Latest News
Einar Stray Orchestra announce album ‘Politricks’!
“…just downright beautiful.” - The 405
Since the release of Einar Stray’s debut album Chiaroscuro, the Norwegian five-piece have become a critically acclaimed collective. However, their forthcoming album Politricks will be released under their new name, Einar Stray Orchestra, via Berlin based label Sinnbus on 6th October 2014. If you'd like a taste of their spectacular live show, you can catch Einar Stray Orchestra live in London at The Islington on 6th October 2014 as part of their European tour. Tickets available here.
The video for album title track and single Politricks was premiered on The 405 and you can now watch it on YouTube or via the embed below.
You can also watch the video for album track 'Pockets Full Of Holes' on YouTube or via the embed below.
Their last album gained critical acclaim in the UK, Europe and beyond with websites like The 405 awarding Einar Stray’s debut a whopping 9/10. In the meantime, the band were being asked to play festivals such as JaJaJa, Iceland Airwaves and Berlin Music Week - maintaining their cool, underground status whilst increasing an ever growing fan base. The band have been a main player in the underground scene, slowly simmering away and now ready to burst into the wider consciousness.
Growing up is one of the album’s main themes, which can be heard from the offset. Politricks begins with eerie eight minute track ‘Honey’ taking you on a journey of darkness and desperation. Second track and single, ’Politricks’, puts childhood beliefs and hero worship under the microscope, telling the story of a transition from innocent youth to the not-so-innocent adult world, dealing with disillusion and perception at the same time. The album then continues its journey, with stripped down tracks such as ‘For The Country’ and ‘Qualia’ introducing a more folk-like sound, not dissimilar to the likes of Iron and Wine and dominated by a heartfelt string section. In contrast, tracks like ‘Pockets Full of Holes’ and ‘Montreal’ reflect the happiness of adolescence with a stunning layering of instruments and unique time signatures.
The album is a tapestry of different emotions and the result of the journey Einar Stray has taken from humble indie beginnings to where they are now, Einar Stray Orchestra - a band with heart and substance, taking their underground status and rising beyond the sum of their parts.
Politricks is released 6th October 2014 via Sinnbus/Rough Trade.
The/Das release debut album ‘Freezer’!
"For gyrating, art pop with a soulful tint, look no further."
- Loud and Quiet Magazine
"...the missing link between avant-garde ambient techno and noir-pop."
- The Line Of Best Fit
The/Das release their captivating debut album Freezer via Sinnbus today.
There has already been a swell of support for the Berlin based due, with the video for their single Miami Waters premiering on Clash Magazine's website, while The Line Of Best Fit premiered My Made Up Spook, showcasing the video's voyeuristic DIY aestethic.
You can watch the videos for Miami Waters and My Made Up Spook via the Sinnbus YouTube Channel, or via the embeds below.
You can also watch the video for free track, 'Parallel Worlds', on Sinnbus' YouTube channel and download it from their SoundCloud page.
The album presents the darker side of electro as the duo open the album with single, My Made Up Spook, revealing their new direction as a band, straddling the line between intelligent electro pop and what they describe as ‘techno tenderness’. Imagine the razor-sharp polished sound that Sohn created with his recent album Tremors but with a more organic, wistful edge. The album, however, shows many facets of the talented Berlin based pair as ’Miami Waters’ feels more dream like and tracks ’Parallel Worlds’ and ‘Operation of Chance’ sound like Daft Punk’s 2010 Tron soundtrack’s darker, more cerebral cousin.
Freezer is a departure from last year’s Speak Your Mind Speak EP, which gained praise from The 405, Clash, Artrocker, VICE’s Noisey and many more. The album was developed and recorded spontaneously, showcasing the band's newfound organic approach to songwriting as a proper band but still within the electronic sphere. With this album The/Das prove that they are still one of the most exciting acts to emerge from the ever evolving Berlin scene.
Freezer is released via Sinnbus and is available on vinyl and CD from Amazon and digitally from iTunes and BandCamp.
Introducing… Felix Champion!
Felix Champion are to release their debut album, This Lateral Life, out on 24th November via Bloc+Music.
To celebrate this announcement Felix Champion have released a free download of album track 'Canyons' to give you a taster of things to come. Download and stream the track on the ABoF SoundCloud or via the embed below.
Originally from Fife, Scotland, the Glasgow based four-piece are delighted to be releasing their debut full length record where their own brand of elaborate, yet melodic, alt-rock can be appreciated in its entirety. With moments of technical proficiency combined with vocal harmonies galore and heavy intricate guitar pieces, Felix Champion have created a raw, pulsating, explorative sound.
