Tag Archives: profile

The Society Islands, The Big Sleep | Music News

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Band/Artist: The Society Islands
Location: Cologne, Germany
Styles: Indie Pop, Neo Folk, Dream Pop
Similar to/RIYL: Tame Impala, Grizzly Bear, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Porcupine Tree, Brian Eno
CD: The Big Sleep
Release date: September 26 (digital), November 14 (CD)
Members/Instruments: Boris Rogowski (vocals, guitars, bass, keys, woodwinds, percussion, drums), Moishe Lichtfuss (Saxophone), Benedikt Filleboeck (Trumpet), Isabelle Holder (vocals), Eva Bardo (vocals)
Production: Boris Rogowski


Bio: 


The Society Islands is the solo project of the Cologne, Germany based singer and multi-instrumentalist Boris Rogowski whose other musical ventures include work as composer, studio and live musician for domestic bands and artists like Klee and Gentleman. He is also a founding member of the psycho pop quintet DIE SONNE.

thesocietyislands

His music as The Society Islands oscillates between neo-folk, dream pop and indie rock and is further characterized by unconventional stylistic shifts, ominous undertones and its creator’s firm belief that there is no such thing as bad influence.

“The Big Sleep” opens with the monologue of a person in a drug-induced state of wonder whose discovery that she “can’t use colour” only leads her to the conclusion that she “can do everything” – an adequate way of introducing an album full of musical and lyrical arrangements that never feel contrived or formulaic, but rather like something discovered by chance – in a state of somnambulistic certainty. The songs manage to conjure up musical and emotional landscapes which are as engrossing as they are hard to pinpoint; like dreamscapes, they tend to shift, blur and bleed into each other. 

“The Big Sleep” as a whole can be read as a meditation on impossibilities: There is no way to start over with a clean slate, to change who you are or to make beauty – or even happiness – last forever. It would be a depressing sentiment, were it not coupled with the one good reason to keep trying: the endless creative power of discontent. 

 

 

The Hertz Complex – No Control

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Following brilliant reviews and international airplay for ‘Maybe I Know’ and ‘Bassy’, from their forthcoming EP ‘A New Habit’, we’re highlighting another track from the EP that shows a very different side to the band.  

The Hertz Complex - No Control

No Control is stripped back to focus on Neil O’Keeffe’s vocals, a simple yet utterly beautiful song that contrasts perfectly with the lo-fi fuzz guitar and shimmering Post-Punk creations the band are known for.


Neil O’Keeffe (lead vocals, guitar) and Paul Keane (guitar) have a songwriting partnership that transgresses borders.  Hailing originally from Cork, Ireland, they have set up camp in the emerging artists’ haven that is Deptford, London. 

Here they draw on a mix of influences from their Irish roots to bands such as The Chameleons, Joy Division, Whipping Boy and Howling Wolf, resulting in their own eclectic version of post punk.  Joining Neil and Paul are Benjamin Balan (drums) and Chris Keelan (bass). Originally from Canada, they form a solid, driving rhythm section that provides the foundation to The Hertz Complex’s dynamic interlacing guitar work.
 
The four-piece aim to bring a forgotten passion back into music and this musical salvation has certainly been delivered – an ever-growing army of fans, festival appearances and a headline slot at LA’s legendary Whisky A Go Go are testament to that fact.  The Hertz Complex’s highly anticipated debut EP comes on the back of news that one of their songs will be featured in a movie soundtrack, another sure sign that this band are making music that is essential listening.

 

 

The Courtesans Genius Video

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We have the video for The Courtesans’ latest single, ‘Genius’.

This hard-hitting video considers the never-ending, unattainable portrayal of ‘the perfect woman’. With unavoidable advertising and mounting social pressure from both sexes, we too often witness childhoods ending all too early in favour of cheap lipstick and chicken-fillet bras as young women rise to the bait of their own growing insecurities overtly and subliminally governed by outside sources.
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Beyond this, we find the anti-ageing army of surgery toters, trading botox and collagen injections that prey on the insecure and the vulnerable. Slimming pills, eating disorders, false hair, false nails, false person, false life. To conform is never enough for as we are judged and criticised for our differences and shortfalls so too are we judged and criticised for owning a beautiful face or a curvaceous body.

The clip sees the band – our four overtly-individual heroines – being burned at the stake for refusing to sacrifice their own opinions of how beauty should be perceived and how this should remain the property and under the control of the individual. Covering tattoos with skin-coloured paint does not alter the truth of what lies beneath the paint and indeed beneath the skin.

