DIIV – Frog in Boiling Water

Almost five years ago DIIV unleashed onto the world what would prove to be a genre defining album in Deceiver. A record that was universally loved by fans and lauded by the music press. A record I played constantly for months and months after its release. How do you follow that? A question that plagued the four members of DIIV, Andrew Bailey, Colin Caulfield, Ben Newman, and Zachary Cole Smith. It was clear to them the direction this new album, soon to be titled Frog in Boiling Water, had to head in. They needed to make a record that challenged them, that pushed their sound beyond any previous parameters. They decamped to a rented home in the Mojave, guitars, recording gear, and a clutch of books about humanity’s failures, psychological warfare, and Zen poetry in tow. But stress mounted as they struggled to solidify what their fourth album could be, to funnel their individual passions into a collective whole that also said something about humanities precarious moment.

After these fruitless sessions concluded they moved base to the home of renowned producer Chris Coady. With his steady hand at the helm a record slowly started to form, one that was true to their collective vision. These sessions led the band to a realisation. They needed to talk. Not just talk but get it all out. They dropped the shields of professionalism that had let them work amid the rancour and allowed themselves to get mad and bummed, real and vulnerable. Really, it could have broken DIIV before Frog in Boiling Water was finished. However tense this intervention was, it worked. It actually worked, allowing DIIV to finish the album in front of us today.

On what the album sounds like their press release has this to say.

“It is a gorgeous and haunted record, as DIIV gaze into our collective oblivion and try to articulate a trace of hope inside that enveloping gloom. Balancing rhythms first built from breakbeats and inspired by post-industrial power with guitars and vocals that often billow like diaphanous drapery, Frog in Boiling Water is mighty but breezy, greyscale but opalescent.”

Sounds like this album is going to be breaking new ground. Let’s drop the needle and see what awaits us in these grooves.

Side A opens with ‘In Amber’. Already I can tell these drums are augmented with the breakbeats they mentioned. Against those sludgy guitars it’s a really interesting contrast. The lead guitar sound is something else that’s new here. It’s almost like another voice, wailing in response to the rest of the band. Gloriously sombre and uplifting this is a really assured and sure-footed way to open an album. The time spent finding this sound has been very well spent.

‘Brown Paper Bag’ swaggers on to the speakers and sets about winning you over from the opening chords. When that second guitar starts crying over the that chorus “So there I go, torn, faded, a brown paper bag” the hairs on the back of my neck stood up. Total goosebumps. The hopelessness you feel from the lyrics is completely offset by how utterly triumphant the music is. There’s a nice little nod to ‘I Only Said’ from My Bloody Valentines seminal Loveless album as well. Two songs in and I’m hooked.

We get our first glimpse back to that DIIV sound of old. ‘Raining on Your Pillow’ has melodic echoes of ‘For the Guilty’ from previous album Deceiver. This time however the band have a slow burn approach allowing the vocals to be the focal point instead of the wash of guitars. In the chorus especially you can’t help but be impressed at the care and attention the band have taken. The lyrics are delivered in such a rhythmic way they bolster what the drums are doing. Hats off to DIIV this is next level.

It’s the album title track next. It’s another relatively straightforward riff that is transformed by a hypnotic vocal melody. That drop out before the chorus is a killer move. Dynamically a lot of time and effort has gone in to making these songs interesting at all points. That’s obvious. That effort has paid off in buckets meaning as a listener you are really kept on your toes.

We’re thrown a curveball next with an almost acoustic number in the shape of ‘Everyone Out’. Played in a really unusual time signature it feels like the vocals are draped around the guitar chords rather than on top. Theres a real tension created in the song throughout, none more so than in the harmonic picked guitar sections. I’m starting to feel the dystopia the band are writing about in the music now. As the closing track to side A this feels seamless.

Into Side B we go with ‘Reflected’ getting us underway. The dystopia is real now and the glide guitar warping in and out adds to the sense of confusion and disorientation. The chorus melody isn’t as optimistic sounding as those on Side A. Could the weight of the world be slowly pressing down on DIIV as we go on.

‘Somber the Drums’ continues that DIIV shoegaze sound with a very defined hook. Again, the band utilise dynamics to the fullest weaving in and out to almost silence and then returning with that killer hook. Guitars chiming like a bell over a pulsing bass and enigmatic drum beat that just keeps building. This side is definitely leaning into a darker sound.

“Losing the war, you got another one up against the wall” is the opening to ‘Little Birds next. The futility of conflict and the horror of war is contemplated against an ominous backing. Guitars are bent out of shape and sounding like synths in places and is that a drum machine? If so, it really plays into that industrialism of warfare theme.

