Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 1189
June 12, 2020
Alex The Astronaut Shares "Banksia" Video + Proceeds Benefit Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT
ALEX THE ASTRONAUTSHARES VIDEO FOR DEEPLY PERSONAL TRACK “BANKSIA”Watch Here: https://youtu.be/qDHPE2Pko8USong Proceeds Go to Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT
‘THE THEORY OF ABSOLUTELY NOTHING’ Debut Album from the Australian Storyteller Out August 21
Download Photo HERE“so adept at writing pop songs that capture the rush of young love, friendship, confusion, sadness and all those messy situations that dominate your early 20s” - The Guardian
“For fans of Courtney Barnett and positivity: this one from Australia's Alex the Astronaut is a song we all need on our playlist.” - Refinery29 re: “I Think You’re Great”
Alex the Astronaut (Alex Lynn) just shared the intimate new video for her recent single “Banksia,” and all of Alex’s proceeds for the song will be donated to the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT. Banksias are a native Australian flower that lines lots of the suburban streets including the street Alex was walking down when she found out her friend passed away. “It’s a song about my friend, Maddie Clarke, who was a beautiful person who passed away too young, notes Lynn. “She was always smiling when I saw her, no one always feels like that but that’s what she showed me. The song is meant to be turned up and sung as loudly as it can be, even if singing isn’t your strong point.” Watch the moving tribute to her friend here: https://youtu.be/qDHPE2Pko8U.
WATCH + SHARE “BANKSIA”
The Theory Of Absolutely Nothing is the upcoming debut album from Alex the Astronaut, out August 21 via Nettwerk. The Australian singer, songwriter and storyteller has always had a supernatural knack for capturing human experience in song. On the album, she grapples with the multitudes of life on a bigger scale than ever before and emerges optimistic. With her heart-swelling, folk-inflected pop, music’s bright-eyed anthropologist uses sprawling narratives and rich vignettes to unravel the joys and struggles of everyday life. Brought to life with bright melodies, plucked guitar and Alex’s unmistakable vocals, The Theory Of Absolutely Nothing is the work of a storyteller attuned to the world around her.
The album explores friendship, love, loss, pain and change, weaving a constellation of stories about the personal reckonings that come with growing up, as heard on previous singles “Lost,” “Split the Sky,” “I Think You’re Great” and “I Like to Dance,” which have received praise from the likes of NPR Music, The Guardian, Refinery29, Brooklyn Vegan (HERE and HERE) and FLOOD Magazine. “Lost” is about trying to find your way and fix everything, and the moment where you accept that there is so much that is completely out of your control: sometimes you will just feel lost; “Split the Sky” is a timely track about life coming at you fast and having to get through a tough time by rising to the occasion while, at the same time, longing for the simplicity of youth; “I Think You’re Great” is a shout out to a cherished friendship and a recognition of the need to check in on each other, opening up conversations and supporting friends through thick and thin; and “I Like to Dance” turns the spotlight on the devastation of domestic violence.
‘THE THEORY OF ABSOLUTELY NOTHING’ TRACK LISTING01 - Happy Song02 - Lost03 - Split the Sky04 - I Like to Dance05 - I Didn't Know06 - Caught in the Middle07 - Christmas in July08 - Banksia09 - I Think You're Great10 - San Francisco11 - Outro
June 11, 2020
Sparks release "All That – Live In Isolation" video
Saxophone, handclaps and acoustic guitar atypically open"‘All That," the first track on Sparks’ new album, A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip. The song is “a commanding and catchy anthem whose initial influx of horns and echoey chants foreshadows its peppy core,” (Popmatters), yet its “pure power-pop fizz” (LineOfBestFit) belies the lyrics’ touching poignancy.All that we’ve doneWe've lost, we've wonAll that, all that and moreAll that we've seenWe’ve heard, we've dreamedAll that, all that and more
In this video, filmed in lockdown, Ron and Russell Mael are accompanied by members of their band - Alex Casnoff, Eli Pearl, Evan Weiss and Stevie Nistor.
WATCH "ALL THAT"
A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip was released digitally on May 15 to universal acclaim. This extraordinary record will be released on CD, vinyl and cassette on July 3.
