Joel Plaskett makes a pass, Juniper Bush are a strange sight, Forever Honey do the Christian thing, Shady Nasty are sunk, and Sizzy Rocket bitches back and more in today’s Video Roundup. Click HERE to listen to the 14 songs in today’s Audio Roundup. I knew it would come to this someday.
1 | Joel Plaskett | Just Passing Through
THE PRESS RELEASE: “44, an imaginative and visionary four album project by Joel Plaskett, continues to reveal itself with the release of a second single and video, Just Passing Through. The title track from 44‘s second album, Just Passing Through is a travelling rock song weaving guitar riffs and smoky chorus across a driving 4/4 beat. The new video was put together by Jeff Miller, using footage shot on Joel’s phone camera over the years to create a dream-like backdrop. The conceptual follow-up to Plaskett’s Juno-winning triple record Three, 44 is Plaskett’s most ambitious endeavor to date, and showcases the skill and talent that has established him as one of Canada’s most respected musicians and songwriters.”
2 | Juniper Bush | Foresight
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Winnipeg psych-rock/shoegaze outfit Juniper Bush are unleashing the video for Foresight, the second single off their debut full-length, Healing Through A Sonic Figure, due out on April 3. Directed by band members Lizzy Burt and Danny Hacking, and produced by filmmaker Ryan Simmons, the video uses a mime as a symbol for the isolation, confusion and loss of self that often results from drug addiction. “In the video, we tried to unravel that idea even further, using the mime to convey meaning versus perception, and the alienation that can come from breakdowns in communication,” said Burt. “There is a paralyzing silence that can fall over us when we’re not aligned with ourselves. The mime symbolizes this silence, but also illustrates the capacity to overcome one weakness by mastering another: body language and self-control.”
3 | Forever Honey | Christian
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Forever Honey is the new NYC-based project of Liv Price (vocals, guitar), Aida Mekonnen (guitar, vocals), Steve Vannelli (drums), and Jack McLoughlin (bass.) Finding common ground over a love of jangly, guitar-driven pop of the late 80s and harmony-saturated rock of the 60s, the four draw lyrical inspiration from personal experiences and self-reflection. Forever Honey’s debut EP Pre-Mortem High is slated for an April 24 release. Pre-Mortem High is the band’s personal coming of age story put to music — the sound of girls and boys telling their girls and boys when enough is enough; the moment when sweet nothings whispered in the wee hours become spotlighted by sunlight, revealing holes of truth and promise. About Christian: “The song was actually the last to be written for our upcoming EP and came together really quickly…sort of like it’s always been there. We were looking for something upbeat, and this was the result right before we went in to record. Writing it also may have subconsciously brought up some things about ourselves and the nature of our relationships at the time.”
4 | Shady Nasty | 77SUNK
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Today, Sydney-based weirdo punks Shady Nasty are releasing their new EP, Bad Posture. The band are also sharing the new video for 77SUNK, the final track from the new EP. The title of Bad Posture refers to singer-guitarist Kevin Stathis’ hunched back, of which he is constantly reminded by his relatives who tell him to ‘straighten up’. This directive offers a glimpse of the rigid notions of how one should live that his immigrant family have tried to impress upon him. Importantly, Shady Nasty presents a new path that many of Stathis’ friends and family would not be able to understand.” The video “explores the collision of urban and regional spaces that the band experienced on their first tour of the East Coast of Australia; highways marked by freight trucks glitch and blur with powerlines that extend over kilometres of bush land.”
5 | Sizzy Rocket | That Bitch
THE PRESS RELEASE: “After dropping her new single That Bitch earlier this week, Sizzy Rocket is back again today to present the official music video. Seamlessly fusing bombastic punk-inspired riffs with electro-pop melodies, Sizzy’s new single is the ultimate self-empowerment record. The pairing video is, as Sizzy describes it, “some classic rockstar shit” — it’s unapologetic, it’s in your face, it’s gritty, and it oozes raw Sizzy Rocket energy. That Bitch is the first single to be released from Sizzy Rocket’s new “era” and will be followed by numerous singles and visuals over the next few months.”
