recent praise for “Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling)”:
"...[an] appropriately neon-streaked synth confection." – STEREOGUM
"…another irresistible, modern synth-pop stunner..." – BLACKBOOK
“Clarke's gurgling synthpop + Bell's powerful pipes never seems to get old.” – BROOKLYN VEGAN
ERASURE (Andy Bell and Vince Clarke) today release a new EP featuring remixes of their forthcoming album’s luminous opener, “Hey Now (Think I Got a Feeling)”. Listen here.
Out now on Mute, the EP features remixes from UK-based DJ and producer, Philip George, Daybreakers – aka Ric Scott and Alex Hush whose previous remix credits include Madonna and U2 – and Nimmo, whose remix premiered on Bright Light Bright Light’s Erasure DJ set earlier this week.
The original version of the track is taken from The Neon , the band’s latest album, which is out August 21 on Mute. The record will be released digitally and on standard and deluxe limited editions of vinyl, CD and cassette. Pre-orders via Mute or the band’s shop will give priority ticket access to future tour dates. Pre-order The Neon here.
Andy and Vince will also make a special appearance on ABC7 Los Angeles during the LA Pride 50th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, June 27 beginning at 8pm Pacific. Watch the three-hour Pride party live in prime time at abc7.com, ABC7 mobile apps, Hulu or via connected TV devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, or Roku.
MORE ABOUT THE NEON
The Neon is a place that lives in the imagination. It could be a night club, a shop, a city, a cafe, a country, a bedroom, a restaurant, any place at all. It’s a place of possibility in warm, glowing light and this is music that takes you there.
Written and produced by Erasure, the album’s initial sessions saw Vince and Andy reunite to work on the follow up to 2017’s World Be Gone with a fresh optimism and energy, in part born from their own recent personal projects. Vince goes on to explain, “Our music is always a reflection of how we’re feeling. Andy was in a good place spiritually, and so was I – really good places in our minds. You can hear that.”
Taking inspiration from pop music through the decades, from bands Andy loved as a child through to the present day, he explains, “It was about refreshing my love – hopefully our love – of great pop. I want kids now to hear these songs! I wanted to recharge that feeling that pop can come from anyone.”
The Neon offers us warmth and a brilliant brightness in our times. It connects us to our pasts and our futures as it glistens with hope. It creates beautiful places where our imaginations can roam, bringing us together, twinkling and beaming. The Neon transports us to a celebratory world, now and forever, illuminated and alive.
Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) Remixes Tracklist
1. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Philip George Remix Edit)
2. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Daybreakers Remix Edit)
3. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Nimmo Remix Edit)
4. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Philip George Remix)
5. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Daybreakers Remix)
6. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Nimmo Remix)
Pre-order The Neon
Stream and purchase the Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) Remix EP
Listen to “Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling)” ERASURE: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
MUTE: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD
SHARE “HEY NOW (THINK I GOT A FEELING)” REMIX EP
WATCH THE BAND MAKE A SPECIAL APPEARANCE FOR
THE LA PRIDE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
SATURDAY, JUNE 27 AT 8PM PACIFIC
NEW ALBUM
THE NEON
OUT AUGUST 21
credit: Phil Sharp Recent praise for “Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling)”:"...[an] appropriately neon-streaked synth confection." – STEREOGUM
"…another irresistible, modern synth-pop stunner..." – BLACKBOOK
“Clarke's gurgling synthpop + Bell's powerful pipes never seems to get old.” – BROOKLYN VEGAN
ERASURE (Andy Bell and Vince Clarke) today release a new EP featuring remixes of their forthcoming album’s luminous opener, “Hey Now (Think I Got a Feeling)”. Listen here.
Out now on Mute, the EP features remixes from UK-based DJ and producer, Philip George, Daybreakers – aka Ric Scott and Alex Hush whose previous remix credits include Madonna and U2 – and Nimmo, whose remix premiered on Bright Light Bright Light’s Erasure DJ set earlier this week.
