Allusondrugs New Single ‘I Should Have Gone To Uni’

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Frostie

Following airplay from Radio 1, Xfm, Kerrang and play listings across the UK, Europe and America, an appearance at Reading & Leeds Festival this summer and a September UK headline run that was immediately followed by an October tour with Marmozets & Lonely The Brave, West Yorkshire’s Allusondrugs hammer home the release of their self-titled EP with a brand new track and video.

‘I Should Have Gone To Uni’ is a stomping, retro-fuelled grunge single inspired by the anxiety of growing up and moving on that will be airing on Kerrang! Radio, Kerrang! Television and with the Kerrang! website as part of their new Fresh Blood feature. The track is available as a free download from SoundCloud.

Never ones to shy away from a spot of hard work, the band recorded and mixed the single themselves – as well as producing, filming and editing the video too – entirely under their own steam in just two days on a break between their hectic touring schedule… a touring schedule that sees the band hit the road again in December, continuing an unwavering march on the UK live circuit, this time with another headline tour taking along Lyger, Forever Cult and Prom for the journey too.

“This song was written about 3 years ago while i was at a particularly low point” explains guitarist and songwriter Damo Hughes “I was watching all the people I used to know starting up families, moving towards higher education and going on to do great things while I wasn’t really doing anything with my life. It’s basically about being depressed and feeling like you’ve done all the wrong things and don’t really have a place in the world. Musically I think the song is fairly upbeat though, I’ve always really liked the juxtaposition of dark, depressing lyrics over optimistic sounding music.”

The five self-confessed fuzz-junkies from Castleford, West Yorkshire formed in the autumn of 2012 and their unique sound and DIY approach to releasing music (online as-and-when they like, sometimes before it’s even finished… streaming practices live on the web… hosting debauched release parties), coupled with growing praise for their explosive live shows, has seen them building a rabidly loyal following locally and beyond.

Allusondrug’s remaining live shows for 2014:

OCTOBER 2014 (w/ Lonely The Brave & Marmozets)
THURSDAY 9 SOUTHAMPTON TALKING HEADS
FRIDAY 10 LONDON SCALA *SOLD OUT*
SATURDAY 11 NOTTINGHAM ROCK CITY BASEMENT *SOLD OUT*
MONDAY 13 SHEFFIELD CORPORATION
TUESDAY 14 NEWCASTLE O2 ACADEMY 2
WEDNESDAY 15 BIRMINGHAM O2 ACADEMY 3 *SOLD OUT*
THURSDAY 16 NORWICH OPEN

NOVEMBER 2014 (headline tour w/ Lyger + Forever Cult + Prom)
TUESDAY 25 MANCHESTER SOUND CONTROL
WEDNESDAY 26 GLASGOW 13th NOTE
SATURDAY 29 LEEDS THE WARDBROBE
SUNDAY 30 STOKE THE UNDERGROUND

DECEMBER 2014 (headline tour cont.)
MONDAY 01 NORWISH EPIC STUDIOS
WEDNESDAY 03 LONDON BLACK HEART
THURSDAY 04 TUNBRIDGE WELLS FORUM
FRIDAY 05 CARDIFF CLWB IFOR BACH

Allusondrugs are:
Jason Moules (Vocals)
Drey Pavlovic (Guitar)
Damo Hughes (Guitar/Vocals/Effects)
Jemal Malki (Bass)
Connor Fisher-Atack (Drums)

Music Cube at Westfield

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Sarah Bacchus

Music Cube at Westfield was an amazing event and is set to change the way we all experience live music. Bands and music artists performing live in a clear soundproof glass cube with LED lights, sub woofers built into the flooring so you not only can see, hear but feel the performance. Listening to this via state of the art Sennheiser headphones! Now we where invited and you can experience this thought the medium I know best!….Pictures!

We drank cocktails and Champagne and ate delightful canapés

Kiss FMs DJ Melvyn Francis was there creating a fantastic atmosphere.

The most incredible band called Canvas Wall supported Professor Green. They are simply brilliant and we loved their set. We are hopping to cover more from them soon. So keep your eyes on my articles and pictures.

