Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 152
February 14, 2025
Tennis Announce New Album and Tour
TENNIS UNVEIL FACE DOWN IN THE GARDEN
EAGERLY AWAITED SEVENTH ALBUM FROM ACCLAIMED INDIE-POP DUO INCLUDES DEEPLY MOVING FIRST SINGLE, “WEIGHT OF DESIRE” - LISTEN
OFFICIAL “WEIGHT OF DESIRE” MUSIC VIDEO STREAMING NOW – WATCH
NORTH AMERICAN HEADLINE TOUR
GETS UNDERWAY MAY 16 IN LAS VEGAS, NV
TICKETS ON SALE TODAY, FEBRUARY 14 AT 10:00 AM (LOCAL)
FACE DOWN IN THE GARDEN
ARRIVES VIA TENNIS’ OWN MUTUALLY DETRIMENTAL
ON FRIDAY, APRIL 25
PRE-ORDER/PRE-SAVE FACE DOWN IN THE GARDEN NOW
Photo Credit: Blossom Liu and Daniel Gray
Acclaimed indie-pop duo Tennis has announced their highly anticipated new album, Face Down In The Garden, arriving via their own Mutually Detrimental label on Friday, April 25. Pre-orders/pre-saves are available now. Produced and recorded by the husband and wife duo of Patrick Riley and Alaina Moore in their Denver, CO home studio, the album is heralded by the moving first single, “Weight of Desire,” available everywhere now alongside an official music video directed by frequent visual collaborators Blossom Liu and Danny Gray streaming now at YouTube.
“Face Down In The Garden is our seventh studio album,” says Tennis’ Alaina Moore. “The inspiration for new work came while we were still on the road touring Pollen. We felt a clear pull to write new music, but ran up against a series of bizarre setbacks. We blew tires and lost an engine. I developed a chronic illness. We took a doomed voyage that culminated in an attempted robbery at sea. Fragments of songs that first arrived like gifts from the universe later refused to be completed. Our days were awash in major and minor crises that dragged the album out endlessly.
“Patrick and I felt out of sync with the world, as though we had been ejected from the flow of life. My response was to bury myself in my own memories. Those years weren’t easier or better, but I could make sense of them. In Face Down In The Garden, I trace the arc of my life through a series of vignettes: a first moment of connection, a conversation at a wedding, a night offshore, a tour diary. We are very excited for you to listen, and look forward to seeing you on the road this year.”
WATCH “WEIGHT OF DESIRE” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
LISTEN TO "WEIGHT OF DESIRE"
PRE-ORDER FACE DOWN IN THE GARDEN VINYL
PRE-SAVE FACE DOWN IN THE GARDEN DIGITAL
Face Down In The Garden marks the seventh studio album from Tennis as well as the eagerly awaited follow-up to 2023’s critically acclaimed Pollen, which earned praise from Pitchfork as “reliably vibey and genuinely inspiring.” Offsetting intuitive melodies with unusual arrangements, the new album sees the duo returning with music that both feels familiar but also resists convention. Songs like “Weight of Desire,” “At The Wedding,” and “Sister” highlight Tennis’ ever-expanding range as writers and producers, evolving beyond their girl-group roots into what is unquestionably their most fully realized effort to date.
Tennis will mark the arrival of Face Down In The Garden with a wide-ranging North American headline tour beginning May 16 at Las Vegas, NV’s Swan Dive and then traveling into early September. Highlights include such iconic venues as Minneapolis, MN’s First Avenue (May 21), Chicago, IL’s The Salt Shed (May 23), New York City’s The Rooftop at Pier 17 (June 1), Austin, TX’s Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater (June 11), and Los Angeles, CA’s famed Greek Theatre (August 20). Special guests include Husbands (May 16-17), Billie Marten (May 21-June 11), and Alice Phoebe Lou (August 18-September 4). Tickets for all announced dates go on sale this Friday, February 14 at 10:00 am (local). For complete details and ticket availability, please visit tennis-music.com.
TENNIS - FACE DOWN IN THE GARDEN TOUR 2025
MAY
16 – Las Vegas, NV – Swan Dive *
17 – Salt Lake City, UT – Metro Music Hall *
18 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Block Party #
21 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue †
23 – Chicago, IL – The Salt Shed †
24 – Indianapolis, IN – HI-FI Annex †
25 – Cleveland, OH – Globe Iron †
27 – Toronto, ON – The Concert Hall †
30 – Boston, MA – Roadrunner †
31 – Philadelphia, PA – Franklin Music Hall †
JUNE
1 – New York, NY – The Rooftop at Pier 17 †
3 – Washington, DC – The Anthem †
5 – Raleigh, NC – The Ritz †
6 – Atlanta, GA – The Eastern †
7 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl Nashville †
9 – Dallas, TX – The Factory in Deep Ellum †
10 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall (Downstairs) †
11 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater †
AUGUST
18 – San Diego, CA – Humphreys Concerts by the Bay ^
20 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre ^
22 – Pioneertown, CA – Pappy + Harriet’s ^
23 – Phoenix, AZ – The Van Buren ^
24 – Santa Fe, NM – The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Co. ^
26 – Denver, CO – The Mission Ballroom ^
28 – Boise, ID – Treefort Music Hall ^
29 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Grand Lodge ^
30 – Vancouver, BC – Malkin Bowl ^
SEPTEMBER
2 – Sacramento, CA – TBA ^
4 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery ^
* w/ Special Guests Husbands
† w/ Special Guest Billie Marten
^ w/ Special Guest Alice Phoebe Lou
# Festival Appearance
# # #
TENNIS
FACE DOWN IN THE GARDEN
(Mutually Detrimental)
Release Date: Friday, April 25, 2025
Tracklist:
At The Apartment
Weight Of Desire
At The Wedding
Always The Same
Sister
Through The Mirror
I Can Only Describe You
12 Blown Tires
In Love (Release The Doves)
CONNECT WITH TENNIS
Raveena announces 'Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain Deluxe album' + shares new single and music video
RAVEENA ANNOUNCES WHERE THE BUTTERFLIES GO IN THE RAIN DELUXE ALBUM DUE FEB 28TH
SHARES NEW SINGLE & VIDEO “SUN DON’T LEAVE ME”
Raveena by Erika Kamano
What the press is saying about Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain:
"Stunningly poetic and thought-provoking"
Forbes
"The hypnotic melodies, characteristic of Raveena’s sonic tapestry, transport you to that place with her: in the middle of a forest, melting into puddles of ego-death."