6 | Ben Kunder | Berlin
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ben Kunder (pronounced like under with a hard k) will release his anticipated new album Searching For The Stranger on May 29. Alongside the album announce, Kunder has unveiled the sweeping and redolent lead single and video Berlin. Written about the songwriters first-ever tour in Germany, Berlin was inspired by the feelings Kunder had being of Jewish heritage touring through Germany for the first time. “Berlin is about finding your strength,” shares Kunder. “I realized while touring in Germany how lucky I am to have the privilege to speak up, to tell my story and to actually be heard when so many of the people of my past were denied that right. I don’t take that for granted and this song is not only about being strong but it’s about accepting the fear and darkness we feel and saying “it’s okay, we’re alright”. That is our strength. This song started a new evolution in my songwriting and inspired the direction of my new album.”
7 | Best Ex | Gap Tooth (On My Mind)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “To me, this EP is a middle finger from a woman who’s over it and finds happiness regardless of the things that constantly try to knock us down,” says Mariel Loveland of NYC-based indiepop band Best Ex about her new EP Good At Feeling Bad (release date: May 22). “I love this EP. I think it captures the full spectrum of the loneliness and isolation I was feeling at the time I wrote it. My disillusionment with certain friendships and relationships… my disillusionment with our culture of social media and celebrity… my disillusionment with genuine, unconditional love.” This second single off the EP, the dazzling indie synth pop Gap Tooth (On My Mind), is about the terrible feeling of getting lost in someone else’s life. “When I wrote it, I had been living on and off in England for the last few years with my then-boyfriend and his family,” she explains. “I started to realize over the course of our relationship that my life completely dissolved into his, which I think can happen when you’re dealing with a partner who’s suffering from depression. I had become so obsessed with caring for him and making him happy that one day, I woke up with an entirely different life in a foreign country. The future looked fantastic, so when he decided to dump me in a short phone call right before the holidays, it felt like someone had broken in and robbed me of my entire life in the middle of the night.”
8 | Zoon | Vibrant Colours
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Zoon — short for the Ojibway word Zoongide’ewin which means “bravery, courage, the Bear Spirit” — is the moniker of songwriter Daniel Monkman. Born and raised in Selkirk, Manitoba, Monkman’s June 19 debut record, Bleached Wavves, reflects on the impact of addiction and racism on his own life as well the lives of many in his community. Bleached Wavves is the first true document of what has been dubbed “moccasin-gaze,” a tongue-in-cheek nickname for the amalgamation of his shoegaze influences with traditional First Nations music. Zoon takes a guitar-driven, rich, dreamy sonic palette into new terrain; with a sound that is undeniably innovative, Zoon remains connected to the same passion for music he discovered at a young age growing up within the Brokenhead Ojibway Nation.”
9 | Nature Of | Middle of the Morning
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Edmonton indie rock band Nature Of’s third full-length album, The Mean, gets its official release today. To celebrate, Nature Of are also premiering the video for their single Middle of the Morning. “Perfect balance is hard to find and harder to maintain so it’s less about stasis and more about moving in directions that inspire growth while remaining grounded,” says lead vocalist Steven Schneider. “The songs on The Mean explore a personal struggle to exist within the push and pull; between the extremes in life. A large part of these recordings were done at home so there are lots of creaks and cracks unintentionally contributing to how the record sounds.” After meeting through the skateboard community in their hometown of Edmonton, the band released their self-titled debut album in 2014 and their 2nd album Cherish in 2017.”
