“…this band can nail any song they want, cheekiness be damned” – Pitchfork “A note-perfect tale of nerd love from two Norwegian dance rockers” – Rolling Stone “…a frothy elixir out of 1980s synth-pop, art-rock and new wave” – The New York Times “Don’t be fooled by the tracksuits and ironic facial hair – these wacky Norwegian ‘new rave’ dudes actually write ace songs” – SPIN “[Datarock] delivers another set of kitschy…songs…very catchy” – BrooklynVegan
The return of DATAROCK is finally upon us: the Norwegian tracksuited synth-stars have finally released their long-awaited third album Face the Brutality. After a nine-year absence, the new album still checks off every spot on the DATAROCK checklist: infuriatingly catchy, impeccably produced, with an undertone of lighthearted goofiness. Make sure not to miss the action-packed video for “Laugh in the Face of Darkness.”
DATAROCK’s playful brand of indie-dance crossover music has been featured everywhere from Workaholics to Vampire Diaries, to more than ten major EA games to various ad campaigns including Apple and Google — take one listen to the opening bassline of “Fa Fa Fa” and you’ll instantly recognize it. American fans have been able to catch sight of the signature red tracksuits at festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza and late night TV programs like Jimmy Kimmel. Face the Brutality will be the synth-rockers’ first LP since 2009 and first output since their musical, The Musical, in 2015. Years in the making, Face the Brutality is an album for the bored and bitter survivors of 2017, an upbeat escape with substance.
WhoMadeWho has released their sixth full-length album, ‘Through The Walls’, which is now available digitally and in stores worldwide. The album features the already previously released singles “I Don’t Know” and “Dynasty”.
Back with Through the Walls, four years after the critically lauded Dreams, WhoMadeWho have crafted a shimmering sonic odyssey that’s equal parts epic, heartfelt, soaring and pounding. Co-produced with fellow Copenhageners and dance music luminaries, Kenton Slash Demon, the new record sees Jeppe Kjellberg, Tomas Barfod, and Tomas Høffding, tapping into the same musical restlessness that formed them, making the band incorporate new modes creativity, songwriting, and production. This is probably WhoMadeWho’s most cohesive and daring album to date; a testament to three maverick musicians working at the apex of their game.
WhoMadeWho are that rare thing, a band with their own sound. And Through the Walls adds yet more fuel to the restless, fluctuating bonfire. It sounds as if they won’t cool off or settle down anytime soon.
Tracklist
1. Neighborhood 2. Chrystal 3. Dynasty 4. I Don’t Know 5. Putpie 6. Goodbye To All I Know 7. Through The Walls 8. Belong 9. Funeral Show 10. If This Is Your Love 11. Surfing On A Stone 12. Keep On
“Wait by the River,” the lead single offLord Huron’s highly anticipated album Vide Noir, debuted a few weeks ago (sorry, I’m a little late!!!)
The band’s forthcoming album is out April 20 on Whispering Pines/Republic Records. Find Vide Noir’s tracklist later on in the post, and check out the new track now:
Having already announced a headline tour of the U.S. beginning this spring, the band is also announcing additional dates extending into the fall. Every pair of tickets ordered for the headline tour will include a copy of Vide Noir. For more information and ticket links, visit lordhuron.com. Many dates on the spring tour have already sold out, including New York City’s Beacon Theatre, Chicago’s Riviera Theatre and Boston’s House Of Blues.
Vide Noir was written and recorded over the past two years at Lord Huron’s Los Angeles studio and informal clubhouse, Whispering Pines, and was mixed by Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips/MGMT). In conjunction with the album announcement, the band released “Ancient Names (Part I)” and “Ancient Names (Part II),” which received critical praise from NPR Music and SPINwho called them, “An eery, unresolved tale of a crystal ball vision that amplifies the band’s characteristic thematic darkness into distorted garage rock.”
