Luke Abbott – ‘Modern Driveway’
Originally posted on The 405
Back in 2010, Luke Abbott of Norwich received a helping hand from techno deity James Holden, when his excellent debut LP Holkham Drones got a release on Holden’s label, Border Community.
Now the Norfolk-via-Berlin whizz is to have new material released via Gold Panda’s Notown label, with an EP titled Modern Driveway. The title track is available for your consumption now, and is a delightful four-to-the-floor dreamscape – a suave slice of techno wrapped in ether-daubed cotton-woll.
You can see why the important players in the electronic world are clambering to get involved. The EP is out on May 28th – preorder the 12″ here.
In Photos: The Great Escape 2012
The Great Escape 2012: Editors Picks
Posted on The 405
Gang Colours
The 405 have been following Will Ozanne’s Gang Colours closely since the release of the violently monikered EP, In Your Gut Like A Knife, last summer. Recently the chap from Southampton released full-length debut album The Keychain Collection on Brownswood Recordings, to positive appraise.
It’s the kind of album that rewards enormously on repeated listens, the reflective soundscapes burying deep into the skin, and cut-up homages to garage swirl smoothy through the bloodstream. The result is rather Beautiful stuff, like if Mount Kimbie went into ballad territory – but with a very definite Gang Colours personal grace to proceedings. [Listen]
Forest Swords
Oh Forest Swords, where have you been? The solo project from Liverpool-based Matthew Barnes has been quiet of recent, following the release of 2010′s gorgeous and beguiling LP Dagger Paths. Beguiling in that a myriad of differing styles are sewn into each other; Barnes’ passion and knowledge for techno, drone and even R&B coming to the fore.
Gorgeous in that the way the aforementioned genres are masterfully woven; resulting in a sparse, yet bold dream-state. It’ll be fascinating to see how it will play out in a live setting at gone midnight on the final day of The Great Escape; anything from a melancholic nightcap to a techno dub-filled set seems like a possibility. [Listen]
Regal Safari
It’s obviously important to treat your ears well during a live musical experience; but what about your eyes, what to do with those squidgy photosensitive organs? Regal Safari have solved this problem by providing visual stimuli in the form of video projections that compliment their sound – forming a crucial part of the band. It’s better than staring at the backlit straggly hair from the tall chap in front of you anywhoo.
The ears part is well-covered too – the talented Brighton duo exuding a warm ambient vibrance, with some lush beats traversing into your soul. It could lazily be described as chill-wave, but there’s a lot more going on here; a dark undercurrent and exquisite arrangement, yet with a lucid air to proceedings. Go and download their debut six-track EP before the show. [Listen]
Virals
Virals is the nom de plume of Shaun Hencher (he of Lovvers fame), where he has been creating some exciting tunes in a pub since late 2010. Fans of Lovvers will no doubt enjoy the sounds of Virals, though, they are very different entities; gone is the frenetic noise-fest, to be replaced with a more pop-orientated, melodic air.
To date only one release is available – the double A-side of ‘Magic Happens’ and ‘Comes the Night’ on the marvellous Sexbeat. But fear not; their debut EP will be out the very week of The Great Escape, titled ‘Coming Up With The Sun’ via Tough Love Records. Lets hope the sun rears its big orange face to compliment the sun-kissed vibes Virals ooze in abundance. [Listen]
Perfume Genius
Seattle resident Mike Hadreas, as Perfume Genius, recently (and now somewhat infamously) had his video for ‘Hood’ banned by YouTube; under the pretence that they thought families wouldn’t be able to hack the sight of two people of the same sex, ya know, actually hugging each other. However, one traditionally socially conservative group seemingly does not have a problem with Perfume Genius, as he will be performing at The Great Escape in a Church.
It promises to be a superb choice of venue, the delicate vocals of Hadreas will surely sound heavenly reverbing around the walls of the Unitarian Church. The deeply personal, emotional themes of albums Put Your Back N 2 It and Learning in this setting could be something of a moment. See you in the front pew. [Listen]
In Photos: Camden Crawl 2012
Camden Crawl 2012: Editors Picks
Posted on The 405
Actress
Darren Cunningham was forced to face a soul-destroying decision at the tender age of 19 years old; to retire form professional football having signed for West Bromwich Albion. Out of that, we assume, the young man form Wolverhampton threw himself into the music world, becoming an obsessive Detroit techno and classic house fan. Thus starting a long musical journey full of broad inspiration, ultimately culminating in something of a masterpiece in 2010′s Splazsh LP.
You are the sum of your parts as the theory goes, and from this elective background an equally elective and layered album was produced under the moniker of Actress, a myriad of influences bubbling under a hugely textured surface, that had critics struggling to define this extraordinary sound. This month sees the release of RIP (so called as he describes as feeling ‘dead’ whilst creating his tunes), featuring even further genre-twisting-hybrids and amorphous beats.
Recently he has soundtracked installations (at the Tate Modern), only to then assault dance floors such as Plastic People; so it’ll be fascinating to see what he’ll be serving up at CC.
