Metrosideros – var.EP

New Zealand has been doing a lot of things right recently and their music scene is equally as strong as their current leadership.

I had the good fortune to be sent the last EP from Wellingtons Metrosideros last August and it made me sit up and take notice immediately. Now they are back with the var. EP and it’s just as exciting and refreshing as the last.

Metrosideros is the project of Matt Dalzell who plays all the instruments and does all the programming on these six tracks.

The EP kicks off with ‘Blacksands’ with the stunning vocals of Alba Rose powering out the speakers. Like a calling card Dalzell creates this psychedelic trip hop ambience for the song to inhabit. It is reminiscent of the very best of the Bristol scene from the 90’s. It’s this sound that he has reimagined, reshaped into something all his own and it’s addictive.

‘Summerstorm Lullaby’ follows with its fuzzed-out guitars juxtaposing with the shiny production on the synths and piano. This is what we call a banger here in Scotland. This song has the catchiest chorus and the way the song lifts in the chorus gets you right in the feels.

Glitchy synths and drums introduce us to ‘Beyonder’. This is destined to fill dancefloors. Rose is back on vocal duties and delivers in buckets. Dalzell is magpie like in his production. I can hear some Bjork influence in the mix now. This EP truly is a joy to listen to. It’s like eating pick ‘n’ mix sweets. You never know what you are going to get next.

The claustrophobic intro to ‘It’s Just So’ feels like its sucking the air from all around you. Bringing the warmth back to the proceedings is the vocal talent of Coralie Martin. There’s something eerie and unsettling about this track. Its glacial mood is punctured by a low synth droning buzz over two notes. It’s really simple but so effective.

As if he is reading my mind ‘String and Bones’ opens on a lush, warm sequence as if to thaw us after the previous track. Rose returns on vocals and delivers another striking performance. There’s some lovely psyche influenced synth on this track. Mantra like they hypnotise you and pull you in.

Now Dalzell has us he drops some monster beats. The intro to closing track ‘Raptor’ is reminiscent of the Chemical Bros. or The Prodigy. Make no mistake, he means business. Acid squelches and break beats do battle with a killer guitar riff. This track is enormous and what a way to sign off.

What you have in the var.EP is the best parts of trip hop and drum ‘n’ bass blended with the soundscapes of shoegaze. Call it Post Gaze if you will. That’s how Metrosideros describe their sound and I couldn’t agree more.

The var.EP is available now via ShoreDive Records on Bandcamp or via Metrosideros own Bandcamp page.

The Stargazer Lilies – Purple Sunshine

Some bands create their own worlds. Caverns of sound where you wander aimlessly for hours in ecstatic joy, happy to be lost in their company. The Stargazer Lilies are that band for me. Their last full-length release Occabot redefined how I view dreampop with its multi-dimensional approach to song writing.

After releasing a recording of their stunning live performance at the Sherman Theatre in the bands home state of Pennsylvania, they return with a new single ‘Purple Sunshine’.

This track continues the heady, psychedelic vibe of tracks like ‘Magenta Sunrise’ and ‘Living Work of Art’. Whilst Jon Cep’s swirling guitars and the phased drums are leading us on this trip, Kim Field is singing the sweetest sixties baroque pop song. It makes me think of bands like The Association and The Turtles. It’s that juxtaposition that lends this track the magic to transport you away.

I can only hope that this is a taste of things to come and a new Stargazer Lilies album isn’t far away.

‘Purple Sunshine’ is available to buy now from Bandcamp. Keep a close eye on the band’s website for news of further releases.

Geography Of The Moon – Fake Flowers Never Die

This is a long overdue blog. I have been listening to this album almost daily since it flew into my orbit and I have been slowly formulating my plans to write a blog about it. Well no more waiting, here it is!

Fake Flowers Never Die is the sophomore album from Glasgow based duo Geography of the Moon. 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. After touring for several years, they moved back to Glasgow where Andrea’s family is originally from. Largely influenced by bands from the 80s and the 90s, somewhere between psych rock, post punk, new wave and indie rock, they create their own brand of mashed up styles: Psychwave.

