BRAQUE is a UK (London) based multi-instrumentalist, he is also a writer, producer, and most of all artist who creates everything himself.
BRAQUE is part of a loose collective of musicians including the highly acclaimed BASTILLE and RAG N BONE MAN. Having written, produced and set up the BEST LAID PLANS label with both of these artists, BRAQUE now believes the time is right to forge ahead as a solo artist.
Influenced by artists like Prince and Kanye, BRAQUE creates shiny modern pop music with a definite slightly darker edge, underpinned by a strong, soaring vocal and grainy, artful imagery. This is definitely not throwaway bubblegum pop music, but an artist who wants to be taken seriously.
BRAQUE’S vision behind the V1CES EP is that each song encapsulates a vice that we have in our lives. This EP will be the first in a Trilogy and contains two singles, “Secrets” and a cover of Everything But the Girl’s “Miss the Rain”.
If you’re liking these, make sure to check out the whole EP (link above).
Invade & Disco, We Are Castor’s second album release with SectionZ Records, dropped July 21st, and is a unique blend of retro disco style, and a variety of live instruments, with modern glitch-hop. Shattering the boundaries between many genres, We Are Castor is carving out its own place at the crossroads between EDM and more traditional styles of live music.
Influenced by blues, swing, psychedelic-rock, electronica, hip hop and folk, We Are Castor patrols the unseen border between music genres. Led by Adrian Thesen out of Trondheim, Norway, We Are Castor is an electronic music band whose members have individual and eclectic tastes and styles; different tastes and knowledge packaged into one collective story that have resulted in pure musical innovation that your ears will remember long after the first listen.
We Are Castor started out as a solo-project in 2012, named iamCastor. This is when Adrian first started to include guitars, harmonicas and more acoustic instruments. Later that year Adrian connected with Andreas Steen, and the music exploded.
Andreas brought a live sound to Adrian’s production by adding guitar, mandolin, organ and vocals. This inspired Adrian to dream up better material to satisfy Andreas’ fascination with the sound of everything! If there is music in the background, and a car drives by the window, and they share the same note, Andreas will be the first one to point that out.
They met the voice that would round out the band at a breakfast party, where they met the incredibly talented and beautiful Valeria Neira Lillebjerka for the first time. After a mutual friend teased the duo made a beat, wrote some lyrics, opened some bottles of whiskey and wine and she sang “Bon Voyage” in their super-small bedroom. After the recording Adrian and Andreas could not bring themselves to sleep and invited Valeria to the band.
Rounding off the voices of We Are Castor are longtime Jack White and Rolling Stones fan, Kristoffer Støylen Refvik, drummer Håvard Loeng, Magnus Leite on bass, Ada Mathea Hoel on contra-bass.
1. Intro
2. Invade & Disco
3. Ulrik’s Bicycle
4. Projects
5. Night
6. West
7. Papa Was A Rolling Stone
8. Monster
9. Aron
10. Drums Feat. Ragga Twins
11. Bataille
12. Through The Fire
13. Bots
14. 7098
15. Laurens & John
16. Grave
“Australian siblings Angus & Julia Stone consistently put out spectacular recordings…”— KCRW
“…with the most basic tools, the Stones build something lovely and lasting.”— BBC
“Angus and Julia are truly unique musicians. They are authentic and pure people who do things from the heart.”— Rick Rubin
“Grizzly Bear” is Angus and Julia’s latest track to be unveiled from their forthcoming and highly anticipated Rick Rubin produced album Angus & Julia Stone out August 1st (American Recordings/Republic Records).
The melodious and up-tempo, Fleetwood Mac-esque track was written and recorded in California and was brought to life thanks to Rubin’s ears and direction in the studio. As described by Rubin himself, it is the Sydney-born, Californian based siblings own “poetic depth” that carries and makes this album and track so very special.
Watch the video for “A Heartbreak” below.
NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
10/06 – House of Blues – San Diego, CA
10/07 – The Regent – Los Angeles, CA
10/08 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA
10/10 – Vogue Theatre – Vancouver, BC
10/11 – Aladdin Theater – Portland, OR
10/12 – Neumos – Seattle, WA
10/14 – Urban Lounge – Salt Lake City, UT
10/15 – Gothic Theatre – Englewood, CO
10/17 – Majestic Theatre – Madison, WI
10/18 – Cedar Cultural Center – Minneapolis, MN
10/19 – Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
10/21 – Opera House – Toronto, ON
10/22 – Virgin Mobile Corona Theatre – Montreal, QC
10/23 – The Sinclair – Cambridge, MA
10/25 – Sixth & I Historic Synagogue – Washington, DC
10/27 – Music Hall of Williamsburg – Brooklyn, NY
10/28 – Bowery Ballroom – New York, NY
10/29 – Union Transfer – Philadelphia, PA
“‘I’m Ready,'” which melds the brothers’ love of Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel harmonies with more contemporary electro-pop influences like fun. and Imagine Dragons, is quickly becoming a bona fide hit.” – Billboard
Emerging pop trio AJR, who is on the verge of becoming one of the biggest and brightest new bands of 2014, will release their full-length debut Living Room on September 30(AJR Productions/Warner Bros. Records). The 13-track album, which was written, recorded and produced by the band themselves in the living room of their New York City apartment, will feature the hit single “I’m Ready,” an infectious track that is rapidly climbing the Top 40 charts, currently at #29 with over 375k singles sold and 3.75 million YouTube views. AJR is set to appear on NBC’s The Today Show on July 29.
AJR’s NYC-bred Met brothers – Adam (bass/vocals), a 23-year old Columbia graduate, Ryan (guitar/piano/vocals), a bespectacled 20-year old Columbia student who serves as the band’s main songwriter, and Jack (vocals/guitar), the 16-year old force-de-nature who splits time between lead vocals and attending high school in NYC – have seen a meteoric rise in the past year following the self-release of a 5-song EP. Billboard favorably compared the band to the Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel (for the harmonies), Fun. and Imagine Dragons (for the electro-pop influences), while New York Post praised their “sticky-sweet pop melodies with vintage barber shop vocals [and] edgier electronic samples and ‘spokestep’ [aka dubstep breakdowns derived from vocals].”
The viral success of “I’m Ready” won over early champions including SiriusXM – who added the song the day it was released on iTunes – , iHeartRadio, VH1 “Big Morning Buzz,” Billboard and NBC, who featured the song in their Olympic promos. Just last year they opened shows for the likes of The Wanted and Demi Lovato, and recently wrapped a nationwide tour supporting Lindsey Stirling.
AJR got their musical start as kids busking in Central Park and Washington Square, singing Jackson 5 covers, and, later, their own material. They used their earnings to buy musical equipment which they set up in their parents’ living room, where they write, record and produce all of their own music to this day.
“Frontman Dylan Von Wagner has a voice that wavers between uncertainty and rock ‘n’ roll confidence, and he’s one of the few modern-day vocalists I have a hard time comparing to anyone else.” – USA Today’s Pop Candy
“Imaginary People’s lead vocalist, Dylan Von Wagner, has the kind of voice you don’t hear much anymore: there’s a vibrato to it, and an occasional yelp, and a good-natured snarl, all of which might put the listener in mind of Elvis or Jerry Lee Lewis.”–Interview Magazine
“Sounding like Eddie Veddar and Tiny Tim Harmonizing in a meat cooler, Dylan Von Wagner’s shivering warble grabs you straightaway.”–Rolling Stone
“Von Wagner is a commanding presence, expressive and elegantly bombastic”–Pitchfork
“…as much of a throwback as it is a dance party-starter.”–Nylon
The world we see in Imaginary People’s video for “Miles” is an honest day in New York City, but somehow slightly more fanciful. Perhaps it’s the carefully constructed cinematography, the 80’s boom box perched nostalgically on a shoulder or the radical and unapologetic dancing. As the main character leads us from symmetric backgrounds to a pulsing dance floor, we see how many ways this song can be boogied to.
Imaginary People have created a pure, unadulterated sound, utilizing Dylan Von Wagner’s surprisingly unique vocals, as well as a dance-happy synth and pulsing drums throughout. This track creates a vibe that could easily apply to a sweaty strobe lit dance floor or playing pool in a dimly lit pub. Half blues, half punk, half something completely their own, this video is a perfect match for a sound is as unique as this guy’s dance moves.
With his magnetic presence, it’s difficult to divert your eyes from dancer Menelik Puryear. Von Wagner explains to Pop Candy, “Menelik is dead serious about dancing; he literally danced for seven hours straight and has no problem shaking it in front of anyone.”
