Pain Gain, a new collaborative project featuring Chloe Kaul (Kllo), Hamish Lefevre (SWIM), and Samuel Cooke (CRUSH3d), have today shared their debut single ‘Turning Point’, released via Play It Again Sam. The icy offering brings a gentle introduction to the trio, with celestial synths accompanying shimmering vocals that drift over its spacious, open beat. The band explain: “‘Turning Point’ is about facing a moment where everything shifts. For us it was a discovery of a new way of working, a new sound and a new feeling. When we first made this song, the three of us listened to it for hours and hours on repeat. We always knew we wanted it to be our first offering to the world.” Take a listen below.
Having cut their teeth on London's underground live circuit, all without releasing a song, the band - comprised of producer Lev Ceylan,
vocalist Will Rowland and drummer Scott MacDonald have today finally stepped out from their shadows with news of their debut body of work. Signed to Ninja Tune, the trio will share their EP, All At Once on June 14th, and today unveil its first double single, 'Himmel' / 'Swarm' - a mystifying ambient effort that breaks away in to a frenzied climax. “I like that it can't be pigeonholed,” says Lev Ceylan, speaking of the forthcoming EP. “We really do love plot twists – where it just explodes into something completely different.” "That song encapsulates the two sides of the sound we have quite well," adds Rowland about the single. "Having the more ethereal, dreamy vocals but with that undercurrent of the low rumblings. It's kind of like heaven and hell." Take a listen for yourselves below.
TOUR DATES
May 12th | Leeds, UK - In Colour Festival
May 16th | Brighton, UK - The Great Escape
May 24th | London, UK - Oslo Hackney (Dot 2 Dot Festival Pre-Party)
May 25th | Bristol, UK - Dot 2 Dot Festival
May 26th | Nottingham, UK - Dot 2 Dot Festival
June 15th | Ipswich, UK - Brighten The Corners Festival
July 19th | Nijmegen, NL - Valkhof Festival
July 26th | Suffolk, UK - Latitude Festival
July 27th | Oxford, UK - Truck Festival
July 27th | London, UK - Strange Overtones Festival
August 16th | Winterthurer, CH - Winterthurer Musikfestwochen * August 30th | Brighton, UK - Brighton Psych Festival August 31st | Manchester, UK - Manchester Psych Festival
September 1st | Dorset, UK - End of The Road Festival
September 19th | Edinburgh, UK - Cave Wave at the Caves **
September 21st | Birkenhead, UK - Future Wave at Future Yard **
September 28th | Sheffield, UK - Float Along Festival
October 17th | Rotterdam, NL - Left of The Dial Festival
November 1st | Brussels, BE - Les Nuits Weekender
For anyone needing a break, or longing for a mental re-set, I urge you to play the below and take back almost 9 minutes of pure bliss. Returning with news of his latest album, 'Music For Psychedelic Therapy', out November 12th (digitally/CD) and February 11th (LP) on Domino, today sees Jon Hopkins unveil the record's closing track, “Sit Around The Fire”. “‘Sit Around The Fire’ exists from one of the deep synchronicities that ushered this thing (Music For Psychedelic Therapy) into being,” comments Hopkins. “I was contacted by East Forest, who had spent some time with Ram Dass in Hawaii before he passed. He was given access to several lesser-heard talks from the 70s, and asked to set them to music. He sent me some starting points, including the beautiful choral vocals he recorded which open the piece. I put my headphones on and with Ram Dass’ voice inside my head, I sat at the piano and improvised. What you hear is the first thing that came out - it just appeared in response to the words.” Take a listen to the stunning art form below acompanied by its video, made by Tom Readdy and Lucy Dawkins at Yes Please using animated imagery from the pages of Ram Dass’ iconic book Be Here Now, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
Taken from a new forthcoming three-track EP, British Columbian artist Teen Daze (Jamison Isaak) has today unveiled his stunning, ambient new single Glacial Lake. Instigating a calming serenity through its opening notes, the track's soothing synth pad textures and glistening tones creating a warming peaceful harmony as he looks to offer solace in these unpredictable times. On the EP, Isaak says: "This last year has been so difficult for so many people, and creating this music has been such an important way for me to process. Hopefully, these sounds can provide some calm for you as well." Take a listen for yourselves below. The new EP 'Breathing Tides' will be released February 19th, 2021.
For anyone like myself that's had another long, never ending mundane day in the office, Matt Kivel's l.a. coliseum is that warm reassuring hug waiting for you at the end of your shift. It's that cathartic release of any pent up anger or despair that's been rattling around inside your head. A perfectly composed and utterly desirable composition. "In Austin, I started to enjoy a much slower pace of life" Matt explains. "Walking from my house every morning through my neighbourhood, past the creek, under the live oak trees, I could sort of still my mind in a way that I had never been able to before. I started putting together a record that was a reflection of that state of mind— something very calm and still". Take a listen to l.a. coliseum for yourselves below, lifted from his upcoming album 'Last Night in America', out May 10, 2019 on Cascine.
