Wednesday, January 26, 2022

Watch: Howless Drop New Single/Video "Rain and Ice"

Mexico City-based noise-pop/shoegaze quartet Howless have dropped the video for their new single "Rain and Ice".

The song is taken from their upcoming debut studio album 'To Repel Ghosts', which will be available on February 18th through Static Blooms Records. Pre-order your copy here.

Watch/listen below.



Tags: Howless

Watch: Ryan Bourne Shares New Single/Video "Black Hole"

Canadian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Bourne has shared the video for his new single "Black Hole".

The song is taken from their forthcoming new album 'Plant City'. Get it here.

“Black Hole” is a condensed satire sung from the perspective of a “kind of sexy non-binary spiritual illumination realizing itself in spite of the trouble we appear to be in.” 

Watch/listen below.


Rip Room Announce New LP 'Alight and Resound', Stream "Worth Repeating"

San Francisco art punk band Rip Room have announced the release of their debut full-length album 'Alight and Resound'. 

Recorded with engineer Tim Green (Nation of Ulysses, Melvins, Bikini Kill, Sebadoh), the 12-track album will be out on May 27 through Spartan Records. Pre-order your copy here.

The record features pulsing songs that harken back to better musical times while somehow embracing the relevance of the moment. Think Unwound, Sleater-Kinney, and Fugazi. Propulsive rhythms and piercing lyrics, but with a sense of buoyancy. Brashness over banality. Wolves in sheep’s clothing.

“I wanted to be in a fun, high-energy band, but with a math-y, prog edge,” says vocalist/guitarist John Reed. “We’re always looking to capture our live sound, and with this record, we wanted that plus a little more to emphasize some ideas or sonic feelings,” adds bassist/vocalist Sarah McKinney. “The subject matter is pretty heavy, but the execution is sometimes a bit more lighthearted and dance-y which I think balances it out well. Our sound was once described as ‘dance music for people who don’t like to dance,’ which I don’t agree with — I’d say it’s ‘dance music for people who like to dance but are also bummed out’.”

Thematically, while instrumentally effervescent, 'Alight and Resound' delves into some more turbulent lyrical waters. Loneliness, chaos, despair, and struggle — yet somehow with a glimmer of hope. “The title of the record is a lyric from the song ‘Get On In The World,’ which is in part about frustration and not really fitting in,” says Reed. “Everyone’s focused or too wrapped up in their own shit and sadly this too often devolves into misunderstandings, at best, and violence, at worst. Alight and Resound is like a plea — move to a different plane of understanding and empathy or else we’re fucked.”

Alight and Resound is a testament to the power of seeking brashness over banality. There is perceptible life and light in the recordings that grow with each listen, and the authenticity of the experience is both palpable and revitalizing.

Check out the album's tracklist and the video for their new single "Worth Repeating", below.

Alight and Resound Track Listing:
01. Complication
02. Loose Ends
03. Worth Repeating
04. Dead When It Started
05. Aligned But Not Specific
06. The Timing's Never Right
07. Discover What Your Monsters Are
08. Second To None
09. Get On In The World
10. Flaw In The Logic
11. Not In Your Corner
12. Abandon Ship!



Tags: Rip Room

New Entry: Home Counties Unleash New Single "Village Spirit"

English indie rock/punk/alt band Home Counties have unleashed their new single "Village Spirit".

The song is taken from their upcoming second EP 'In A Middle English Town', set to arrive on 11th February via Alcopop! Records.

Speaking about it, singer Will Harrison says: “The song is based on a book by historian Alain Corbin, Village of Cannibals, which is about the murder of a nobleman in late nineteenth century France. Based on rumours, the whole village was whipped up into a frenzy and ended up brutally torturing and murdering the nobleman. The lyrics focus on the contrast between positivity of place-based collectivism, and the meaning it can bring, and the often tragic consequences of it. It’s a really messed up story, and contrasts what is probably one of our most gentle and melodic songs.”

Take a listen below.



Watch: Big Image Reveal New Single/Video "Crazier"

Birmingham baggy/psych band Big Image (formerly known as Ivory Wave) have revelead the video for their brand new single "Crazier".

The song is out today (Jan 26) and is  taken from their forthcoming EP ‘Human Touch Is Forever’, which will be released 27th April. Get it here.

Watch/listen below.



(facebook.com/bigimagemusic)

Tags: Ivory Wave

New Entry: Deserta Unveils New Single "Where Did You Go"

Los Angeles-based dream pop/shoegaze artist Deserta (aka Matthew Doty) has unveiled his new single "Where Did You Go".

The song, featuring vocals from Mice Parade's Caroline Lufkin, is taken from his forthcoming second album 'Every Moment, Everything You Need', which will be available on February 25 through Felte Records. Pre-order your copy here.

When discussing the new single, Doty explains: "'Where Did You Go' marks the third time Caroline and I have worked together. Going back to 2008, Oliver Chapoy (who also appears on the new Deserta album) and I contributed a remix for her album, Murmurs. The following year Caroline sang on Saxon Shore's "This Place" (also produced/mixed by Dave Fridmann). We kept in touch over the years, always trying to connect on something new, but life happens and timing is often hard to get right. With the unpredictability of the last year, I think it was comforting to finally reconnect with some of my favorite collaborators, even from a distance."

Take a listen below.



Tags: Deserta

New Entry: Media Giant Premiere New Single "Guilt/Shame"

London art pop/alt band Media Giant have premiered their new single "Guilt/Shame".

The song, written and produced by the trio, is out now through Brace Yourself Records, and is the follow up to their debut single 'Afraid of The Dark'. Get it here.

UPDATE 01/02/2022: "Guilt/Shame" is our new Single of the Week!

A statement from Media Giant HQ reads simply: At Media Giant, we know what you want. Since the successful launch of our debut product, we have been working tirelessly to bring you our second offering, which is titled “Guilt/Shame” - You may notice feelings of hostility or anger when listening to it, but do not be alarmed, this is entirely intentional."

Drawing on funk, disco and punk elements, their music is reminiscent of Bowie, Talking Heads and The Rapture, all while creating a deeply unique, daring sound of their own that separates them from their peers. 

The crossover experimentations and hook-driven melodies of 'Guilt/Shame' make for a thrilling listening experience. Its philosophical lyrics are drenched in playful irony, further elevated by the cheery sound that contradicts its darker societal observations: "Is it guilt or is it shame, that keeps us from killing each other, that keeps us sane? / You'd rather die of a sun-tan, in a plastic wasteland, than admit you were wrong about anything."

Take a listen below.