Sauna Youth - False Jesii Pt II / Oh Joel

Sauna Youth's 'Dreamlands' was without doubt one of my favourite albums of 2012 (better than Dirty Projectors, Animal Collective, and Grizzly Bear in my opinion, which isn't bad going) so an email about a new single from the London band was always going to be a pretty great way to start the day - especially when half of the single is a cover of Pissed Jeans.

'False Jesii Pt II / Oh Joel' is set to be released on 7" single through Static Shock Records on 21st January and sees the band taking a somewhat surprising step towards indie pop. Where debut 'Dreamlands' was full of largely aggressive, energetic punk songs (albeit sometimes aggressive, energetic punk songs that went on for 10 minutes...) with vocals from drummer Rich, the new single hears lead vocals handed to usual backing vocalist Jen and a definite switch in sound. Gone is the immediate punk sound, replaced with a more melodic and noisy pop-oriented core - though somehow with none of the punch and magic of Sauna Youth lost. This is mighty good stuff, I think.





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The Soft Walls - Never Come Back Again

Earlier this year, Cold Pumas guitarist and Faux Discx label-boss Dan Reeves released a debut solo album under the name The Soft Walls. The self-titled record was a delightful blend of Krautrock-ish loops and minimalist noise rock comparable to the likes of Deerhunter that was so impressive that Tough Love also offered to release it.

Today sees a brand new song from the Brighton-based musician and, as you'd expect, it's bloody ace. 'Never Come Back Again' (again comparable to the work Bradford Cox) slowly builds like a developing polaroid snap - electro din and a looping drum machine is gradually and delicately added to with spiralling bass-lines and repetitive guitar before being topped off with Dan's hushed vocals and synth to really quite excellent effect.



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Joanna Gruesome - Do You Really Wanna Know Why Yr Still In Love With Me?

I bloody love Joanna Gruesome. I love their old songs. I love their new songs. I love their live shows. I love their faces. 'Do You Really Wanna Know Why Yr Still In Love With Me?' is their newest of their new songs, and I love that too.

I love the sinking guitar line. I love the crackling guitar sound. I love the crashing drums. I love the harmonies. I love the chorus melody. I love the breakdown. I love the filthy ending. I love this band.

The song is being released on 7" by Happy Happy Birthday to Me Records . Love it below.



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Dolfinz - Yeah Right

It's almost 18 months since I first stumbled upon and wrote about Stonehaven noise-monsters Dolfinz. Since the days of those early rough recordings, the two-piece have been fairly busy - touring the UK and Europe with Slowcoaches; releasing a 7" with Tuff Wax; featuring on a Song, By Toad 12" split along with the likes of PAWS and Sex Hands; getting played on Radio 1 and 6Music. But it's been a while since we heard much new stuff from them.

So it's good to see that the band have finally unveiled some new(er) material in the form of 'Yeah Right' on Art Is Hard Records' Pizza Club single series. Slightly less lo-fi and maxed out than their earlier recordings but very much still rough and ready, it's arguably my favourite track of theirs so far. Yeah right. I don't feel right.



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Totem Terrors - Unkind

I went to Cardiff for Swn Festival on the weekend. It was fun. I drank lots of beer and watched lots of bands and saw many friends.

Despite being a Cardiff band, Totem Terrors weren't on the line-up for Swn, which is sad because they are good. Their latest song, 'Unkind' is an example of this. Jerky guitars rallies with bass while vocals bounce between male and female, all coming together to sound slightly The Fall-style post-punk/art-rock.



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Videos: King of Cats

Sometimes you have to stop and applaud raw talent. Brighton/Oxford-based Max Levy is unlikely to get playlisted on Radio 1 with his work under the King of Cats banner, but he has an undeniable gift for writing bloody excellent songs - and he seems pretty accomplished in performing them live with a certain charm going by these videos. Lyrically, musically, vocally it's entirely captivating, interesting, and - dare I say it - unique.





For his recorded stuff, check out the previous post on this blog here. You can also purchase his Reeks of Effort-released cassette, and keep an eye out for his forthcoming split with ides too.

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MYSTYRYS

Given their name, you'd be excused for thinking that MYSTRYS were another one of those bands going for the whole anonymity thing to create a sense of, well, mystery. They're not, as it happens, but that's not to say the internet is awash with information about the London band. Though folks like The 405 first posted about them last November - and though they have support from Soft Arrows and Rough Trade DJs at their upcoming single launch party for Normals/Shadows (released through Psychic Healing Network on 27 August) - the three-piece seem to play their cards pretty close to their chest.

