Peepholes have announced news of an upcoming LP - Caligula will come out through Upset The Rhythm on November 28. To anyone who has heard the dark electronic sounds of the Brighton/London duo before this will be good news. Those less aware of their work need simply to hear 'Tunnels' - the excellent lead single to come from the upcoming release.
In the world of new music blogging 24 hours is an eternity and this post is probably already out-dated. Fear Of Men yesterday announced a limited-run cassette release, featuring songs recorded with Henry from Lovvers. They also unveiled 'Doldrums' from that cassette, and, as you'd expect with that kind of musical cocktail, it is excellent. Not that you need to take my word for it - listen and download below. Oh, and they're also touring with Bos Angeles, which is a no-brainer, really.
It's been a long time coming, by Islet have finally confirmed the release of their debut album. Called Illuminated People, it'll come out through their own Shape Records and Turnstile on January 23rd.
Luckily for us, the Cardiff four-piece are also giving away a track taken from it. 'This Fortune' is synth heavy and whirring noise - rallying between moments of loud panic and considered calm, much like their excellently loud and energetic live shows, backed by the 'tribal' that we've become familiar with. Needless to say it's good, and the full-length is likely to be more of the same.
It's no secret that Art Is Hard is one of our favourite independent labels, so to be invited to take part in their latest release reveal is a real privilege.
For those who don't know, the label (based between Weymouth and Plymouth depending on university term-times) are releasing Dry Route To Devon - a compilation of some of the best (yet impressively unknown) bands from the south and south west of England. But, in true Art Is Hard fashion, they're putting out and announcing the release in a novel and unusual way.
Instead of being stuck on a CD, Richard and David have decided to release the compilation as a map. Detailing where each band come from, it's also covered in QR codes for each of of the bands that (once scanned on a smartphone) will take 'customers' to a page full of unique content, information, as well as a place to get the song relating to that band. Just like their first release, a t-shirt will also accompany the compilation, although isn't a necessity for the order.
To reveal the release, they're giving each of their blog friends the opportunity to host a song from each of the bands. Day by day, the tracklisting is being revealed (starting off with Make Believe Ballroom via The 405 on Friday, followed by Hysterical Injury via Gold Flake Paint yesterday), and we're delighted to be unveiling track number 3: Distand Suns from Safari Park.
Hailing from Bournemouth, the three-piece make gloriously fuzzy and nostalgic pop songs, with Distant Suns being no different. Understated and relaxed yet catchy, it's the type of song that people will relate to a lazy evening spent in the sun - and why not? Hear it below, and find more out about the compilation on Art Is Hard's website by clicking THESE CAPITAL LETTERS.
As a preview to upcoming album Still Living - released August 22 through Soutterain Transmissions - Ganglians are giving away Drop the Act. Not as apparently sad as you might expect from the opening announcement, Drop the Act is a big slice of pop, considerably less lo-fi than much of their debut release. What do we reckon?
So we're being drip fed new material from upcoming second album Endless Now from Male Bonding and going by what we've heard so far it sounds like it's going to be fucking excellent. Tame the Sun is significantly shorter and punchier than the previously previewed Bones and perhaps a little closer to what we know of them from their debut release only without the lo-fi veil.
It's pretty ace seeing a band work from early demos and obscurity to getting to a point where they can put out their debut full-length, and we're really happy to see that surfy US duo Triptides are indeed releasing their first album - Psychic Summer - out through Beachtapes, no less.
We first posted about them on BF back in November so it's pretty exciting to be writing about their album 9 months on. As anyone who has listened to them in the past would expect, and given the amount of time they seem to have spent nurturing it, it sounds pretty darn ace on first listen.
Six minutes and thirty one seconds. 'Epic'. Coming Down is the lead single from forthcoming Dum Dum Girls full-length Only in Dreams, out through Sub Pop on September 26.
It's been a long time coming, but London's Still Corners have finally confirmed details of a debut album - Creatures of an Hour will be released through Sub Pop, October 10.
The two-piece have been causing increasing excitement for their excellent and haunting experimental pop for a good while now, and when I (finally) got to see them live at Great Escape a few months back they certainly didn't disappoint. Really looking forward to hearing what they can do with a full-length.
Listen to and download 'Cuckoo' from their latest 7" below, and catch them live at Latitude (pretty much now), Field Day in London on August 6.
Yeah, I know today's Record Store Day and there are some brilliant, exclusive releases at indie shops around the UK and indeed world today, but next week has some decent releases too, I reckon.
Week starting April 18: tUnE-YarDs – w h o k i l l (4AD)
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.
Time constraints mean this isn't the most comprehensive of lists but still, even a list this poorly planned highlights some decent record releases from the alternative crowd.
Posted about Triptides a while back - talking about their last 6-track EP/mii-album. It was all surfy indie pop goodness, made even better by being given away for free. (It still is, infact. Click here.)
It's pretty easy to imagine them getting pretty big, given their accessible sound and catchy tunes, and it looks like it might be headed that way. Word is gradually spreading through blogs and word of mouth, and their next EP/album, Tropical Dreams out officially March 29, is being released through BeachTapes. Hear it below.
A few big named and much hyped omissions this week because the output will probably be rubbish, but still a good few (and plenty if you're a fan of folk) album releases next week worth getting excited about.
As promised on this St David’s day, today’s featured band is based in Wales – the country of flowing hills, daffodils, and rugby. And my university years. Well, the band is sometimes based in Wales.
My Name Is Ian is another of the releasees of the Plymouth / Weymouth / Portsmouth bedroom label Art Is Hard. Less than me being biased for potential future sofa crashes, however, the regular posts on bands on this label has more to do with their quality. Honest! First appearing on their now sold-out first ever release – a compilation of south-west bands available through purchasing a t-shirt - the one-man band fronted by, you guessed it, Ian is now releasing his ‘Man Club’. A three-part series of cassette releases, the Man Club means that those who pay the £12.79 membership fee are posted the tapes (apparently all varying in genre) one by one, monthly, starting from today. Limited to 20, Art Is Hard warn that these memberships will be sold out very soon (and may even be already for all I know), although I’m sure the music will be available to non-members in digital form at some point also.
It’s another great idea from the label, and made even more appealing given that My Name Is Ian makes rather good music. Influences such as Daniel Johnston, Stanley Brinks, and the Wave pictures are fairly evident but an appreciating for the lo-fi sound has also got AIH stating that the cassettes will also be agreeable for fans of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Yuck, and Former Ghosts. Often fairly minimal, songs sometimes consist only of Ian’s downbeat vocals and sliding, echoing guitar lines – though they are just as likely to also be ridden with buzzing synth lines and twinkling bleeps. They’re wonderfully put together regardless of their means, though, as well as being honest and emotive songs and I'm looking forward to hearing more.
Cardiff people who like Sweet Baboo will undoubtedly be fans, as will those who enjoy Voluntary Butler Scheme and all of those other bands that have been mentioned thus far. Find out more info on My Name Is Ian at Art Is Hard here and here. Preview some tracks below!
My Name Is Ian - If I Found Out I Was Termanilly Ill
[taken from cassette #3]
My Name Is Ian - Staring at the Sun
[taken from cassette #1]
My Name Is Ian - Give it a Year
[taken from cassette #2]
