So it’s that time of year again where I start assessing what I have listened to this year. This first mix is pretty diverse and reflects that working from home since mid-February has had an impact on my listening habits expanding far outside of this blog’s self-imposed remit. For starters, the ear crunching mix of heavy metal and electronica from Kenyan band Duma is definitely … Continue reading Records I Like Best of 2020 Part One
The wonderfully named Sissy Space Echo & The Invisible Collaborators have band members with an impressive pedigree who have performed with bands such as Pop Threat, The Manhattan Love Suicides, The Blanche Hudson Weekend and more recently Girl One And The Grease Guns. They certainly know how to name a band alright. Theremin effects are wonderfully utilised on The Day The Earth Caught Fire alongside … Continue reading Sissy Space Echo & The Invisible Collaborators – The Day The Earth Caught Fire/They’ll Fix You (They Fix Everything)
Dummy’s first EP was something of a triumph as it blended various styles together to create a telling moment. Can they keep it up on their second EP? Why of course they can! EP2, which is mostly home-recorded using freeware and a smartphone, opens with the slow-burning Thursday Morning complete with some lovely effects from buzzing, crackling wires and what sounds like a musical box … Continue reading Dummy – EP 2
The new release from Jakarta based Let’s Kiss a Secret is a split release from The Sensitive and To Die. The former has been mentioned previously on this blog and the post-punk influences found on earlier works have been replaced with a heavy Sarah Records influence. A bit of Field Mice, a bit of Another Sunny Day and a bit of The Wake. What’s not … Continue reading The Sensitive/To Die – Split
On their new work Nosher The Lemons have abandoned the mix of twee and the 1960’s inspired garage/surf sound their previous songs were known for. Nosher mixes experimental electronica (the vocals sound like early Devo) alongside side grunge and the odd heavy sounding guitar or two. And you know what? It works. Especially on the vocals from which there is escaping from as the four … Continue reading The Lemons – Nosher
The new single from New York’s Lightning Bug is a magical moment for these ears. The Onely Ones mixes dreampop, shoegaze with ambient and experimental music. They then push the boundaries out even further on The Lonely Ones which ventures deeper into ambient territory which includes some “dubby” moments alongside bursts of white noise. There is no need for me to gush any further as … Continue reading Lightning Bug – The (L)onely Ones
There are a few bands that operate outside imposed boundaries and constraints – self or otherwise. Of the top of my head, bands such as Haiku Salut, The Leaf Library and more recently Dummy fall into that group. I can now add Swedish band Hey Elbow into that mix. Late to the party as ever as the band have been going for a few years … Continue reading Hey Elbow – Nurture/Aptitude
The new track from Vancouver based Palm Haze revisits David Bernstein’s 80’s-era ballad You Walk Away. Never having heard the original basis of this song I got stuck in. Musically Walk Away is fuzzy, distorted and atmospheric whilst the vocals are restful but sorrowful. As for the original. Nah. I couldn’t be bothered to find it as my guess would be that it would spoil … Continue reading Palm Haze – Walk Away
Glaswen – Definition Russian band Glaswen recently announced on Facebook they were back from the dead and they have Definition, their first track for almost seven years, to prove it. I guess we can be thankful to lock-down for this noisy shoegaze track which makes that long period of absence almost a blur! Facebook Star-Crossed Lovers – Star-Crossed Lovers Star-Crossed Lovers have formed out of … Continue reading The Sunday Session
Dummy, the band led by ex Wildhoney member Joe Trainor, have released their self titled debut EP. It’s a great blend of styles featuring noise pop, shoegaze, fuzzy guitars, drone and ambient not to mention some psychedelic pop. Lead track Angel’s Gear has that in abundance, wowing me back in January and I have been waiting for this EP ever since! The kosmische influenced Avant-Garde Gas … Continue reading Dummy – Dummy EP
