Bryde played a superb set opening up for Banfi back in September, and I'm digging her new single To Be Brave. London-based and Pembrokeshire-born, Bryde, aka Sarah Howells, is "a girl and an electric guitar playing fierce and fragile songs [...] swaying from vulnerable to uncompromising [...] honest and furiously authentic", a description which fits the new single pretty perfectly. She's recently announced her debut album Like An Island, which you can pre-order in various formats and bundles here, and catch her on tour (with a bunch of brilliant support acts across the tour including Pip Hall and Sick Joy) across April and May (dates and tickets here.)
Wednesday, 14 February 2018
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
LISTEN: Cosmo Sheldrake - 'Wriggle'
One of my most eagerly awaited records of the year, Cosmo Sheldrake's The Much Much How How and I is due for release on 6th April via the legends at Transgressive Records. He's recently shared Wriggle, the latest single to be taken from the record. True to form, it is pretty immense, and features sounds including Japanese koto drums, marching band percussion, a nightingale from Kent and a host of woodwind instruments. Cosmo writes that the tune was the last to be written for the record, emerging a couple of weeks before starting the mixing process, and that "it is a song about celebrating life in the hope that it was one well lived." If you like what you're hearing, check out the album's first single Come Along and grab tickets for the album release tour here!
Monday, 12 February 2018
LISTEN: Ferris & Sylvester release 'Made In Streatham' EP
I've had quite a soft spot for boy-girl duo Ferris & Sylvester since finding their track Berlin in my blog submissions inbox over Summer. They've just followed up their The Yellow Line EP from which the track was taken with the Made In Streatham EP, featuring the lively singles Better In Yellow and London's Blues alongside three more brilliant tunes. I love the faster tunes but I'm also adoring the strings of the slower tune Loser, which repeats the refrain "I always knew you were a loser, and now you're gonna lose her." If you're after some cheerful lyrics, you're probably not in the right place - but everyone loves some sad tunes, right?
Writing of the release of the EP online, Issy and Archie wrote that "it means a great deal to us that we can share these songs with you all [...] We wrote and recorded all the songs in our South London flat with our favourite people. We had a really strong vision of what we wanted it to sound like - we wanted it to be completely real and genuine. All live instruments, no funny business. So we did it our way. [....] Thank you for coming on this journey with us. We're only just getting started!" Here here...
Listening back to the older tracks, it's already possible to hear a huge improvement between the two releases, and to pinpoint a really exciting point in a promising career. The duo have recently been nominated for a couple of awards at the Unsigned Music Awards 2018 (best folk/country act and best songwriter) among scoring various other accolades, including topping Rolling Stone Magazine's 'Top 10 New Artists You Need To Know' feature, earning a spot in BBC Introducing's 'Best of 2017' list with Better In Yellow and earning support from the likes of BBC Radio 2, BBC Introducing and various Spotify playlists. It's all looking fairly promising for a brilliant 2018 for the young duo!
Writing of the release of the EP online, Issy and Archie wrote that "it means a great deal to us that we can share these songs with you all [...] We wrote and recorded all the songs in our South London flat with our favourite people. We had a really strong vision of what we wanted it to sound like - we wanted it to be completely real and genuine. All live instruments, no funny business. So we did it our way. [....] Thank you for coming on this journey with us. We're only just getting started!" Here here...
Listening back to the older tracks, it's already possible to hear a huge improvement between the two releases, and to pinpoint a really exciting point in a promising career. The duo have recently been nominated for a couple of awards at the Unsigned Music Awards 2018 (best folk/country act and best songwriter) among scoring various other accolades, including topping Rolling Stone Magazine's 'Top 10 New Artists You Need To Know' feature, earning a spot in BBC Introducing's 'Best of 2017' list with Better In Yellow and earning support from the likes of BBC Radio 2, BBC Introducing and various Spotify playlists. It's all looking fairly promising for a brilliant 2018 for the young duo!
WATCH: FIL BO RIVA - 'Head Sonata (Love Control)'
Very much something beautiful out of the blue, the FIL BO RIVA chaps have premiered the video for recent single Head Sonata (Love Control) this week ahead of an extensive UK and Europe tour. The band released the stunning If You're Right, It's Alright EP in 2016, cementing themselves as one of my favourite new artists - the new tune is just as great, and its video documents the last year in the studio working on their debut album, and on the road supporting Milky Chance across Europe.
