Latest News
Introducing… The Begbies!
Combining elements of ska and indie, and in the process coining the term ‘Skindie’, Glaswegian upstarts The Begbies have released their soundtrack to the summer with the single It’s Just The Way, out now via Choose Rude Records and available on iTunes.
The band will be releasing a new video in the next few weeks to accompany the single, but you can stream it now via their Soundcloud.
The band have blended their love of classic two-tone ska music with indie influences, creating a unique and energetic sound that is fun and relatable, appealing to a cross section of music lovers, festival goers and casual listeners alike. It’s Just The Way perfectly captures The Begbies high octane sound as massive brass hooks and off-beat guitar is mixed with raw, uplifting vocals and socially challenging lyrics highlighting the hypocrisy and selfishness of the political classes who’s indiscretions are dealt with differently to the masses.
While originally formed in 2010 by Gary Ovens (vox/guitar) and Liam Corbett (guitar) the current line-up didn’t settle until 2015 with Scott Wilson (drums), Kieran Lewis (bass), Callum Stevenson (keys) and Sally Jay and Steph Clark (both saxophone) completing the line up. Not content with treading the usual, mundane well worn path, they have made a habit of playing some of the weirdest shows any band could wish to play, having performed in a field to just two people, one dressed as a gingerbread man and one as a penguin, both proceeding to fight each other, as the The Begbies performed like some kind of backing band to a Trigger Happy TV sketch.
Mixing ska influences such as The Specials and Madness with indie-centric bands like The Libertines and The Good Shoes, The Begbies have created their very own niche which has seen them gain support from the likes of Amazing Radio, Radio X, BBC Scotland and The Scottish Sun. They have also supported a number of bands in their native Glasgow ranging from a sold out show at The Barrowlands with Frightened Rabbit as well as securing tour dates with The View, Ordinary Boys, Bad Manners and The Buzzcocks.
It’s Just The Way by The Begbies is out now via Choose Rude Records and available on iTunes.
Maria Kelly shares stunning new video for ‘Black & Blue’!
"...silky smooth vocals that spin widely relatable tales."
- Consequence of Sound
"Maria Kelly has really begun to become a more multifaceted artist whose music and visual work go hand in hand."
- The Last Mixed Tape
Irish singer-songwriter Maria Kelly has shared her inventive new video for latest single Black & Blue, out on 1st July 2016 via Veta Records.
The video premiered on Nialler9 and you can also watch it via Maria's YouTube channel now.
The audio for Black & Blue premiered on Consequence of Sound and is also available to stream via Maria's Soundcloud page now.
Maria left quite an impression last year with debut single Before It Has Begun - a mournful finger-picked song that shows off Kelly’s pin-drop vocals and beautiful lyricism. Her latest single Black & Blue still feels vulnerable, with a hint of foolish optimism, managing to effectively captivate her talent for bittersweet storytelling - fans of Regina Spektor and She & Him will feel at home here.
"Black and Blue is about foolish optimism; waiting around for something that’s never going to come,” Maria Kelly explains. “I wrote it as a kind of ‘see ya later!’ to a certain time in my teenage years. I spent so long waiting for something that was clearly not on the way and this song attempts to look at that situation, accept it, laugh at it and move on.”
Growing up in Mayo, Ireland, Maria spent many years crafting and developing her sound into a stunning combination of delicate indie-folk. She has been writing music since the age of 10 and has already played numerous shows in both the UK and Ireland supporting the likes of Orla Gartland and Wyvern Lingo. Maria has also received praise from various online publications including The Irish Times, Nialler9 and Beat Surrender to name a few. Maria is working in the studio on new tracks for her next EP and developing her live sound in preparation for a busy 2016.
Catch Maria Kelly supporting HAWK live at the following dates:
June 16th - Cyprus Avenue - Cork - Tickets
June 17th - Carlow Arts Festival - Tickets
Black & Blue is out on 1st July 2016 via Veta Records.
Newtimers release ‘EP One’!
"Blissfully synthetic pop music..." - Clash
"“…an exquisite R&B-infused jam.” - Ultimate Music
Newtimers latest release EP One is out now via Cosmos Music and available on Spotify and iTunes.
The EP is also available to stream now via the band's Soundcloud page.
The video for Newtimers’ single Best of Me, which premiered on Clash, is available to watch now on YouTube.
EP One is a blend of synth pop, RnB and 80s soul with the duo Andreas Britton Cavaco (vocals) and Tim Lundblad (drums, production), finally coming together as Newtimers after writing and recording music for many years under various guises for miscellaneous projects and collaborative ventures.
The tracks on the EP were written at a time when the pair were both suffering from broken hearts. “It's full of who, what, wheres and whys - seeing past, present and future,” say the band and although the songs were written under somewhat sad circumstances, there’s more hope here than melancholy.
