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Introducing… GANGS
"Pounding, stomping, gritty rock 'n' roll...."- Tenement TV
Rock & roll four-piece, GANGS, have had a quick rise to prominence in their hometown. Born out of the dregs at the bottom of a double Jack and Coke, the band came together in the shadowy underbelly of Glasgow during its cold winter months. Now they are ready to unleash their pounding sound upon the rest of the world with the release of single, Theives, due for release on 22nd July via Smooth Action Records.
The stream of Thieves was unveiled exclusively on Tenement TV on 30th June with the site exclaiming that "the scope of GANGS really does seem limitless". It's easy to see why with this rasping, snarling single showcasing the band's undoubted promise beautifully. Stream Thieves now from the GANGS Soundcloud page.
Combining elements of American garage rock and psychedelic rock made famous by the likes of The Stooges, with the modern punk rock swagger of bands like Slaves and Royal Blood, GANGS have very much laid down their marker as a booming, anthemic rock band with plenty of attitude to burn.
On Theives, the band exhibit all their best qualities as grimy caustic vocals prowl your ear drums, allied to relentless, raw guitar pieces and a rhythm section that propels GANGS, kicking and screaming, for two and half exhilarating minutes, before settling on a booming outro; a crescendo of distortion and affected vocals screaming “…take a look around thieves are coming TONIGHT!”.
GANGS were formed in 2016 when Steven Young (vocals, guitar), Stevie McLaren (guitar), Marc MacCallum (bass, vocals) and Stephen Forbes (drums) came together through their mutual love of all things rock & roll. Refreshingly, the band are forthright in their belief that they are content writing songs they believe in, rather than being populist, maintaining that they want to run their own race, all the while creating music they enjoy making. If Theives is anything to go by, GANGS are certainly enjoying the music they make.
Thieves by GANGS is out 22nd July via Smooth Action Records.
The Van T’s release EP ‘A Coming of Age’!
“...music that deserves to be played at ear-threatening decibels to as many people as possible.” - Noisey
"...a surf rock band, but only if your idea of surfing involves getting pummeled by a giant wave..." - Consequence of Sound
“… the musical equivalent of a John Hughes movie.” - Clash
Glaswegian alt-rock four piece The Van T’s are proud to announce the official release of their wonderful EP, A Coming of Age, out now via Bloc+Music and available to buy on iTunes and stream on Spotify.
The build up to the release has been nothing short of spectacular for the young band with support coming from a plethora of industry tastemakers. EP track '35mm' premiered on Consequence of Sound with the song now available to stream on the band's Soundcloud page. Single Blood Orange premiered on Huw Stephens BBC Introducing show with the video premiering on Noisey as The Van T's embraced full 90's inspired MTV2 visuals, edited sharply, fitting the high octane nature of the song perfectly.
The swell of industry support surrounding the band has culminated in them attracting the attention of T in the Park organisers with The Van T's being added to a stellar line-up of up-and-coming artists playing the BBC Introducing Stage at this years festival.
Having begun writing songs at just seventeen years old, twin sisters Hannah (guitar, vocals) and Chloe Van Thompson (guitar, vocals) decided to start a band shortly after. Initially playing shows in and around Scotland as a duo, the twins recruited Joanne Forbes (bass) and Shaun Hood (drums) in an attempt to add more layers to an already impressive sound. As a result The Van T’s were born, complete with a sunny 50’s jukebox style sound and a twist of cathartic 90’s grunge thrown in for good measure, captivating both fans and music aficionados alike.
Taking inspiration from band’s such as The B-52’s, Veruca Salt, Smashing Pumpkins and Le Butcherettes, The Van T’s have created a contemporary, scuzz-filled record that also has an endearing raw quality pouring out from every note.
Despite the band being in its infancy, The Van T’s have already appeared at T in the Park, Wickerman, Electric Fields, Tenement Trail and Strange Behaviours. This has seen them pick up support from Noisey,
16th July - St Lukes All-Dayer - Glasgow
16th July - King Tut's Summer Nights - Glasgow
25th August - The List Art Festival - Edinburgh
26th August - Electric Fields Festival
10th September - Edinburgh University Freshers Night
8th October - Twisterella Festival, Middlesborough
EP A Coming of Age by The Van T’s is out now via Bloc+Music and available to buy on iTunes and stream on Spotify.
Law Holt confirmed for Neu! Reekie!‘s Summer Squeeze - Saturday July 2nd!
"Playful pop with sinister undertones..." - DIY
"...explosive..." - The Line of Best Fit
“...a voice that could move mountains…” - The Skinny
Law Holt is set to appear at Edinburgh’s Neu! Reekie!'s Summer Squeeze on Saturday July 2nd. She recently released her latest track Spit from her forthcoming debut album City, out August 12th via Soulpunk, so this is the perfect chance to catch her captivating live show.
The video for her single Spit recently premiered on DIY and is available to watch now via YouTube.
You can also stream Spit now via Law's Soundcloud page.
Law aka Lauren Holt has had a talent for singing since she was 16 but didn’t turn her hand to songwriting until 2013. Her first attempt, co-written with Young Fathers’ production team was Hustle, a first-take singing performance that led on to a hugely productive recording spree at the Soulpunk studio in Leith, Edinburgh. Other tracks benefitted from Lauren’s other-worldly auto-harp and occasional stabs of raw guitar, all with the distinctive dirty, wonky sound of her producers.