Writing about the video, frontman Fil explains that "When we were touring Europe last year and were recording Head Sonata in Berlin just before then, it was the first time that we let a camera follow us around. It was a strange feeling at first but after a while, no one really noticed anymore. Playing [these shows] was a blessing and a wonderful contrast to our current time in the studio, where we've been working on our album for the last year now. I would say that the studio and the travelling were a very big part of our life last year so the video somehow shows what we've gone through. It's a very personal memory and the right pinch of Rock n Roll."
Words can't really describe how much I love these guys, so I implore you to take a watch, take a listen to more of their tunes (Franzis is a stunner) and get along to their upcoming shows - all the dates and tickets can be found here.
Writing about the video, frontman Fil explains that "When we were touring Europe last year and were recording Head Sonata in Berlin just before then, it was the first time that we let a camera follow us around. It was a strange feeling at first but after a while, no one really noticed anymore. Playing [these shows] was a blessing and a wonderful contrast to our current time in the studio, where we've been working on our album for the last year now. I would say that the studio and the travelling were a very big part of our life last year so the video somehow shows what we've gone through. It's a very personal memory and the right pinch of Rock n Roll."
Words can't really describe how much I love these guys, so I implore you to take a watch, take a listen to more of their tunes (Franzis is a stunner) and get along to their upcoming shows - all the dates and tickets can be found here.
Friday, 9 February 2018
LISTEN: Little Brother Eli - 'Tooth'
Let me introduce Little Brother Eli to you - they're a four piece rock band from Oxford who deliver energetic performances and who have been impressing fans on the local scene and further afield for a couple of years now. Watching them grow as a band was one of the musical highlights of the three years I spent studying in Oxford, and I'm glad to say that they're back, following up their 2016 debut album Cold Tales with a brand new single. Tooth represents a slight change in direction for the band, experimenting with disco rhythms and electronic sounds to spruce up their sound, while maintaining what I've come to love them for - namely singer Alex's impressive vocal range.
Like what you're hearing? Catch the band at their single launch show on Feb 24th at The Wheatsheaf in Oxford - more details about the show, where Quartermelon and Lucy Vee are in support, here. Tickets are flying out so be quick!
Thursday, 8 February 2018
LISTEN: Christof van der Ven - 'Empty Handed'
"In December 2011, I moved to London to establish myself in the music scene. This proved rather difficult. [....] Since April last year, I joined Bear's Den as a session musician and have had the best time since..." Christof van der Ven is probably most well known as a touring guitarist for Bear's Den, who I've seen him playing with several times, but he's also a pretty talented artist in his own right, and has been plugging away for several years, releasing such gems as the Montreal EP of 2016.
It's been a week or so of incredibly exciting news for Christof, announcing the release of debut album Empty Handed with the premiere of it's beautifully delicate and understated title track, which you can listen to below. Alongside that news, he's been announced as main support for none other than Bon Iver (!!!) at one of their upcoming London shows on 26th Feb, the Willy Mason show at Moth Club on 24th Feb and he's also been added to the line-up for the wonderful Adam Barnes' album launch party at St Pancras Old Church on 21st Feb alongside Joe Hicks - sure to be just as lovely an evening as the other two gigs, which are sadly already sold out! Remaining tickets for Adam's launch show here - and listen to his new album Vacancy At Nasa here!
It's been a week or so of incredibly exciting news for Christof, announcing the release of debut album Empty Handed with the premiere of it's beautifully delicate and understated title track, which you can listen to below. Alongside that news, he's been announced as main support for none other than Bon Iver (!!!) at one of their upcoming London shows on 26th Feb, the Willy Mason show at Moth Club on 24th Feb and he's also been added to the line-up for the wonderful Adam Barnes' album launch party at St Pancras Old Church on 21st Feb alongside Joe Hicks - sure to be just as lovely an evening as the other two gigs, which are sadly already sold out! Remaining tickets for Adam's launch show here - and listen to his new album Vacancy At Nasa here!