If you’ve been following DIIV on social media of late you’ll know all about their meta website experience https://www.soul-net.co/ that sprung up in the run up to the announcement of the new album. A mirror held up to all the new age nonsense and conspiracy theories out there masquerading as “The Answer”. That’s where we got our first taste of the song ‘Soul-net’.  Another slow builder formed on the foundation of a hypnotic and steady drum and bass pattern. Atop that a discordant picked out guitar adds an uneasy atmosphere. The jagged guitars and keyboards that appear latterly just heap more anxiety and worry into the mix. As we approach the end of the album DIIV are really upping the ante.

The album comes to a close with ‘Fender on the Freeway’ an apocalyptic walk across what’s left of America. The album summed up in the line “You can’t unring a bell. We live in heaven and we live in hell”. That complex dichotomy we all abide. That we live in a time where the forces of darkness are seemingly surrounding us whilst at the same time, we persist. We cling on to our beautiful, imperfect but oh so beautiful existence. The sombre tone is not lost on me. The guitars almost like an arm round your shoulder. With a subject matter so bleak why is it I feel so optimistic after listening the to this song. It bookends this listening experience perfectly.

This album is the sound of four friends pushing that friendship to the very edges of what the bond can take. They took their brotherhood to the brink and there they found the substance that permeates every song on Frog in Boiling Water. That titlecomes from the 1996 novel The Story of B, environmentalist author Daniel Quinn spends a chapter on the metaphor of the boiling frog, using it to describe human history, population growth and food surplus. He laments we have lived through the great forgetting where we have lost our appreciation for where our food comes from and just don’t care anymore. If what we need is a great remembering then this album is a good start. A wake-up call.

Musically DIIV have pushed themselves once again to explore the genre they inhabit and rework old tropes into something fresh and exciting. The sounds on here are vital and impactful. Direct and imaginative. As a listening experience it has a very clear narrative and flow which is incredibly satisfying. This is what it sounds like when you give a fuck, when you endure. Will you?

Frog in Boiling Water is out May 24 2024 on Fantasy Records. There’s a a variety of coloured vinyl to pick from and CD version too. Check out your local record shop or head over the DIIV Bandcamp page to find out more.

You can follow DIIV on social media here…

Photo Credits

Shervin Lainez

The Cords – Bo’s New Haircut / Rather Not Stay

The Inverclyde music scene has had its fair share of hit bands over the years. From the chart bothering pop rock of Whiteout to the indie art rock of My Latest Novel the area has always punched well above its weight. Now it’s the turn of the next generation and leading the way are teenage sisters The Cords.

The Cords are Eva and Grace Tedeschi. Fortunate enough to be brought up in a house with a killer record collection (courtesy of Mum and Dad) they’ve been taken along to gigs for a few years now. Seeing bands like The Cure, The Umbrellas, BMX Bandits and The Bug Club inspired them to have a go for themselves. Spurred on by their drum teacher from Rig Arts in Greenock they formed The Cords while taking part in their Rock School. For those of us attending those early Rock School shows it was obvious that the girls songwriting and performances were worthy of a larger stage. While at the Rock School they met Carla J. Easton (Teen Canteen, Poster Paints) who has since been a huge support to the Tedeschi’s.

The single was recorded with Simon Liddell (Frightened Rabbit, Poster Paints) and Jonny Scott (CHVRCHES) which is an indication of how highly thought of The Cords are on the Glasgow scene. With support slots with The Umbrellas and The Vaselines under their belt that reputation is starting to get out there.

 I asked Eva from the band tell me a bit about their sound and what made these two songs stand out for them

“I would say we are jangly pop reminiscent of C86 or, as we were described recently, C24. ‘Bo’s New Haircut’ got a great response from the audience and ‘Rather Not Stay’ is one of our favourites and is perfectly in time for summer”

First track ‘Bo’s New Haircut’ just bursts from the speaker. A joyous drum roll takes us straight in to a sparkling pop song. Singer Eva, has a voice that is reminiscent of Tracy Tracy from The Primitives. She exudes an effortless cool that belies her age. The song is told from the perspective of their family dog Bo after an unwanted shearing. Grace fills those gaps in the song with killer drum rolls that speed us along until the end.  Clocking in at under two minutes you’re definitely left wanting more.

‘Rather Not Stay’ next is a different kind of song altogether. Leaning into that Postcard Records sound, adding a dream pop twist and making it all their own. Starting off slow the band quickly kick it up a gear as the quickly strummed verse suddenly blossoms into this beautiful, technicolour chorus. It shimmers like a summer haze and is bound to melt even the hardest of hearts.

This is a stunning debut for The Cords. Having seen them live a few times I know they have even more great songs just waiting. It’s obvious they have a knack for a killer melody and their choruses have hooks for miles. I’m so excited to hear what comes next from this pair of talented musicians.

Bo’s New Haircut / Rather Not Stay is out now on Heavenly Creature Records on cassette and digitally via The Cords Bandcamp Page.

