London-based rock band Wolf Alice has released their new track “Heavenward”, which was featured as a Zane Lowe World Record on his Beats 1 show. The track will be included on the band’s upcoming sophomore album entitled Visions Of A Life, which is set for release September 29th, 2017 via Dirty Hit/RCA Records and is available for pre-order now.
Wolf Alice also revealed the track listing for Visions Of A Life. See full track listing below.
1. Heavenward
2. Yuk Foo
3. Beautifully Unconventional
4. Don’t Delete The Kisses
5. Planet Hunter
6. Sky Musings
7. Formidable Cool
8. Space & Time
9. Sadboy
10. St. Purple & Green
11. After The Zero Hour
12. Visions Of A Life
Additionally, the foursome will be hitting the road throughout the month of December for a short North American tour. The tour will be kicking off in Toronto and will be hitting cities like Brooklyn, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. See full list of tour dates below.
FRI
12/1
Danforth Music Hall
Toronto, ON
SAT
12/2
L’Astral
Montreal, QB
MON
12/4
Brooklyn Steel
Brooklyn, NY
THU
12/7
The Met
Pawtucket, RI
FRI
12/8
9:30 Club
Washington, D.C.
SAT
12/9
Trocadero Theatre
Philadelphia, PA
MON
12/11
Terminal West
Atlanta, GA
They performed their last U.S. single “Bros” on The Late Late Show with James Corden and the single was Top 15 at AAA radio and charted at Alternative Radio. The previous single “Moaning Lisa Smile” was nominated for a 2016 GRAMMY Award Nomination for Best Rock Performanceand was a Top 10 single at Alternative radio. Wolf Alice has been named one of Billboard Magazine’s Artists to Watch, as well as one of Rolling Stone’s 10 New Artists You Need to Know. The London quartet also gave stripped-down performances of “Fluffy”, “Turn To Dust”, and “Bros”, on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert Series (Click HERE). Additionally, they performed “You’re A Germ”, “Your Loves Whore”, and “Turn To Dust” on NBC’s Last Call With Carson Daly.
Wolf Alice has also been shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Prize and received a 2016 Brit Award Nomination for British Breakthrough Act. The band has toured with The 1975, had several headline tours, and played major festivals including last year’s Coachella Music and Arts Festival and Lollapalooza.
London-based rock band Wolf Alice released the music video for their new track “Beautifully Unconventional”. The video, which was directed by Stephen Agnew, premiered on The FADER. “This song is a celebration of all your non-conforming friends,” Ellie Rowsell explained to The FADER.“A celebration of individuality and the adventures that come with embracing that. For me personally, I imagined me and my mate Hannah as Christian Slater and Winona Rider in Heathers albeit looking nothing like them. The video has nothing to do with the song – I just didn’t want to have a mullet anymore, seeing as lots of people tore me to pieces in our last video, so it was an excuse to wear a wig!”
“Beautifully Unconventional” will be included on the band’s upcoming sophomore album entitled, Visions Of A Life, which is set for release September 29th, 2017 via Dirty Hit/RCA Records and is available for pre-order now.
Wolf Alice also revealed the track listing for Visions Of A Life…
1. Heavenward
2. Yuk Foo
3. Beautifully Unconventional
4. Don’t Delete The Kisses
5. Planet Hunter
6. Sky Musings
7. Formidable Cool
8. Space & Time
9. Sadboy
10. St. Purple & Green
11. After The Zero Hour
12. Visions Of A Life
Additionally, the foursome will be hitting the road throughout the month of December for a short North American tour. The tour will be kicking off in Toronto and will be hitting cities like Brooklyn, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. See full list of tour dates below.
“A jewel of sparkling synth and melodies” – VICE/Noisey “Freedom Fry are on the path to stardom” – Indie Shuffle “indie pop-folk tracks with upbeat melodies, danceable rhythms” – Flaunt Magazine
In anticipation of their upcoming Strange AttractionEP set for release on September 7th, Los Angeles based alt-folk duo Freedom Fryshare new single “Party Down” with VICE’s Noisey. Highlighted by pulsating electronic beats and dreamy, melodic vocals of Marie Seyrat and Bruce Driscoll, the track stays true to the duo’s infectious feel-good sound.