And as the word of Law began to spread, the world began to take notice with the Guardian, Clash, The Line of Best Fit, Time Out and The Skinny amongst others singing her praise. Then misfortune struck. It wasn’t that late. Law Holt was on a bus heading home to Leith in Edinburgh when a crazy woman caught her eye, literally, attacking her with a massive punch to the head for no other reason than that she was sharing the same space. Singing and performing were put on hold until after a series of operations that saved her sight.
Finally able to write and sing again, Law spent 2015 recording in the Soulpunk studio, including the tracks for her forthcoming album City. She’s better, stronger, fiercer and more determined than before. Her uncompromising vocal style beckons you in with sweet RnB tones that twist, turn and transform within the same breath.
Law transcends genres, time and sound. Loneliness, darkness and romance are themes she regularly explores. She describes her music as “Law themed” and she’s spot on - you can look, but there’s no one quite like Law.
Rootwork release single ‘Code Talker’!
"Just irresistible..." - Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music
Rock trio Rootwork have dropped their epic new single Code Talker out now via Ubiquity Project Records and available to buy on iTunes and Bandcamp.
You can watch the video, which premiered on Team Rock, now via the band's YouTube channel.
Code Talker, which is taken from last year’s EP Gallows Humour, sees the band showcase their full technically gifted repertoire as blistering, yet intricate, heavy guitar explodes from the speakers, punctuated by piercing vocals, beautifully delivered sweet harmonies all brought together by metronomic, brutal drumming.
You can also stream the single now via the band's Soundcloud page.
Straddling the line between elements of metal, post-hardcore, prog-rock and stoner rock, Rootwork are a band who take no prisoners, disarming you in a whirlwind of harmonies before bludgeoning your eardrums with a ferociousness that is as unexpected as it is welcome. They find the sweet spot either side of technical, contemporary metal combined with an energetic tunefulness rich in hooks, time changes and soaring choruses. Indeed, the aforementioned EP runs through a gamut of influences in just four pulsating tracks; embracing the sludginess that has become synonymous with the likes of Queens Of The Stone Age and Mastodon juxtaposed with the upbeat doom- pop made famous by contemporaries such as Baroness and Torche.
Comprising Max Woodhams (guitar, vocals), Jamie Benzine (bass, backing vocals) and Chris Booth (drums, vocals) Rootwork formed in Farnborough towards the end of 2013 having come together through their mutual love of heavy, melodic and complex rock music. In December 2015 the band released their first full length EP picking up support from the likes of Tom Robinson, BBC 6 Music and BBC Introducing as well as a plethora of blogs, and are delighted to announce the official single and video taken from the record with the band eager to share their sound with a wider audience.
The Gallows Humour EP and single Code Talker by Rootwork are out now and available to buy on both Bandcamp and iTunes via Ubiquity Project Records.
Twin Heart release single ‘Suffocating’!
"...a relentless emo-rock sound." - Louder Than War
Melding elements of slickly composed emo-pop with an altogether more abrasive quality to their musicianship, Scottish alternative rock three-piece Twin Heart have released their new single Suffocating, taken from their superb debut EP Progress:Decline, out July 1st 2016 via Rip It Up Records and available for pre-order now via iTunes.
To accompany the single the band have released a haunting video, set in an abandoned factory, which premiered on Lounder Than War and is available to watch now via the Twin Heart YouTube channel.
You can also stream the single now via the ABoF Soundcloud page.
Suffocating, the official single due to be released from the EP captures Twin Heart’s energy and passion in four formidable minutes. Dawn Baxter’s voice is powerful yet offers a fragility, conveying the song’s message of being smothered by the weight of the world, an emotion we all can identify with.
Progress:Decline focuses closely on the band’s experiences of setbacks and successes in the time they have been performing together. Taking influence from artists such as Brand New, Alexisonfire and Saves The Day the threesome have combine intelligently to create subtle, emotional lyrical content with high octane alt-rock, producing a sound they can call their own - incorporating the raw power of a band like Marmozets with the expressive and mainstream sensibilities connected with Paramore at their very best.
Suffocating, alongside the two openers, free download track 'Ghosts' and 'Young Eyes', creates a relentless first half of the EP, the band finding the perfect balance between rapturous hooky song writing and screamo-inspired aggressiveness. Instrumental track ‘Progress’ breaks up the intensity brilliantly, allowing the band to showcase a deftness of touch while illustrating a command of their respective instruments, before the calmness is blown away with the epic closer ‘Speak To Me’, the music fading away until the vocals are affectively isolated.
Twin Heart rose from the ashes of Dawn (guitar/lead vocals) and Murray Baxter’s (drums/vocals) previous band Mechanical Smile and, along with Owen Burt (bass/vocals), have gone onto to make a name for themselves on the Scottish music scene having already received support from the likes of Radio X and Amazing Radio as well as sharing a stage with The Xcerts, Ghost Town and Fort Hope. They will be hitting the road for a UK tour in support of the EP with gigs at the following dates:
30th June - The Green Room - Perth
1st July - Madhatters - Inverness
2nd July - Star Bar - Montrose
3rd July - Downstairs - Aberdeen
4th July - Buskers - Dundee
5th July - The Banshee Labyrinth - Edinburgh
5th July - The Good Ship - London
7th July - West St Ale House - Sheffield
8th July - The Pack Horse - Leeds
9th July - The Alma Inn- Bolton
16th July - Pandora Festival, Duncarron
26th August - King Tut's, Glasgow
Progress:Decline is released on July 1st 2016 via Rip It Up Records and is available for pre-order now via iTunes.