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

Bandcamp | Art Is Hard | Facebook

Umber

Sometimes it's the most unsuspecting of things in life that turn out to be some of the best and most refreshing - like an email I got from artist Alex Steward, who also goes by the name Umber. He asked me if I might be interesting in the ambient/folk music that he makes on his own. That's about all the information I got. Turns out that Alex might either be a bit modest or completely unaware at how just how impressive the music he makes is.

As This Is Fake DIY mentioned in the First On piece on Umber earlier this month or as Music Fan's Mic echoed, this 'ambient/folk' music is so much more than those two words might suggest. Far from the acoustic singer-songwriter drivel that one might expect, Umber's sound is minimal, stunning and frankly beautiful. Kind of the meeting place of post-rock and folk, guitar twangs gently besides delicate layers of piano, violin and slight electronic noise to create sounds laid back but entirely encapsulating. It's music that you want to listen to alone in the dark with no distractions and just get lost in its beauty.

Listen below or over at bandcamp.

Umber - Tomorrow We'll Throw Out Some Old Shoes

Umber - The Day We Left For Earth

Bandcamp | Facebook | Soundcloud | Tumblr

Gallops: New Single

Wrexham-based electro post-rock four-piece Gallops have stuck their upcoming single, due to be released through Holy Roar and Blood and Biscuits on May 23, up onto bandcamp for streaming.

Their self-titled debut EP was good (read me waxing lyrical about it over on The 405 here) but this new material could be another step up for the band. Listen below.


Bandcamp | Facebook | MySpace