Not that any of that guff really matters. What's important is, of course, their music - and it just so happens to be good. While 'Shadows' is an urgent, scuzzy, guitar-led ditty that brings to mind post-punk bands like Killing Joke and Bauhaus, 'Normals' sounds a bit more 'Tom Vek' in its slightly funky feel and unusual song structure. It's noisy, energetic, and all a little bit mucky - and I like that.







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Black Seas

Black Seas are a London band who have been "playing around south east london for years". They have two songs on their SoundCloud page. They have no hint of a Facebook page. They have a Tumblr with just two posts - one of which is a song posted a fortnight ago, the other of which is a YouTube video 'removed by the user' posted on 1 March. They have a YouTube channel with their two songs on. They seem to have a fondness for aged pictures of naked women and skeletons. And that's pretty much all I know of them.

That's not strictly true. I also know that their songs - which they describe as "emotional and manly", and others might describe as 'doom pop' - are worth a few minutes of your time. 'Black Seas' is all whirring guitar noise, bouncing bass lines, and distant, Torches-like vocals; while earlier track 'Trembling' hears the emotive, baritone vocals brought to the front with jangling guitars gently providing the melodic backdrop. While it's still a little rough around the edges ('Black Seas' doesn't seem to have been mastered yet), it's still very much enjoyable and impressive stuff for a band that not many people seem to know too much about.





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Yucky Slime

Most people won't like this. It's not the best way to start a blog post, but it's true. There's lo-fi, there's noisy, and then there's Yucky Slime bringing it to a whole new level. For those that can handle the fidelity (these demos were recorded in a shed...) and the feedback and the shouting, though, there's lots to love about the London band. For instance: it's fun, it's urgent, it's exciting, it's energetic, it doesn't really give a shit, it'll make you want to jump up and down and spin round round round, and - much like Jay Reatard or Wavves - below the noise you'll find some ace hooks and melodies. Plus, I can rarely resist a sing-along "wooh-ooh-ooh-ooh" (see: 'Battlegasm').

Again, most people won't like this. But then, most music is shite and this isn't, so who cares?







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VVhile

Undoubtedly the best perk of writing about music is that bands send you their songs. What makes it even better is when something you have low expectations for turns out to be ace. "A 'noise pop punk' duo from Serbia? Okay..." I thought. But it turns out that VVhile are almost as good at selling themselves short (some might call it being modest) as they are making music.

Their songs are noisy, punchy, catchy, scruffy, in-your-face, care-free and, most importantly, fucking excellent. It reminds me of first album Japandroids and it makes me want to punch the air. Listen to songs below and download a free four-track EP from bandcamp. And someone, please bring them over to the UK for some shows.





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Yola Fatoush - Celine

Starting out as what could be the intro to an M.I.A. song, London two-piece Yola Fatoush's 'Celine' turns into something far more dreamy and ethereal as it progresses - blending experimental electronic beats with delicate vocal layers to interesting and strangely trance-inducing effect. It's taken from a 7" due for release through Parlour Records on June 25. Here's hoping the other three tracks to feature on the EP are just as good.



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King of Cats

"The eccentric creativity of Daniel Johnston with the voice of a dying cat" is how I recently described the sound of King of Cats for a gig listing (although the second part of that description was duly edited out) and, for a rushed one-liner, I think it gives a pretty decent idea of what to expect from Oxford/Brghton-based 19-year-old Max Levy. With a guitar in hand and his unique and oddly effective voice, Max crafts interesting and intelligent - if slightly weird - songs that feel honest and born out of a need to just make music.

And his SoundCloud page is certainly testament to both his urge to write and write and write and his, let's call it, 'unusual' nature - with over 30 tracks penned and uploaded in the last 12 months, with titles ranging from 'Zombie in a well nailed coffin' to 'I stink of human feces'. The most recent of his numerous recordings are set to be released through new DIY label Reeks Of Effort (a label collective run by members of Joanna Gruesome, Playlounge, YRRS, and more) and I'm absolutely in love with them. Seldom does a man and his guitar sound so interesting and compelling - really good songs with vocals that I really enjoy. Listen for yourself with an open mind below, or stream the whole thing on Reeks of Effort's bandcamp.





