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Introducing… Matthew Collings
Edinburgh composer Matthew Collings unveils his experimental sound with the release of the free download track, Vasilia, available to download from Bandcamp. The song is taken from the album Splintered Instruments, released earlier this year via Fluid Audio Recordings.
Vasilia encapsulates Matthew Collings sound perfectly. A powerful yet minimalist track, in which the instrumental tapestry and transient vocals are topped off with a droning pulse of strings, piano and synth. The sound produced is one of ominous beauty as strings and percussion play off one another, intertwining with Matthew’s vocals bewitchingly as the track forges to a climactic ending.
You can download 'Vasilia below or from the Matthew Collings' Bandcamp page.
Splintered Instruments is Matthew’s first solo project having previously performed under the name Sketches for Albinos. Here Matthew takes inspiration from the likes of Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Public Service Broadcasting, Autechre and Bedroom Community Record Label to create a sound exploring abrasive soundscapes of noise combined with atmospheric, ethereal beauty akin to Sigur Ros and God Speed You! Black Emperor. The album exhibits Matthew’s eclectic influences as well as his unerring ability to construct a sense of diversity throughout - highlighted by the crisp, clean ‘Routine’, and juxtaposed by the mass turbulence of ‘They Meet on the Subway’.
The album features a raft of special guests ranging from Helgi Hrafn Jonsson (a member of Sigur Ros’s backing band), Frank Aarnick (Icelandic Philharmonic Orchestra) and Ben Frost (Bedroom Community) - who also engineered and produced the album.
Having picked up support from the likes of The List earlier this year, Matthew is keen to maintain the momentum gained from his first self-titled project. The release of Vasilia will kickstart a busy second half of the year for Matthew with a single to follow in August, a planned tour of Europe this winter, commencing work on a follow up record as well as continuing to create sonic art projects such as the Erik Parr collaboration, The Third Mind.
Vasilia is free to download from Matthew’s Bandcamp page and Splintered Instruments is out now via Fluid Audio Recordings.
Saturday Night Gym Club video for ‘Suddenly The Feelings Are Ours’
"...beautifully crafted electro-pop..." - Mix Mag
"...lush..." - The Line Of Best Fit
"A warmth that's hard to achieve..." - BBC introducing
With their acclaimed debut EP How To Build A Life Raft gaining attention from Mix Mag, The Line of Best Fit and pioneering producer Skream, as well as providing the soundtrack to a TV advertisement campaign, Saturday Night Gym Club return with their second EP The Nowhere Team out now. The EP has gained attention from Notion Magazine, The 405 and a full stream is available on Clash Magazine's website now.
To celebrate the release, the band have revealed a brand new video for the EP track 'Suddenly The Feelings Are Ours'. The video premiered first on VICE's music site Noisey.com but you can watch it now on the band's YouTube channel.
Consisting of Alan Sanderson (vocals, beats/sampler), Conor O'Kane (vocals, piano/synths), Nick Crowe (vocals, bass) and Tom Bounford (violin, synths), SNGC came under the spotlight back in 2011. Having been picked up by BBC Introducing, the band played their second gig at Radio One's Big Weekend and were featured by Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens, exposing the Anglo-Irish quartet's sound to the world.
EP track 'The Nowhere Team' is available to stream and download free from the ABoF Soundcloud page.
The video for the EP track 'Terra Firma' is available to watch via SNGC's YouTube channel.
The Nowhere Team brings greater scope and soulfulness to what has already become an unmistakable signature sound. Fans of M83 and Foals will fall in love with the dream-pop inflections of 'Honesty' and 'The Nowhere Team'. More atmospheric tracks like 'Suddenly The Feelings Are Ours' and 'Terra Firma' nod to the influence of artists like Apparat demonstrating the bands ability to hold introspective moments with ebbing, interwoven vocals.The band self-produced The Nowhere Team, venturing to factories, train stations and building sites to record and explore a new depth of sound. Combining this with their trademark textures and creative use of guest vocalists they carefully built up layers that they describe as "an electric blanket for the soul".
With How To Build A Life Raft firmly setting Saturday Night Club as game changers, The Nowhere Team is sure to make 2013 their defining year. The EP is available to buy now on iTunes or stream via Spotify.
Introducing…The Lunchtime Sardine Club
Brighton based artist The Luchtime Sardine Club aka Oliver Newton (Yndi Halda / Bermuda Ern / St. Coltrane) introduces his unique brew of ‘lo-fi psych-folk’ with his debut album Icecapades, on August 12th 2013 via Sonic Anhedonic Recording Co.
A trailer for the album is available to watch now on Sonic Anhedonic's YouTube channel.
Album track 'I'm... Jesuschristmaam' is available to download free now via the ABoF Soundcloud page.
The album is a collection of short stories, such as the death of a boxer, the sleepy sickness epidemic of the 1920s, the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers, an old woman’s embalming and murderous distortion.
“Charon and the Boxer” opens the album gently crescendoing into a cacophony of guitars and violins, however, straight into “I’m... Jesuschristmaam”, here Newton hones a sound akin to American artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Bowerbirds. Although there’s a quiet joyfulness underlying each track, some take on a more atmospheric, introspective feeling as heard on “Quesadillas” and “Old Truths, Rare Grooves”, which would not be out of place on an Andrew Bird record. As the record comes to a close, the music slowly transforms into Midlake-esuqe vintage soundscapes. Icecapades is a truly wonderful, organic musical journey.
