Plastic Tears are in the zone, Animal Collective make some sand art, Mecánica Clásica voyage to the inland sea, Motorjesus raise some hell — and don’t miss that Pearl & Bones track further down in the back nine of your Tuesday Roundup. Fore!
18 | Plastic Tears | Riot Zone
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Finnish hard rockers Plastic Tears proudly unleash the single & video for Riot Zone, from their upcoming album Anthems For Misfits, due March 26. They explain: “Riot Zone is a fast loud punky rock song about standing up for yourself, freedom, peace and fighting the injustices of the world. About being the underdog, finding your way and standing up for your rights. It’s a song that makes you wanna raise your fist, bang your head and pogo like crazy! The lyrics are meant to be uplifting rock ’n’ roll rebellion and defiance, with a slight socially critical undertone. So don’t take life too seriously and strengthen yourself through the power of rock ’n’ roll! PS. Plastic Tears condemns all violence and violent riots.”
19 | Animal Collective | Sand That Moves
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Today marks the release of Crestone, the debut feature written and directed by Marnie Ellen Hertzler. She enlisted the pioneering experimental act Animal Collective to compose the film’s score, a first for the band, which is also out today. To coincide with the release of the film and score, Animal Collective have shared a video for track Sand That Moves, featuring footage from the film. Says Hertzler: “The town of Crestone is not only the location of the film, but also an important character. I wanted a score that was able to highlight and elevate its importance. There are no musicians I’d rather work with more on this film, and no band that can sonically describe a landscape better than Animal Collective can.”
20 | Mecánica Clásica | Litoral De Roca
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Mecánica Clásica is an experimental electronic sound project from Valencia, an innovative & prolific group responsible for some of the most compelling contemporary electronic music to emerge from the Valencian underground. The Mecánica Clásica project combines modified elements of early electronics, krautrock, ambient, minimalism & Fourth World music, generating an interplanetary space where enterprising guitar tones, lush synth sequencing & off-kilter percussion coalesce. Mar Interior, their new album, is inspired by ancient Mediterranean culture. Loosely translated as Inland Sea, Mar Interior is thematically centred on the history & legacy of the ancient civilisations that proliferated around the Mediterranean Sea.”
21 | Motorjesus | Hellbreaker
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Motorjesus released their single Hellbreaker, the title track from their upcoming new album set for release on April 9. Motorjesus play a high-octane mixture of classic heavy metal and dirty hard rock. The band have been active in the German live scene since the early 2000s. Despite being one of the longest-running German bands in their genre, they are down to earth. They simply love rock ‘n’ roll and celebrate the music. Their love for ’70s muscle cars also shows in their artwork.”
22 | Perry Ripley | The Storm
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Perry Ripley brings a moody, raw & thought-provoking portrayal of his emotions through his original lyrics. His tracks walk the line between alt-rock, indie pop & sultry electric. He upcoming EP Cocaine Love hits on April 26. Perry says: “The Storm explores the passing thoughts of a person who is struggling with mental health and addiction. Each person that enters the scene represents the negative effects but towards the end of the piece we see that without the bad influences & hardships we are unable to become complete. Everyone who has struggled with being different can relate to this mindset. Whether you’ve passed the storm or are still fighting through it.”
23 | Lagoon Wavey | Sunflower
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Barbados alt-R&B artist Lagoon Wavey released the new video for single Sunflower. It sees Wavey effortlessly blend mellow electronica and vocals a la Frank Ocean & Giveon with beats from his Caribbean heritage to create a distinct & lush alternative-R&B sound that sets him apart from the pack. Expressing himself with high-pitched vocals and a yearning chanting tone throughout the song, he adds: “Sunflower goes into the hardships and difficulties of the emotional connection when letting someone go.”
24 | Gorr | Bitande Kaldt
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Gorr have just released a new video for the track Bitande Kaldt, taken from their upcoming album Kvit Som Snøen, Kald I Blikket, to be released next month.”
25 | Avaland | Rise From The Ashes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “France’s Avaland will welcome fans to their symphonic and operatic metal world when they release their debut album Theater of Sorcery on April 2. Today, the band present their lyric video for the second single Rise From The Ashes. Band founder Adrien G. Gzagg comments: “This is the great finale on the album! And what is a great finale without all the actors of the show? That’s why I decided to make everyone sing on this song, to reunite the whole Avaland family on a powerful chorus. Every character comes back to Avaland and the light shines again. It’s a bit cliché, but I like this happy end for this first album. It results perfectly from all the efforts we put in this first opus and trust me, it was a long and hard road!”
26 | Esther Rose | Good Time
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Esther Rose has shared a new track from her forthcoming album How Many Times. And boy, is it a beauty. Esther shared a bit of background: “The idea for this song was born late at night on the side of a road, broken down on I-24 somewhere near the Land Between the Lakes. I had just wrapped many months of touring and was finally headed home to New Orleans from Mineral Point, WI but decided to swing through Nashville to make a quick video with Anthony Simpkins. That’s what happens when you’ve been on the road too long … a 15+ hour solo drive and to just “swing through” Nashville seems reasonable. My Subaru had other plans and the engine blew up. I remember thinking, how cliche, I wonder how many other songwriters arrived in Nashville tonight on the back of a tow truck … This song is about embracing recklessness and laughing at myself while at the same time being damn scared because it felt like my life was blowing up all around me.”
