Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 129
March 26, 2025
Internationally Acclaimed Filmmaker & Musician, Sally Potter Unveils Hypnotic New Single “Words”
Sally Potter
Unveils Hypnotic New Single “ Words ”
Available across platforms here
Internationally Acclaimed Filmmaker & Musician’s
ANATOMY LP due out May 2 via Bella Union
Singles: “ Coming Home ” “ Words ”
Photo courtesy of Adventure Pictures
Internationally acclaimed filmmaker Sally Potter will release her new album ANATOMY due out May 2 via Bella Union. Today she shares new album cut “Words,” beckoning listeners to sink deeper into the record's narrative. As a driving piano melody creates a hypnotic aura, Sally sings of the significance of language in our age of non-stop information, and how abandoning the meaning of words has already brought us to a concerning tipping point. Sally shares, “‘Words’ is a love song to language: the universal miracle we take for granted. The first sounds uttered, somewhere, a long time ago, evolved into a complex form of communication that we abuse at our peril, for it is the most precious tool we have. “Words matter” is the repeated refrain in this song, and they do. They can be used as a weapon, a distorting mirror, or as a source of solace and clarity. ‘Words’ urges us to honour the beautiful human privilege of speech.”
Sally Potter has been exploring themes of human connectedness, morality, and mortality in a career that has spanned four decades, encompassing works as varied as the speculative historical epic Orlando and the acerbically witty comedy-drama The Party. In addition to her film work, Sally is a musician and singer-songwriter, a parallel vocation that began with improvised performances and concerts in the 1970s and 1980s and continued through composing music for the soundtracks of many of her critically lauded films. Her second album, ANATOMY is an entirely new affair for the multi-disciplinary artist—an eclectic and boldly visionary collection of songs that seek to tackle our species’ symbiotic relationship with the Earth, all while reflecting on the emotional threads that intertwine us all as people who share this planet.
The album contains shimmers of Billie Holiday’s empathy and wisdom, Patti Smith’s poetry and Laurie Anderson’s meticulous euphoria: all artists that have inspired Sally’s music in one way or another. After working with the Roma band Taraf de Haidouks and the legendary string ensemble the Kronos Quartet on her film The Man Who Cried, Sally was taken by both groups’ approaches to music, which have also found their way onto ANATOMY.
ANATOMY leaves us not with a sense of impending doom, but a reinvigorated mandate to search for answers within ourselves. “I don’t think there is, at the moment, a more urgent theme to tackle, poetically or lyrically, than the fate of the earth itself for future generations,” says Sally. But these songs are not about making people feel guilty, or afraid—but rather, calling us to wake up to where we are, look each other in the eye, grieve together for what's already lost and somehow find the ground on which we can start to be hopeful.”
PUNCHBAG Share New Track "I'm Not Your Punchbag" || Announce Debut EP 'I'm Not Your Punchbag' Out 5/2 On Mute
PUNCHBAG ANNOUNCE DEBUT EP
I’M NOT YOUR PUNCHBAG
OUT 5/2 ON MUTE
LISTEN TO TITLE TRACK
“I’M NOT YOUR PUNCHBAG”
Photo credit: Kitty Quinton
"Multiple kinds of maximalism that grabs you via sheer bombast" - Stereogum
"This London sibling duo sound like they’ve mainlined all permutations of British synth and dance-pop from the past 30-odd years, and – surprisingly – it works" - PAPER Magazine
"'Fuck It' melds rock and electronica with shades of the late-’90s” - Brooklyn Vegan
"Unhinged pop that is both infectious and confrontational" - CLASH Magazine
"A glorious mosh-mash that works better than it should on paper" - Wonderland Magazine
"They're what happens when punk energy collides with pop hooks and shared DNA." - Dork Magazine
Today South London sibling duo PUNCHBAG have announced their debut EP I'm Not Your Punchbag, out May 2, 2025 via Mute.
The announcement follows last month's buzzy debut single “Fuck It”, a boundary-pushing pop storm, described by Stereogum as "Icona Pop’s “I Love It” colliding with Basement Jaxx’s “Where’s Your Head At” — multiple kinds of maximalism aligning for a song that grabs you via sheer bombast”. The track was released alongside an eye-catching video directed by Joe Gainsborough, introducing the duo with a grand wash of entrancing synths and piercing beats.
The EP's title track “I'm Not Your Punchbag” is a combative cut of razor-sharp pop that offers a message of defiance. “It comes from a ‘harmless’ small remark made to me at a dinner table once that really cut deep,” says Clara. “From this small seed, if you like, the song grew into a kind of anthem for fighting back - a refusal to let people dump their shit on you.”
Listen and watch the visualizer for “I’m Not Your Punchbag” HERE.It was after writing it that they realized that PUNCHBAG made a good band name. “This song helps explain the band name and our ethos,” Clara continues. “It’s something to scream along to; a perfect therapy. ‘Don’t take it out on me, bitch!'”
Swinging between dizzying extremes, where unapologetically sugar-sweet pop hooks clash with radical left field production, PUNCHBAG (consisting of Clara and Anders Bach) are a compelling proposition.
Whispers of PUNCHBAG's knock-out live performances have been growing in volume since they played their first show in the spring of 2024. Colliding the raw unfiltered energy of punk with the overflowing ecstasy of pop, from the off they demonstrated an uncanny skill for commanding a crowd. “We take it seriously,” says Clara. “We’ve thought about it a lot, and it was important that from the first time we performed it was fully formed. We’re Virgos. We’re perfectionists.”
This steeliness is paired with a chaotic stage presence, defined by improvisatory dance moves and an infectious energy. “At the end of the set, I just scream until everyone’s jumping,” she says. “We want it to be cathartic, but also really joyful. Joy is one of the things that you can’t really argue with, it’s not an opinion – you can either get involved or not.”