10 | The Second | Daily Ritual
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Pop-punk band The Second After continue their exciting decade with another new single and music video Daily Ritual, the last single to be released off new EP We Are Who We Are due April 17. Out today, the single’s video explores general anxieties that many musicians often find themselves enveloped in. The video explores feeling like the thoughts inside your head are never-ending, like you’re trapped in them, but having to push through for the sake of the band as a whole. We know many musicians struggle with mental health and it’s so easy to get stuck in your own head when you’re touring, but it’s important to remember that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel: the fans. “This song was inspired to me by watching as people close to me are controlled and torn down by the thoughts inside their own heads. It’s the worst thing in the world to see people you care about become crippled by their own self-doubt or anxiety on things. I battle my own as well, and it helped me realize the things that I tell myself are not always true. Everyone has their own demons that they battle.” – Michael Greason (vocals)”
11 | Dorian Electra | Guyliner
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Today, gender fluid popstar Dorian Electra shared a music video for their glam-worthy track Guyliner. Directed by Dorian Electra and their long time creative partner Weston Allen, the video sees Dorian take on the ideals of masculinity by shaping and breaking stereotypes. The visuals and outfits in the video were styled by Dorian, with choice looks influenced by neon scene kid and steampunk culture, serving as an ode to trends that came out of the early 00’s Myspace-era. The video features cameos from a noteworthy crew of musicians and artists including Nadya (Pussy Riot), Chester Lockhart, Hana, Smrtdeath, Mood Killer and more. Dorian Electra stated: “I wanted to harken back to the mid 2000s emo/Myspace/scene kid aesthetic because that was a really special cultural moment for masculinity that helped make it more okay for “guys” to wear tight “girl’s” jeans, makeup, have “crazy” hair and be more flamboyant fashion-wise in general. The idea of rockstar guys wearing makeup like “guyliner” was definitely something that ultimately made me feel more comfortable wearing makeup myself as a gender fluid person (I wore super thick black eyeliner all throughout high school). For me, makeup is a big part of how I express myself and I love blending feminine and masculine elements together to create looks that draw on my favorite parts of each and everything between.”
12 | Lina Button | Hidden Land
THE PRESS RELEASE: “A fantastic universe slumbers in every human soul. One only needs to take the time to explore it. Lina Button takes us on a journey to her Hidden Land and creates vibrant moods that invite us to discover and immediately create images in our minds. In her new single, the singer/songwriter describes an emotional landscape, an enchanted place, which she has created in an innovative and playful way together with producer and sound tinkerer Luca Burkhalter (Baba Shrimps). The artist about the single: “Hidden Land is a very positive song for me. It’s about what can be created when you take the time to get to know a person really well and what treasures can be found when you dive into the hidden land of a person. A valuable experience in our fast-moving times.”
13 | Aenimus | Between Iron And Silver
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bay Area natives Aenimus are proud to release the music video for Between Iron And Silver off the band’s most recent offering, Dreamcatcher. Seth Stone comments,”The idea behind the video was to create a dance that showed passion, struggle and intensity between two dancers to metaphorically represent the relationship between Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling from the novel and hit movie Hannibal. The lyrical concept of Between Iron And Silver is a letter from Dr. Lecter to Clarice expressing his obsession for her, the spell he has over her and his desire for Clarice to ‘Join me in the darks of hell.’ We sought out the help and immense skills of Joe Ferreira and Dahiana Oliver to create and perform a powerful dance routine to retell this story. The two absolutely captured my vision and beyond, utilizing their background in tango and contemporary dance. It’s not common that two things on the opposite side of the spectrum like tango and death metal can come together to create something so powerful and beautiful, but I feel that as a team we accomplished that very thing and I hope you enjoy the video as much as we did creating it for you all.”
14 | Kate Kelly | Quiet as a Mouse
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Following up on her promising debut LP The Wonder of It All, Nashville-based artist Kate Kelly is back with Quiet as a Mouse, a heartfelt new single that reveals another side of her artistry. With her two previous records, New Heartbeat EP in 2016 and The Wonder of it All in 2018 greatly influenced by jazz and soul music, Quiet as a Mouse marks a shift in her musical direction. Inspired by artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Feist and early-career Ingrid Michaelson, Kate Kelly is now exploring a more indie-folk, ambient sound. Her new track could be the artist’s most personal and vulnerable song to date. “I wrote Quiet as a Mouse several years ago as I explored feelings of abandonment after a breakup. It was an all-consuming emotion, one that I felt in my body and in the passing of time. This song became important to write as I learned how much of myself could be regained through being left alone. It is an exploration of being left, leaving, and saying goodbye. There is strength in our endings if we honor the pain.”