Interview Magazine
"’Velvet Robe’ era Janet Jackson"
NPR
“Sun Don’t Leave Me”
WATCH:
https://youtu.be/B5yraq9P0_8?si=GF9sCL9B4WmtBzpT
LISTEN:
https://music.empi.re/sunleave
Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain
https://music.empi.re/wherethebutterfliesgo
(Feb 14th, 2025) - Following the release of her latest album Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain, Raveena returns to announce the deluxe version due Feb 28th. The deluxe was finished in the midst of the LA fires and features two new singles and an updated version of "Lose My Focus" that now features Umi as well as a remix of the single. These new songs embrace themes of love, maturity, comfort, and domesticity, while also addressing heavy climate grief and longing for a simpler time.
Alongside the announcement Raveena shares a taste of the forthcoming project with a new single and video “Sun Don’t Leave Me” filmed in South Africa. Speaking about the new song, Raveena shares:
“This song captures the feeling of grief for a simpler time on Earth - for the grief of our Earth’s resources, climate and beauty rapidly declining. I was feeling the intensity of this song more than ever because of the ways the fires in LA were affecting me and my loved ones, as a person in the highest level evacuation zone. Even larger than climate grief, this song contemplates the feeling of wanting to hold onto one more beautiful sunset, one more passionate embrace, before things change again and hard times strike. I was really inspired by people like Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell and Leon Bridges for this record.”
The new single and video precedes upcoming tour dates to be announced soon and follows the release of Raveena’s film Where The Butterflies Went, a 30-minute piece executive produced by James Beard Award-winning chef and two-time Emmy Award nominee Sophia Roe in collaboration with the multidisciplinary collective Aerthship.
Embracing the sounds of classic artists like Brandy, Bob Marley and Marvin Gaye, to name a few, Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain draws inspiration from people who as Raveena describes, “are really good at capturing the beauty and loss of life in the same breath.” In her signature style, Raveena seamlessly unites that expansive songwriting with traditional Indian instruments and feel-good early 2000s pop hits —putting forth a work that’s more unabashedly herself than any that’s come before.
In the few years since releasing her previous album, Asha’s Awakening, Raveena has toured nationally and internationally, become the first woman of Indian heritage to perform solo at Coachella, and recently completed her Saturn Return—welcoming a season of growth, transformation, and calm that’s central to her newest full-length offering. Raveena reflects on her new album, “I don't think I've ever understood a record so well before—It wasn’t like the process I used to have with past albums where I was more anxious about being at my best. This time, it was all intuition, and I knew the album was right when I finally had the feeling of rest.”
Watch the music video for “Sun Don’t Leave Me” above and stay tuned for the deluxe album coming soon.
"Sun Don't Leave Me" single artwork
Raveena
Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain Deluxe Album
Feb 28th 2025
Empire Records
1. Pluto
2. Lucky
3. Rise
4. Every Color
5. Baby Mama
6. Junebug (feat. JPEGMAFIA)
7. Lose My Focus
8. We Should Move Somewhere Beautiful (feat. Arima Ederra)
9. Kid
10. 16 Candles (feat. Ganavya)
11. Smile For Me
12. Afternoon Tea with the Auroras (Interlude)
13. Little Bird
14. Water
15. Sun Don’t Leave Me
16. Lose My Focus (feat. Umi)
17. You’re So Good To Me
18. Lose My Focus (PRIYANKA remix)
Connect with Raveena
Jane Remover's venturing releases 'Ghostholding' via deadAir
VENTURING RELEASES DEBUT ALBUM
GHOSTHOLDING OUT NOW
VIA deadAir
photo credit: Brendon Burton
Ghostholding
BANDCAMP | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE | APPLE MUSIC | CD/VINYL
(February 14, 2025) - venturing, an artist project from the musician known as Jane Remover, releases its debut album Ghostholding via deadAir, today. Ghostholding is a 13-track body of work that includes the previously shared songs “Dead forever,” “Famous girl,” “Halloween,” and “Sister.” Jane recently opened up about her come up in the underground music community and career to date with her close friend Dalton on his podcast "Bevs With The Best."
This spring, Jane Remover will release their third full-length album Revengeseekerz following their groundbreaking debut album Frailty, which rose up from the underground music community in 2021, and their critically acclaimed follow-up Census Designated in 2023. Last year, Jane hit the road as direct support to JPEGMAFIA across North America and released a string of celebrated singles including “Magic I Want U,” “Flash in the Pan,” “Dream Sequence” and “How To Teleport.”