The original version of the track is taken from The Neon , the band’s latest album, which is out August 21 on Mute. The record will be released digitally and on standard and deluxe limited editions of vinyl, CD and cassette. Pre-orders via Mute or the band’s shop will give priority ticket access to future tour dates. Pre-order The Neon here.
Andy and Vince will also make a special appearance on ABC7 Los Angeles during the LA Pride 50th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, June 27 beginning at 8pm Pacific. Watch the three-hour Pride party live in prime time at abc7.com, ABC7 mobile apps, Hulu or via connected TV devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, or Roku.
MORE ABOUT THE NEON
The Neon is a place that lives in the imagination. It could be a night club, a shop, a city, a cafe, a country, a bedroom, a restaurant, any place at all. It’s a place of possibility in warm, glowing light and this is music that takes you there.
Written and produced by Erasure, the album’s initial sessions saw Vince and Andy reunite to work on the follow up to 2017’s World Be Gone with a fresh optimism and energy, in part born from their own recent personal projects. Vince goes on to explain, “Our music is always a reflection of how we’re feeling. Andy was in a good place spiritually, and so was I – really good places in our minds. You can hear that.”
Taking inspiration from pop music through the decades, from bands Andy loved as a child through to the present day, he explains, “It was about refreshing my love – hopefully our love – of great pop. I want kids now to hear these songs! I wanted to recharge that feeling that pop can come from anyone.”
The Neon offers us warmth and a brilliant brightness in our times. It connects us to our pasts and our futures as it glistens with hope. It creates beautiful places where our imaginations can roam, bringing us together, twinkling and beaming. The Neon transports us to a celebratory world, now and forever, illuminated and alive.
Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) Remixes Tracklist
1. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Philip George Remix Edit)
2. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Daybreakers Remix Edit)
3. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Nimmo Remix Edit)
4. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Philip George Remix)
5. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Daybreakers Remix)
6. Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) (Nimmo Remix)
Pre-order The Neon
Stream and purchase the Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling) Remix EP
Listen to “Hey Now (Think I Got A Feeling)” ERASURE: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY | APPLE MUSIC
MUTE: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD
TASH SULTANA Releases Brand New Song "Greed" Today
TASH SULTANA
RELEASES BRAND NEW SONG
"GREED"
AVAILABLE TODAY (JUNE 26)
Multi-instrumentalist and global sensation TASH SULTANA has released her brand new song "Greed," out today (June 26) on Mom + Pop Music. This is the second song released by TASH that will be on the follow-up album to last year's FLOW STATE, set for release later this year. "Greed" was produced by TASH SULTANA and co-written by TASH, Matt Corby and Dann Hume in TASH's studio in Melbourne. The video for "Greed" will follow next month.
LISTEN TO 'GREED' HERE
"This song is about how people change around you when you achieve some sort of success," TASH explains "People you've never had anything to do with try and climb into your life somehow, people you've known for ages suddenly go silent. People who never paid you for a gig suddenly want to book you. That person from high school that gave you shit for playing the guitar suddenly wants on the guest list. It's a funny little thing all of this and what it does to people."
Earlier this year, TASH released the first track and video "Pretty Lady" from her forthcoming album. The video featured members of the Teskey Brothers, Pierce Brothers and Baker Boy, professional dancers Emily Havae, Melissa Pham, Justin Anderson, Ash McKenzie & Matt Holly and Thalia Heffernan & Ryan McShane, Anna Seymour performing Auslan, as well as some of TASH's friends, family, fans and of course, everyone's favorite animal--doggos!
2019 was a year that saw TASH flourish both through live shows and releases--breaking attendance records in venues around the world, selling out the iconic Red Rocks in Colorado, plus the massive sold-outAustralia headline tour with over 70,000 tickets in that the country, while JUNGLE was ARIA accredited 2x Platinum, Notion was ARIA accredited Platinum, and "Mystik," "Murder to the Mind" and the NOTION EP were all ARIA accredited Gold. In streaming, TASH's releases are currently sitting at over 1 billion total streams--an incredible feat for an artist that only released her debut album two years ago.