“With A STEADY DRIP, DRIP, DRIP, Sparks have drawn on the many styles and many great moments in a multi-faceted career that began in their native Los Angeles in 1967, while retaining the unique identity. Whatever style they embrace, and they have embraced most – pop, rock, New Wave, synth-pop, disco, dance, electro, orchestral, opera – they always remain ineffably, irrefutably, inescapably, undeniably Sparks.”-LouderThanWar
“No band should by-rights sound as sharp, melodic and funny more than 50 years into their career.But Sparks are no ordinary band.”-Q
“Sparks remain deftly untouchable.” 9/10-LineofBestFit
"The Picassos of art rock."-Associated Press
“A work of genius.” 9/10-Clash
“A masterclass.”-Northern Transmissions
“They’ve done it again” *****-Record Collector
“Sparks. Only Sparks.” ****-FT
Uncut 9/10 Mojo **** Q **** The Times **** Independent **** Daily Mirror **** Daily Telegraph ****
This next year should also see the eagerly awaited premiere of the musical Annette, the first English-language film from groundbreaking French director Leos Carax (Holy Motors, Pola X), written by Ron and Russell Mael and starring Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. In addition, director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Baby Driver) is putting the finishing touches to his as-yet-untitled Sparks documentary, a long-in-the-making feature-length film celebrating this singular band.
CONNECT WITH SPARKS:ALLSPARKS.COM TWITTER FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM YOUTUBE
Aluna Releases 'Warrior.' Debut Solo Album Confirmed
ALUNA RELEASES NEW SINGLE ‘WARRIOR’ FEATURING SG LEWISDEBUT SOLO ALBUM ON THE WAY
LISTEN
‘WARRIOR’ FT. SG LEWIS
Aluna returns today with her second solo single ‘Warrior,’ produced in collaboration with British artist and multi-instrumentalist, SG Lewis. "Warrior is a portrait of a woman in the shadows.” Aluna reveals. “She has to see herself, instead of waiting for others, by calling on that Warrior spirit, the one that makes us fearless enough to be ourselves."
‘Warrior’ -- the second track from her forthcoming solo debut album -- was intended for release last week, but out of respect to George Floyd and his family, Aluna decided to pause and put her own and her fan’s focus toward the greater issues at hand, also using the time to share her experiences as a black woman in music and specifically, as one of the few black voices in dance music currently; "I set myself the challenge to reclaim a space in dance music for black women, a space currently saturated by white cis males.” She shares. “Music is one of the ways I fight and my weapon is joy, making sure those who have felt like they are not invited to the party know that they ARE the party. We have to keep fighting, but also……keep dancing along the road to equality.”
Listen to ‘Warrior’ featuring SG Lewis HERE.
One half and front-woman of the internationally renowned duo AlunaGeorge, the critically acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer has stepped out on her own having inked a global deal with Los Angeles based record label Mad Decent, with details of her debut album to be announced soon. On stepping out solo, the British born, Los Angeles based artist shares: "In the past when performing on the stages of my white male peers, I always felt like a visitor being one of the few Black women I could see, so it never fully occurred to me to claim dance music as my music, as an artist, even though it was at the heart of my connection to music.” She continues. “Then I looked at the history of dance music and saw how, for example, Chicago House, known as the invention of house music, was pioneered in the Black and Latino LGTBQ+ communities which gave me inspiration to stake my flag in the ground as a Black woman in dance music by taking control of production and songwriting with my own vibe.”
On signing to Mad Decent, record label founder and long-time friend Diplo revealed, "I've been a fan of Aluna for years - her voice, her style and her way of putting records together. Having her sign to Mad Decent feels like a family reunion - can't wait to get these records out to everyone. Huge project for Mad Decent."
‘Warrior’ featuring SG Lewis is out everywhere now.
LISTEN
‘BODY PUMP’
OFFICIAL WEBSITE | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | SPOTIFY | APPLE | SOUNDCLOUDMargo Price Reveals New Release Date for That's How Rumors Get Started: July 10, 2020
Watch the Music Video for New Single "Letting Me Down," Filmed From Home & Abandoned Hospital
Tune In This Weekend for Interview and Full-Band Performance on CBS This Morning: Saturday
"Everybody's lonely, oh babe, just look around": the belting opening chorus line of Margo Price's new single "Letting Me Down" wasn't meant to be a premonition when she recorded it - with Sturgill Simpson co-producing and contributing backing vocals - at Hollywood's legendary EastWest Studios. But since postponing the release of the song and her album That's How Rumors Get Started (Loma Vista Recordings), those lyrics have taken on a new truth (read more in the recent essay Margo wrote for Vogue).
Now, rescheduled and resolute, Margo has announced a new July 10 release date for That's How Rumors Get Started. On the album's delay and the emotional decisions she's faced these past three months, Margo says:
Take me back to the day I started trying to paint my masterpiece so I could warn myself of what was ahead. Time has rearranged, it has slowed down, it has manipulated things like it always does...the words to some of these songs have changed meaning, they now carry heavier weight.
I've seen the streets set ablaze, the sky set on fire. I've been manic, heartbroken for the world, heartbroken for the country, heartbroken from being heartbroken again and again.