Tracks such as ‘These Four Walls’ characterise the band’s creative output perfectly. Guitar picking envelopes your ears at break-neck speed, as a multitude of time signatures stop and start, cajoling your body to lovingly throb with the same passion the band clearly exhibit on record. Screaming vocals are flanked by impressive on-point harmonies as the song undulates to a heavy, head banging close. There is no pause for breath throughout This Lateral Life, as the band showcase a boundless energy, and no little talent, reminiscent of bands such as Attack! Attack!, Funeral For A Friend, Gallows and Thursday. ‘Animals’ shows a poppier side to their songwriting as the emphasis shifts to a big chorus and even bigger harmonies, while closing track ‘The Lateral Life’ displays elements of math-rock akin to bands like Tera Melos, This Town Needs Guns and Oxes.
Consisting of Ross Balsillie (guitar/vocals), David Rees (guitar/vocals), Andy Brown (drums/vocals), Michael Clark (bass/vocals), Felix Champion originally formed in 2011 as a three-piece outfit. However, after collectively moving to Glasgow, the band recruited their friend David Rees in 2013 completing the final Felix Champion line-up. They quickly made a name for themselves on the Glasgow music scene with their vibrant live performances which led to a support slot with PAWS at Glasgow University’s freshers’ week as well as festival appearances at GoNorth, Wickerman and Tweedfest.
To support the release of This Lateral Life, Felix Champion will be touring Ireland in early September, followed by a UK tour at the beginning of November, to coincide with the album release, before heading off to Europe in March 2015 and culminating with an official launch of the album taking place at Bar Bloc on 22nd November.
This Lateral Life by Felix Champion is released 24th November 2014 via Bloc+Music.
Foreignfox release ‘Quiet At Home’ video!
Foreignfox have released the video for single, Quiet At Home. The track is taken from EP We Float Like Sinking Ships released in early 2014.
Watch the video on the Foreignfox YouTube channel or via the embed below.
You can stream the single on the ABoF Soundcloud page or via the embed below.
Setting the tone perfectly for the video, Quiet At Home begins as a lo-fi ethereal folk musing, before erupting into an alternative-rock rebel song, with powerful guitars and relentless drums. The lyrics rally against complacency, pointing a finger squarely at the noncommittal in society who have allowed corporations and politicians to create the urban dystopia in which we currently live. Combined with the video, the timing of the single couldn’t be better, with Scotland’s vote for independence, and the uncertain future whatever the outcome, looming on the horizon.
Foreignfox formed after a series of fortunately unfortunate events. Lead Singer and guitarist Jonny Watt and drummer Nick Hernandez had previously played together in bands since the age of 15. After some time, Jonny came face to face with some of the more darker elements of life which inspired his songwriting. What began as acoustic introversion evolved when Nick heard one of the songs and demanded to play a part on it. Mutual friend Lewis Hamilton (guitar / bass / keyboards) was then drafted in alongside Paul Devine (guitar / bass) to complete the line up.
Quiet At Home is available as a digital download on iTunes and can be streamed via Spotify.
Turning Plates release free track & video of ‘Wild Roots’
Turning Plates have released 'Wild Roots' as a free track. It's a hauntingly melodic instrumental piece that perfectly captures the tone of their forthcoming album, The Shouting Cave.
The Vinyl District premiered both the track and the atmospheric video that accompanies it,
and you can check them both out now via the embeds below.
Download and stream 'Wild Roots' via the ABoF SoundCloud page or via the embed below.
You can also download 'Falling Lives', the first free track taken from their album on the ABoF SoundCloud page and watch the beautifully choreographed video that accompanies the track on the Turning Plates YouTube channel..
The Shouting Cave is a concept album that explores the effect of the Internet on Society. The band argue that the Internet is the purest reflection of humanity, a world built entirely of our own thoughts, emotions and desires - “a sea to float our dreams”, as described in the album track 'The Human Isle'. What do we see in that reflection? Have we stopped to think? The album explores these questions by portraying the Internet as a new wilderness into which we are born, telling individual stories within the overarching theme. Tracks such as ‘Falling Lives’ and ‘Wild Roots’ showcase the band’s cinematic style through delicate but powerful soundscapes, reminiscent of Sigur Ros and Four Tet, while ‘Havoc’ and ‘Animals’ lift the tempo, focusing on intertwining melodies and heartfelt vocal lines in the style of Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens. The message of The Shouting Cave is laid bare in the final two tracks of the album; the gloriously dark track ‘The Human Isle’ describes a desolate world which then blossoms into the culminating track ‘Things Grow’, with its unyielding chant “Things grow, Things grow legs and run wild”. Each track on The Shouting Cave is strong enough to stand on its own merit, but listened to in its entirety the album irresistibly comes to life.
The Shouting Cave is released on 22nd September 2014, part funded by Creative Scotland.