The album opens on the dark and brooding ‘Muse Prayer’. This is our first indication of how special this album is. Virginia’s lyrics flow like honey dripping from the flower while Andrea’s guitar sympathetically picks out a simple but powerful backing. The addition of strings makes this a strong opener and hooks the listener immediately.

Lifting the mood ‘1984’ picks the pace up with Virginia railing against suburban boredom against an urgent and insistent drumbeat. The claustrophobia and anxiety are palpable, “Every day your mind will find, all the ways to bring you down” jumps out at me among other lyrical gems.

Next up is my album highlight. The bands unique sound comes equally from Andrea’s blend of instrumentation and gloriously off kilter guitar against the sheer poetry of Virginias vocal delivery. ‘Deadbeat Poet’ displays both of these points at their absolute finest. I don’t know if it’s the simplicity of the song that appeals to me, it’s essentially two chords, or if its the reverb washed guitar against that programmed drumbeat. There’s a kinship to the band DEHD in this track. See what you think.

‘Ikaria’ is the band longing for the sun on their skin. Living in Scotland can have that effect on you. There is a nice trade off between the lustful, yearning of the verses and the on the nose, matter of fact delivery of the chorus. There’s a lot to identify with here.

‘Moonlight Tan’ entices us to “get together, there is a light on”. Andrea plays a blinder here building an ever more urgent backing for Virginia to weave her tapestry of words on. I love how the two guitar parts and drums play off each other on this track.

A theme continues to develop on ‘Fleeing Lights’. Illumination and avoidance of the darkness is picked up again in this song. The lyrics sound like they are about someone being gaslighted with a backing inspired by Joy Division.

‘3 Years 2 Days’ throws us a curveball with its 80’s synth groove. This is a stunning song and almost pipped ‘Deadbeat Poet’ for my album highlight. I love the space given to the vocals and the massive sound when the song really kicks in.

Andrea is channelling his inner Arthur Lee on ‘Insomnia’. The rhythm sounds like the intro to ‘My Little Red Book’ but warped into something else, something more. Virginia takes the opportunity to play about with her delivery. Much more playful and syncopated which really suits the song.

The album closer, ‘Wolves’ is a lament on our inner demons. The atmospheric guitars mimic a howling wolf at one point which for me is just brilliant. The minimalistic approach to this track just cements its impact and drives home the feeling of anxiety and longing for a way out.

Geography Of The Moon have crafted a cohesive collection of songs that scream out ‘this is who we are’. Everything is left in the grooves for you to bear witness to, no punches are pulled. This kind of lyrical honesty is the hallmark of a great lyricist and there is no doubt in my mind that Virginia Bones is an outstanding writer and poet. The musicianship on show is staggering, it’s hypnotic, jarring, thrilling and soothing all at the same time. That’s no mean feat. Andrea has been so thoughtful with his arrangements. All the songs have room to breathe and to be what they all need to be individually. That is the mark of a great musician.

Come the end of year I am positive we will be seeing this album riding high in a lot of end of year lists.

Fake Flowers Never Die is out now on TeenFreaks Music on vinyl and download on Bandcamp and in your favourite indie record shops.

Dead Rituals – When The Lights Are Out

Released in November last year the second EP from Italian dream pop / shoegaze project Dead Rituals spawned one of my favourite tracks of the winter.

Singer-songwriter Andrea Caccese created a world in a song. Beautifully picked acoustic guitar plays over a subtle synth and programmed drums. His hushed vocal seals the deal, drawing us in to this eerie and atmospheric piece.

Whilst Dead Rituals have managed to stay quite busy during these crazy times, releasing two EP’s and a handful of singles. What’s been missing, is some live music. The band have now shared an intimate acoustic take on this single. Recorded in a big stairwell in an old Brooklyn loft, the track features a lush natural reverb which lends itself to the soothing atmosphere of the piece.

To hear the original version and all their other music head on over to Dead Rituals Bandcamp page. Meanwhile enjoy the acoustic version here.

