Month: November 2017
Tokyo-based indie rockers DYGL (pronounced day-glow) have been turning heads with their new single and B-side, ‘Let it Sway/ Let It Out.’ Produced by The Strokes’ guitarist Albert Hammond Jr and The Strokes’ producer Gus Oberg, the tracks have gained serious momentum.
Nobuki Akiyama (vocal & guitar), Kohei Kamoto (drums), Yotaro Kachi (bass), and Yosuke Shimonaka (guitar), have had a colourful touring schedule, and have shared stages with some big names: Bjork, Aphex Twin, The Gorillaz, The XX, and Lorde to name a few. What started out as a bassless 3-piece, went on to rack up over 1.2 million Youtube views and 70 thousand Soundcloud plays, two EP’s and a 7” record.
DYGL’s atmospheric indie rock sound borrows from the likes The Strokes, The Cribs, The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys, and The Smiths, and they have honed their skills to combine the factors that influence their love for indie-rock, including sound, style, and scale.
Speaking of the track they say: “Some things feel like a waste of time in the beginning, but it’s important to keep at it. You can’t rest when you want to make music. Never rest your hands!”
Upcoming shows/ Tour dates:
28th November – Birthdays, London UK
29th November – The Hope & Ruin, Brighton, UK
8th December – Umeda Club Quattro DYGL LIVE (Tokyo)
9th December – Liquidroom DYGL LIVE
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London-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Alexander Shields, aka, A Grave With No Name, is sharing another track of his haunting art-rock sounds with new single “When I Pass Through Here.” The track is taken from his upcoming album ‘Passover’, which is due out Jan 19th via Forged Artifacts.
Speaking about the track, Alexander said, “Amidst the studio sessions for ‘Passover’’ it became apparent that this song’s message of confronting and shedding our regrets, in order to become a better person and make a positive mark on the world – however small that may be – fitted in perfectly within the album’s narrative.”
For some years now A Grave With No Name has been mining a distinctive vein of haunted art-rock, to spellbinding effect. His sixth album ‘Passover’ is his most most vital and poetic release to date, presenting the artist’s wide-ranging musical approaches so far, and forging skillful, at times surprising, new sounds from those unique textures.
Shields wrote the songs, which he describes as a set of “interlocking short-stories”, during a stay in his family home in the wake of his grandmother’s death – a home he shared with her throughout his young life. As such, a spectral presence makes itself known throughout ‘Passover’, with themes such as the mortality of loved ones, and returning to the bosom of the family being explored, alongside a burning questioning of the comforts of religion and ceremony, and our attempts to reconcile the elemental with the domestic.
Whereas previous records such as 2014’s ‘Feathers Wet, Under the Moon’ saw him working with a large ensemble of players including members of Lambchop, Silver Jews, and guitarist William Tyler, ‘Passover’ reflects its intimate themes by pairing Shields with childhood friend, drummer Daniel Paton, and brings aboard bassist Ben Reed who worked on Frank Ocean’s ‘blond(e)’ and ‘Endless’ albums. Recording once again at London’s Holy Mountain studios with producer Misha Hering, Shields creates meticulously crafted tapestries by weaving field recordings, and ambient sounds through the looms of melodic tape-warped country-rock (“By the Water’s Edge”, “Wreath”), haunted skeletal folk (“Hot Blood”, “Hunter”) and lonesome string ballads (“Wren”).
A culmination of all that came before it, yet a singular achievement in its ambition and scope, ‘Passover’ makes a remarkable addition to an already fascinating catalogue.
See A Grave With No Name live:
23rd Jan – Olympic Cafe, Paris FR
25th Jan – The Waiting Room, London UK
1. Everytime
2. New Breed
3. One Of Many Parts
4. When Elements Collide
5. Start A Movement
6. No
7. You Speak To Me
8. In Between This Noise
9. I Follow You To Everywhere
10. Embrace
11. All Of My
12. Let Loose
Following the release of their debut LP ‘Homebound 456’ in March this year, Lisbon indie-pop trio Vaarwell have highlighted another single from the record, ‘I Never Leave, I Never Go’, in the form of an official live session also accompanied by a haunting rendition of Radiohead’s ‘Exit Music (For A Film)’.
Citing L.A. female rockers Haim’s music video for comeback single ‘Right Now’ as inspiration for the artistic vision, the black and white recording showcases the delicacy and intimacy of the track’s lullaby qualities. Their Radiohead cover additionally demonstrates lead singer, Margarida Falcão’s, vocal prowess as she takes on Thom Yorke’s famous, pining vocals in a beautiful re-imagined version – aptly marking the 20th anniversary of the British band’s legendary third album release ‘OK Computer.’
Vaarwell studied together in the same music production class at art school and since their formation in 2014 have gone from strength to strength. A debut EP ‘Love and Forgiveness’ caught the attention of notable blogs such as Crack in The Road and Stereogum, before the debut LP received repeat spins from Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1. Louder Than War described… “a glossy, clinical, angelic album that is an absolute delight from first listen to the latest”. A list of live dates has also just been announced across their home country, notably at Festival Aciprestes on 5th October and Cineteatro Alba on 19th October.