The Lunchtime Sardine Club recently grabbed the attention of Amazing Radio with the first single “Rumours” and also featured on a Big Scary Monsters best of... compilation earlier this year. With the sound branded as “a happier Elliott Smith circa 1998” by Brighton Noise, The Lunchtime Sardine Club’s Icecapades is the perfect concoction of Elliott Smith’s storytelling style and Grizzly Bear’s lo-fi folk.
The Lunchtime Sardine Club’s Icecapades will be released on August 12th 2013 via Sonic Anhedonic Recording Co.
Introducing… Unkle Bob
- Mojo
Unkle Bob returns with brand new EP, Songs For Others, released on 19th August 2013 via JustMe. Previously gaining support from Q Magazine and described by The Times as "a master of the lovelorn, desperate lyric", Songs For Others amalgamates influences old and new on this latest easy-to-adore four track EP.
With Unkle Bob pulling comparisons ranging from Fables of the Reconstruction-era REM and Aztec Camera to the likes of Nick Drake, Songs for Others continues to explore a more up-tempo path. Largely recorded in a Scottish bedroom, singer-songwriter Rick took inspiration from artists like R Stevie Moore, Nick Cave, Grizzly Bear and The Smiths, moving away from a purely acoustic sound to experiment with electric guitars, distortion pedals and looping effects.
The EP embodies Unkle Bob's ability to create catchy hooks, enhanced by echoing, overlapping vocals and cathartic lyrics that explore love and loss. Opening track, and forthcoming single Brother, is a downpour of reverberant, harmonised melodies, and the chorus evokes the spirit of Neil Young, as Rick sings "Forever I'll be your Brother...".
You can download Brother below or from the the ABoF Soundcloud page.
You can watch the official video for Brother below or from Unkle Bob's YouTube channel.
Unkle Bob's accomplished songwriting ability is further enhanced by second track 'Change', which immediately picks up the pace, building swiftly into a blissful, crisp pop ballad befitting acclaimed bands like Doves. The EP's glorious closer 'Home' enjoys the lyric "Home is where the heart is, and you still have a heart..." and sounds as if such a simple sentiment has never been said before.
Songs for Others follows the critically lauded albums Sugar and Spite (2006), and Shockwaves (2010) - records that made the band something of a cult phenomenon in the US. Their songs were the sound-track to countless US dramas (spawning well over 100,000 downloads in the process) whilst the song 'Swans' was featured in the climax to a Grey's Anatomy storyline.
This record was funded through PledgeMusic. Using the idea of a 'Song for You' option, Unkle Bob gave fans the opportunity to buy a song written about their lives. Rick entered into dialogue with the fans about lyrics and the general style of the track, giving birth to the single Brother and EP track 'Home'.
Songs for Others EP continues Unkle Bob';s hectic 2013 schedule. Having returned with the Letters EP on Christmas Day last year, following the death and resurrection of the band itself, Unkle Bob have gone onto play 3 festivals in Changsha (China) in front of 20,000 people, will be shooting a video for the single Brother, before releasing Songs For Others in August.
Songs for Others is out on 19th August 2013 via JustMe.
Humphrey Milles: ‘Tall Stories’ album and brand new video!
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"Tall Stories exhibits Humphrey Milles' exceptional proficiency as a singer-songwriter..." - Artrocker Magazine
"His melodic, anthemic songs will send a shiver of pleasure zipping up your spine..." - Sunday Times
"...one of the most important burgeoning talents on the indie scene." - The Vinyl District
Humphrey Miles (pronounced "Mills") recently released his fantastic debut album Tall Stories. To help promote the release of his debut, Humphrey has unleashed a brand new video for album track 'She's Climbing My Tree', which was directed by Bella Monticelli-McTiernan who recently directed the video for Tom Odell's 'Another Love'.
The video premiered first on Music-News.com but it is now available to view on Humphrey's YouTube channel.
Humphrey returned to the music scene last year with the free track "Breathe" followed by the single Not Enough. With coverage on NME.com, Artrocker, Contactmusic.com, a UK tour with Michele Stodart (The Magic Numbers) and a stunning session with Daytrotter, the video received over a million views within a month.
This year, the double a-side single Save Me / Tall Stories was released on June 3rd - it's available to stream now via Humphrey's Soundcloud page.
The video for Not Enough is available to watch via Humphrey's YouTube channel.
Tall Stories is the sound of an accomplished songwriter and one who is honest and emotionally in tune. Opening with 'Would've Known', Milles throws us straight into his world with crescendoing melodies and an epic chorus as he calls out "at least I know I'm not alone..." 'Save Me'is a complete change of pace, taking on a rockier element not dissimilar to The Stereophonics. 'Tall Stories'; is epic, sonically vast and rich. Here, you get an insight into Milles' honesty as he pierces through the gaze of modern life, the rat race and human nature. The latter half of Tall Stories is more introspective and slower songs such as 'It's Alright Now'; display Milles' talent as not only a songwriter but a musician as his vocals ache over a simple piano.
Humphrey is no stranger to the scene, he has previously shared the stage with the late Amy Winehouse, KT Tunstall, The Magic Numbers, Snow Patrol and the talented, Mercury nominated Ed Harcourt. Most recently he embarked upon a UK tour with Michele Stodart, hitting venues and regional radio stations up and down the country from Yorkshire FM to BBC Radio Ulster, which led to him being picked up by national radio - BBC 6Music’s Chris Hawkins especially championed the single Not Enough.