“Party Down is a song about getting through the grind of your daily life and wanting to make the good times last longer – having the foresight when you’re in a good moment to realize that once it’s over you’re going to miss it,” Freedom Fry comments. “We were playing with synths as lead elements, which we haven’t done very much as a band. We wanted the beat to feel like a cross between Michael Jackson and the more danceable songs by The Clash. Once that was in place the rest of it just came together.”
“Party Down” follows the release of the first single and title track “Strange Attraction” released last month via BlackBook. Upon release of the EP, Freedom Fry will bring their kinetic live energy to Los Angeles on September 9th at Sunstock Solar Music Festival.
Freedom Fry has garnered over 50 million track streams and their music can be heard in over 50 films, shows, and commercials including Judd Apatow’s “Love” and Grey’s Anatomy. The band has appeared on The Hype Machine over 50 times, including three #1’s as they continue to turn heads on the international scale. They’ve performed in Europe and throughout the US with the likes of Stromae, Phantogram, X Ambassadors, and others.
“…Weston calls back to the earlier days of indie rock, with sharp strings that cut through smokey vocals.” – All Things Go
“…Taylor has found an engaging channel of expression with Ayo River, a musical outlet that has allowed him to find organic balance in the often overbearing push through modern existence.” – Under The Radar
Atlanta-based, indie pop project Ayo Riverannounce their debut LP, Failed State, out now. Here, I’m sharing Ayo River’s second single and video, “Mercedes.” Lead single, “Porcelain,” premiered on Under The Radar, who described the track as “a lean and flowing example of Ayo River’s music, akin to early Death Cab for Cutie.” The album was recorded over a span of two years in Athens, Georgia, where songwriter Weston Taylor elicited the production and engineering skills of multi-instrumentalist Matt Martin (Faye Webster), who also performs drums and bass on many tracks. The album was produced at Chase Park Transduction Studios (Deerhunter, Bright Eyes, Queens Of The Stone Age, Animal Collective, REM). The LP was mastered by TW Walsh (Sufjan Stevens, The Shins, Cold War Kids, Death Cab For Cutie).
Ayo River, a moniker used by songwriter Weston Taylor, is a project that deeply intersects his personal narrative with the constant underlying relationships and connectedness of the modern world. Taylor’s artistic passions have been displayed through various mediums throughout his life, but his desire to tell stories remains a constant in all his art. As a teenager, Taylor’s was highly influenced by the hip hop scene of Atlanta. Once in college in Athens, Taylor dabbled in rapping, writing rhymes and lyrics to ripped off instrumentals from Youtube, sending lyrics off to Lil Wayne while he was locked up in Rikers. Soon realizing he was not the best rapper, Taylor took a step away from music and begun drafting short stories and novels, sending them off to publishing houses with hopes of being published. His extreme inclination to tell stories, express his thoughts lyrically and relate to others through writing was finally realized through his position at a children’s music school, where he found that pop music was the perfect medium for telling his own personal experiences and narratives.
Failed State is about a moment when something stops working and it becomes apparent that there must be change to move on. It’s about the feeling when the party of your youth is over, when the relationships you once held dear have disintegrated, but the Internet won’t let you look away. It’s about feeling like life is everyone vs. you. It’s a collection of songs containing poignant stories and experiences from his life – a car crash that awoke him from an existential coma, a breakup that made him sick in the street and his personal relationship with hip-hop in Atlanta.
Making frequent weekend trips to Athens, Martin and Taylor furiously recorded the album late into the night, angering many roommates and neighbors. Eventually, Taylor and Martin took the record’s bare bones to the studio, where they recorded with Josh Crusa (bass) and Evan Seeds (drums), who had begun performing in Ayo River’s live band. Lead single, “Porcelain” was the first song recorded in the studio, and presents an ominous, stewing brew that transforms halfway through, almost like a spell, ending up brighter. Album track, “White Dress,” is Ayo River’s ode to Atlanta hip-hop, featuring producer Taylor Roarbaugh, who played a key role in finding the perfect sonic elements to incorporate with Ayo River’s dark lyrical themes.