You can follow The Cords on social media here…

Sea of Days – Water / Air EP

Brighton’s Shore Dive Records have come up trumps again with the new compilation release from Sea of Days. Started back in 2022, Sea of Days is the solo project from multi-instrumentalist Shane Speed. After years away from music a bout of bad health and the discovery of a heart condition spurred him on to create once again. This led to the release of his debut album, Adrift, where he took the name Sea of Days. This latest project finds him releasing a series of EP’s themed around the elements. The Water / Air EP is the first two ‘Elements’ EPs bundled together. On choosing the elemental theme Speed had this to say.

“I started making music again a few years ago after being diagnosed with a heart condition. I had an operation and the recovery was a slow process and though I couldn’t record vocals due to breathlessness it led to me focusing on the songwriting process. In this productive time, I noticed a theme of nature coming through the songs. The re-evaluation of life due to illness had focused me on what was important in life and nature had become a source of comfort in the recovery, particularly walks in the country and by the sea.”

“I wrote down the four elements down on a sheet of paper and strangely there seemed to be two songs about each of the elements, water, air, earth and fire. I then wrote an instrumental piece for each element using field recordings as the basis for each track. And the elements series then had a format.”

The EP opens on the dreamy ‘Float Away’. A simple guitar motif over tumbling vocals eases us in and welcomes us to this experience. However, it’s when the bass suddenly hits double time that the chorus blooms in this sumptuous ascending melody. Speed captures that feeling of gazing out over sun dappled water, the well being washing over you as you breathe in the briny air. I really identified with this track as a coast dweller myself.

‘Barefoot on the Ice’ next, an undoubted allegory for the uncertainties of life, is a more measured and deliberate song. The vocal delivery assured and warm. The chorus sneaks in almost unannounced. When your delivery is this dead on you can let the melody speak for itself. In this case the melody is magnificent.

The first of our instrumentals follows with ‘Not Drowning But Waving’. The field recorded waves lapping on the shore ushering in an exultant slow burner. I love how this one builds into a majestic, layered epic. A fine way to close out the Water EP.

It’s into the Air EP next with ‘Flying High’. A song contemplating on the perspective looking down on earth from an aeroplane window. “We are so privileged looking down. On the one home we all have to share.” The lyrics are truly observational and wholly relatable. The production, again, is grand and has the sense of altitude or space in it.

‘Moon’ is something different, a stream of consciousness delivery against a velvety soundscape. Multi layered guitars shine through a haze of feedback and fuzz. We find ourselves on a moonlit walk with Speed as he laments on how connected we all truly are but there remains that distance that disconnects us. That regret is palpable in each chord change and that’s what makes this so impactful. Music and lyrics in simpatico.

The second instrumental closes out this compilation. ‘Above the Clouds’ is described as “A track evoking the feeling you get when flying. Looking down rather than up to see clouds is disorientating but beautiful.” There’s an otherworldly feeling evoked from the juxtaposition of the hypnotic chord sequence and the wailing lead guitar. It perfectly captures the oddness you feel staring at the top of the clouds at altitude.

These first two EPs of the Elements Series are like little windows into the songwriter’s soul. There is a real comfort and solace in music. In our hardest times music has a way of lifting us back up, giving us a second wind and sending us on our way. This collection has a cathartic air that is so relatable and inclusive. You feel like you are welcomed into the world of Sea of Days where Speed knows us and takes us with him on his journeys. What a gift that is to give.

Great news, the Earth EP is out digitally on 24 May and Fire will be out the following month with the plan to collect these 2 releases together for a digital release on Shore Dive Records.

Meanwhile, the Water/Air EPs are available on CD now from Shore Dive Records Bandcamp page.

You can follow Sea of Days on social media here…

Virgins – nothing hurt and everything was beautiful

Anyone who follows this blog will know that I’ve been following the rise and rise of Belfast gazers, Virgins, for a couple of years now. From the amazing Transmit a Little Heaven EP to their recent singles ‘s l o w l y, l o n g’ and ‘s o f t e r’ they have shown steady development borne out through the hard yards on stage in front of their ever-growing army of fans. For those just discovering the band they are Michael Smyth on guitar with David Sloan also on guitar, James Foy on drums, Brendy McCann on bass and Rebecca Dow on vocals. Together they create the most amazing noise that has now come into perfect focus on their debut album nothing hurt and everything was beautiful.

What does the album sound like compared to previous releases? The band have this to say.

“The songs were recorded over a period of months after having spent the previous two years filling rooms all over Ireland and the UK with all-enveloping sounds. Taking the tracks from the stage to studio injected a sense of space, purpose and drive into the songs. The size and energy of each room distilled into the sonic make-up of the songs. Thematically the record moves between sex and love, romanticism, the need to escape and loss all draped over an immersive sonic tapestry.”

That sounds like something I need to hear so let’s drop the needle and give this a spin.