Following the release of Jane’s sophomore album Census Designated and the heightened visibility around their artist project, Jane created venturing as a space to experiment and release music anonymously. Sharing music directly to an online community in this way recaptured the spontaneous energy that served as the catalyst for their prolific early output.
Jane will embark on their 2025 headline TURN UP OR DIE North American tour with direct support from deadAir labelmate and Brooklyn producer/DJ dazegxd, along with support from d0llywood1 and Lucy Bedroque on select dates this Spring. The tour kicks off on April 23rd, and the 20-date run will see them perform in Chicago, Toronto, Brooklyn, Austin, Seattle, Vancouver, and Los Angeles before wrapping up in Phoenix on May 22nd. Tickets available HERE.
Check out Ghostholding above, see full album details, and stay tuned for more from Jane Remover and venturing.
Ghostholding album artwork
Ghostholding
venturing
February 14, 2025
deadAir
1. Play my guitar
2. No sleep
3. Believe
4. Guesthouse
5. Spider
6. Recoil
7. Something has to change
8. Dead forever
9. We don’t exist
10. Sick / relapse
11. Famous girl
12. Halloween
13. Sister
What the press is saying about Jane Remover so far this year:
“shape-shifting”
Billboard
“simultaneously their most maximalist yet most direct music yet”
Pitchfork
“an exercise in sensory overload”
Strereogum
“a remarkably successful bottling of the ambivalence that fuels Jane Remover’s music”
The FADER
Connect with Jane Remover:
OUT NOW: BLOND:ISH Releases New Album 'Never Walk Alone'
BLOND:ISH Releases New Never Walk Alone
Album, a Reminder We’re In This Together
Out Now via Insomniac Records, Including Physical Release Pressed on BioVinyl Using State-Of-The-Art Sustainability Tech
Arrives Ahead of Performance at Skyline Festival in Los Angeles
Buy/Stream: BLOND:ISH - Never Walk Alone LP
http://insom.co/nwa
FEBRUARY 14, 2025—Today, BLOND:ISH unveils her sophomore album, Never Walk Alone, a journey that crosses genres with electronic music at its core, out now on Insomniac Records and all streaming platforms.
BLOND:ISH offers up a collection of music on the album meant to provide listeners with tools to discover how to become their own best friend. The project meets listeners wherever they are with an uplifting message and a profound sense of purpose, reminding us that dance music is more than just an escape—it’s a celebration of our shared humanity.
The concept for Never Walk Alone comes from the deep, personal connections BLOND:ISH shares with her fans. Inspired by heartfelt conversations in her DMs, the project explores how music can serve as a friend and empower listeners to recognize their own strengths. With a formula of “1+1 = 11, aka attention + intention = manifestation," the album is an experiment in harnessing the power of sound.
Set with intentions to bring more positive energy into all parts of the world, Never Walk Alone’s tracklist features a diverse outfit of collaborators from Australia/UK’s Night Tales in “Shout It Out” to Zimbabwe's Bantu with “Can’t Let You Go,” to Nigeria’s Tay Iwar with “Kimbe,” to Brazil’s Zeeba with “Different Way” and the UK’s Stevie Appleton with the lead title track, “Never Walk Alone.” More than just tracks, these songs serve as stepping stones toward a BLOND:ISH’s vision of “Happy Happy World”—an inclusive place of good energy, respect, and nourishment.
Never Walk Alone Tracklist
1. Never Walk Alone (with Stevie Appleton)
2. Can’t Let You Go (with Bantu)
3. Self Love
4. Shout It Out (with Night Tales)
5. Besitos
6. How Does It Feel (with Paperwater ft. Dakota & King Docious)
7. Heartbreaker
8. Kimbe (feat. Tay Iwar)
9. Different Way (with Zeeba)
10. Higher (with Black Circle)
11. We Watch (with Von Boch)
12. Garba Dance (Majajan) (with Nadeem ft. Amrit Kaur)
A special Bio Vinyl physical release is also available, taking BLOND:ISH’s “#PlasticFreeParty” movement, the vision from which she launched her foundation, Bye Bye Plastic, to the next level. Leading by example in an industry that relies heavily on fossil fuels to create vinyl records, her next body of work will be pressed on Bio-attributed PVC. The material is mainly made from biogenic waste (e.g., used cooking oil), is 99.98% petroleum-free, and cuts 90% of the carbon dioxide emissions in a mass-balanced approach. You can learn more about the initiative here.
Never Walk Alone arrives just ahead of BLOND:ISH’s performance at Skyline Festival, which takes place at Gloria Molina Grand Park in Los Angeles. The full lineup features world-class talent led by seasoned selectors Honey Dijon B2B Seth Troxler, Bronx-born duo The Martinez Brothers, Pacha Ibiza resident Marco Carola, and many more.
BLOND:ISH was just announced as the first woman to have her own curated residency night at the famous club Pacha Ibiza. She’ll be bringing her spectacular Abracadbra event series to the island every Wednesday from May 21 to July 30. Read more here.
ABOUT BLOND:ISH
BLOND:ISH’s unwavering commitment to contributing positivity to the music industry has come to define her as an artist. Whether it’s organizing group hugs before her sets or taking initiative against single-use plastics, BLOND:ISH wants to leave the world a better place than she found it. As a record label head, environmental activist, Web3, and entrepreneur, BLOND:ISH breaks down traditional barriers between artist and fan, uniting her community through pillars of purpose. Igniting a movement coined “#PlasticFreeParty,” BLOND:ISH founded Bye Bye Plastic, an initiative that aims to eliminate single-use plastics from clubs and festivals by encouraging artists to use eco-riders that demand alternatives and by providing resources to promoters who want to change. Around her recent event series, Abracadabra, she organized a beach cleanup in Los Angeles covered by Billboard Dance. Check out the recap here.