FAILED STATE – TRACKLISTING
01. Porcelain
02. Jolts
03. Mercedes
04. White Dress
05. Porches + Patios
06. Waking Up
07. 11 Likes
08. Tantrum pt. i
09. Tantrum pt. ii
10. Snakes
11. Failed State
Check out this debut track from vibrant German producer LYOD, “Run Away”.
The emotional summer single is characterized by driving beats, mesmerizing melodies, and refined effects. Vibrant synths and a tropical drum wrap around Lucas’ soaring lyrics. Despite this comforting sonic escape, British vocalist Alex Lucas croons a repeating sharp line:
wasted on a generation fighting for peace, but I’m just now wise enough to see the truth
The inspiration for these lines came from reflecting on society. Lucas croons his way through bold statements on how to deal while LYOD layers his warm and playful instrumentals. “Run Away” creates a getaway all on its own.
Izzy Bizu is a 22-year-old singer/songwriter from South West London, born to an Ethiopian Mother and English Father. She grew up listening to Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Swan, Betty Wright, and James Brown and draws on these influences alongside newer influences such as Amy Winehouse and Adele, to create a fusion of soul, funk, jazz, and pop that sounds classic and brand spanking new all at once.
Being 2016 Brits Critics Choice finalist, The BBC’s Introducing Artist of the Year 2016 and chosen as the voice of the 2016 Euros with her cover of Edith Piaf’s La Foule, she is quickly proving herself as one of the most exciting breakthrough British artists of the year. Garnering early support from 1Xtra and BBC Radio 1 on her independent six-tracker, Coolbeanz EP, before signing to Sony/RED MUSIC there’s been plenty a new fans in the front row thanks to instant classics like “White Tiger”, now with over 75 million global Spotify streams, the heart-wrenching “Mad Behaviour”, and viral Honne collaboration “Someone That Loves You”.
Drawing on her time moving countries, schools and the relationships that have entailed, Izzy is a cultural explorer, memories, experience and feelings evoking the songs we’re soon to hear and the thought-provoking conversation she already provides. Wearing her thoughts on her sleeve, you’ll be pushed to find many a debut this honest.
Her debut album, A Moment of Madness is out now (which you can stream via Spotify HERE); and the South London born singer/songwriter is debuting the Cat Carpenters remix of her hit “White Tiger,” which you can check out below along with tour dates alongside Coldplay!
UPCOMING TOUR DATES:
with Coldplay
8/12 Minneapolis MN – US Bank Stadium
8/14 Omaha NE – Centurylink Center
8/15 Kansas City MO – Spirit Center
8/17 Chicago IL – Soldier Field
8/19 Cleveland OH – Quicken Loans Arena
8/21 Toronto ON – Rogers Centre
8/22 Toronto ON – Rogers Centre
8/25 Houston TX – NRG Stadium
8/28 Miami FL – Hard Rock Stadium
NYC-based VHS Collection shares their new track “Fire“. The track, recorded in London with Chris Zane (Passion Pit, St. Lucia), is from their forthcoming debut LP, more details to be announced soon. “We all have a devil on one shoulder and ‘Fire’ is dedicated to him,” explains the band’s Conor Cook, “The song celebrates our evil ways. It sonically blends synths and guitars in a way that is both nostalgic and modern. The groove of this tune is one that you don’t typically hear these days, which sets his track apart.” The band’s James Bohannon explains that “’Fire’ paints a descriptive vision of rebellion, religious confines, and pent up desire. It’s a seedy jam that has elements of classic southern rock, evolved into our signature synth/guitar soundscape.”
VHS Collection is a rock band from New York City that has gained a reputation for high energy live performances and a unique blend of rock, electronic, and disco influences.