The album opens with previous single ‘s o f t e r’. From the hooky riff intro into the explosive drums thundering in ‘s o f t e r’ takes no prisoners. Dows vocals are given tons of space in the verses to weave her siren like spell. This is augmented by the glide guitar parts and tremolo picked stuff. Meanwhile holding it all down the bass provides a steady pulse, never sitting still for a moment. It’s an assured opening salvo and we’re off!!

Next up it’s another single, ‘s l o w l y, l o n g’. The song opens on reverberating chiming guitars before exploding into life and they propel us into the song. Dows vocal performance is dynamic and expressive. Anyone who has seen the band live knows how she embodies the spirit of the songs. The multi textured guitars vary from dreamy and floaty to pummelling fuzzed out chaos. It’s another winner and it’s obvious that Virgins have brought their A game.

‘c l o s e’ is something else entirely. A driving indie rock track peeks pout from behind the fuzz drenched curtains. Propelled by Foy’s insistent drumming the pace is set and the band accept the challenge. Dow has a lot of fun; you can hear that over the verses in particular as she yelps out those last lines. ‘c l o s e’ is proof positive Virgins have hooks for weeks and if you go to see them live be prepared to get sweaty!!

The extended intro to ‘p a l e, f i r e’ builds the tension nicely so that when the levee breaks and the song blossoms on the speakers we are lifted and sent soaring. The vocal range on show is breathtaking as are the layers of guitars with their myriad textures. I don’t tend to use the word ‘epic’ too often but in this case, for this song it’s well warranted.

The melancholic ‘a d o r e’ follows. Whilst this song maintains that heavyweight backing that typifies the Virgins sound, there’s a yearning in the melody. When we hit those verses its like the song opens up like a vista across some wide expanse. No matter what dynamic we’re in that yearning thread is carried on through the vocals and guitars.

“d i s a p p e a r e r” brings an ever so slightly calmer yet entirely driven sound. Dow’s vocals shine amidst a swirling storm of noise. “Wax and wane, fall and rise” she sings as we dive headlong into one of the best choruses on the album. There’s a blissful energy about this track that makes me smile every time.

It’s into darker territory next with ‘s u n s p o t s’. Theres a guttural growl from the rhythm guitars as they grind out the intro. Every guitar tone in here is painted with fuzz to a lesser or greater extent yet there’s an undeniable clarity to everything. The vocals sit nicely in the mix like a dingy bobbing on a sea of distortion. This to me demonstrates how far Virgins have come. The skill on show from all involved is breathtaking.

The album comes to a close all too soon with ‘t e n d’, a juggernaut of melodies, angst-driven guitar, and blissed-out percussion. It builds on all that came before it giving us a glimpse into the future sound we can expect from Virgins. Theres a maturity in all aspects here, most notably that lead guitar line and the assured vocal delivery. The stop start delivery of that closing section leaves us elated and wanting more. Shouldn’t all albums finish that way?

I think its fair to say they’ve done it again. Virgins have released a debut that redefines their sound. There’s a new cohesive quality to all these tracks that make them more than a collection of songs. This is an album. One that has been meticulously planned, written, performed and track listed. Each song flows into the next. When listening on vinyl side A and B feel like they have a natural break between them. This feels like the perfect storm for Virgins. From looking at the album artwork you can tell this is a shoegaze album but whilst there are nods to their influences throughout, make no mistake, this is an evolution, or maybe a revolution.

nothing hurt and everything was beautiful is out now via Blowtorch Records on a pressing of 300 starburst coloured vinyl which you can also grab via the Virgins Bandcamp page.

You can follow Virgins on social media here…

Photo Credits

josh mainka photography

Ebony Alexander Media

Splitterzelle – Drumhard Sessions Vol I

Back after their stellar Os Overdoses release earlier in the year it’s the good folks over at Dirty Filthy Records. This time they bring us Drumhard Sessions Vol I from Splitterzelle.

Splitterzelle are Sidney Jaffe (Arcane Allies, Burnpilot, Parse) on drums and synths and Pedro Pestana (10 000 Russos, Tren Go! Sound System) on guitar and pedals. Following their solo collaboration as Tren Go! Sound System & Ornamental on 2021’s album Assessment, they decided to combine their forces under one band name.

Drumhard Sessions are a series of recording sessions hosted by Splitterzelle with guest musicians which are recorded live at the Drumhard venue in Bielefeld Germany. Vol. 1 is the first session they hosted and it features Rouven Bienert (TV Strange) on guitar synth and also handling the recording and Jonas Heheman (Burnpilot, TV Strange) on bass.

The album opens on spaced out jam that is ‘Sink Positive’. Steady bass grooves guide us through this intergalactic journey. The guitar is super heavy and fuzzy slowly finding its way into the fray as a synth drones in the background. The track slowly accelerates bringing in sharper textures and ever ascending guitar riffs send us skyward. All in this is an expansive exploratory piece full of gentle waves and explosive crescendos.

