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HAWK’s self-titled EP out now!
“…a sharply defined melodic affair…"- Clash
"...emotional..." - Stereogum
“…stunning…” - Noisey
“…simply sublime…” - The Line of Best Fit
HAWK's self-titled EP is out now via Veta Records. To celebrate the release, HAWK are playing their first show of 2016 in London at The Victoria with support from twin sister lead four-piece The Van T's.
The video for their latest single, The Hunt, premiered on Stereogum and previous single Once Told premiered on Noisey. Both tracks are also available to stream via the band's Soundcloud page.
The Hunt and Once Told are also available to watch via the band's YouTube channel.
Matching the slightly sinister nature of the the song, the video finds the band being followed through a forest by a group of strangers. Julie Hawk's beautiful vocals flow from haunting verses to powerful choruses with crashing drums building a crescendo of noise. Continuing with their darker, grungier and ultimately bigger sound, The Hunt is the second track to be taken from the band’s upcoming self-titled EP. The band collaborated with producer Dimitri Tikovoi (Horrors, Placebo, Marianne Faithful) on The Hunt with the track mixed by Catherine Marks best known for her previous work with Wolf Alice and Howling Bells.
Since the release of their last EP Clock Hands in 2015, the band can already count the likes of The Line of Best Fit, Noisey, Clash, Music Week, The Irish Times, Radio X’s John Kennedy, Amazing Radio and BBC 6Music’s Tom Robinson and Chris Hawkins as keen supporters.
HAWK is out now via Veta Records and is available to buy on iTunes now.
Right Hand Left Hand digipak gatefold CD + tour update!
"...layer upon layer upon layer upon layer of devastating riffs." - Drowned in Sound
"... post-rock, but not as we know it." - Team Rock
"... make enough noise to scare bands three times their size." - Stereoboard
“…leaves you wanting more.” - Visions
Right Hand Left Hand, who are due to support Future Of The Left on their UK tour, have announced the release of a digipak gatefold CD version of their recently released self-titled album.
The band started shipping at the end of March due to the overwhelming demand of the critically acclaimed album. It has been a whirlwind few months for the two-piece after embarking on their own headline tour of the UK to coincide with the release in February. They also picked up support from the likes of Punktastic, Stereoboard, Drowned in Sound and Visions as well as a brilliant New Band of the Week feature in Team Rock.
You can find out what all the fuss was about by listening to and buying the album on the Jealous Lovers Bandcamp page or by clicking the embed below:
The video for single Seat 18c premiered on Visions and is now available to watch on the band's YouTube channel:
Right Hand Left Hand will be supporting Future Of The Left throughout the UK during April and May. You can catch them at the following venues:
April 17th - Bodega, Nottingham
April 19th - Riverside, Newcastle
April 20th - Liverpool Arts Club, Liverpool
April 21st - Electric Ballroom, London
May 13th - Night and Day, Manchester
Despite the obvious post-rock influences, Right Hand Left Hand are much, much more than an experimental instrumental band. Intense, powerful yet melodic, Right Hand Left Hand defy the confines of one specific genre as they embrace elements of Krautrock, space-rock and electronica, as well as innovatively incorporating live loops and vocals to great effect.
The result is an immersive, technically brilliant record filled with layer upon layer of riffs that subvert the quiet/loud dynamic of post-rock into a loud/louder burst of action. Album opener, and single Seat 18c, kicks off proceedings beautifully and lays the cards on the table for what to expect throughout the 11 track album, as the expertly picked guitar pieces trade punches with meaty riffs, augmented by metronomic drumming. Nightmares In The Afternoon illustrate the bands unpredictable nature as the brooding, unnerving track builds slowly, incorporating vocals alongside their customary love of powerful riffs. Tracks such as the free downloads Tarts and Darts and Fermat's Last Theorem along with Cliff Young Shuffle would make the likes of the Fucking Champs nod in appreciation.
Despite their unerring ability to sonically pulverise your eardrums, Right Hand Left Hand are in fact a two-piece band. Comprising Andrew Plain (drums/guitars) and Rhodri Viney (guitars/ vocals/ drums) and hailing from Cardiff, Wales, the duo played in a number of Cardiff based bands over the years. Having played a show with one of their former bands in a club in Groningen, Netherlands the pair, having heard Trans Am played by the DJ, were inspired to break out on their own, embracing an experimental set up of two members playing guitar, two drum kits, centered around a loop station, incorporating instrument swaps and all the while attempting to find out how heavy is too heavy.
