Alexander Laurence's Blog, page 481
July 14, 2023
New Los Angeles Music & Nightlife Destination The Bellwether Celebrates Grand Opening And Adds Third Night With HAIM July 19
THE NEW, INDEPENDENT MULTI-GENRE
LIVE MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE DESTINATION
THE BELLWETHER
CELEBRATES ITS SOLD-OUT GRAND OPENING FEATURING
PHANTOGRAM
THIRD NIGHT WITH HAIM ADDED BY POPULAR DEMAND ON WEDNESDAY, JULY 19
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF THEIR DEBUT ALBUM ‘DAYS ARE GONE’
TICKETS ON SALE NOW HERE
FULL SLATE OF UPCOMING SHOWS FEATURING
PORTER ROBINSON, CARLY RAE JEPSEN, ISAIAH RASHAD,
PRINCESS, WILCO, SLOWDIVE AND MORE
Phantogram performing at opening night of The Bellwether | Photo by Josh Withers
Earlier this week, on Tuesday, July 11, history was made as Los Angeles’ newest music & nightlife destination THE BELLWETHER officially opened its doors featuring electronic rock duo Phantogram with ill peach. The sold-out crowd of 1,600 was eager to catch Phantogram’s first show in Los Angeles in three years and attend the grand opening of the new, independent multi-genre venue located in the heart of Los Angeles.
The excitement continues with a full slate of shows including a just-announced third night with HAIM, on Wednesday, July 19, celebrating 10 years of their debut album DAYS ARE GONE with a performance of the full album from front to back.
Tickets on sale now via thebellwetherla.com.
Shows coming soon to The Bellwether:
Fri, Jul 14 – Panda Bear + Sonic Boom
Mon, Jul 17, Tue, Jul 18 & Wed, Jul 19 – HAIM
Fri, Jul 21 – Andrew Bird
Sat, Jul 22 – DRAMA
Wed, Jul 26 – Mild High Club
Thu, Jul 27, Fri, Jul 28 & Sat, Jul 29 – Porter Robinson (Presenting: No Originals DJ Set on July 27,
air2earth on July 28, and Porter Robinson DJ Set on July 29)
Sun, Jul 30 – The Midnight
Tue, Aug 1 - LANY
Wed, Aug 2 – Poolside
Tue, Aug 8 – Santigold
Fri, Aug 11, Sat, Aug 12 & Sun, Aug 13 – Carly Rae Jepsen
Mon, Aug 14 – Tegan and Sara
Thur, Aug 17 & Fri, Aug 18 – Isaiah Rashad
Thurs, Aug 24 – Flipturn
Fri, Aug 25 – Sudan Archives
Sat, Aug 26 – Fool’s Gold 15th Anniversary Party with A-Trak + more TBA
Thu, Aug 31 – The Head And The Heart
Wed, Sep 20 – The Wombats
Fri, Sat 22 – Saint Motel
Sat, Sep 23 – Princess (Maya Rudolph and Gretchen Lieberum)
Wed, Sept 27 - Silversun Pickups
Fri, Sep 29 – Yo La Tengo
Tue, Oct 3 – Gus Dapperton
Mon, Oct 9 – Tove Lo
Tues, Oct 10 - The Black Angels & Dandy Warhols
Wed, Oct 11 – Wilco
Fri, Oct 13 – The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Sat, Oct 14 & Sun, Oct 15 - Slowdive
Fri, Oct 20 – Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs
Thu, Oct 26 – Dylan Matthew
Fri, Oct 27 – No Vacation
Sat, Oct 28 – Baroness
Thu, Nov 9 – Saint Paul & The Broken Bones with Maggie Rose
Fri, Nov 17 – Shallou
Outside The Bellwether on opening night, July 11, 2023 | Photo by Josh Withers
indie psych singer-songwriter Karina Rykman shares new song; debut album out Aug 18
KARINA RYKMAN SHARES NEW SONG, “BEACON”
ACCLAIMED SINGER-SONGWRITER-BASSIST
HERALDS UPCOMING DEBUT ALBUM
WITH WIDESCREEN NEW ANTHEM – LISTEN
“BEACON” LYRIC VIDEO STREAMING NOW - WATCH
BIGGEST HEADLINE TOUR TO DATE BEGINS SEPTEMBER 20
WITH SOLD-OUT SHOW AT BROOKLYN, NY’S BABY’S ALL RIGHT
JOYRIDE ARRIVES VIA AWAL ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 18
Photo Credit: Brantley Gutierrez / Download Hi-Res Image
Acclaimed singer-songwriter-bassist Karina Rykman has shared her latest single, “Beacon,” available everywhere today. The widescreen anthem heralds Rykman’s much-anticipated debut album, JOYRIDE, arriving via AWAL on Friday, August 18. Pre-orders are available now.