ABOUT INSOMNIAC RECORDS
Founded by dance music luminaries and world-renowned events promoter Insomniac, Insomniac Records operates under the umbrella of Insomniac Music Group. Originally launched in 2016, the powerhouse imprint has blossomed into a one-stop destination in which fans from all walks of life can discover and enjoy choice selections from a roster that includes some of the best DJs/producers from the global stage. On top of the 500+ releases since its inception, Insomniac Records has also curated its premier EDC compilation series, featuring numerous EDC Las Vegas and EDC Mexico master soundtracks. Signing a roster of notable talent, including Mau P, BLOND:ISH, Noizu, Matroda, Biscits, Francis Mercier, LP Giobbi, Vintage Culture, John Summit, HoneyLuv, J.Worra, and beyond, Insomniac Records continues to foster unique talent it firmly believes in. The unparalleled track record of success has pushed Insomniac Records to the forefront of established dance music platforms.
February 15 – Skyline Festival – Los Angeles, CA
February 22 – Parque Fundidora – Monterrey, MX
February 23 – EDC Mexico – Mexico City, MX
March 2 – SOM Festival – Trancoso, Brazil
March 3 – Carvalheira na Ladeira – Olinda, Brazil
March 4 – Camarote Salvador – Salvador, Brazil
March 7 – BOMA @ Museum of Tomorrow – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
March 8 – Abracadabra Rio - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
March 21 – Lollapalooza Argentina – Buenos Aires, Argentina
March 22 – Lollapalooza Chile – Santiago, Chile
March 28 – Estereo Picnic – Bogota, Colombia
March 30 – Lollapalooza Brasil - Sao Paulo, Brazil
April 26 – EDC Korea – Incheon, South Korea
May 10 – Abracadabra NY – New York, NY
May 16-18 – EDC – Las Vegas, NV
May 21 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
May 28 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
May 30 – MOGA Festival – Lisbon, Portugal
June 4 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
June 11 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
June 18 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
June 20 – Electric Forest Festival – Rothbury, MI
June 25 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
June 28 – Horse Park Festival – Switzerland
July 2 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
July 9 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
July 16 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
July 23 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
July 30 – Abracadabra Ibiza – Ibiza, Spain
Connect with BLOND:ISH
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok | Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube
Connect with Insomniac Records
Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | TikTok | Spotify | SoundCloud
Mallrat Releases Latest Album 'Light Hit My Face Like A Straight Right' - Out Today
MALLRAT’S LATEST CREATIVE OPUS:
"LIGHT HIT MY FACE LIKE A STRAIGHT RIGHT"
OUT NOW
+ NORTH AMERICAN TOUR THIS SPRING
LISTENLIGHT HIT MY FACE LIKE A STRAIGHT RIGHT (ALBUM)
2025 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
04/29 - House of Blues - Cambridge Room - Dallas, TX
04/30 - Parish - Austin, TX
05/02 - Vinyl at Center Stage - Atlanta, GA
05/03 - Neighborhood Theatre - Charlotte, NC
05/06 - The Atlantis - Washington, DC
05/07 - The Foundry at the Fillmore - Philadelphia, PA
05/09 - Elsewhere - New York, NY
05/10 - Brighton Music Hall - Boston, MA
05/12 - Space Ballroom - Hamden, CT
05/13 - Velvet Underground - Toronto, ON
05/15 - A&R Music Bar - Columbus, OH
05/16 - Lincoln Hall - Chicago, IL
05/17 - 7th Street Entry - Minneapolis, MN
05/20 - Marquis Theater - Denver, CO
05/21 - Kilby Court - Salt Lake City, UT
05/23 - Bottlerock Music Festival - Napa, CA
05/29 - Biltmore Cabaret - Vancouver, BC
05/31 - Neumos - Seattle, WA
06/01 - Holocene - Portland, OR
06/04 - Voodoo Room - San Diego, CA06/05- Echoplex - Los Angeles, CA
Singer, songwriter, and producer Mallrat, today unveils her new artistic statement in Light hit my face like a straight right , out now via Nettwerk. LISTEN HERE. Tickets to her North American album tour this April are available now HERE.
Light hit my face like a straight right explores the intangible and mysterious allure of human connection, held together by curious investigations. With an ounce of influence from her time growing up in Brisbane, Mallrat consistently seeks out (real or imaginary) magic in the otherwise ugly and everyday, as a means to understand the people and world around her. Light hit my face like a straight right is indebted to that magical realism Grace Shaw is uniquely able to canvas from Australian suburbia, translating tropes as Hills Hoists, boxing, excavator trucks into deeply spiritual symbols ascribed with all new values.
In Shaw’s vision of the world, light is more than photons and electromagnetic radiation hitting the eye — it’s a moment of divine intervention. “I love the idea you can let your fate be decided by rays of light,” she shares. A street lamp lighting a path on rain-soaked pavement, or sunshine hitting your face through an open window; or, more metaphysically, the imperceptible glow radiating from a person you were destined to meet. “There’s something holy about those moments, you know, like the angelic choir in cartoons or whatever,” Mallrat says. “It’s the unexpectedness of it, the suddenness.”
