[GIG REVIEW] Fickle Friends with KYKO @ 100 Club, London, 27th April 2016

The 100 Club, one of London’s premier and historical venues sits obliviously amongst the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street. Positioned awkwardly next to an Anne Summers, the downstairs establishment is only noticeable due to the growing queue outside. This week on the 27^thApril, it was home to lively Brighton five-piece Fickle Friends and the talented KYKO as support.

KYKO, aka Scott Verrill, is a South London raised musician far beyond his years. Fusing funky rhythms and relatively soulful lyrics, the youngster revels in the experience and can only come across as casually confident. Backed by a full band, the multi-instrumental Verrill explores African drum beats, summery melodies whilst maintaining a minimalist, lo-fi indie core. The result is something that has gained traction on BBC Introducing lately, and would not be out of place on a Made In Chelsea soundtrack (you know, that sort of thing). Running through tunes such as ‘Mexico’ and ‘Native’, the set is fun and bouncy, with the only pause being for some punter to fall off his mate’s shoulders.

The night does however belong to Fickle Friends. Only just returning to the UK, the band are backed with pink and blue and a new lighting rig evoking an 80s brand to match the evolving indie-pop. Taking to the stage, the band launch straight into usual set-opener and fan favourite ‘Say No More’ – the first song of an hour long set, which craftily and refreshingly balances up-tempo peaks and slower moments. Lead singer Natassja Shiner dominates the stage, baggy t-shirt and all. After a weak and unobtrusive start to her vocals, she eases into it quickly and soon finds top form, working through ‘Could Be Wrong’. The audience mixes in with the laid back atmosphere, contributing to a lot of fun and also a few awkward moments in-between songs – there were people on shoulders thrusting umbrellas in the air, there were irritating mosh pits (I mean, seriously), there were also balloons and glitter thrown on stage.

Written on the road, new tune ‘Cry Baby’ goes down a treat; a modern take on groove and pop. The band continue to thrive, pushing back any doubts of excessive travel – “I think we may have jet lag, but fuck it”. The sound is well balanced and impossible not to dance to, and dance the audience did. With their lustre and resourcefulness in electronic exploration and synth-pop sensibilities, the band maintain strong bass grooves and compact pop melodies. ‘Play’and ‘Freak’ are perfect examples of the 80s inspired new era – flirting with the old school but remaining contemporary throughout. Fickle Friends’ sound is even bigger live, with percussion and bass leading from the front. Looking around the venue, I could not see one person with arms folded – that’s the effect, infectious dance and an uncompromising desire to sing along.

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Over halfway and the show is taken down a notch with a striking rendition of ‘Paris’; performed under dimmed lights and intentionally much slower than on record. The song builds into a gratifying crescendo before finishing abruptly to move into oldie ‘For You’. This section of the set is dominated by the guitars with disco-tinged inflections. Following on from a technical halt, “Our keys have turned off… it’s a recurring theme at our gigs”, the band swiftly and almost perfectly deliver ‘Brooklyn’ and personal favourite ‘Velvet’. The latter leading to the whole place jumping up and down in tandem. ‘Velvet’is arguably the blueprint to any great pop tune, using simple catchy dance beats to work in tandem with harmonious lilts and a memorable chorus. Finishing in wild fashion, the set is closed by new single ‘Swim’. Before beginning, Natassja revises the lines to the song as a solo in order to envision a huge singalong. The result - half the audience belting the lyrics back at her, the other half throwing themselves around the room (some in time, others far too aggressively). A group of teens successfully storm the stage, and to the amusement of everyone else, are thrown directly back off.

It’s a strong and powerful set, full of energy. Fickle Friends win you over early doors and don’t let go. The sign of a great set.

Fickle Friends played:
Say No More
Could Be Wrong
Cry Baby
Play
Freak
Paris
For You
Brooklyn
Velvet
Swim

Written by – Richard Maver (@richmaver)

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The Avalanches are officially back and announce festival shows

Late last night, Australian electronic group The Avalanches updated their social media accounts providing hope of a long-awaited follow-up to critically acclaimed plunderphonics album 'Since I Left You'. Although not giving away any information regarding the new album (which they've reportedly been working on since 2005), they have announced some comeback shows for 2016. With their last live show being in 2007, and last DJ set in 2011, their return is one not be missed - with the group bringing us their take on an "ambient world music party".