“We’d rather someone had a strong adverse reaction to our music than it be just played in the background,” says Anders. He needn’t worry, of course, PUNCHBAG’s chaotic and utterly cathartic forthcoming debut EP is guaranteed to grab attention.
PUNCHBAG plays Ritual Union Festival in Bristol on March 29th before playing The Great Escape in May. Follow PUNCHBAG on Instagram for news of more live shows in the coming months.
PUNCHBAG LIVE DATES:
3/29/2025 - Bristol, UK - Ritual Union Festival
5/15/2025-5/16/2025 - Brighton, UK - The Great Escape Festival
5/24/2025 - The Hague, NL - Sniester Festival
6/14/2025 - Bergen, NO - Bergenfest
7/17/2025 - Kristiansand, NO - Ravnedalen Festival
7/19/2025 - Nordfjordeid, NO - Malakoff Festival
8/15/2025 - 8/16/2025 - Trondheim, NO, Pstereo Festival
8/29/2025 - Tromsø, NO - Rakettnatt Festival
Further info / tickets HERE.
EP Track Listing:
1. Fuck It
2. I'm Not Your Punchbag
3. Pretty Youth
4. You Used To Be So Sexy
pre-order I'm Not Your Punchbag EP HERE.
CONNECT WITH PUNCHBAG:
INSTAGRAM | TIK TOK
Yaya Bey enlists Father Philis for first new music of 2025 + announces signing to drink sum wtr
YAYA BEY SHARES NEW SINGLE
“MERLOT AND GRIGIO” FEATURING FATHER PHILIS
ANNOUNCES SIGNING TO DRINK SUM WTR
PLAYING GOVERNOR’S BALL IN NYC THIS SUMMER
Yaya Bey by Cody Lidtke
"Bey has created a seat for herself at the proverbial table, where many artists seek a chair"
ESSENCE
"One of the most calculating soul artists working"
NPR
"Relaxed but not reluctant"
The New York Times
"a boogie awakening"
New Yorker
"Creating a nightclub atmosphere in the daylight"
Rolling Stone
“merlot and grigio” (feat. Father Philis)
WATCH: https://youtu.be/-RJmbmydI8k
LISTEN: https://lnk.to/yaya-bey-merlot-and-grigio
(March 26, 2025) - Today, Yaya Bey shares “merlot and grigio” featuring Bajan dancehall artist Father Philis, her new single and first offering following her signing to art-forward NYC-based label drink sum wtr (aja monet, Annahstasia, THEY.). The single, which Yaya wrote and self-produced, is inspired by her own family’s Bajan heritage and the injection of Caribbean sounds she’s incorporated into her own music, like the Remember Your North Star standout “meet me in Brooklyn”. The single is accompanied by a jubilant new video featuring footage from Yaya's travels to Barbados.
“I’ve been doing a lot of international touring and constantly in places where I’m the only Black person,” Yaya explains. “When I was in France most recently I asked myself what it would look like to play to Black international audiences and that sort of got my wheels turning. My dad would always have at least one Reggae song on his albums. Our family is from Barbados and I continued that tradition with songs like ‘meet me in brooklyn.’ I decided I would dive even deeper with Soca and reached out to Father Philis whose music I’ve been really digging. This song feels like a dream come true. To dig deeper into my own roots and prioritize Black communities especially in the Caribbean.”
“Merlot and grigio” opens Yaya’s next musical chapter, with more new music coming this year via drink sum wtr, along with a hometown set in Queens at Governor’s Ball festival this Summer. In 2024, Yaya released Ten Fold, her widely lauded second studio album which was awarded Pitchfork's Best New Album in a glowing review, and was praised by the likes of Elle, ESSENCE, and Paste Magazine, who described the album as "Bey's most liberating music to date." Yaya also performed a stunning Tiny Desk concert last Spring, which NPR described as “truly healing to experience” and noting “Not a dry eye was left in the building.”
Listen to “merlot and grigio” (feat. Father Philis) above and stay tuned for more from Yaya Bey as she embarks on her new musical chapter.
Yaya Bey 2025 Live Dates
6/7 - New York, NY @ Governor’s Ball Festival
Connect with Yaya Bey:
Age Of Apocalypse announce new album for Closed Casket Activities: ‘In Oblivion’
Age Of Apocalypse announce new album for Closed Casket Activities: In Oblivion, out May 23, 2025
Share first single / video "Mortal Coil"
On tour in North America April May with Despize, High Vis, more
[image error]Photo by Chloe Locarro
Born out of Hudson Valley's ever-evolving scene in 2018, Age Of Apocalypse has proven themselves to be the next evolutionary step in bringing metallic hardcore with sung vocals to a modern era. On their second full-length LP In Oblivion— incoming May 23, 2025— the band takes everything that caught the world's attention on 2022’s Grim Wisdom and triples down on it all, showing their penchant for writing genuinely huge metallic hardcore epics without eschewing any of the frenetic energy inherent to the genre.
Singer Dylan Kaplowitz has truly come into his own as a frontman as his voice soars to operatic heights in one moment, crashing down to hellish lows in screaming the next. Opener "Mortal Coil" shows Kaplowitz standing comfortably next to what Steele, Caputo and Jenkins were doing in the 90s, while bringing his own flair and emotive ability to the forefront. The rest of the band flourishes equally, as Jack Xiques' riffs blend together everything from Stigmata, Section 8, Randy Rhoads and Paul Gilbert into a singular, thrilling sound. While many have tried and failed to bridge the gap between clean vocals and hardcore, Age Of Apocalypse have taken the throne as modern masters of the sound.
