Ladytron – The Island
Ladytron recently shared their short film for ‘The Island,‘ the second single from their forthcoming LP. The short film that imagines a dystopian future and is directed by Bryan M. Ferguson. ‘The Island’ explores the story of a humanoid who awakens, escapes, explores, and is ultimately destroyed.
Bryan M. Ferguson, comments: “It implicitly examines today’s current climate and where we’re headed. It explores the alienation and tyranny that we’re forced to swallow on a daily basis. It also offers a sharp commentary on our dual human nature and our present social environment. Overall, the film is a nihilistic look at society’s lack of progress.”
Soundtracked by an icy tapestry of electronic sounds, programmed beats and breathless vocals this song juxtaposes its catchy melodic qualities with an unease at the creeping take over of technology. Helen Marnie says her personal discomfort shaped the making of ‘The Island’ and why there’s a disparity between our actions and our intentions.(Bill Cummings)
UK LIVE DATES – NOVEMBER
2nd – O2 ABC, GLASGOW
3rd – 02 Academy, LIVERPOOL
4th – Roundhouse, LONDON
Chorusgirl – No Goodbye
Chorusgirl are back with their second album Shimmer and Spin, the album that overcame the odds, due out on 16 November via Reckless Yes. The foot-stomping first single ‘No Goodbye’ is spiked with a twitching unease in its verses that’s masked by its sing-along earworm qualities that unfurl in the choruses that burrow down a wormhole, its circular riffs have shades of surf music by way of an appreciation of post-punk. It sounds rather fabulous.
Chorusgirl’s second full-length chronicles a tense year, created during a period of crippling anxiety and a relentless string of bad luck and bad news. On first listen to these tensions are not immediately apparent but beyond the bright sparkling melodies, there are beautifully crafted yet deceptively sharp icebergs lying in wait. (BC)
Tour Dates:
9th Nov: London, The Victoria
16th Nov: Nottingham, Rough Trade
17th Nov: Sheffield, Audacious Art Experiment
18th Nov: Newcastle, Head of Steam
19th Nov: Glasgow, Broadcast
21st Nov: Oxford, Common Ground
22nd Nov: Bristol, Hydra Cafe
23rd Nov: Coventry, The Tin
Go March – Bark
Today we premiere ‘Bark‘ the new video from Antwerp trio Go March. Blending pulsing electronic sounds with shades of rave culture with riffs that punctuate and pierce underpinned by an insistent motorik beat. ‘Bark’ is a boundary-pushing bricolage of futuristic sounds that adds up to a throbbing soundtrack that justifies the tag of Kraftwerk meets Mogwai.
Go March release of their second album, II, released 28th September via Yokozuna Records/N.E.W.S. II, is a blend of electronics, post-rock and ambient passages and the trio have gained prominence of late with their futuristic propulsions. (BC)
The Fruitful Earth – Shake
South London pianist and owner of a voice of more than significant proportions Sarah Blair’s project The Fruitful Earth has a third album in the can apparently, with a welcome increase in live activity around the capital and further afield. In order to get us salivating about that she’s releasing this thumping stormer from her last long player Rising Sun with a top-notch video by Spanish filmmaker and TFE fan Lola Clava. The track, like all Blair’s work, is based in the blues, and you’ll hear nods to the White Stripes’ gloriously soulful strains and the sheer headlong firepower of Led Zeppelin to, but probably the closest comparison of her work in general, which veers from the intimately sensitive to the roaringly passionate, is the much celebrated Natalie Prass. Not that parallels matter too much here – it’ll sweep you along very much on its own terms. (BW)
Released by Big Peach Records on September 21st
Tara Lee – Boyz
Dublin-born singer-songwriter Tara Lee just released her debut single ‘Boyz’ via Riverman Records/AWAL. A nagging tune that’s luscious mid-tempo strut is laced with Lee’s luxurious vocals that call to mind both Lana Del Rey and Lorde, ‘Boyz’ is a song about bad boys who you can’t help but fall for. It’s a very promising beginning.
Tara co-wrote ‘Boyz’ with producer Justin Broad (who has worked with Izzy Bizu) and Paul Herman. She toured with Hurts last year and recently supported Drama at their sold-out London gig last week. She is also announcing another gig this week – supporting Stealth at St Pancras Old Church on 7 Nov. (BC)
Carw – Feathers
Carw‘s new single ‘Feathers’ is a thing of majesty and beauty. Possessing a grace and sensitivity matched by subtle washes of production minimal synth-pop call to mind the likes of Tears for Fears and the Lotus Eaters. Tapping into themes of isolation, melancholia and distance, Owain Griffiths stares into the middle distance on echoing longing refrains that decorate elegant keyboards and sparse beats, with ‘Feathers’, Carw has crafted a heart-tugging sound from sparse arrangements.
The track is taken from the album Skin Shed out on the 12th October on Blinc records. It will be Welsh musician Owain Griffiths’ debut release under the moniker of Carw, having previously worked on a string of collaborations with other artists like Cotton Wolf, Eugene Capper & Rhodri Brooks, Winter Villians and Hlemma. (BC)
Violetta Zironi – Little Wound
‘Little Wound’ is effortless new release from Italian singer/songwriter Violetta Zironi. ‘Little Wound’ grows from sensitive and introspective balladry and spindling guitars that’s almost redolent of Marissa Nadler, opening up into an exploration of emotions directed at a lover, its cathartic and evocative crescendo is a majestic duet with singer/songwriter Ed Prosek.
Mentored by the legendary producer Rupert Hine, Ed has built a sizeable following of his own through his honest vocals and emotive songwriting – The perfect complement to Violetta’s soulful and intoxicating voice. (BC)