15 | Glass Tiger x Pineo & Loeb | This Is Your Life (Feat. Matt Mays)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bringing together three generations of exceptional pop music talent, multiple award-winning Halifax electronic music duo Pineo & Loeb have partnered with Canadian pop icons Glass Tiger to release This Is Your Life. Legendary Nova Scotia indie-rocker Matt Mays also lends his gritty and emotive voice to the track. The single and video are a blend of nostalgia and celebration of what has gone before, but with a modern vibe and feel that combines the best elements of Pineo & Loeb’s remarkable production skills and the timeless songwriting excellence of Glass Tiger. The track is a delightfully upbeat and wistful celebration of youthful exuberance, but also an ode to the continuing power music has to bring people of different ages, tastes, and backgrounds together in the spirit of harmony and collaboration.”
16 | Sparta | Empty Houses
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Sparta are returning with a new album Trust The River on April 10 and today, the El Paso band featuring Jim Ward (At The Drive-In/Sleepercar) shares a new single off the LP, Empty Houses. Of the track Ward notes, “Our bass player Matt Miller brought in the completed music and lyrical concept for Empty Houses and I fell in love with it – I worked out the final lyrics and vocals pretty quickly in the studio with David Garza bouncing lines back and forth. The idea centers around the void left by the market crash and what became of the houses left vacant. We wanted to capture some of that anxiety and fear that must have surrounded those times and try to imagine how to cope.”
17 | Bleach Day | bbs in the grass
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Bleach Day released their second single bbs in the grass from their forthcoming album as if always (releasing March 6). The band elaborated on the track’s meaning: “bbs in the grass is the end of a cycle that comprises the full album as if always. A series of musical movements erupting into existence, the track is propelled by a multitrack orchestra of driving percussion, thick bass, hailing piano notes, and twinkling Wurlitzer. bbs in the grass is reflective yet forward looking. “It is the truth learned at the end of a long introspection. It is celebratory, but accepting of the fact that you’ll soon be back in this very same spot – ending the cycle, so it can begin again.”
18 | 100 Mile House | Test the Timber
THE PRESS RELEASE: “There’s a poignant double meaning behind the new album Love and Leave You by the Edmonton, Canada, based folk duo 100 mile house. As on their award-winning previous work, Peter Stone and Denise MacKay seem naturally attuned to life’s impermanence; the reality that we must cherish what we have, while knowing we must eventually let it go. Made with a host of guests ranging from Juno nominee Chloe Albert to a heart-swelling string section, Love and Leave You builds on the themes of longing and love of 2016’s Hiraeth, which earned 100 mile house a Western Canadian Music Award, and a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination. On Love and Leave You they have emerged — stronger, wiser, and more honest than ever before. As they approach two decades since their first chance meeting, both Stone and MacKay’s lives and the music they make have become inseparable. It’s palpable the moment you hear them sing together, and cuts even deeper as the stories they tell unfold.”
19 | Sarah Slean & Hawksley Workman | Up Where We Belong
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Today, Sarah Slean and Hawksley Workman release their brand new EP, These Two. These Two is a collection of newly recorded material, including the popular Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes movie single Up Where We Belong (written by Jack Nitzsche, Buffy Sainte Marie, and Will Jennings). “Canadians have a history of being great songwriters, it’s a decades old truth that is proven over and over again;” shares Workman. “Digging into the songwriting from different eras, we find lyrics written with a classic humility and insight and melodic tendencies that are rooted in the confidence of an old wisdom while always respectfully stretching the boundaries of tradition. Up Where We Belong is a song most of us remember from the 1980s hit film An Officer and a Gentleman… it’s usually a surprise to people when they find out it was written by Buffy Sainte Marie. Infused with exquisite visions of nature and hope, this song’s sensibilities are uniquely and humbly Canadian.”