With its fitting title, Jakob Ahlbom's new single delivers an uplifting outlook to the months ahead. Released at the start of April, the Swedish pianist/producer has unveiled a gorgeous composition that's inspired by the transition of winter in to spring in his homeland. It's recurring melody and swooning synth pad textures are more than enough to hook me in to relaxation, its ethereal beauty adding to the experience. Take a listen for yourselves below.
Esben Møller and Michael Jakobsen make "Music for your melancholic morning party". Words are far and few between online. Their latest video has just 39 plays at the time of writing. But it's music in its purest form, and maybe that's the beauty of it. The romanticism of not knowing. That honeymoon phase of discovery. With a world of music out there, and every badly worded press release to go with it, our judgement's often clouded, yet when we let the music talk a whole new concept unfolds of connectivity and emotion. It's these two that go hand in hand with Spacey Kevin's luscious atmospherics as the duo craft wide screen cinematic landscapes. Take a listen to their latest single Lonely Tears for yourselves below. Hopefully there'll be plenty more music to come from the Danish pair.
When I saw that I had a new Ry X track sitting in my inbox, I opened this post ready to write without having to hear a single note. There's not that many artists around that can install such confidence but Australia's Ry Cumming is definitely one of the rarities. Returning with his latest single 'Love LikeThis', engulfed with the kind of earnest beauty we've already fallen for in previous tracks, we get a much more composed offering of his haunting array of simplistic arrangements. With its stringed section softly rising adding an airy warmth its the loosely strummed guitar and fragility in Ry's vocals that bring with them the emotional tautness that we've become accustomed to. If you're looking for a little escapism in your life, be sure to hit play above.
No stranger to gracing the pages here, Mmoths returns in fine style with his spectacular new single, Santo. Swamped in ambient noise it's definitely one of his deepest releases to date as your thoughts become lost amongst its swirling synth pad textures and haunting vocal arrangements. Simplistic and minimal, yet managing to hold a complexed nature as you're drawn deeper and deeper in to its transfixing spell, Santo castslight in to the brash unknown. Take a listen above. The Irish wonderkid is said to be releasing his long awaited LP later this year, and judging by this, it'll be more than worth the wait!
Piercing the deferential silencethroughhis woeful croons, LA via Australia resident RY X returns with a mournful and solemn offering in his latest track Sweat. Whilst labelled a demo it feels anything but as we're thrown full force in to an ember flickering furnace of emotive pain. With its slow burning finger picked guitar strings building in to a subtle crescendo Ry Cuming delivers one of the most gorgeous compositions I've laid my ears on in recent times. Take a listen avove for yourselves and improve your day by tenfold. Live Dates 04 JUL 2014 Blissfields, UK 10 JUL 2014 Zeltival, GERMANY 11 JUL 2014 Phono Pop Festival, GERMANY 12 JUL 2014 Open Source Festival, GERMANY 13 JUL 2014 Feel Festival, GERMANY 15 JUL 2014 Montreux Jazz Festival, SWITZERLAND 19 JUL 2014 Latitude Festival, UK 26 JUL 2014 Splendour in the Grass, AUSTRALIA 08 AUG 2014 Haldern Pop, GERMANY 09 AUG 2014 Way Out West, SWEDEN 15 AUG 2014 Dockville Festival, GERMANY 17 AUG 2014 Green Man Festival, UK
It's been a good 5 months since we last posted any Hilang Child on the blog with a premiere of his single Rhossili; a brooding and heartfelt composition drenched in a ghostly charm through echoing space and striking piano keys. Unknown if he took inspiration from the actual place name but its mimicking nature acted as the perfect soundtrack to its serene natural beauty. Here Ed Riman returns with another dazzling effort as his sound resorts to its roots with the soft and fluttering intro breaking in to a tessellation of twinkling piano notes and sullen percussion. The Garth Waterman is the first taste of what's to come from his forthcoming EP of the same name. Take a listen to it above now.
It's scary how much we rely on the Internet nowadays. With BT running amok here the past few weeks it's felt like my life's been at a standstill. No YouTube. No social media. Nothing. Having waited 10 minutes for my email inbox to finally load on its dodgy connection I was excited to see a new track by our favourites Aquilo. Not so excited by the prospect of having to wait nearly 30 minutes for it to load, although something I can confirm was most certainly worth sticking around for. Returning with another track from their forthcoming EP the Silverdale duo manage to once more capture their picturesque surroundings in stunning detail as they blend ambient electronics with luscious vocal harmonies. More synth heavy than their previous effort Part Of Your Life shows a newer diverse side to Ben and Tom, something we can only look forward to hearing more of from their EP. You can Pre-Order it now here.
Following on from the stream of their exquisite single You ThereAquilo return with a brand new video to coincide with its release. If the music didn't already speak volumes then the true beauty within the duo's delicate compositions becomes even more personified in the clip as vast landscapes and forestry retreats, shot in beautiful colour, bring the picturesque and quite often lonely sounds to life. Have a watch below. The debut self titled EP will be released April 7th 2014.
