Gloo finally get back to work, RLND cook up something interesting, Adhelm shows off some impressive plumage, Pothamus dance like nobody’s watching, Voivod take it to extremes — and there’s plenty more where they came from in another gargantuan Friday Roundup. Brinsley Schwarz! Half of The Watchmen! The Go! Team! They’re all down there somewhere. Go find ’em.
ON REPEAT
1 | Gloo | Work So Hard
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “British south coast three-piece Gloo are stepping up with their new single Work So Hard, a thousand-mile-an-hour, stone cold classic in the making. Work So Hard is the first new music from the band in over a year, and the first preview of their forthcoming album, due for release next summer. The video was shot and edited entirely by the band, with the help of drummer Mark’s girlfriend. “It doesn’t point at anyone in particular but more at the general idea that being yourself these days just ain’t enough. You gotta be weirder, wackier, cooler. The ‘super-trendy’ stylist is our old bass player, so it was nice to go full circle with the people involved. Having been in and around the music industry for the past 10-15 years, it wasn’t hard drawing inspiration for a pompous, too-cool-for-school character.”
2 | RLND | Public Chefs
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “RLND (pronounced Roland) are a four-piece rock band from San Francisco. They have been referred to as “Kinda like Tool,” “Too loud” and “The most ferocious underground metal band around,” although the latter came when the bassist had a broken foot — take that as you will. RLND debut a wild video for Public Chefs, off their upcoming album Zealand, a concept album “built around our collective narrative as a capitalist society … Public Chefs is kind of the odd track out on the record musically,” guitarist Joe McClune says. “The thematic idea behind the song … is basically the wholesale distraction of the population at large with smoke and mirrors.”
3 | Adhelm | Plume
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Adhelm’s compositions investigate the spaces where insistent nature and bleak urbanity meet. The result is a compelling admixture of resonant percussion, processed field recordings and spectral electronics. His adventurous compositional processes and experiments echo musique concrète, Cage-inspired indeterminacy and the deep listening ethos of Pauline Oliveros. His new album Yasam Rose comprises two pieces inspired by T. S. Eliot’s The Dry Salvages. Check out the video for Plume.”
4 | Pothamus | Varos
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Belgian sludge/post-metal newcomers Pothamus have unveiled another video for a song from their forthcoming debut album Raya, due Dec. 4. Raya is the result of three years of intense writing that culminated in a 50-minute journey through bleak and desolated landscapes, ethereal ambiances and massively gigantic and monolithic walls of sound.”
5 | Voivod | Overreaction
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Canadian progressive sci-fi metal innovators Voivod have returned with their new live release Lost Machine – Live, recorded in Québec City during the tour for their latest album The Wake. Here’s the latest video, for the song Overreaction. Drummer Michel “Away” Langevin comments: “This old classic from Killing Technology has been on the setlist since 1987. It really gets the crowd going, and us too! Once again, splendid video direction by Felipe Belalcazar and thanks to Jaan Silmberg for animating my artwork.”
6 | The Kompressor Experiment | Hippocampus Spatial Transmigration
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “About 14 months after their latest full-length album 2001, Swiss post-prog rockers The Kompressor Experiment are back into the game with new material and a new music video illustrating an unreleased track called Hippocampus Spatial Transmigration. It will feature on an EP called KMPXP coming out Dec. 12.”
7 | Snotty Nose Rez Kids | Screaming Indian (ft. Skinny Local)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Snotty Nose Rez Kids unleash Screaming Indian on Native American Heritage Day. Born out of a jam session nearly two years ago between SNRK and Delhi 2 Dublin producer Tarun Nayar, the duo later teamed up with B.C.-based South Asian trap wave producer Skinny Local, who breathed new life into the song, creating a joyous and rowdy celebration of solidarity — something that feels timelier with each passing day. “To our knowledge there hasn’t been an Indian and ‘Indian’ (Indigenous) mash-up in hip-hop,” SNRK note. “It seems like an obvious choice that Indigenous people and Indian people would collaborate, as their histories are intertwined in one colonial historical moment where, thinking he’d reached India, Columbus dubbed the people he sought to conquer and eradicate, ‘Indian’.”