VHS Collection’s songs have been streamed over 20 million times on Spotify and the band has seen festival performances at Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Bunbury Festival, and Okeechobee Festival in the last year. VHS also sold out a headline show at Bowery Ballroom in February and Music Hall of Williamsburg in June, in addition to sold out club dates throughout the mid-west and throughout the west coast. The band has released two EP’s to date and will release its first full-length record late this fall.
“Lean” the single off the band’s first EP hit #8 on the Spotify Viral Charts last January. “Waiting on the Summer” the single off of the band’s 2nd EP Stereo Hype hit #14 on the Spotify Viral Charts and has been streamed over 12mm times to date. The “Waiting on the Summer Dave Edwards Remix” was also #1 on Hype Machine in April.
VHS Collection got their start in the winter of 2014 but the three members, James Bohannon, Conor Cook, and Nils Vanderliphave been playing music in one form or another together since they were kids. Conor and James grew up across the street from each other in NYC and attended the same grade school where they began jamming on acoustic guitars; Nils and James met in high school, where they started their first band together and recorded an album.
Years later, with all three members back in NYC, VHS pulled together a collection of electronic rock-influenced bedroom recordings and posted them on Soundcloud. Encouraged by the volume of hits the tracks received, VHS began performing a live set at friends’ parties and around NYC’s small clubs. 2015 saw multiple sold out nights for VHS at the Lower East Side’s indie-rock launching pad, the Mercury Lounge.
2016 saw the band’s first major festival performances at Lollapalooza and Austin City Limits, in addition to sold out club dates on both coasts in addition support dates with Bloc Party and Powers.
VHS has remained independent and is self-managed. They are able to reach a growing audience via Spotify and other social media outlets without a label and have also built a live following by word of mouth. The band sold out Bowery Ballroom and NYC’s 700 cap Music Hall of Williamsburg in the last 6 months and also played several major West Coast headline dates, including LA’s famous Troubadour.
VHS has created a writing process which is unique and serves them well. It starts primarily with each member individually writing and producing dozens of bits and pieces of songs on their laptops. The band spends months working on these initial song ideas virtually, sending each other files and collaborating via Dropbox. Every few months, the band heads to a cabin in upstate New York where they lock themselves in for 7 days at a time to complete the songs during intense writing sessions. During these sessions, the three members collaborate on every element of the song, with each member playing various instruments on the tracks. The band then weeds out the best of these home produced tracks to bring into the studio. For their upcoming record, VHS is working with producer Chris Zane who has also produced albums for Passion Pit, St. Lucia, and Friendly Fires.
Last Friday, Los Angeles-based creative collective NVDES released the La NVDITÉ, Vol. 1 EPon Maison Nvdité/Kobalt Music Recordings. An intriguing introduction to the laptop-punk of de-facto frontman Josh Ocean, the five-track collection brimming with his signature frenetic guitars and hones his prowess for crafting compulsive summery jams. In celebration of the release, NVDES shares a new video for “Dancer From New York” featuring his trademark imagery directed by Jenna Josepher & Giulia Marsico.
Ocean comments, “Dancer From New York was inspired by a crazy night my collaborator Sean Van Vleet had after eating at White Castle in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I moved to NYC in 2005 to pursue music. The electricity of the local indie-rock scene during that time was extremely formative for me. A lot of my music is influenced by what I was listening to and experiencing at that time. This song is my homage to that time and those influences.”
Following the release of his glitchy 2016 debut EP Life With Lobsters, NVDES garnered over 10 million streams across platforms, charted on Spotify’s Global Viral Chart, and received acclaim from the likes of FADER, NYLON, and many more. The four-track collection spins through an array of kaleidoscopic sounds that are both levitating and melodic, yet wholly original.
NVDES has also announced a series of tour dates as lead support for RAC. Full date listing is below!
NVDES Tour Dates
8/18: Los Angeles, CA @ Echo Park Rising
8/24: Chicago, IL @ Schubas Tavern
8/26: New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
9/15: Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s *
9/16: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom *
9/17: Vancouver, BC @ The Imperial *
9/19: San Francisco, CA @ The Independent *
9/20: Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre *
9/21: San Diego, CA @ Music Box * * = w/ RAC
Artist and musician Grey Gersten has just released the video for his song “The Planet is Doomed.” The video was created and directed by Kyp Malone (TV on the Radio). The song appears on his first full-length album Naked Light, out now.