From the opening few notes of his debut track VapourI instantly knew Vancouver Sleep Clinic was going to be something truly incredible. Each time a track hits the surface and floats in to the blogosphere this only becomes more and more reinforced as Tim Bettinson returns once more with Flaws, taken from his forthcoming debut EP entitled 'Winter'. Through a refined use of space and crystallised soundscapes Bettinson manages to once more stop time in its path as his anguished falsetto cries rain down over skippy percussion and ambient synths. This is more than just music though. This is art in its purest form. Having already supported the likes of Daughter and London Grammar the continued rise for Vancouver Sleep Clinic has been nothing short of mesmeric with the band forming little under 12 months ago. Especially so when Bettinson recalls writing recent track Collapse in the back of his maths book a few months previous.
Have a listen to Flaws above. You can Pre-Order the EP here and recieve Collapse as an instant download.
Having re-written this post 3 times says it all really as nothing I write will ever be able to sum up the unfathomable beauty within You There. As the UK duo look set to ready their debut EP the pair return with a spacious and heart wrenching piano ballad, the perfect treat for your post-Sunday dinner. Holed up recording in their hometown of Silverdale Ben and Tom have fed off the picturesque landscape in true style as they incorporate a chasm of inspiration absorbing every ounce of emotion in the lands offering. Immerse yourself in its tranquillity above and we'll keep you posted on news of the EP.
Having teased us with their audacious ambiance for some time now Oxfordshire's Pixel Fix offer up a full stream to their forthcoming Fall EP. You can check it out above asFall and Awake are joined by two swilling instrumental tracks furthermore expanding their vast visionary. You can pick up a copy tomorrow (February 24th 2014) from iTunes here. The band will also be heading out on the road in the Spring with Young Kato. You can check the full dates below.
March 27th Thursday - London - The Garage April 22nd Tuesday - Oxford - O2 Academy April 23rd Wednesday - Cardiff - Clwb Ifor Bach April 24th Thursday - Guildford - Boiler Room April 25th Friday - Norwich - Epic Studios April 26th Saturday - Cambridge - Portland Arms April 28th Monday - Glasgow - King Tuts April 29th Tuesday - Edinburgh - Electric Circus April 30th Wednesday - Belfast - Limelight May 1st Thursday - Dublin - Academy 2 May 7th Wednesday - Bath - Moles
Pixel Fix are: Clem (guitar), Rob (drums), Marcus (vox / guitar) & Jarred (bass)
So it looks like we've been treated to the new Burial EP a week early. You can stream 3 tracks from the Rival Dealer EP below or download them from the Hyperdub webstore here.
As the bitter cold winds of winter finally set in Hilang Child goes all out creating his fiery heart-melting warmth once more. As the release date draws ever nearer for his debut 'First Writings' EP on November 25th Ed Riman returns with another strikingly raw and painstakingly beautiful track. As it unfolds leading you to unfathomable depths At Rhossili showcases a stark and sombre affair as Ed's crystalline vocals glisten and illuminate over the ghostly and haunting piano, encasing you in all of its sagacity.
Completely self-produced at home with the help of friends Tom Roach and Fernando Heftye it's not hard to feel the intimacy within as much of the recordings are from the realisation of images and landscapes envisioned, rather than specific emotions. With Rhossili being a place close to my heart having grown up only a stones throw away this latest release proves to be another home hitting, achingly stirring effort. Music of this quality truly needs to be treasured. You can Pre-Order the EP from iTunes here.
Hilang Child will go on to play an EP launch show at London's Sevilla Mia on 27th November.
Sometimes, just sometimes, a real gem like this comes along. Through a delicate craftsmanship of pure indulgence comes Hilang Child, the solo songwriting moniker of London musician Ed Riman. Taken from his debut EP 'First Writings' released via Third Rock Recordings (Active Child, Mt. Wolf, Sivu) on November 25th Chaturanga sees a whole ocean of noise swell and crash before you. Its silky smooth outer acting as a soothing accompaniment to its raw and heartfelt emotions. You can stream it above now.
Live dates
Wednesday 9th October Strongrooms
Monday 14th October XOYO (supporting Active Child)
Monday 21st October Servants Jazz Quarters (supporting Sivu)
Tuesday 5th November Notting Hill Arts Club
As their previous single Actors just ticks past the 150,000 plays mark Still Parade return with another earth shatteringly beautiful track. Health will make up the AA-side on their forthcoming release backed by Actors which is due out 9th September here in the UK. With plenty more folk-infused melodies bundled together they begin to demonstrate once more how something this serene and intricate can become so inextricable. Through a haze of fuzzy synths and rolling percussion comes another fantastic effort form the mysterious band. I begin to wonder if they are even human. I mean, no person can make something this special surely?
A limited edition run of Vinyl will be available in the UK from 7th October.
.jpg)