La Club Royale – Rise Up

By Jo Smith.

For their debut single, ‘Rise Up’ by La Club Royale is an accomplishment, one that they should be proud of. It showcases their unique blend of sound which should be welcomed and highly anticipated by the music scene in Scotland. The song shows originality and talent, giving the duo a promising start to their career.

La Club Royale consists of Connor Adam and Lyle Kennedy. Emerging from Ayrshire in the West of Scotland, they formed their band towards the end of 2020 and are perhaps one of the only good things to come of that woeful year. Starting as they mean to go on, the pair have chosen ‘Rise Up’ to make a first impression.

The song itself is a perfect marriage of genres, combining iconic features of ‘80s music with those of the modern indie scene. The beginning of a bassline guides listeners from a smooth, atmospheric introduction into a synth riff that would be well suited in the playlist of any John Hughes film. The decade is kept alive as the synths fade into the background during verses and return with full force after each chorus via punchy vocals that have to be compared to the iconic Simple Minds opening, which would have almost certainly triggered the classic shoulder-shuffle on many an ‘80s dancefloor.

Lyle’s unique voice reinforces the genre hybridity of the song whilst simultaneously propelling it around 40 years into the future, bringing to mind a combination of Marc Almond and Alex Turner. An agile voice modernises the song and shows the band’s enthusiasm for indie music; he harbours the vocal quality of Almond and the attitude of Turner, which creates a distinctive, intriguing sound.

A simple but nonetheless effective composition shows influence from bands such as New Order and The Naked and Famous. It creates an earworm which will have listeners nodding along to the beat and humming the chorus for quite some time after hearing the song. The stylistic opening creates an otherworldly atmosphere, with the smooth electronic phasing sounds conjuring a dream-like ambience that would send an infectious shiver down the spines of a room full of people. Once this is combined with the lyrics and main melody, the song becomes emotionally provoking; it is inspirational, fun and carries with it that youthful recklessness which always accompanies falling in love.

The song creates a real sense of yearning with the opening lines, “I want nothing more than to see you”, capturing a transcendent, desperate moment which the singer wishes would “last forever”, even at the expense of his “mind, body and soul”. The chorus generates the image of a powerful, influential figure who is reinforced in the second verse which features lyrics about ‘angel wings’ and things that cannot be explained. The story of this song allows its listeners to indulge in the exact sense of escape that is suggested by the lyrics, and cleverly guides their mind and ears to a place of solace and hope: something that is much needed in today’s climate.

Having already gathered attention from industry professionals and being featured on BBC Introducing, which has previously brought fame to major artists such as Ed Sheeran and Catfish and the Bottlemen, the track seems to indicate a bright future for La Club Royale. They are already working on new material and collaborations with other artists; if these retain the band’s individual and compelling sound, the duo shouldn’t face much of a challenge in making a name for themselves.

‘Rise Up’ will be released on Friday 5th March via all online digital platforms. You can pre save the single here.

Photos – @michealma98

Tren Go! Sound System / Ornamental – Assessment

Since 2021 arrived I have been patiently waiting for word on the first release of the year from Dirty Filthy Records. After a stellar set of releases in 2020 I was a bit worried they may have peaked in quality. Thankfully, I needn’t have worried.

For their first release of the year Dirty Filthy Records have teamed up with German label Pink Tank Records to release Assessment by Tren Go! Sound System and Ornamental.

Pedro Pestana (Tren Go! Sound System) and Sidney Yendis (Ornamental) join forces to take us on a trip into another dimension.

Tren Go! Sound System is a guitar, loop and effects driven one-man-band. You may know Pestana from 10 000 Russos and Talea Jacta. Yendis has been producing and performing electronic music under his alter ego ′′ Ornamental ′′ since 2013. He is also a member of the psychedelic rock band Burn Pilot.