Singer, songwriter and producer Ben Schneiderfound inspiration wandering restlessly through his adopted home of LA at night: “My nighttime drives ranged all over the city—across the twinkling grid of the valley, into the creeping shadows of the foothills, through downtown’s neon canyons and way out to the darksome ocean. I started imagining Vide Noir as an epic odyssey through the city, across dimensions, and out into the cosmos. A journey along the spectrum of human experience. A search for meaning amidst the cold indifference of The Universe,” he says.
As a true multi-media artist, Schneider has once again created an adorned world to inhabit within Vide Noir: the album will be accompanied by a wealth of imagery, films and immersive experiences crafted to expand upon its narratives and themes. This builds on Schneider’s past work, which used videos, a comic book, a choose-your- own-adventure hotline and assorted Easter eggs as means of deepening the listener experience. Watch the trailer for Vide Noir below:
Originally a musical and visual solo project by Michigan-native-turned-Angeleno Schneider, Lord Huron now includes members Mark Barry (percussion), Miguel Briseño(bass) and Tom Renaud (guitar). After a pair of independent EPs, Lord Huron released two full-length albums Lonesome Dreams (2012) and Strange Trails (2015) on IAMSOUND Records, followed by extensive touring and prestigious festival appearances both stateside and abroad. After appearing in the hit Netflix show 13 Reasons Why the band’s song “The Night We Met” (from Strange Trails) was officially certified Platinum in January 2018.
VIDE NOIR TRACKLIST
Lost in Time and Space
Never Ever
Ancient Names (Part I)
Ancient Names (Part II)
Wait by the River
Secret of Life
Back from the Edge
The Balancer’s Eye
When the Night is Over
Moonbeam
Vide Noir
Emerald Star
LORD HURON TOUR DATES (NEWLY ADDED SHOWS IN BOLD – ONSALE FRIDAY, FEB 23) March 24—Tempe, AZ—Innings Festival April 20— Grand Rapids, MI—20 Monroe Live April 21—Chicago, IL— Riviera Theatre **SOLD OUT** April 22—St. Paul, MN—The Palace Theatre April 23— Milwaukee, WI—Riverside Theatre April 25—Kansas City, MO—Arvest Bank Theatre **VENUE UPGRADE** April 26—Indianapolis, IN—The Vogue **SOLD OUT** April 27— Royal Oak, MI—Royal Oak Music Theater April 28—Cincinnati, OH—Homecoming Festival April 30—Boston, MA— House of Blues **SOLD OUT** May 1—Philadelphia, PA—Electric Factory May 3—New York, NY—Beacon Theatre **SOLD OUT** May 4—Washington, DC—The Anthem May 4-6—Atlanta, GA—Shaky Knees Festival May 31—San Diego, CA—House of Blues June 1—San Diego, CA—House of Blues **SOLD OUT** June 2—Los Angeles, CA—Greek Theatre June 3—Oakland, CA—Fox Theater June 5—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom **SOLD OUT** June 6—Portland, OR—Crystal Ballroom June 7—Seattle, WA—Moore Theatre **SOLD OUT** June 8—Seattle, WA—Moore Theatre June 15-June 17—Dover, DE—Firefly Festival July 25—Toronto, ON—Sony Centre July 26—Pittsburgh, PA—Stage AE July 27—Cleveland, OH—House Of Blues July 30—Portland, ME—State Theatre August 1—Brooklyn, NY—Brooklyn Steel **SOLD OUT** August 2—Brooklyn, NY—Brooklyn Steel August 5—Boston, MA—House Of Blues September 21—St. Louis, MO—The Pageant September 25—New Orleans, LA—Civic Theatre September 26—Houston, TX—TBD September 29—Austin, TX—TBD October 1—Tulsa, OK—Cain’s Ballroom October 3—Omaha, NE—Sokol Auditorium October 4—Denver, CO—Ogden Theatre October 19—Copenhagen, DK—Vega October 20—Aarhus, DK—Voxhall October 21—Hamburg, DE—Gruenspan October 22—Amsterdam, NL—Paradiso October 23—Brussels, BE—Ancienne Belgique October 25—Cambridge, UK—The Junction October 26—London, UK—Roundhouse October 27—Sheffield, UK—Plug October 28—Gateshead, UK—Sage Gateshead October 29—Liverpool, UK—Invisible Wind Factory October 31—Paris, FR—Le Trianon November 2—Munich, DE—Technikum November 3—Koln, DE—Gloria November 5—Berlin, DE—Columbia Theater
Magic Wands are a dream pop duo from Los Angeles, California. They are known for their melodic, catchy songs “Black Magic” and “Teenage Love.” Chris and Dexy Valentine create music that centers on their main influence— the love of all things “magic” “love,” and “dreams”. They have recently expanded to a five-piece for live shows. Magic Wands Abracadabra Tour begins this fall in anticipation of their third album ABRAKADABRA due out early spring 2018.