20 | Raspberry Bulbs | Midnight Line
THE PRESS RELEASE: “New York’s Raspberry Bulbs — featuring members of Bone Awl and Rorschach — today shares their new video for Midnight Line. The predatory track appears on the band’s latest full-length Before The Age Of Mirrors, out today. Raspberry Bulbs emphasizes the volatile, confrontational attitudes of punk with the discordant sounds of lo-fi black metal and inspirational fever dreams found only in weird fiction. In the band’s own words, “Equal parts paranoia, anger, and insane humor to satisfy the most cynical minds, Before The Age Of Mirrors was crafted for the times where we desperately look for a way forward and we seem, at this dazzling stage, almost prepared to step through the mirror.” Raspberry Bulbs’ Before The Age Of Mirrors is an album crafted especially for these times where we desperately look for a way forward and we seem, at this dazzling stage, almost prepared to step through the mirror.”
21 | Shabaka And The Ancestors | The Coming Of The Strange Ones
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Ahead of their album We Are Sent Here By History on March 13, Shabaka & The Ancestors release their second single The Coming of the Strange Ones with an accompanying hypnotic visualizer. The Coming of the Strange Ones is one of the few instrumental tracks on the record, with a pacing groove reminiscent of Shabaka Hutchings’ soca-driven outfit Sons Of Kemet. Shabaka & the Ancestors stretches out the space for Mthunzi Mvubu to wail on the alto sax, weaving in harmony and rhythm with Shabaka’s tenor sax. We Are Sent Here By History is a record mixing African and Afro-Caribbean traditions. Recorded in Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa over two years, the LP explores the function of the griot in West African culture. The griot holds the town’s stories and is the living archive of local history. Meanwhile, in Afro-Caribbean culture, the calypsonian is a different sort of griot: They weave socially conscious lyrics within upbeat party songs, reaching more people due to the music’s festive nature.”
22 | Tisoki & MineSweepa | See You Again (Feat. David Kuncio)
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Tisoki joins forces with MineSweepa on See You Again, featuring David Kuncio on vocals. The compelling single is a clever melting pot of trap, hip hop and dubstep, melding lush breakdowns with captivating verses and jarring drops. See You Again is the third single to be unveiled from Tisoki’s forthcoming sophomore EP, due out this spring. Echoing his impressive experimentation, Tisoki interweaves his signature style with MineSweepa, creating a hip-hop tinged, vocal-driven record while maintaining their hard-hitting elements. Tisoki’s bilateral music is simultaneously built for the main stage and is incredibly multifaceted, comprised of innumerable layers and complexities. Tisoki’s star looks to be on a rapid rise.”
23 | White Stones | Drowned In Time
THE PRESS RELEASE: “From Martin Mendez, bassist of the ubiquitous Opeth, comes White Stones, a solo death metal project. Recently, they announced that their debut album named Kuarahy (pronounced Kwa-Ra-Hee) will be released on March 13 and today, they reveal a lyric video for the second single Drowned In Time. Named after his birthplace in Uruguay, the record represents a return to his roots, both familial and musically. By exploring the forgotten paths of his ancestors via the style of music that remains his one true love — death metal. “I feel strongly connected to Uruguay still,” he reflects. “I wanted to write music related to that — the sun on the Uruguayan flag I transformed into the White Stones logo; there are a lot of small things that connect the record to that place. Kuarahy is the native Uruguayan people’s word for Sun.”
