Totem Terrors

Let's be honest, lots of the bands that take a clear influence from The Fall are pretty rubbish. An excuse to not sing properly and be lazy musically seems to be how some see it. Totem Terrors - a two-piece from Cardiff, previously using the name Joy of Sex - take The Fall kind of post-punk and move it into interesting directions, putting their own touch on it. Two new tracks have popped onto bandcamp since the name change and both of which are very good indeed. Listen and download below.


Totem Terrors - Empty Parties


Totem Terrors - Totentanz

Bandcamp | Tumblr | Twitter

Yoofs

Bandcamp is becoming a crowded place. The longer it lives on, the more bands (quite rightly) upload their music to it. But, as we know, most music is pretty rubbish. So when after hours of trawling you stumble upon something even vaguely good, the feeling is euphoric. Of course the risk is that if you find something that is only half-good, in comparison to all the dreadful rap-rock, singer-songwriter folk and nu-rave electro dance, your brain mistakes it as something excellent. Bournemouth's Yoofs (up until very recently going under the name AC SLATER), however, really is very good.

Be skeptical of me and my shattered and musically overloaded brain if you must. I urge you to be skeptical and pessimistic in fact. That way, when you finally get to clicking the play button down at the bottom of this page, you can share in my feelings of joy. Ramshackle, fun, catchy, scruffy pop songs - if there's any justice in the world (thank-you, Lemar) these will 'go somewhere'.

Yoofs - Sidewalk

Yoofs - Good Guyz Make Bad Friendz

Bandcamp | SoundCloud

New: Baaneex

As if Baaneex didn't already come across as diverse and eclectic experimenters of sound, two new tracks from the London four-piece sees them moving into yet more unexplored noises. Space Wagon opens with a chomping repetitive bluesy bass-line straight out of Road Rash II before the spacey, piercing guitar interjects and moves things into an all-the-more progressive and psychedelic direction; whereas Weird Dance 8 opens with frantic, Jay Reatard-style guitar scruff only to be interrupted by repeating electro-ish bleeps - and of course both are topped off with their usual anti-social chants. And yet somehow they pull off both with style. Stream and download below.

Baaneex - Space Wagon

Baaneex - Weird Dance 8

baaneex.com | Facebook | SoundCloud | Baaneex on BF

Youthfall

Dreamlike and luscious, Youthfall's distorted pop sound - laden with fluttering synth layers, reverberating guitar, semi-spoken word vocals and a lo-fi beating drum machine - feels both nostalgic and futuristic, taking influence from yesterday but moving it confidently into tomorrow. Stream and download Secular Child below, or hear more at bandcamp.

Youthfall - Secular Child

SoundCloud | Facebook | Bandcamp

Competition: Live tickets - Gross Magic, Tashaki Miyaki, Bos Angeles in London

Seriously. Look at that line-up. I couldn't have wished for anything better. It's like a dream. Genuinely three of the best 'up and coming' bands around right now - the excellently shameless glam pop of Brighton's Gross Magic, the sweet and vintage fuzz pop of Tashaki Miyaki, and the vibrant lo-fi surf 'vibes' of Boscombe's Bos Angeles - on one bill at London's 100 Club, Wednesday 28 September. And we have five pairs of tickets to giveaway thanks to the lovely folk at 100 Club and Converse.

Simply send an email, titled something vaguely similar to "Gross Magic, Tashaki Miyaki and Bos Angeles competition" with your name and postal address to basementcompetitions@gmail.com before Sunday 26 September to be in with a chance to get yourself two tickets. Strictly 18+, and please don't enter if you're gonna attempt to sell the tix on, it won't work. Winners will be announced on Monday 27 September. ENTER.

Gross Magic - Sweetest Touch

Bos Angeles - Beach Slalom

Tashaki Miyaki - Somethin Is Better Than Nothin

Sealings

Noisy, in your face, and totally fucking 'groovy, baby' is how I might describe Brighton's Sealings. They've been knocking around for a little while, picking up some hardcore fans along the way, but the time is now for them to get some real, proper appreciate. Well, I think, at least. Useful that they've recorded some excellent new songs then, no?

Sealings - Gutter Ball

Sealings - Rail Means Rail

Facebook | SoundCloud | Tumblr

Video: yajé - Herbal Drug Clinic

Cardiff two-piece Yajé are a bit odd. Their name is odd both to type and pronounce. Their music is odd. And, surprise, surprise, their song's accompanying videos are odd. There's something ultimately charming and inviting behind all that anti-social raucous noise though, don't you think?

yajé - Herbal Drug Clinic from murray s ward on Vimeo.

Bandcamp | SoundCloud

Kita Akita

Although evidently still in the early stages of their life as a band, the lo-fi recordings of Kita Akita are eery and unsettling. Minimal both in sound and levels of production, with spoken word vocals sitting atop glitchy electronics and repetitive drum sounds, the music of the Bath two-piece is not one to be enjoying during social events but are more suited to lonesome late-night listens - eyes closed, fingers tapping, head whirring. I don't know quite where they're leading us, but I certainly want to follow.

Kita Akita - Another Night

Kita Akita - Cares

SoundCloud |

New: Joanna Gruesome - Lemonade Grrl

Joanna Gruesome are fast becoming my favourite new band of the minute for their kick-ass 90s lo-fi sound, and new track Lemonade Grrl could well seal the deal. Expanding on their previous work, and still taking influence from the likes of MBV, The Cherry Smash, Rocketship and Beat Happening, it's twee yet 'FUCKYEAH' at the same time from the Cardiff five-piece. The distorted guitar, the harmonised vocals, the lo-fi drum noise - it all sounds right. News of new releases soon, apparently.


Joanna Gruesome - Lemonade Grrl

Facebook | Bandcamp

Video: Los Campesinos! - By Your Hand

Fuck me, two videos in one day. But in fairness, I haven't been this obsessed with a song for a long time - By Your Hand, taken from upcoming fourth full-length from Los Campesinos, Hello Sadness. Quite a big change from their previous works, but they just can't stop getting better. I have this quite literally on repeat.

Video: Among Brothers - Loved

It's not usually Basement Fever's "thing" to blog about new videos, but this effort from Among Brothers seems the perfect opportunity. Following on from debut EP Homes (which we waxed lyrical about back in January), the Cardiff six-piece return with Loved, a brand new single - and what progression. Using a similar formula as previous works - a delicate but powerful blend of post-rock, folk, and pop with added electronic twinkles - but, in my opinion, better than anything they've written so far, Loved is interesting, exciting, and beautiful. And the video's a good watch, too.

Burning Yellows/The Whines Split 12"

It's not often I post about split releases, or even specific releases at all, but this upcoming split 12" through Palmist with Burning Yellows and The Whines is ace and deserves attention. Featuring 5 tracks from each band - both of which are from Portland - the split is out on the 12th through FatCat sister label Palmist who have been doing some ace things since they started not long back. Husband and wife duo Burning Yellows bring the 2 minute-long cutesy, jangly fuzzy pop, whilst three-piece The Whines efforts are considerably more considered, slow-paced but still along the same fuzz pop mould. Seriously though, both are ace and this is a top release. The Whines - Electric Current
Burning Yellows - False Horizons
Burning Yellows Facebook | The Whines Facebook | Palmist