Kaplowitz comments: "'Mortal Coil' deals with the themes of loss and how one navigates grief or betrayal. It expresses that we all have to follow these paths of life, however difficult, but we don't have to navigate these hardships alone... The music video follows a mother retelling the story of how she met the father of her daughter. Her retelling is kind of mythic and embellished, which I feel we tend to do when we tell stories to kids. I definitely just ripped off some of my favorite directors shot-wise and just had a lot of fun with it. Jack and I were adamant about shooting on 16mm. I think it pays homage to the music videos we saw as kids from the 90's and how vibrant and textural they were."
Watch / share first single "Mortal Coil"
[image error]In Oblivion was produced by Taylor Young (Twitching Tongues, God's Hate) and partially recorded at The Pit. Young's work both as a musician and his clear history in playing hardcore centered around clean singing comes out in spades, as the album manages to help progress this dynamic into a new era. The record features guest appearances from Colin Young (Twitching Tongues, Holy Blade), Shaun Alexander (Demonstration of Power), and Graham Sayle (High Vis), marking the first time the band has incorporated guest vocals on a release. With their upcoming spring tour dates alongside High Vis, Militarie Gun and more, 2025 will prove Age of Apocalypse is here, and there's no end in sight.
Pre-order In Oblivion here and look for more singles and news to arrive soon.
[image error]Age Of Apocalypse, on tour:
Apr. 04 Newburgh, NY - Untouchable
Apr. 05 Hollywood, FL - American Legion Post
Apr. 07 Pensacola, FL - The Handle Bar $
Apr. 08 Houston, TX - White Swan $
Apr. 09 Dallas, TX - Haltom Theater $
Apr. 10 Albuquerque, NM - Ren's Den $
Apr. 11 Phoenix, AZ - Kingdom Boxing $
Apr. 12 Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Underground $
Apr. 13 San Francisco, CA - Neck of the Woods $
Apr. 15 Seattle, WA - Neumo’s %
Apr. 16 Vancouver, BC - Pearl %
Apr. 17 Portland, OR - Revolution Hall %
Apr. 18 Boise, ID - Shrine Ballroom %
Apr. 19 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge %
Apr. 20 Denver, CO - Marquis Theater %
Apr. 21 Des Moines, IA - Lefty’s Live %
Apr. 22 Kansas City, KS - Bottleneck %
Apr. 23 St. Louis, MO - Off Broadway %
Apr. 24 Nashville, TN - Basement East %
Apr. 25 Louisville, KY - LDB Fest
Apr. 26 Detroit, MI - Lincoln Factory %
Apr. 27 Chicago, IL - Bottom Lounge %
Apr. 29 Philadelphia, PA - TLA %
Apr. 30 Boston, MA - Middle East %
May 01 Brooklyn, NY - Warsaw %
May 02 Baltimore, MD - The Ottobar %
May 03 Durham, NC - Motorco %
May 04 Atlanta, GA - Masquerade %
$ with Despize, Cross of Disbelief
% with High Vis, Militarie Gun
In Oblivion , cover art:
[image error]In Oblivion , track listing:
Mortal CoilMaximum SufferingGilded HatredIn OblivionEqualizerApocalypse IntroImpulseSnake Oil GodSymbol of MourningOver MineLookers Share "Alone" Single + Video via Post Punk | 'Deeper' LP Due April 25th via Almost Ready Records
Read Backseat Mafia, Magnet, V13 & Psychedelic Baby Features
Deeper LP Due April 25th via Almost Ready Records
Photo by Chris Mongeau LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Lookers - "Alone"YouTube
LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Lookers - "Midnight TV Dinner"
YouTube
LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Lookers - "Bury You Under"
YouTubeThe genesis of Lookers began when vocalist and poet Muggs Fogarty and guitarist/frontman Rafay Rashid sparked as a songwriting duo in the 2010’s. They recruited notables from the Providence, RI music scene, including bassist/violinist Florence Wallis, guitarist Nick Politelli, and drummer Bryan Fielding. It was a long time coming when last month, they finally announced their debut album, Deeper , via Paste.
With songs that tease and thrash, Lookers’ forthcoming record, will leave you spent and wanting more. Recorded and produced by Bradford Krieger at Big Nice Studio, Deeper speaks to the complexity of desire, its erotic absences and desperations, its thrills. With songs originating deep in the shuddering heart of the band, most tracks pull from Muggs Fogarty’s language and Rafay Rashid’s musical instincts.
In contrast to the album's lead single "Bury You Under," which is a gritty synth track about a vengeful fantasy, today's release, "Alone," is a shoegaze-y reflection on love and solitude. "When the emotional toll of love is too high, one considers lush solitude. A poem about the feedback loop of each lover’s effect on the other and the next. A slow burn of fates and watery time."
"Alone" is out today on all DSPs. Deeper is due for release on April 25th via Almost Ready Records.
Lookers - "Alone"
Deeper - TRACK LISTING
01. Midnight TV Dinner
02. Deeper
03. Animal
04. Alone
05. Bury You Under
06. Body Bag
07. Depressed
08. Thing
09. Crisis
10. Dead
Instagram | Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify
Lookers - Bio:
The itch you can’t scratch. The dinner you crave that then aches your gut. The desire, the waiting, the overindulgence. From the ever-shifting musical landscape of Providence, Rhode Island, Lookers flirts with influences of pop, noise, post-punk and disco, generating a sound and presence all their own. Angsty, sexy, and over it all, Lookers dance across tracks described as “atmospheric and sharp” by NPR. Vocalist and poet Muggs Fogarty and guitarist/frontman Rafay Rashid of Ravi Shavi sparked as a songwriting duo in the 2010’s and began forming Lookers with such notables of the Providence music scene as bassist/violinist Florence Wallis of The Low Anthem, guitarist Nick Politelli of Ravi Shavi, and drummer Bryan Fielding of Thug Honey. With songs that tease and thrash, Lookers’ forthcoming record, Deeper from Brooklyn label Almost Ready Records, will leave you spent and wanting more.
