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Strange & Primitive’s self-titled debut album out now!
“…a journey through exotic, electro-tinged and undeniably catchy soundscapes.” - Exclaim!
"“…traces the border between the cerebral and the imaginative...” - Gigwise
Strange & Primitive's self-titled debut album is out now in the UK and EU via The Deep Floor Inc and available now on iTunes.
The Canadian duo recently released free track Highwayman, which premiered on Gigwise and is available to download now via the band's Soundcloud page.
You can listen to Highwayman and the other singles from the album on Soundcloud playlist.
You can watch the video for singles Difficulties Be Damned and Eureka on the band's YouTube channel.
The album is a cerebral journey through sound and space. Synth-infused melodies, dissonant beats, off-kilter riffs and emotive vocals fuse together, creating unique and intricate circuitry. Strange & Primitive is an album that feels like a newborn sentient being, its neurons pulsing with dark energy brought to life by the band’s curiosity to explore their musical boundaries.
Originally writing instrumental songs together, Jeff Musgrave and Graham Fish decided that vocals would give the band a more ‘human’ element to the music. The album is full of metaphors, riddles, dark fantasies and the pair’s deepest inner workings as they question people, life, motives, communication and power.
There’s a distinct 80s flavour to the album, albeit the darker side of the era. Difficulties Be Damned is tense - tribal beats and robotic synths entwine, crescendoing with electronic eloquence. The track is trance-like, with Musgrave channelling Mark Hollis-esque vocals, in homage to influences like Talk Talk. ‘Eureka’ is lighter in comparison but still in keeping with the bands brooding sound. ‘The Hunt Is Over’ harks back to the aforementioned Talk Talk’s moodier moments whilst track ‘Highwayman’ takes us for a drive in the dead of night, synth-laden beats and guitars fuelling the journey as the band steer us towards an end point that seems to mysteriously dim as we get ever closer. ‘Keep Your Eyes On Daylight’ is the one instrumental track on the album, which gives us an insight into the less ‘human’ element of the band, before they decided to add vocals to the proceedings. The 7-minute track breaks the continuity at the exact half-way point of the album as we reach our second act. Its filmic, futuristic quality sounds like a Tron: Legacy soundtrack that could have been.
Jeff and Graham grew up on different sides of Canada. Jeff was born in Osaka, Japan but brought up in Vancouver, with Graham born and raised in Guelph, Ontario. Jeff moved to Guelph to attend University in 2005, where he met Graham after responding to an advert looking for a singer / guitarist. They enjoyed jamming together, infusing their styles, honing their craft and released an instrumental album Melody In The Half-Light in 2012 under the name Audiograft. Self-titled album Strange & Primitive is their latest creation - a rebirth of enmeshed styles, influences and experiences.
In the studio, the pair take on whatever role is required of them with the exception that Jeff sings on every track. As Strange & Primitive they are one heart, one soul, one melodic organism brought to life by music.
Strange & Primitive’s self-titled debut album is out now in the UK and Europe via The Deep Floor Inc. and is available now on iTunes.
Another successful year for our bands and labels!
As we reach the end of the year, we thought we'd share some of the highlights here at ABoF HQ. We've been busy working hard with more bands and labels than ever in 2015, now offering radio plugging services alongside online and press and we now have our very own radio show on FUBAR Radio.
This year we've managed to help our bands reach some of the most important publications, websites and blogs on the scene with support from the likes of the Guardian, The Independent, The Times, Q, Kerrang!, Rock Sound, Vive Le Rock, DIY, Drowned in Sound, Noisey, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, The Quietus, The 405, Scotland on Sunday, The Sunday Herald, The List, The Skinny and many more.
As we inch closer towards 2016, we're now in the process of planning our release schedule from January onwards. We aim to build another sterling roster for the year ahead and we are now looking for bands, artists and labels from all over the world to come join us - as long as we love the music we're up for working with you.
Idlewild Returned!