8 | The Paranoyds | Hotel Celebrity
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Paranoyds share the visuals for Hotel Celebrity, from their new EP Pet Cemetery. An examination of aging, and the fruitless celebrity pursuit of superficial perfection, Hotel Celebrity raises a not-so-sincere toast to Hollywood. According to Lexi Funston, the song is a “collagen-infused, loving tribute to Californian vapidity and obnoxia. Becoming, undoing, aging — is it all just a mirage?” The track is also a sneak peek at what direction The Paranoyds might head in the future — if there is a future beyond all this shit.”
9 | Maxïmo Park | I Don’t Know What I’m Doing
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Maxïmo Park are sharing I Don’t Know What I’m Doing from upcoming new album Nature Always Wins. The song is the band at their most direct and agile – arriving in a revved-up and snaking flurry it confronts the fear, anxiety and guilt associated with the cause-and-effect nature of one’s own actions. Singer Paul Smith comments: “It’s about taking responsibility for how your own behaviour can affect other people, and how nobody knows it all, but that doesn’t stop us from trying. More personally, it’s about the fears and self-doubt I’ve experienced as a new parent, which we’ve tried to put across in our new video via the more abstract notion of an endless ladder!”
10 | InHibit | Shadows of Fire
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Electro alt-rock artist InHibit has released Shadows of Fire, leaning heavily on the musical influence on prime Duran Duran and Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust. The lyrics, meanwhile, are inspired by a trip Inhibit took to Vietnam, where he saw the hypocrisy of social media posts showing an idyllic lifestyle while the reality was significantly different. Combining ear-twisting melodies, a healthy slug of guitar, waves of electro atmosphere and thought-provoking, often controversial videos, it’s the perfect introduction to the world for InHibit, whose debut EP is expected in early 2021.”
ALSO ON THE PLAYLIST
11 | Low Island | In Your Arms
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Low Island share In Your Arms alongside an arresting video by Bristol animator Patrick Atkins. Reminiscent of the swirling textures on Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool as well as the modulating synths from Caribou’s Suddenly, In Your Arms sees the Oxford quartet intertwine wonderfully, with guitars and synth lines hazily blending together as Carlos Posada’s silky voice glides on top. He adds: “In Your Arms is a love letter to my childhood bedroom. It’s about how objects or spaces that are important to us can get tangled up in our past and present, and how the memories and emotions they evoke can both comfort us and weigh us down.”
12 | Sardonic Witchery | Misantropia
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Texas black metal one-man-band Sardonic Witchery returns with his third album Moonlight Sacrifice Ritual. The band, with roots in Portugal, have been playing old-school black/thrash metal since 2012. Moonlight Sacrifice Ritual was composed between April of 2019 and February of 2020 by King Demogorgon and recorded in five different studios between May and August. Misantropia is the latest video.”
13 | Dive | Black Star
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Belgian electronic pioneer Dirk Ivens unleashes Black Star, from the upcoming album Where Do We Go From Here? by his cult project Dive. Dirk explores new ways to enforce his sound: “For this album, I teamed up with Jan Dewulf, known from his bands Your Life On Hold and Diskonnekted,” he says. “New collaboration means new sounds.” Nevertheless Where Do We Go From Here? has the attitude of Dive combined with state-of-the-art production. The beats are even more brutal, the soundscapes even darker, the vocals even more touching.”
14 | Ane Brun | Last Breath
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ane Brun’s album How Beauty Holds The Hand Of Sorrow came out today. “Making an album always involved digging deep into myself,” she explains. “I deal with everything that happens in my life — relationships, changes, challenges — through writing music. But when my father passed away in 2016 I neither could, nor wanted to. It was a strange experience: I’m a very process-and-digest kind of person. I work on my issues, and I move forward. But, in the grief of losing a parent, it didn’t work. I couldn’t find the right tools in my toolbox, and there was no solution. It took me some time to understand that time itself was the key.”
15 | De.Ville | Atlantique
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A week after releasing their EP Atlantique, De.Ville release the video for the title cut. De.Ville have a very cinematic approach to music. The complex and multifaceted universe of the group is anchored in a vision of music. This video is a collaborative creation with cinematographer/director Alexandre Nour Desjardins and Télescope Films. They offer a deep dive into De.Ville’s vast cinematic universe. This video is dedicated to all migrants. Solidarity, strength and love.”