PHOTO CREDIT: IAN LAIDLAW
About TASH:
TASH SULTANA is an explosive live artist who has commanded global attention since homemade videos went viral. Tash was soon selling out major arenas globally and playing at the world's biggest festivals - no mean feat for an artist who just a year before was recording songs on a go pro in a bedroom.
Since Tash's grandfather gifted a guitar at the age of three, the self-taught artist quickly developed a unique style that has seen Tash breaking record attendances around the globe. Tash has mastered over 12 instruments, has a vocal that shines with a magical quality and a live show that needs to be seen to be believed.
The one-person powerhouse started out playing open mic nights on a fake id and busking on the streets of Melbourne, Australia. Recent accolades include over 1 Billion combined streams, an ARIA award for Blues and Roots Album of The Year with 'Flow State', smash single 'Jungle' coming in at #3 in triple j's Hottest 100, achieving platinum sales for the Notion EP, double platinum sales for 'Jungle' and platinum sales for 'Notion' along with numerous gold certified singles. Tash's live show has seen her become the only artist to sell out 3 Brixton Academy shows before their debut album along with selling another 500,000 tickets worldwide which recently culminated in a sold out performance at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre, with noted stand out sets at Coachella & Lollapalooza.
WEBSITE
YOUTUBE
Skott Releases Debut Album, 'Always Live For Always' Today
SKOTT RELEASES HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DEBUT ALBUM, ‘ALWAYS LIVE FOR ALWAYS’ TODAYUNVEILS MUSIC VIDEO FOR NEW SONG “MY NAME” – OUT NOW
LISTEN
‘ALWAYS LIVE FOR ALWAYS’
WATCH
“MY NAME”
-------------------------------
“Skott is here to show us that rules only exist if we live by them." - PAPER
“Swedish songwriter Skott's special brand of electronic pop sounds like it lives in the neon scenes of a lush and cinematic movie.” - NYLON
"Skott has the 'Midas' Touch." – Billboard
“Understated, graceful and minimal in a way that doesn’t let you realise it’s burying itself into your head until it’s way, way too late.” – NME
“Pushing the boundaries of her own creative universe, sonically, while staunchly staying within her beautifully illustrated visual world” - The Line Of Best Fit
“Yet another immeasurable talent to emerge from [Sweden].” – Ladygunn Magazine
“Absurdly catchy.” - Idolator
"Expert vocal range and unique haunting production." – Earmilk
"Thanks Sweden, you've done it again: now I'm fixated on another pop song by yet another genius songwriter from the country that makes way too much catchy music.” - Refinery 29
“There are artists who demand attention every time a new single is released. Skott is one of those artists.” – Substream Magazine
-------------------------------
Today, critically acclaimed Swedish singer, songwriter and producer Skott shares her highly anticipated debut album Always Live For Always , out now via Dollar Menu in partnership with Cosmos Music. The 12-track album includes six previously released tracks, including more recent cuts like “Settle Down,” “Talk About Me,” “Kodak & Codeine,” “Midas” and “Bloodhound,” as well as early fan-favorites such as “Porcelain” and “Amelia.”
Listen to Skott’s debut album, Always Live For Always HERE .
The album begins with opening your eyes and concludes with finding a dream, as Skott seamlessly hops between genre identities to striking effect. There is a song that fits every mood as she beautifully touches on immortality, rebellion, vulnerability and jealousy as well as undying romance. Speaking about the album Skott reveals “I wanted to balance a variety of different soundscapes on my first album – I didn't write it with one singular subject in mind, but there is a common theme of dreams and introspection in the songs. It feels like I've worked on some of these songs for a lifetime, it feels weird to finally say it's done and to put it out there. I hope that people like it and find songs in there that really speak to them.”
About the album’s main focus track, “My Name” she explains, “This song celebrates the power of your own name turning it almost into an enchantment. The lyrics revolve around a broken relationship from the past, and now this name's out there haunting the person who can't escape the memories or hurt they might have caused. It is a twisted break up anthem – empowering but with a darker side to it.”