‘Genius’ will be released as The Courtesans debut single on 25th August and available from all your favourite online retailers. It’ll be shortly followed by their long-awaited debut album ‘1917’.

 

 

Indie Band Boy+Kite Wants To Marry You

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To celebrate the release of their two new singles “Either Way” and “Turned Sideways”, indie quartet Boy+Kite will host pop-up wedding events around the U.S., kicking off in late September.

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The on-the-spot weddings are open to all couples that want to tie the knot without all the fuss. The officiant, cake, and champagne are included in your ticket, along with Boy+Kite, who will be there to serenade you and your true love on the big day.

For more information, go to http://www.boypluskite.com

 

Introducing stickybackplastics | Music Profile

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stickybackplastics is all about about dark, bluesy, heavy hooks with a noise-rock undertone. Grinding riffs, brooding basslines. Epic vocals. Music to make your hair stand on end. The York-based alt-blues three-piece are- Roz Walker (guitar) and Heather Niven (vocals), alongside Dom Smith on drums.

The band came together with a simple desire to create music to soundtrack the world’s best and worst heartbreaks.

Stating their influences as Garbage, PJ Harvey and Portishead, the band are “driven by a shared desire to create great guitar and blues-driven rock music that emotes any type of emotion in the listener”.

stickybackplastics

Roz and Heather met at a way-too-grown-up garden party in deepest North Yorkshire, and quickly realised they had a great synergy for all things creative.

Vocalist Heather says: “There is something instant, forceful and immediate about singing, there is an excitement and passion like nothing I get from painting. Have you ever had goosebumps from looking at a painting? Music reaches a different part of you.”

Roz and Heather have been working together as artists for a number of years before their began exploring their collective musical potential. The track on the debut EP were built by Roz a number of years ago, and they’d been looking for a drummer to turn their work into a proper band. Following a number of meetings over the years between Heather and disabled entrepreneur Dom Smith within York’s vast creative network, a friendship grew that led to him becoming the drummer and perfecting the trio.

Their debut EP, a self-titled introduction to stickybackplastics recorded at The White Rooms, York, UK, is available on Bandcamp: http://stickybackplastics.bandcamp.com – fans just need to name their price

In the coming months stickybackplastics will be releasing an EP of remixes, followed by a new music release by the end of the year.

 

 

Allusondrugs September Tour | Music News

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Allusondrugs have announced their September tour dates.
 

Their Eponymous EP

 

Release Date: 21st July 2014 on Clue Records

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Allusondrugs formed in 2012 in West Yorkshire when Jason Moules (Vocals), Drey Pavlovic (Guitar), Damo Hughes (Guitar/Vocals/Effects), Jemal Malki (Bass) and Connor Fisher-Atack (Drums) came together after meeting on the Leeds music scene.  Influenced by Nirvana, Deftones, My Bloody Valentine and Sonic Youth and known for their blisteringly intense guitar rock sound, the band have attracted national press attention and a huge following of fans who are drawn to their captivating live performances.

 

The Allusondrugs EP was recorded and produced in one week at Greenmount Studios in Armley, Leeds. The record was tracked live to analogue tape as band members performed together in one room.  Although additional overdubs and vocals were added complete the tracks, the core of the recording was done live in an attempt to capture the band’s energy on record.

 

 

Social Links:

Facebook

Twitter

 

 

Tour Dates:

 

JULY

5th July = The Wardrobe, Leeds (Futuresound Competition)

11th July = Exchange Arts Centre, Keighley

12th July = The Works Skatepark, Leeds

17th July = Proud Galleries, Camden

20th July = The Rocking Chair, Sheffield

25th July = Tramlines Festival, Sheffield (Millenium Galleries)

26th July = Lounge 41, Workington

27th July = Clarence Festival, Wakefield

 

 AUGUST

1st August = The Puzzle Hall, Sowerby Bridge

2nd August = Temple of Boom, Leeds

7th August = Bar Bloc, Glasgow

14th August = Wharf Chambers, Leeds

 

SEPTEMBER

 

11th September = The 13th Note, Glasgow

12th September = Downstairs, Aberdeen

13th September = Pickett, Liverpool

14th September = Think Tank, Newcastle

15th September = Static Bar, Swansea

16th September = Red Rooms, Nottingham

17th September = The Garage (upstairs), London

18th September = Sticky Mikes, Brighton

19th September = The Crauford Arms, Milton Keynes

20th September = Huddlefest, Huddersfield

21st September = Boiler Room, Guildford

22nd September = Joiners, Southampton

 

 

The Sunday Reeds | Music Profile

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The Jesus and Mary Chain Meets Marianne Faithful: It’s Australia’s The Sunday Reeds.