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
WATCH: The Vaccines - 'I Can't Quit'
Since smashing their way onto the indie music scene with the impeccable debut album What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? back in 2011, The Vaccines have secured themselves a spot as one of my favourite bands with 2012 follow-up Come Of Age and 2015 record English Graffiti. The hit makers are back this year cracking new single I Can't Quit, taken from the new record Combat Sports, due for release on 30th March.
The tune packs a punch and, true to form, is incredibly catchy - it's fairly reminiscent of their earlier material. The band headed to Italy to shoot a video for the track, which premiered recently and shows them on a pretty messy night out (there's also a couple of cute dogs so it's certainly worth a watch!) Speaking to NME, the band said that "the song is really simple, confident and fun and we wanted our role in the video to reflect that. but we also wanted the video to represent these vicious cycles that we often get ourselves into but have no control over - they can feel confusing, isolating and violent." The video is the first to feature touring band members Timothy Lanham (keys) and Yoann Intonti (drums) as official members of the band, following founding member Pete Robertson's departure in 2016, and they seem to be settling in perfectly!
The tune packs a punch and, true to form, is incredibly catchy - it's fairly reminiscent of their earlier material. The band headed to Italy to shoot a video for the track, which premiered recently and shows them on a pretty messy night out (there's also a couple of cute dogs so it's certainly worth a watch!) Speaking to NME, the band said that "the song is really simple, confident and fun and we wanted our role in the video to reflect that. but we also wanted the video to represent these vicious cycles that we often get ourselves into but have no control over - they can feel confusing, isolating and violent." The video is the first to feature touring band members Timothy Lanham (keys) and Yoann Intonti (drums) as official members of the band, following founding member Pete Robertson's departure in 2016, and they seem to be settling in perfectly!
Wednesday, 24 January 2018
LISTEN: Cosmo Sheldrake - 'Egg and Soldiers'
Cosmo Sheldrake remains one of the most intriguing, unusual and exciting artists I had the pleasure of discovering and seeing live in 2017. Challenged only by Banfi and Seramic opening up for Bear's Den earlier in the year, Cosmo performed one of my favourite support slots of the year at The Roundhouse on the Johnny Flynn & The Sussex Wit tour. His ability to stand alone on the stage and fill such a large space with his quirky tunes and completely endearing personality really impressed me, particularly the way that he preluded each track by introducing the audience to the samples that he was about to use - his passion for the music and for seeking out interesting sounds was incredibly apparent (which you can see for yourself in this live reworking of a track from 2013.) From that show and a lot of listening to his back catalogue since, favourite tunes for me include Solar, a track combining a sample of the sun's rays (!) with lyrics taken from a William Blake poem, and the entirety of the Pelicans We EP which I hastily bought from the merch stand after the show.
I was pretty delighted to hear recently that Cosmo had confirmed details of his debut album The Much Much How How and I, which is set for release through the wonderful Transgressive Records on 6th April! The album has been shaped by artists ranging from The Beatles and The Kinks to Moondog and Stravinsky, Sheldrake's anthropological study at University and his longstanding interest in ethnomusicology. The record was produced by Cosmo and Matthew Herbert, and was recorded at Soup Studios as well as in Cosmo's basement - check out the various pre-order options (including limited edition vinyl) here.
Following recent singles Come Along and Mind of Rocks, Cosmo has recently released the latest single from the upcoming record, Egg and Soldiers. It is a song "about hubris and the potential pitfalls of short-sightedness" which you can check out below - be sure to listen out for sounds including "an escalator in St Pancras station, Cosmo's late cat Cocoa purring, a stream in Snowdonia, a brass band, lots of woodwind and a string quartet."
I was pretty delighted to hear recently that Cosmo had confirmed details of his debut album The Much Much How How and I, which is set for release through the wonderful Transgressive Records on 6th April! The album has been shaped by artists ranging from The Beatles and The Kinks to Moondog and Stravinsky, Sheldrake's anthropological study at University and his longstanding interest in ethnomusicology. The record was produced by Cosmo and Matthew Herbert, and was recorded at Soup Studios as well as in Cosmo's basement - check out the various pre-order options (including limited edition vinyl) here.
If you like what you're hearing and would like to see Cosmo's impressive live performance for yourself then be sure to check out his upcoming UK and Europe tour, including a date at London's Village Underground on 5th April - all the dates and ticket information are here and come with a very big recommendation from myself!