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Entertainment

Judging a band by one song alone is a bit of a risky business. Granted, judging them on two recordings isn't much better, but hearing that second song does give you a better feel as to how they sound, as well as easing any fears of a lack of consistency.

I first heard London's Entertainment when they sent me 'You're Still In Me' a month ago to the day. Apparently only a demo, it's that same kind of distorted, fuzzy pop we've been hearing (and, indeed, I've been blogging) a lot of in the past few years and - for a band who barely seemed old enough to have even decided upon a name - it was certainly a strong introduction with a really nice chorus.

And last night came 'Shine' - more of the same in terms of the noisy, 90s-ish, guitar-led sound but already a step up in quality, it's a really assured sound for a band so young. And I'm always a sucker for the "oohs". Hear both tracks for yourself below.





Edit: fixed SoundCloud embeds.





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The Hundredth Anniversary

I want you all to close your eyes for a second. Actually, don't do that. Then you wouldn't be able to read. Okay, instead of closing your eyes, just pause for a moment and imagine what a band formed just four months ago would sound like. Okay, paused? Imagined? Alright. Well let go of that thought now because, well, you're wrong. It's not calatamous or sloppy or at all shite.

Instead it's rather quite glorious, going by Brighton four-piece The Hundredth Anniversary, at least. The band may have only played their first live show a matter of weeks ago, and might have only got around to recording a handful of tracklss so far, but judging from 'Slip' - the only song available online at this stage - there's certainly plenty of reason to be excited. It's brooding and it's warm and it's fuzzy and it's beautiful. They're due to release a split cassette with GUM and Tyrannosaurus Dead through Reeks of Effort on June 30.



Edit: fixed SoundCloud embed:





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Video: YRRS - Mob Life

Not one to be usually too fussed about videos, this one comes with a brand new song and some good news from YRRS - so it seemed more than worthy of a few words. The noisy guitar/drums two-piece from New Milton/Christchurch (who knows... somewhere on the south coast of England) are back with 'Mob Life', another driving, distorted pop effort that grips you (well, it gripped me) from the off. They're a really good live band and the drummer is 17 years old. The drummer is 17 years old. It seemed worth mentioning twice.

It's due to be released on a split 7" with Honeyslide through Keep It Yours Records (who have previously released a split with The Babies) on June 25. Honeyslide's contribution 'Made For You' is top too - you can hear both tracks below.

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Dante Elephante

New music. Bloody great, isn't it? I'd nearly forgotten after eight months of studying for a Master's degree. But a few hours free this afternoon and a few minutes of listening to the debut EP from Dante Elephante and I'm happy as larry. And part inspired by my meeting with Matthew of Song, By Toad at Great Escape last weekend (never have I been called a c**t in such a loving way), I've decided to WRITE A BLOODY BLOG POST.

Dante Elephante are from California and, unless you're one of those people who can only listen to certain quotas of particular 'types' of music, you'll like them. Yeah, some people might describe it as 'surf pop' and, yeah, there are lots of other bands that some people might describe as 'surf pop' around at the moment. But, seriously, who gives a shit? The songs are good. From the very first few seconds of opening track 'All The Time' - with its energetic, crisp hi-hat sound juxtaposed with the upbeat guitar - you know exactly what you're in for. It's catchy, it's happy, it's fun. And it's one measly dollar for six-tracks of it. Listen below and love music/life.



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Gorgeous Bully - I'm A Little Worried

Plymouth artist Gorgeous Bully has been on a few bloggers' radars for a while now (BF first featured him six months back.), and his easily accessible lo-fi pop sound is certainly pleasing on the ear. But if there was one negative thing you could say about musician Thomas Crang's sound was that it can at times be a little too easy. As good as tracks like 'Quiet House' (taken from the Art Is Hard-released 'The Young Obese' EP) are, his sound can sometimes feel there's something lacking.

You might expect that from a musician writing songs on his own in his bedroom at the rate that he does - but his latest track lifts Crang to a whole new level. 'I'm A Little Worried' - which features on the latest beko release - has that same kind of lo-fi, scruffy sound blanketing his catchy pop melodies, but adds a little more texture and emotion. The results: listen for yourself.



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PINS - Eleventh Hour

Some people will tell you that haunting is an empty word to describe music, that it doesn't mean anything. I disagree. Take a listen to PINS and tell me you don't get a shiver down your spine.

