Starframes – Nicht Vergessen (Bulbart IT/Thinkbabymusic GR, 26 November 2018)

Nicht Vergessen, out via indie labels Bulbart (IT) and Thinkbabymusic (GR), is the third studio album by Neapolitan band Starframes.

The record, which took almost three years to be completed, is a concept album consisting of 15 tracks going through a novel written by their guitarist/singer Raphael Bramont.

The story is loosely based on Anna Funder’s book “Stasiland”.

Every chapter of the story gives the title to the corresponding song, which embodies its atmosphere and themes through music and lyrics.

The story takes place in Berlin from the 1940s up to contemporary days and gives a wide view on modern society by following the dramatic life events of main character Friederich Braun.

The stylistical influence of the songs is varied, spanning from dreampop melodies, shoegaze soundscapes, psychedelic references and ambient moments.

Active since 2004 and based in Naples (Italy), Starframes released their debut album Street Politics in June 2009 (Mile High Music Records, UK), follow-up Ethereal Underground in January 2011 (BulbArt, IT), and self-produced EP Unwired in summer 2014.

Nicht Vergessen is set to be released in autumn 2018.

Keep up with Starframes

Web site | Boulbart

 

Thurston Moore – Klangfarbenmelodie​.​. And The Colorist Strikes Primitiv (Glass Modern Records 2 November 2018)

Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore to release experimental LP on heavyweight vinyl

Famed Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore has announced the release of his ‘Klangfarbenmelodie.. And The Colorist Strikes Primitiv’ LP on white vinyl. Originally released in 1995 on CD only in New Zealand, this is the first time these recordings will be available on vinyl. This new edition will be released by London-based Glass Modern Records on 180-gram heavyweight on November 2.

This album sees Moore paired with free jazz drummer Tom Surgal for a blistering noise set, in keeping with the aesthetic of New Zealand noise label Corpus Hermeticum, who released the original CD. This recording was the start of a budding collaboration between Moore and Surgal that saw them release music together again in 1996, 2000, and 2015, as well as a joint 2000 release with Beck.

Bruce Russell of Corpus Hermeticum and New Zealand outfit Dead Cedited these tracks for the new vinyl release, as well as contributing new liner notes.

This lo-fi live performance, recorded in 1994, is candidly charming, revealing Moore’s interest in freeform improvisation. His guitar noise peaks in ways so distinct that many parts could be mistaken for a live recording from Sonic Youth’s heady and chaotic ’80s period.

Thurston Moore has been at the forefront of the alternative rock scene since the time he emerged as an artist. In 1980, he founded Sonic Youth with Kim Gordon, turning on an entire generation to experimental rock n’ roll that defied the status quo. The band’s importance in rock history is undeniable.

Recommended for anyone interested in Thurston Moore’s legacy of avant-garde music and writing, this live EP represents an interesting chapter in his musical life, spanning from his Sonic Youth days to his solo work, his varied collaborations and fully out-of-the-box recordings over the years.

Scheduled for release on November 2, ‘Klangfarbenmelodie.. And The Colorist Strikes Primitiv’ can now be ordered via Bandcamp. The Thurston Moore Band are touring the U.S. Midwest and East coast in November, with Moore performing with James Sedwards (Nought) on 12-string electric guitar and Steve Shelley (Sonic Youth) on drums.

TRACK LIST
1. Klangfarbenmelodie.. And The Colorist Strikes Primitiv (Part 1)
2. Klangfarbenmelodie.. And The Colorist Strikes Primitiv (Part 2)
3. Phase II

TOUR DATES
NOV 2   Kingston, NY – BSP KINGSTON
NOV 3   New Haven, CT – Statehouse
NOV 4   Greenfield, MA, USA – The Root Cellar
NOV 6   Philadelphia, PA – RUBA
NOV 9   Minneapolis, MN – Thurston Moore: Moore at 60
NOV 10 Minneapolis, MN – Thurston Moore: Moore at 60
NOV 12 Chicago, IL – Art Institute of Chicago
NOV 15  Brooklyn, NY – Elsewhere

Keep up with Thurston Moore
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | Press contact

Keep up with Glass Records
Glass Redux Bandcamp | Glass Modern Bandcamp | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

 

Cliff and Ivy – American Saints (22 October 2018)

Cliff  and  Ivy  are  Alaska’s  goth  duo.