Check out their new single, from the upcoming new album, “Loveline”.
Magic Wands have been remixed by The XX and Crystal Fighters (featured #1 in NME) as well as have toured and shared bills with The Horrors, The Black Keys, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Wombats and The Kills. In 2012 they released their debut album, Aloha Moon, & performed live on BBC1 Radio and XFM followed by Jupiter in 2016.
Multi-platinum band AWOLNATION have shared the official music video for the track “Seven Sticks Of Dynamite”, which is taken from the band’s third studio album Here Come The Runts out February 2nd, 2018 via Red Bull Records.
The video was directed by Riley Harper (Hollywood stunt-double for titles such as Little Miss Sunshine, Straight Outta Compton, Sons of Anarchy etc) alongside frontman Aaron Bruno. The video was filmed at The Old Place in Agoura Hills, CA and features legendary tattoo artist Dr Woo, Rick Rubin, and Duff McKagan. Inspired by campy bar brawls in old western movies, the video centers around dueling biker and surfer gangs and, like the song the video builds to an epic climax sure to entertain.
“I’ve always wanted to make a video at The Old Place with all of my friends and showcase the spirit of old California,” says Aaron Bruno. Director Riley Harper adds, “It’s pretty awesome when you get to film a bar brawl, but when you have free reign to shoot it at your local watering hole with all of your friends, that’s just a recipe for a good time and a great outcome!”
Here Come The Runts will be available everywhere February 2nd, 2018. Fans can pre-order the album at awolnationmusic.com and receive instant downloads of “Seven Sticks Of Dynamite,” as well as “Passion“.
In support of Here Come The Runts, AWOLNATION will be embarking on a headlining tour with support from Nothing But Thieves on February 11th in Toronto, and touring the States until mid-March before crossing the pond for a European/UK run throughout the month of April. A full list of those dates can be found below.
AWOLNATION On Tour – April 2018
6th – Paris France @ Les Etoiles
7th – Frankfurt Germany @ Gibson
9th – Zurich Switzerland @ Dynamo
10th – Lausanne Switzerland @ Les Docks
11th – Milan Italy @ Santeria Social Club
12th – Munich Germany @ Backstage Werk
14th – Vienna Austria @ WUK
15th – Prague Czech Republic @ Roxy
16th – Warsaw Poland @ Proxima
18th – Berlin Germany @ Kesselhaus
19th – Hamburg Germany @ Uebel & Gefahrlich
20th – Amsterdam Netherlands @ Melkweg
22nd – London UK @ Scala
25th – Dublin Ireland @ Academy
27th – Moscow Russia @ Glav Club
Walter Martin (co-writer/multi-instrumentalist of The Walkmen) will release his new album Reminisce Bar & Grill on February 16th via Ile Flottante Music. His fourth solo record since The Walkmen’s hiatus in 2013, Reminisce Bar & Grill was announced earlier this month with a surprise appearance on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk in which he performed two of his new songs with a full band and a barbershop quartet. Today, he unveiled another new song from the record titled “I Can Run Now From The Hellhounds But I Can’t Hide” which premiered on Consequence of Sound.