Muggs Fogarty - Vocal
Rafay Rashid - Vocal/Guitar/Synthesizer
Florence Wallis - Vocal/Bass/Violin
Nick Politelli - Guitar
Bryan Fielding - Drums
Pixel Grip returns with electrifying new single "Split"
PIXEL GRIP
RETURNS WITH ELECTRIFYING NEW SINGLE
“SPLIT”
LISTEN HERE
Photo Credit: Yulia Shur
“Razor-edged anthems that range from brooding industrial techno to airy synth pop to sexually assertive bass music” - NYLON
“Pixel Grip is relentlessly aggressive and relentlessly horny” - PAPER
“[Pixel Grip] melds Chicago house, French electronica, and high-energy to atmospheric synth-pop to create an enticing and entrancing sonic paradise beyond heaven” - THE BIG TAKEOVER
“Imagine if Aphex Twin, Lorde, LCD Soundsystem and SURVIVE got together to make a supergroup” - AUDIOFEMME
“Sexuality. Danger.” - GHETTOBLASTER
“[Pixel Grip] have unveiled an intimidating and dynamic piece of techno minimalism and all around intensity” - DESTROY/EXIST
Today, Chicago’s underground electronic trio Pixel Grip, comprised of Rita Lukea (vocals), Jonathon Freund (synth), and Tyler Ommen (drums), is back, unveiling their latest single, “Split”. A high-energy track layered with raw emotion and a triple entendre that explores the fractures of broken relationships, betrayal, and mental health. It’s a cathartic expression of pain and revenge, “Split” captures the sting of betrayal both lyrically and sonically, with pulsating production drawing listeners into an emotional whirlwind.
The single serves as their first offering of the year and the third release from their upcoming project. It follows their previous pulse-pounding releases, “Stamina” and “Bet You Do”, further cementing Pixel Grip’s reputation as a genre-defying force. With a sound that blends darkwave, electronic, and avant-pop influences, the trinity continues to push boundaries while maintaining its signature raw energy and star quality.
Pixel Grip shares, “‘Split’ is a triple entendre. First, it means to leave, ‘I’m going to split; see you later.’ Second, it refers to heartbreak; my heart split in half. And third, it touches on a psychological symptom where your perception of someone splits: they go from being your friend to your enemy, everything becomes black and white, and you cut them off – you split on them."
Known for their seductive, avant-garde aesthetic and electrifying live performances, Pixel Grip has cultivated a cult following through relentless touring and an unapologetic exploration of themes rooted in desire, power, and liberation, amassing over 7M streams to date. In 2024, they toured as direct support for HEALTH and DEHD, followed by a sold-out North American headline run, including a standout performance at Chicago’s RIOT Fest. Their underground anthems “ALPHAPUSSY” and “Demon Chaser” have caught the eye of high fashion houses and have been featured on fashion runways for VERSACE and Alexandre Vauthier.
Listen to “Split” now and stay tuned for more Pixel Grip coming soon.
STREAM “SPLIT”
https://ffm.to/pixel-grip-split
FOLLOW PIXEL GRIP
INSTAGRAM | TWITTER I FACEBOOK I SPOTIFY I APPLE MUSIC I BANDCAMP
ALL THE YOUNG DROIDS: JUNKSHOP SYNTH POP 1978-1985 - a new compilation that charts the underbelly of the epoch-defining sound of the synthesiser in 80s popular music, compiled by Philip King (27 June / School Daze Records)
NIGHT SCHOOL / SCHOOL DAZE RECORDS & PHILIP KING ANNOUNCE DETAILS OF A NEW COMPILATION CHARTING THE UNDERBELLY OF THE EPOCH-DEFINING SOUND OF THE SYNTHESISER - OUT 27 JUNE ON DOUBLE VINYL AND 2CD
LISTEN TO IAN NORTH’S ‘ WE’RE NOT LONELY ’
“And then came the rise of synth pop : blokes with dodgy haircuts hunched over keyboard-operated machines stuffed with wires and do-it-yourself tone oscillators making sounds like a brood of geese passing gas in a wind tunnel. Whoopee! This is the way the ‘70s ended : not with a blood-curdling bang but with a cheap, synthesized, emasculating whimper.” - NICK KENT, NME
All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978-1985 is a new compilation that charts the underbelly of the epoch-defining sound of the synthesiser in 80s popular music. Compiled by Philip King (previously seen compiling All The Young Droogs, Glitterbest and Boobs - The Junkshop Glam Discotheque ), the music here connects the dots between DIY synth enthusiasts grappling with new, cheap synthesisers at the tail-end of punk and wannabe, jobbing songwriters enthral to the new music pioneered by Gary Numan, Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller’s Mute Records. Featuring rare tracks of auto-didactic progressive pop music, proto-techno punk, shoot-for-the-stars-land-in-the-gutter chart flops and heralded, underground synth classics, School Daze Records paints a picture of beautiful failure.
Complete with extensive sleeve notes written by King and never before seen imagery, all 24 tracks were remastered by RPM in-house engineer Simon Murphy, many from vinyl copies due to lost master tapes. The story told on All The Young Droids is one of the dawning opportunity presented by both the emergence to the market of cheaper analog synthesisers and the distribution networks plus indie labels that exploded with the advent of punk music in 1976. While the music that sprouted out all over the globe in the wake of these factors was decried as fake, plastic, a refutation of punk’s guitar-led revolution, it’s telling that much of the music on All The Young Droids was created in bedrooms, ramshackle studios and home-made set ups with often borrowed equipment. In the era of record labels jumping to capitalise on the success of the Sex Pistols and The Clash (both on major labels, of course) these artists struggled to stand out from a new gold-rush with next to no budget or PR team. With radio and labels desperate for the new Yazoo, what resulted was a testament to necessity being the mother of invention.