The song is paired with a new music video, which Skott co-directed with frequent collaborator and friend Paras IV. “Whenever I close my eyes and listen to the song, I see these desert cowboy landscapes. And in the spirit of 2020…we got creative with what we could film in my apartment, and it turned into this strange montage of Wild West, retro technology, and imagination,” Skott says. “I codirected it with my best friend Paras IV, who’s kinda like a ghost who floats around behind the scenes and helps run my indie record label, Dollar Menu. Also a creative partner on my new album a.l.f.a, the two of us have gotten some pretty crazy ideas for videos and visuals, and it’s a lot of fun seeing them come to life on screen and even on tour.” Watch the music video for “My Name” HERE .
Included on the album is Skott’s genre-defying debut single “Porcelain,” the track that catapulted her to overnight stardom, amassing tens of millions of plays across streaming platforms and securing co-signs from megastars Katy Perry and Lorde in the process. Also featured on the album, previous singles like “ Talk About Me ,” “ Kodak & Codeine ” which DuJour Magazine lauded as “an anthem for heartbreak,” “ Midas ” described by E! Online as “altogether hypnotizing” – and the hauntingly infectious “ Bloodhound ,” before it, which earned praise from PAPER Magazine who hailed it as “gleefully strange,” and “addictive.” Known for creating one-of-a-kind, mesmerizing melodies, every track on Always Live For Always delivers in that department, featuring Skott’s signature vocals over a rich, intricately layered soundscape.
In the delicate process of writing and recording her debut album, Skott searched for a way to release new music without having to compromise on her creative vision. When the opportunity presented itself, she ultimately decided to start her own record label, ‘Dollar Menu.’ Talking about this new chapter, Skott reveals, “It’s ok to show your teeth a little sometimes, and not worry too much about pleasing others or playing it safe, which I think many of us can find ourselves doing at times,” she continues. “I feel like starting my own label kind of runs in the same mindset.”
Having amassed well over 100 million combined global streams to date and with her first four singles reaching #1 globally on HypeMachine, Skott quickly earned a dedicated fanbase with her unique brand of sophisticated, progressive pop, and after supporting major acts like MØ and Phantogram on the road—headlining tours in both Europe and the US. This global takeover stands in a stark contrast to the small wooded Swedish village of Vikarbyn where Skott grew up, known for its traditional customs and own language. However, it’s this unique way of life and upbringing that has enable Skott to truly walk her own path and create a world entirely of her own. Now is the time for us to step in and explore this world and new chapter of hers.
Always Live For Always, the debut album from Skott, is out now .
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER twst's debut EP TWST0001 out now, debuts video for "Are You Filming Me?"
twst’S DEBUT EP TWST0001 OUT NOWUNVEILS VIDEO FOR NEW TRACK “ARE YOU FILMING ME?”
photo credit: twst“St. Vincent reborn as an internet-spawned pop star: “Girl on Your TV” inflates lullaby-worthy melodies like a swelling Thanksgiving parade balloon, and she slips razor-sharp observations about sexualisation and the lie of technology into her lyrics. “Always,” a wracked conversation with Siri, plays like a Gen Z makeover of Kate Bush…”—The Guardian, 2020 Artist To Watch“Futuristic London-based starlet twst is certainly taking musical productionto the next level.”—V Magazine“…envisage a Billie Eilish-like rise into the mainstream pop conversation.”—Pigeons & PlanesJune 26, 2020—
TWST0001
, the debut EP from twst—Welsh songwriter, vocalist and producer Chloé Davis, is out today—listen here. The EP arrives alongside a new music video for a previously-unreleased track “Are You Filming Me?”—watch here.“I wrote the song after spending time in the Jungle in Calais, and the whole experience was such a culture shock, coming back into a very surveilled western system after being in Europe’s biggest refugee camp,” twst says about “Are You Filming Me?” “After that, everything about London felt orchestrated and self-centered, like the Truman show. It really stirred up a sense of paranoia within me, which ended up being one of the main themes of the lyrics. And it poses the question, ‘Are we right in feeling paranoid in such a heavily surveilled existence?’ ”“I wanted to portray this mental instability in the music video. The sense of cabin fever is especially potent since this has been my and so much of the world’s experience during this pandemic. I shot this alone during quarantine and was really inspired by how I was feeling and still am. It was initially inspired by live-streaming culture which has obviously changed hugely during this period. I guess the video is a hyperreality take on live-streaming culture, and the paranoia and obsession with oneself online. But then, if I am being filmed, I guess I should play up to it?”The EP features “Are You Filming Me?” and previously released tracks “
Are You Listening?