“Jaunty guitars, whistling flutes, and rippling cymbals evoke a sunlit, slightly scuzzy beachside dive. There, Martin recalls an ’emotional run’ (despite only running ‘about once a month these days’) that served to remind him ‘we’ve only got one body,'” described Consequence of Sound. “All told, the song is likely to be one of the more upbeat musings you’ll hear about the fear of impending death.”
Reminisce Bar & Grill is one that might throw fans of his two award-winning kids’ records (2014’s We’re All Young Together and 2017’s My Kinda Music) for a loop. Listeners will still recognize the same affable narrator and quirky musical style as his previous solo work, but here the subject matter is shifted dramatically. With frankness and poignancy, Martin, now a 43-year-old married man with two young children, squarely tackles the subject of adulthood – specifically, his own.
“I think this is my mid-life crisis album,” said Walter. “These days my friends and I all seem to be thinking the same dark thoughts – ‘What the hell am I doing? What the hell’s going on? I’m lost. I’m running out of time and I’m doing everything wrong. And I’m probably dying.’ This is definitely an insane period,” he continues, “but most of the time I kind of love it.”
While Martin approaches these subject matters with candor and sincerity, he clearly also enjoys mining them for humor. “I wanted this album to be an entertaining discussion of marriage, fatherhood, work, fear, and weakness,” he explained. “I’m definitely influenced by Woody Allen movies. No matter how serious or romantic or dark his story may be, there’s always a strong undercurrent of comedy.”
Reminisce Bar & Grill was recorded at various studios in Brooklyn and at Richard Swift’s National Freedom Studio in Cottage Grove Oregon. The songs were mixed by D. James Goodwin (Bob Weir, Craig Finn), Richard Swift (The Shins, Foxygen) and Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses). A nimble multi-instrumentalist, Martin handled guitar, piano, organ, bass and percussion duties, but he also relied on the services of a coterie of crafty players and singers: Brian Kantor (Fruit Bats) on drums, Josh Kaufman (Craig Finn, Josh Ritter) on guitar, and Jamie Krents (French Kicks) on bass. The soaring harmony vocals woven throughout the album are delivered by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah singer Alec Ounsworth.
Track List:
01) Me & McAlevey
02) Too Cold To Waterski
03) I Went Alone On A Solo Australian Tour
04) I Can Run Now From The Hellhounds But I Can’t Hide
Britain’s premiere music tastemaker Annie Mac announces the first installment of AMP SOUNDS for February 2018.
Coming home to whereAMP started out,AMP SOUNDS will be taking over the place where it hosted so many happy years of parties, London’s Camden. Celebrating all of the music that Annie Mac loves, AMP SOUNDS will encompass nine shows over the course of one month in three venues: The Jazz Café, The Roundhouse and Koko.
Showcasing all sides of the renowned AMP live brand (from the Annie Mac Presents club nights to the AMP Collected gigs), AMP SOUNDS will bring a broad range of the hottest artists and DJs of the moment, both established and upcoming.
“All aspects of our AMP Live events will be represented,” says Annie. “Our raves with the finest DJs, our showcase events with the most exciting new acts and our big closing party with the best of AMP past and present.”
AMP SOUNDS at Koko will see four very special raves held over four consecutive weekends, headlined by Annie herself alongside some very special guest DJs.
AMP SOUNDS at The Jazz Café will continue the theme of the more recently established AMP Collected nights, showcasing some of the best live acts of the moment in one of London’s most renowned and intimate venues. Running each Thursday across the month it will feature four hand-picked, eclectic line-ups including the likes of Tom Misch, Billie Eilsh, Jessie Ware and Superorganism(to name but a few).
