Scalping deliver a cascade of creativity, Koreless spark joy, The Awakening ponder the death of rock, Kinkajous keep it to a minimum — but as always, your Midweek Roundup takes it to the max. Do you all want more? Well, here’s some more:
51 | Scalping | Empty Cascade
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Scalping are preparing their first full body of work — the Flood EP , set for release June 18. Today the band share the single Empty Cascade. The track is an epic mission statement, a perfect combination of rave fundamentals and straight up system blowing sludge that could legitimately only be pulled off by Scalping. They have quickly established themselves amongst the UK’s most sensational acts, drip-feeding explosive shots of techno, punk and hardcore into the world and igniting venues and festivals across U.K. and Europe with a precise, unrelenting energy.”
52 | Koreless | Joy Squad
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Welsh producer Lewis Roberts aka Koreless announces his debut album Agor, due for release July 9. An album over five years in the making, Agor is preceded by the single Joy Squad, a track that has a life of its own already. Joy Squad sparked a mass trawling from fans online for the track Koreless describes as his attempt “to build a club rollercoaster that swallows you up and spits you out.”
53 | The Awakening | Zero Down
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Awakening premiere a video for the track Zero Down, a cynical view of the posthumous exploitation of rock stars — something that has been happening since the dawn of rock ’n’ roll. Singer and composer Ashton Nyte comments: “The lyrics cover several ways that we the fans, the media, record labels, managers, and others, essentially exploit and cheapen the legacy of those we were supposedly enamoured with. The song references various indignities suffered by many artists once they have passed, all for clickbait or more sensational headlines. I’ve tried to capture the manic insanity and insensitivity of it all with the music video, which was very enjoyable to create — I’ve always enjoyed theatrical melodrama!” Zero Down is taken off the album This Alchemy, which comes out Friday.”
54 | Kinkajous | Still (Drifts)
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Following their 2019 debut album Hidden Lines, Kinkajous unveil their soaring single Still (Drifts), which explores the space between jazz, orchestral and electronic music, showcasing a richer and more introspective side of the band’s production. Led by drummer/producer Benoît Parmentier and saxophonist/clarinetist Adrien Cau, Kinkajous have earned a reputation for conjuring up a powerful and cinematic sound, with notable shows in the UK and Europe.”
55 | Gone | Saved
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Melodic techno producer and percussionist Gone has announced the release of his debut EP Sources on Friday. On the EP, listeners will find the ear-catching track Saved. The producer tells us about the unique project: “I am starting a musical adventure where I will project myself all over the world. Sharing my world with as many people as possible is an absolute dream. I am also preparing a dark scenography, intrinsically linked to the history of Gone. My music is an escape. In front of my speakers, I often try to create a parallel universe, beyond the foreground instruments and combining voice with music without one overriding the other.”
56 | Ralph | Love Potion
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Ralph shares Love Potion, the second single from her upcoming Gradience EP. With syncopated guitars and blipping synths over a four-on-the-floor groove, Love Potion is a disco-driven act of desperation. The zany, retro-futuristic video finds Captain Ralph traversing the galaxy to Planet Nipply to be with her lover. Ralph says: “I wrote Love Potion almost a year ago with my sweet pals David Charles Fischer and Terence Lam. I had just watched the movie Midsommar and couldn’t get the imagery out of my head. I kept thinking about this one scene where the cult women create a love potion to woo the male protagonist … and soon I was deep in a Google hole of “history of love potions” (they date back to Biblical times!) I came into the session with that as my lyrical inspiration, and pretty soon we wove a dance-y, bass-soaked story of a woman afraid she’s loving her lover…so she cooks up a brew to remind him just how sweet she is.”