Idlewild made a triumphant return to the scene, spending this last year on our wonderful roster, with the release of their album Everything Ever Written, which was a top 20 hit in the UK Album Charts. Together with ABoF we managed to spread the news of their return far and wide with heavy support from BBC 6Music, Dermot O'Leary on BBC Radio, a cover feature on The Skinny Magazine and glowing reviews from Drowned in Sound to The Independent and many more. We even managed to get How To Train Your Dragon / This Is The End actor Jay Baruchel (a lifelong fan of the band) over to feature in the video for the band's single Every Little Means Trust.
Our Labels...
Berlin based label Sinnbus continued to release an array of quality music with Canada's We Are The City releasing two albums this year to Danish pop kid Asbjørn making waves amongst the cool pop crowd from i-D to IDOL Magazine.
We Are The City's latest video for Kiss Me, Honey is available to watch now via YouTube.
Scotland - Staying True To Our Roots
We also continued to fly the flag for Scotland working with altruistic Glasgow based label Bloc+Music as well as an array of other releases from north of the border including Black International, Outblinker and We Came From Wolves.
The Van T's recently released their EP Laguna Babe via Bloc+Music, watch the video for the title track via YouTube.
A Badge of Friendship of FUBAR Radio!
In April we started a new music show on FUBAR Radio. Once a week we get to spin tracks from bands around the globe that aren't necessarily on our roster although we do highlight one ABoF artist once a week. So far, guests on the show have included Armando Iannucci (Veep, Alan Partridge), Andrew WK, Jay Baruchel (How To Train Your Dragon, This Is The End), Simon Neil (Biffy Clyro), The Twilight Sad, Pulled Apart By Horses and many more.
Listen to our soundtrack special with Armando Iannucci on Soundcloud.
Get In Touch!
If you'd like to get in touch, please send a Soundcloud or Bandcamp link (no attachments please) to info@abadgeoffriendship.com and let us know what releases you have planned for the new year. We always listen to everything people are kind enough to send music our way.
We're looking forward to hearing from you!
If you'd like to check us out elsewhere online you can check out our bands on Soundcloud. We're also on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Cherri Fosphate release We Didn’t Come Here To Say Goodbye!
"...fiery, impassioned songwriting..." - Clash
Cherri Fosphate are thrilled to announce the release of their debut album We Didn’t Come Here To Say Goodbye, out now via Bloc+Music and available to buy on Bandcamp and iTunes.
The band have released four tracks from their album so far, picking up support from the likes of Clash, BBC Scotland's Vic Galloway, STV, Artrocker, Huffington Post and Amazing Radio's Jim Gellatly. You can listen to the playlist via the ABoF Soundcloud page or by clicking on the embed below.
Official single Neighbour, which was directed by BAFTA nominated filmmaker Tim Courtney, and is an indie-rock tour de force from beginning to end, was the band's most recent release. Watch the video by clicking the embed below.
Beginning their journey in 2012, the members joined forces with the aim of bringing the stripped back, no-frills rock and roll influences of New York’s music scene to Scotland. Comprising of Jonny Sharpe (vocals & guitar), Alan Robinson (lead guitar), Jordan Lannigan (bass) and Sonny Kainth (drums), amalgamated this sound with one closer to home with the likes of Bloc Party making their mark on the band’s style. As a result, Cherri Fosphate have constructed an exquisite, lo-fi fuzz-filled record melded with the more disciplined elements of math rock, creating something truly special.
Having supported Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Boxer Rebellion, Dry The River, The Crookes, Caveman and Honeyblood in the past, as well as making festival appearances at Belladrum, Tartan Heart, GoNorth and Brew at the Bog they are ready to take those next steps towards breaking into the wider consciousness of UK music lovers.
Cherri Fosphate's debut album We Didn’t Come Here To Say Goodbye is out now via Bloc+Music and is available to buy on Bandcamp and iTunes.