We’re back on terra firma next for the motorik experience of ‘Under The Speed Limit’. Imagine a drive through a moonlit desert when a cosmic portal opens and transports you through time and space. The psychedelic wig out guitars and ever accelerating bass and drums are our cosmic highway and who knows where we’re going.

 ‘Slide’ is a taught affair, bass and drums in the pocket from the outset. Guitars shimmer like some lost constellation or ripples on a star-soaked lake. The guitars soon become frenetic and out of control before reigning themselves in again. This cycle continues each time throwing us further and further into the cosmos. Equal parts haunting and exhilarating.

The album closes out on the otherworldly embrace ‘Hypernets’. As if following from our journey into the cosmos we approach a celestial gateway to the interstellar expanse. The guitars forming the ethereal waves on which we soar. The bass and drums in whispered conversation with the universe keeping us true on our voyage.

As a huge space rock fan this album absolutely blew me away. That throaty guitar sound that signals our sonic journey has begun is prevalent throughout this album. The bass and drums are on point, keeping us on the straight and narrow whilst throwing in flourishes here and there to keep us on our toes. If you too enjoy this type of psychedelic rock then close your eyes and surrender to the currents. Let Splitterzelle carry you toward the unknown.

Drumhard Sessions Vol I is released on May 10th 2024 and you can grab a copy on vinyl from Dirty Filthy Records (UK), Echodelick Records (USA), Saliva Diva (PT) and Pink Tank Records (DE).

You can follow Splitterzelle on social media here…

Photo Credit

Ghazaleh Ghazanfari Artworks

TTSSFU – Me, Jed and Andy EP

Last week I happened across this amazing song on one of my late-night YouTube scroll sessions. That song was by Manchester (UK) artist Tasmin Stephens AKA TTSSFU. Reading more and more about Stephens I discovered they’re a bedroom pop /shoegazer and, most impressively, produced, mixed and mastered this whole EP from their bedroom.

Me, Jed and Andy is an EP inspired, in part, by Andy Warhol. More specifically his 12-year long relationship with famous interior designer/film director Jed Johnson. These songs are also about Stephens contextualising the anger, failure and disappointment of their own relationships too. On this subject they had this to say.

“I related to Warhol in a few different ways and felt really inspired to write about him and start afresh. It was a clever way for me to selfishly put myself, experience and my own feelings into the shape of him and that world. It was easy and less draining, but through this inspiration I ended up writing some of the most personal songs I have ever written.”

Opening track ‘I Hope You Die’ is a real statement of intent. Based around a really horrible experience Stephens went through she channels all her anger into the four minutes of this song. The tension is palpable and is unrelenting. That leads to you being drawn in and transfixed by the melody. The shiny lead guitar riff is both eerie and uplifting at the same time. The atmospheric vocal treatment really compliments the song and helps create a moody ambience. This was the song I heard on YouTube. It’s the perfect intro to TTSSFU and it made me smile when I found out it was the first track on the EP.

Next up is ‘Jed’ a leisurely paced tonic of a song. Stephens breathy, measured delivery offset by the quite stunning pairing of organ and slide guitar. The guitar in particular lends the song an off-kilter element that really catches your ear, I could happily live in the final minute of this song forever and be happy.

‘Baggage’ caught me totally unawares on first listen. I absolutely love ‘I Hope You Die’ and thought that would end up being my favourite track. Second favourite from this point on. I must have listened to ‘Baggage’ about five times back-to-back that first time around. That chorus hook is killer as Stephens sings ‘I’m doing it for you, do you know that I love you’ you can feel the sincerity of that sentiment burst out the speakers. The song is obviously an exercise in catharsis but, to couple that with the melodies and perfectly delivered lines it has set this up to be a future classic.

We head into goth territory next with ‘Character’. Unmistakeably drawing from ‘A Forest’ era Cure it darkens the tone of the EP for a moment giving us a flavour of what TTSSFU can be and breadth of Stephens influences as a songwriter.

In stark contrast ‘Wait It Out’ arrives on chugging guitars and a lilting lead riff that peppers this song like little flecks of gold. If you bottled that longing feeling then distilled it down into music, this is what you’d get. I keep having to remind myself this is the work of one person and Garageband. The production on this track is just stunning. Check out those harmony vocals for example and that subtle change in dynamic as they sing ‘I don’t wanna go away now’.

‘Asexual’ has a late-night feel from the outset. A sultry swagger that feels dangerous. Throughout the track a mystery phone rings out in the background. This is a very accomplished track and captures that sensual mood perfectly. I wonder who was on the phone?

The EP closes out with a song set at ‘Studio 54’ named for the famous New York night club. Scene of many a debauched night out for Andy Warhol and his many acolytes. It maintains that late night vibe but this time it feels like we are voyeurs looking in. Observing the man himself in the place he loved most.

