Latest News
Me And My Drummer release new single ‘Pentonville Road’!
"...hauntingly gorgeous..." - DIY
"...an immaculate construction that feels altogether heartfelt." - The Line of Best Fit
Berlin based electro pop duo Me And My Drummer have unveiled second single, Pentonville Road, taken from their forthcoming album Love Is A Fridge, out February 12th 2016 via Sinnbus.
Pentonville Road is "about a woman is looking into a photo album and she sees all the snapshots of a past relationship. Photos of places they have been together and of people the two have met - it's about that sentimental feeling you get when you look back to a time that is over,” say the band.
Pentonville Road premiered on Notion Magazine's website and it's available to stream now on Spotify.
Me And My Drummer's video for single Blue Splinter View is also available to watch now on YouTube.
New album Love is a Fridge 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 Lykki Li you’re close, but there’s something somewhat celestial about Me And My Drummer that sets them apart.
Love is a Fridge is due for release on February 12th 2016 via Sinnbus.
Introducing… Eric Taylor Escudero!
"...haunting and otherworldly..." - Folk Radio
Brazilian born Eric Taylor Escudero has the uncanny ability to evoke a British sensibility in his music, with his warming tones a perfect accompaniment to the cold winter months.
Eric’s eleven track debut album, We Were Young And It Was Morning, reflects his emotionality, incorporating themes of love, loss, nostalgia and the difficulties of living modern city life. The album has a predominantly traditional folk feel and uses a diverse range of instruments such as the harmonica, mandolin, guitar, concertina, glockenspiel and violin, allowing Eric to experiment with arrangements, creating wistful, immersive folk music.
To celebrate the album's release, Eric has shared free download track The Uncountable Colours of The Sky, which premiered on Folk Radio. You can also download the track now via the A Badge of Friendship Soundcloud page.
Having been influenced by 60s and 70s folk-rock from an early age, it’s no surprise that Eric’s music has blossomed in the way that it has, his impressive vocal delivery is comparable to some of the leading folk artists this country has to offer, conjuring memories of the likes of Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble and Johnny Flynn. The album sees Eric collaborate with the magnificent Ana Luísa Ramos who performs on backing vocals, her voice complimenting Escudero’s perfectly, as their soft, harmonious vocals merge beautifully, particularly on tracks such as We Were Young and It Was Morning - Part 1 and The Uncountable Colours of The Sky.
After playing in several rock bands in his hometown of São Paulo, Eric decided to go it alone and has since released three EPs - Lines We Wrote in Spring, Northern Lights or Summer Skies, and Big City Lights. We Were Young and It Was Morning combines Eric’s previous EPs into a creatively arranged package. The album was recorded in Austin, Texas and features Eric Taylor Escudero (vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin), Ana Luísa Ramos (vocals and keys), Marco Minoru (bass and acoustic guitar) and Tomás Telles (drums).
Having already made a name for himself in Brazil with features in publications such as Brazil’s Metro News and 505 Indie, Eric is excited to share his emotive, affecting music with the rest of the world.
We Were Young And It Was Morning is out now via City Lights Produções.
Universal Thee release single ‘Speaker’!
"Defiantly alternative but unashamed to be pop…"
- ClashUniversal Thee are delighted to announce the release of their excellent single Speaker, taken from their sophomore album, All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace and available to buy on iTunes.
The video for Speaker premiered on Clash and is available to watch on the band's YouTube channel.
Speaker is also available to stream on the A Badge of Friendship Soundcloud page.
The single is the second track to be released from the forthcoming album following on from 'Hounds' which is available to download for free from the ABoF Soundcloud page.
All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace, the follow up to the critically lauded debut Back To Earth, sees the band make a natural progression in their sound, with a more focused, more intense record evolving throughout the recording process as Universal Thee embrace the nuances of a bigger polished production as well as an increased level of complexity to their songwriting.