—which earned twst a World First play with Zane Lowe and Radio 1 plays with Annie Mac and Jack Saunders, “
Always
” and “
Girl On Your TV
,” all of which she co-produced with Danio Forni. The original version of “
sad girls club but u gotta be cute
,” which premiered via V Magazine and finds twst producing on her own, is also featured.The EP release and new video follow the “
Are You Listening? (hikikomori baby 0001)”
video,
Tayhana
and
AmPm
remixes of “sad girls club but u gotta be cute” and
Clams Casino
and
Strict Face
remixes of “Girl On Your TV.”Born and raised in Barry, Wales, twst grew up working in her father’s chicken factory. At 14, she left home and formal education and relocated to a recording studio in the South Wales Valleys where she began teaching herself about music production and pop culture. Now based in London, twst writes, produces and directs all of her music and videos, mostly within the four walls of her bedroom, and frequently collaborates with other creatives she has befriended from London’s close-knit music community.twst—
TWST0001
EP1. Are You Listening?2. Girl On Your TV3. sad girls club but u gotta be cute4. Always5. Are You Filming Me?
photo credit: twst“St. Vincent reborn as an internet-spawned pop star: “Girl on Your TV” inflates lullaby-worthy melodies like a swelling Thanksgiving parade balloon, and she slips razor-sharp observations about sexualisation and the lie of technology into her lyrics. “Always,” a wracked conversation with Siri, plays like a Gen Z makeover of Kate Bush…”—The Guardian, 2020 Artist To Watch“Futuristic London-based starlet twst is certainly taking musical productionto the next level.”—V Magazine“…envisage a Billie Eilish-like rise into the mainstream pop conversation.”—Pigeons & PlanesJune 26, 2020—
TWST0001
, the debut EP from twst—Welsh songwriter, vocalist and producer Chloé Davis, is out today—listen here. The EP arrives alongside a new music video for a previously-unreleased track “Are You Filming Me?”—watch here.“I wrote the song after spending time in the Jungle in Calais, and the whole experience was such a culture shock, coming back into a very surveilled western system after being in Europe’s biggest refugee camp,” twst says about “Are You Filming Me?” “After that, everything about London felt orchestrated and self-centered, like the Truman show. It really stirred up a sense of paranoia within me, which ended up being one of the main themes of the lyrics. And it poses the question, ‘Are we right in feeling paranoid in such a heavily surveilled existence?’ ”“I wanted to portray this mental instability in the music video. The sense of cabin fever is especially potent since this has been my and so much of the world’s experience during this pandemic. I shot this alone during quarantine and was really inspired by how I was feeling and still am. It was initially inspired by live-streaming culture which has obviously changed hugely during this period. I guess the video is a hyperreality take on live-streaming culture, and the paranoia and obsession with oneself online. But then, if I am being filmed, I guess I should play up to it?”The EP features “Are You Filming Me?” and previously released tracks “
Are You Listening?