Their decision to do so was inspired, as well as supporting Future Of The Left the band have headlined Swn Festival as well support the likes of Dead Meadow, Errors, The Mahjonng, The Mae Shi, Super Furry Animals, Funeral For A Friend and Los Campesinos.
Right Hand Left Hand's self-titled album is out now and available to buy on digipak gatefold CD and vinyl via the Jealous Lovers Club bandcamp page.
Introducing… The Folk Today Project!
A new concept band from New Zealand, The Folk Today Project, has one purpose - to turn the folk world on its axis and revive the fundamental intention of folk music; to comment on society. Their debut single The Reason For Living is out now via TFTP.
You can watch the video for the single now via the project's YouTube channel now.
The Reason For Living is a cleverly crafted response to modern day living, namely big city people preferring to live alone. The song explores this theme, whilst retaining melodic roots in traditional folk.
The track is also available to stream via the project's Soundcloud page now.
As founder Neil Pharazyn explains: “There are issues big and small in our faces today that we should be singing about, such as school bullying, hanging out versus dating, mobile phone obsession, gay marriage… you can probably suggest more.”
Neil (composer) grew up with a strong passion for music, which lead him to write songs in a variety of pop genres, he also takes advice from a Nashville producer when developing his songs. Bill Hickman (lead vocals) has worked with New Zealand-based artists
such as Will Ricketts (Phoenix Foundation) and his vocals have featured on records by The Shot Band and Eb & Sparrow and Andrew Laking (bass / guitar) is a formally trained musician with substantial international experience in acoustic music. He also toured the world for 10 years with folk group Gráda and has two solo albums under his belt.
The Folk Today Project is ready to bring back folk music with a modern message.
The Reason For Living is out now via TFTP and is available to buy on iTunes now.
POLSKY unveil video for Switchboard Operator
"... poised, dramatic songwriting, outwardly spiky but retaining a romantic core."
- Clash"...POLSKY are most certainly ones to watch."
- GigslutzA musical corporate entity for the modern day, POLSKY have revealed their quirky new video for Switchboard Operator, the first track to be taken from their debut album My Own Company released 13th May 2016 via PRODUCT.
The video premiered on Gigslutz but you can also watch it now via the bands YouTube channel.
The track, which premiered on Clash is available to stream from the bands Soundcloud.
Their debut album 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.
Switchboard Operator is available to stream now, with the album My Own Company released 13th May 2016 via PRODUCT.
Adam Cleaver releases haunting new video for single ‘Narrow Spines’!
“…poetic lyricism is matched to a voice capable of swooping up into the heavens.” - Clash
"...uplifting and anthemic..." - TMRW Magazine
Adam Cleaver's latest video for single Narrow Spines - out on April 22nd 2016 via Veta Records - is an eerie glimpse into Adam’s soul as he explores anguish and fragility.
The video premiered on Gigslutz and you can also watch it via Adam’s YouTube channel now.
“Narrow Spines is about weakness,” explains Adam. “When someone is so trapped in their own grief they aren’t able to comprehend the people around them”. The song has a much broader intensity to the sound than on his previous single Man or Beast - Narrow Spines embraces a much larger sound. However, the themes remain close to Adam’s heart as he uses his music to express raw, personal emotions which are also portrayed in the video.
You can also stream the track now via Adam Cleaver’s Soundcloud page now.
Adam’s incredible voice paired with post-rock influenced guitars and echoing drums is a beautiful and captivating combination. His sound is not dissimilar to acts like Frightened Rabbit and Dry The River but also draws comparisons to Ben Howard and Death Cab For Cutie. This single shows another side to Adam, an intriguing side that feels like a progression from his previous singles.
Adam’s previous supporters include BBC 6Music’s Lauren Laverne, Clash, Artrocker and Radio X’s John Kennedy. Working again with producer Matt Harris (HAWK), Narrow Spines demonstrates another side to Adam’s songwriting in advance of a new EP due later this year.
Narrow Spines is out on April 22nd 2016 via Veta Records.