This album is a postcard of a landscape of a moment in time. It's not political but maybe it will provide an escape or relief to someone who needs it. Sending love to everyone out there and hope I see you down the highway.
Today, Margo shares "Letting Me Down" with a music video directed by Kimberly Stuckwisch, who drove an RV from Los Angeles to Nashville to film in Margo's home and an abandoned hospital where she performs a stunning dance sequence choreographed by her sister Kylie. Kimberly says:
We bought a cheap '80s travel trailer with a bathroom, kitchen, and a propane powered refrigerator, so we wouldn't have to go inside anywhere for food or bathrooms. We were able to abide by the 6-feet social distance CDC recommendation as we set up a remote head for the camera that we operated from a closet outside of the room. We wore masks the entire time and Margo supplied us with multiple bottles of hand sanitizer and spiked seltzers. We parked our RV in her driveway and worked solely out of there and the room we were filming in. We wanted to speak to what was going on at that moment, to a world that was/is shut down, to the fear we all feel, and to the hope of breaking free.
Watch "Letting Me Down" here: https://found.ee/MP_LMDVideo
Written by Margo and Jeremy Ivey to a pair of former high school friends, "Letting Me Down" is about two teenage runaways trying to escape a workaday life. The song follows "Twinkle Twinkle," a "bold foot-stomper" (TIME) that found Margo sounding "looser and tarter than ever" (New York Times) as she tore down the illusions of fame; and "Stone Me," the first track released from the new album, which Margo debuted with a performance on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.
This Saturday, June 13, Margo will perform "Letting Me Down" along with two other songs, and sit for an interview with Anthony Mason on CBS This Morning: Saturday. Tune in to see these special performances, which Margo and her bandmates captured from their Nashville porches, doorsteps, and stoops.
Despite the change of plans for That's How Rumors Get Started, Margo Price has remained prolific during her time in self-isolation. Last month, she surprise-released Perfectly Imperfect at The Ryman, a live album benefitting the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund. Recorded during her sold-out, three-night residency at the Nashville auditorium, NPR Music called it "a triumphant time capsule, marking Price's arrival as a Nashville giant and one of Americana's brightest contemporary acts." She also launched a New York Times-recommended radio show called Runaway Horses, and gave at-home performances for Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Luck Reunion and others.
That's How Rumors Get Started was produced by Sturgill Simpson, and co-produced by Margo Price and David Ferguson. The ten new, original songs were primarily recorded at EastWest Studios (Pet Sounds, "9 to 5"), during the week Margo received her Best New Artist GRAMMY nomination, in the middle of her pregnancy with daughter Ramona. The historic band heard on each of the tracks includes guitarist Matt Sweeney (Adele, Iggy Pop), bassist Pino Palladino (D'Angelo, John Mayer), drummer James Gadson (Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye), and keyboardist Benmont Tench (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers). Background vocals were added by Simpson on "Letting Me Down," and the Nashville Friends Gospel Choir on "What Happened To Our Love?" and "Hey Child." The album is Margo Price's debut for Loma Vista Recordings.
Pre-Order That's How Rumors Get Started
"Letting Me Down" Video Still
That's How Rumors Get Started Track List
That's How Rumors Get Started
Letting Me Down
Twinkle Twinkle
Stone Me
Hey Child
Heartless Mind
What Happened To Our Love?
Gone To Stay
Prisoner Of The Highway
I'd Die For You
Follow Margo Price
ULVER detail new album 'Flowers of Evil' + announce book 'Wolves Evolve: The Ulver Story' out Aug 28 via House of Mythology
BOTH AVAILABLE AUGUST 28 VIA HOUSE OF MYTHOLOGYSPECIAL EDITION PRE-ORDER FOR U.S. HERE
LISTEN/SHARE: "RUSSIAN DOLL" AND "LITTLE BOY"
ALBUM ARTWORK
I - FLOWERS OF EVIL
In the midst of the forest, the floor is littered with monstrous heads and mythical figures, frozen in torturous combat or threatened by wild beasts. A dragon fights a dog and a wolf. A lion sinks its teeth into the fire-breathing monster's chest.
This sacred grove, near Bomarzo in Lazio, Italy, reveals the nightmare vision of Vicino Orsini, a sixteenth century nobleman. It's a forest of symbols, suggesting a civilization overrun by the beasts, demons and monsters of the primordial world. Soon after Orsini's death, trees began to close in on these many peculiar beings, and green moss would eventually seize them. Slowly, nature finished what he had started.