Miles is the b-side to the equally as energetic and danceable “Fever Nation,” which premiered earlier this summer.
Celebrated California singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis has premiered the video for her new single, “Just One of the Guys,” appropriately for the guys on GQ.com this morning. The smart, tongue-in-cheek video stars Lewis’ actress friends Anne Hathaway, Brie Larson, Kristen Stewart, and Tennessee Thomasas her band, and marks Lewis’ directorial debut.
“Just One of the Guys” is the first single from Lewis’ upcoming album The Voyager, which will be released by Warner Bros. Records on July 29th. The album is currently available for pre-order from all participating digital retailers. Those who pre-order will receive instant downloads of “Just One of the Guys” and “The Voyager.”
Ahead of their hotly anticipated debut album Lacuna, August 11th on House Anxiety / Marathon Artists, Childhood have released the new single “As I Am” via Stereogum who writes: “a finely honed pop song, one that grooves and shimmers under its sighing neon sheen.”
The track is taken from the London group’s debut album Lacuna, which was recorded with acclaimed producer Dan Carey at his studio in London. WithThe Guardian describing Childhood as “undeniably exciting and relevant” and Pitchfork as “an exciting young British rock band delivering their spin on luminous guitar pop”, Lacuna is looking set to be one of the albums of the summer.
Check out this remix of “Falls Away” by Jack Savidge of Friendly Fires
Acclaimed remixer/artist RAC (aka André Allen Anjos)releases the video for his new single “Cheap Sunglasses” FT. Matthew Koma . The video reteams RAC with director/producer Michael Dwyer who also shot and produced RAC’s video for his first single “Let Go”. Shot in Southern California, “Cheap Sunglasses” is the first RAC video to feature his full touring band and featured vocalist Matthew Koma (who along with RAC co-wrote the song which hit the #1 top spot on Hype Machine earlier this summer).
“After working with Michael Dwyer on the “Let Go” music video, it was really great to get in front of the camera again for “Cheap Sunglasses.” We had a blast and I got to have the whole band with me” says RAC.
RAC is the mastermind behind some of the most memorable remixes of recent years, giving the world new takes on tracks by Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Lana Del Rey, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes, and many more. RAC’s remixes have reached #1 on the Hype Machine charts 31 times and his first solo recording, “Hollywood,” featuring Penguin Prison hit #1 on all four Hype Machine charts at once while his tracks have over 25million plays on Soundcloud. Originally born and raised in Portugal, RAC settled in Portland, Oregon, where he began to forge his unique brand of indie-pop culminating with the release of his debut album Strangers (out now) on Cherrytree Records. André co-wrote and produced every song on Strangers, which features an impressive array of guests including, Alex Ebert(of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, and 2014 Golden Globe winner for Best Original Score) Tegan & Sara, Penguin Prison, Tokyo Police Club,Cherrytree recording artist Matthew Koma, Katie Herzig, along with Bloc Party’s Kele and electro-pop artist MNDR.Fresh off his Strangers Live World Tour,RAC will perform live at Lollapalooza on August 3rd and upcoming festival dates including Loufest in St. Louis and Life Is beautiful in Las Vegas.
SLAPTOP DJ:
7/26: Los Angeles, CA @ The Standard Downtown (stage 1-2pm)
8/2: San Francisco, @ The Independent (w/ Viceroy, Autograf)
“From ethereal bells to organic percussion, vocoded vocals to glitched out hi-hats, and even a trumpet that shreds (YES. A TRUMPET. THAT SHREDS.), it’s hard to believe this is Slaptop‘s first release.” – Kick Kick Snare
“Don’t mistake the carefree sounds for something overly simple, though, because his ability to blend together jazz, house, and pop into a well-balanced song is second to none.” – Hilly Dilly
Only three weeks ago, Slaptop’s debut track “Sunrise” came out and immediately shot to the top 5 of iTunes’ electronic charts and top 3 of the Hype Machine charts. Now, the track’s video premiered via SPIN, which called it “…influence of the electronic-funk of Daft Punk, Slaptop decorates the “Sunrise” with twinkly xylophone and super auto-tuned vocals that suggest we all “go out in the darkness and look for the sun.”
The single was revealed via This Song Is Sick, which gathered over 100,000 streams in the first 2 days.
Musically Amusing 