After supporting Veronica Falls in their hometown of Manchester and playing at the Best Fit Records launch in London a few weeks back, 'Eleventh Hour' is the three-piece's debut track. Self-released today on cassette and digitally - its dark, brooding, distorted sound gripping from the off and refusing to let go. 'Keep an eye' on these.

Stream 'Eleventh Hour' below, order the cassette, or watch its accompanying video on Vimeo.



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Splashh - Somethings New

If you haven't heard of London three-piece Splashh yet, that's fine, they are very new. But now's the time to wait no longer - with new effort 'Somethings Here'.

Following on from the Art Is Hard Pizza Club-released 'All I Wanna Do' - the excellent lo-fi introductory track that led to them receiving over 500 likes on Facebook in just over a month - 'Somethings Here' shows they're likely to live up to the hype that's building around them. Energetic, catchy, and bloody well exciting fuzzy garage rock. "Hey, hey hey."



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Slowcoaches - We're So Heavy

Other than a dirty fry up, it seems there's not much better to clear a lingering hangover than a musical slap in the face - generously provided today by Slowcoaches. A stream of the Leeds three-piece's forthcoming EP - due for release on cassette by Tye Die Tapes on March 23 - went online earlier today, and appreciatively received it was too.

Title track 'We're So Heavy' is probably the pick of bunch (though it's tough to pick a favourite), with its gloriously fuzzed up and dragging intro bursting out emphaticly into catchy, punchy punk rock in excellent fashion. You can stream and download the track below, or hear the whole thing on Tye Die Tapes' bandcamp. Catch Slowcoaches live later this month, when they head out on tour with Basement Fever favourites Dolfinz.



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Show: Torches / PINS / Playlounge - 13 March, Kingston

Basement Fever and HorrorShow Tunes are teaming up again under the Zeitgeist banner to present our fourth show.

We're very excited to be bringing Torches, PINS, and buddies Playlounge to Kingston's The Cricketers on March 13 - for £3.

One of London's hottest up-and-coming bands, Torches will be healdining for us on the back of their split release with the excellent Crushed Beaks. Expect distorted, atmospheric textures combining guitar,electronics and delightful vocals. Listen to the excellent 'Towerblock Confetti' below.



Supporting them will be PINS, a mysterious four-piece from Manchester who we're tipping for big things over the next 12 months. Although none of their tracks are online, the band have recently supported the likes of Veronica Falls and Alt-J - you can hear an eery preview of the moody, echoing sounds that they have to offer on their website.

And completing the bill we have noisy London duo Playlounge - expect lots of guitar reverb, loud drums, and distorted vocals resulting in a sound comparable to the likes of Japandroids. Hear new track 'dye' below.



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Athletes - Time

Master's degrees are hard work. University has taken over my life. I regularly dream about Article 8 of the Human Rights Act, pixelated images and incorrect shorthand outlines, and I don't spend anywhere near enough time listening to music - so I'll blame that for the lack of activity on here. I am sorry.

Hopefully this new track from Athletes will sweeten the apology somewhat. The work of Denmark-based Mathias, he's been teasing us these last few months with track after track of retro dreampop sounds. New track 'Time' is more in-your-face than his previous work, demonstrating yet another excellent side. Are you planning on moving over to London any time soon, Mathias?



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Show: run,WALK! / Saturday's Kids / Ono Palindromes - Kingston, 17 February

Working again with Nathan Horrorshow Tunes under our Zeitgeist banner, we'd like to present you our third show - and our first of 2012.

We wouldn't call our last two shows tame. We enjoyed them alot. But in comparison to our forthcoming third - again taking place at Kingston pub The Cricketers, on Friday February 17, for £3 - they could seem it a little. We're taking things a little 'heavier'. Guitars will be louder, voices will be angrier, and the audience probably smellier.

Headlining the show we have noisy two-piece run,WALK, of whom Nathan says: "Probably the loudest two-piece you'll ever meet. These guys are one of the heaviest, surprisingly melodious and best live acts around and we're really pleased to bringing them in to headline the show. They'll be playing some cuts from their sure to be super-great forthcoming album."



As main support we have Saturday's Kids who are most definitely one of Cardiff's best band. Expect youthful post-punk angst. And on first, Exeter's Ono Palindromes, influences by the likes of Shellac, mclusky, and Nirvana.



Let us know you're coming on the Facebook event, and like our page to keep up to date with future stuff.