Flowers of Evil , the new studio album from Ulver, finds the wolf pack exploring the fear and wonder of mankind's fall from redemption. Visions similar to those of Orsini come to mind, as untamed life abounds:
THEY SPREADTWIST AND TURNIN THE KILLING FIELDS
The threads of haunted places and images entwine. Have Ulver discovered new pastures under the sun? Or scoured the ruins of their own moonlit past? The truth is, they're closer to their previous purlieu than perhaps ever before.
"Doom dance", someone dubbed their last studio album, the critically acclaimed, Impala Award-winning The Assassination of Julius Caesar (2017). Flowers of Evil comes across as an unfeigned progression along the course set by that album, revealing a band moving deeper into beats and grooves, hooks and choruses, synths and guitars, yet sounding more stripped back, making room for the distinctive detail. Once again Michael Rendall (The Orb) and legendary producer Martin "Youth" Glover have taken crystalline care of the mix.
As Caesar demonstrated, Ulver haven't abandoned any of their obsessions, worries or nightmares as they enter the gilded palace of pop. "One last dance / in this burning church", Kristoffer Rygg announces on the album's opening track, featuring old friend Christian Fennesz on guitar and electronics. It sees them locked inside their Hall of Mirrors. A slow build brings the music to the album's pulsing theme:
WE ARE WOLVES UNDER THE MOONTHIS IS OUR SONGWE HAVE LOVED AND WE HAVE LOSTWE ARE READY TO GO
With Flowers of Evil, Ulver have fled a burning Rome, only to confront further crime and corruption. "Russian Doll", the album's first single, moves determinedly through the night, with a story of unfolding tragedy and misery. "Machine Guns and Peacock Feathers" brings fiery end-time imagery - "barrels are burning / great art will be destroyed" - with a disco beat and flashy '80s synths. Dismal cries resound on "Hour of the Wolf"; echoing Bergman's classic film, the song is dedicated to the hour between night and dawn, "when most people die, when sleep is deepest, when nightmares are most real". "Apocalypse 1993" reveals Ulver at their catchiest, its bounding-goat groove running hand in hand with a grand chorus depicting the catastrophic events in Waco, Texas, during the winter of that year - the very same winter that saw the birth of Ulver's first incarnation. From that thorny undergrowth, this is what they have become: an eclectic, many-headed beast, chanting the ecstasies of the spirit and the senses.
Flowers of Evil unfolds with the shattering second single, "Little Boy". A mysterious beat moves the track towards its thunderous climax, and here Michael J. York's ominous pipes melt into the softer, moodier "Nostalgia", a '70s soul shuffle, and the heart-breaking Talk Talk-esque balladry of "A Thousand Cuts".. Finally, the wolves are back in the palace of excess, waltzing the night away. Yet around them, the wilderness rises, triumphant; "grass will grow over your cities", as the Bible says.
Flowers of Evil Track Listing:
1- One Last Dance2 - Russian Doll3 - Machine Guns and Peacock Feathers4 - Hour of he Wolf5 - Apocalypse 19936 - Little Boy7 - Nostalgia8 - A Thousand Cuts
II - WOLVES EVOLVE: THE ULVER STORY
As this silent spring comes to an end, it's time to reveal more of what the fabled Oslo band has buried from view. Along with Flowers of Evil comes Wolves Evolve : The Ulver Story , a 336-page book, reflecting on over 25 years of Ulver history. Always fond of lavish packages, this book of wolves is the latest addition to their sacred grove. Wolves Evolve was edited by Tore Engelson Espedal with Ulver. From the band's brief preface:
We've been talking about making a book - the Ulver story - for years. First for our 15th anniversary, then for our 20th anniversary, and now, after well over a quarter of a century, the time has come. We've been riding this beast for the greater part of our lives, and the future is not what it used to be.
The book includes 150 pages of conversation with the band, conducted and framed by the undersigned, alongside textual detours by Phil Alexander, Nile Bowie and Torolf Kroglund, and a wealth of photographs from the private archives of the band and others.
The conversations began among the spring blossoms of two years ago, with the recollection of their first downtown Oslo rehearsal space, back in 1993, in the midst of a new home-grown scene - small, fertile and hell-bent on pushing boundaries. Wolves Evolve follows Ulver through the dark woods of their infancy and into the dead city centers where they would shift between their many shapes to come: apostates and phantoms, thieves and mourners, chameleons and dogs. They discuss their reclusive studio existence, and the enlarged pack's venture out into the open air as a live band. Fittingly, the conversations ended this January, in their studio, just a few hundred meters from where it all began, 27 years earlier.
"We go to the ruins to understand", says Jørn H. Sværen, and Wolves Evolve is indeed a labyrinthine tale of musical evolution on a grand scale. Some may be confused. Others will follow the band through their pantheon of friends and associates, obsessions and affinities. And while there, they will get a glimpse of the shapes and mis-shapes that have made up the alternative cultures of the past three decades, rescued from the iniquity of oblivion.