Their new EP ‘Amour Tragique’ on Heartgun Records

 

Release Date: 1st August 2014

Format: Digital Download 

 TheSundayReedsPic1

L-R: Jeremy Russell, Romana Ashton and Drew Jones.  Photo by Rex Francis

 

 

 

The Sunday Reeds, named after Melbourne’s celebrated patron of the arts Sunday Reed, are Romana Ashton and Drew Jones.  Though forming in 2009 as a duo, they soon started playing live as a three-piece and are regularly joined on stage by drummer Jeremy Russell.


 

Their first release ‘Drowning in History’ (2009) caught the attention of UK indie label Squirrel Records leading to extensive touring across Australia, the UK and Europe, during which bridges were burned, relationships ended and nervous breakdowns became commonplace.  At one point the founding duo spent three days in Paris where the most romantic city in the world became an ironic backdrop for a particularly bitter relationship break up, one that culminated in their latest EP ‘Amour Tragique’ (Tragic Love).

 

A collection of five songs that detail doomed romances and love lost, ‘Amour Tragique’ combines the grittiness and angst of ‘90s grunge with the pop sensibilities of ‘60s pop, rock ‘n’ roll, a good measure of old fashioned blues and ‘80s new wave/post punk.

 

With contralto female vocals likened to Marianne Faithfull and Shirley Manson, and a rock ‘n’ roll swagger reminiscent of The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and Nirvana, The Sunday Reeds skillfully combine the most exciting elements of rock ‘n’ roll to create lyrically rich, infectiously melodic songs with a sound distinctly their own.

 

‘Amour Tragique’ will be launched at The Old Bar, Melbourne on Saturday July 5th.

 

Videos for the singles taken from the EP ‘Jean-Luc’ (a song about the tumultuous relationship between Jean-Luc Godard and Anna Karina) and ‘Something About You’ (a dark pop song about love and loss) will be released later in 2014.

 

Discography

 

Amour Tragique (EP 2014 – Heartgun Records)

Drowning in History (LP Vinyl Re-Release) (2013 – Heartgun Records)

Kill This Party/Fall from Grace (Single – 2012 – Heartgun Records)

Dark Rainbows (EP – 2011 – Squirrel Records UK)

Drowning in History (LP – 2009-Squirrel Records UK)

 

 

 

The Sons To Headline First Off Axis Show

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Their New Single

Relic

Release Date: Monday 30th June 2014 as a digital download

Relic is a heartfelt and gentle song that showcases singer Paul Herron’s accomplished vocal performance against a simple yet effective piano and guitar accompaniment, but the song’s lyrics come from a place of mourning for what has passed.

The Sons to Headline First Off Axis Show
L-R: Roger Millichamp (Drums), Paul Herron (Vocals, Piano & Guitar),

Steven Herron (Vocals, Guitar & Keyboards), Stewart English (Vocals & Guitar), Lee Blades (Vocals & Bass).

The Sons, an independent British five piece from Derby, draw inspiration for their alternative guitar pop from the likes of Crowded House, Wilco, Paul Simon and Fleetwood Mac, to create a current sound with a timeless feel.

They are masters at coupling upbeat, catchy songs with rather dark, complex lyrics about the pains and hardships of life. Having toured the UK & Europe extensively, The Sons have attracted a large and a very loyal following with fans fully funding the making of the band’s third studio album, ‘Heading Into Land’. This record hit the UK album charts upon its release in March 2014, marking a new chapter for the band.

The premiere single from the album, ‘Death Love Money’ was released in January 2014. The video received 20,000 views within a week of release and Sony then chose the band as a feature artist for their Xperia Lounge app. The Sons have been featured on BBC Radio’s ‘Introducing’, chosen as Tuborg’s ‘Spotlight Artist to Watch’ and included on Jonathan L’s list of ‘Ones to Watch in 2014’.

‘Relic’, the band’s second single from their new album, showcases their softer side. This alt-pop ballad features Paul Herron on piano and tells the story of a man who feels a universal, post-break-up emptiness – “I’m just what’s left of you and me”. He continues to pursue his big dreams and as the song progresses, he becomes more and more successful, finally becoming the “creator of every particle you see”, yet he still feels only emptiness, a shell of the man he once was, a relic.

Tour Dates:
31 May – Hucknall Fake Festival

31 May – Summer Gathering Festival (headline set)

7 June – The Venue, Derby – Off Axis Show

20 June – The Cookie Club, Nottingham

28 June – The Goodship, London – Relic Release Party