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Lessons’ debut EP ‘Tempest’ out now!
"...brooding, seductive shoegaze..."
- Culture Collide
"...hitting the mark of here and now; way beyond retrospective repetition."
- Nothing But Hope and Passion
Finland's Lessons' debut EP Tempest is out now via Sinnbus and is available to stream on Spotify and buy on iTunes.
To celebrate the release, the video for title track Tempest premiered on Culture Collide and is also available to watch via Sinnbus' YouTube channel now.
After disheartening times in their personal lives, two quirky nerds from Finland left their hometown of Helsinki for Berlin in search of new horizons. The brothers Samu and Ville Kuukka soon met Patrick Sudarski, who was touring with his folk project Montauk at the time. Sudarski then moved back to Buenos Aires and the brothers moved back to Helsinki but, despite the distance, they all stayed in touch and formed Lessons.
The following winter, the three came back together in a windowless basement somewhere in Scandinavia and started creating music. Being shut away in this windowless environment with an old mattress and barely functioning toilet were integral to Patrick’s writing process and in this darkened, claustrophobic space, he was able to access dark recesses of his creative mind.
The EP touches upon subjects such as near death experiences, addiction and oppressive regimes via the eyes of an imagined, ‘fictional’ character. The trio have created their own electro gloomgaze sound channeling the synth pop of Devo and Suicide with a hint of 90s shoegaze akin to the Cocteau Twins. They join an array of darker electro artists that have hit the scene in the last few years, like SOHN and James Blake, who have added an intimacy and reflective shade to the genre. However, Lessons have made the genre their own, with a dark intensity that’s seductive and intriguing.
Lessons’ Tempest EP is released via Sinnbus and is available to stream via Spotify and buy on iTunes.
Introducing… HOMES!
"...a catchy slice of indie-pop." - GigSlutz
Welsh indie rockers HOMES are about to drop their latest single Black Gold and bring retro-tinged pop into the 21st century.
The new single Black Gold premiered on GigSlutz and is now available to stream via the band's Soundcloud page.
Black Gold is “Monday's blues and Friday’s booze all mixed into one sentimental pint of coffee” as Dylan Morgan explains, the brainchild behind the band. The track was inspired by the story of an aspiring musician who refuses to give up in the face of adversity. It has all the makings of an infectious indie pop track, filled with upbeat melodies, jangly guitars, flawless harmonies and a singalong chorus. Dylan’s vocal takes centre stage, immediately drawing you in with his powerful resonance.
Dylan formed HOMES in Cardiff back in 2015, with the rest of his band members alternating regularly. Since then they have kept things local, gaining support from the likes of BBC Radio Wales’ Adam Walton, Jamie Owen and Bethan Elfyn, Wales Online and Buzz Magazine. With their debut single Float Like An Animal having steadily made waves in the West, HOMES are keen to introduce their addictive sound to the rest of the UK and beyond.
Black Gold by HOMES is out on July 29th 2016 via Outback Recordings.
Introducing… Schnarff Schnarff!
Scottish alternative rock band Schnarff Schnarff have created a sound that is as varied as it is memorable. On their forthcoming album The evil that we do…, out on 9th September 2016 via Black Dug Records, the band have drawn on influences ranging from metal to pop-punk and grunge to emo, skilfully constructing a sound that is undeniably their own.
To celebrate the announcement of their debut album, Schnarff Schnarff are giving away the album track ‘Mario 1-2’, which premiered exclusively on Punktastic, where they pull on their post-hardcore influences, channelling the likes of Bluetip and At the Drive-In to perfection. Download the the track from the Schnarff Schnarff Soundcloud page or by clicking the embed below:
It’s easy to see why BBC Radio Scotland’s Vic Galloway described the band as “staccato grunge pop” as tracks such as ‘Flip The Cross’ and former single ‘This Is How We Get Some’ are delivered with the impetus and snarl of bands like Biffy Clyro, Saves The Day and Taking Back Sunday. Myles Bonnar’s (vocals) lyrics and expertly delivered vocals are flanked impressively by Jamie Douglas (drums), Paul ‘Thunder’ Tracey (bass) Richard Douglas (guitar) and Andrew ‘Turtle’ MacLean (guitar) as Schnarff Schnarff really let loose, showcasing their ability to marry hooks and choruses to complex time changes, mighty guitar riffs and metronomic drum fills. However, as becomes apparent, the band’s sound has a deeper complexity to it with the grunge-heavy sounds of Nirvana bringing in a dissonance and grit especially on tracks like ‘Cadavers’.