Flowers of Evil and Wolves Evolve: The Ulver Story are both available from House of Mythology on August 28. There will be special edition pre-orders available for U.S. only here.
PRESS PHOTO BY INGRID AAS
LISTEN + SHARE "RUSSIAN DOLL" (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)
LISTEN + SHARE "LITTLE BOY" (OFFICIAL AUDIO)
ULVER: Facebook | Instagram | TwitterHOUSE OF MYTHOLOGY: Web | Instagram
GUM COUNTRY (mems of The Courtneys) share "Talking To My Plants" + seed packet merch (proceeds to be donated to ACLU) -
RELEASE NEW SINGLE "TALKING TO MY PLANTS"
ANNOUNCE OFFICIAL SEED PACKET MERCH Available today via Bandcamp and as part of vinyl bundle. All seed packet sales will be donated to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)
DEBUT RECORD SOMEWHERE OUT NEXT FRIDAY
Press Photo Courtesy of ArtistGum Country have shared their new single "Talking To My Plants". "The song was inspired by a love of gardening and the gardener / plant connection," Courtney explains. "We're big fans of the Mort Garson album 'Plantasia', so it's a bit of a tribute to that. We were also excited to have an excuse for Connor to use a vocoder. He does lead plant vocals."
"Talking To My Plants" is available today alongside an official Gum Country seed packet which is on sale individually and as part of their vinyl bundle via Bandcamp. All seed packet sales will be donated to the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union). Check out more info or get yours here.
LISTEN & SHARE "TALKING TO MY PLANTS"YOUTUBE | BANDCAMP | SPOTIFY | APPLE
Gum Country is Courtney Garvin and Connor Mayer. Their self-described "harsh twee" project began back in Vancouver as a series of lo-fi four track recordings made in an apartment, very quietly. After relocating to LA where they currently reside, the pair recorded their debut full-length album Somewhere . The songs on Somewhere meander through the highs and lows of daily life, touching on subjects ranging from love, loss, and anxiety, to tennis, video games, and gardening. Garvin navigates these topics with humor and sincerity, her unassuming delivery riding amidst the swirling instrumentals like a snowboarder shredding fresh pow.
Somewhere will be self-released digitally on June 19. The same day, Bandcamp will be donating 100 percent of its revenue to the NAACP in solidarity with recent protests against police racism and brutality. Somewhere will be available on vinyl by Kingfisher Bluez (CA), cassette via Burger Records (USA), vinyl via Dinosaur City Records (AUS/NZ) plus CD via Waterslide Records (JP). Pre-order it here .
Early praise for Somewhere:
"embodies everything you love about your favorite indie bands" PASTE
"a phenomenal slice of totally '90s droning guitar-pop bliss" STEREOGUM
"distills that same electricity into an undeniable, Strokesian slice of escapism" MTV
"has a rhythmic chillness to it, its chunky lo-fi chords chugging about steadily à la early Yuck" CONSEQUENCE OF SOUND
"a blown out sunny daydream to get lost in" THE GREY ESTATES
Gum Country Somewhere June 19, 2020Burger Records (USA) / Kingfisher Bluez (Canada)
1 - Somewhere (Official Music Video)2 - The Queen Rules3 - Tennis (I Feel Ok) 4 - There's A Crumb5 - I Don't Stay Up6 - Pills7 - Brain Song8 - It Lives It Breeds It Feeds9 - Whoa Oh10 - Talking To My Plants11 - Jungle Boy12 - Waterfall
GEORGIA KU SHARES NEW SONG “LIGHTHOUSE”
GEORGIA KU SHARES NEW SONG “LIGHTHOUSE”
CREDIT: JIMMY FONTAINE
Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Georgia Ku has shared her new song, “Lighthouse” – listen HERE.
“For me, ‘Lighthouse’ is about being in love with someone struggling with mental health issues and the intense but vital learning process I went through in order to be there for them despite feeling powerless over the situation,” says Georgia. “I hope this song resonates with anyone trying to be someone else’s light during these dark times.”
“Lighthouse” follows Ku’s acclaimed singles, “What Do I Do?” and “Ever Really Know.” The latter single arrived earlier this year alongside an official video which premiered on V Magazine and is streaming now at YouTube. Hailed by Idolator as “one of the best debut singles in recent memory,” “What Do I Do?” proved an immediate sensation upon its release last summer, quickly amassing over 3.1 million global streams. Produced by Monsters & Strangerz (Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey), the track was met by critical applause from the likes of Billboard, which declared “What Do I Do?” to be “the perfect electro-pop breakup anthem.” Check out the stunning companion visual, filmed in Puerto Rico by director Sebastian Sdaigui (2 Chainz, Ariana Grande, FUTURE) HERE and listen to remixes from dance heavyweight Benny Benassi and LA-based production trio TELYKast.