“I played an instrumental demo to my childhood best friend and podcast co-host Isaac Slone, who said when he heard it, ‘You’re going to play The Beacon with this one,’” says Rykman. “It then took on a double-entendre meaning, as the song was written about trying to be a beacon to a lost soul you want to, but cannot, help. The heavy subject matter is met with dark dance grooves and thick bass chords, as the music envelops the listener much as the water envelops the person who cannot be saved. I did the vocals in one take and they may be my favorite vocal performance to date.”
LISTEN TO “BEACON”
WATCH “BEACON” LYRIC VIDEO
PRE-ORDER JOYRIDE
JOYRIDE was initially heralded by the first single and title track, “Joyride.” Equal parts thick bass, ethereal synths, disco-funk guitar, and silky, inviting vocals, the track – which features signature lead guitar from JOYRIDE co-producer Trey Anastasio – expertly captures Rykman’s jubilant brand of sonic exploration, bridging an array of genres to arrive at her own compelling and original take on psychedelic indie rock.
LISTEN TO “JOYRIDE”
WATCH “JOYRIDE” OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO
Rykman will celebrate JOYRIDE with her biggest headline tour thus far. JOYRIDE Tour 2023 begins September 20 with a sold-out show at Brooklyn, NY’s Baby’s All Right and then travels the US through mid-December. Special guests include Guerilla Toss (September 23-November 4). For complete details and ticket information, please visit www.karinarykman.com/tour.
Hailed by Relix for her “ability to captivate audiences with her distinctive style and remarkable talent,” Rykman is currently traveling North America on a typically busy summer schedule, including top-billed performances at such festivals as Thornville, OH’s Secret Dreams Music & Arts Festival (August 17-19), Cockeysville, MD’s Hot August Music Festival (August 19), Lake George, NY’s Adirondack Independence Music Festival (September 1-3), Indianapolis, IN’s All In Music & Arts Festival (September 9), Mundelein, IL’s The Miracle In Mundelein (September 10), Fredericton, NB’s Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival (September 15), Greenfield, MA’s Wormtown Music Festival (September 15-17), and East Aurora, NY’s Borderland Music Festival (September 17).
Born and raised in New York City, Karina Rykman’s musical path began in her early teens playing in bands whenever she could while attending a veritable ton of live music as a fan. Her prowess on the bass guitar soon landed her a number of high-profile television gigs spanning America’s Got Talent to backing up pop star Julia Michaels on TODAY. By the end of her senior year at NYU, Rykman’s talent and infectious spirit saw her invited to join pianist Marco Benevento’s band (as recommended by Ween bassist Dave Dreiwitz), with whom she performed countless shows including dates with Vulfpeck, Dispatch, The Claypool Lennon Delirium, Guster, and many more.
Rykman soon formed her own namesake band, accompanied by Adam November (guitar, loopers, effects) and Chris Corsico (drums). She quickly earned a reputation as a mesmerizing, unmissable live act, lighting up an array of international stages with headline sets, show-stealing festival performances (including Bonnaroo, Peach Music Festival, and Sweetwater 420 Fest), shows alongside Khruangbin, Guster, and The Disco Biscuits (among others), and recent appearances sitting in with the 8G Band on NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers.
That same spellbinding power was soon captured on a series of independent singles, including “Elevator” and the million-streaming “Plants,” both of which have now been newly enhanced for Rykman’s debut album, JOYRIDE. Written and recorded with childhood friend, producer Gabe Monro, the album serves as a vivid canvas for Rykman’s vibrant expression and chameleonic songcraft. JOYRIDE features Trey Anastasio as co-producer and featured musician, contributing guitar on five of the album’s nine tracks.
The collaboration is the outcome of a happenstance encounter when both artists performed at 2021’s Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA. Anastasio took a profound interest in being a part of Rykman’s debut album, offering the use of his storied Vermont studio, The Barn, along with the suggestion to work with renowned mixer Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Swans, Ramones).
# # #
KARINA RYKMAN - “JOYRIDE TOUR 2023”
AUGUST
11 – Westport, CT – Levitt Pavilion (Free Show)
17-19 – Thornville, OH – Secret Dreams Music & Arts Festival *
19 – Cockeysville, MD – Hot August Music Festival *
SEPTEMBER
1-3 – Lake George, NY – Adirondack Independence Music Festival *
9 – Indianapolis, IN – All In Music & Arts Festival *
10 – Mundelein, IL – The Miracle In Mundelein *
15 – Fredericton, NB – Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival *
15-17 – Greenfield, MA – Wormtown Music Festival
17 – East Aurora, NY – Borderland Music Festival *
20 – Brooklyn, NY – Baby’s All Right (SOLD OUT)
23 – Richmond, VA – The Camel †
25 – Raleigh, NC – Pour House †
26 – Asheville, NC – Asheville Music Hall †
28 – Charleston, SC – Pour House †
29 – Atlanta, GA – Aisle 5 †
30 – Nashville, TN – The Blue Room at Third Man †
OCTOBER
27 – San Diego, CA – Winstons †
28 – Los Angeles, CA – Venice West †
29 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel †
NOVEMBER
1 – Cave Junction, OR – Bruno’s Cavern †
2 – Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub †
3 – Portland, OR – Polaris Hall †
4 – Seattle, WA – High Dive †
30 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Putnam Place
DECEMBER
1 – Burlington, VT – Nectar’s
2 – Burlington, VT – Nectar’s
3 – Portland, ME – Portland House of Music
16 – Boston, MA – Sonia
* Festival Appearance
† w/ Special Guests Guerilla Toss
CHARLOTTE CARDIN RELEASES NEW TRACK “JIM CARREY”
“JIM CARREY”
SOPHOMORE ALBUM 99 NIGHTS OUT AUGUST 25
Credit: Aliocha Schneider
Multi JUNO-winning Canadian singer/songwriter Charlotte Cardin has released “Jim Carrey,” the fourth offering from her stellar sophomore album 99 Nights (out August 25 via Cult Nation/Atlantic Records). The playful, upbeat track, partially inspired by the acclaimed actor of its title, is a love letter to personal freedom as Charlotte repeats in the anthemic chorus, “Goodbye my worthless ego / Without you I'm finally free, oh.”
