Latest News
POLSKY album ‘My Own Company’ out now!
"... poised, dramatic songwriting, outwardly spiky but retaining a romantic core." - Clash
"...anthemic, indie-elctro rock a la Bloc Party... " - The Revue
"...POLSKY are most certainly ones to watch." - Gigslutz
New wave pop-rockers POLSKY are delighted to announce the release of their brilliant debut album My Own Company, out now via PRODUCT and available to buy on the POLSKY Bandcamp page. Join POLSKY as they launch their album on Saturday 11th June at the Sebright Arms with tickets available to buy here.
Stream My Own Company on The Revue who kindly premiered the album exclusively on their site prior to it's release.
The band's official single Switchboard Operator premiered on Clash and is available to stream from the POLSKY Soundcloud page, with the video premiering on Gigslutz. Watch the video now on the band's YouTube channel or by clicking the embed below.
POLSKY illustrated their diversity by following up their single release with the free download track 'Minimax' which had all the hallmarks of a Stock Aitken Waterman hit in their 80's pomp - if Stock Aitken Waterman had indulged in a mountain of psychedelics, intravenously injected into their eye balls by Rick Astley on speed.
Download 'Minimax' now from the AboF Soundcloud page or by clicking the embed below.
My Own Company is a frenetic journey of post-punk urgency, electro hysteria and a shaky egg, as you accompany the protagonist trying to find their place in the world whilst negotiating a maelstrom of mass consumerism, media bombardment, social pressures and "the fear that your decaff skinny mocha-frappe no-foam venti won’t be served at precisely 63 degrees".
Featuring special guest appearances from the likes of Joe Watson (Stereolab) and Chris Tickner and the Gregorian Singers (Enigma/Rick Wakeman), My Own Company is a pop record of multiple personalities.
Granted with a rare opportunity to peer behind the curtain and get a glimpse into the world of POLSKY, I spoke to founder and CEO, Chris Warren about the origins and vision of the band with the anti-corporate ethic. Warren simply stated “POLSKY are a band of the people, by some people”.
Warren (vocals, guitar) explained that POLSKY has evolved from bedroom laptop electronics to a fully-formed, energetic pop band with the appointment of the executive board; Senior Synth Architect, Ben Warn (keyboards), Rhythm Logistics Engineer, Alex Robertson (drums) and Low Frequency Systems Analyst Chris Norman (bass).
Starting his musical career under the wing of Cocteau Twins' Robin Guthrie, while working in their September Sound studio, Warren paid close attention to Guthrie's production and writing techniques while absorbing ideas from sessions with Echo and the Bunnymen, Nick Lowe, Terry Hall, Ian Brodie, Billy Mackenzie and many others.
Warren played in several bands throughout the noughties, including Shadow Orchestra (now Talk In Colour) and agit-pop band BIB - who were given an NME 'single of the week' and toured with XX Teens. During this period he formulated his musical vision for what would become POLSKY and My Own Company, a collection of perfectly formed pop songs about corporate zombies, elderly love affairs, brain function, mid-nineties video game addiction and the undeniable human obsession with shouting louder than everyone else.
Join POLSKY. Embrace their manifesto. Live their ethos. Dance their dance. All applications considered.
My Own Company is out now via PRODUCT and available to buy on the POLSKY Bandcamp page.
Me And My Drummer release video for ‘Gun’!
"...lose yourself in the sounds of indie-pop duo
Me and My Drummer." - i-D
"...hauntingly gorgeous..." - DIY
"...an immaculate construction that feels altogether heartfelt."
- The Line of Best Fit
"...an enthralling piece of synth pop with a real sense of art." - Clash
Me And My Drummer have released their new video for Gun, taken from second album Love Is A Fridge, out now via Sinnbus and available to buy on iTunes.
The video for Gun premiered on i-D and you can also watch it now via the band's YouTube channel.
After the surprisingly folky Blue Splinter View and the drum-driven Pentonville Road, the ease of Gun seems to suit Me And My Drummer down to the ground, showing a more colourful side to this amazing band.
Love Is A Fridge is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed debut album The Hawk, The Beak, The Prey and also includes their single Easy On Me, which you can watch it now via the band's YouTube channel.
The album is ten perfect tracks nothing short of an electropop masterpiece as Matze Pröllochs and Brandi traverse a wide and varied soundscape. Her vocals are stronger than ever, enough to match the soulful electropop tones of Florence Welch or Jessie Ware. An album that musically covers a huge range of styles and ideas maintaining its bold feel and flavour for experimentation all the way through. If you imagine Bat For Lashes meets Lykke Li you’re close, but there’s something somewhat celestial about Me And My Drummer that sets them apart.