—which earned twst a World First play with Zane Lowe and Radio 1 plays with Annie Mac and Jack Saunders, “
Always
” and “
Girl On Your TV
,” all of which she co-produced with Danio Forni. The original version of “
sad girls club but u gotta be cute
,” which premiered via V Magazine and finds twst producing on her own, is also featured.The EP release and new video follow the “
Are You Listening? (hikikomori baby 0001)”
video,
Tayhana
and
AmPm
remixes of “sad girls club but u gotta be cute” and
Clams Casino
and
Strict Face
remixes of “Girl On Your TV.”Born and raised in Barry, Wales, twst grew up working in her father’s chicken factory. At 14, she left home and formal education and relocated to a recording studio in the South Wales Valleys where she began teaching herself about music production and pop culture. Now based in London, twst writes, produces and directs all of her music and videos, mostly within the four walls of her bedroom, and frequently collaborates with other creatives she has befriended from London’s close-knit music community.twst—
TWST0001
EP1. Are You Listening?2. Girl On Your TV3. sad girls club but u gotta be cute4. Always5. Are You Filming Me?
Bananagun's debut LP is out today via Full Time Hobby; watch their new Button Pusher live session
Bananagun's debut LP is out today via Full Time Hobby; watch their new Button Pusher live session
STREAM: The True Story of Bananagun -
Spotify / Apple / Bandcamp / Click here to purchase the LP
WATCH: Button Pusher live session -
YouTube
Today, Bananagun's debut LP, The True Story of Bananagun is out everywhere via Full Time Hobby. Be sure to watch the band perform some of the LP tracks live on a new Button Pusher session.
Hailing from Melbourne, but with a sound stretching from 60s and 70s Afrobeat and exotica, the proto-garage rhythmic fury of The Monks and the grooves of Os Mutantes, there’s an enticing lost world exoticism to the music of Bananagun. It’s the sort of stuff that could’ve come from a dusty record crate of hidden gems; yet as the punchy, colourfully vibrant pair of sold out singles Do Yeah and Out of Reach have proven over the past 12 months, the band are no revivalists. On debut album The True Story of Bananagun, they make a giant leap forward with their outward-looking blend of global tropical psychedelia.
The True Story of Bananagun marks the group’s first full foray into writing and recording as a complete five piece band, having originally germinated in the bedroom ideas and demos of guitarist, vocalist and flautist Nick van Bakel. The multi-instrumentalist grew up on skate videos, absorbing the hip-hop beats that soundtracked them - taking on touchstones like Self Core label founder Mr. Dibbs and other early 90’s turntablists.
Van Bakel was joined first by cousin Jimi Gregg on drums – the pair’s shared love of the Jungle Book apparently made him a natural fit – and the rest of the group are friends first and foremost, put together as a band because of a shared emphasis on keeping things fun. Jack Crook (guitar/vocals), Charlotte Tobin (djembe/percussion) and Josh Dans (bass) complete the five-piece and between them there’s a freshness and playful spontaneity borne out of late night practice jams and hangs at producer John Lee’s Phaedra Studios in Melbourne.
The band’s seemingly innocuous name has an underlying message of connectivity that matches the universality of the music. “It’s like non-violent combat! Or the guy who does a stick up, but it’s just a banana, not a gun, and he tells the authorities not to take themselves too seriously.”
"From the starting gate to the finish line, The True Story of Bananagun is a genuine work of delight to listen to in all of its funky, jazzy, psyched-out glory." (8/10) - Exclaim!
“Melbourne 5 piece who dress like Os Mutantes and dance like Bobby Gillespie, but their grooves areimpeccable. Let the sunshine in.”– MOJO
Bananagun
The True Story of Bananagun
(Full Time Hobby)
[click here to purchase]
Street Date: June 26th, 2020
Track List:
1. Bang Go The Bongos
2. The Master
3. People Talk Too Much
4. Freak Machine
5. Bird Up!
6. Out of Reach
7. She Now
8. Perfect Stranger
9. Mushroom Bomb
10. Modern Day Problems
11. Taking the Present for Granted
BANANAGUN LINKS
Website
Full Time Hobby
Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin's collaborative Album 'Stygian Bough Volume I' Out Today on Profound Lore
BELL WITCH AND AERIAL RUIN’S COLLABORATIVE RECORD STYGIAN BOUGH VOLUME I OUT TODAY ON PROFOUND LORE
LISTEN + SHARE: BANDCAMP | SPOTIFY | APPLE
READ THE TRACK BY TRACK GUIDE VIA STEREOGUM HERE
Album Artwork By: Adam Burke
Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin’s hauntingly gorgeous collaborative album, Stygian Bough Volume I is available today on Profound Lore Records. On Stygian Bough Volume I, renowned doom duo Bell Witch (Dylan Desmond and Jesse Shreibman) fully integrate themselves with dark folk elegist, Aerial Ruin (Erik Moggridge) for a collection of five transcendent songs that defy categorization.