The Avalanches will play Primavera Sound in Barcelona as part of the festival and at the closing party, as well as Splendour in the Grass in Australia. More importantly for all UK based fans, the band have been added to the Sunday line-up for Field Day. 

Added to the likes of PJ Harvey, Air, Beach House, and many more on the Sunday, it is a day that you can't miss out on. However, be sure to look into the full weekend, as the Saturday is not short of superb - with a headline slot from James Blake, and others including Four Tet, Roots Manuva and Rejje Snow.

Being as unpredictable as they are, I would not pass up this opportunity. Who knows, it might be the last for a while.

Written by - Richard Maver (@richmaver)

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[GIG REVIEW] Wet @ Scala, London, 23rd March 2016

Ever since the release of their eponymous 2013 EP, Wet have been key players in the new found lounge-friendly soft-pop movement, dominating the blog scene and flirting with the mainstream. Mixing 80s R&B and earlier soft rock influences, the band’s name has been bandied around with the likes of The XX, Jessie Ware and Rhye. The recent surge in popularity for Wet has only been aided by the release of blissful debut album ‘Don’t You’. Credit must go to the strength in intricacies, production and patience surrounding this album, since it has managed to overpower an arguably fading trend and come out triumphant. In lieu of this, it is no surprise their show at Scala was a sell-out.

With headphone-friendly fine points being very difficult to recreate in a live and large setting, Wet didn’t overcomplicate their set. Instead, the Brooklyn trio (backed on the night by a second percussionist to boost the steady beats) delivered a clear and powerful show. Opening with crowd pleasers ‘Deadwater’ and ‘You’re The Best’, the band overcame early tech jitters and overly loud crowd members. Vocals from Kelly Zutrau were clear, with an endearing quaver, maintaining her powerful, ringing notes of affection and pro-apathy. Backed by beaming blue lights, seemingly expert in hitting every audience member directly in the eye regardless of location and build, the band seemed to gain confidence hiding in the shadows.

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With her figure dissolved into darkness in front of the textured background, a shy Zutrau could still command attention when singing alone during ‘Small And Silver’. With no additional voices, nothing to hide behind, her drifting vocals rose above the increasingly irritating crowd; where the reintroduction of the quiet thundercrack drum, reverb, and pealing guitar completed the carefree dreamscape. Personal favourite ‘Move Me’ and ‘Body’ swiftly followed, with the latter being drawn out for a bigger and punchier finale. With one track weaving into another, only to be broken up by fluttering wildlife echoing in the monitors, the sound became more anthemic with a stronger low-end punch. The notably bolstered sound is helped by the addition of a live drummer; which shows the band have clearly thought of how to up their normally downtempo, flowing songs in an attempt to not be swallowed by the countless festival stages they’ll be playing over the next year.

Album closer and band favourite ‘These Days’ dismisses any concerns of Zutrau’s ability to control the crowd. On stage she’s at the core of every song, being significantly more connected to her songs than any audience member – which is not a bad thing. Although only rarely varying from her innocent and default position, she invites you to enter her world and get lost there. ‘Don’t Wanna Be Your Girl’ goes down a treat and holds the strongest sing-a-long of the evening – in fact, it went down so well that I swear I even saw some rave hands being periodically thrown up on the floor. Swiftly following the appreciative applause and some nervy murmurs of “this is so fun” and “this is the best London show we’ve ever done”, the band worked their way through ‘All In Vain’. Eyes fixated on the stage in hypnotic gaze, an intimacy developed, which was unexpected in a rather large venue. However, what was expected was Wet’s ability to thrive on this, with every note laced in precision.

‘No Lie’ and ‘Island’ finish the first part of the show, where Zutrau leaves the stage to allow the band to finish off in grandiose fashion. After a short break, Wet returned to the shadows to reveal ‘All The Ways’, a comparatively upbeat section of the evening. Through these lyrics, the present happiness can’t wipe away uncertainty and the expectation of future despair. In closer ‘Weak’, the drummers and shimmering guitars free the mist and consolidate the well-executed and consistent concert. There is something comforting in knowing that we have a band in Wet that go out and execute what they have set out to do; rather than attempt to dress themselves up and lose focus on their key template.