Introducing… Mairearad Green
”...a beautiful song premiere from the wonderful Mairearad Green.” - Folk Radio
Mairearad Green is celebrating the announcement of her forthcoming solo album Summer Isles with the release of latest cut Tanera Talisman. The track is a beautifully simplistic piano-led effort which, when combined with Mairearad's delightful vocals, creates a warm cinematic feeling perfect for the winter months.
The track premiered on Folk Radio and is available to stream on the ABoF Soundcloud page or by clicking the embed below.
Having grown up in the Scottish Highlands and performed in various folk bands, The Summer Isles and the folk tradition are deeply rooted in Mairearad Green’s composition. As a result, Mairearad has produced a beautiful new solo album, Summer Isles, a seamless and exciting progression from her previous work which is released on February 26th 2016 via Buie Records.
2014 saw Mairearad spend many weeks researching stories from the islands; as she located publications and poetry to help set the direction for Summer Isles. The album is an exquisite collection of acoustic, folk and cinematic vignettes that create an overwhelming listening experience. Each track tells a story of the islands’ history, embracing a contrasting emotion from track to track.
Mairearad (piano, accordion, bag pipes, vocals) is joined by a number of guest musicians including legendary singer/songwriter King Creosote, Hector McInnes (vocals), Ross Saunders (bass), Scott MacKay (drums), Jo Nicolson (clarinet), Pat McGarvey (banjo), Mike Vass (fiddle), and Annie Grace, Jeana Leslie and Hamish Napier (backing vocals). Combining each musicians’ stylistic background, producer Iain Hutchinson has created a refined and inventive sound that faultlessly captures Mairearad’s vision.
Living in an area steeped in culture and local traditions, Mairearad was introduced to folk music at an early age. Renowned for her deft and lyrical accordion style, as well as her dextrous piping, Mairearad is in great demand, not only as a performer, but also as a composer. She regularly performs alongside multi-instrumentalist Anna Massie and has previously toured with Eddi Reader and Karine Polwart to name a few. Mairearad has also been dominating the folk festival world; performing at Celtic Connections Festival, Cambridge Folk Festival, Hebridean Celtic Music Festival, and Tonder Folk Festival.
Summer Isles is out on February 26th 2016 via Buie Records.
Broken Boy single ‘Ready’ out now!
"… three-piece indie outfit that's set to take the music world by storm." - Gigwise
Broken Boy have today released their brand new single Ready, out now via Vadana Records and available to buy on iTunes.
The video for Ready premiered on Gigslutz and is now free to watch on the band's YouTube channel or by clicking the embed below.
The stream of Ready premiered on Tenement TV and is now available to stream on the ABoF Soundcloud page or by clicking the embed below.
Having both played in their own projects in the past, brothers Cam and Stewart Black decided they wanted to bring things back to their roots both in terms of a family connection, and also by trying not to obsess too much about how they wanted to sound, instead setting about writing music that came to them naturally. The result is the brand new single Ready which perfectly blends the best of bands such as White Lies and The Vaccines.
This new release follows hot on the heels of the acclaimed single Just To Leave You and has all the hallmarks of the band’s classic indie sound as crunching guitar riffs are enhanced by a memorable vocal hook, all held together by a fervent, lively drum line.
Ready is an uplifting track encouraging an individual to embrace change and move on to a more positive situation. Cam Black delivers the chorus with gusto as he passionately delivers the line, “But you could be the one to let go…” before the band crashes in behind him, a perfect outlet to the building tension created throughout the verses.
With the band fresh out the studio with Chem 19’s Paul Savage (Twilight Sad, Teenage Fanclub) and having already picked up support from the likes of Xfm Scotland and Gigwise as well as playing support slots with Catfish and The Bottlemen and Circa Waves as well as a festival slot at XpoNorth, Broken Boy have built up some serious momentum this year and look to be heading for a strong finish to a busy 2015.
Ready by Broken Boy its out now via Vadana Records and is available buy on iTunes.