At the time, the synthesiser was the music of the future, a shiny new machine that could paint like an orchestra with a single finger and a 4-track. In the hands of Manchester avant-pranksters Gerry & The Holograms it’s a pulsing, sardonic weapon… and the only instrument on the Messthetics classic lampooning of New Wave fashion. In Hamburg, a 16-year-old Andreas Dorau used the synthesiser to write and record (with his female classmates on vocals) a global smash in ‘Fred Vom Jupiter’ (later licensed to Mute Records). The hard-to-find English version (‘Fred From Jupiter’, natch) is included here. Many artists with already-storied careers caught the bug and recorded synthesiser-fuelled peons to space, computers, the future and, of course, love-interests. Harry Kakoulli, late of Squeeze, recorded a solo album in 1979 that included the incredible power-synth-pop smash-that-never smashed ‘I’m On A Rocket’. Similarly, Ian North of Neo and American Power Pop stalwarts Milk ’n’ Cookies bought a Korg MS20 and used a tape machine to record ‘We’re Not Lonely’, an absolute lost-classic of minimal synth pop. ‘We’re Not Lonely’ also features on the Junkshop Synth Pop sampler 7” twinned with John Howard unreleased track ‘You Will See’, out on 12 April 2025.
There are plenty of compilation debuts in evidence. Sole Sister were a mysterious trio who were featured on the Scaling Triangles compilation of female-fronted, queer-adjacent post-punk / underground music that also featured The Petticoats. Selwin Image were from San Francisco and featured members of the recently defunct power pop/punk group The Pushups. Their stupidly catchy ‘The Unknown’ fizzes with New Wave energy - think XTC to Sparks but remains unreleased until now. Dream Unit’s ‘A Drop In The Ocean’ is an early synth wave cut, positively teaming with Joy Division instrumentation, previously only released on a long forgotten and super rare, self-released EP. Incandescent Luminaire’s ‘Famous Names’ belies an archetypal struggle of a small-town trying to make it in a cruel industry but is a thrilling New Romantic-Synth Wave cross over with a OMD gloominess that’s a joy to hear. Feminist Minimal Wave track ‘I Am A Time Bomb’ by performance artist Peta Lilly and Michael Chance is a revelation destined for new found cult status. It was released on 7” and lost until now.
The flipside to the subterranean, never-made-it synth pop mentioned above are the ambitious, even fruity attempts at success that have a perennial elegance to their confidence. New Jersey-ite Billy London (real name Ed Barth) tried to cash in on the synth boom with ‘Woman’, released by a major label, a lurching new wave track built on the ‘Louie Louie’ rhythm and a wonderfully camp Lou Reed-style sleazy vocal before exploding in the synthesised chorus. The song bombed but with a chorus like this, you have to wonder why? Ex-Glitter Band member John Springate’s ‘My Life’ is truly epic, with doomed chord progressions and massive sounding drums turning into at least three different songs in the course of the track. Before you wonder what’s going on the song resolves with a glorious return to themain refrain.
The dry-ice-dressed dance floor is well catered for too. Design’s ‘Premonition’ and Vision’s ‘Lucifer’s Friend’ are stone-cold minimal synth bangers, well-loved but given a new lease of life here. The Warlord’s ‘The Ultimate Warlord’ was released in 1978, a homespun proto Hi NRG banger that was later re-recorded by The Immortals in Canada who had a club hit with it. One-man- band Disco Volante’s ‘No Motion’ was re-issued by Synth wave label Medical in 2012 but makes its first vinyl compilation appearance here. Close your eyes and you can imagine what Lawrence of Felt would have sounded like with some cheap Korgs a little earlier in his career. Gibraltar-based trio The Microbes imagined a computer programming people to dance - how prescient - and ended up with a propulsive, robo-funk track with splendid rubbery bass playing over a tectonic drum machine. Previously picked up by Belgian label Stroom TV, Dee Jay Bert & Eagle’s heavily Euro-accented ‘I Am Your Master’ demands the listener to “come to paradise!” in a frankly terrifying manner.
All The Young Droids is the first compilation to peel away from the narrative that dour, Minimal Synth and Cold Wave were the only musical children of the first rush of synth pop. Philip King and School Daze Records describe a much more complicated world: along with the austere, Brutalist children of Daniel Miller (who produced Alan Burnham’s Bowie-Low-influenced ‘Science Fiction’ here) was a plethora of desperate cash-ins, accidental mainstream hits, ambitious pop dramas and major label punts that went nowhere. Crucially, the compilation blurs the line between junk and treasure. What if the two things are interchangeable. What if it’s all science fiction?
All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978 -1985 is released 27 June on 2LP (500 copies on transparent pink, 500 copies on black vinyl) and 2xCD
All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 7” Sampler is released for Record Store Day 2025
YouTube playlist HERE
All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978 -1985 tracklisting ( RVSN003) 1. Design - Premonition