Formed in the wake of her acclaimed debut Butterfly Blue in 2022, and penned with a band of new and familiar collaborators including Chrome Sparks, Alice Ivy, Buddy Ross, Kito, APOB and others, to form an all new vessel of self described ‘dance music that has heart and potent magic’. Innovating Mallrat's sound from dream pop into new terrains of hazy electronica - all still with a shoegaze moment in ‘The Worst Thing I Could Ever Do’ - sees a student of Charli and Addison craft spells as varied in influence as Fontaines D.C. and Two Shell; an adventurous sampler with nods to rap and indie throughout.
A deft straddle of light and dark, the picturesque and acerbic, manifests to all new summits of artistic intent on Light hit my face like a straight right. The sweet balladry of ‘Something For Someone’ hides the reality of what it takes to get over someone – “I love disguising disturbed stories and messages in really sweet melodies and I think I did that in a really clever way here.” – to ‘Virtue’s display of her enduring fascination with traditional Irish music side by side with trancey, Y2K harpsichord. “When I listen to this song,” Mallrat shares, “I imagine dozens of little fairies possessing somebody and it’s unclear whether the fairies are good or evil. Also I love that Casey MQ and I managed to create a dusty, garagey break beat in the 3/4 time signature for this song.”
‘Defibrillator’ recounts an attempt to pick up the pieces that pushes production from Lonelyspeck to its limits. “I wasn’t sure that I wanted to put it on the album because it felt more emo than I usually allow myself to be. Styalz and I sometimes talk about pushing interesting moments in a song to the point of being almost uncomfortable for the listener, and that’s a reason why the final chorus is a cappella for as long as it is.”
‘Hideaway’, created with Japanese Wallpaper and Styalz Fuego, basks in arpeggios and heart-racing garage to clash with Mallrat's most sincere candour; a desire to protect the euphoric bubble of a crush, “I’ll be your lucky charm just let me hang around your neck” she sings. Elsewhere, you find an endless suite of self-referential music, with interludes and tracks that call back to previous songs and her own sung melodies; pay close attention throughout for the easter eggs in ‘My Darling, My Angel’, ‘The Light Streams In and Hits My Face’ and ‘Love Songs/Heart Strings’ to the samples mined throughout.
The result is a showcase of Mallrat’s clever, studied production and intuitive songwriting that highlights her impeccable instinct. Primed with earlier singles ‘Pavement’, 'Horses', 'Ray of Light' and 'Hocus Pocus', the record's sum of expressive breakbeat and intimate dance music isn’t abstract or tied to didactic stories, but instead, presented as its own inherent being – the music Mallrat loves making most captures a feeling or time that words alone don’t do justice. A bold step into the art of world-building, peek into her prolific and growing ear on Light hit my face like a straight right, a triumph of gut, faith and timeless pop backed by her reputation of enduring global resonance.
Light hit my face like a straight right LP by Mallrat is out now, buy/stream it HERE and catch her on tour in North America starting in April following her Australia tour supporting Kylie Minogue.
LP TRACKLIST
My Darling, My Angel
Pavement
Something for Somebody
Virtue
Defibrillator
The Light Streams In And Hits My Face
Hocus Pocus
Hideaway
Love Songs-Heart Strings
Ray of Light
The Worst Thing I Would Ever Do
Horses
“Butterfly Blue, establishes her as an artist with ambitions bigger than the bedroom-pop genre that once defined her” - Pitchfork
"Mallrat proves she hasn’t just metamorphosised on her debut – she breathes fire" - NME
"Butterfly Blue is arguably the sound of an artist reaching her current peak, with forewarning that there’s plenty more highlights set to come" - Rolling Stone
"Poised on the precipice of world domination" - The Guardian
ABOUT MALLRAT
Mallrat has been breaking barriers since her influential debut in 2016 – accumulating over half a billion career streams in her discography and ARIA Platinum status. The project of Grace Shaw has shared stages with Maggie Rogers, Post Malone, King Princess, Conan Gray; collaborated with Azealia Banks, The Chainsmokers, BENEE, Blu DeTiger, Cub Sport; a late night TV debut on The Late Late Show with James Corden; headline world tours amongst globally recognised festivals Reading and Leeds, Austin City Limits, Laneway, Splendour In The Grass, Listen Out and boasts multiple triple j Hottest 100 entries from 2017 – 2020. The adored songwriter and producer catapulted Mallrat across the globe with critical acclaim from NPR, Stereogum, NME, NYLON, PAPER Magazine, The New York Times, Billboard, Noisey and more further affirming Mallrat as a beacon primed for the world stage.
INSTAGRAM | X | TIK TOK | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | OFFICIAL WEBSITE
LALA HAYDEN announces new EP 'viva venus'
LALA HAYDEN announces new EP 'viva venus' and releases twisted toxic lullaby 'honeymoon suite'New EP 'viva venus' out 28th March
Stream new single 'honeymoon suite' HERE
Photo credit: Hanna L HaydenLISTEN, new single 'honeymoon suite'
YouTube | Spotify | Smartlink
(14 February) London/Barcelona-based LALA HAYDEN today announces her new EP 'viva venus' - out 28th March and shares its latest taste, new single 'honeymoon suite'. The new EP will feature the previously released tracks 'rush of love' and 'baby you're the best!' - and follows her 2023 debut EP 'Girl Becomes'.