16 | Jessica Wilde | Play God
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “South London’s Jessica Wilde continues to grow into her skin as a woman with a gifted voice and impressive songwriting skills. They’re all on display in Play God, which was produced by and features vocals from Charlie J Perry. Play God combines hip-hop and psychedelic soul; atmospheric sounds reminiscent of ’90s artists such as Massive Attack but with a fresh twist. Jessica says: “Play God came from that deep pulsing feeling of owning my woman power, like thunder.”
17 | Corecass | Void
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Corecass is the solo brainchild and creative outlet of distinguished Hamburg musician and composer Elinor Lüdde. Today she presents a video for her new album Void’s opening title track. In Void, she uses her multi-instrumental talents to interpret and repurpose the world around her into an ethereal mix of sounds that encapsulates a full spectrum of emotions. The most driving component in her latest release is a church organ, which provides an especially unique characteristic due to its distinctive tonal qualities.”
18 | Novelists FR | Lost Cause
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Novelists FR have been producing their very own interpretation of metalcore for seven years now. It’s a sound that cannot be pigeonholed into any conventional category. Today, they hit hard with Lost Cause, a single that shows how impressively how bands can develop musically without throwing their artistic principles overboard. “Lost Cause is actually the first song we all wrote together. Because everyone in the band has very different backgrounds, influences, and musical preferences, it’s by far our most diverse track yet”, explains bassist Nicolas Delestrade.”
19 | Eau Rouge | I Know That You Know
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Picture a sunset ride in a convertible with your favourite person: there’s a slight flirty tension in the air and your hand is itching to reach out to grab theirs. Indie rock band Eau Rouge’s I Know That You Know embraces the knowledge of the inevitable ending of a relationship that it’s simply just not going to work out, and showers it with lighthearted indie styles and cheerful singing. Ultimately, the song is about staying true to oneself by dropping the masquerade of pretence and beginning to acknowledge your own flaws.”
20 | Gentle Savage | Honey Bunny: The Rock’n Roll Transformation
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Finnish rockers Gentle Savage, formed in 2013, have unleashed their new analog animation video Honey Bunny: The Rock’n Roll Transformation. Lead vocalist Tornado says: “I find a very clear analogy in the story right to my own life. Without any further explanations the upper most feeling is that now we’ve created something special. We wish all the viewers a good adventure hoping it puts a smile on your faces. Never give up on your dreams, go for the adventure!”
21 | Sainted Sinners | Same Ol’ Song
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “A week before the release of the new album Unlocked & Reloaded, Sainted Sinners are adding another pre-release single which will surely make the hearts of ’80s rock fans beat faster. Same Ol’ Song is the name of the up-tempo masterpiece, featuring lyrics from new singer Jack Meille, who says he wrote them some time ago — they were just waiting for the right song.”
22 | Focus Your Audio | Over There
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Vancouver duo Focus Your Audio have released the video for Over There. Filmed in Ladner, B.C., the video is a perfect compliment to the lyrics, melody, and overall meaning of the song. Say the duo: “Over There is a song about the ones we love when caught in the storms of life. We wonder how did we get here? How are you over there when I’m over here? How do we navigate this? Making a conscientious decision to agree to disagree so that we don’t ruin ourselves as we weather those storms. Letting the foundation of love win every time.”
23 | Maddox Jones | World’s Gone Mad
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rising U.K. singer-songwriter Maddox Jones follows up his debut EP Headspace with the heartwarming single World’s Gone Mad. The song is a heartfelt love letter, expressing a realization that many of us have been experiencing this year: the importance of our relationships with our family, friends and loved ones. “The song is about being there for each other in these crazy times. We’ve obviously been going through a lot this year and I think what’s really kept it all together is having your friends around or having your partner and just holding each other up.”
24 | Within The Ruins | Devil In Me
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Today marks the unveiling of Black Heart, the latest album from progressive deathcore faction Within The Ruins. In celebration, the band also unveil a video for Devil In Me. Comments vocalist Steve Tinnon: ” The concept for this was something new for the band, and we all stepped out of our comfort zone a little bit to make it happen, but we’re very happy with how it turned out! The idea was to visually bring to life most of the lyrics in the song and tell the story of what it’s about. I wanted the viewer to not only hear, but see, the transformation I’m referring to, and understand the metaphors in the track.”