Vaarwell’s name originates from the word ‘vaarwel’, meaning ‘farewell’ in Dutch. However, with this gem of a new single and tour dates on the horizon, it will be a long time before we bid farewell to this invigorating Portuguese trio.
Italian soul-rock singer/songwriter Alessandro Bossi, better known as KIOL has shared his single ‘Hard Things.’ Slated for release on November 13th via Join Records the track was produced at the Grouse Lodge Studio in Ireland by Paolo Nutini’s producer Dani Castelar and musicians Gavin Fitzjohn (brass and piano) and Dave Nelson (co-writing and guitar) who are also known as Long Run. KIOL can already boast having shared the stage with a number of prominent acts: The Prodigy and Editors at Home Festival in Italy; Suarez in Belgium and Luxembourg; and opened for Manu Chao, Agnes Obel, and Archive at Europavox Festival, where he was the highlighted artist for 2017. In addition, his previous single ‘Wrinkless’ is the featured track for FIAT 500 DEEZER’s huge advertising campaign. During his first tour, he played more than forty shows, with appearances at main European clubs, such as O2 Academy Islington, The Garage, Tramshed, Botanique, Melkweg, Refelktor, sPazio 211, Kulturefabrik as well as Eurosonic-Noorderslag, Waves Vienna and Apolide Festival.
KIOL started out as a punk-rock drummer, and after his sister asked him to start playing the guitar and sing some songs for her he discovered his unique voice. The prolific artist has written a string of tracks and released his first single ‘Broken Up Again’ in 2016 and his first EP I Come As I Am with Warner Music Benelux earlier this year.
KIOL’s sound is packed with pop melodies, alternative folk, and bluesy rhythms. Influenced by songwriters like Paolo Nutini, Jake Bugg, and James Bay, he also cites influences such as Kings of Leon, Amy Winehouse, The Beatles and James Brown. Despite its title, latest single ‘Hard Things’ is a tender, passionate voyage across windswept landscapes; familiar, lionhearted voice work, lively strummed guitar patterns and an aura of cinematic proportions. ‘Hard Things’ is circumstantial evidence that KIOL has expanded upon an already polished, enlightened sound.
KIOL Upcoming Live Dates:
13th November – The Old Blue Last, London (With August Child) – “Hard Things” Release Party
17th November – The Louisiana, Bristol (With Tom Speight)
19th November – Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham (With Tom Speight)
23rd November – St Pancras Church, London (With Tom Speight)
25th November – Castle Hotel, Manchester (With Tom Speight)
Throw hypnotic guitar tones and surf-inspired instrumentals into a blender – and you’ll get The Thirty Eights. Formed in 2016, the band self-released their debut EP, Hang Loose With The Thirty Eights earlier this year, followed shortly afterwards by their most recent offering, Secret Flavour.
Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, they are scheduled to play this year’s Endless Daze Festival. We caught up with them beforehand.
To those not familiar with you, how would you describe your sound?
Trashy Surf Rock. Dangerous.
Which three albums have influenced you the most creatively?
Not so many full albums within the surf thing – was very hit n miss. More like individual tracks that influence us. Check out our covers we’ve done.
The Thirty Eights released their debut offering Hang Loose with The Thirty Eights in May 2017, and only a few months later in October, sophomore EP titled Secret Flavour was released. Could you explain how the two recording sessions may have differed?
They actually weren’t very different at all – we used a different bass amp, that’s about it. Both recorded live in the same room with the same instruments. We maybe have used a couple different microphones. Very similar though.
<a href=”http://thethirtyeights.bandcamp.com/album/secret-flavour”>Secret Flavour by The Thirty Eights</a>
As a strong supporter of all things Fender, or rather, Telecaster, do you feel these guitars portray the precise tone The Thirty Eights are producing, and if so, why?
Absolutely. Well we could have obviously pulled it off with Jags or Strats, and may have been more authentic, but we were adamant on using Telecasters since you don’t really see or hear of many bands using them for surf instrumentals. Just proves Telecasters to be the most versatile guitars ever made. Name any genre and a Tele has been there.
Studio work and music creation or performing and interacting with a live audience, which do you prefer?
Both. They’re equally important.
What has been your most memorable performance so far?
We always enjoy performing – it would be hard to pick one. Maybe the burger revolution show.
And which performance would you prefer to forget?
Walking The Daisies (only because it was freezing cold and we couldn’t feel our strings) other than that it was super cool, and well organized. Would totally do it again. The kids were really cool and stoked and energetic. Good vaabz.
Any new artists on your radar?
The Murms – check em out.
If you could collaborate with, or perform alongside any artist, who would it be? And why?
Link Wray – probably don’t really need to explain why.
Famous last words.…
Fuck it dawg, life’s a risk.
South-London multifaceted artist Daniel Alexander has released his new single ‘Separatehood’, via rising French label Maison Ainsi.
Live Dates
Nov 22nd – Le Pop Up-Du Label – Paris, France – w/ Klangstof
Jan 27th – Pratchtwerk – Berlin, Germany – w/ Jaws of Love,
Jan 30th – Nest – Gent, Belgium – w/Jaws of Love,
Jan 31st – Le Pop Up-Du Label – Paris, France – w/ Jaws of Love,
Feb 2nd – Moth Club – London, UK – w/ Jaws of Love
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