AMP SOUNDS will culminate in a HUGE closing party atThe Roundhouse. Everyone attending a show at the Jazz Cafe or Koko across the month will gain pre-sale access to this spectacular finale. The secret bill will see Annie take to the stage once again alongside THE BEST artists from AMP past, present, and future, making it THE most special party Annie has ever hosted.
Celebrating great music in one of the UK’s most renowned cultural hubs for the month of February, AMP SOUNDS will be THE music event of the year for 2018.
The announcement of AMP SOUNDS comes ahead of Virgin EMI’s release of the AMP 2017 compilation album.Available to download and stream on Spotify now, AMP 2017features a definitive selection of Annie’s favorite tracks from the past year.
The AMP 2017 compilation is split across two discs featuring a broad-ranging collection of music that Annie has been playing on the radio and out at clubs, parties and festivals over the past year.
With the music that Annie champions being more ubiquitous than ever, never has an AMP compilation felt more reflective of the popular music zeitgeist. Featuring Bicep, J Hus, Little Dragon, Frank Ocean, Jorja Smith, Sampha, Wolf Alice and Stormzyto name a few, the tracklisting encompasses both upcoming and established artists, of varying genres. Boasting everything from international floorfillers, through US Hip Hop to UK Grime and Alt Rock, AMP 2017 demonstrates how the dancefloor is breaking down more boundaries and proving more integrated than ever before.
ANNIE MAC PRESENTS 2017 TRACKLISTING
ONE
Tieks – Say A Prayer feat Chaka Khan and Popcaan
Kah-lo – Fasta
Pnau – chameleon (Mele Remix)
Ill Blu – Tribalist
Frankie Rizardo – Same Man
Gerd and Shan – Surrender
Mella Dee – Techno Disco Tool
Ware and Odyssey – Down With The
Marlena Shaw – Get Together (CAtz and Dogs mix)
Camelphat and Elderbrook – Cola (franky rizardo remix)
Disciples – On My Mind (denney remix)
Gorgon City – Primal Call
Bicep – Vale
DUSKY – COLD HEART
Toddla T – Magnet
Lorde – Green Light (Chromeo remix)
Joe goddard – Home (Eric Kupper remix)
Goldie Vs. Ulterior Motive – I Adore You ( Feat. Natalie Williams)
TWO
Jessie Ware –Midnight (Goldie Remix)
The xx – On Hold
French Montana (feat. Swae Lee) – Unforgettable
J Hus – Bouff Daddy
Mura Masa (ft. A$AP Rocky) – Love$ick
Not3s – Aladdin
Stormzy (feat. Kehlani) – Cigarettes And Cush
Khalid – Location
SZA (feat. Travis Scott) – Love Galore
Little Dragon – High
Childish Gambino – Redbone
Lil Uzi Vert – The Way Love Goes
Jorja Smith – Teenage Fantasy
Sampha – (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano
Tyler, The Creator (feat. Rex Orange County & Anna of the North) – Boredom
Koda shares his latest video for new single “Curse”. The track is from his forthcoming album I Hope This Makes Us Better, which is due out spring 2018. Stay tuned for more new music and details on the new album coming soon.
The grandson of a famous Haitian singer, alternative artist/producer Jordan Sudak (aka Koda) spent the first half of his life as an army brat, being yanked from city to city across the globe. Living in three countries by the age of 15, Jordan watched as his free-spirited parents turned to a radical form of born-again Protestantism, banning contemporary art and burning his Harry Potter books in the process.
After finally settling in Columbia, South Carolina, Jordan’s family values took a bizarre turn as his father’s close call with a heart attack triggered an 180 degree flip on religion for the entire household. His parents eventually opened for an experimental rock band called The Radar Cinema. His mom claimed Jordan to be a family cousin, and he then became the band’s frontman.
Between rehearsals, Jordan would get together with the band’s keyboardist to listen to doom metal and sludge records while “circuit-bending,” the art of making new instruments through soldering circuit boards from toys like Furbies and Speak ‘N’ Spells. From there, Jordan made the deep dive into ambient and experimental music, teaching himself QBASE, a popular production software for electronic artists.