Gersten’s most recent release prior to Naked Light was an EP under the moniker Eternal Lips featuring guest vocals from Sharon Van Etten and Kyp Malone. The EP received wide critical acclaim, Rolling Stone wrote “Gersten bends and contorts the idea of pop music, channeling his experimental music background into dreamy indie-pop.”
Accompanied by co-producer Shahzad Ismaily on Naked Light, Gersten dismantles artifice and creates an intimate space where the power of vulnerability is revealed. “I didn’t think about what’s cool or what anyone would think,” says Gersten. “I just focused on being emotionally present. The real impact of music comes from feelings. If you suspend self-judgement, you create the opportunity for something universal to resound.” Naked Light burns with the rawness of Neil Young and glows with the otherworldliness of Brian Eno.
For the past 10 years, Gersten has been active in NYC’s experimental rock and art community collaborating with an eclectic mix of revered artists. His recent work Custom Melodies, an interactive multimedia website that features 110 biographical songs created with 110 strangers at his immersive and participatory Mmuseumm exhibition, was featured in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Wall Street Journal, Gizmodo, Paste, Interview Magazine, Time Out NY and other publications. Gersten created an original score for internationally acclaimed artist Tom Sachs’ 2016 feature film A Space Program. Gersten recently performed at The David Bowie tribute concert at Radio City alongside artists Tony Visconti, Blondie, Michael Stipe, The Flaming Lips, Cat Power, The Pixies and others.
Check out this catchy little diddy from a group named thanks. The duo is Steve Pagano and Mario Borgatta and together they combine psychedelic pop, cinematic vibes and electronically influenced beats and melodies.
The duo emerged after meeting at Berklee College of Music in 2009. It was then that Pagano and Borgatta realized they shared the same sentiment for music and how aligned their goal really was. Together they have accomplished this goal in crafting a sound which is simultaneously unique and accessible to the masses. They set out with the intent to express their story through an artistic portrayal of music and lyrics and prevailed in culminating a winning formula which can resonate with their audiences.
Their highly anticipated debut album Colfax, named after the location of their recording studio and where the majority of the album was conceived, is the result of the pair uniting and a culmination of their mutual thoughts and beliefs. Colfax depicts the duo’s endeavor in stepping away from the grasp of musical elitism and producing material which is true to not only themselves but to the world around them. The importance of making a record which was relatable to different people was crucial. “Whatever the theme is, we do our best to keep it transparent so it can be interpreted in different ways”, admits Borgatta. thanks. pride themselves on being people who are in touch with the universe and the people who occupy it. This assimilation with the people can be felt in their music and there is no mistake, it’s genuine.
Lead single “Your World” consists of catchy psych-pop melodies, climactic choruses and upbeat funk rhythms, reminiscent of early MGMT. Enriched with an array of textures and vintage synths it is the ultimate summer anthem. Despite “Your World” having an optimistic, summery feel the song admittedly delivers a powerful message, with the lyrics being in reference to an idea of a present-day society where lives are governed by a political agenda we may or may not agree with. Borgatta reveals, “the idea was inspired by George Orwell’s “Nineteen Eighty-Four” and though our lyrics aren’t meant to express any opinion towards a specific political idea or belief, we hope to motivate people to take action in what they believe in”.
“Annabelle” highlights the band’s diversity with a more 60’s psych influence, combining acid-folk and a hint of stoner power-pop. Borgatta admits how they were listening to The Beatles “Across The Universe” during their time spent in the studio and “Annabelle” is a clear indication of this inspiration.
Pagano and Borgatta have seen previous success with numerous TV placements on major networks including MTV, ABC and Netflix, as well as having engineered on records from world renown, critically acclaimed artists such as Muse, Death Cab For Cutie, Foster The People and many more.