Then it was time for Processor Green to take to the stage and the entire place silently erupted. The oddest part of the evening was as soon as you took off the headphones it felt like an ordinary shopping centre. People gassed down on all these loonies dancing about with not a single note to be heard! Utterly brilliant and we loved every minute!!!

Green rocked and performed not only the 2 scheduled songs he was meant to perform but 5 tracks live in cube. He loved it that much!

Now you guys can experience this for yourself Westfield Stratford City from 31 October until 2 November. Head over to the website to see the lineup.

Steepletone 1960’s Vinyl Record Player | Cool Things

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Frostie

Technology may be amazing these days but that doesn’t stop people loving a bit of retro: vinyl sales are set to top one million this year.

We thought this Steepletone 1960’s Vinyl Record Player was a great nod to the retro. It looks great, has detachable speakers, in-built technology and can play various sized records.

All for the awesome price of £79.95 from www.prezzybox.com

Cheryl Fernandez-Versini in Heidi Klein

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Frostie

British artist Cheryl Fernandez-Versini (formerly Cheryl Cole) is wearing Heidi Klein in her new music video ‘I Don’t Care’. Looking effortlessly chic, Cheryl danced playfully on the Malaga beach in Spain for the video wearing the cornflower blue Saint Maxime bikini top under a baggy beige sweater. The Saint Maxime range comes in a variety of styles including the bandeau, halter and adjustable tops with a variety of bottoms to mix and match.

Available via www.heidiklein.com

Boy + Kite Are Back With Blueprint | Music News

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Frostie

Boy + Kite has opened up for acts such as Ume, An Horse, Quiet Company and The Toadies, as well as played at SXSW 2012 and the Center of the Universe Festival in Toronto, CA while hitting the Top 10 Charts on KUT 90.5 in Austin, TX. 2013’s We Can Go Anywhere I Want EP, which was recorded by Nada Surf’s Louie Lino at Resonate Studios, expanded on the bands knack for lo-fi ghost-pop. Their sound also landed them kudos from My Old Kentucky Blog, furthering their momentum as an emerging band…

Then, in December 2013, Darvin Jones suffered a traumatic head injury and spent a considerable amount of time hospitalized in critical condition with his synapsis in both ears broke and the left and right hemispheres of his brain severed as well as a fractured skull. Jones wasn’t sure he would ever play music again and the adversity only made Jones’ desire to play music stronger.

After a miraculous recovery, Boy + Kite was ready to fly again.

The newest three singles, collectively referred to as Blueprint, were a brutal and euphoric release for Jones and company, now consisting of Jones, Puorro, Giuseppe Ponti and Marc Henry. The songs were crafted in their practice space, which sits inside a massive film equipment warehouse, and were then taken to Public Hi-fi Studios in Austin (owned and operated by Jim Eno from Spoon) where tracking commenced. The resulting singles, “Either Way”, “Turned Sideways” and “Touching the Sun” showcase the most balanced work of Boy + Kites career.

The Art of Amputation: Distorted Pop Song | Music News

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Frostie

Ruby Music
17 November 2014
The Art of Amputation are an alternative five-piece from London who combine soaring melodies with experimental sounds and big fuzzy guitars to create soundscapes they claim will “hold your hand in dark times.”

The band consists of Freddy de Lord (Keyboards, Vocals and Saxophone), Hugh Fox (Drums, Drum-Loops/Programming and Percussion), Allan Harrod (Vocals, Guitar and Keyboards), Mark Hyden (Guitars and Vocals) and newly added member Tim Harrod (Vocals and Percussion).

The Art of Amputation began when Hugh and Allan got together as a duo after the break up of a previous band. The pair started writing and rehearsing together as a simple keys/guitar and a drummer outfit. Together they wrote and recorded most of their first EP, though it soon became clear that they needed to find an additional guitarist to attain the sound they wanted. Mark was recruited and the trio began rehearsing and writing based on a shared appreciation of an eclectic range of artists like Weezer, Pixies, The Beatles and Bowie. Time in the studio triggered an influx of ideas and the band needed another member in order to realise them. Freddy joined in a formative period for The Art of Amputation. Each member’s individual styles began to compliment the others and the result was the creation of some impressive and polished tracks.