2. Vision - Lucifer’s Friend
3. Richard Bone - Alien Girl
4. John Howard - I Tune Into You
5. Ian North - We’re Not Lonely
6. Selwin Image - The Unknown
7. Harry Kakoulli - I’m On A Rocket
8. Rich Wilde - The Lady Wants To Be Alone
9. Billy London - Woman
10. Alan Burnham - Science Fiction
11. The Microbes - Computer
12. The Goo-Q - I’m A Computer
13. Gerry & The Holograms - Gerry & The Holograms
14. The Warlord - The Ultimate Warlord
15. Die Marinas - Fred From Jupiter
16. Dee Jay Bert & Eagle - I Am Your Master
17. Peta Lily & Michael Process - I Am A Time Bomb
18. Sole Sister - It’s Not What You Are But How
19. Alasdair Riddell - Do You Read Me?
20. Karel Fialka - Armband (The Mystery Song)
21. John Springate - My Life
22. Incandescent Luminaire - Famous Names
23. Disco Volante - No Motion
24. Dream Unit - Drop In The Ocean
https://nightschoolrecords.com
Poppy Ackroyd & Norman Ackroyd collaborate on personal new single 'Notes on Water'
Single ‘Notes on Water’ out March 26th via One Little Independent Records
Smartlink
Spotify
Youtube
“Poppy Ackroyd can conjure whole worlds of sound out of the barest essentials” – Stereogum
“On par with neo-classical giants Nils Frahm, Max Richter and Hauschka” – MOJO
Acclaimed composer and pianist Poppy Ackroyd is set to release her personal new single, ‘Notes on Water’, a collaborative project with her late father, the renowned artist Norman Ackroyd. It combines their two artistic disciplines and will be released on March 26th via One Little Independent Records.
‘Notes on Water’ is an evocative piece, composed by Poppy for her father in his final months. The track is energising and lively, with constantly changing sections representing the fluidity of the ocean as well as the vitality and lust for life that Norman Ackroyd so fully embraced, both in his day-to-day and in his work. Poppy initially wrote a more minimal version before expanding it using other sounds from the piano, a technique she has become known for - incorporating percussive elements from the wooden and cast-iron frame, plucked strings, and muted notes. The release includes the solo piano version as well as Norman’s etching - his last artistic endeavour in a career spanning over a thousand pieces - completed before his passing in September last year. More than just a union of craft, this partnership is a tribute to a lifetime of shared experiences and creative admiration.
The inspiration for ‘Notes on Water’ comes from Norman's annual work trips, during which Poppy would accompany her father on expeditions to uninhabited islands, watching as he captured their wild beauty through his art. These journeys, often undertaken on small fishing boats, provided the foundation for this project, a reflection of their deep connection to the natural world.
Poppy explains; “‘Notes on Water’ is our first collaboration, an effort to capture moments we have spent together traveling around the British Isles, both on land and at sea. Our journeys have taken us to Orkney and Cape Wrath, as well as more remote destinations like the Skellig Islands and the Outer Hebrides - the most memorable trips were to the Flannan Isles and North Rona - traversing both turbulent oceans and glassy seas. Although we worked in different mediums, we both expressed ourselves through a collection of black ink marks on paper. This project is a celebration of our love for nature and the landscape, for the sea and its birds, but most importantly, for each other.”
The project represents a unique synthesis of their work, bound by a shared artistic language. Norman Ackroyd, a prolific etcher and painter, was renowned for his depictions of British landscapes, produced with what The Guardian’s Peter Gillman called “breathtaking technical mastery.” Working through his sickness to stay focussed and active, he remained fully engaged in the project until his final days.
Although Norman had previously worked on her album covers, ‘Sketches’, ‘Pause’, and ‘Resolve’, as well as contributing artwork for Hidden Orchestra, the project founded by Poppy’s partner Joe Acheson, ‘Notes on Water’ stands apart as their first true artistic collaboration. It also serves as a deeply meaningful parting gift. By coincidence, the single’s release also coincides his birthday.
In tribute to his legacy, proceeds from the release will go toward the Norman Ackroyd Foundation, which Poppy now oversees as a trustee. The foundation will continue to support printmaking and the arts.
Reflecting on the project, Poppy concludes; “This is the best way I could say ‘I love you’, speaking his language, through our work, which is where we always met. He was so thrilled to do this piece. Even at 86, he was young at heart, still exploring new things. It’s a celebration of his passion, our shared experiences, and the unspoken bond we had through art and music.”
A limited edition 10” release is available featuring a 16-page score booklet, a limited number of which also include a signed original etching by Norman Ackroyd.
Art credit: Norman Ackroyd
Photo credit: Jesse Williams
Music credits
Written, recorded, produced and mixed by Poppy Ackroyd
Mastering by Matouš Godík
Music transcribed by Poppy Ackroyd
Edited and engraved by Sam Lung at Pretty Decent Music
Layout and design by Ruth Keating
Tracklist
Notes on WaterNotes on Water (Solo Piano)
Follow Poppy Ackroyd
Website
X
Spotify
Follow OLI
Website
March 25, 2025
OUTSIDE LANDS 2025 ANNOUNCES LINEUP FEATURING: TYLER, THE CREATOR, HOZIER, DOJA CAT
OUTSIDE LANDS 2025 ANNOUNCES LINEUP
FEATURING:
TYLER, THE CREATOR, HOZIER, DOJA CAT
JOHN SUMMIT, ANDERSON .PAAK & THE FREE NATIONALS,
VAMPIRE WEEKEND, GRACIE ABRAMS, GLASS ANIMALS, JAMIE XX, DOECHII, GESAFFELSTEIN AND MUCH MORE
OUTSIDE LANDS RETURNS TO ICONIC GOLDEN GATE PARK AUGUST 8 - 10, 2025
3-DAY GA, GA+, VIP, GOLDEN GATE CLUB AND PAYMENT PLAN PASSES
ON SALE TOMORROW, MARCH 26 AT 10 AM PT
The beloved Bay Area festival, Outside Lands, has announced the lineup for its 17th year, once again boasting the finest music, food, drinks, art and cannabis in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park on August 8 - 10. Organizers are thrilled to announce this year’s headliners, featuring two-time Grammy Award-winning rapper and producer, Tyler, The Creator, Platinum-selling, GRAMMY-nominated Irish singer-songwriter, Hozier and GRAMMY-award winning singer and rapper, Doja Cat. 3-Day tickets go on sale tomorrow, March 26 at 10 AM PT exclusively at www.sfoutsidelands.com and are expected to sell out quickly.