Follow Cosmo Sheldrake online - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.
Follow Cosmo Sheldrake online - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.
Monday, 22 January 2018
LISTEN: PBSR - 'Volcano'
Allow me to introduce you to PBSR, a new project from 24 year-old Murcia-born and London-based multi-instrumentalist and composer Pablo Serrano. As the latest signee to Yucatan Records, his debut EP as PBSR, entitled ...and dusky doors, is due for release on the label later in the year, with the work presenting "caverns, canyons, mountains and galactic skies of sound; signatured by his deft use of electronic beats, piano melodies and that subtly soulful voice." The first track to be taken from the six track EP, Volcano is a meandering, atmospheric tune, through which Pablo gives listeners an almost cinematic display of emotion.
His parents had an early influence on Serrano, with his mother a guitarist and his father introducing him to the likes of Pink Floyd and Brian Eno. His upbringing forged a natural musical curiosity in him as a youngster, leading him to start his first band when he was 15 or 16 years old, allowing him an excuse to experiment with recording and production. He explains that it was a "super exciting period where I tested out a thousand ways of discovering and shaping new ways of writing music, challenging the possibilities of my voice, creating textures [....] I uploaded some songs to Myspace and called it "Pabser". That was the beginning of PBSR." Citing his discovery of Sigur Ros as a major influence in his teen years, he explains that the Icelandic band illuminated a world of ambience and dramatic musical textures to him, playing a role in his own work. Following a university education in both Madrid and London, PBSR can now be found writing and mixing at his home studio in London. Check out the debut tune below!
His parents had an early influence on Serrano, with his mother a guitarist and his father introducing him to the likes of Pink Floyd and Brian Eno. His upbringing forged a natural musical curiosity in him as a youngster, leading him to start his first band when he was 15 or 16 years old, allowing him an excuse to experiment with recording and production. He explains that it was a "super exciting period where I tested out a thousand ways of discovering and shaping new ways of writing music, challenging the possibilities of my voice, creating textures [....] I uploaded some songs to Myspace and called it "Pabser". That was the beginning of PBSR." Citing his discovery of Sigur Ros as a major influence in his teen years, he explains that the Icelandic band illuminated a world of ambience and dramatic musical textures to him, playing a role in his own work. Following a university education in both Madrid and London, PBSR can now be found writing and mixing at his home studio in London. Check out the debut tune below!
Friday, 19 January 2018
WATCH: Low Island - 'Too Young'
Releasing their first single (the rather sublime Anywhere) back in November 2016, Oxford four-piece Low Island have very quickly become one of the most exciting bands on the scene. With two brilliant EPs, a string of sold out live shows and various festival slots under their belts the band are looking set to take 2018 by storm.
Brand new cut Too Young follows up the recent trio of singles The Lines, Tomorrow and I Know You, which will join to make up their third (heavily anticipated) EP. Take a watch of a new live video for the track below, directed by Ben Ogunbiyi and shot across their recent run of Low Island and Friends tour dates. The track is intricate and at times understated, focusing around the beautifully unique vocals of Carlos and building to a louder, punchier end point.
The band are set to release their new EP at their biggest London headline show to date on April 26th, when they'll be taking to Scala for Parallel Lines (tickets here.) Before that, they're playing what is sure to be a superb hometown gig at The Cellar in Oxford on 27th Jan with support from another favourite new act of mine, locals BE GOOD, as well as Magique and Juniper Nights - tickets are running low, grab the last few for that one here and enjoy the tune below!
Brand new cut Too Young follows up the recent trio of singles The Lines, Tomorrow and I Know You, which will join to make up their third (heavily anticipated) EP. Take a watch of a new live video for the track below, directed by Ben Ogunbiyi and shot across their recent run of Low Island and Friends tour dates. The track is intricate and at times understated, focusing around the beautifully unique vocals of Carlos and building to a louder, punchier end point.
The band are set to release their new EP at their biggest London headline show to date on April 26th, when they'll be taking to Scala for Parallel Lines (tickets here.) Before that, they're playing what is sure to be a superb hometown gig at The Cellar in Oxford on 27th Jan with support from another favourite new act of mine, locals BE GOOD, as well as Magique and Juniper Nights - tickets are running low, grab the last few for that one here and enjoy the tune below!
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