Latest News
Federal Unicorn release video for ‘State Of Decay’!
Danish grunge trio Federal Unicorn have just released their brand new video for 'State Of Decay', a track taken from their EP Substances released earlier this year via Tapetown Recoreds and available to stream on Spotify and buy via iTunes.
The video premiered on Louder Than War which you can now stream via Federal Unicorn's YouTube channel.
The EP is about “facing your demons, telling good from bad, finding beauty in ugly and trusting your own mind and flesh,” say the band. “A lot of it is a product of taking really long walks in search of unidentified treasures. Sometimes you do, sometimes you don’t, sometimes you end up with poison on your tongue and your mind in abyss and all the while you observe and contemplate.”
The EP’s opening track ‘State of Decay’ crescendoes into a crashing, grunge-infused chorus - you can almost feel the sweat resonate from each hard-hitting strum. ‘Animal’ is an immediate change of pace, slightly more contemplative, but still in keeping with Federal Unicorn’s rousing sound backed by guitarist and vocalist Robert Jancewicz’s impassioned howls. ‘My Line’ is dark but full of energy and the EP’s closer ’Filter Legs’ ends on an unexpectedly softer note featuring Robert’s vocals over a simple, graceful piano melody.
The three piece - Jancewicz along with Kuba Sypniewski (bass) and Kristian Nielsen (drums, backing vocals) - have been making music together since 2010. Their 2014 album Come Again, featured a broader sound, which they’ve now honed into the edgier modern grunge sound heard on EP Substances.
The band are renowned for their live shows and have played all over Europe, the UK and Canada. With an independent, DIY spirit and an EP that focuses less on the shoegaze but more on the pure alt-rock of the 90s, Federal Unicorn’s Substances will rock your world.
Federal Unicorn’s Substances is out now via Tapetown Records and available to stream on Spotify and buy via iTunes.
The Duke Spirit Announce New EP ‘Serenade’!
“…a stellar return.” - MOJO
“…powerful rock…” - Drowned in Sound
After the release of their critically acclaimed album KIN earlier this year, The Duke Spirit return with EP Serenade, released via Red Essential on 14th October 2016.
The single and title track Serenade premiered on The Line Of Best Fit and is also available to stream via the band's Soundcloud page now.
KIN explored themes around the idea of loss but this time front woman Liela Moss says EP Serenade is “a collection of songs that share the sense of running out of time to fix things, fix people - they are a tide slipping away from fingers…”
This sentiment flows through each track but the weight of this theme is given The Duke Spirit’s light, ethereal touch as layers of sound give each track their signature shimmer, maintaining their signature poignant art rock sound.
Single Serenade continues the musical ideas touched upon on KIN’s opener ‘Blue And Yellow Light’. Liela explains that “the part-drone, part-glissando effect of the MS20 synth infuses the track with something otherworldly.” Moss’ ethereal vocals float gently over pulsing synths as the lyrics command you to ‘wait’ to be serenaded. ‘Make It Alright’ tenderly crescendoes and bursts into a glistening verse full of beguiling spirit. ‘Steel Love’ and ‘Throw The Water On The Fire’ are more languid but maintain the band’s enchanting muscular sound.
The Duke Spirit will be on tour throughout October to promote the EP, a release that continues to prove The Duke Spirit are one of the UK’s most important, enduring indie rock acts - one with intelligence, heart and soul.
Tickets for the following dates are available via the band's website.
12th Oct - Mama Roux's - Birmingham
13th Oct - Brudenell Social Club - Leeds
14th Oct - King Tuts - Glasgow
15th Oct - Think Tank - Newcastle
17th Oct - Gorilla - Manchester
18th Oct - The Bodega - Nottingham
19th Oct - The Fleece - Bristol
20th Oct - The Scala - London
29th Oct - London Calling - Amsterdam
Serenade is out on 14th October 2016 via Red Essential.
The Empty Page’s new single ‘Turbulence’ out now!
"...recalling Fugazi's righteous fury." - Clash
"...a powerful yet understated alt-rock sound." - Punktastic
Manchester’s The Empty Page have released their raucous new single Turbulence, which is out now and available to buy on iTunes. The track is taken from the band’s spiky, caustic debut album, Unfolding, due for release on 21st October 2016 via Vociferous Records.
You can watch the video for the single now via the band’s YouTube channel.
You can also stream the audio on The Empty Page’s Soundcloud page now.
The band have also released their single Big Wheel, which is available to buy on iTunes. The video for the track premiered on Clash and is available to watch via The Empty Page YouTube channel.
