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Unmap release video for ‘The Gold Route’
“...moments of electronic chamber pop with unusual and haunting female vocals...”
- Artrocker
Unmap unveil their impressive debut album Pressures, due for release via cutting edge Berlin based label Sinnbus on 2nd December 2013. The band’s mesmerizing debut single When To Lead And When To Follow was released just before the summer, showcasing the bands unique blend of electronica, RnB and indie creating a sound that belongs purely to Unmap.
The band have unleashed a video for 'The Gold Route'. It's available to watch now via the Sinnbus YouTube channel.
Album track When To Lead And When To Follow is available to stream now via the Sinnbus Soundcloud page.
Beginning on a sombre note, ‘Wire Rule’ is sparse and tribal, whilst ‘Pirates’ feels like AlunaGeorge and NZCA/LINES on a weird and wonderful comedown. Mariechen Danz’s vocals are beguiling, deep and breathy yet strangely beautiful as heard on ‘Stone Head’. It’s tracks like this and ‘When To Lead And When To Follow’ that exhibit the band’s skill when it comes to great writing, more akin to chamber pop, with off kilter melodies and strange time signatures much like Blonde Redhead’s earlier work. More experimental tracks like the forthcoming single ‘The Gold Route’ and ‘Purify’ straddle the line between avant-garde electro pop and RnB, somewhere between Tricky and Grimes. The album explores many themes; cautionary tales of paranoia, protest and colonialism, the barriers of thought, religion and language, the fallacies of power and the weight of impermanence are translated into the language of liquid pop which wears its influences deftly and proudly, woven together by Mariechen’s Irish storyteller roots.
Comprised of Mariechen Danz (vocals), Alex Stolze (violin, guitar, electronics), Matthias Geserick (bass) and Thomas Fietz (e-drums), the band started life with Mariechen and Alex with the intention to make music to soundtrack her art performances. However, not before long, the pair’s soulful, lucid melodies took a life of their own and Unmap was born. Alex had previously worked with Berlin based bands Dictaphone and Bodi Bill and as the songs took shape, Matthias and Thomas were added to the mix.
Singles The Gold Route and Pirates will be precede the album’s release with videos planned for both and live dates throughout Europe.
Unmap’s captivating debut album Pressures will be available via Sinnbus from 2nd December 2013.
Dante release ‘No Original Art’ single & video!
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- The Herald
Scottish five piece, Dante return with the release of the download single and video of 'No Original Art', taken from their forthcoming album, Wake, out on 28th October 2013 via Stitch Records.
Following the successful release of debut single 'Son', 'No Original Art' continues to exhibit Dante's ability to produce up tempo contemporary folk music tinged with a smattering of indie for good measure. Pulling on influences like Lau and Frightened Rabbit, Dante have impressively cultivated a sound that wouldn't seem out of place on If I Should Fall From Grace With God by The Pogues - a compliment deserving of a band at the top of their game.
You can download 'No Original Art' below or from the the band's Soundcloud page.
You can watch the video for 'No Original Art' below or on the band's YouTube page.
Showcasing the songwriting talents of Seán McLaughlin (a member of Idlewild’s Rod Jones' solo project, The Birthday Suit), the band have captured a modern folk sound that epitomises the Scottish indie scene's uncanny ability to blend contemporary innovation with more traditional values. Ably supported by ex Aberfeldy member Vicky Gray (fiddle / synth / glock / vox), Stephen Thom (electric mandolin / guitar / vox), Ruaridh Kidd (drums / vox) and Stuart Hosking (bass / vox), McLaughlin has created an album conjuring images of weather beaten landscapes, desolate beauty and lives lived at a slower pace, far away from the bustle of an overcrowded city.
Rich vocal harmonies sit seamlessly alongside traditional instrumentation, blended with a modern driven rock beat. Representing the very best of Scotland's lo-fi alternative sound, Dante are sure to win the hearts and minds of fans of Lau, Frightened Rabbit and Arcade Fire.
Wake was part produced and recorded by Frightened Rabbit's Andy Monaghan, who also appears on the record playing bass and guitar, and was written in the Shetland Islands where Sean and Vicky were born.
In a baptism of fire that sits well alongside their infernal namesake, Dante played their first gig in Polmont Young Offenders Institution almost two years ago, and have never looked back. Since then, the band have grown steadily sharing the stage with members of Snow Patrol, supported The Birthday Suit and played with Washington Irving at the Edinburgh Festival.
The last few months have been extremely busy for Dante as they embarked on a tour of Scotland and northern England throughout September and October. They also played a support slot with Dry the River and have followed that up with the release of the download and video for 'No Original Art'. The end of October will culminate in the unveiling of Wake on the 28th and the band have been announced to play Celtic Connections on 19th January 2014.