25 | Sophia Bel | No More
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Sophia Bel’s sophomore EP is out today. Princess of the Dead, Vol. II sees the Montreal singer and producer assert herself and explore an even wider range of styles and genres through a nostalgic lens. Along with the EP, Sophia unveils a JF Suavé-directed video clip for the song No More. “I wanted to explore the dark emotions that come when learning to assert oneself,” she explains. “The anger, the bittersweet nostalgia of a lost fantasy. The mysterious tones of this song are paired with a drum ’n’ bass-inspired hook that creates an exhilarating rush of intensity.”
26 | BruteAllies | Dark Army
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “BruteAllies are proud to release a brand new video for the song Dark Army, taken from their debut album Ash and Nails, which is also out today.”
27 | Austin Sour | AP
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Bronx rapper Austin Sour releases his new single AP. Austin continues to put his stamp on the New York hip-hop scene, with no signs of stopping. The accompanying video is directed by longtime collaborator Cole Eckerle. Earlier this year, Austin released his single 95 Mike, which was preceded by his EP The Moonchild in 2016, and his EP Ghetto Casino last year. Stay tuned for more music from Austin Sour in 2021.”
28 | Louis-Étienne Santais | Father
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Louis-Étienne Santais has just unveiled his first solo piano album Reflection I, a project he started writing last August. Strongly inspired by his recurring nights of insomnia characterized by creative impulses, the album is a musical exploration centered around the inspiring themes of fleeting time, love in many forms, grief and sincerity. The nostalgic Father is accompanied by a live session that is both soft and powerful, showcasing the simplicity and raw emotion that define the album.”
29 | A$CII Dagger | Rising
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Riding a drill-inspired beat with a deceptively wavy vibe despite its apparent darkness, Rising is about using strategy to confound your enemy in every way. The aim is not to get bogged down in engagements but rather to end them swiftly and cleanly. Is it the art of war, or a metaphor for life? True warriors know the two are inseparable. Dada Shiva leads the assault with a cerebral dissection of the finer points of combat, while Human Waste focuses the attack on the foundations of systemic fuckery. The result is a blistering riposte against all enemies of the people.”
30 | Vissia | About Moving On
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Edmonton singer/songwriter Vissia releases About Moving On, the second single from her forthcoming full-length album With Pleasure. An entrancing piece of dream-pop, About Moving On clearly displays Vissia’s shift away from roots-based work toward an new sonic approach drawn from a myriad of influences. She says, “About Moving On started out with this visual I had playing in my mind in slow motion. You’re at your favourite bar or pub minding your own business over a pint with friends, and the person who completely shattered your heart walks in. You can hardly breathe, hardly move, and the racing in your chest wants to escape from your mouth, but gets stuck in your throat. You desperately wish you were made of sugar so you could wander out into the rain and melt away.”
31 | Fivio Foreign | Trust
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Fivio Foreign is back with long-time collaborator AXL Beats in new song Trust. Starring himself and with a cameo from late friend and fellow artist King Von, the video directed by JLShotThat sets the tone of the song with Fivio’s close-knit group of friends and associates.”
32 | Big Ideas | Highway
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London trio Big Ideas have released the band’s debut three-song EP The American Dream. Sonically inspired by everything from Springsteen to a-ha, Big Ideas is the brainchild of Nathan Nicholson and Adam Harrison — both of acclaimed rock band The Boxer Rebellion — and award-winning filmmaker, writer and photographer Ben Lankester. Highway, the latest track from the EP, is an ageless story of leaving the comfort and sometimes pain of where you grew up and seeing it differently in the rearview.”
33 | The Go! Team | Look Outside (A New Year’s Coming)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Heh — Look Outside (A New Year’s Coming) is a sort of Holiday song about … well you can probably figure it out. It’s from our label’s festive compilation Lost Christmas in aid of Crisis at Christmas. And if you just want to stream, you can donate on our Spotify page. It’s Buy Nothing Day today, so get the LP tomorrow.”