24 | Ibranovski | Mi Eye
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Enticing hooks, playful melodies and percussive bass house create a coalition of sound on Ibranovski’s fiery Mi Eye. Boasting support from names such as Afrojack and Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Ibranovski is a Dutch producer who rose to prominence working the bigroom circuit. Seeking a deeper connection to his music, in 2016 he zeroed in on house music and began to develop a purer sound. Incorporating low end vibes with funky house rhythms, Ibranovski coined his emerging movement Ghetto Mainstream and he hasn’t looked back since. Mi Eye arrives following a phenomenal 2019, which saw Ibranovski release Omega alongside Tchami, as well as have his remix of Valentino Khan’s Better included on Khan’s House Party (Remixes) EP. With such dexterity amongst his numerous releases, the lone constant is the sheer energy ingrained into every single one, producing dancefloor hits for years and years to come…”
25 | Psychonaut | The Story Of Your Enslavement
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Belgian psychedelic post-metal trio Psychonaut have unveiled the official new lyric video for The Story Of Your Enslavement from the band’s debut full-length, Unfold The God Man, set for release on March 6. Issues the band of the latest track, “The Story of Your Enslavement is the most aggressive and ‘negative’ song on the album. It takes place somewhere between the arrival of Sananda (the Jesus figure) and the present. The basic idea is that we have become out of touch with our higher selves and have descended into a numb, slave-like existence where our own real concern is to keep our system alive. We are all serving a corrupt, destructive machine that is slowly killing humans, animals, and nature and the only reason we aren’t organizing a massive rebellion is because we believe we’re not strong enough to do so or because we’re not willing to sacrifice our artificial luxuries. The advice that we’ve included in this song is that we need to realize how powerful we all are together and that the only reason that we’ve become slaves is because we’ve allowed ourselves to believe so. We have the ability to reconnect to Source and realize that we have the potential to become so much more. We can start to recognize the fact that we shouldn’t even need a ‘system’ to keep us organized. We shouldn’t need ‘leaders’ since we are more than capable of leading ourselves if we all align our actions with our conscience.”
26 | Doom Flamingo & Nobide | Telepathy Remix
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Live-electronic trio Nobide has collaborated with Doom Flamingo on a remix of the latter’s single, Telepathy. As Doom Flamingo keyboardist Ross Bogan explains, the intention for the original version of Telepathy was simple in that “We just want to make people dance. It’s a ritual.” In that light, Nobide hit the nail on the head with their Telepathy remix, weaving a new EDM identity into the song’s DNA. Today’s release of Telepathy comes in advance of the eponymous double EP that Doom Flamingo will release in 2020. Part of what drew Nobide to the original version of Telepathy was the ferocity of Doom Flamingo’s vocalist and frontwoman, Kanika Moore. “My favorite part of the track has to be the vocal manipulation,” says Nobide’s Nick Vann. “Kanika is such a powerful singer and to be able to mess with her performance…too much fun. I tried not to alter it too much, but give it a more electronic and experimental twist.”
27 | Hightime | Quit Ya Job
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Thrive, the new album from Australian reggae party punks Hightime, arrives March 27. Thrive is a record that encourages perspective, growth, determination, honesty and agency within everyone’s lives to ensure we are all living as best we can, for both ourselves and the world around us. Living your life whilst finding joy and fulfilment can be really difficult sometimes, and there is hope that Thrive can do for others what it has done for Hightime, to nurture and encourage positive growth and grounding perspective. Quit Ya Job, is the first single from the release. Featuring the upbeat surf-rock, Quit Ya Job encourages people towards embracing what makes them happy. After a decade of creating music together, Hightime have managed to develop a sound that seamlessly winds its way through various genres, straying from the path and belief that a band needs only one style to survive. Thrive is Hightime’s coming of age record; a story about reconnecting with yourself, others, and the earth we all live upon.”
28 | NOBRO | Don’t Wanna Talk About It
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Having just returned from a stadium tour opening for the legendary Distillers and Alexisonfire, NOBRO are wasting no time. Today, they are sharing their new single, Don’t Wanna Talk About It, taken from their Sick Hustle EP that is coming out on April 3. Co-written with Alex Edkins of Metz, lead vocalist Kathryn McCaughey describes the track as being “as close to a love song as we’re going to get.” With pounding drums (McCaughey claims drummer Sarah Dion will “go down in history as one of the best drummers in the entire world”), shredding riffs from guitarist Karolane Carbonneau and bongo solos and keyboard licks from master of percussion Lisandre Bourdages — all topped with McCaughey’s confident, cocky yell and blistering bass lines — NOBRO are showing they are a rock and roll force to be reckoned with.”