Me, Jed and Andy really has taken my breath away. For a DIY set of songs recorded at home this far surpasses all expectations. The emotional impact of these songs cannot be underestimated. Lyrically Stephens connects time and time again. In ‘Baggage’, for example, the line “I was just a child when I grew up.” hits hard. As an introduction this EP more than does its job. I can’t wait to hear what’s next from this amazing artist.

 Me, Jed and Andy is out now on Fear of Missing Out Records and is available on limited edition vinyl.

You can follow TTSSFU on social media here…

Photo Credit

Mat Coffey

Moon Cowboy – An Explosion of Sound EP

We’re Portugal bound to hear the new An Explosion of Sound EP from rising shoegaze sensation Moon Cowboy. Ricardo Fiel is a shoegaze wizard whose guitar work is nothing short of mesmerizing. With over a decade of experience touring with Portuguese superstar David Fonseca, he has honed his craft and emerged as a solo artist under the moniker Moon Cowboy. Now signed to UK based shoegaze label 1991 Recordings he’s set to release his new EP to the world.

Citing influences as wide and deep as Radiohead, Slowdive and Spacemen 3 it sounds like we’re in for an interesting listen.

The EP opens with the drone driven ‘Your Bright Light’. Very much a song of two halves. The opening half has me remembering the Spectrum album Soul Kiss (The Glide Divine) one of my most beloved records. It’s other worldly and beguiling but all is about to change. Once the drums appear the song blooms into this technicolour dreampop track that just soars. The heavy reverb on everything, including the harmonica just ties it all together in in a psychedelic cloud.

It’s in dreampop territory we remain for the recent single ‘Baby Jane’. We fairly skip along while guitars paint textures and dance around the stunning drum pattern. We are occasionally treated to some really heavy glide guitar, which lifts the song no end. Overall, this song is infinitely catchy and holds your attention well.

We slip into ‘A Moment’ next. All agitated and rippling drums like some lost Radiohead track bring us in. Fiel then paints his velvety vocals over the top before the song swells and emerges as a bombastic reverie in the chorus. It’s that contrast throughout that makes this my EP highlight. The darkness in those quieter sections is brought into sharp relief by the sensory overload of the choruses. It’s both very simple and incredibly complex at the same time.

We close out with the slow burn of ‘In Colors’. The song slowly reveals itself as it introduces drums first, some textures of guitar before the moody and atmospheric piano arrives. The orchestral synth pads lift the song as Fiel’s dusky vocal floats over it all. It’s very much a mood piece and that wistful and longing sound takes this EP to its conclusion.

These four songs are my introduction to Moon Cowboy ands it’s left me wanting more. There’s a real variety of tones and feel throughout that makes this an incredibly absorbing and satisfying listen.

An Explosion of Sound EP will be available digitally everywhere on May 17, 2024 on 1991 Recordings.

You can follow Moon Cowboy on social media here…

Whitelands – Night-bound Eyes are Blind to the Day

The long-awaited debut album from London based gazers Whitelands is finally here. After a series of incredible single releases before and after signing to the legendary Sonic Cathedral label they bring us Night-bound Eyes are Blind to the Day. The band are Etienne (guitar and vocals), Jagun (drums and backing vocals), then Vanessa (bass) and Michael (guitar). Along with The Veldt and AR Kane they find themselves a black shoegaze band in what is a predominantly white genre. “There’s an underlying narrative that it’s OK for white men to be romantic, sensitive, emotional and make dreamy music and, by contrast, young Black men should be making angry music,” says Vanessa. “We’ve all grown up with these stereotypes and therefore I think people are mystified when they see Whitelands.”

It’s dreamy music they make alright and the singles released up until now have all been played exhaustedly in the Static Sounds Clubhouse. The album title intrigued me as it stands out from any title they’ve employed up until this point. Etienne was more than happy to explain the album title is taken from The Prophet, the philosophical 1923 book by Kahlil Gibran.

“The full quote is ‘the owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light’, I think it encapsulates the feeling of the album. A common theme running through the songs is lots of ‘I’, ‘you’, sense and emotion. Very physical and intimate settings. Lots of descriptors of light, celestial bodies, water, Biblical stuff, abstract stuff. I don’t really know why I write things the way I do, but I do tend to write emotions as anything other than what they actually are.”

“I consume a lot of media. Video-games, music, news, paintings, manga, animations and film are my go-to, especially anime. There is this drive to want to understand and feel the whole weight of an expression. So, the songs are based on other songs, pictures, aesthetics, ‘vibes’, an emotion someone else felt. Fundamentally, you are what you eat.”

Well, I’m ready to tuck in to whatever Whitelands are serving up. Let’s drop the needle and see what’s what.