Tour Diary: Dolfinz

Back in November, Basement Fever favourites Dolfinz headed out on a tour of the UK. Kindly, they offered to take some photos and write some words of the experience - below.

Friday 18th November
Manchester

We got stranded in the little village where Gav lives called Kinneff, outside of Stonehaven. Meaning we had 2 hours sleep before the nine hour bus journey to Manchester. This combined with a lengthy and difficult soundcheck by The Babies meant i had a huge headache and wanted to die right after we played. But then i got a beer and rocked out to Brooklyn and Manchester's finest. I also met one of the girls in No Womb, she had a cool vagina tattoo on her arm.

Saturday 19th November
Glasgow
Declining Max of Joanna Gruesome's offer to smoke us out with joints housed in a Indian sexual enhancement pill box, and sleeping instead paid off. We were awake bright and early to catch a bus to Glasgow for our second show with The Babies. This was a really cool show, our friends PAWS blew everyones minds like they always do and The Babies were beyond, also.

BLOWHOLE by DðlfinZ

Sunday 20th November
Aberdeen
Home. A weird day. We played in a tiny art studio on Market Street in Aberdeen. The room had a giant eyeball on the wall and rad visuals from M.O.C. It was pitch black, there was no room at all, and nobody could hear shit, so it decended into the right kind of chaos pretty quickly. We had fun.

Tuesday 22nd November
Carlisle
We left behind the trusty Megabus and travelled back down to England in the Tuff Wax mobile, with Shaun and Tom from the label. The entire time in Carlisle was ridiculous. We played in Gav's step-dads restraunt, got around 300 pounds worth of free food and booze and ended up in a strange nightclub, packed full of strange looking English people.

Wednesday 23rd November
Cardiff
Wales! Supporting Islet, bit of a weird show. It was packed with dudes, meaning I had nobody to give sex eyes to during 'Mean Girls'. Everyone stared and refused to move so I went to them and upset a couple of people. That night we ate McDonalds and watched the awful picture Donnie Darko at the home of Richard Scott, of Copy Haho, also from Stonehaven.

Thursday 24th November
Portsmouth
After a lot of sleeping and a Meatball Hoagie from Cardiff's New York Deli we headed for Portsmouth. We played at The Registry with Fear of Men (Bos Angeles couldn't make it). The place looked dead but soon filled out when we took to the stage. People seemed fairly impressed, apart from the unconvincing punk-bro whose drink ended up all over my back during 'Blowhole'. With nowhere to stay in Portsmouth, we drove to London that night to stay with one of our best friends from Stonehaven, Papes, who has a nice flat on Holloway Road.

Whatever, Forever by DðlfinZ

Sunday 27th November
London
Following a couple of days lounging around London with no money or cigarettes, and feeling low after the departure of Tom and Shaun for Berlin, we were ready to finish the tour. We arrived at the venue, Power Lunches on Kingsland Rd. Dalston, pretty early. I have to admit i wasn't all that excited about playing because i fell into a bit of a bummer by the end of the tour, but we played really well. We encouraged the crowd to come forward, but they claimed to be 'too scared', which made me smile. Hearing people exclaim compliments to one another during your set rather than approaching you after is much nicer, seems more legit. We met some rad girls and the ultimate party dudes that are Slowcoaches. The next day we took a 13 hour bus journey back to Aberdeen.

FIN.

Find out more about Dolfinz both on Basement Fever or on their Facebook page.

tenstoreys - Fhree

Surprises aren't always fun. One time, I went to the shop, and I was surprised to find that they had ran out of Butter Puffs. That certainly was not fun. But what is fun when an unsuspecting email from a band/producer/artist/whatever turns out to brighten up your day. The email from tenstoreys was modest and minimal, and the artist's SoundCloud page doesn't tell us much more - but, luckily, the music speaks volumes, reminding me of the weirdo electronic charms of Mozam Beaks.

Fhree by tenstoreys

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Arc Light - Balance

It's been a while. It's apt, then, that the song featured today is from an artist who, in his own words, "tried quitting" but didn't quite manage it 'cause he likes making songs too much.

Brookylyn's Ryan Gabel has been making music under the name Arc Light for a while now, and 'Balance' is the first we've heard from him since the Megajoules EP, released last month. It's wonky and dark synth-pop fun. Keep trekking, Ryan, we appreciate it.

Balance by Arc Light

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