The returns keep coming. Indie heartthrobs Gengahr are back, and I'm more than a little excited about this news!! I've a huge soft spot for these guys - so much so that I caught them playing a 1am slot at The Great Escape a few years ago. I wouldn't do that for many bands...
They're three (brilliant) albums deep, and it looks as if we might be getting the follow-up to Sanctuary (2020) soon. For now, they've just released new single A Ladder which is quickly becoming one of my favourite tracks of theirs, and is opening up new depths in my love for the band. Check out the (equally brilliant) video directed by Billy Howard Price below.
On the track, frontman Felix Bushe shares: "'A Ladder' is a fun, trippy little song soaked in cartoon-like imagery. Essentially it's about the power of true love and its ability to not only change the way we feel but also the way we see and interact with the whole world around us."
Hope you've all had a lovely few days celebrating (or not) Christmas! Before resuming *proper* posting for the new year, I'm back at it with some follow-ups to my albums of the year feature last week (read that here) where, in addition to a top five, I shared 35 records I've loved this year. I'm planning to share 7 records a day across the next few days, all in release order - each one of them is brill and I hope you enjoy!
Way back in January this year, this was the first record to be released that I'd been looking forward to, so it's been a favourite for a while, and listening recently I was reminded how brilliant it is! Your Light is one of the best pop songs of the year in my opinion... so good!! Barcelona and Why are also faves. Love their harmonies, and the fried chicken lyric in Dog Eat Dog ("round here they say it's dog eat dog but / it's more like pigeon eat fried chicken on the street") is GENIUS. They also deserve an AOTY mention for the fact their album release coincided with the moon being reaaaaal big. Clever.
Bombay Bicycle Club - Everything Else Has Gone Wrong (buy/stream)
Probably the coolest advance stream that I've ever had and absolutely HAS to be on this list! Listening to this on my commute before it was released made me feel very cool. Following their previous record in 2014 this was long awaited and it could so easily have fallen a little flat, but it is completely glorious - there isn't a note or lyric out of place. Favourite tracks include Is It Real, Racing Stripes and the title track Everything Else Has Gone Wrong. Seeing them live last year was a treat. Huge soft spot for Eat, Sleep, Wake (Nothing But You) below - the tongue-in-cheek video touching on their return. Also - I love their recent Live at Brixton album! Read my write-up of Everything Else... here.
I think this might be the only album that I've bought in a physical record store this year... since our HMV closed we don't have stores locally, and while I've bought a bunch of LPs from Banquet and Resident online through the year, I bought this one on a day out back in Feb. So I guess it holds a special place for being the only things that I've dug out in the vinyl racks this year - with quite a lot of glee at finding it! It's a quality follow up to Where Wildness Grows which I adore. So many favourite tracks - Heavenly Maybe, Atlas Please and Icarus are certainly up there.
This is Brooke's debut album and it's superb. One of those artists whose tracks I get sent to review, realise that I've enjoyed all of the singles, give the record a try and... woah. Love it. I struggled to pick between this and Sunday Self, the acoustic version of the record that Brooke brought out a few months later. Fave tracks include Control and All My Friends Are Drunk. This is for the Fenne Lily, Phoebe Bridgers, Marika Hackman etc fans (which you all should be...)
The award for the funkiest record on the AOTY list goes to.... damn. SO funky. I loved seeing themopen for Friendly Fires a couple of years back, loved the EP they brought out at the time and was eagerly awaiting their debut record. I listened back to this recently on a bus journey but would advise listening somewhere where you're able to dance like nobody is watching. Get me to a live Franc Moody set soon, please, world. Favourite tracks include Skin on Skin, She's Too Good For Me, and the title track, Dream In Colour. So much to love here.
Halloweens -Morning Kiss at the Acropolis (Bandcamp)
A side project of The Vaccines' frontman Justin Young and keys player Timothy Lanham (that's T Truman, to you and I) Halloweens have been the gift that just keeps on giving in 2020. Right from the first single, Hannah You're Amazing, in late 2019, I was hooked. Things have just got better and better ever since, and their debut record is a dream. They also released the Maserati Anxiety Designed EP recently, somehow finding time amidst making the new Vaccines record (!!!) and Timothy working on his solo project. A lot of love for the productivity when they keeps releasing such cracking tunes as these. Favourite tunes include My Baby Looks Good With Another, Lady and Ur Kinda Man.