Once again, exceeding the standards of what a music festival can be, Outside Lands 2025 will offer top tier talent including: John Summit, Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals, Vampire Weekend, Gracie Abrams, Doechii, Glass Animals, Jamie xx and Gesaffelstein plus Bleachers, Ludacris, Jorja Smith, the Bay Area’s own Still Woozy and many more, including the premium experiences, culinary excellence and dazzling installations that the festival is known for. View the full lineup here.
SOMA will return this year to Marx Meadow with an open-air format. With the success of last year’s reimagined outdoor stage, organizers have once again transcended what an immersive dance-centric festival space can be for live music fans. Festival attendees will dance under the sun and stars, with invigorating performances from the top names in house and techno music including: Black Coffee, Claude VonStroke, Floating Points, Walker & Royce, BLOND:ISH, Dombresky, and many more.
The fan favorite, Dolores’ stage will also return for a third year. Dolores’ is an inclusive dance floor where everyone is welcome. This colorful and joy-inducing space is a celebration of queer and trans communities and DIY spaces that are part of the genetic makeup of San Francisco. The full lineup for Dolores’ will be announced in the coming months.
Returning for a second year with new expanded wedding package offerings is Outside Lands City Hall - the exclusive wedding venue inside the festival grounds. The new options range from a dedicated reception in Wine Lands to adding on a private cabana or box suite. City Hall offers an intimate outdoor space where attendees can celebrate love and get legally married or recommit their marriage throughout the weekend. Located in McLaren Pass, among the Eucalyptus trees, friends, family and festival attendees are encouraged to visit City Hall to witness these declarations of love daily. A portion of proceeds from City Hall at Outside Lands will be donated to Lambda Legal, a legal and education fund dedicated to LGBTQ+ civil rights. City Hall has limited spots available and must be booked in advance. Please visit the City Hall page for more information.
“We are beyond excited to return to Golden Gate Park, where we’ll be celebrating everything that makes San Francisco truly world-class—its vibrant culture, its incredible community, and of course, our one-of-a-kind Outside Lands festival,” says Allen Scott, Co-Founder of Outside Lands and President of Concerts & Festivals at Another Planet Entertainment. “This year’s lineup captures the dynamic, ever-evolving tastes of the Bay Area. We’re proud to curate a festival that spans generations, bringing something unique and unforgettable for everyone.”
Tickets will go on sale to the general public Wednesday, March 26 at 10 AM PT via www.sfoutsidelands.com. 3-Day GA tickets are starting at $499 ALL IN. Fans are encouraged to purchase at the time of the on sale for the lowest possible price. For those seeking an even more elevated experience, 3-Day tickets for the Golden Gate Club. The festival is again offering payment plans for those who prefer to pay in installments. Payment Plans for 3-Day GA, GA+ and VIP tickets start at $99 down.
Returning ticket types for 2025 include the 3-Day GA, the very popular GA+ ticket and VIP passes. Golden Gate Club passes will also go on sale along with reservations for Cabanas and Box Suites.
Festival organizers recently announced the culinary excellence of celebrity chefs Melissa King, Tyler Florence of Miller & Lux and Dana Younkin & Nancy Oakes of Boulevard for the ultra-luxe Golden Gate Club, a collaboration with renowned interior designer Ken Fulk. Golden Gate Club is THE premium festival experience that includes front stage viewing, dedicated golf cart fleet, a lineup of local culinary legends, cocktail purveyors and so much more.
Outside Lands features the very finest in culinary offerings with Taste of the Bay Area, Wine Lands, Beer Lands and Cocktail Magic. Other highlights include Grass Lands, the first curated cannabis experience at a major American music festival and stages with specialty programming such as fan favorites SOMA and Dolores’.
Outside Lands 2025 Lineup
*artists subject to change*
Tyler, The Creator
Hozier
Doja Cat
John Summit
Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals
Vampire Weekend
Gracie Abrams
Glass Animals
Jamie xx
Doechii
Gesaffelstein
Bleachers
Ludacris
Jorja Smith
Still Woozy
Black Coffee
Sammy Virji
Thundercat
Wallows
FINNEAS
MARINA
Royel Otis
ARMNHMR
ROLE MODEL
Artemas
Claude VonStroke
BigXthaPlug
Floating Points
Bakar
flipturn
2hollis
Walker & Royce
Julien Baker & TORRES
Fujii Kaze
BUNT.
Levity
DJ Koze
Mark Ambor
BLOND:ISH
Dombresky
Jessica Pratt
Mannequin Pussy
Claptone
Rebecca Black
NOTION
LaRussell
CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso
julie
Girl Math (VNSSA b2b Nala)
Mayer Hawthorne
DJ Pee .Wee
Wasia Project
Big Freedia with SF Gay Men’s Chorus
Fcukers
Klangphonics
Vansire
nimino
Kate Bollinger
Hope Tala
Destroy Boys
Luna Li
&friends
INJI
Sarah Kinsley
Matt Champion
Naomi Sharon
ATRIP
Neal Francis
Wunderhorse
Lexa Gates
Amelia Moore
Paco Versailles
TxC
Good Neighbours
Orla Gartland
Midrift
Baalti
Bay Ledges
DJ Mandy
The Army, The Navy
Arcy Drive
Nourished by Time
almost monday
bLAck pARty
Alexandra Savior
Vincent Lima
NewDad
Alemeda
Midnight Generation
Alex Amen
BANKSIA
Infinite Jess
AVATARI
Vampire Weekend ☀️ /🌙
Follow/Visit Outside Lands:
bsky.app/profile/sfoutsidelands.bsky.social
Alabaster DePlume's 'A Blade...' out on streaming now
ALABASTER DEPLUME'S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED
A BLADE BECAUSE A BLADE IS WHOLE
OUT NOW ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS
PLAYING THE REGENT IN LA TONIGHT + BIG EARS FESTIVAL ON FRIDAY MARCH 28
Photo by Alexander MassekPRAISE FOR ALABASTER DEPLUME & A BLADE BECAUSE A BLADE IS WHOLE
"Stunning...you can’t argue with DePlume’s outstanding melodies."