With nearly 1 billion streams under her belt, Georgia Ku is a rising force in modern pop. A multi-talented songwriting sensation, Ku is acclaimed for writing worldwide smashes including Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa’s “Scared To Be Lonely,” along with hits by stars such as Rita Ora, Fifth Harmony, Skrillex, Kiiara, and more. Before officially stepping into the spotlight on her own, the Newcastle, England-born, Los Angeles-based artist lent her spectacular vocals to NOTD & Felix Jaehn’s chart-topping dance-pop hit, “So Close (Feat. Georgia Ku & Captain Cuts).” The collaboration quickly ascended the U.S. Top 40 earning over 214 million streams worldwide and an iHeartRadio Award nomination for “Dance Song of the Year.” Among her many recent triumphs, Georgia also co-wrote and is featured on “Hold On (Feat. Georgia Ku),” found on Illenium’s acclaimed album, ASCEND.
CONNECT WITH GEORGIA KU:
INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PRESS ASSETS
YELLE RELEASE "JE T'AIME ENCORE" REMIXES EP + NEW ALBUM FOR SEPTEMBER
YELLE RELEASES “JE T’AIME ENCORE” REMIX EP HERE
MUSIC VIDEO DIRECTED BY LOIC PRIGENT, FEATURING HAIR STYLIST CHARLIE LE MINDU HERE
ANNOUNCE FIRST NEW ALBUM IN SIX YEARS TO COME IN SEPTEMBER
AboutPhoto credit: Marcin Kempski
YELLE came back on April 28 with her gorgeous new song "Je t'aime encore", announced a new album to be released early September! Today she offers a Remixes EP HERE, perfectly diversified!
Montro puts us in a post-nap-under-a-coconut-tree mood, when Djemba Djemba is being pretty-pretty nasty! Alban Claudin makes you want to sip a martini by his piano. Fady D doesn't allow you to NOT dance, and Jersey wants to keep you dancing until the sun rises again. "Je t'aime encore", and encore encore encore encore!
The original single includes a very personal music video focused on Julie Budet and hair stylist Charlie Le Mindu, directed by fashion documentary filmmaker Loïc Prigent HERE. PAPER Magazine premiered the video HERE.
YELLE announced their fourth studio album to come out in September, which will display YELLE in a new light. “Je T'aime Encore,” taken at face-value, it's a bittersweet love song, but buried in its rhymes lies the complex relationship between Yelle and its native country. “We're French, and sometimes we're more understood by American people, Swedish people or Spanish people,” Budet says. “They feel what we say and the energy that's in our music, while France is a lot about overthinking, analyzing and trying to put you into a box… That's what the song is about. 'We love you, but sometimes we don't get you.' Proper love song!”
The ballad expresses this complicated relationship with clear piano and brooding bass over a syncopated beat. It's romantic, colored with synthetic sighs and imbued with a kind of longing, a rare vulnerability that shines new light on Yelle. The duo’s new direction is amplified in a surprisingly-intimate video that shows an empowered Budet having her hair cut with a surprise twist. “It's actually working,” Perrier says. “When we play it to French people, they get the lyrics. They feel it. There is something very emotional about it.”
YELLE about “Je T’Aime Encore”: “We're working on a new album for early September and this is our first song "Je t'aime encore". It's a love letter to our country France. We wanted to create a gorgeous, deep song, based on pure, classical French pop chords. "Je t'aime encore" feels like when you are stretching out in your cosy bed, after a perfect night. Wake up people, we are back!”
Director Loïc Prigent about the video: "I’m a fan of Yelle, Julie and Jean-François since the beginning, so I’m very happy to make this first video, it’s a first for me in this kind of exercise. I really like the lyrics of the song, like a love letter to France. I really like Yelle’s lyrics, the triple entendre, the poems, the catchphrases, the choruses. I love her sense of style and even if she is in a bathrobe in the video, it is a sublime bathrobe made to measure by Pierre-Alexis Hermet, with pretty incredible kimono sleeves. It was a great team effort, and seeing Charlie Le Mindu’s creative brain up close is an experience I wish to everyone."
Charlie Le Mindu quote: "When Yelle came to ask me to create a video with them for the new single. I said Yes. I listened to the track and it's magic how it can take you somewhere else in a very new direction. Yelle is always fun and put a good mood on. The beauty of the song is pure and that's why I decided to create a bob as it's very simple cut and strong look that fits any gender. Collaborating with great choreographers, but also with Loïc Prigent... I knew it was going to be a fun adventure!!"