57 | Hannah Slavin | I Don’t Have a Clue
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Scottish pop newcomer Hannah Slavin unveils the lyric video for her existential pop anthem, I Don’t Have A Clue. It combines Hannah’s varied influences from the worlds of R&B, soul and modern pop into a sassy, confidence-fuelled anthem. She explains: “I Don’t Have A Clue was written during the height of lockdown where every day felt like Groundhog Day and I was questioning what I was doing with my life. I think when you spend a huge amount of time alone and in your own head, you can very quickly start to question everything about yourself and suddenly you’re trapped in this negative spiral. I guess this song just explores those different emotions I went through throughout lockdown, but to be honest I think the truth is that everybody else doesn’t have a clue either.”
58 | Vân Scott | What’s Coming Next?
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Sought-after Hollywood session singer Scott Oatley (aka Vân Scott) releases his single What’s Coming Next?, along with the music video filmed in Malibu. The song was written out of Scott’s frustration and anxiety about the future. He says: “I left my full-time church job in 2018 to devote myself wholeheartedly to my music career, and I was growing impatient, wondering where all of this was going — if anywhere at all. I went to Nashville with just this chorus in 2019 and was able to finish it up with Jay Speight and Jorge Mhondera. I had never met either of them before, but the chemistry was instant. The song embodies a prayer more than anything else. It’s a raw and honest questioning of faith that I believe is universally felt, whether you’re religious or not.”
59 | VC Pines | Compared To Someone Else
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Following on from his 2020 collection Skully, VC Pines’ new EP Concrete is more of a reflection of his environment after finding himself locked down in the capital over the last year. The months spent in isolation gave him more of a nostalgic and personal outlook on the world, which he ended up channelling into his latest EP. Compared To Someone Else follows a similar vein to his previously shared cuts, conjuring up more of his smooth and intoxicating demeanour. He said, “Lyrically, Compared To Someone Else is romantic, nostalgic and fearful. It’s about looking back over times of lost love and having a fear of losing it all and in the end, being compared against something potentially more fulfilling. The song also has an understanding of the general day to day of being in a relationship, which for me feels like it’s reaching boiling point. Something has to happen.”
60 | The Hackkets | I Love To Travel
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Melbourne band The Hackkets bring a refreshing bout of mind-on-your-sleeve pragmatism to the instantly captivating music they make. The six-piece combine a love of classic pop-rock and pub song belters. I Love To Travel speaks to the freedom of endless possibilities after overcoming a fear of long-distance travel. A nod to classic Canned Heat-esque road trip soundtracks, I Love To Travel is a joyous and uplifting celebration of liberation and pure joy that will win over even the most hardened in-car singalong scrooge.”
61 | Controlled Test Environment | Untouchables
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “The Brazilian band Controlled Test Environment, formed in 2018, just released the single titled Untouchables. The band — who mix of prog, metal, alternative, hardcore and electronica — have gained notoriety in the alternative scene for their diverse and experimental music, highlighting a differentiated sound and a blend of musical influences. In the midst of all the problems that a pandemic brought to everyone, Untouchables reminds us to keep an open mind, live the experience that is life and not let others dictate what you should do.”
62 | Gob Patrol | Bad Vibes
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Las Vegas punk rock outfit Gob Patrol have unleashed an uneasy and angsty punk offering with their single Bad Vibes. An ode to punk legends Black Flag, Bad Vibes describes that feeling you get when you’re in the presence of someone who terrifies or confuses you. Hard bass and buzz-sawing guitar riffs accent the crashing cymbals and minimal beats, with repetitive lyrics telling a story of fear and uneasiness. Gob Patrol are heavily inspired by the legendary ’80s US punk scene highlighted by acts such as Black Flag, GBH, Minor Threat and The Germs. They are angsty, rebellious, chaotic and 100% pure old school punk rock — just how you love it.”
63 | Project Concubine | Fuck Daddy
THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Project Concubine are a London electronic alternative band formed by fashion muse and singer-songwriter Jera Diarc. They gained notoriety when a couple had live sex on stage at their first London gig. They have since gained a reputation for their wild, provocative performances that mix the dark and disarming with the glamorous and groundbreaking. Their genre is New Posh. Project Concubine are not so much a band as a state of mind.”