The Guardian
"On the British saxophonist and poet’s graceful new album, the reminders to savor each day and to forgive oneself feel less like jazz tunes than wordless hymns."
Pitchfork
"A cohesive, concise album...the way DePlume morphs one style of music into another is natural, serene, and, well, healing."
Brooklyn Vegan
"Weaves a tapestry of sounds — spiritual jazz, folk, classical, and beyond — into a potent missive of grace."
FLOOD
“The Mancunian saxophonist and Jujitsuka dusts himself down and fires up the big strings for an album of fighting songs with healing sounds.”
The Quietus
“Conjuring chamber-based folk/ jazz collages with a bespoke philosophical twist .. assiduously pushing the boundaries.”
MOJO
“Traversing folk-jazz and elegantly-rendered orchestral suites, atmosphere and allegory, DePlume looks inward and confronts his own struggles.”
Clash
“His singing is murmured, pressurized, prayerful. His self-taught sax is his most distinctive voice, though, at times a shivering, Arabic thing like a quaking ghost, or sinuously sensual and serenely beautiful.”
UNCUT
"A brave record that confronts pain while embraces it with humility, acceptance, and vulnerability."
AllMusic
"Some of his most beautifully stirring work to date."
OurCulture
"A dense forest of spiritual jazz...hauntingly beautiful."
Glide
"A simple yet beautifully executed reminder to reflect, find healing and resist vanity."
The Skinny
Today, Alabaster DePlume — the acclaimed London-based saxophonist, singer, songwriter, activist, orator, and poet-philosopher — shares his acclaimed and "stunning" (The Guardian) new album A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole on all streaming platforms via International Anthem. Listen to and purchase A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole here.
Recently, DePlume was profiled in The New Yorker during a jujitsu session. Read the full feature here.
Tonight, DePlume will be playing a show in Los Angeles at The Regent, with Shahzad Ismaily (bass) and Helen De La Rosa (drums) joining; more info and tickets available here. This Friday he'll also play Knoxville, TN's Big Ears festival with a lineup including Macie Stewart (violin), Tcheser Holmes (drums), and Shahzad Ismaily (bass); find timing and more info here. As UNCUT writes, "Alabaster DePlume mesmerizes live, blowing minds with fearless absurdity and raw exposed feeling."
Photo by Amghy Chacon, from Le Poisson Rouge in NYC March 16.
As with all of DePlume’s work, A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole is driven by intention. In this case, a desire to interrogate the concept of healing. As DePlume shared with music writer Liz Pelly, who wrote an essay to accompany the album as digital liner notes: “When I meet people who love my work I ask them, ‘what do people need?’ Many of them were answering ‘healing’, so I worked on that, first of all by healing myself. I found that it was an activity I could choose, and that it had a lot to do with my ownership of myself, dignity and independence. Instead of waiting for healing to ‘happen to me’ I could heal myself and own myself. That is what this album is.”
Read Liz Pelly’s essay on the album here.
Throughout the eleven songs on A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole, DePlume’s reflections on healing, dignity, and struggle are communicated through a stirring assemblage of disparate musics: ghostly and ancient folk melodies, groove-anchored maelstroms of swirling folk-jazz, elegant string arrangements (courtesy of Macie Stewart), disembodied voices, noir atmosphere, and allegoric, troubadouric song. Throughout, Alabaster’s intimate, confessional croon and vibrato-laced tenor saxophone convey, with a startling humanistic touch, everything from dejected fragility to resolute strength.
Following the string of US live performances that conclude in LA tonight, DePlume will tour the UK and Europe throughout the spring — see full dates below, more information here. DePlume’s band for the UK/EU tour will feature percussionist Julian Sartorius, drummer Seb Rochford, bassist Ruth Goller, and Mikey Kenney on strings. More guests to be announced.
A Blade Because A Blade Is Whole is out now, buy/stream it here.
TRACKLIST
Oh My Actual Days
Thank You My Pain
Invincibility
Form a V
A Paper Man
Who Are You Telling, Gus
Prayer For My Sovereign Dignity
Kuzushi
Salty Road Dogs Victory Anthem
Too True
That Was My Garden
Full album credits here.
TOUR DATES
March 25 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent
March 28 - Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Festival
April 29 - Norwich, UK @ Norwich Arts Centre
April 30 - Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
May 1 - Newcastle, UK @ Gosforth Civic Hall
May 2 - Glasgow, UK @ Mono
May 3 - Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
May 6 - Bristol, UK @ Trinity Centre
May 7 - Exeter, UK @ Phoenix
May 8 - Southampton, UK @ Papillon
May 9 - London, UK @ Hackney Church
May 10 - Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
May 15 - Istanbul, TK @ Salon IKSV
May 16 - Warsaw, PL @ Niebo
May 17 - Berlin, DE @ XJAZZ!
May 21 - Paris, FR @ Le Petit Bain
May 22 - Lille, FR @ L'Aéronef
May 23 - Brussels, BE @ La Botanique
May 24 - Amsterdam, NL @ Zonnehuis
May 25 - Nijmegen, NL @ Doornroosje
May 26 - Rotterdam, NL @ Bird
June 1 - Torino, Italy @ Bunker (Jazz Is Dead)
June 7 - Cluj-Napoca, RO @ Jazz In The Park
July 2/5 - Roskilde, DK @ Roskilde Festival
July 4 - Sete, FR @ Worldwide
July 17 - Molde NO, @ Moldejazz
Stay connected with Alabaster DePlume:
Website | Instagram | Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter
Stay connected with International Anthem:
23 Profile | Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