34 | Dormanth | Beyond The Gates
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Spanish melodic death metal band Dormanth have just released a video of Beyond the Gates as third preview of their fourth album Complete Downfall, which comes out Dec. 15. Complete Downfall contains 11 songs where the double bass drums, melodies and catchy choruses prevail in many of the songs along with other mid tempo tunes, continuing with their traditional style of melodic death metal.”
35 | Anna Straker | Break Up Song
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “This year has seen Anna Straker excel by discovering her true identity as an artist. She now turns the focus onto the intensity of a tumultuous relationship with Break Up Song, a preview of her EP Growing Pains, which follows on Dec. 11. Anna comments: “I wrote Break Up Song the morning after a massive argument I had with my boyfriend. It captures the angst and fear and desperation you feel when you fight with your lover. When you’ve been with someone a long time and feelings build up and release in such an explosive way, it’s consuming.”
36 | Tour-Maubourg | L’Invitation au Voyage
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tour-Maubourg unveils a little more of his first album with L’Invitation au Voyage. The Belgian producer living in Paris takes a resolute turn toward explosive house music with this sharp rhythm, supported by lyrical violins that are reminiscent of Deep Burnt by Pepe Bradock. Listen to L’Invitation au Voyage and stay tuned for the album Paradis Artificiels next Friday.”
37 | G.R. Gritt | Quiet Years
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Juno winner G.R. Gritt releases Quiet Years, the first single from their forthcoming debut album Ancestors. “Quiet Years is inspired by my time on Haida Gwaii,” Gritt explains. “I was invited to perform at the Haida Heritage Centre at Ḵay Llnagaay, and I learned about the language and cultural revitalization happening in response to The Silent Years. The Silent Years began with the smallpox epidemic, and continued with the potlatch ban, the criminalization of culture and language, and with the residential school system. The Haida had to secretly share and pass on culture and knowledge in order to survive.”
38 | Serlin Greaves | The Needle & The Damage Done
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “It’s been almost 20 years since Joey Serlin and Daniel Greaves of The Watchmen last collaborated on new music. But now the duo — aptly going by Serlin Greaves — are gearing up to drop a new album in the new year. In honour of Neil Young’s 75th birthday, they took a break from new songs to cover The Needle and the Damage Done. Says “Serlin: Being from Winnipeg, and knowing that a lot of Neil’s formative years were spent in Winnipeg, it just gives you hope that you can go out there with hard work, with an honest voice and intent in your songwriting, and have people hear your music. He was definitely a big part of my career and my life.”
39 | Porn | I Have Lived Part 1
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “For this new opus, Porn teamed up with Chris Vrenna, the musician and producer who has worked with Nine inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, U2, David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins, Metallica, Rammstein and more. The finalization of the album was done with Brian Lucey (Depeche Mode, Arctic Monkeys, Ghost) who took care of the mastering. Philippe Deschemin, composer and singer of the band, oversaw the production.”
40 | Anna Krantz | The Trouble with Suzie
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Anna Krantz’s latest single The Trouble With Suzie takes a look at the destructive behaviours we all experience. Suzie represents those ill-advised choices that don’t support our ultimate happiness and well-being but feel so damn good in the moment! Adds Krantz: “It was initially written as a country song to be pitched for a country artist. Once it was finished though, I couldn’t get it out of my head. So we found a way to produce the track in a style which felt fun for me to sing.”
41 | Dave Jakes | Caterwaul
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Dave Jakes, former singer with Lonely The Brave, is sharing Caterwaul from his upcoming solo mini-album. Like so much of Jakes’ writing, it has a transportive power and the ability to put the listener in the time and place of the song. Jakes offers: “I began recording the EP a couple of years back with Matty Moon — who I knew from his work with Lonely The Brave. I think initially we were looking at a simpler, acoustic sounding record but as we went on we found the more we layered on to it, the better and better it was sounding.”
42 | Godsend | As The Shadows Fall
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “In the ’90s, I doubt there was a way to avoid the everpresent genius of Dan Swanö. Godsend succeeded in combining doom with slight gothic and progressive touches. For some people the level of brilliance achieved on this first full length (and bonus demo) was never reached again. There are times that you can even distill small hints of Marillion, although most songs are along the lines of doom metal. The bonus disc includes the Demo 1992, making it a must for fans of ’90s melodic doom.”
