Electronica1 Comment

Various Artists – We Are Machine Pop 6

Tom

Volume 6 in Swedish label Plonk’s We Are Machine Pop series is dedicated to the memory of Kraftwerk co-founder of Florian Schneider who sadly passed away at the age of 73 in May this year. Despite leaving the band in 2008 Schneider and Kraftwerk’s influence on electronic music ranging from hip-hop to techno is unparalleled in history. Unsurprisingly the contributions sound just as you would expect and are heavily influenced, both musically and visually, by the band’s Man Machine period so expect plenty of mechanical sounds, robotic beats and vocoder laden vocals. This is best encapsulated by French artist Marboss … Continue reading Various Artists – We Are Machine Pop 6

Alt Rock, Dream Pop, Dreampop, Shoegaze2 Comments

El Club Audiovisual – Ya No Somos Tan Solos

Tom

Argentinian dreampop/shoegaze band El Club Audiovisual release their debut album later this year on Casa del Puente Discos. Titled Ya No Somos Tan Solos it’s been preceded by two singles. The first single Portal, was released back in May and it’s now been followed by El Ritmo (Rhythm). The former is a slow-burning track that works it’s way up from measured guitars before breaking into a sweat unleashing some fuzzy riffs and echoing notes. The latter is straight out of the blocks grabbing your attention with some catchy vocals alongside jangling morphing into alt-rock strings. Both singles can be purchased … Continue reading El Club Audiovisual – Ya No Somos Tan Solos

indiepop, Northern Soul, PopLeave a comment

Fascinations Grand Chorus – Wherever You Go

Tom

The other afternoon I was listening to some early Comet Gain, their offshoot band Velocette and the long-forgotten Kicker liking the way each of those bands blended a heady mix of Northern Soul and the 1960’s girl-groups/Phil Spector sound. Who does that these days I thought? And then, through the letterbox (well email), popped the latest release from New Jersey’s Fascinations Grand Chorus which does precisely that on Wherever You Go. To the dancefloor that’s where….. Facebook Continue reading Fascinations Grand Chorus – Wherever You Go

C86, indiepop, Jangle Pop1 Comment

Loca Polka – Shiny Happy Digital Club 03

Tom

I have a feeling I am not going to be able to keep up with these releases in the Shiny Happy Digital Club releases but I will do my best! No 3 features Indonesian band Loca Polka who come from Central Java. Their line up consists of Nuri Hapsari, Mikael Yudi Priamuda, Christian Agung and Ginanjar Wahyu Aji. They formed in 2017 and released their debut EP Cruel Pleasure last December. However, I only caught them for the first time via Shiny Happy’s Please Rain Fall Compilation which was released in May and featured the EP’s lead single Surrender which … Continue reading Loca Polka – Shiny Happy Digital Club 03

indiepop, Jangle PopLeave a comment

The Bunbury – Track Four

Tom

The Bunbury hail from Yogyakarta, Indonesia and consist of Mirza (vocals), Fikra (guitar), Dimas (guitar), Guyub (bass) and Eja (drums). Track Four is their second single and follows Evil Knievel which was released on Shiny Happy Records last month. They write that they “borrowed the sound from the glory days of the ’80-’90s British shoegaze, post-punk, indie pop and jangle pop”. I have to say they don’t do a bad job with it either. Whereas the first single was a speedy jangling affair Track Four is two minutes of slow-paced indie-pop bliss and is the perfect end, or start as … Continue reading The Bunbury – Track Four