STREAM “JIM CARREY” HERE
WATCH VISUALIZER FOR “JIM CARREY” HERE
On the new track, Cardin says, “It’s a special one. I went into this rabbit hole of Jim Carrey interviews. He discusses ego in an interesting way. In his perspective, our need for acceptance holds us back from embracing who we really are. The track explores getting rid of your ego. You can decide what your destiny is if you take a risk and accept to be who you really are at the fullest. It’s a metaphor, but marrying Jim Carrey is a good way to start the inner work.”
“Jim Carrey” follows a string of impressive singles, “99 Nights,” “Confetti” and “Looping,” all of which garnered widespread excitement and praise from the likes of Billboard, V Magazine, UPROXX and more. She will be taking the album on the road for an international headline tour kicking off August 30th with stops in New York City at Irving Plaza, Boston at Brighton Music Hall, Los Angeles at the El Rey Theatre and London at KOKO. Tickets are available to purchase now - find HERE.
Cardin carefully assembled what would become 99 Nights while on the road in 2021. After initial sessions in Montréal, she wrote and recorded in London, Los Angeles, and Toronto to “fuel a creative free flow.”
She shares, “We called it 99 Nights, because it was a big journey through all of these worlds I needed to explore in order to touch base with the most important things in my life. I realized I needed to get the fuck out of where I was. The 99 Nights are a symbol of one chapter closing and another beginning. It’s nostalgic because there’s an ending, but it’s very hopeful since I’m starting over. The first few months of the process traced a path for the sound, emotion, and stories I would be sharing, hence the title.”
Cardin released her debut full-length album Phoenix in 2021 to immense acclaim (and platinum certification in Canada) including a sweep of 2022 Juno Awards that included wins for Artist, Album, Pop Album and Single of the Year and a 2022 Polaris Music Prize nomination. Praised by HYPEBAE for its “rippling melodies” and “stunningly raw vocals,” the album held the #1 spot in Canada for two weeks and boosted Cardin to over 400m global career audio streams. The album was celebrated with an elaborate and immersive ticketed livestream performance dubbed “The Phoenix Experience,” in addition to an expanded deluxe edition. The stunning body of work features stand-out singles “Meaningless” and “Sex To Me,” the latter of which was featured on the second season of Netflix’s hit show Sex/Life.
Following the success of her Big Boy EP across Canada, Cardin made waves worldwide with her major label and US debut Main Girl EP in 2017. Featuring the standout title track and breakthrough “Dirty Dirty,” Main Girl quickly gained critical acclaim from the likes of The FADER, Harper’s BAZAAR, Interview, NYLON, PAPER, W Magazine & more. The release simultaneously sparked a whirlwind two-year journey around the globe that saw Cardin support the likes of Nick Murphy and BØRNS, in addition to selling out headline shows on multiple continents (including 29 shows on her 2022 North American Phoenix Tour) and gracing the stages of festivals such as Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Osheaga & Festival d’Été de Québec.