The duo have had dalliances with various labels from indies to majors but finally as Newtimers, they’re ready to present their own brand of alt pop to the masses. Previous single Perfect Ten racked up nearly 90k plays on Spotify and the way the pair combine their influences, carving out their own unique space within the pop genre, is their biggest draw - it’s hard to pin Newtimers down and that’s a good thing.
The EP also features two remixes of Best Of Me by Monsieur Adi and Sailor & I. Critically acclaimed Monsieur Adi is known for creating the official remixes for Ellie Goulding as well as Beyonce, Bastille, Lana Del Rey and The Kooks, his remix is available to stream and download for free via the band's Soundcloud page.
Newtimers’ EP One is the perfect introduction to a band that are more than the sum of their various influences, they create modern pop that’s full of heart, soul and depth.
EP One is out now via Cosmos Music and available to buy now on Spotify and iTunes.
Captain Casanova’s single ‘Futures’ out now!
Captain Casanova have released their raucous new single Futures, which is available to buy now on iTunes via Tapetown Records.
The video for Futures is now available to watch now via YouTube channel.
You can also stream the single now via the band's Soundcloud page.
The Aarhus based three piece channel grunge-infused garage rock on their latest offering and whilst the chorus feels bright and uplifting, the message behind the song takes on a more sombre note. “The song is written as an explanation and a goodbye to the son of my former girlfriend,” explains guitarist and singer Rasmus Bredvig. “It’s also a song about the frustration of loosing and not wanting to loose that naïve point of view where you think something will last forever.”
The video for the track features video footage taken from Rasmus’ childhood days, which are deliberately more uplifting than the message of the song itself. It’s a nostalgic look back into Rasmus’ past, wanting to keep that feeling and those times alive in his memory.
Captain Casanova formed in 2012 “in a big yellow house on top of a hill,” the band say. Their sound channels the 90s alt rock sound of bands like Dinosaur Jr. with the underlying melancholy of Pavement. Their live shows are intense and exciting and touring has taken them all over Europe, playing more than 150 live shows in just over two years.
Although Captain Casanova are delving back into the past with this single, Futures is also about looking forward as well. “We make our own future, it’s better to make it bright,” Rasmus concludes. Captain Casanova are a band who use their past to make a better future, something we can all take comfort from.
Captain Casanova’s single Futures is out now via Tapetown Records and available to buy on iTunes.
Tetish release new single ‘Shipwreck’!
Indie-electro power pop band Tetish have released their brand new single Shipwreck, available to buy via the bands Bandcamp and taken from their self titled debut album, out 22nd July via Solarie Records.
Shipwreck premiered on GigSlutz and is now available to stream via the band's Soundcloud page.
The band is the brainchild of Etan Soloman and Itai Shitrit who have been active members of the local Tel-Aviv indie music scene for a number years now. Both have released material while working on different projects, but it wasn’t until after the long-time friends started to play around with a few ideas towards the end of 2014 that they discovered they were able to take each other’s music to the next level. This is highlighted perfectly on the album track 'Glow', a free download track the band released in May to celebrate the announcement of the forthcoming album release. Download the track from the Tetish Soundcloud page or from the embed below.
18 months on and the pair have achieved a dynamic sound perfectly encapsulated on their debut album, with a medley of influences from pop and rock all the way through to classical and middle eastern music, giving Tetish a deep, rich, complex and ultimately unique sound. Openers Luck and the aforementioned 'Glow' draw comparison with classic artists such as Laura Mvula as well as contemporary musicians like Jessie Ware, whereas Shipwreck explores the band’s pop/rock leanings and is a nod to influences ranging from The Cardigans to Bat For Lashes. Salomon explains “the album is about the longing for self-fulfilment, about the struggle between reality and our hopes, dreams and ideals, in life, in art and in relationships.”
Both Salomon (vocals/keyboards) and Shitrit (keyboards/vocals) are classically trained musicians which becomes apparent on the record as they showcase their skills through the quality of their musicianship and arrangements. Their sound is further enhanced by Nir Shlomo (guitars/vocals), Noam Shacham (bass/vocals) and Daniel Azta (drums/vocals) who joined from Shitrit’s previous band Kalbey Ruach and are noted for their session work with bands such as Eatlitz, Brain Candies and Lola Marsh respectively.
Tetish are intensely determined to expose the world to their sound as they attempt to reach and relate to as many people as they possibly can. It’s been a great start for the band as their demos were picked up by some of the biggest local radio stations as well as being picked up for CMW in Toronto, CMJ in New York and this summer’s WOMAD Festival here in the UK. While in the UK, they are planning to play a number of dates with details due to be announced in early summer 2016.
Shipwreck by Tetish is available to buy on the band's Bandcamp page and is taken from their self-titled debut album out via Solarie Records on 22nd July 2016.