Bred in the mid 2000s blogosphere, the French band's primary color disco was impossible to ignore. Jean-François (GrandMarnier) Perrier's gritty synths mixed with Julie (Yelle) Budet's sunny cheers. The pair was joined by fellow producer Tepr on debut album Pop Up. The candy-colored collection was cocky, sexually-charged and ready to party. Language was no barrier for the infectious synth-pop hooks and eye-catching videos, and Yelle soon brought its buoyant party to stages around the world.
The effervescent fizz of 2011's Safari Club Disco burned bright with lush synth atmospheres and layered production. Its songs about love and living in the moment earned the trio an opening slot on Katy Perry's California Dreams tour. After a remix of the star's “Hot n Cold,” they were signed to Kemosabe Records. Tepr left to pursue a solo career, while Perrier and Budet delivered their punchy 2014 LP Complètement fou, a crowning moment that evolved Yelle's kaleidoscopic sound to broader tempos, styles and depths. In the last few years, they've released one-off singles such as "Romeo", "OMG!!!" and "Ici & Maintenant".
Welcome to this next chapter, as YELLE says “Wake up people, we are coming back!”
YELLE Spring 2020 mixtape HERE
https://yelle.fr/
https://twitter.com/yelle
https://www.instagram.com/yellestagram/
https://www.instagram.com/loicprigent/
https://www.instagram.com/charlielemindu/
SOCCER MOMMY + BEABADOOBEE Release Demos for Singles Series, Net Profits to National Bail Out + Oxfam COVID Fund
CONTINUES SOCCER MOMMY & FRIENDS SINGLES SERIES WITH BEABADOOBEE - DEMOS OUT NOWAll net profits from Bandcamp sales now split between National Bail Out and Oxfam’s COVID-19 Relief FundSophomore album color theory out now
(Soccer Mommy credit: Brian Ziff + Beabadoobee credit: Thomas Davis)Soccer Mommy—twenty-two year-old Sophie Allison—recently launched her Soccer Mommy & Friends Singles Series. The singles series kicked off with Soccer Mommy and Jay Som releasing covers of each other’s songs, which they discussed further on NPR’s All Songs Considered a few weeks ago, and continues today with Allison and Beabadoobee sharing demos of previously released songs. Stream, purchase or download Beabadoobee’s “If You Want To” demo, and Soccer Mommy’s “night swimming” demo via Bandcamp HERE.
Soccer Mommy says, “I wanted to put this demo out because I like how stripped back and simple it is. It’s not that far off from the album version but it just kind of gets to the core of the song.”
"I’m excited to be a part of this compilation with Soccer Mommy,” says Beabadoobee. “We met last year in London and have a lot of musical similarities. I’m honoured to help in any way with the proceeds going to charities for Covid and BLM. My song on the compilation is an original demo of ‘If You Want To’ recorded in London before recording the full band version.”
The Bandcamp net profits from the Soccer Mommy & Friends Singles Series were initially going entirely to Oxfam's COVID relief fund, but moving forward will be split between Oxfam and National Bail Out to help the important fight against police brutality and systematic racism. Oxfam has an anonymous donor who will match every dollar raised for them by this series, up to $5000, which will double the impact of your purchase.
In addition to the already-released Jay Som and Beabadoobee collaborations, the Soccer Mommy & Friends Singles Series will feature upcoming releases with MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden and SASAMI (Please note: Beach Bunny was previously confirmed).
(Single artwork by Abigail Porter)Soccer Mommy released her triumphant sophomore album, color theory, earlier this year via Loma Vista Recordings. What followed was mass critical acclaim, performances opening for Bernie Sanders, numerous upcoming headline dates sold-out months in advance, confirmed festival slots at the likes of Glastonbury, and her late-night debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! The album made it’s AAA Top 20 debut after release, was #1 NACC Top 200 for 4-weeks running, and debuted on the following Billboard charts: #1 Top New Artist Albums, #1 Alternative New Artist Albums, #4 Current Alternative Albums, #4 LP Vinyl Albums, #6 Current Rock Albums, #16 Top Current Albums and in the Billboard Top 200. The album is already appearing on mid-year lists, from the likes of Stereogum, Paste, Billboard, and more.
With touring at a halt for the entire music industry, Soccer Mommy has found remarkably inventive ways to stay busy during quarantine. Combining her love of video games and performing, Soccer Mommy held a digital concert on the online gaming platform Club Penguin Rewritten a few weeks ago, with 10,000+ attendees (who all had to make their own penguin avatars to attend). So many fans logged on originally that the game’s server *literally* crashed and the event had to be rescheduled. Soccer Mommy has also kicked off the NPR Tiny Desk At Home Series, performed on Pitchfork’s IG Live series, and released her very own Zoom backgrounds images. Soccer Mommy then embarked on another tour, of sorts: an 8-bit music video tour, hitting some of the cities she was meant to be currently passing through. See the rescheduled dates for Soccer Mommy’s UK/EU tour below.