PRE-ORDER 99 NIGHTS HERE
Charlotte Cardin – “99 Nights Tour”
8/30 – Trois-Rivières, QC @ Amphithéâtre Cogeco
8/31 – Trois-Rivières, QC @ Amphithéâtre Cogeco
9/7 – Quebec City, QC @ l'Agora - Port du Québec (Sold Out)
9/8 – Quebec City, QC @ l'Agora - Port du Québec (Sold Out)
9/13 – London, UK @ KOKO
9/14 – Manchester, UK @ Band on the Wall
9/15 – Bristol, UK @ Thekla
9/21 – Brussels, BE @ La Madeleine
9/22 – Amsterdam, NL @ Tolhuistuin
9/23 – Cologne, DE @ Club Volta
9/26 – Munich, DE @ Ampere
9/27 – Berlin, DE @ Columbia Theater
9/28 – Hamburg, DE @ Kent Club
9/30 – Istanbul, TR@ Zorlu PSM
10/24 – Washington, DC @ Union Stage
10/25 – Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
10/27 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza (Sold Out)
10/28 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Foundry at the Fillmore
10/30 – Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
11/4 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
11/5 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues - Voodoo Room (Sold Out)
11/7 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
11/9 – San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
11/11 – Portland, OR @ Mission Theater
11/12 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
11/16 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
11/17 – Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom (Sold Out)
11/18 – Victoria, BC @ Capital Ballroom (Sold Out)
11/22 – Edmonton, AB @ Midway Music Hall
11/23 – Calgary, AB @ The Palace Theatre
11/24 – Saskatoon, SK @ Coors Event Centre
11/25 – Winnipeg, MB @ Park Theatre (Sold Out)
1/23 – Strasbourg, FR @ La Laiterie
1/24 – Paris, FR @ L’Olympia (Sold Out)
1/26 – Bordeaux, FR @ Krakatoa
1/27 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Métronum
1/30 – Lille, FR @ Théâtre Sébastopol
1/31 – Caen, FR @ Big Band Café
2/2 – Rennes, FR @ L’antipode
2/3 – La Roche Sur Yon, FR @ Quaim
2/8 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell
2/9 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell (Sold Out)
2/10 – Laval, QC @ Place Bell (Sold Out)
KEEP UP WITH CHARLOTTE CARDIN:
CHARLOTTECARDIN.COM | TIKTOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | YOUTUBE | FACEBOOK | PRESS ASSETS
CYN RELEASES NEW SINGLE – “WHERE DO ALL THE DIAMONDS GO?”
“WHERE DO ALL THE DIAMONDS GO?”
View Official Video HERE
“Cyn is here to steal your heart.” PAPER Magazine
Cyn returns with a buoyant new single – “Where Do All The Diamonds Go?” – released today via Unsub Records. The poignant track, which was produced by Teddy Geiger (Niall Horan, Shawn Mendes), finds Cyn with a baby on the way and embracing a new version of herself – but intrusive thoughts keep bringing her back to an abandoned ring that lies tucked away in a drawer. Listen HERE.
"This song is obviously about rings and a few intrusive thoughts surrounding them...but more importantly, this song is about how some things have to perish to make way for seeds of meant-to-be with no choice but to grow."
In the accompanying video, Cyn sits in her car and watches a parade of people visiting a Los Angeles pawn shop. As she sings, patrons step up to the counter, presenting unique mementos from the past. View HERE.
Download hi-res art HERE
“Where Do All The Diamonds Go?” follows Cyn’s recent singles “House With A View” and “Losing Sleep.” The official video for “House With A View” features a cameo by Unsub label chief Katy Perry, who told Rolling Stone, “Cyn is a savant songwriter and knows how to perfectly put into words the soundtrack to your late-night Zillow scrolls, and a musical middle finger to that student loan life.” View “House With A View” HERE and watch Cyn’s on-set interview with “Extra” HERE. In this feature, LADYGUNN observed, “[With ‘[Losing Sleep’] she is packing all kinds of punches to have the world talking…Cyn is bringing some fun back to the pop music genre.”
Born in Michigan, Cyn went from sharing tunes on Soundcloud to catching the attention of Katy Perry via her DJ. After signing to Unsub Records, she accompanied the global superstar on tour. Cyn has amassed over 215 million combined global streams with her debut EP, Mood Swing, and a string of singles that included “Drinks,” a top 25 hit at U.S. pop radio.
Rolling Stone christened “Drinks” a “Song You Need To Know” and Nylon hailed it as “delightful.” The song landed on the soundtrack for the Academy® Award-winning Promising Young Woman, and was also featured on the soundtracks for To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You and Warner Brother’s Birds of Prey. FLAUNT Magazine said, “The voice that captivated Katy Perry is about to make love to your ears next.”
Photo Credit: Lissyelle Laricchia
OFFICIAL WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | SOUNDCLOUD | YOUTUBE | TIKTOK
Listen to the Powerful New Album from Jaye Jayle, ‘Don’t Let Your Love Life Get You Down’
Listen to the Powerful New Album from Jaye Jayle, Don’t Let Your Love Life Get You Down.
The record is out everywhere today. // Watch a video for the opening track “Warm Blood and Honey” now.
Don't Let Your Love Life Get You Down, cover art.
"hauntingly gorgeous" - BrooklynVegan
To understand how Jaye Jayle arrived at the way station of their forthcoming album, Don’t Let Your Love Life Let You Down, you must first trace the trail back to the project’s modest beginnings. The earliest Jaye Jayle releases were 45s housed in dust jackets—the kind of relics you would expect to find shoved in milk crates at the back of vintage record stores. Etched into their grooves you’d find a sparse and cryptic spin on American roots music; across the first two Jaye Jayle albums—House Cricks and Other Excuses to Get Out (2016) and No Trail and Other Unholy Paths (2018)—Patterson expanded the parameters of his sound. If you listened closely, you could hear the echoes of their home, Louisville, in the songs. There was the tension and dynamics of Slint, the hushed songwriting of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, and the repetitious minimalism of The Shipping News, yet it somehow didn’t seem tethered to any clear tradition. The big sea change came with Prisyn (2020). A portmanteau of prison and synthetic, Prisyn was a deliberate departure from his previous work’s organic nature and an embrace of the personal isolation that set in with the pandemic. For Don’t Let Your Love Life Get You Down, Patterson returned the full-band approach while taking the crucial lessons he learned from working on Prisyn.