Despite having formed as recently as 2015, the three-piece have made an immediate mark on their local scene and beyond. The Empty Page have created their very own brand of pop/rock, straddling the line between grunge, post-punk and noise-pop, creating a sound that has an unerring ability to draw you in through it’s melodic choruses as well as it’s fuzzy, driven guitar lines. Having enlisted the skills of uber producer Garth Richardson (Rage Against The Machine, Biffy Clyro, L7, Melvins) to shape the sound of their debut record, The Empty Page are now preparing to unleash their sound to a wider audience.
Recorded and mixed in just one week, the essence of a pure, live band can be heard on the ten songs that make up the album, stepping away from the overly produced music that has become synonymous with the pro-tools era of modern rock music. From the grunge-inspired sound of Hole on ‘Cracks In The Surface’, to the riot grrrl stylings of Bikini Kill on future single Wardrobe Malfunction and the the hooky, indie-rock, head bopping melodies of My Vitriol and Llama Farmers on the aforementioned Big Wheel, The Empty Page invite you to join them on their sonic journey through the full alt-rock songbook.
Comprised of Kel (vocals, bass), Giz (guitar) and Jim (drums), the band first came together as friends jamming cover songs, before realising that they’d be much better served writing their own tunes. The results were immediate as, fast forward one year, and they now have a Gggarth Richardson produced album, support from the likes of Louder Than War, Punktastic and Clash as well as a full UK tour booked for October to coincide with the release of their debut album Unfolding. You can catch The Empty Page live at the following dates:
Fri 30th – PLYMOUTH The Underground
OCTOBER
Sat 1st DERBY Hairy Dog (acoustic)
Tues 4th LIVERPOOL Jupiters
Thurs 6th COVENTRY Arches
Fri 7th TOTTENHAM - T Chances
Mon 10th MANCHESTER Gullivers (with The Computers)
Thurs 13th GLASGOW Ivory Blacks
Fri 14th LEEDS Temple of Boom
Sat 15th BOLTON Alma
Thurs 20th CANTERBURY Lady Luck
Fri 21st LONDON Some Weird Sin @ Nambucca
Sun 23rd CARDIFF The Gwdihw café
Wed 26th EDINBURGH Bannerman's
Thurs 27th DUNFERMLINE Monty's
Turbulence by The Empty Page is out now via Vociferous Records and is available to buy on iTunes. It is taken from their debut album, Unfolding, out on 21st October 2016 and is available to pre-order on Bandcamp.
Addeboy vs Cliff release single ‘Phoenix’!
Electro pop producers Andreas Broberger and Hannes Lindgren aka Addeboy vs Cliff are back with their single Phoenix, which is out now via Harbour Lights.
You can listen to Phoenix via the duo's Soundcloud page now.
You can also watch the brand new video for the single on Addeboy vs Cliff's YouTube channel.
The duo are no strangers to pop, having co-written and produced Maybe you and Julian with Say Lou Lou and having worked with Naomi Pilgrim and Adam Tensta, amongst others.
The duo have also previously played at the opening ceremony of Umeå, which was the culture capital city of Europe 2014.
Influenced by everything from Refused to Daft Punk, Phoenix is the epitome of chilled, electro pop using a laid-back tempo juxtaposed with an upbeat chorus, which feels positively addictive.
Amongst Addeboy vs Cliff’s supporters are The Guardian, Clash and Pop Justice who have all featured the pair’s previous work.
Addeboy vs Cliff’s single Phoenix is out now via Harbour Lights.
Pip Blom releases ‘Are We There Yet?’ EP!
"...slicker-than-your-average melodies..."
- DIY
"...a gigantic dollop of catchy pop pep."
- The Line Of Best Fit
20 year old singer-songwriter Pip Blom has released her debut EP Are We There Yet? out now via Toaster Records.
The EP premiered on DIY and is available to buy via iTunes and stream on Spotify now.
You can also stream the EP via Pip Blom's Soundcloud page and listen to the track 'Taxi Driver' on Huw Stephens' BBC Radio 1 show (around the 02:41 mark).
Combining raw guitar power with catchy melodies, Are We There Yet? consists of three powerful offerings. First track 'Taxi Driver' is an uptempo wall of indie sound whilst ‘Honey’, on the other hand, is a gritty love song, and final track ‘Alone’ flows with a fragile, beautiful sadness.
Based in Amsterdam, Pip Blom writes, records and releases her own indie-pop tunes with a twist. Although she only started releasing material earlier this year, she has already received acclaim from the likes of BBC Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and BBC 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, and has built a following across Europe and the US.
Due to set off on tour in the Netherlands and England with a full band in October 2016, the raw, sparkling sound of Pip Blom is sure to charm the ears of many in no time.
Are We There Yet? is out now via Toaster Records and is available to buy via iTunes and stream on Spotify now.