They may not create tracks you can head bang to or be accompanied by blinding strobe lights, but it’s a gig well worth the value and more.

Wet played:
Deadwater
You're The Best
Small and Silver
Move Me
Body
These Days
Don't Wanna Be Your Girl
All In Vain
No Lie
Island
--------
All The Ways
Weak

Written by – Richard Maver (@richmaver)

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[INTRODUCING] Krista Papista

Krista Papista is a self-described and self-progressive 'sordid pop artist'. Based in London, she incorporates multi-faceted and cross-genre layers into an eclectic production. By also being a video director, artist and all round creative, she maintains complete control over her rather direct and unwordly vision. Case in point, her new self-released 'I Wish I Had Blue Eyes', an audio-visual project (in collaboration with Blør) released last month. Revolving around the bizarre interest in the rise of fetishes for middle aged men in suits, the video explores the nature and curiosity of masculinity. The video depicts an anxious man being taught the rites and 'rituals' of his masculinity by a younger lady.

As for the song; it's an unsurprisingly odd and disorientating piece that somewhat aligns itself as the missing piece of a horror film. The progressive nature of the song portrays the 'no genre boundaries' approach she has become accustomed to. The textured and dazed output is in no way ordered, as it descends into gibberish at the end. With a few listens, you could argue there is an obscured melancholic undertone, but that's up for debate.

Confused? Interested? Take a look and let us know what you think. At the very least, this will get you thinking.

Released by [THE REST IS NOISE].

Written by // Richard Maver (@richmaver)

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Daughter unveil video for 'How'- the trilogy finale

When it came time for British three-piece Daughter to make videos for their new album Not To Disappear, they sent three songs to writer Stuart Evers. He wrote three short stories, which were then used as the basis for the new videos 'Doing The Right Thing', 'Numbers' and now new single 'How'. 
After tapping up film-makers to create the visuals, the videos are being well-recieved in both the music and film industry. Each video has their own tale, with the only common thread a red dress seen in each clip. In 'How', Tonra believes the video perfectly correlates in the desired texture, and that the red dress symbol is "up for interpretation".

Not To Disappear is out now on Glassnote Records.
Make sure you watch the videos for 'Doing The Right Thing' and 'Numbers'; but for now, watch the new piece 'How' below.

          

Written by // Richard Maver

Holly Herndon's Lectures from Berlin Loop event

Last October, Ableton held its first Loop event in Berlin - a summit for music makers which took the form of lectures, workshops and number of panel discussions. Various pieces of content were created as a product of the three day event, the first of which come from Holly Herndon, and are now available to view. 

In this audio-visual talk recorded at Ableton's Loop summit for music makers, Holly Herndon describes the role process plays in her creative vision. Drawing on her experience as a recording artist, her studies at Mills College and Stanford University's Centre for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, Holly discusses the conceptual frameworks surrounding her process-based composition methods. Using audio and video examples from her recent work she reflects on how government surveillance, internet age aesthetics and collaborations with Mat Dryhurst, Metahaven and others inform her mission to capture the 'sound of now'.

After a presentation describing the process behind her work, Holly sat down to a conversation with fellow composer Jace Clayton a.k.a. DJ/rupture. The two forward-thinking producers engage each other on the subjects of artistry as activism, working in both club and academic contexts, the role of optimism and euphoria in electronic music, plus autotune and much more.

Holly on Process

In conversation with Jace Clayton



The lectures were premiered on Fader.

If you haven't already, check out Holly's critically acclaimed new album Platform, which highlights her complicated relationship with technology - this includes a stand-alone track 'Lonely At The Top' and is intended to trigger Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR). Available through iTunes and on her [OFFICIAL WEBSITE] .

Released by [THE REST IS NOISE] on behalf of [ABLETON] and Loop.

Written by // Richard Maver

[GIG REVIEW] Okay Kaya @ St Pancras Old Church, London, 11th February 2016

In today’s hedonistic world of social media, we are force fed Instagram feeds and twitter spats; where mystique is solely absent. But within this cloud of knowing, we are drawn to searching for that new, rare spark. Okay Kaya is this refreshing project. Without knowing too much about her, she brings an aura of intrigue and subtle darkness. The Norwegian born, but New York based, artist has stepped onto the scene with her ethereal and somewhat dejected music.