I was first put onto this record by this year's AOTY... winner (?! is that a thing) White Tail Falls, when he recommended a few records that were circulating his earphones in our interview earlier in the year - on NNAMDÏ's BRAT he shared that it was blowing my mind. I wanted in on the action and took myself for a listen... which I think turned into two or three consecutive listens. Written, recorded and performed by Nnamdï himself, the record belies genre categorisation. There's a bit of everything going on. Styles which on paper, probably shouldn't work together, and that I might not usually choose to listen to, but I love this. It's OK, Really Don't and Perfect In My Mind are highlights for me - but it is best appreciated as the full piece of work.
Thanks if you've made it this far - I'll be back to share the next seven records tomorrow!! Happy listening...
To be perfectly honest I'll take any opportunity that I get to tell you just how brilliant both Dizzy and Gengahr are... so a Gengahr reworking of a recent Dizzy track? Consider me more than a little bit in love. It's taking me back to a beautiful night at The Great Escape a couple of years back, heading from seeing Superorganism to a Dizzy set, having never listened to them before (love at first sight/listen) and staying up late to catch Gengahr afterwards.
Dizzy have their second record The Sun and Her Scorch coming out this Friday (!!!) and I'm loving this single, especially the gorgeous video which I posted about here. Gengahr, who released their third record Sanctuary back in January, have done a superb reworking of the track - you'd better get on your dancing shoes, have a little boogie, and then join me in eagerly awaiting the new record. I can't articulate my excitement enough, this band are really special.
The Sun and Her Scorch is due for release this Friday - pre-order/pre-save here.
Following on seamlessly from my Bombay Bicycle Club post earlier in the week (since then I've been sent an early stream of their album and I'll share a review soon but... a clue: it's very good) this next post is a new tune from their recent tour buds Gengahr. They're releasing their third studio album Sanctuary on 31st January and I'm really excited for it. From what we've heard with the recent singles Heavenly Maybe, Everything & More and Atlas Please the band are at their best, exploring creatively with the confidence and freedom that a third record brings. New track Never A Low is a bit of a departure... a little moodier in sound than normal but still with the elements that make up an ace Gengahr track - perhaps most notably Felix's gorgeous falsetto.
Talking about the track, the band explain that "experimentation, collaboration and pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones is at the core of this album [...] our sound and the way we work together has really evolved, and 'Never A Low' is the track which for us best represents the results of this change."
Alongside the new track, they've just announced support acts for the upcoming UK and EU tour - with Fake Laugh and Bessie Turner joining them for the UK shows. Tickets and album pre-order is here on their site.
13th Feb: Band on the Wall, Manchester
14th: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
16th: King Tuts, Glasgow
17th: The Sound House, Dublin
19th: Fleece, Bristol
20th: Patterns, Brighton
21st: EartH, London
Fresh from supporting Bombay Bicycle Club on tour recently, London four-piece Gengahr have shared the second track from their upcoming third album, Sanctuary. Premiered as Annie Mac's Hottest Record in the World on BBC Radio 1 a few nights ago, Heavenly Maybe delivers another slice of Gengahr magic and I can't get enough of it. An irresistibly danceable tune (do you hear that bass line?!) at heart, frontman Felix Bushe's trademark falsetto takes the spotlight and sounds as glorious as ever. Watch our for Sanctuary, it's due for release on January 31st.
If you like what you're hearing, you can catch Gengahr across the UK and further afield next year across February and March - UK dates below and tickets/album pre-order here.
13th Feb: Band on the Wall, Manchester
14th: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
16th: King Tuts, Glasgow
17th: The Sound House, Dublin
19th: Fleece, Bristol
20th: Patterns, Brighton
21st: EartH, London
Utter joy to have Gengahr back with a new track, album announcement and tour news. The triple whammy. Everything & More is their first track since Atlas Please last year - a track produced by none other than Bombay Bicycle Club frontman Jack Steadman. The track is taken from their upcoming third album Sanctuary, due for release on 31st Jan. The track sounds fresh yet familiar, focusing around the charming falsetto of frontman Felix Bushe. I adored their last album Where Wildness Grows and can't wait to see what they've got in store for us!
You can catch Gengahr across the UK and further afield next year across February and March - UK dates below and tickets/album pre-order here.