Me And My Drummer have received acclaim from a range of sources, but most recently, their single Blue Splinter View was played on Lauren Laverne's BBC 6Music show. The duo have also received praise from the likes of XFM, BBC Radio 1, NME, Rolling Stone, MTV, DIY, The Line of Best Fit, Clash and The 405 and with a strong following in their home country, the band are making a bold step forward once again with their second album. The Berlin based dream pop duo are also set to play various festivals in Europe this Summer such as Fuchsbau Festival in Germany and Weisenrock Festival in Austria.
Love is a Fridge is out now via Sinnbus and is available to buy on iTunes and stream on Spotify.
The Van T’s release video for single ‘Blood Orange’!
“...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
With the buzz around them growing with each release, The Van T’s have hit the mark again with the release of their new video for single Blood Orange, which is out on 10th June 2016. The track is taken from their forthcoming EP A Coming Of Age released on 1st July 2016 via Bloc+Music.
Premiering on Noisey, the video sees the band go full 90's inspired MTV2 with grainy, filtered visuals edited sharply, fitting the high octane nature of the song perfectly. Watch the video now on the band's YouTube channel or by clicking the embed below.
Blood Orange premiered on Huw Stephens BBC Introducing show on Wednesday 25th May and captures the bands characteristics superbly as electrifying guitar howls and echoes from the speakers, bridged beautifully by the twin sisters duel vocals, all neatly harnessed by the simple yet effective interplay between drums and bass. Stream the track now from The Van T's Soundcloud page or via the embed below.
The single follows the release of EP track '35mm' which premiered on Consequence of Sound last month and is also available to stream on the band's Soundcloud page.
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
Blood Orange is out on 10th June and is taken from the EP A Coming of Age by The Van T’s, due for release on 1st July 2016 via Bloc+Music.
Law Holt releases video for single Spit!
"Playful pop with sinister undertones..." - DIY
"...explosive..." - The Line of Best Fit
“...a voice that could move mountains…” - The Skinny
Law Holt is more than a mere genre. Law is passion. Law is music. Music is the Law. It’s her way, always - no boundaries, no preconceptions.
Intense and powerful, Law has unleased her new video for her single Spit, taken from her forthcoming album City, which premiered on DIY and is available to watch 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.
Yvonne McDonnell releases video for ‘I’m Not This Layer Of Skin’!
"...a powerful mix which draws the listener in."
- For Folk's Sake
"...a newcomer to contemporary folk music but whom we feel will be making her mark..." - Folk Radio
Yvonne McDonnell has shared her inspiring new video for I'm Not This Layer Of Skin, encouraging women of all ages to learn that substance doesn't solely rest on appearance. The pressure to look perfect is not uncommon but this is a misguided portrayal of perfection saturated in today's media, which needs to be recognised.
The video for I'm Not This Layer Of Skin premiered on For Folk's Sake and is available to watch via Yvonne's YouTube channel now.
Talking about the video, Yvonne explains it is "for every woman who has ever felt ashamed because they don’t look how the media says is right. We are sisters, mothers, daughters, friends and lovers. There is so much more to us than what we are so wrongly often defined by. We are not just our layer of skin. The video will challenge the shallow portrayal of women in the media, art and other influential outlets. It will celebrate the mind and substance behind women".
The audio for I'm Not This Layer Of Skin premiered on Folk Radio and you can stream it now via Yvonne's Soundcloud page.
Over the past few decades, we’ve seen an incredible rise in talented female singer songwriters making a profound impact upon contemporary folk music. Yvonne McDonnell is another to add to the burgeoning list as she makes her mark with the release of forthcoming EP Not Her Own out on 17th June 2016 via Reality Is Over.
Yvonne's EP Not Her Own is all about empowerment; about having the ability to positively stand up to life’s daily struggles, delivered through the effervescent beauty of Yvonne’s emotive vocals. Yvonne is not only inspired by musical influences such as Nick Cave and Joanna Newsom, but also by poets such as Alfred Lord Tennyson and Edgar Allen Poe, helping to inspire her to write the opening tracks I’m Not This Layer Of Skin and The Savages. Both these songs are skilfully written and performed with the same story-telling charm that has worked so well for to the likes of Laura Marling, Lisa Hannigan and Kate Rusby. McDonnell’s hypnotic vocal remains centre-stage throughout the four track EP, with her unique vibrato blending in effortlessly with the warped guitars and hypnotic violin, a clear nod to her Irish roots.
Originally from East London, Yvonne started performing acoustically in 2012 at university in Portsmouth. She soon got addicted to the live circuit and was later joined by violinist Maria Kroon - who also contributes heavily on Not Her Own. Yvonne’s debut EP Endless Soul received praise from the likes of Gigslutz and Pure M Magazine and she has also performed live sessions for Sofar Sounds in London and Cambridge amongst others. The release of Not Her Own will see Yvonne take another step up the folk ladder as she introduces the listener to a fresh, darker exploration of British modern folk.
The single I'm Not This Layer Of Skin and EP Not Her Own are both out on Friday 17th June 2016 via Reality Is Over.