43 | Regent | No Going Back
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Closing out a year the world is aching to put behind it, Southampton four-piece Regent go out with guns blazing on their latest single. Packing a cathartic sense of release, No Going Back carries an emotional clout to rival its grizzled rock cacophony. Frontman Ben Rooke says: “The song was written about a breakup with a long-term partner, which involved drug use and rehab … It was a tough time, so I turned the madness of it all into a song. That was my way of dealing with it.”
https://youtu.be/FVWKCcjz5_0
44 | Communions | Splendour
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Few Danish bands have been so far around the block at such a young age as Communions. Now, after six years, three EPs, one album, countless shows and festivals, and multiple trips as far afield as Japan and the U.S., the Rehof brothers — Martin (vocals and guitar) and Mads (bass) — restructure the band on the schizophrenic single Splendour, a song about “a sickly, unattainable love. “I wouldn’t say that it’s necessarily about a specific person,” says Martin. “Rather, in a less concrete sense, it’s about the oppressive power that certain things in life can have over you.”
45 | Ro Jordan | Been Here Before
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Been Here Before, the latest single from Ro Jordan, gives listeners another powerhouse vocal performance wrapped in a triumphant soul-pop ballad. Whilst still feeling melancholy, the song shows us Ro’s range, drawing influences from ’90s divas combined with modern-day R&B and Pop/soul. The lyrics explore the idea of constant repetition in a relationship where there is no room for growth together.”
46 | Nadia Sheikh | Fire Away
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Nadia Sheikh is a genre chameleon, an amalgamation of delicate vocals and ominous indie rock. The half British, half Spanish musician creates quirky melodies and catchy choruses that stick with you. Today, she shares the intimate Fire Away, a love letter to the power of live music. Nadia explains: “When you walk onstage, you can sometimes feel fear, excitement, you can feel exposed and vulnerable, when you’re putting all you’ve got out there including your songs that are sometimes your deepest feelings, fears and thoughts. But when you get out there, you feel the magic and the love that comes from the people, and that makes you feel like you’re not alone.”
47 | Chairmen Of the Boards | Board Whacks
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto’s Chairmen Of The Boards release their debut album Surfin’ The Apocalypse, an epic ride guaranteed to unleash your inner Spicoli and get you through the winter. If you appreciate raw rock ’n’ roll with a touch of psychedelia as practised by The Sadies, Beachwood Sparks and even The White Stripes, tracks like Board Whacks will easily fit into your collection or slide onto your favourite playlist.”
48 | Tiggi Hawke | High Season
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London pop singer/songwriter Tiggi Hawke has released her single High Season. Tiggi says, “This single is a personal one, it’s about staying ‘high’ emotionally, something I openly struggle with, and that weirdly trippy/euphoric feeling when it actually does happen. It feels very liberating (and slightly scary!) to be so open emotionally and lyrically in this song and to share that almost out-of-body experience which I find myself looking for.”
49 | Yashira | Shades Erased (ft. Dylan Walker)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Yashira have released their latest single Shades Erased, featuring Dylan Walker from Full of Hell. The song is the third peek at their sophomore LP Fail To Be, arriving Dec. 11. The band says: “Shades Erased centers on the growing disparity between human and technological capabilities. At the pace technology is advancing, we’ll soon reach the point where the option of intellectual augmentation becomes a reality … The title relates to the human condition as it’s known turning obsolete.”
50 | Mt. Mountain | Aplomb
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Perth psych/Krautrock group Mt. Mountain are announcing their fourth full-length Centre, and sharing the first single Aplomb. The incoming album is due for release on Feb. 26.”
51 | Feed After Midnite | Out of Time
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Feed After Midnite hail from Ottawa, and thanks to recent, pandemic-granted free time, have just released their first single, the ironically titled Out of Time. Feed After Midnite say: “We are aiming to provide our fans with a mix of a modern hard-hitting sound and also the refreshing nostalgic sound of old-school rock and metal. A driving, anthemic hard rock tune with lyrics that paint a picture of a post-apocalyptic world in need of someone to fight for what is right. Are you ready to fight?”