Initially crafting side-project Koda — a nickname he received due to his obsession with photography — in the world of ambient dream pop and Nordic folk, Jordan quickly saw the project see success to the tune of 20M+ streams and calls from music supervisors for scores featuring his vocals, which bared a welcome resemblance to that of Jonsí (Sigur Rós) and Thom Yorke (Radiohead).
This success led to the one-way ticket from Columbia to Los Angeles, where Koda would spend the next few years buried in the studio, writing 100s of songs as he developed what would eventually become his debut LP, I Hope This Makes Us Better. The project marks a return to his rock roots, a Radiohead-esque blend of vocals-driven neue-gaze, post-rock, and alternative electronica.
Check out the latest single “Rorschach” from Typhoon.
The video concept is a play on “the idea of being stuck inside your subconscious, fixated on one memory, while questioning it over and over again.”
“Rorschach” is the first single taken off of “Floodplains“, the opening 4-track movement (released last month) from Typhoon’s forthcoming LP, Offerings. Following the critically-acclaimed White Lighter, Offerings will bethe band’s first full-length release in over four years and will be out on Jan 12, 2018.
The band have also just announced their upcoming North American and UK/EU tours for Winter 2018.
NORTH AMERICAN DATES January 10: Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge January 12: Denver, CO @ Gothic Theater January 14: Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room January 17: St. Paul, MN @ Turf Club January 18: Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre January 19: Chicago, IL @ Metro January 20: Ann Arbor, MI @ El Cub January 23: Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace January 25: Boston, MA @ Paradise January 26: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer January 27: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg January 31: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club February 1: Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle February 2: Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West February 3: Nashville, TN @ Exit In February 6: Austin, TX @ Mohawk February 8: Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent February 10: San Diego, CA @ Music Box February 11: Los Angeles, CA @ Teragram Ballroom February 13: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent February 16: Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile February 23: Portland, OR @ The Crystal Ballroom February 24: Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre
UK/EU DATES February 28: Manchester, UK @ Deaf Institute March 1: Glasgow, UK @ Broadcast March 2: London, UK @ Lexington March 7: Paris, FR @ Le Petits Bain March 8: Brussels, BE @ Botanique March 9: Amsterdam, NE @ Paradiso March 10: Hamburg, DE @ Knust March 13: Copenhagen, DK @ Vega March 14: Berlin, DE @ Musik & Frieden March 15: Vienna, AU @ Fluc March 16: Wil, CH @ Gar De Lion March 18: Baden, CH @ Royal March 20: Cologne, DE @ Artheater
“Stockholm, Sweden’s PRIEST is a must-hear. A must-add to your #musicradar.”
– Puregrainaudio
“It’d be easy to slap the synthwave tag on Priest in light of that genre’s recent explosion in popularity, but Priest sound a whole lot more like the bands that influenced synthwave, the ’80s progenitors of goth, new wave and analogue synth-driven electronic music.”
– Metal Sucks
Today, Priest drops their full-length debut New Flesh. Like a Delorean DMC-12 it will take you back to the colorful future of the 80´s. The illusions presented contains everything from symmetric star prisms, a burning escape from the darkness or to break out of your inner prison. Bit by bit, fragments of a puzzle of success story is taking shape. With a mechanical sound, futuristic melodies and a masterful voice, they´ve seduced listeners all over the planet since their first single in March came out. The Swedish electronic scene is now hotter than forgeable metal.
The album is produced by Alpha (ex Ghost) and features a performace by Airghoul (ex Ghost). The recording is mixed by Niklas Berglöf (Slagsmålsklubben, Dead Soul) and is mastered by Magnus Lindberg. New Flesh contains 10 tracks that sounds like when 1982 imagine how 2019 should sound like.
Musically Amusing 