It was a gradual and uncertain process, but Patterson was in a much different headspace than he’d been in the past, having come out on the other side of a dissolved marriage and a long period of instability and uncertainty. “I found peace in being accepting of the change,” he says. That openness and vulnerability shaped the music and tapped into something that no previous Jaye Jayle album has attained. “I wanted the songs to feel ‘devastatingly hopeful’… this is absolutely the most emotionally straightforward album I have made.”
A sense of adversity and redemption can be heard across the album— from the odes to intimacy and unfortunate incompatibilities of first single “Black Diamonds and Bad Apples,” Don’t Let Your Love Life Get You Down conjures an aura of psychedelic grace and enveloping warmth through its pairing of pensive baritone poetics and gospel-infused blues. Of the single, Patterson comments: "I’ve been doing a lot of self-work since the pandemic. It was a trying time for everyone to say the least. To make the choice of where and how to focus my powers, to be selfless and understanding, and to equally be capable of taking care of myself as well as others. It’s a simple song about a very difficult and complex time in my life. It’s a song about excepting my recent divorce and the commitment of forever-love regardless of the separation."
Across the eight songs of Don’t Let Your Love Life Get You Down, Patterson and his cohorts take the old American singer-songwriter template and imbue it with a kaleidoscope of sonic textures culled from a half-century’s worth of fringe music. One of the most critical contributors to Jaye Jayle’s multi-dimensional sound comes from producer/multi-instrumentalist Ben Chisholm (Chelsea Wolfe), who was brought into the fold to mix the album. “Ben and I made Prisyn together and I have had one of my favorite musical relationships of my life since then. I consider him the secret member of the band at this point,” Patterson says. “Ben’s ideas are modern and saturated with layers of sonic color. I always describe his mixing as plush, like a velvet landscape. He is a genius to my ears.”
This aural grandeur reinforces the life-affirming radiance of Don’t Let Your Love Life Get You Down. Though Jaye Jayle retains the hypnotic repetition and austere instrumentation of their past, the added layers and saturation of sound intensifies the hallucinatory spirit and synesthesia delights only previously hinted at in their work. As with all Jaye Jayle records, it’s still best suited for the hours after midnight, but it now holds the promise of dawn.
Listen to Don't Let Your Love Life Get You Down here.
Watch / share "Warm Blood and Honey on YouTube.
See Jaye Jayle on tour this month, and look for more exciting news to arrive soon.
Jaye Jayle, on tour:
July 25 Birmingham, AL @ Saturn *
July 26 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
July 27 Nashville, TN @ DRKMTTR *
July 28 Louisville, KY @ Planet of the Tapes *
July 29 Hammond, IN @ Paul Henry’s Art Gallery
July 30 Chicago, IL @ Beat Kitchen *
* w/ Kowloon Walled City
Photo courtesy of Jaye Jayle.
Don't Let Your Love Life Get You Down, track listing:
Warm Blood and HoneyThe Party of Redemption (feat. Patrick Shiroishi)Black Diamonds and Bad ApplesThat Snake BiteTell Me LiveWaiting for the LifeThe FloristWhen We Are Dogs (feat. Bonnie "Prince" Billy & Patrick Shiroishi)
Jaye Jayle group photo by: Bobby Cochran.
For more information on Jaye Jayle, visit:
RITA ORA RELEASES NEW ALBUM "YOU & I"
RITA ORA RELEASES NEW ALBUM YOU & I
FEATURES #1 BILLBOARD DANCE RADIO/MIXSHOW SINGLE “PRAISING YOU (FEAT. FATBOY SLIM)”
BUY/STREAM HERE
You & I Album Artwork
Credit: Michella Bredahl
July 14th, 2023, New York, NY – Today, international critically acclaimed singer-songwriter Rita Ora releases her new album You & I via BMG. Threaded together to signify the different chapters of her relationship, You & I is a deeply personal body of work intrinsically linked to a new stage in Rita’s life and career and pays homage to her own eclectic tastes. You can listen to You & I here.
“The ‘You’ in You & I represents more than just the man I love,” Rita says. “It’s my mum, my friends, my fans, and in some ways, it represents the relationship I have with myself. This album has been like my diary for the past two years, and I’m so thrilled you finally get to hear it.”
With Rita having co-written every track on the album, You & I proves to be her most diaristic project yet. Working with executive producer Oak Felder (Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys, Usher), Rita has created a high-spirited record about what it feels like to fall beautifully, instinctually in love all while set to tracks destined for the dancefloor.