The Birthday Suit return with single ‘A Bigger World’
The Birthday Suit return with single A Bigger World released on 4th November 2014 via Sing It Alone. The single features Scott Hutchinson from Frightened Rabbit and is a rousing three minutes of swelling vocals, strings and catchy riffs. With this latest offering, The Birthday Suit are stepping forward with their heads held high as Rod Jones transcends his Idlewild roots, proving himself to be one of Scotland’s finest songwriting talents.
Rod from The Birthday Suit featured as a guest on Steve Lamacq's Roundtable recently. You can still listen to the show online. The video for A Bigger World also premiered on Clash but is now available to watch via the band's YouTube channel.
A Bigger World is the first single from the band’s third album A Hollow Hole Of Riches, which will be released on 3rd March 2014. With their first two albums, Rod was finding his feet after Idlewild announced their indefinite hiatus but this is a more cohesive sound. The Birthday Suit are very much in keeping with Scotland's finest musical exports, writing tunes that are exciting and diverse, songs brewed with heart and passion, which tell stories, hearts on sleeves for all to see.
A Bigger World sets the scene for the album's overall theme of isolation, as each one of us exists within our own small world, but that's not to say the lyrics are bleak - far from it. It's a celebration of diversity, and the constantly shifting nature of perspective.
A Bigger World is due for release on 4th November via Sing It Alone. The track is available to download free with all pre-orders of the album, for more information, visit The Birthday Suit's official website.
Jan Roth releases video for ‘Rinnsal’
"A dark, mysterious realm shot through with rare blasts of pure, white light..." - Clash
Jan Roth released his brilliant debut album L.O.W via cutting edge Berlin based label Sinnbus during the summer. He has now unveiled the stunning video for album track 'Rinnsal'.
The video premiered on the Clash website, describing it as "a delicate, beautifully formed work which ripples with a fluid, free flowing sensibility." 'Rinnsal' is also available to watch now via the Sinnbus YouTube channel.
With an intricate sound akin to an amalgamation between Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and jazz pianist Brad Mehldau, it's fascinating being able to witness Jan Roth and his musicians interact onstage, effortlessly creating the perfect atmospheric tone.
Jan Roth's video for Siebzehn is also available to watch now on the Sinnbus YouTube channel.
You can also download 'Kleine Freiheit' free from the Sinnbus Soundcloud page.
Sinnbus, the label behind Jan Roth's album release, are still in the throes of celebrating their 10 year anniversary this year with with a series of live concerts and parties planned in Europe this October and November. You can check out the details in the video below.
Jan Roth’s L.O.W. is available now on iTunes, Spotify and all good online retailers.
The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing + Ed Tudor Paul + Palehorse at The Garage!
"Leading lights of the steampunk scene..." - NME
Returning once more as the UK's biggest Steampunk band, The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing are a good old filthy slice of Victoriana that slides down the gullet like a dirty shot of Hendricks. They are set to play their biggest show yet at The Garage in London alongside Ed Tudor Pole and Palehorse.
Their upcoming double a-side single, The Gin Song / Third Class Coffin will be released on October 7th 2013. 'The Gin Song' is a stripped down rabble rousing drinking anthem, with elements of Kurt Weill and more than a nod to Tom Waits' seminal Rain Dogs, best consumed in the forgotten decadence of abandoned cabaret lounges, whilst drowning your sorrows.
The Gin Song is available to stream now on TMTWNBBFN's Soundcloud page.
'Third Class Coffin' brings a touch of class (pun definitely intended) to the proceedings, with a splash of social commentary providing the tonic to the a-side's juniper infused spirit.
An animated video for 'The Great Stink' was recently released. The track does not feature on the forthcoming single but it's another visual treat from the band ahead of their London show this week.
The Men That Will Not Be Blamed For Nothing started off in the troubled minds of former Creaming Jesus singer Andy Heintz and guitarist and cult stand up comedian Andrew O'Neill (who’s previously appeared on Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle). They were immediately adopted by the emerging Steampunk scene due to their very British Aesthetic, penchant for the ridiculous and determination to put the "punk" back into Steampunk. As time went on, they adopted fellow comedian Marc Burrows (Bass Guitar) and Jez Miller (Drums - formerly of Lords of the New Church and Britpoppers Showgirls).
With two albums under their belts, a Christmas EP and a single released on wax cylinder, along with a long list of festival appearances including Bestival, Latitude and Green Man it didn't take long for the band to catch the attention of the national press and radio. They've earned praise from such publications as the NME, a 4 star review from the Independent on Sunday and can count Steampunk Godfathers Alan Moore and Neil Gaiman as fans. This latest offering is sure to cement and expand their evergrowing fanbase.
The Gin Song / Third Class Coffin will be released on 7th October 2013.