Working with producer Ben Christophers (Bat For Lashes, Françoise Hardy) on its creation - new EP 'viva venus' draws from the work of strong female voices such as Robyn, Róisín Murphy, Ladyhawke, Self Esteem, Donna Summer, Jessie Ware and Lykke Li, with its themes exploring love in a digital age, chronicling a period of disconnection, as LALA expands: "This EP is a journey from seeking the love outside to beginning to get a glimpse of the love that exists within. I feel like technology has irrevocably changed the paradigm for relationships, both in how we engage with ourselves but also our surroundings. It feels like 24/7 thrill seeking or looking for the next best thing."
New single 'honeymoon suite' was co-written with Sam McTrusty & Ross McNae of Twin Atlantic, and Balancing Act's Jackson Couzens, capturing the paradox of escaping into love to avoid the darkness within; "a dark and sweet, lovesick toxic lullaby" as LALA describes herself.
On the song's lyrical inspiration, LALA continued to say:
"The song was inspired by a night at a casino hotel in palm springs. There was so much to see but I was so anxious that all I wanted to do was hide inside the suite with my love. I feel like I've been addicted to the honeymoon phase where everything is light because I was running away from the darkness inside. Anything to quiet the noise."
With early tastemaker press support from NME, Dork Magazine, DIY Magazine, The Line of Best Fit, and Ones To Watch, LALA has also solidified herself as a fascinating proposition on the live stage in recent months - with key festival appearances at Eurosonic, The Great Escape, Liverpool Sound City, Beyond The Music & more.
Alongside her music, LALA created a coaching platform for women in 2023 - with those two worlds colliding within her songwriting. Themes of womanhood, female empowerment; self love and interdependence are explored with passion and purpose, with her lyrics and unique live performances conveying strength and confidence, as she told Vogue - “The goal of my music is to make you walk with your back a little straighter, your chest a little more open and your head a little higher".
LALA HAYDEN's new EP 'viva venus' is out 28th March. LALA's new single 'honeymoon suite' is out now.
'honeymoon suite' single artwork–
'viva venus' EP track list
1. honeymoon suite
2. rush of love
3. baby you're the best!
4. beast
LIVE DATES
26 Feb - Colours, London (supporting Bradley Simpson)
22 May - CloseUp Festival, London (supporting CATTY)
24 May - Dot to Dot Festival, Bristol
25 May - Dot to Dot Festival, Nottingham
Follow, LALA
Instagram: @lauralalahayden
X / Twitter: @lauralalahayden
TikTok: @lauralalahayden
CULT OF VENUS RELEASES “ALGORITHM” VIA LIBERTY BELLE RECORDS / FUTURES + CURRENTLY ON TOUR w/ CHVRCHES’ LAUREN MAYBERRY
CULT OF VENUS RELEASES “ALGORITHM”
VIA LIBERTY BELLE RECORDS / FUTURES HERE
CURRENTLY ON AMERICAN TOUR WITH
CHVRCHES’ LAUREN MAYBERRY
(tour dates below)
“Mixed by Geoff Swan (Grimes, Caroline Polachek, Charli xcx), “Mountains” opens with a solo horn line before gorgeously layered vocals mesh together to create something eerily similar to what one would expect from a collaboration between CHVRCHES Lauren Mayberry and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver.” - Line Of Best Fit Magazine
Today, Cult Of Venus releases “Algorithm,” (Liberty Belle Records / Futures) HERE a poignant protest song for this moment - critiquing social media as a violent surveillance tool and its poetry explores how we are all controlled by our platforms and our phones. Currently, she’s on a full USA tour as the main support to CHVRCHES’ Lauren Mayberry.
Cult Of Venus is a multi-instrumentalist performance artist who has played MOMA PS1, Fotografiska's Chapel Bar for David LaChappelle’s FAITH exhibition, The Women's March NYC and put on concerts in prisons, including Riker’s Island women's jail in New York City.
Besides the current tour, she has been touring the West Coast for the past months, playing sold-out shows opening for City Of The Sun. All the graphics for the new EP have been created with Sarah Schmitt who designs for Julian Casablancas, The Voidz, The Strokes, Suki Waterhouse etc., and shot & filmed by Moody Darkroom.
Cult Of Venus tour dates:
direct support to Lauren Mayberry
Tue 1/28 - San Diego, CA @ House of Blues
Wed 1/29 - San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore
Fri 1/31 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell
Sat 2/1 - Denver, CO @ Gothic
Sun 2/2 - Lawrence, KS @ Granada Theater
Mon 2/3 - Minneapolis, MN @ Fine Line
Wed 2/5 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Fri 2/7 - Toronto, ON @ Concert Hall
Sat 2/8 - Buffalo, NY @ Electric City
Sun 2/9 - Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
Tue 2/11 - Boston, MA @ Royale
Thu 2/13 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
Fri 2/14 - Albany, NY @ Empire Live
Sat 2/15 - Norwalk, CT @ District Music Hall
Mon 2/17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Tue 2/18 - Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
Thu 2/20 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
Fri 2/21 - Charlotte, NC @ The Underground
Sat 2/22 - Nashville, TN @ The Mil
Mon 2/24 - Houston @ White Oak
Tue 2/25 - Dallas, TX @ Granada
Wed 2/26 - Austin, TX @ Scoot Inn
Fri 2/28 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent
Sun 3/2 - Los Angeles, CA @ Belasco
LA's Shunkan announces first album in five years
LA’S SHUNKAN ANNOUNCES FIRST
STUDIO ALBUM IN OVER FIVE YEARS
FIRST SINGLE “HELLBOUND” OUT NOW - LISTEN
KAMIKAZE GIRL ARRIVES MAY 6, 2025
VIA RITE FIELD RECORDS
Photo credit: Rae Mystic
“Indie-pop with sweetness but also with nerve and muscle.”