13th Feb: Band on the Wall, Manchester
14th: Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
16th: King Tuts, Glasgow
17th: The Sound House, Dublin
19th: Fleece, Bristol
20th: Patterns, Brighton
21st: EartH, London
Gengahr have been a stand-out band for me this year. Released back in February, their second album Where Wildness Grows is one of my favourite albums of the year, and it has since been followed by a live album. Their headline set for So Young at The Great Escape was the pinnacle of one of my most memorable evenings of discovery through live music this year (and probably, ever) where I managed to catch Tamino, Sam Fender, Superorganism and Dizzy in various Brighton venues before staying out for what is almost certainly the latest (or should that be earliest?) live performance music I've watched. Nothing, not even a slightly sleep-inducing 1am stage time, was going to stop me catching the band.
Not content with releasing two full length albums in a year, the band shared the single Atlas Please a couple of months ago. They've just shared a video for the track, with the slightly ominous description "We almost died making this video. Literally buried ourselves in poisonous earth for your entertainment." With that kind of introduction, it would be rude not to check it out, right?
A midweek treat! Just months after releasing Where Wildness Grows, one of my favourite records of the year, the total heroes Gengahr have shared new single Atlas Please. Produced by Jack Steadman (Bombay Bicycle Club, mr jukes) you barely need to listen to know that it's going to be something rather special - they're a bit of a dream combination!
Talking about the track, vocalist and guitarist Felix Bushe explains that it is "us considering that our lasting memories are the ones shared in good company - although, at times it can feel as though the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders. Talking to friends and considering our own personal experiences we're mindful that we often find it easier to suffer in silence than to open up - so being able to identify when someone you care about is hurting and to make the time to help them is an incredibly important and powerful thing to do."
Between working in a music store, curating a playlist and generally making more time to listen to new music, I've been really impressed by lots of incredible albums so far this year. As we've passed the half way point of 2018 I've decided to do a post bringing together ten of my favourite records of the year so far. It's difficult to narrow them down, and the likes of Dawes, Ben Howard, Christof van der Ven, Geowulf, George Ezra, Nathaniel Rateliff and Django Django just missed out, but their recent records are all certainly worth checking out! (The list is in order of release, rather than preference.)
Rae Morris - Someone Out There
Probably my most listened to record of the year so far, it very quickly became a favourite and an early shout for my album of the year, a title that it would be pretty difficult to lose. I have so much love for this record. What first really struck me about the record was the lyrics, it felt as if Rae was really opening up to the audience, the songs are incredibly personal but at the same time relatable. The progression in the sound from her first record Unguarded is another huge plus for me. Favourite track: Dip My Toe.
The Wombats - Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life
It's always exciting when a favourite band of several years releases a new record, and this was the case for the new Wombats record earlier this year, as I've been a fan of the band through much of secondary school and university. Back at it with the inventive and often quite amusing lyrics, my favourite is probably "You could give an aspirin the headache of it's life." Genius. Favourite track: Turn.
Superorganism - Superorganism
Aside from the radio hit Everybody Wants To Be Famous, I hadn't listened to anything from this group until we tried the album in the store I work in, and I really liked what I was hearing. Many, many listens later and I caught them at The Great Escape, where they brought everything fun and inventive that I loved from the record into the live environment. Favourite track: Night Time.
Gengahr - Where Wildness Grows
One of my favourite things about this record from Gengahr is the fact that you received a pack of seeds if you pre-ordered the album through the band's site. Lead singer Felix's beautiful falsetto beautifully compliments the music and the record is a strong follow-up to their 2015 release A Dream Outside. Favourite track: Before Sunrise.
Ady Suleiman - Memories
Since catching him live at my first Bushstock back in 2015 I've been eagerly awaiting a record from Nottingham's Ady Suleiman. Memories is a mix of singles from the past few years and some new tracks and it's a brilliant collection, showing off his incredible voice. If you ever get the chance to see him play live, take it. Favourite track: Serious.
The Magic Gang - The Magic Gang
I adore this record from start to finish. I've been aware of the band for years but didn't get around to taking a listen until I saw that they had released their debut record earlier in the year. It's been in my headphones a lot since, and their set at The Great Escape was a big highlight of the weekend. Favourite track: Getting Along.
The Vaccines - Combat Sports
Similarly to The Wombats, it's always a total joy to hear a new The Vaccines album, as they've been a favourite band of mine since the release of What Did You Expect back in 2011. Those riffs. Mmm. They're another band whose clever lyrics can often be quite amusing, with a couple of highlights from this record being: "How many lightbulbs does it take to change the mood? If that's how many, dude I think I'm screwed." and"I wanna fly you to the moon but I don't wanna pay for gas." Favourite track: Your Love Is My Favourite Band.