EU Tour Dates:2/8/21 - Koln, Germany - Bumann & Sohn2/9/21 - Hamburg-St. Pauli, Germany - Molotow2/10/21 - Berlin, Germany - Frannz Club2/12/21 - Amsterdam, Netherlands - Paradiso2/13/21 - Nijmegen, Netherlands - Merleyn2/15/21 - Brussels, Belgium - Le Botanique2/16/21 - Paris, France - Petit Bain2/18/21 - London, United Kingdom - Electric Ballroom2/19/21 - Birmingham, United Kingdom - The Castle & Falcon2/20/21 - Brighton, United Kingdom - Concorde 22/21/21 - Bristol, United Kingdom - Trinity2/22/21 - Manchester, United Kingdom - Gorilla2/24/21 - Glasgow, United Kingdom - Oran Mor2/25/21 - Leeds, United Kingdom - Belgrave Music Hall
Purchase color theory on duo-tone vinyl with exclusive poster + sticker sheet, CD, cassette, and digital download HERE.
LISTEN/WATCH:“circle the drain” | “lucy” | “yellow is the color of her eyes” | “bloodstream”
READ MORE ON COLOR THEORY HERE:The New York TimesRolling StoneBillboardEntertainment Weekly
DEPECHE MODE’S GROUNDBREAKING DOCUMENTARY SPiRiTS IN THE FOREST AVAILABLE FOR THE FIRST TIME ON DVD & BLU-RAY JUNE 26th
PACKAGE INCLUDES NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN VIDEO & AUDIO OF FULL BERLIN CONCERTFollowing widespread tastemaker press, fan praise and global box office success, Depeche Mode, along with Sony Music Entertainment, will release their boundary-breaking, feature-length documentary and concert film, Depeche Mode: SPiRiTS in the Forest, on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 26, 2020. The band announced the news today on their social media; click here to see original post and click here to see the trailer. Pre-order is available here.
This special four-disc (two video discs plus two audio discs) configuration presents the definitive Depeche Mode: SPiRiTS in the Forest experience at its most immersive, and will be available in both DVD and Blu-Ray formats. The package’s two video discs contain the SPiRiTS in the Forest documentary, alongside LiVE SPiRiTS, a full-length Depeche Mode concert performance filmed at the final two shows of the Global Spirit Tour at the Waldbühne in Berlin. This footage has never been previously released or broadcast in its entirety. In addition to the two video discs, the package includes two CDs containing the LiVE SPiRiTS soundtrack, the live audio recording from the performance. The package promises to be essential for collectors, longtime fans, and newcomers alike.
LiVE SPiRiTS audio CD Track list:
DISC 1
1. Intro
2. Going Backwards
3. It’s No Good
4. A Pain That I’m Used To
5. Useless
6. Precious
7. World in My Eyes
8. Cover Me
9. The Things You Said
10. Insight
11. Poison Heart
DISC 2
1. Where’s the Revolution
2. Everything Counts
3. Stripped
4. Enjoy the Silence
5. Never Let Me Down Again
6. I Want You Now
7. Heroes
8. Walking In My Shoes
9. Personal Jesus
10. Just Can’t Get Enough
Depeche Mode: SPiRiTS in the Forest set “the new gold standard for concert films,” according to Forbes. Re-envisioning the very concept of a music documentary, director and longtime Depeche Mode collaborator Anton Corbijn focused the narrative on six super fans from different regions of the globe. The film zeroes in on their lives – all extremely different save for their love of Depeche Mode’s music and the way that music has shaped their experiences – intercut with the final Berlin show, held at the iconic Waldbühne (“Forest Stage”) on the record-breaking two-year Global Spirit Tour in 2018, which saw them play to over 3 million fans at 115 shows around the world. The music, including several of Depeche Mode’s biggest hits, and the Spirits’ stories entwine seamlessly, illuminating the enduring power of Depeche Mode and the power music has to cross boundaries and borders and ultimately unite us.
One of the strongest performing event cinema releases, Depeche Mode: SPiRiTS in the Forest initially opened on 3,000 screens across nearly 80 countries last November. The film grossed $4.5 million and was seen by over 220,000 people. Recently, it began streaming on Prime Video in over 130 territories worldwide and can also be found on iTunes. Watch here.
For more information, please visit spiritsintheforest.com.
LINKS & DETAILS:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/depechemode
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/depechemode/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/depechemode