The album opens on the driving guitars of ‘Setting Sun’. The single from earlier this year draws inspiration from the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent reactions from the global community. Etienne’s poignant vocals navigate systemic discrimination, while the dreamy guitar backing acts as the canvas for the message. I loved this on release and it’s only got better with repeated listens.

Next up “The Prophet & I” shuffles in and immediately you’re hooked by the melody. This is dream pop with a capital POP. Celestial guitars guide this song along with real purpose. It’s no wonder this was released as a single last year. There’s a palpable joy in the delivery of the vocal which makes this such an impactful track.

We float into ‘Cheer’ on a velvety cloud of reverb-soaked guitars. The pace dropping ever so slightly this is a more meditative track that just shimmers out the speakers. The mellowness of the verses contrasting with soaring vocal in the chorus. It’s a tricky balancing act that the band make look effortless.

Dottie from labelmates deary guests on ‘Tell Me About It’. Her vulnerable and airy vocals are the perfect pairing for Etienne’s. They lend this song a romantic angle that plays right into the lyrical content. “How can you tell with loving? How do you hear the answers? How do feet match the guidelines? I never learnt the dance.” The complexities of love laid bare in one verse.

From the dewy-eyed allure, we plunge back down to earth with ‘How it Feels’. This feels more like the flip side of love, the sting of betrayal. I love how the guitars interact with each other in the latter half of the track. Climbing over each other in a race to the song’s conclusion.

Whilst the parallels to Slowdive’s musical palate are undeniable ‘Chosen Light’ takes a detour through the sound of The Cure at their dreamiest. The bass pulsing through this one is most Gallup like in its insistent intensity. As always, its only a colour in the overall picture of the song. Whitelands are no tribute act. Rather a sum of their parts.

“Born in Understanding” is a celestial dance—a waltz with the universe. It’s the soundtrack to stargazing, the ache of longing, and the fragile beauty of vulnerability. The twilight mood just washes over you instantly transporting you to the chilled air of the gloaming. This is just beautiful songwriting, from the transportive lyrics (“The moon rose, asunder from aether The womb unfolds the maw, unearthed, in sight”) to the call and response of the guitars. It’s my album stand out track.

The album comes to a close with the strident opening chords of ‘Now Here’s The Weather’. A track that explores the black experience shining a light on the hypocrisy of religion and well meaning do gooders. “And what of loving? And what of peace? my bible commands, it’s wrapped in green. Let’s love thy neighbour, lets burn their house. I don’t understand what comes from their mouths” It’s really potent stuff and an incredibly impactful way to close out the LP.

Whitelands have crafted a sonic experience that ticks every box on a shoegazers shopping list. Dig deeper though and you have lyrics of depth and real meaning. Delivered with a literary flair there’s so much more to discover in the headphones. The production is top notch with a consistency and cohesion across all the tracks. As a statement of intent Night-bound Eyes are Blind to the Day more than does its job. Its no wonder Slowdive asked the band to support them on recent dates.

Night-bound Eyes are Blind to the Day is out now on Sonic Cathedral. The first press of vinyl is long gone but a second press on blue day vinyl as well as CD and cassette is available now from your favourite record shop.

You can follow Whitelands on social media here…

Photo Credits

Edward Sogunro

Tetsu the Phoenix – See You Around

Last summer I was lucky enough to be sent the debut EP from Northampton (Massachusetts) band Baleen. I was absolutely enthralled with its new take on the shoegaze and grunge sounds of my teenage years. Since then, the band have shaken things up a bit, passed their instruments about and returned with a new album, now under the moniker Tetsu the Phoenix.  

By all accounts the band have approached this album with a different lens. Citing parallels like DIIV and Alcest it would appear we are in for a heavier sound than on the Baleen EP. The album is entitled See You Around and has a very interesting story at its core. I’ll let the band tell you themselves.

“See You Around includes a song cycle based on Haruki Murakami’s The Trilogy of the Rat. Finding inspiration in the otherworldly of Wild Sheep Chase to the mundane of Hear the Wind Sing, the record spends time in Junataki-Cho Township – among other fan-familiar locales – in tracks 4-9. The songs represent an effort to bring Murakami’s world to a new dimension: that of sound.”

Sure enough, the heavier aesthetic is instantly apparent in the intro to opening track, ‘Mr Sunshine’. The Philly vibes are real as mountainous guitars scream and squall in melodic feedback. The dynamics are spot on as the guitars dip in and out over verse and chorus. This track gives me goosebumps every time. Think of a kinda cross between Just Mustard and Nothing and your halfway there.

The feels get ramped up on ‘You Die, I Die’. This one is more vocal led and leans into the epic with a chorus that is deeply affecting. If you don’t fall to your knees when they sing “If you die, I die. We made a deal; we made a deal” on top of that soaring guitar then I can’t help ya. This song has single written all over it and is a perfect intro for someone new to the band.