- STEREOGUM
“Fully-formed, confident and glorious.”
- DIY
“Straight up hi-fi rock.”
- VICE
“Shifts between sadcore balladry and uplifting indie rock, all covered in a layer of fuzz.”
- BROOKLYN VEGAN
“A punchy rock-out reminiscent of the grunge heyday.”
- UNDER THE RADAR (NZ)
“It’s a big thing coming,” Marina Sakimoto sings in the lead single off her first record in 6 years. And a big thing is coming indeed because Shunkan, the LA-based rock project of Sakimoto, is excited to announce her third studio album, Kamikaze Girl, out May 6, 2025 via Houston’s tastemaking Rite Field Records. Recorded last year in Joshua Tree, CA and produced by Alex Newport (Death Cab for Cutie, Melvins, The Mountain Goats), the incoming record inspects how to put things back together after falling apart. Heralding the announcement is the aforementioned “Hellbound,” a hazy, melancholic track that expects the worst and wants the best. Grounded by Sakimoto’s honeyed vocals, brightly toned guitar riffs reverberate like late-night memories and desire-driven mistakes.
“I like ‘Hellbound’ as the first track of the album because it feels like the initial descent into a transformative period for me,” says Sakimoto. “There’s that space in your life where you start sensing something (or someone) may not be the best for you, but the allure of it keeps you around because… what else do you have to lose? Nihilism—mixed with a lost sense of identity—is one hell of a drug. Sonically, I wanted this track to reflect what I was listening to at the time, which started with revisiting the ‘Lost in Translation’ soundtrack while I was in Japan.”
LISTEN TO “HELLBOUND”
PRE-ORDER KAMIKAZE GIRL
Shunkan signed to Rite Field Records last fall and quickly mapped out her first full-length offering since 2019’s Cumberland Falls. Sakimoto first debuted the project in 2014 with her first EP, Honey, Milk and Blood, which earned praise from the likes of DIY, Brooklyn Vegan and Far Out Magazine. Shunkan’s critically acclaimed first LP The Pink Noise, arrived in 2014 with fan favorite tracks, “Garden” and “S.A.D.” This year will mark the release of her most refined and introspective album yet, Kamikaze Girl.
SHUNKAN
KAMIKAZE GIRL
RITE FIELD RECORDS
Release date: May 6, 2025
TRACKLIST
1. Hellbound
2. Sidekick
3. Usual Suspects
4. INALYNAF
5. Frogtown
6. I Did My Part Today
7. Arm’s Length
8. Talk Is Cheap
9. Prettier
10. Gilligan’s Island
Mereba releases 'The Breeze Grew a Fire' via Secretly Canadian
MEREBA RELEASES NEW ALBUM THE BREEZE GREW A FIRE
SHARES MUSIC VIDEO FOR “HEART OF A CHILD”
HEADLINE NORTH AMERICAN TOUR BEGINS THIS SPRING
Mereba by Adane Firde
“She finds refuge on her second solo album, a collection of hushed, incandescent soul and pop-folk songs full of reverence for the people and experiences that sustain her.”
Pitchfork
“The Breeze Grew a Fire contains the kind of virtuosity that does not come overnight.”
DAZED
"Over twinkling, barely-there synths and neo-soul percussion, Mereba’s airy tone soars."
Billboard
"Everything that comes out of Mereba’s mouth sounds like ages-old wisdom."
The FADER
“The Breeze Grew a Fire doesn’t beg for attention – it waits patiently for the right listeners to find it.”
The Line of Best Fit
“On a spiritual level, the project is a vessel for what she wants to say to the world in this moment.”
NME
The Breeze Grew a Fire
LISTEN: https://Mereba.lnk.to/The-Breeze-Grew-a-Fire
“Heart of a Child”
WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLUtlsYxqpU
(February 14, 2025) - Today, Southern-bred multidisciplinary artist Mereba releases her new album The Breeze Grew a Fire out now on Secretly Canadian. Written entirely by Mereba and produced by Mereba with the help of Sam Hoffman and Kibrom Birhane, the album draws on new lived experiences and early influences while tapping into her maternal instinct. Throughout the record Mereba rediscovers space for her truest self.
Alongside the album Mereba shares the video for her song “Heart of a Child.” Filmed entirely in several historical neighborhoods in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, the video cuts between images of Mereba and her inner child showcasing her fresh and curious perspective of the world and was directed by Maranata Tegegne.
Speaking on the early stages of The Breeze Grew a Fire, Mereba shares, “For this [album], it went back to me being on my own for the creation of a lot of the songs, and it was really important for me at this time of life because I was a little disconnected from the world, and from who I was. So I was trying to find my way back to myself first. What do I like? What do I want to hear? What do I want to say to people now?” The development of The Breeze was anchored by experiences and memories from Atlanta to L.A., Addis Ababa to Greensboro, an intention that speaks to the album’s fluid nature. To aid in this creation, Mereba tapped her longtime production collaborator Sam Hoffman to co-assemble the album’s rich production, which parallels its folklore-like warmth.
To celebrate the album's release Mereba will be heading on a full North American tour beginning in April. The tour picks up in Sacramento and San Francisco before heading to Chicago, Montreal, New York, Boston and more. You can find full tour routing below.
Following the release of her debut album The Jungle Is the Only Way Out, Mereba welcomed the birth of her son in 2021. Naturally, the assumption of her role as mother and nurturer shifted her self-perception and as a result, the methods and drive behind her creative output. On The Breeze Grew a Fire Mereba looks towards her own inner child to carve out space for her most honest self.