Throughout the album, Rita looks back with songs like “Girl in the Mirror,” an homage to her younger self, and “Notting Hill,” which hearkens back to her teenage years. “That Girl” features an interpolation of Eddie Murphy’s “Party All The Time” and speaks to Rita’s philosophy to have fun at every stage of life, while the defiant “Shape of Me” serves as a bittersweet ode to Rita’s relationship with her mother.
You & I also includes the previously released singles “Don’t Think Twice,” “Praising You (feat. Fatboy Slim)” and “You Only Love Me,” which have accumulated nearly 100 million global streams in total. “Praising You,” which PAPER declared “a house banger,” has held the #1 spot on Billboard’s Dance Radio/Mixshow Chart for four weeks in a row and is currently #2 on the US Dance Radio Chart. Upon its release, the single immediately entered the Top 40 and is currently sitting at #23.
Rita’s new album marks the first under her new partnership with BMG, which will see her own all her future master recordings and enjoy artistic control in a way that she hasn’t had previously.
YOU & I TRACKLIST:
1. Don't Think Twice
2. You Only Love Me
3. Praising You (feat. Fatboy Slim)
4. Unfeel It
5. Waiting For You
6. You and I
7. That Girl
8. Shape Of Me
9. Look At Me Now
10. Girl In The Mirror
11. Notting Hill
12. I Don't Wanna Be Your Friend
BUY/STREAM YOU & I HERE
ABOUT RITA ORA
Rita Ora is an international critically acclaimed singer-songwriter with over 10 billion streams, four #1 UK singles and has held the record for the most Top 10 singles for a British female artist in the history of the UK with a total of 13. Rita’s new album, You & I, features “You Only Love Me,” lauded by Billboard as “a finely crafted ode to complicated romance” where Rita proves to be “an expert in the type of sleekly-designed, electro-tinged pop on display” and “Praising You,” a rework of Fatboy Slim's ‘90s chart-topping Grammy-nominated hit, which PAPER declared “a house banger." You & I follows previous releases: Bang, a collaboration EP with GRAMMY-winning DJ and producer Imanbek that mixes modern pop with ‘80s and ‘90s floor-filling house; Phoenix, which has amassed over four billion streams, spawned four platinum singles, including the award-winning track “Lonely Together” with Avicii; and Ora, her certified platinum debut album, which entered at #1 on the UK charts. In the US alone, Rita’s acclaimed singles and star-studded collaborations have earned her seven Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs Chart, five of which reached #1, six Top 20 singles on Billboard’s Hot Dance/Electronic Songs Chart, and a #3 Billboard Hot 100 song with Iggy Azalea’s “Black Widow.”
As a multi-talented industry leader across TV, culture and fashion, with brand partnerships in key sectors, Rita has continuously expanded her personal brand to new heights. In 2019, she launched the award-winning Próspero Tequila alongside Concecuh Brands and currently serves as Chief Creator Partner. Additionally, in 2022, Rita founded her sustainable activewear brand, Humans Being, where she operates as Chief Creative Officer. Her film and television credits include the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise, POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, Twist, The Masked Singer UK, The Voice Australia, The X-Factor UK, and the Netflix series Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight. Rita will soon star opposite Jamie Foxx and Robert De Niro in the upcoming film Tin Soldier and will join Brandy in the Descendants sequel The Rise of Red on Disney+.
FOLLOW RITA ORA
LA-Based CDMX-Born Bedroom Pop Artist HARMLESS Shares Summery Indie R&B Single "Rosie"
LA-BASED MEXICO CITY-BORN
BEDROOM POP ARTIST
HARMLESS
SHARES SUMMERY INDIE R&B SINGLE
“ROSIE”
ANNOUNCES TOUR WITH ROAR
hi-res by @tomsonehourphotolab
“breath-of-fresh-air bedroom-pop” – Flood Magazine
July 14, 2022 – Gold-selling bedroom pop artist Harmless, aka Los Angeles-based, Mexico City-born songwriter/producer Nacho Cano, shares his blissful new single, “Rosie,” that layer’s indie dance party-ready beats over his smooth vocals. Named after a fan’s dog, the actual meaning of the track is deeper than puppy love. Nacho explains, “It is about courtship, specifically how my wife courted me. I tried to write it from my wife’s perspective, especially since we were long-distance when we started dating. That can always bring doubts, but ultimately when you find someone like no one else, you gotta go for it.”
LISTEN + SHARE “Rosie"
Harmless is also excited to announce a West Coast run with Roar that is on-sale now. The tour launches on September 11th in San Diego at the Voodoo Room and includes a date at the Echoplex in Los Angeles, Bottom Of The Hill in San Francisco, and the Flipside Festival in Boise before wrapping in Phoenix at the Rebel Lounge on September 26th. A full list of dates can be found below.
The track follows his bilingual single “What U Want,” and the shoegazey “As I Lay Chillin,” which both tackle life in America as an artist, an immigrant, and a person disabled by a crime. All three new tracks were written in his small office-turned-home studio in Silverlake while reconciling with how his life has changed after he was almost killed by a drunk driver in a hit-and-run accident. They were produced by Yves Rothman at the iconic Sunset Sound.