Toy
Neu That’s What I Call Music. Yes, I have been itching to use that weak pun in ages – perhaps not so weak for our Belfast-based readers though. The krautrock-indebted troupe are something of a buzz band, whatever that means, having garnered a pedal-thrashing load of attention from the music world with just the one release. But you know what? It’s deserved.
The London-based quintet known as Toy have shared the stage on many an occasion with The Horrors, whilst also sharing a musical ethos in terms of dark synth-tones and hypnotic, metronomic rhythms. ‘Left Myself Behind’ demonstrates this marvellously (track of the year contender much?) – and is even more breathtaking in a live setting with a classic-krauty extend outro. So don’t you miss ‘em – especially as this time next year they’ll be moving onto larger venues no doubt. Plus you can smugly tell your friends that you saw them when they were on the verge of something special.
Odonis Odonis
Toronto has been a very useful friend to the music world, and once again the mighty city what flirts with the Northwestern shore of Lake Ontario is being a generous entity – giving us Odonis Odonis. The band is the brainchild of Dan Tzenos, and they create one helluva racket, a rich and scholared racket steeped in the throws of astute noise-rock influences. A barrage of misty-noise boasting the ethos of The Pixies bathed in the feedback of The Jesus and Mary Chain frothing with the acerbic bite of Big Black scream their way to the fore.
That’s what debut-album Hollandaze showcased from the reverb-loving trio anywhat. The above description may sound as if they are rather overt in their plundering of 80′s musical history, and you’d be right; however they do it so darn well, and with a menacing suis generis twist that makes them a thing of utter brooding excitement.
Weird Dreams
Some artists tend to opt for an amorphous, vague moniker. To eschew obfuscation, if you will. Though not all; Doran Edwards of Weird Dreams chose the name as he tends to, well, have lots of weird dreams. This feeds into the sounds of work to date, the David Lynch-inspired four-piece creating hazy, powerful yet vague pop melodies wrapped in a lucid mass of cotton wool.
Yeah, it’s psychedelic-60′s heavy – but not in any way trite or tired as can be; a rare verve and subversive element is present, with debut album Choreography a rewarding and sublime journey into the consciousness of varied noises. Soft guitars and dreamy (duh) vocals ebb their way across a lo-fi soundscape, with the result a very promising career start for the East-London lot.
Novella
Italian Beach Babes Records know their slacker noise-pop like a slacker knows their retro consoles. They also have quite a penchant for taking my money from me – as one knows whatever they put out will very much be worth your time; and that is very much true of the recent IBB release from Novella.
Hollie Warren and Suki Sou make-up Novella – both formally of Brighton though now plying their craft in the capital of England. To date the creators of delicious pop-nuggets have shared a stage with other such awesome acts as Veronica Falls (also playing CC), Old Forest, Female Band and Male Bonding. Yup, you can tell what you’re gonna get – trashy guitars, cooing melodies – though laced in a vibrant psych-wallpaper. Go listen to ‘Don’t Believe Ayn Rand’ if you know what’s good for you (and a fine sentiment the title is too)
Get the Rory Atwell-produced EP via IBB here.
Toy @ XOYO, London 11/04/12
Juk Juk – ‘Thinking Too Much’
Juk Juk originally came to the wider fore last year, after Four Tet hand-picked him for Text Records with delightful electronic package ‘Winter Turn Spring’.
Caleb Waterman, under the handle of Juk Juk, is to release new material again – so soon after the wonderful double-header that was ‘Fall/Unwrap‘. A-side ‘Thinking Too Much’ contains a more ethereal, calmer ethos – with the 2-step just vibing somewhere in the background under a warm duvet. Well that’s until the extended intro is out the way, then the dirtier Jam City-esque side escapes the duvet and gets all over your face.
The B-side ‘Where The Helios’ is yet to be released – but the whole package will be available on Nommos Records on vinyl only at some point in May.
Solar Bears – ‘Cosmic Runner’
Originally posted on The 405
John Kowalski and Rian Trench hail from different points of Ireland’s east coast, and after meeting at sound engineering collage decided to form Solar Bears, to engineer some beautiful sounds for public consumption.
‘Cosmic Runner’ is a new slice from the duo – we’re assuming it to be a glimpse from forthcoming album-number-two that is nearing completion – and the surly dream-pop tastes like a child’s naive viewpoint of neon side-street. It screams the swaggering repetitiveness of a Giorgio Moroder track with the darker urgency of something that could be found hanging around the Drive soundtrack. It is also very nice.
Tour de France (a non-musical post)
Just a quick announcement…
I’m to cycle a leg of the Tour de France this summer, raising money for the Anthony Nolan Trust. Naturally, I will blog about the whole experience including the intense training and mental breakdowns etc. For full details head over here:
Video: Curxes – ‘Haunted Gold’
This video will appeal to all you technophile magpies out there – created with several tubs of glitter and a scanner, with the result a smart lesson in lo-fi stop-motion.
‘Haunted Gold’ is the forthcoming single from Brighton-based duo Curxes – a polished whirlpool of 80′s electronic pomp, doused in darker experimental influences, whilst saying hello to acts such as Cabaret Voltaire and synthy Siouxsie.
The animation, which took eight weeks of painstaking tweaking, is the creation of frontlady Roberta Fidora. It’s out on April 10th, which you really probably should buy.