Allan’s keen ear for melody has been the main catalyst for the creation of each of the band’ compositions with other members working together until the song as a whole falls into place. The bands last writing tool is always the studio. They have big ideas and working with producer Steve Honest in Hackney Road Studios has ensured the creative process progresses seamlessly. Allan’s brother Tim recently completed the band’s line up, joining The Art of Amputation on vocals and percussion for their live shows.

Their new single ‘Distorted Pop Song’ is a stunning and intricately layered composition that channels the influences of The Flaming Lips and The Big Pink with its infectious, uplifting melody climaxing in a Spector-esque Wall of Sound.

Gigs:
17th October – Headline show at Camden Barfly

Kiev Remixes – New Album From Ummagma

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Frostie

Formed in Moscow in 2003, Canadian Shauna McLarnon and Ukrainian Alexx Kretov have been consistently writing and recording music whilst living between Ukraine and Canada. Shauna’s delicate airy gossamer-like vocals hold glimmers of Cocteau Twins, Stereolab, The Sundays, Curve, Lush, and Slowdive. Alexx’s guitar, vocals, synths, beats and programming create cinematic soundscapes with elements of Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Bill Nelson and Brian Eno, enabling the listener soar above the music.

Ummagma debuted with 2 simultaneous LPs (‘Antigravity’ and ‘Ummagma’) in 2012. They’ve built on the success of those records by collaborating with Moscow’s Sounds of Sputnik on their ‘New Born’ LP, which will be released by UK label Ear to Ear Records on November 21st 2014.

In 2013, Ummagma won the Alternative Eurovision, hosted by Amazing Radio, from 21 countries and repeated the feat in 2014 on Pure FM. They received 2 awards at the 2013 Australian Independent Music Video Awards, often feature in The Scottish New Music Chart, and landed a full-spread feature in Rolling Stone Russia. Ummagma has also caught the attention of Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) and Malcolm Holmes (OMD), who have remixed tracks for forthcoming release.

Despite heavy turmoil in Ukraine, Ummagma are showing a solid footing, looking forward to a brighter future for Eastern Europe. In ‘Kiev’, this Canadian-Ukrainian team celebrates their freedoms, exploring the root of today’s problems to create beauty in the face of hostility.

‘Kiev’ is the capital of Ukraine and the epicenter of massive civil unrest this year, but with this release of the same name, Ummagma rise above the decay and mayhem encountered in that country to embrace diversity and beauty, while taking their music in new directions. ‘Kiev’ is a essentially message of hope.

This release is an impressive package featuring the original track ‘Kiev’ plus 9 remixes from 9 fantastic artists from nearly as many countries, celebrating the splendor of the original composition in their own unique styles.

Auxiliary tha Masterfader transforms the duo’s work into an Italoesque electro-disco-pop gem. A Copycat’s handclap-dream-pop version is tender as a peach skin with a retro summer groove factor. Statickman’s synths shoot like laser guns into the retro-synth future. A Copy For Collapse goes for a more experimental, industrial approach, while David Garcet’s trippy chillwave edit brings downtempo bliss. Mikael Fas dishes up a beautiful trance-imbued deep house version. Celebrated Japanese chillwave artist Haioka takes everything to the next level with sounds reminiscent of an angelic playground. Sounds of Sputnik presents a stripped-down 90s indie version laced with synth-guitar harmony. Brazilian electro-child Mind Movies delivers a fragmented, dubby and loud breakbeat adaptation that probably comes closest to the actual state of mankind if we could listen to its rhythm.

The outcome shows that what is the end for one person may be the start for another. Even more important, it shows that beauty can blossom even in the midst of ugliness.

Emerald & Doreen Recordings is a German boutique record label for futuristic indie, chill & dance music, curated by dedicated audiophile music makers and lovers who pride themselves on selecting the most exciting original material they can find, engaging the services of the most innovative remixers. Emerald & Doreen Recordings released Ummagma’s ‘Rotation/Live and Let Die’ single in December 2013, followed by the ‘Lama’ extended EP in late May 2014.

RIYL: Stereolab, Curve, Cocteau Twins, Broadcast, Everything But The Girl, Dubstar

Released 31 October 2014

The Society Islands, The Big Sleep | Music News

Posted on October 9, 2014 by Frostie

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.

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.

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