Assessment kicks of with the title track. All glitchy electronica erupts into a pounding surf rock sonic assault. Instead of visions of Hawaii Five O this song is firmly set in space. I imagine the silver surfer travelling at breakneck speed from galaxy to galaxy. The drums and bass anchor the song whilst the guitar riffs soar. What a start!

Next up is ‘Meio Com Meio Sem’ which Google Translate reliably informs me is Portuguese for ‘Half with Half Without’. After the adrenaline fuelled rush of the opener we are now drifting through the cosmos. This has a real K7 or Compost vibe to it as well as being out there psyche. Its like Kruder and Dorfmeister suddenly discovered a fuzz pedal. Utterly enthralling and chilled to the max.

‘Tuarengue Fever’ further subverts our expectations with tribal drums and a very African vibe. The bass and guitar mirror each other and then split off to build and create their own worlds within the structure the drums provide. Its hypnotic, eerie and further proof that this band are no one trick ponies.

The album closes with some good old fashioned space rock. ‘Space Race (Breaking the Atmosphere)’. This is my favourite track on here and it delivers in spades. It takes all the rhythms and textures from across the album and repurposes them. I particularly enjoyed the trilling guitars at the five-minute mark. Just beautiful and they evoke the moment of entering space perfectly.

Assessment is such a satisfying listen. It never sits around mimicking the previous song. Instead, it constantly explores and evolves as it goes. This is essential listening and a lesson on how to engage a listener and take them on a journey.

Assessment will be released on cream opaque coloured vinyl on 12th March 2021 via Dirty Filthy Records webstore and the Pink Tank Records webstore.

Hadda Be – Another Life

Regular readers will know I have a particular soft spot for the amazing Last Night From Glasgow label. Every year they shine a spotlight on some really amazing talent. One such act that blew my mind was Brighton’s Foundlings. Their self-titled 2019 EP is still a regular spin in my house.

They return to us anew in 2021 ready to release their debut album on an unsuspecting world. They have also decided to rename the band for this next stage in their journey. So was born Hadda Be.

Ahead of the album release we have been gifted a sneak peek through the release of the single ‘Another Life’. Angular indie rock at its finest it’s accompanied with a video filmed at each of the band members’ homes.

This is music designed for a big stage. I can see Hadda Be being the must-see band at future festivals. This song is built for the mosh pit. If this is any indicator then we are in for a treat with the upcoming release of their album also entitled Another Life.

If high energy, guitar driven indie pop is your thing. If you like a killer chorus then you Hadda Be checking this band out.

Another Life will be released by Last Night From Glasgow on 30th April 2021. Pre orders are now available from the label’s webstore.

Strata Florida – Achilles

The record label 4AD has sound tracked most of my life. From bands such as Pixies, Cocteau Twins and Lush I learned there was so much more to music than the dross in the Top 10. It was from this stable that Swallow emerged releasing their landmark album Blow to wide critical acclaim in 1992. I played that album until it wore out my CD player.

Louise Trehy was once half of Swallow. After two exceptional albums together, Swallow broke up in 1994. Trehy walked away from music and left London for a self-sufficient life in rural Wales.

She returned to music after 20 years after meeting Peter Pavli (High Tide, Robert Calvert, Third Ear Band, Annette Peacock) at their local choir. They started to work together and over the next few years released two stunning albums.

In 2019 Mike Mason, the other half of Swallow, and Louise were in contact to sort out publishing permissions for a Swallow sample to be used by The Avalanches for a song to appear on their 2020 album We Will Always Love You. The song never appeared on that album but the relationship between Mike and Louise that had ended back in 1994 was mended.

Mike recorded and produced Strata Florida’s new music at his studio in mid-Wales, and also contributed by playing keyboards and programming the drums.

The two tracks from those sessions are now out in the form of ‘Achilles’ and ‘Ghost’.

‘Achilles’ is a song based around that signature gaze bass sound we all know and love. Louise sings of times ancient and forgotten. Hearing that voice again. Hearing that voice in this song. It’s really very special indeed. The song ebbs and flows and builds to a really satisfying finish. If you aren’t reaching for the play button to listen again, I’ll eat my jumper.