Cosmo Sheldrake - The Much Much How How & I
From the moment I caught him supporting Johnny Flynn towards the end of 2017 I've been fairly mesmerised by Cosmo's work, and just in time, as he's released his debut record this year. In it's sound and musical process it's quite unique from the rest of the albums on the list - a whimsical, utterly joyful piece of work pulling together sounds from various areas of the natural world, sampled together alongside his vocals. Favourite track: Wriggle.
Boy Azooga - 1, 2, Kung Fu!
It's only been out for a few weeks, but the debut record from Cardiff's Boy Azooga has quickly become a big favourite of mine for the year, and I've been listening to it almost daily. My first introduction was to Jerry, a track about a dog from the local dog rescue centre - consider some major brownie points earned for that. If you like the records from Gengahr and The Magic Gang, this is worth a listen. Favourite track: Loner Boogie.
Evergreen - Overseas
Last up, I've been waiting for the follow-up to the band's debut album Towards for what feels like an age (I managed to get a degree in the time between records...) but Overseas is proving to be entirely worth the wait. A little more electro than it's predecessor, the album feels almost grown up, and makes use of the band's native tongue, French, far more. I'm really enjoying The Foreigner, Gemini and Bloom. Favourite track: Aux Echos.
Be sure to follow my 2018 playlist on Spotify to keep up to date with all the new music I'm listening to and enjoying. Recent additions come from the likes of Seramic, Florence + The Machine, PD Liddle, Dawes and Panic! At The Disco.
I'll Be Waiting is one of my favourite tracks from Gengahr's Where Wildness Grows, released earlier this year. The track has just been given a beautiful video, courtesy of Jamie Whitby, the creative mind behind their video for Before Sunrise(which I absolutely adore). This one's for you if you're in a long distance relationship, or if you're just a fan of great music - Gengahr can certainly deliver on that front! Oxford folks - catch them at Truck Festival this Summer!
It's been almost a couple of months since Gengahr released their second record Where Wildness Grows into the world - it's a beautiful collection of tunes and one of my favourite records of the year so far alongside the likes of Rae Morris, The Vaccines, Cosmo Sheldrake and lots more - it's been a really great year for music so far! The Gengahr chaps recently shared the song I'll Be Waiting on an EP alongside acoustic versions of the track and three others from the record. The stripped back instrumentals help to create even more of a focus on Felix's trademark falsetto, and the release is 18 minutes of pure beauty. Get listening and check out the record Where Wildness Grows here.
Catch Gengahr on the final shows of their current UK tour at KOKO in London this evening and Cardiff's Globe tomorrow night!
Their recent single Before Sunrisehas been one of my favourite tracks of the year so far and I am really looking forward to hearing the Gengahr record in full when it's released this Friday! To keep the excitement levels up and tease us a little more, they've shared the title track Where Wildness Grows which is completely, mind-bogglingly sublime. Such a beautiful vocal performance from Felix!
Once the album is out in the world, the Gengahr chaps are heading out on the road, first for a mini tour of record stores to play and sign copies of the record next week, then on a full UK tour in April/May. As if releasing an album and touring the UK and Europe weren't enough, they're also curating their second exhibitionwith their own artwork and that of fellow musicians Mystery Jets, Alt-J, Marika Hackman, Slaves, Puppy, Toothless and more from 15th to 20th March at A-Side B-Side Gallery (details.)
I've rambled a little in the past about how brilliant the people of Transgressive Records and the artists that they work with are (the likes of Foals, Johnny Flynn and Cosmo Sheldrake) and this band are no exception to that rule. Gengahr supported fellow Transgressive band Dry The River on the first show I went to upon moving to Oxford for uni in 2014 (alongside Pale Seas - what a line-up) so they hold a pretty special place in my heart, as the gig was the first I'd gone along to by myself. They released their debut album A Dream Outside back in 2015 and have recently announced it's follow-up, Where Wildness Grows, which is due for release on 9th March.
With tunes Carrion and Mallory under their belts, the London four-piece recently released the pretty magical and almost glimmering tune Before Sunrise which I totally adore. It's a really promising sign of an album that I'm pretty excited for. They've just shared the video for the track, shot by Jamie Whitby over two days in Casablanca, Morocco. Writing of the video the band note that "when [Jamie] first told us about this teenage moped gang 'The Anfa Riders' in Morocco, we knew they would be the perfect visual accompaniment to the track. Watching the footage on his return we were blown away by the joyful sense of adventure the riders possess - it's a beautifully shot piece that perfectly captures the essence of the song." I couldn't agree more!