52 | Stimulator Jones | Drama Time
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Stimulator Jones continues his musical evolution on Drama Time, from the forthcoming album La Mano, due in January. Drawing on a myriad of influences, Drama Time delves into the more abstract spectrum of electronic music. Jones says: “Drama Time is a free-form jazz fusion exploration with some of my most lyrical drumming. The basis of the track was completely improvised — I later went back and overdubbed more instruments to flesh out the structure and melody.”
53 | Shanghai Restoration Project | Night Odyssey
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Genre-bending multidisciplinary electronic duo Shanghai Restoration Project return with their single Night Odyssey. The track is taken from their album Brave New World Symphony, due out Dec. 11. They say, “Night Odyssey is a trip down memory lane during a lucid dream. This year, we spent four surreal seasons in a constant temperature indoors environment, forcing us to rely on memories and imagination to bridge the gap between ourselves and the world.”
54 | Michael C. Duguay | Tithes (Andrew MacKelvie & Jordy Walker Version)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Michael C. Duguay releases a new, innovative version of his track Tithes. It’s a cross-Canada collaboration between Duguay (Ontario), award-winning improviser and saxophonist Andrew MacKelvie (Halifax) of New Hermitage, and Whitehorse producer/sound-artist Jordy Walker (Richard Reed Parry, Little Scream). The track is taken from The Winter of Our Discotheque (Reprise), a compilation album of Canadian artists performing interpretations, remixes, and covers of the songs of Duguay’s The Winter of Our Discotheque. The Winter of Our Discotheque (Reprise) is out on Dec. 4.”
55 | Grace Gillespie | For Nick Drake
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London’s Grace Gillespie takes influences from the folk, alternative and dream-pop traditions, providing a backdrop to her intriguing vocal melodies, shifting harmonies and introspective lyricism. Her new EP, After The Harvest Moon, was born out of a turn inwards, rather than any particular outward inspiration. Gillespie didn’t plan on writing the EP’s latest single, For Nick Drake, for the late songwriter himself — the words came out very quickly to craft an homage for a beautiful man who was too delicate, too quiet, too aware for this loud and uncaring world.”
56 | François | One Dance
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With his EP Be Mine set to arrive next month, emerging producer and frontman François is unveiling one of the collection’s standouts, One Dance. It skirts the line between commercial and underground aesthetics to create the distinct and passionate flow that is quickly becoming his signature sound. “This EP was written about reminiscing. It touches on some personal memories and some influence from watching the world go on around me. The whole EP was written over a few days and finished whilst spending some time recording in London.”
57 | The Crowleys | Making Friendly
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Crowleys merge mind-bending psychedelic rock with bubblegum melodies that will blow your mind and have you dancing along impulsively. Making Friendly is a natural progression in the direction the Hamilton band has been transitioning sonically — a transition that was primarily sparked by the addition of Giuliana Frontini. Making Friendly began as an instrumental track at live shows — one they could never really nail down with a working vocal melody. Giuliana was able to tame the chaos, writing a melody that blended with the song perfectly.”
58 | Gillian Heidi | Moonlight
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Pop singer-songwriter Gillian Heidi shares her single Moonlight. Guided by unmistakable vocals, Moonlight is a pensive ballad imbued with soaring harmonies and sparse, meditative instrumentals. “The song is about the vulnerability of first falling in love and the beautiful fear that comes with it,” she writes. “It’s one of my most vulnerable and truthful songs. It was the first real love song I’ve ever written and it means a lot to me.”
59 | Brinsley Schwarz | Storm In The Hills
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Graham Parker & The Rumour guitarist Brinsley Schwarz, who also gave his name to the ’70’s pub rock band of the same name, returns with a single and news of a forthcoming solo album entitled Tangled. Written by Brinsley five years ago, Storm in the Hills is laid-back rock ’n’ roll with understated guitar solos and New Orleans piano from pianist James Hallawell. The song takes a wry look at modern times, politics and climate change. Brinsley sings and plays guitars, bass and hand drums.”
60 | Kemi Ade | Promise
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “South London singer & songwriter Kemi Ade returns with the single Promise as well as the news that the second instalment of her double-EP project Drive — Dusk Edition will be released in Spring 2021. Promise is the first taste of this new music, drenched in elements of ’90s electro & R&B that sees Kemi verbally wrestling with a potential lover. Kemi says: “This embodies my sound, or me as person. It sounds perfect on a long drive and gives me this warm feeling even though its so vulnerable. This ones for This ones for everyone, and anyone, who gave their word to someone who never deserved a promise.”
