Mae Powell makes her position crystal clear, Josh Radnor is tired of everything but you, Rich Aucion repaints his walls, Mad Symphony come out of the shadows — and that’ll do it for another massive Midweek Roundup. Congrats! You’re over the hump:
33 | Mae Powell | Fuck I.C.E.
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Bay Area singer-songwriter Mae Powell’s debut album is due in 2021. It evinces a vibrant collaborative spirit, from its playfully layered instrumentation to its lyrics about caretaking and camaraderie even in cold, hostile environments. Her latest musical offering is the angry call-to-action Fuck I.C.E. “I wrote this song two years ago when Trump was being very vocal about essentially militarizing I.C.E. and cracking down on deportations, family separation, and detention centers,” Mae explains. “I realize now that I.C.E. has been a huge problem since it existed, under any president, but it was the first time that this issue came to my attention. I decided to write this song for two reasons: one, out of anger for what was happening, and two, to and bring attention to an issue that was and is still largely ignored. I wrote it as a starting place for people (especially white people) who were either unaware or didn’t care before to start paying attention and calling for change.”
34 | Josh Radnor | You Feel New
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Singer-songwriter Josh Radnor presents You Feel New, the latest preview of his debut solo EP One More Then I’ll Let You Go, out April 16. “When I started playing guitar four years ago, songs exploded out of me,” Radnor says. “In addition to the ones I was writing with Ben (Lee) I was writing a few songs a week on my own. I asked Ryan (Dilmore) to produce a record for me and he came over one afternoon to hear what I had written. It was an unreasonably long list of songs. At some point I sensed him needing to leave and I said “One more then I’ll let you go.” He immediately said “There’s your album title!”
35 | Rich Aucoin | Walls (Double A Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Rich Aucoin announced the upcoming release of the Deluxe Version of his United States. It will include two new remixes and a bonus disc featuring instrumental versions. The first remix is Walls, from the legendary Double A. “After touring the world as a prolific drum & bass artist, Double A attended King’s College with me where we met and where he convinced me to change up my usual sit to the side of the stage style performance while accompanying a projection of the films I write my music to to get actually into the audience and play a more dance style set,” says Aucoin. “I was excited when Double A expressed interest to remix Walls.”
36 | Mad Symphony | Truth In The Shadows
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Mad Symphony announce their debut self-titled album, to be released May 13, and share the first track Truth in the Shadows. While channeling the sounds of classic rock bands such as AC/DC, The Who and Led Zeppelin, Mad Symphony infuse their songs with modern elements of heavy guitars, elaborate keyboards and massive vocal harmonies to create a sound that is both contemporary and instantly recognizable by music fans of all ages.”
37 | Hedonhil | Self-Harm Meditation
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Hedonihil have released another single from their upcoming album II – Symptomatic, due on May 14. Self-Harm Meditation is a hedonihilistic soundtrack for quarantine yoga and mindfulness sessions. “Mental pain and trauma may manifest themselves physically with ease and that can be a cleansing experience,” comments vocalist Decay. Hedonihil are a nihilistic death metal project lead by Juuso Raatikainen. Their 2019 debut album I introduced the band’s blackened death metal sound, in the vein of Marduk, Craft and Morbid Angel.”
38 | 8 Ball Aitken | Peace, Love & Understanding
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “I may be preaching to the converted, but the world can always use one more funky peace and love song to help make us love each other more. Some call it age old wisdom, others call it hippy bull$#@%. Either way it is a song with a timely message. I was blessed with a lineup of heavyweight musical talent on this track including Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy’s producer and drummer), Buddy Leach (George Thorogood & The Destroyers’ sax legend), my brother Dillion James Aitken on keys, Melbourne Ska Orchestra’s Michael Caruana on clav, and backing singers Taya Chani, Alice Wallace, and Josue Vilche.”
39 | Jeff Beadle | Shadows
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “For Jeff Beadle, the reality of working at the speed of inspiration means writing in solitary unromantic spaces, casting an inescapable sadness to his music. Personal evolution and the unconventional wisdom cultivated from extensive touring in Europe, Asia, and Canada, was the catalyst for his new era of dark alternative pop. His unwavering honesty and introspection continue to be the backbone of his lyrics, acquired from years as a folk singer-songwriter. Beadle’s new single Shadows comes off as upbeat and fun, but lyrically represents bouts of recurring anxiety.”