The result is a record that captures all of their most positive skills as a band, constructing songs with an immediacy which is difficult to achieve, as contagious harmonies are married with memorable melodies and wonderfully crafted musicianship. Album opener ‘Why’ leads from the front, setting the tone for an album that contains ten tracks of glowing, uplifting alt-pop. Harnessing the influences of bands such as Teenage Fanclub, Pixies and current favourites Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, ‘Why’ features the band’s compelling guitar licks, boy/girl harmonies and ear-worm like choruses. ‘Xang’ and ‘Sail Away’ exhibit a grittier side to their songwriting, while forthcoming single Speaker has the potential to capture the imagination of a much wider audience.
Having all studied at Dundee University, James Russell (guitar & vocals), Lisa Russell (vocals), Robin Spivey (guitar) Andrew Perrie (bass) formed the band in Edinburgh, with Matt Grieve (drums) a recent addition. Universal Thee been building their name receiving critical acclaim from the likes of The Skinny, The Daily Record, The Sunday Herald and Jim Gellatly and playing a number of shows supporting the likes of Ded Rabbit as well as an appearance on the pyramid stage at the Kelburn Garden Party Festival. With more tours planned over the coming months, a debut London show in the works and the forthcoming release of their brand new album, 2016 is looking like a year where Universal Thee will spread their wings even further afield.
Speaker is available to buy now on iTunes, and is taken from the album All Watched Over By Machines of Loving Grace out 19th February 2016 via Eventual Heirs Records.
Introducing… Connah Evans!
"...an energy-filled, yet emotion-strewn, slice of indie-pop." - Gigslutz
Connah Evans is back with his single Wait For Me, out February 26th 2016 via Heart Leap Records.
In the run-up to the single’s release, Connah has unveiled his latest video for the track, which premiered on Gigslutz. The video is also available to watch now via Connah’s YouTube channel.
Wait For Me is Connah's first release since last year's EP Labels. Connah shows off an up-beat sound more akin to Circa Waves or The 1975, however he remains true to himself with his heartfelt lyrics and songwriting talent.
The song tells the story of two estranged lovers that decide to try again but are wary of falling into the same traps that they did the first time. It is centred around the line “it makes me feel like I’m not alive”, representing that moment when, in their absence, you realise how important the person is to you. Clearly writing from such a personal experience allows Connah to make his music engaging, he explains “so many things happen to me, good and bad, I just write them down on paper and turn them into songs”.
On previous releases Connah has been heavily featured on BBC Wales, including being Artist of the Week. He has also supported childhood heroes of his The Hoosiers and performed at Wakestock Festival, building up a number of fans in the process. Wait For Me is not only an energetic, fun pop song but also represents an interesting development in Connah’s growth as a young musician.
Wait For Me is out February 26th 2016 via Heart Leap Records.
Right Hand Left Hand announce single ‘Seat 18c’!
“…leaves you wanting more.” - Visions
Right Hand Left Hand are set to release their new single Seat 18c out January 29th via Jealous Lovers Club.
In advance of the release they've shared a new video for the track which premiered on Visions who described it as a “… compromise between Trans Am and Tortoise.” You can also watch it now on Right Hand Left Hand's YouTube page.
The single is being released in the run up to their self-titled sophomore album, out on 12th February 2016 also via Jealous Lovers Club and is the follow up to first single Tarts and Darts. You can preorder the album via the Jealous Lovers Club Bandcamp page.
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 immersive and technically brilliant. Filled with layer upon layer of riffs that subvert the quiet/loud dynamic of post-rock into a loud/louder burst of action. Expertly picked guitar pieces trade punches with meaty riffs, augmented by metronomic drumming, the bands unpredictable nature as the brooding, unnerving track builds slowly.
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 and has seen the band headline Swn Festival as well support the likes of Dead Meadow, Errors, The Mahjonng, The Mae Shi, Future Of The Left, Super Furry Animals, Funeral For A Friend and Los Campesinos.
Seat 18c is out on January 29th 2016 with the self-titled album out February 12th 2016 both via Jealous Lovers Club. You can preordered both via the Jealous Lovers Club bandcamp page.