Much like ‘Achilles’ the second track ‘Ghost’ centres around the dancing bassline conjured by Pavli. There something comforting and familiar in his playing style which immediately made me warm to the track. That only compounds when Trehy’s trademark breathy vocals kick in. Love lost and the aftermath is the theme here but, all in all, the feeling you are left with is one of euphoria.

These tracks are available now on the groups Bandcamp in digital format as well as a now sold out, limited-edition box art cassette created by Louise herself.

Dreamback – After Before

I’m a huge post rock fan and find myself wallowing in fifteen-minute-long instrumental tracks and loving every minute. What I really enjoy though is when post rock merges with other genres to create something new and exciting. This is exactly what the debut EP from Staffordshire-based producer/musician Jamie Duddy has achieved with his musical project Dreamback.

Drawing on influences including My Bloody Valentine, Ride, Slowdive, Japanese Breakfast and Tame Impala; Dreamback combines lush, dreamy reverberation, fuzzy distortion and shimmering acoustic guitar to create layered soundscapes. Jamie has been sound tracking his dreams since August 2020 then self-releasing the After Before EP in October 2020.

The EP opens on ‘Before’ a wonderfully light song. It floats along on a picked acoustic theme, echoing Nick Drake in parts. In other parts you feel like you are listening to a lost Massive Attack song. A confident and assured way to open any EP.

‘Daze again utilises that acoustic base to build from. This time however Jamie strikes a marked contrast with a fuzzed-out guitar playing a wonderful glide part. Definitely drawing on his inner Kevin Shields. This song showcases Jamie’s understanding of dynamics and scale in a song. Superb.

After the pair of large open sounding songs, we have just heard, ‘Pressure’ turns the whole EP on a penny. We are now in a claustrophobic, eerie sounding place. Everything sounds distant from the drums to the main guitar line. I loved losing myself in this track.

The EP closes on the aptly titled ‘After’. There is something very final, something that’s says ‘this is the end’ about ‘After’. The layered guitar parts that escalate in the verse sections to the steady and sure-footed drums it’s a beautiful conclusion to this EP.

This is a stunning debut and I cannot wait to hear the upcoming album scheduled for release in Spring this year.

After Before is available now via the Dreamback Bandcamp page.

Last Tourist – Public Service

I have to admit to being a sucker for a cool seven inch single. There’s something about the format that makes the listening experience that bit more personal and immediate. I was absolutely buzzing when I received my copy of Public Service from Leeds based outfit Last Tourist.

Last Tourist conjures the sound of creeping down dark corridors and wandering through deserted spaces, all set to a moody and rhythmic danceable beat.

Drawing firmly from post-punk ideals, this darkwave, shoegaze, synth-infused four piece formed in 2017 and now feature John Wellby (guitar, vocals, programming) and Adam Simpson (synths, programming, backing vocals), Jason Booth (bass guitar, bass synth) and Andrea Parra (drums, backing vocals).

They cite influences by such as Joy Division, Interpol, Suicide, Diiv and The Jesus & Mary Chain.

.This first single is a double A side seven inch featuring the tracks “Public Service / Are We Just Algorithms?” and was released back in November last year.

“Public Service” is a darkly glorious synthwave meets shoegaze blend. Shimmering synths fight with 10-foot-tall guitars for your attention. Powerful bass lines, entwined with moody vocals and rhythmic danceable drums complete this heady concoction.

‘”Are We Just Algorithms?” has all the swagger of early Gary Numan but instead of that cold, robotic feel his work has, here, there is a human heart. The line “at least we’re still alive” has that hopeful counter to the title. The song is driven by the bass and drums sitting beneath wailing guitars and a catchy synth hook.

The single features a hidden track, consisting of an original Commodore 64 BASIC program written by Last Tourist, to accompany the single “Are We Just Algorithms?” A copy of this program file is hidden within the vinyl and cassette versions. Each record also contains a private QR code linking to a demonstration video.

The single is available to buy now, on vinyl or digital, from Bandcamp.