40 | Butch | Testarossa
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Germany-based Turkish producer Butch shares his new track Testarossa. Opening with tech-house-inspired minimal percussion, Butch ups the ante by weaving in moody synths and increasingly progressive basslines. The result is a dark but euphonious and dance-worthy tune. “It’s been a full year without clubs, locked in a studio for introspection, and I’m happy to present Testarossa as a result of that time. I think that as artists and fans, all we want is to drop some sonic bombs, future club classics, and make things better so we can all dance together again soon.”
41 | Ilja Alexander | I’ll Wait (Tâches Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London dream-pop musician Ilja Alexander taps DJ and producer Tâches to remix his single I’ll Wait. Melding two opposing genres into one thriving remix, Tâches takes Alexander’s song and infuses it with funky house beats. Picture an open stage, the smell of the nearby ocean carried across on the breeze and the magic of light of late afternoon, just before the sun is about to set. Bonus points if you can feel the sand beneath your toes as you twist and turn in the escapism fuelled waves of sound.”
42 | Melldu | Gold
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Alternative electronic composer and producer Melldu will release his upcoming album Mute Theatre on April 2. Born Artem Romanov in Belarus and currently based in St. Petersburg, he writes all his music, plays, sings and produces at his home studio, drawing inspiration from the likes of Thom Yorke, Ólafur Arnalds, Ry X, Nils Frahm, Apparat, Sohn, Bonobo and even Fink. His own work can be compared to the modern stylings of Burial, Tycho and Kiasmos. “Mute Theatre is the first part of a future album series,” he says. “The album shows our life, as it has a philosophical implication. You can sit in the back row and just watch how your life goes on silently and meaninglessly, or you can clear your thoughts and start living the life you dreamed of.”
43 | Arham | Try The Other Way
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Arham is a 25-year-old musician in Oslo. The Norwegian-Pakistani musician grew up on Metallica’s Master of Puppets as well as Pakistani music, making for interesting formative roots. Arham says: “I like ethereal psychedelic vibes, and that’s what came out in this song. I wrote, played, produced, and mixed this all by myself. I’ve been producing for a while before making this song, mostly for other people. At one point I just let myself flow freely and this is what happened. I just wish people would try things differently sometimes. So yeah. just try the other way. I often need a reminder that it is possible to try things in life in more ways than one. We’re often locked into our own cycles, and it is not always easy to break out of them, but it is possible. I have tried to have it as a central part of life, not to land too hard on a conclusion about something, but rather let my perception of reality / world be dynamic.”
44 | Manyana | TTCP
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “TTCP is a minimal electronic number which combines analogue synthesis, acoustically captured beats, and the unique, powerful vocal work of David O’Rourke. It is the flagship single off Manyana’s upcoming debut album NTM, which is set for release on April 20. This song covers new ground for the Wicklow electronic duo, who have time and again refused to let their music settle into one specific styling or genre.”
45 | Son of Dave | Go Kiss Yourself
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “ ‘Go kiss yourself!’ she said to him! How long will he keep doting on her, despite the mystery itch and nasty mistreatment? This is the second single from upcoming album by blues pioneer Son Of Dave, written on $100 piano. It’s performed with full funky band, steaming horn section, backing singer gals, and a New Orleans groove. Still keeping the blues harmonica and a cheap electric guitar, this tune lives alongside Randy Newman and The Band. Recorded in London before and between lockdowns, this record has been a mammoth task, recording with award-winning producer Jimmy Hogarth, who engineered and sat in on bass, and also with Martin Slattery doing horns (and much better piano than Son Of Dave can play), ‘Budi’ Butenop on drums and KC on backin vox.”
46 | Steven Wilson | Personal Shopper (Nile Rodgers Remix)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Personal Shopper is the Elton John-featuring electronic tour de force at the heart of Steven Wilson’s recently released sixth album. Now the track has been remixed by the mighty Nile Rodgers, who adds a Chic-esque rhythm guitar before pulling completely new shapes out of the track, effortlessly melding N.Y.C. disco to European electro-pop. Says Wilson: “You can probably tell from Personal Shopper that I grew up hearing a lot of disco music played in the Wilson house, including the classic Chic masterpieces, so it’s an absolute thrill to have Nile stamp his legendary signature sound on the track.”
47 | Kat Eaton | Slow It Down
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “London/Sheffield blues-soul artist Kat Eaton announces her debut album Talk To Me, due July 2, and shares Slow It Down, the sultry and brass-infused new. Kat says, Slow It Down started with Nick (Atkinson) and I talking about a dream that we both share: When you’re driving from the back seat of a car and you can’t see where you’re going. I have it whenever I feel like my life is out of control and going way too fast. We wanted to write a song that encapsulates this feeling of watching your life go by in a blur and wishing you could switch to slo-mo just for a second so you can appreciate the present moment.”