With  a  solid  background  in  punk  and  metal,  they  bring  a  traditional  goth/deathrock  sound into  a  new  world.

Theatrical  and  poetic,  their  music,  live  shows  and  art  speak  to  dark  hearts  everywhere.

Their esteemed  collaborators  on  this  album  – Rikk  Agnew  (Christian  Death,  Adolescents),  Paul  Roessler  (Screamers,  45  Grave),  Sky  Lee  Vague  (A  Bleeding  Sky),  PJ  Franco  (The  Rocketz).

All  tracks  produced  by  Paul  Roessler,  at  Kitten  Robot  Studios,  Los  Angeles

Raw  Power  (Iggy  Pop,  James  Robert  Williamson) – Ivy  Silence  and  Sky  Lee  Vague,  vocals.  CliffMonk  Livingston,  rhythm  guitar  and  bass.  Rikk  Agnew,  lead  guitar.  Paul  Roessler,  piano,  synth,  organ.  PJ  Franco,  drums.

Pissing  in  a  River (Patricia  Lee  Smith,  Ivan  Kral) – Ivy  Silence,  vocals,  piano.  CliffMonk  Livingston,  rhythm  and  lead  guitar  and  bass.  Paul  Roessler,  organ.  PJ  Franco,  drums.

Spiritual  Cramp (Rozz  Williams) – Ivy  Silence,  vocals.  CliffMonk  Livingston,  rhythm  guitar  and  bass.  Rikk  Agnew,  lead  guitar.Paul  Roessler,  synth.  PJ  Franco,  drums.

It’s  a  Violent  World  (David  Xavier  Harrigan) – Ivy  Silence,  vocals.  CliffMonk  Livingston,  rhythm  guitar  and  bass.  Rikk  Agnew,  detuned  lead  guitar.  Paul  Roessler,  synth.  PJ  Franco,  drums.

What  We  Do  Is  Secret (GeorgRuthenberg,  Darby  Crash) – Ivy  Silence,  vocals.  CliffMonk  Livingston,  rhythm  guitar  and  bass.  Rikk  Agnew,  lead  guitar.  PJ  Franco,  drums.

Mommy  Can  I  Go  Out  And  Kill  Tonight  (Glenn  Danzig) – Ivy  Silence,  vocals.  CliffMonk  Livingston,  guitar  and  bass.  Paul  Roessler,  synth.  PJ  Franco,  drums.

Teenage  Lobotomy  (Dee  Dee  Ramone,  Johnny  Ramone,  Tommy  Ramone) – Ivy  Silence,  vocals.  CliffMonk  Livingston,  lead  guitar  and  bass.  Rikk  Agnew,  rhythm  guitar.  PJ  Franco,  drums.

Sex  Beat  (Jeffrey  Lee  Pierce) – Ivy  Silence,vocals.  CliffMonk  Livingston,  guitar  and  bass.  Paul  Roessler,  organ.  PJ  Franco,  drums.

Cover  songs  licensed  through  Loudr.

Keep Up with Cliff and Ivy

CD Baby | Facebook | Bandcamp

 

Parabola West – Calling Your Name (6 December 2018)

New Parabola West single combines Celtic and Nordic folk in electronic pop dreamery

Parabola West is back with her new single ‘Calling Your Name’. The artist persona of New Zealand-based American singer and songwriter Amy Tucker West. Drawing inspiration from Celtic and Nordic folk roots, electronica, and organic sounds, Parabola West’s music is a lush soundscape of layered melodies.

