In glorious black and white tones, Valerio Berdini profiles Sea of Bees onstage at their Cambridge show early last week in support of their debut album ‘Songs For The Ravens’, out now via Heavenly Records.
February, 2011
LCMDF – Love & Nature
Le Corps De Mince Francoise appropriate every single sound the nineties ever created and manage to make a coherent record. What’s more, it’s actually fantastic. Stephen Smith reviews.
TLOBF Introducing // Thousands
In their first ever UK interview by the power of e-mail, we talk to Thousands about the people and places that inspired The Sound of Everything, the ever-thriving music scene of Seattle and about their recent signing to Bella Union.
Thirteen Senses – Crystal Sounds
They’re *still* making records? Crikey. According to Matt Conner, Cornwall’s *finest* have hardly returned exploratory or experimental, but the confidence that emerges on Crystal Sounds bodes well for Thirteen Senses into the new decade. Who’d have thought it?
Grouplove – Grouplove
If systematic abuse by happiness sounds fun, then this is the record for you. However, Josh Hall can think of few less pleasant ways to spend half an hour than listening to the solipsistic ramblings of a group of people who think there might be some merit in telling you what a great time they had at the beach. Oh dear.
Stricken City – Losing Colour
Stricken City’s debut EP Songs About People I Know, offered stunning psych-pop glimpses into what could have been, and with the follow-up, Losing Colour, should have placed the band squarely in buzzworthy territory on multiple continents. Now apparently the band has called it quits, making Losing Colour a stepping out instead of a stepping stone.
SOTD #201 // The Secret Sisters: ‘Tennessee Me’
The Secret Sisters make their debut on The Line Of Best Fit with a sliver of lilting close harmonies, sounding simultaneously retro and fresh. Floaty, fleeting ‘Tennessee Me’ is easy to admire.
Øya Festival line-up announced, pre-Festival shows
From small, humble beginnings in 1999 Norway’s Øya Festival is now in its twelfth year and is set to be larger than ever. Held in Oslo from 9 – 13 August, this year’s line-up already boasts performances from the likes of Warpaint, Fleet Foxes and Explosions in the Sky with Pulp recently announced as headliners.
Treefight for Sunlight – Treefight for Sunlight
Want to escape the winter gloom? Let Treefight for Sunlight take you to a world of sunny guitar pop and precision harmonies. Andrew Hannah reviews.
Shine 2009 collaborate with Paula Abdul on debut album, reveal tracklist
Possibly one of the unlikeliest collaborations in recent years, Finland’s Shine 2009 have announced that 1980s megastar Paula Abdul is to provide guest vocals on the duos debut album, titled Realism, which is due to drop via Cascine on April 12.
Cut Copy – Zonoscope
Lacking the confidence of previous efforts, Cut Copy’s initially difficult album eventually reveals the subtle nuances of its experimentation: timidly reworking the sounds of their previous oeuvre whilst exploring the musical spectrum from dance, trance and techno to guitar drenched indie-pop.
Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
7th studio album from the curmudgeonly Scottish instrumentalists, which – whilst not up there with their very highest peaks – is still a well crafted and emotionally coherent offering that merits a place in their canon. Jude Clarke reviews.
John Vanderslice – White Wilderness
White Wilderness marks something of a departure for Jon Vanderslice. Recorded over just 3 days in a series of live recordings with a bunch of classically trained musicians from San Francisco. The results are very pleasing indeed, particularly for Vanderslice himself, emerging from behind the studio trickery to bare his soul to the world.
TLOBF Introducing // Hannah Peel
On the release of her exquisite debut album, The Broken Wave, TLOBF talks to multi-instrumentalist and composer Hannah Peel about the musical upbringing that stirs her soul.
SOTD #200 // Mazes: ‘Most Days’
London via Manchester fuzzy funsters Mazes have been conquering the seductive melodies above a driving distortion scene for a while now, but April 11 will finally mark the release of their debut long-player A Thousand Heys. ‘Most Days’ will be the first single from the album and if this is anything to go by it will be prove to be a delightful serving of scuzzy goodness.