Originally hailing from Inverness, the band formed while they were all scattered throughout the UK, bonded together by a desire to go against the grain of the current accepted norm in music with the aim of producing music similar to the bands that influenced them growing up. After relocating to Glasgow they haven’t looked back since, continually creating music and playing live shows, before recording their album with renowned Scottish producer, Paul Savage (Mogwai, The Twilight Sad, We Were Promised Jetpacks).
Over the last few years Schnarff Schnarff have gained support from the likes of Radio 1 (Huw Stephens), 6 Music (Steve Lamacq), BBC Scotland (Vic Galloway) and Amazing Radio’s Jim Gellatly as well playing at T in The Park, Belladrum, Wickerman, and Brew on the Bog festival.
The evil that we do… by Schnarff Schnarff is released on 9th September 2016 via Black Dug Records.
WOMPS release debut album ‘Our Fertile Forever’
"These songs snarl and bark, thrashing about in pools of distortion like animals stranded on their backs..." -
Consequence of Sound
Consequence of Sound
"...the kind of songs that play as well in a basement club as they do a car stereo..." - The Skinny
Glasgow-based new wave duo, WOMPS, specialise in making hard hitting, angsty-pop songs. Having been reincarnated from the burning ashes of Algernon Doll, the pair have gone on to produced a raw and exhilarating, raucous debut record, Our Fertile Forever, out now via Displaced Records and available to buy on Bandcamp and iTunes.
The band release an album sampler via the Displaced Records Soundcloud page with the full album recently premiering exclusively on Consequence of Sound. Stream and embed the sampler via the link below.
Our Fertile Forever is a collection of songs recorded throughout 2015 at Electrical Audio in Chicago by the legendary Steve Albini. The concept for the album was borne out of the desire to record all the tracks live without having to add layers. Going very much against the grain is what WOMPS do best, and the most radical thing you can do these days is to take a step back from multi-tracking and polishing every note. The result is a record that encapsulates the bands ability to turn scuzzy, imperfect post-punk into glorious, sunshine filled indie pop songs.
The notion of forever is terrifying for WOMPS, and the fertility in the album title references the art they create to distract themselves from the inevitability of their lifespan and the meaningless nature of their existence.
Comprised of Ewan Grant (guitars, vocals) and Owen Wicksted (drums), the duo have have made an immediate impact in the short time they have been performing as WOMPS having played SXSW as well as picking up support from the likes of Consequence of Sound, The Skinny, Brooklyn Vegan and PopMatters.
Our Fertile Forever is out now via Displaced Records.
Jack Ellis shares new single ‘The Storm’!
"He has all the elements present to impress a multitude of fans..." - The Revue
Multi-instrumentalist Jack Ellis has shared his latest single The Storm, out July 1st 2016 via District South Records.
Held together beautifully by Jack’s wonderful guitar playing and emotive vocals The Storm is a song that tackles themes of love and loss, as snapshots in our life strip us bare, leaving us afraid of allowing ourselves to love again.
You can watch the moving video via Jack's YouTube channel now.
The single is also available to stream and download via Jack's Soundcloud page.
Ahead of the release, Jack has made his previous single Pocket of Lint available to stream and download for free via his Soundcloud page and you can also watch the video on his YouTube channel now.
While growing up Jack was influenced by the likes of Jeff Buckley and REM and has taken on board their unerring ability to write and producing relatable yet emotional music, something which impressively shines through in the passion he puts into his music.
After playing in bands for several years, Jack took the decision to go solo in 2014 in order to focus on his songwriting and develop his own distinctive sound. The opportunity to play bass, guitar, piano and sing has allowed Jack to really stretch his creative muscles and, with the success of previous singles Pocket of Lint and Stepping Stones, it is clear that Jack’s music is making an impact on the wider music world.
Jack was voted Best Breakthrough Act 2015 and was nominated for Best Live Act at The Cardiff Music Awards and has also received radio plays from BBC Wales as well as receiving significant support from
the likes of Dermot O’Leary on BBC Radio 2, including being invited to perform live in the studio. This has culminated in Jack becoming one of the rising stars of Welsh music, an artist who looks set to continue his growth through the release of his latest single.
The Storm is out on 1st July 2016 via District South Records.