‘Wanting’ veers into a swampy, more doom gaze feel. The lighter moments here are much lighter but when things get fuzzy, man it’s really dirty. To me, those parts take me away to some vast desert with an infinite horizon. It’s that transportive quality of these songs that I just love.

We enter the song cycle next with the explosive ‘21 China’. This is a more exploratory song structure which is led by a dazzling display from the drums. The vocals impossibly drape themselves over this complex rhythm like some sorcerer’s cloak. Just as you are lulled by the spell though, the song erupts again into exultant guitars and pulverising bass. This album really keeps you on your toes, who knows what’s next.

Luckily, I do, it’s the effervescent ‘Ratlady’ A song built around a bright and melodic lead guitar hook contrasted with a fuzzed-out backline. The elongated syllables in the vocal delivery lend the track an almost drowsy somnolence. That contrast really makes this one of the albums stand out tracks for my money.

As an album See You Around has ambition core to its DNA and as if to embody that whole approach next up, they deliver ‘Full Moon on the Wane’. This song is stadium size and is destined to be a live favourite. It’s the perfect balance between melody and madness. The guitars trade off between that glide guitar sound and carefully picked lead line. The vocals are more up front and as such are more impactful. It really is another little bit of magic.

The oddly titled ‘Sheeps, A Man Appears’ follows and its stream of consciousness lyrics flow and fly in equal parts. Once more we’re kept on our toes as the song takes off at pace only to drop down to a minimal guitar line and vocals for the closing minute or so. I love how the band aren’t afraid to introduce us to new textures and sounds this late into the album. I find that utterly exhilarating and I wish more bands would do it.

Things stay strictly down tempo for the angelic sound of ‘About a Beach’. This is a much more unsaturated sound even though the guitars remain on full fuzz effect. How are they doing this? More sorcery I tell you! That cyclical chord sequence is utterly hypnotic and I wanted it to last about twice as long. I suppose that’s how they’ll keep me coming back to listen again and again.

The album closes out on the Mary Chain influenced ‘Bound to Disappear’. The fuzz driven guitar is maxed out and chugs along as the vocal sits on top cutting a really beautiful melody over it. Hats off for rhyming “garage” with “arbitrage” by the way. It’s a fitting way to round out this utterly exceptional record and send you back to listen again.

I’ll openly admit that I haven’t read Haruki Murakami’s The Trilogy of the Rat series however the good news is you don’t have to in order to appreciate this album. For fans of the books, I’m positive the lyrics will hit you differently but take it from me, they hit you no matter what. Musically the band have created a piece of shoegaze heaven and it’s going to resonate with fans of the genre instantly. There’s much more to enjoy on here though so fans of Radiohead will enjoy it as much as say, fans of My Bloody Valentine. What I love the most is that the album has cohesion. These songs hang together and support each other so well. This isn’t just a collection of songs. It’s an album, an honest to god, thought-out, well-structured album. For that alone it deserves your immediate attention and following that, your undying affection.

See You Around is available now digitally and on vinyl from Strange Library Records. Make sure to follow the Tetsuo the Phoenix Bandcamp page.

Geography of the Moon – Sometimes

After three years which has seen the band relocate from Glasgow in the UK to the sunnier climes of Thailand, Indonesia and soon Japan, post punk poets Geography of the Moon return with a new single.

Formed in London, UK, in 2016, Geography of the Moon is a collaboration between singer/pianist Virginia Bones and multi-instrumentalist /producer Andrea AKA Santa Pazienza. They thrive in the live environment and since the end of Covid restrictions this duo has clocked up over 450 gigs.

I covered their debut album Fake Flowers Never Die back on its release in 2021 and remarked at the time on the band’s lyrical honesty and powerful musicality. I wonder if all these gigs have morphed this band into something else or built on the sound they created back then.

The new single is called ‘Sometimes’ and I asked Andrea how he would describe it to someone who’d never heard the band before. He responded “It’s a surf rock influenced post punk tune duet about social anxiety and existential dread.”

As the track opens, I’m reminded of The Specials if they lived on the California coast. The jagged guitar drives the whole track along. Switching between angular lead lines and rhythmic arpeggios and grungy open chords. As always Virginia’s vocal is on point and forms the perfect foil to Andreas edgy, anxious delivery. She sings just enough, never over complicating her part. When the song hits choruses it just makes it more impactful. Check out the video for the track below.

As always, Geography of the Moon have created yet another track that is unmistakably them. It’s so rare that you can tell whose track you’re listening to after mere seconds of the intro. If, like me, you loved the bands album Fake Flowers Never Die then you’ll be pleased to hear a new album is in the works. I cannot wait!

‘Sometimes’ is out on April 5th 2024 and is available from the Geography of the Moon Bandcamp and all your usual streaming services.

You can follow Geography of the Moon on social media here…