This new release follows up Parabola West’s 2017 EP ‘Purity of Weakness’ and lead single ‘Fire’, which was released both digitally and on CD. Her debut EP ‘Did You Hear?’ was released in 2014. Often piano-driven, her music is laced with hints of Celtic and Scandinavian influences and a dash of fantasy.

Originally from Springfield, MA (near Boston) on the U.S. east coast and currently based in Raglan, New Zealand, Amy began songwriting on piano as a teenager and, at age 21, she was recruited into the London-based trip-hop band Dreamfield during their recording sessions in Boston. With two critically acclaimed releases to their credit, the band split in 2003 and West relocated to New Zealand.

The self-confessed ‘math & science nerd’ then took a 10-year break from the music industry to work in IT and engineering recruitment, returning to her musical roots in 2013 as solo artist Parabola West.

“I came to a point where I needed to fully immerse myself again in the creative,” says Amy Tucker West. To achieve that she took the extreme step of moving completely off-the-grid to a rural spot on New Zealand’s rugged West Coast. West has since released two successful EPs and continues to call Raglan home.

“Calling Your Name’ expresses the torment of loving someone who has become emotionally numb. Ask anyone on a significant dose of anti-depressants and they’ll tell you about the numbing – that slow, subtle nothingness that keeps life ticking over without incident but turns down all the colour,” says West.

“The lyrics “you are a wilderness frozen from me” kind of sum up the bad times, when you just can’t reach the heart until the ice melts.”

This song was recorded at 432Hz instead of the standard 440Hz due to Parabola West’s experimentation with healing frequencies in her music.

As of December 6, ‘Calling Your Name’ will be released via online stores and streaming platforms, such as Spotify. In the meantime, releases from her back catalogue are now available via Bandcamp.

CREDITS
Written and performed by Amy Tucker West
Produced by Andrew Newth, Scott Newth & Parabola West
Mixed by Andrew Newth and Scott Newth
Recorded in The Porch recording studio in Hamilton and various home studios
Mastered by Oliver Harmer at The Lab recording studio in Auckland
Main vocals and keys by Parabola West
Backing vocals by David West
Flute by Alexandra Slap
Video produced & directed by Chris Lane of Bigkid Productions
Art director: Felicity Cawood

Keep up wit Parabola West
Website | Facebook | YouTube | Bandcamp | Instagram | Twitter | Spotify

 

Buildings and Food – Quick Beat Save (Number F Records 2 November 2018)

Canada’s answer to Stereolab: Toronto-based Buildings and Food to release debut LP

Buildings and Food has announced the debut album ‘Quick Beat Save’. Hailing from Toronto, this is the artist persona of Jen K. Wilson, an independent Canadian music artist espousing electronic avant pop.

Ahead of this release, she offers a beautiful teaser in the way of lead track ‘Slow to Reverse’, which shows strong leanings towards cult indie pop outfit Stereolab melody-wise but is more stripped down.

Influenced by glitch, classical music and pop, Buildings and Food is Jen’s first solo musical project. Trained in classical piano and visual arts, Jen spent many years playing guitar and drums in various indie bands before embarking on a career as a visual artist.  She has recently returned to music, getting her hands dirty with her DAW and finally playing keyboards.

In 2015, Wilson had a strong impulse to begin recording again, creating music that represents a significant departure to anything she previously released through other projects. Thus was born Buildings and Food.

“This release marks a return to music-making for me, after a long tenure as a visual artist.  While working on these recordings, I was greatly inspired by the early demos of Glenn Tilbrook and early Squeeze recordings, A.C. Newman, Jimmy Tamborello/Dntel, Daft Punk, and The Rural Alberta Advantage,” says Jen K. Wilson.

“I enjoyed mixing in analog sounds to the primarily digital tracks I created for these recordings, building loops and using found sounds, then adding guitars, percussion and sometimes vocals.”

‘Quick Beat Save’ will be released on CD on November 2. Avalable via online stores and streaming platforms, such as Spotify, it can already be ordered via Bandcamp.