Nacho grew up in Mexico before his family settled in San Diego. At 17-years-old, he developed an obsession with the “blog-o-sphere,” intently following the commentary of Pitchfork, Anthony Fantano, and more as a self-professed “early high school internet kid.” This obsession made him realize it was possible to make music of his own. Not long after gaining citizenship, his life took another series of dramatic turns. Even though his musical output was gaining traction, he still needed to hold down a day job. Riding his bike to work one morning, a drunk driver disregarded a stop sign, and left him practically in ruins. Hours upon hours of surgery followed as doctors rebuilt his spine and face.
As if by a stroke of well-earned luck, his anthem “Swing Lynn” organically exploded on TikTok. In between the jarring experience of the criminal trial for his accident, it picked up a Gold certification and scored nearly half-a-billion streams and counting. He maintained this momentum with the Mr. Baby EP [2022] highlighted by “Nacho’s,” “Mrs. Moody,” and “Call Katie.” Simultaneously, he toured with Vacations, Wavves, and many more.
Stay tuned for more from Harmless soon.
TOUR DATES
+Supporting ROAR
9/11 San Diego, CA Voodoo Room +
9/12 Santa Ana, CA Constellation Room +
9/13 Los Angeles, CA Echoplex +
9/14 Felton, CA Felton Music Hall +
9/15 Sacramento, CA Starlet Room +
9/16 San Francisco, CA Bottom Of The Hill +
9/19 Seattle, WA Vera Project +
9/20 Portland, OR Polaris Hall +
9/22 Boise, ID Flipside Festival
9/23 Salt Lake City, UT Kilby Court +
9/24 Denver, CO Moon Room +
9/25 Albuquerque, NM Sister Bar +
9/26 Phoenix, AZ Rebel Lounge +
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https://www.instagram.com/yosoyharmless
Ravi Shankar’s George Harrison-Produced 'Shankar Family And Friends' Reissue Out Today via Dark Horse Records
DARK HORSE RECORDS TODAY RELEASES
RAVI SHANKAR’S SHANKAR FAMILY & FRIENDS
GEORGE HARRISON-PRODUCED 1974 ALBUM
IS NOW AVAILABLE ON VINYL, DIGITAL DOWNLOAD,
AND FIRST-EVER STAND-ALONE CD
INCLUDES APPEARANCES BY INDIAN MAESTROS: HARIPRASAD CHAURASIA ON FLUTE, SHIVKUMAR SHARMA ON SANTOOR, LAKSHMI SHANKAR ON VOCALS AS WELL AS RINGO STARR, BILLY PRESTON, EMIL RICHARDS, JIM KELTNER, NICKY HOPKINS AND MORE
LIVE VIDEO OF GEORGE HARRISON WITH RAVI SHANKAR’S ORCHESTRA PERFORMING “DISPUTE AND VIOLENCE” AVAILABLE HERE
SHANKAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AVAILABLE VIA DARK HORSE RECORDS
ORDER NOW
Today, Dark Horse Records is pleased to announce the reissue of the groundbreaking 1974 album Shankar Family & Friends by world renowned Indian musician Ravi Shankar. Shankar Family & Friends was a pioneering album that mixed Eastern and Western styles – fusing together Indian, pop, classical and jazz music. Produced by George Harrison, it combines Western musicians such as Ringo Starr, Billy Preston, Jim Keltner, Klaus Voormann, and Nicky Hopkins side-by-side with Indian-music innovators Alla Rakha, Ashish Khan, Shivkumar Sharma, and Hariprasad Chaurasia. Under the musical direction of Shankar, the large orchestra featured on the album showcases over 30 instruments from the East and West that combined in a ground-breaking way that made it one of the first world music albums ever released.
To celebrate the reissue of Ravi Shankar's classic "Shankar Family & Friends" album, watch George Harrison with Ravi Shankar's Orchestra performing the track "Dispute and Violence" from the LP live in Toronto on December 6, 1974 at the Maple Leaf Gardens. Captured on film during George Harrison and Ravi Shankar's 1974 North American tour, which they undertook to promote George's own "Dark Horse" album and Ravi's first album on Harrison's newly launched Dark Horse Records label, it's the first time this HD footage has been officially available to stream. Featured musicians on this live performance include: Alla Rakha – tabla; Hariprasad Chaurasia – flute; Lakshmi Shankar - Conductor vocals; Viji Shankar – vocals; Harihar Rao - vocals & other instruments; Shivkumar Sharma – santoor; Billy Preston – keyboards; Jim Keltner – drums; Tom Scott – sax; and Willie Weeks – bass.
WATCH “DISPUTE AND VIOLENCE” HERE
Shankar Family & Friends has been out of print for many years and contains the first single ever issued on Dark Horse Records, “I Am Missing You,” which features Lakshmi Shankar on vocals backed by a full Western rock band. The label is proud to present the original album remastered at Abbey Road Studios from the original source masters by Paul Hicks (George Harrison, The Beatles, John Lennon, The Rolling Stones) and reissued for the first time on CD as a standalone release alongside an orchid color vinyl edition.