29 | Long Beach Dub Allstars | Youth
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Rock-reggae pioneers Long Beach Dub Allstars have set April 17 as the release date for their upcoming Cameron Webb (NOFX, Mad Caddies) produced self-titled album Long Beach Dub Allstars. “We’re excited to launch this self-titled album April 17th, as that date has special significance for me because it’s my dad’s birthday,” commented songwriter and vocalist Opie Ortiz. “With the pre-order for the album, we decided to release the song Youth, which is a song that was inspired by gun violence today with our youth. The song was built on a progression written by Jack and then the hook was something that my brother Philieano spit years ago and I thought it was amazing, so it just stayed with me. Ed and Devin rallied around the hook and together we wrote a more serious song.”
30 | 6th Crowd | The Day is Over
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Electronic producer 6th Crowd presents her new electro-wave single The Day is Over, a sweet excuse to plug into her unique synthetik world, where analogue and digital meet up. 6th Crowd is the solo project of Dari Maksymova, an electronic producer and singer based in Kyiv, Ukraine. She is best known as frontwoman, synth and bass player of post-punk band On The Wane. Inspired by both instrumental and electronic music, 6th Crowd combines grooves from rave dance floors, melancholic storytelling from 80’s alternative rock and melodic pop vocals. Maksymova had this to say about the new single: “This day was rough wasn’t it? I’m not sure who you are, but I’m going to bet that maybe this day included a problem with work, or your family, or a relationship, or a friend, or money. Maybe even all of the above. When you were a kid and you had a day like this, maybe your parents sang you a lullaby. Well, this is a new lullaby for grown-up you. When the sun goes down, this song will encourage you to go out, make friends, share your worries and your joys and your thoughts with a stranger. Share a cab home, hell share a bed. You deserve it. The Day is Over.”
31 | Irist | Severed
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Emerging Georgia metal band Irist has released the second single, Severed, from their heavily anticipated album, Order of the Mind, out March 27. The band’s recent upward trajectory can be traced just a few short weeks back to the premiere of their crushing first single, Burning Sage. Now, the band follows with another massive track, Severed, that further demonstrates dynamic songwriting, lyrical depth and the power of their riffs. Discussing the meaning behind the new song, vocalist Rodrigo Carvalho says, “Severed is about transcendence. It is a dark song that talks about detachment from material things and connecting with nature. It’s supernatural vibe contrasts with aggressive elements that make for a moody yet commanding song.”
32 | Hanging Valleys | Sleeping Sound
THE PRESS RELEASE: “Hanging Valleys shared their new single Sleeping Sound from their forthcoming release Behind the Backs of Houses (out Feb. 28). Sleeping Sound is as dreamy and peaceful as it’s title suggests. It is a delicately layered piece that combines acoustic arpeggios, hypnotic electric guitars and enveloping atmospheres with a beautiful falsetto melody whirling above it all. A simple three word chorus makes the track catchy in the most understated way possible. Vocalist and lyricist Thom Byles explains the inspiration behind Sleeping Sound: “The song is about that deep amazing sleep that only arrives after you’ve truly earned it. In an era of desk jobs and screen time it can be impossible to find. A recent mountaineering trip in the lake district reminded me of how human it feels to be using your body all day and how sweet it is to be asleep the second your head hits the pillow.”
33 | Cochon Double | La Vie Continue
THE PRESS RELEASE: “The album Bruxisme was recorded right when noisy local hero Cochon Double was thinking of giving up for good. After playing these songs on stage for years, he had sort of lost them on the way. Luckily Steven Doutaz and Lionel Jodry, his former band colleagues in Welington Irish Black Warrior, teamed up with swiss producer Louis Jucker and convinced him to give his tunes a chance in the studio. In 5 days they re-arranged 8 of his strange hip-hop slash noise-rock slash chanson française classics, adding the rhythm section and structure that turned them into genuine and unexpectedly — “even my dad could get it” — type of songs. Sang in french like a suicidal child that just discovered razor blades, Bruxisme is a one-of-kind sounding record that is deeply linked to the twisted yet generous mind of his attaching creator. And today the first single from the album is released: “This is one of the first songs I wrote for Cochon Double, it must have been about five years ago. The lyrics are inspired Isaac Asimov’s book Pebble in the Sky. I can’t properly recall the story but, like the heroes in the book, I sometimes fell lost in space.”