61 | Saint Mars | Ocean Blues (Lost Years Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Retrowave producer Lost Years has provided a dynamic remix of Saint Mars’ Ocean Blues. It was the band’s first track, released on their eponymous EP of 2016. Marc Darcange of Saint Mars tells us: “Ocean Blues can be considered as the foundation stone of the Saint Mars universe and anti-bullying message. I felt immediately connected with the Lost Years rework since it captures all the original essence of the track, giving it new colors evocative of some teen movies of the ’80s. It’s sweet, soft, delicate and strongly emotional at the same time.”
62 | The Trusted | Criminals
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Southend-on-Sea natives The Trusted announce their new single Criminals, which they describe as “the most emotional song we’ve ever written.” The song is a combination of bittersweet emotions and feelings about “loss, heartbreak, guilt and self-absorption … It’s a sad and honest track, but at the same, it’s kind of beautifully uplifting.”
63 | Bobby West | All My Years
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Liverpool’s Bobby West shares one of his dazzling, earliest works, All My Years. It was formed after his writing partner showed him a rough demo consisting of just some chords on a Hammond organ with a glockenspiel melody over the top. “My initial thoughts were that it sounded like a lullaby, and that it would fit with a poem I had recently written for my girlfriend (apologising to her for being a miserable git). It was one of the earliest ideas we actualised in this project, so it has been central to creating the sound of everything else we’ve done since.”
64 | Waiting For Smith | Lost In Your Light
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Waiting For Smith is singer/songwriter Harry Lloyd. His latest single Lost in Your Light is about the fact that we’re all pretending to be happy or confident, but we’re all lost — and too afraid to share it with one another. Lloyd shares, “This last year I’ve really been trying to listen properly. As so often we feel the need to fill in our own ideas of what people say to us, making it into a story that suits our worldview, or our image of the person. When you get truly lost in someone’s presence and the light in his or her eyes it’s how I imagine dying to be — you can find a true peace.”
65 | Morpheus Project | Nights To Remember
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Mustafa Khetty is a composer already making a name for himself in the worlds of prog and classical music. Mustafa’s new venture Morpheus Project sees him at his most creative. Building a team of top musicians around him, he acts as a master of ceremonies, creating complex and beautiful soundscapes in his mind with a wide array of instrumentation and no limitations. Now Morpheus Project are back with the explosive new single Nights To Remember.”
66 | Ancient Astronauts | Photoshop Reality (ft. Bantu)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “DJ and production duo Ancient Astronauts launch their single Photoshop Reality (ft. Bantu). It’s on their groundbreaking Afro-European album Zik Zak, which arrives Jan. 22. Bantu is a 13-piece band based in Lagos led by Ade Bantu. Ancient Astronauts tell us: “Our music always had a serious and conscious touch to it cause we believe that music can, and should, have a positive and thought-provoking effect. Ade´s lyrics in Photoshop Reality really nail it when you think about today´s situation when it comes to social media, and Instagram in special.”
67 | Emma Danelon | Howling
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London’s Emma Danelon dissects narratives from personal life-experiences and delivers through sonic motifs, electro-pop instrumentation and drum machines with combined with subgenres including Latin and K-pop. Blending a mesmeric melody with provocative electrical loops, trap and contemporary R&B, Howling sees Emma deliver empowering vocals that explore the moment of finding strength in a weak moment. She says: “The idea was to create a new hypnotic, dark, strong, unique and avant-garde atmosphere with powerful and straight forward lyrics. I felt like it was a period of time in which I needed to let go of toxicity, so I wrote this song.”
68 | Bellsavvy | In My Zone
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Bellsavvy is a rising star and fierce Latin diva. Based in London, she knows how to combine her Latin roots and European influences to create a unique sound. Her latest single In My Zone is an upbeat, energizing and self-assured song about being comfortable in your own skin and knowing your self-worth. Bellsavvy explains, “In my zone is about the moment I knew I was the queen of my mind and I wanted to celebrate the feeling of breaking away from that chapter in my life.”