27 | Moziah + John Mark Nelson | Do The Right Thing
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Moziah and John Mark Nelson have shared the single Do The Right Thing. This first collaborative work from the two musicians is very much a product of the times — Nelson (based in Los Angeles) and Moziah (based in N.Y.C.) having only met virtually. Despite never setting foot in the same room, the connection when they first met was instant. “I could tell right away that he could excel at pretty much anything thrown his way,” says Nelson, “so the range of possibilities in collaboration was huge.” “Right after that initial conversation,” recalls Moziah, “JMN sent along a beat for us to toss back and forth. The song immediately inspired some lyrics. By the end of the week, we had a demo.”
28 | J Smith | I’m Sorry
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “With the recent breakup of his band Gypsies On The Autobahn, James Smith, the ex lead singer, hasn’t let that stop his creativity flowing. With multiple remixing projects done under the name Yurn, features on Zaska’s debut and Kojaque’s Deli Daydreams, Smith now turns his focus to his own project under the name J Smith. His debut single I’m Sorry is a guitar-driven, personal ballad of what heartbreak can do. Smith says: “I’m Sorry was written for a friend years ago. They had recently broken up with their long-term partner out of the blue and they felt they couldn’t deal with it. I got a call soon after, telling of their despair and that they had talked themselves out of doing something regrettable. The song was a hand on their shoulder, to let them know that I was thinking of them, that I was trying to place myself in their shoes.”
29 | Joji | Slow Dancing In The Dark (MZ Edit)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Jacques Moĩse Francillon François, known as Moïz Vibe, is a Canadian producer, drummer & percussionist. Moïz was born in the city where New York meets Paris: Montreal. He grew up in a typical Haitian household where the distinctive reggae/dancehall voices of Bob Marley & Beenie Man would clash with the traditional Haitian guitar riffs and percussion of Coupé Cloué. Listening to Moïz’s music is a trip around the world where music lovers get different flavours for their pallet on each play.”
30 | Pearls & Bones | 400 Sq. Ft.
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Pearls & Bones are an alternative hip-hop band based in Toronto and Montreal. Vocalist Jake, producer Harry and guitarist Keenan write and perform music inspired by discordant influences, from metalcore and PC music to backpack rap and pop-punk. Since forming in 2012, they have released five EPs and two albums. Their latest LP Cool Uncles drops later this year. 400 Sq. Ft., the first single to be shared from the forthcoming new record, is about finding beauty in the coldest of spaces, and being with the person who lights it up; an homage to filling a cramped and shoddy subterranean living situation with life.”
31 | Marie-Clo | Play Nice
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Marie-Clo creates eclectic indie-pop that tackles current themes with conscious lyrics while conjuring a colourful and enchanted world. Marie-Clo just released Shell(e) Pt III, the last piece of her Shell(e) trilogy, before the final LP release in March. Compared to the darker themes of parts I & II, Shell(e) Pt III is the phoenix rising from the ashes; untamed, free, groovy, sensual, bold, eclectic all at once, with a soft political tone.”
32 | Sia Shells | Magic Girl (ft. Ekelle)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Toronto singer-songwriter Sia Shells rhymes about the everyday magic we find through relationships, self love, reflection and dreams. Her emotive contralto vocals — juxtaposed against upbeat dream pop sounds — instantly transport you to another world. On the new track Magic Girl, Sia Shells collaborates with fellow Toronto multi-genre artist Ekelle to create a mantra for self-love; a catchy affirmation you can dance to but also walk away from feeling inspired and motivated to achieve your dreams.”
33 | Tony Njoku | Killtony
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Tony Njoku has released the intense hip-hop collaboration Killtony alongside his EP of the same name. Adopting more of that genre-bending aesthetic he is getting known for, Killtony showcases the artist as one of the more diverse and adventurous artists working today. Taking influence from the trap-inspired hip-hop sound and combining it with a fresh and ethereal sound palette and production gives this new release a distinct and remarkable vision that sees him take his rich sound to a whole new level. Tony says: “The title track is about killing ego, facing your shortcomings, owning up to your bad traits, mistakes and wrong doings … all in an attempt to elicit radical change.”
34 | Max Foreman | Open Eyes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “L.A. songwriter and producer Max Foreman has shared his single Open Eyes. Foreman’s self-released debut Underground is due out March 5. Max says: “Open Eyes is a moment in time, and an opening of the gateway to a new sonic universe. The parallel worlds on the Underground EP unfold: cosmic synthesizers and analog drum machines tearing through the sky, anchored by volcanic textures of layered guitars. The lyrics depict a fragmented state of consciousness, tripping backwards and replaying moments out of sequence. It’s a strange journey that awakens the ear to new worlds contained within.”
35 | Brother Valiant | Lady Daisy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Brother Valiant was founded by singer-songwriter Alex Amsterdam in the spring of 2013. During that time, he and his friends would track demos huddled inside a small suburban basement in northern New Jersey. The artist’s latest body of work, Lady Daisy, reflects on “misadventures that emotional extremes take you on.” Amsterdam further confides that his upcoming music details “ideas about self-sabotage, and trying to rectify mistakes and behaviors that cause them. Waking up on a new day and trying to be a bit better of a person.” Featuring wistful acoustic guitars, warm echoing vocals and infectious layered melodies, Lady Daisy is a triumphant return for Brother Valiant, who hasn’t released music in over three years.”