Both parties set down for a round table discussion, track by track, to dive further into the album’s concepts, themes, production and more. Read the in-depth rundown over at Stereogum as part of their Footnotes series here.
Stygian Bough Volume I was recorded and mixed by Randall Dunn. To purchase or stream, go here. Stay tuned for tour updates here.
Early acclaim for Stygian Bough Volume I:
“The Bastard Wind” is a real epic, with rises and falls and peaks and valleys. It starts as a soft, ritualistic hymn. From there, it builds and builds into a swirling, elemental cacophony. It’s got multiple movements, but the whole thing hangs together. Like the best epics, it sweeps you away to another place. At times, it’s absolutely beautiful.” STEREOGUM
"Stygian Bough Volume I isn't metal...it's a slowcore/folk album with the occasional foray into doom. It has its heavy moments, but it's overall no more metal than, say, Mount Eerie's Ocean Roar." BROOKLYN VEGAN
“...a beautiful bummer team-up” NPR
“a master class in slow-burning buildup, ebb-and-flow dynamics and cataclysmic catharsis” REVOLVER
“deafeningly melancholic, crumbling every headstone in the cemetery” AV CLUB
“doom metal album of the year” BLABBERMOUTH
“this takes the listener on a journey through vast expanses of music” DECIBEL
“purvey a doomy slowcore overcast with a meditative sadness”CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND
“simply crushing in its emotional and sonic weight” NO CLEAN SINGING
"A near-perfect crossover of bleak funeral sludge and gothic loner-folk"METAL HAMMER
“provides pensive tone that immediately draws the listener in” MXDWN
“it's exactly the epic, haunting funeral doom you'd expect given the lineup”METAL INJECTION
"great beast tearing itself apart at the seams" EXCLAIM!
“some world-shifting stuff” INVISIBLE ORANGES
Photo By: Mackenzie Stone
More about Stygian Bough Volume I and the collaboration:
While Moggridge has been a part of Bell Witch’s sonic fingerprint on all their prior records, perhaps most notably for his vocals on their previous acclaimed full-length, Mirror Reaper, he’s now part of the very fabric that make up the striking and visceral songs that comprise Stygian Bough Volume I.
The addition of guitar to the bass and drum-only dynamic came naturally as the threesome discussed potential models for their joint effort. Ulver’s unorthodox folk album Kveldssanger came up as did Candlemass' mile marker Nightfall. But the real fuel to Stygian Bough Volume I was the Bell Witch track, “Rows (of Endless Waves)", which was not only Moggridge’s first appearance with Bell Witch but also a track that has deeply resonated with Desmond over the years. With the approach in place, Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin collectively wrote desolate yet mystical songs, making up an album of deep, dark undertows and careful respite.
The themes explored by Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin were independently tackled from different angles but were mainly from similar spaces. Whereas Bell Witch plumbed the depths of purgatory—a place of atonement between life and death—across three full-lengths, Moggridge’s Aerial Ruin have centered on the loss of the self and the spiritual places the vacancy ultimately leads to. For Stygian Bough Volume I, Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin topics of choice intersect and complement, continuing in spirit but with a broader vantage point where "Rows (of Endless Waves)” left off.
