New: Die Jungen - Cold Night

Die Jungen recently promised news on album details were to come soon - and with that promise came this little free to download teaser. 'Cold Night' follows on nicely from the Southampton-based artists' work to date in its gloriously retro, fuzzy vintage-pop charms - a gentle drum patter underlying the semi-spoken word vocals and that simple but utterly delightful bass-line. This is excellent.

COLD NIGHT by die jungen

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Dead Rabbits

Whereas some bands come across like they're trying to hide their influences from you in some weird way to come across original, Dead Rabbits seem like the kind of band that would gladly lend you their entire record collection just so that another person gets pleasure from the music that they love.

That's not to say that the Southampton four-piece are copycats or unoriginal, just that they wear their influences (Brian Jonestown Massacre, Joy Division, The Beatles, Jesus & Mary Chain etc) proudly on their sleeves and sound like they absolutely love making music with a nod to their idols. Tracks have a fuzzy nostalgic warmth and the band have this indescribable charm - and they're certainly not scared to stray away from the 3-minute-song rule.

Although still not perhaps The Finished Product just yet, it's been pleasing to see the band gradually improve over the last few months and I'm looking forward to finding out where they go next.


Dead Rabbits - Severn


Dead Rabbits - Better Things


Dead Rabbits - Suicide

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Die Jungen

So this is embarrassing. I live in Plymouth, which, compared to the United States of America and Germany, is very close to Southampton. Die Jungen is from Southampton, and yet blogs such as no fear of pop, Pasta Primavera, and yvynynl have all known of him far longer than I have. Yeah, soz about that.

Perhaps what makes this most sad is that Die Jungen is excellent. Largely dark, downbeat, and indebted to yesteryear, Die Jungen's minimalist and lo-fi pop compositions make the hairs on the back of your neck stand to attention. They feel genuine, they feel 'real', and most importantly they sound brilliant. It's difficult to believe these songs were written amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Die Jungen - I'm Sorry Bo Diddley

Die Jungen - 10-24

Die Jungen - The Way Down

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Bewilder

It's increasingly difficult to make truly original music, as more and more potential artistic avenues are explored by different bands and movements as years pass. A band stumbling upon an entirely unique sound would obviously be welcome, but when bands such as Bewilder come along with excellent nods to and twists of sounds from the past they are equally as welcomed.

Merging math-y guitar tap-and-slide guitar lines with a post-rock chilled out vibe, and sucking all the potential pretense out of both the sometimes-pretentious genres along the way, the Southampton band stumbled upon a sound that is actually somewhat their own on their 6-track This Isn't Life, It's Just Stuff EP release through excellent south-west label Art Is Hard. Topped off with calming vocal work, deft drum patterns and the odd bit of electronic and glockenspiel toe-dipping, this is a release truly to be enjoyed - especially given that it is housed in beautiful looking hand-made envelopes and accompanied by a band-made zine.

Order the EP from Art Is Hard's bigcartel site and it'll be sent on its release date of June 20, or download the entire thing for free from bandcamp now. Oh, and did I mention it has a whole song pretty much dedicated to Dwight from The Office?

Bewilder - I'm A Kid, That's My Job


Bewilder - Hard Working, Alpha Male, Jackhammer

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