Recorded at A&M Studios in Los Angeles in April 1973, Shankar Family & Friends marked the first time Harrison and Ravi had collaborated as musicians with Harrison playing acoustic and electric guitar under the name Hari Georgeson. One half of the album comprises instrumentals and songs, while the second half is a thematic ballet to a yet un-staged performance.
When asked about the making of the album at the time of the original release, Shankar said: “I’ve written music for many ballets in India. But never, never in the West, with so many Western instruments. This one I did without trying to make it totally Indian at all. I thought of making something very international. That’s why you hear all sorts of sound, starting from sitar or sarod to Moog synthesizer.
“The album contains almost every possible style that you can think of. For many years I was criticized by the purists, but there is much less criticism now, and even if people do it, it doesn’t bother me now. What I think of as new is just supplementing the tradition and adding new flavors - the source is always there.”
Order HERE.
ABOUT DARK HORSE RECORDS
George Harrison’s passion for introducing the world to new music expressed itself in 1974 when he created his own new label, Dark Horse Records, as a place for his solo work and a home for supporting other artists. The newly relaunched Dark Horse, continues that legacy as label home to such diverse artists as Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Joe Strummer, Leon Russell, Ravi Shankar, Billy Idol, Deep Purple’s Jon Lord, Benmont Tench, and of course, George himself. For more, please visit www.darkhorserecords.com.
# # #
RAVI SHANKAR
SHANKAR FAMILY AND FRIENDS
(Dark Horse Records)
Tracklist:
1. I Am Missing You
2. Kahan Gayelava Shyam Salone
3. Supane Me Aye Preetam Sainya
4. I Am Missing You (Reprise)
5. Jaya Jagadish Har
6. Overture
7. Part One: Dream Festivity & Joy
8. Love - Dance Ecstasy
9. Part Two: Nightmare Lust
10. Dispute & Violence
11. Disillusionment & Frustration
12. Despair & Sorrow
13. Part Three: Dawn Awakening
14. Peace & Hope
# # #
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Texas band semiwestern announces debut LP & shares first single/video, "Pose"
Texas band semiwestern announces debut LP & shares first single/video, "Pose"
“..consistently releasing stellar tracks that encompass a wide variety of sub-genres and influences.” - Earmilk
“..it’s easy to tell the excellent quality of Bohrnstedt’s songwriting and lovable showcasing of DIY concepts..” - Obscure Sound
VIDEO: "Pose" -
YouTube
"This song is sort of what put us on track to make this album, that and my dog’s surgery. Some friends had asked me if we were still working on music, the answer was no, but I showed them a demo of ‘pose’ and received some really positive feedback. Around the same time, my wiener dog had to undergo a second spinal surgery and required 24 hour care and months of rehab. We were confined to my room all day, with my recording equipment, for the better part of three months and that’s when I recorded ‘pose’ and wrote the rest of the album." -Ty Bohrnstedt, semiwestern***
Hailing from Texas, semiwestern is an indie band consisting of Ty Bohrnstedt and Daniel Gonzalez. Their creative undertaking took root in their childhood, as they crossed paths as aspiring tennis players competing in national junior tournaments around the country. They would later reunite in their 20s, sparking a musical connection that would become the foundation of semiwestern.With influences ranging from the visionary songcraft of Grandaddy, Pinback and R. Stevie Moore, to the moodiness and melodic brilliance of Lou Reed, Elliott Smith, The Fall, Built To Spill, and Sonic Youth, semiwestern weaves a charmingly unpolished and emotive sound that is heavily informed by DIY ethos.
Despite the distance between them, with Daniel residing in Houston and Ty in a small town outside of Dallas, the duo overcomes geographical obstacles by sharing their creative process through digital means. Iterations of songs are exchanged via email, while discussions and refining of their musical vision take place over countless phone calls.
Formerly known as The Vliets, semiwestern has garnered recognition in the vibrant music scene of Austin, Texas.
They were once voted as the "Best Emerging Rock Band'' in Austin by The Deli Magazine, and have opened for notable artists such as Alex G, DIIV, Elvis Depressedly, and Frankie Rose.
semiwestern’s 2022 saw the release of single ‘velvet sea’ on Spirit Goth Records and a cover of Charli XCX’s "Constant Repeat," which garnered praise from the original song's producer. A full length album is due out in September 2023 on Spirit Goth Records.
semiwestern
semiwestern
(Spirit Goth / Audiosport)
Street Date: Sept 13, 2023
Track List:
1. i never mean what i say2. condo
3. technique
4. cienaga
5. pose
6. domestic cat
7. visitor
8. in a field
9. zero for conduct pt. 1
10. zero for conduct pt. 2
semiwestern LINKS:
Instagram TwitterBandcamp
Official Site
July 13, 2023
Sky Ferreira @ The Observatory North Park FRIDAY, JULY 7, 2023
All photos by BRADLEY DUPRAY