Stygian Bough Volume I Track Listing:
1 - The Bastard Wind2 - Heaven Torn Low I (the passage)3 - Heaven Torn Low II (the toll)4 - Prelude5 - The Unbodied Air
Bell Witch: Web | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramAerial Ruin: Web | Facebook | Instagram
LISTEN + SHARE: BANDCAMP | SPOTIFY | APPLE
READ THE TRACK BY TRACK GUIDE VIA STEREOGUM HERE
Album Artwork By: Adam BurkeBell Witch and Aerial Ruin’s hauntingly gorgeous collaborative album, Stygian Bough Volume I is available today on Profound Lore Records. On Stygian Bough Volume I, renowned doom duo Bell Witch (Dylan Desmond and Jesse Shreibman) fully integrate themselves with dark folk elegist, Aerial Ruin (Erik Moggridge) for a collection of five transcendent songs that defy categorization.
Both parties set down for a round table discussion, track by track, to dive further into the album’s concepts, themes, production and more. Read the in-depth rundown over at Stereogum as part of their Footnotes series here.
Stygian Bough Volume I was recorded and mixed by Randall Dunn. To purchase or stream, go here. Stay tuned for tour updates here.
Early acclaim for Stygian Bough Volume I:
“The Bastard Wind” is a real epic, with rises and falls and peaks and valleys. It starts as a soft, ritualistic hymn. From there, it builds and builds into a swirling, elemental cacophony. It’s got multiple movements, but the whole thing hangs together. Like the best epics, it sweeps you away to another place. At times, it’s absolutely beautiful.” STEREOGUM
"Stygian Bough Volume I isn't metal...it's a slowcore/folk album with the occasional foray into doom. It has its heavy moments, but it's overall no more metal than, say, Mount Eerie's Ocean Roar." BROOKLYN VEGAN
“...a beautiful bummer team-up” NPR
“a master class in slow-burning buildup, ebb-and-flow dynamics and cataclysmic catharsis” REVOLVER
“deafeningly melancholic, crumbling every headstone in the cemetery” AV CLUB
“doom metal album of the year” BLABBERMOUTH
“this takes the listener on a journey through vast expanses of music” DECIBEL
“purvey a doomy slowcore overcast with a meditative sadness”CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND
“simply crushing in its emotional and sonic weight” NO CLEAN SINGING
"A near-perfect crossover of bleak funeral sludge and gothic loner-folk"METAL HAMMER
“provides pensive tone that immediately draws the listener in” MXDWN
“it's exactly the epic, haunting funeral doom you'd expect given the lineup”METAL INJECTION
"great beast tearing itself apart at the seams" EXCLAIM!
“some world-shifting stuff” INVISIBLE ORANGES
Photo By: Mackenzie StoneMore about Stygian Bough Volume I and the collaboration:
While Moggridge has been a part of Bell Witch’s sonic fingerprint on all their prior records, perhaps most notably for his vocals on their previous acclaimed full-length, Mirror Reaper, he’s now part of the very fabric that make up the striking and visceral songs that comprise Stygian Bough Volume I.
The addition of guitar to the bass and drum-only dynamic came naturally as the threesome discussed potential models for their joint effort. Ulver’s unorthodox folk album Kveldssanger came up as did Candlemass' mile marker Nightfall. But the real fuel to Stygian Bough Volume I was the Bell Witch track, “Rows (of Endless Waves)", which was not only Moggridge’s first appearance with Bell Witch but also a track that has deeply resonated with Desmond over the years. With the approach in place, Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin collectively wrote desolate yet mystical songs, making up an album of deep, dark undertows and careful respite.
The themes explored by Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin were independently tackled from different angles but were mainly from similar spaces. Whereas Bell Witch plumbed the depths of purgatory—a place of atonement between life and death—across three full-lengths, Moggridge’s Aerial Ruin have centered on the loss of the self and the spiritual places the vacancy ultimately leads to. For Stygian Bough Volume I, Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin topics of choice intersect and complement, continuing in spirit but with a broader vantage point where "Rows (of Endless Waves)” left off.
Stygian Bough Volume I Track Listing:
1 - The Bastard Wind2 - Heaven Torn Low I (the passage)3 - Heaven Torn Low II (the toll)4 - Prelude5 - The Unbodied Air
Bell Witch: Web | Facebook | Twitter | InstagramAerial Ruin: Web | Facebook | Instagram