LYRICS
I thought I could slow to reverse
When I held the mirror to the stairs it wasn’t 1959
Now I take those oil pasted papers
Paste it on my mind
The fountain’s always troubled
and then it’s back to mind
I wanted to slow to reverse
When I held a mirror to the object
I could almost see myself
All of those broad strokes and barely visible outlines
would lose themselves to me
And then it’s back to mine
Now it stopped pouring out like it was always
meant to be and time is slow
Lifting a piece of semi-transparent paper

CREDITS
Composed by Jen K. Wilson
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Jen at The Music Room
Drum programming, percussion, loops, keys, guitars, vocals by Jen K. Wilson
Cover artwork by Jen K. Wilson based on the painting “She Lingers Between the Lines” from the “Reconstructing Fables” series

TRACK LIST
1. Slow to Reverse  3:47
2. Quick Beat  4:39
3. Motherwell on the Stairs  5:11
4. 1979:  Pennies and Pluto  4:01
5. Food Court  4:29
6. Rewind the Dog  4:07
7. On the Lino  4:41
8. Air Weight End  2:44

Keep up with Buildings and Food
Website | Facebook | Soundcloud | Spotify | CD Baby | Amazon | Deezer

 

FOIL announces label collaboration & EP release ~ DISPAK

Dispak is the synthesis of electronic music composers/producers Chris Child and Kasson Crooker.

Over the past 20 years, Chris through his moniker Kodomo and Kasson through Symbion Project have released a wide breadth of electronic music drawing from ambient techno, IDM, downtempo, and cinematic soundscapes.

After years of struggling to collaborate on opposite sides of the country, it was best to get into the same studio.

An intense week of live experimentation using an array of early modulars, pedals, and drum machines resulted in their 3-song EP ~ DISPAK 01.

This debut EP encompasses epic ambient soundscapes over slowly evolving techno rhythms to create 3 long-form pieces, including “Ozornin” with its skittering modular synthesizers and hypnotic acid techno.

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Kodomo is moniker for electronic music producer and composer Chris Child, based in Brooklyn, New York.

The alias, Kodomo, the Japanese word for “child” references his upbringing in Japan.

Inspired by musicians such as Brian Eno, Cabaret Voltaire, and Boards of Canada, Child’s Kodomo work is often melodic and dreamlike in nature, drawing from orchestral music, synth pop, and IDM, among many other styles.

During 2007 and 2008, his Kodomo releases, including the album Still Life, were issued on the 5 Points label.

He self-released the 2011 album Frozen in Motion.

A third album, Patterns & Light arrived in 2014.

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Symbion Project is the eclectic electronic endeavor of Kasson Crooker, creating bittersweet songs with a cinematic flair.

Over the course of 9 albums, Symbion Project has touched on vocal-driven electronica, techno/IDM, and classical synthesizer music, while Kasson’s other bands, ELYXR, Rocococo & Freezepop create quirky synthpop.

Keep up with Dispak

SoundCloud | Spotify | YouTube  | iTunes Radio   | BandCamp

 

Sue Hutton (ex-Rhea’s Obsession) to release debut album with Indarra

Indarra is the brand new project from the sensual and gifted Canadian vocalist Sue Hutton (Rhea’s Obsession) that includes a mandala of players: Producer/instrumentalists Kevin Laliberté (Sultans of String, Amanda Martinez, Jesse Cook), Chris Gartner (Hugh Marsh, Kevin Hearn and Loreena McKennitt) , percussionist Deb Sinha, tabla by Ed Hanley, Heiki  (Kinder Atom) & Scott M2 (DreamSTATE)on synths and backing vocals on “Turn The Light Within” by Athan Maroulis (NØIR).

Indarra brings together touches of the haunting mystical qualities of Rhea’s Obsession along with activism, social issues, and empowerment into a timeless sonic tapestry.

Indarra will release their exotic debut album entitled ‘Walk On Fire‘ on Metropolis on November 9, 2018.

Indarra will also make their live debut on Saturday, October 27th 2018 at Cattivo in Pittsburgh, PA.