Mereba’s previous debut album The Jungle Is the Only Way Out and follow up AZEB EP were both released to critical acclaim and sparked a global cult following with lead singles performed on Tiny Desk, COLORS and at the BET Awards. During the tail end of making her debut album Mereba was mentored by Stevie Wonder and he encouraged her to take control of her music as her own producer. Mereba was also featured on Dreamville Records Grammy-nominated album Revenge of the Dreamers III and four of Mereba’s songs have been featured on HBO’s hit series Insecure.
Mereba’s entry into songwriting began through folk music. Mereba shares, “I learned guitar from a folk guitar teacher as a young teen in North Carolina and that really shaped how I write songs to this day, focusing on simple stories of everyday life.” The diverse Atlanta music scene continued to shape Mereba’s artistry growing up. Mereba notes, “Coming up in the ripe underground music scene in Atlanta as an indie musician influenced my journey and sound so much. I was playing every kind of show, folk shows, reggae shows, rap shows, R&B shows. It was there where I honed my skills as a performer and also a rapper and R&B singer, branching out from the super folk-centric space. I formed relationships with Spillage Village, the rap collective I'm still a part of with other members JID, Earthgang, 6lack, and others. We all came up together in a really organic and beautiful way, going from playing shows for 30 people to playing shows for thousands together.”
Listen to The Breeze Grew a Fire above and find full tour routing below.
Upcoming Tour Dates
4/24/2025 - Sacramento, CA @ Harlows Nightclub
4/25/2025 - San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club
4/27/2025 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
4/28/2025 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
5/1/2025 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
5/4/2025 - @ Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck
5/6/2025 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
5/7/2025 - Detroit, MI @ The Magic Stick
5/9/2025 - Toronto, ON - The Axis Club
5/10/2025 - Montreal, QC @ Theatre Fairmont
5/13/2025 - Philadelphia, PA @ TLA
5/14/2025 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall - Grand Ballroom
5/16/2025 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
5/17/2025 - Washington, DC @ Howard Theatre
5/21/2025 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
The Breeze Grew a Fire album artwork
Mereba
The Breeze Grew a Fire
Secretly Canadian
February 14, 2025
1. Counterfeit
2. Ever Needed
3. Phone Me
4. White Doves
5. breeze grew fire
6. Out of the Blue
7. Starlight (my baby)
8. Meteorite
9. Hawk
10. Wild Sky
11. Spirit Guiding
12. Heart of a Child
13. Sanctuary
Connect with Mereba
Shimmy-Disc Announces Reissue of Bruce Haack's This Old Man LP (1975), Shares "This Old Man" Video | 'This Old Man' LP Reissue 3/14 via Shimmy-Disc
This Old Man LP (1975), Shares "This Old Man" Video via BrooklynVegan
Read Psychedelic Baby Feature
This Old Man LP Reissue Out March 14th via Shimmy-Disc
Photo courtesy of the Provincial Archives of Alberta PRE-SAVE: Bruce Haack - This Old Man (Reissue)Pre-Save
LISTEN/WATCH & SHARE: Bruce Haack - "This Old Man"
Stream | YouTube"'Music' [is] a playfully driving instrumental paired with Haack’s clinical-yet-human spoken-word vocals explaining what the whole deal is with music"
- FLOOD MagazineToday, Shimmy-Disc announces their forthcoming posthumous reissue of Bruce Haack's 1975 album This Old Man , due for release on March 14th (Shimmy-2029). This is the second Bruce Haack LP that Shimmy-Disc has re-released, following Captain Entropy (Shimmy-2019), in August 2023. This reissue is the first time This Old Man has been released on vinyl since 1975, originally via the artist’s own label, Dimension 5.
Bruce Haack (1931 - 1988) was a Canadian composer and electronic music pioneer whose creative output from the 1950s through the 1970s has been tragically under-appreciated.
Now considered to have been decades ahead of his time, Bruce Haack forged his music from glittering "new" computer landscapes of his own invention, long before the world was aware that such things were even possible. Welcome to his beautiful crucible of electronic sounds, wherein he illuminated his myriad of interests in science, the wonders of childhood, and the human condition, woven into a musical tapestry that shimmers like an exploding sun.
Alongside the announcement of the reissue, Shimmy-Disc is sharing a video for the first single, "This Old Man." This track is Bruce Haack’s spin on an old English folk tune, taking it further into His realm - the modern era of electronic music as it existed in 1975. The music was created on a computer/instrument of his own design, in an effort to speak directly to the child in everyone through his unique language of sound.
The video for "This Old Man" is being shared today. The full reissue of This Old Man is due for release on March 14th via Shimmy-Disc.
Bruce Haack - "This Old Man"
This Old Man - TRACK LISTING
Side A
This Old ManBodsElizabeth Foster GooseFour DancesSide B
Wooden BreadRemember17 Gifts For Free ChildrenShine OnThank YouMost of the music on this album was programmed on a polyphonic music computer built by Bruce Haack from surplus parts furnished by Ver-Tech Radio of Philadelphia. The machine was made in 18 months - without diagrams or plans (Bruce Haack has never studied electronics) and will produce up to twelve simultaneous voices in changing sequence via a memory holding over four-thousand bits of information. It will also compose at random.Bruce Haack LinksWebsite | Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Shimmy-Disc Links
Website | YouTube | Instagram | Bandcamp | Facebook