After support act James Canty throws us a mixture of acoustic, electric and acapella; Kaya Wilkins steps into the room, taking in the glowing atmosphere that has built up in the small and bare church. St Pancras Old Church stood tall, organ et al, only lit by candles and the odd stage lamp. Being located only 5 minutes away from King’s Cross St Pancras station, the venue seems out of place in a big city, but did not seem out of place to host the spidery love songs of Okay Kaya.

Having concentrated on recording vocals and guitar for the soundtrack of the Manchester ballet ‘Tree of Codes’ (composed by Jamie XX), the 23-year-old hasn’t the biggest back catalogue to choose from. Instead she opts to play a short and sweet set (approx. 30 minutes) in virtuous fashion.

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The fragility of the first song renders the audience silent, as she echoes words of hurt and dismay. The subterranean nature of the songs nestles well into the dark and cold church, where only the odd whisper would break the peace. Going straight into personal favourite ‘Clenched Teeth’, she sticks to the same spot and performs with no backing band or accoutrements to speak of – just her and her guitar. The downbeat, bedroom pop (or incorrectly described ‘adult jazz’) makes a fine parallel to the likes of Tobias Jesso Jr. with similar tones and unobtrusive murmurs. The minimalistic and nervous approach works wonders, as she draws the crowd slowly into her world. Through the wispy and tense song, she seamlessly moves into Norwegian-vocal ditty 'Durer', making the language seem like the most romantic of them all.

Using the church echo, she steps away from the mic and carefully alternates vocals to suit her pitch. Being fairly new to the scene, and still young, Kaya exudes a naïve and nervous body language; where she is barely able to open her eyes or look up from the ground – “If I look up, I might freak out”. The innocence of her performance, is only helped by her brief thankyous and introduction to ‘I Die Slow’ – “this song is about how I feel right now”. Continuing her subtle yet trapped wit, she brings with her a stunning and heart-breaking cover (a regular theme of her live shows) – ‘You Make Me Feel Like Dancing’ is nothing like the Leo Sayer original. It’s chilled, unpretentious and would serve anyone well on a long night bus home. New single ‘I’m Stupid (But I Love You)’ is the softest track, where the omittance of the piano-lead core does not impair the overall outcome. It’s only until now that she really grows in confidence and her insecurities evaporate away. The devastating song details a love unrequited over a sparse beat. Every word strikes the core. Making a mockery of bottling-up any emotion.

After taking some time to find the tempo. Okay Kaya’s set closer ‘Damn, Gravity’ is tender, and just all round beautiful. The dark, slow requiem floats away in reverb until it is met by the chimes of 10pm from the church spire. Not letting this overpower her final song, she uses the rather loud chimes in tandem with her sequential chords to close on a powerful and peaceful instance.

Sharing a bench outside after, she is comforted in the knowledge that her show was a success. By trying to hide my inner-fanboy, I was able to be in discussion with Jamie XX and label-pal King Krule, while Kaya admits that she might “find it hard to write a happy song”.

I, for one, do not mind if she never writes a happy song. Why change something that works.

Written by – Richard Maver (@richmaver)

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[ALBUM REVIEW] Daughter - Not To Disappear

January may be the bleakest part of the year: full of post-Christmas dejection, wet and windy weather, sometimes snow and ice, and in 2016, the devastating loss of some of the world’s most innovative geniuses.

With the bleak days of winter in mind, many would argue that it is the perfect month for a Daughter resurgence. Debut If You Leave went hand-in-hand with a permeating dark, fragile, and ghostly nature about the arrangements. However, despite the obvious continuation of the underlying sense of sadness, the subtlety and serenity of the first album is not brought through to 2016. Rather, new album Not To Disappear is much bigger; bringing with it extra dynamism and ambition.

Nestling away after touring their 2013 debut, the indie folk trio have certainly taken their time about this, their second and superior record. Whilst cleverly maintaining the gripping melancholy and gossamer constructions that we fell in love with, the band have pushed away from the “frozen hearts” Elena Tonra lyrics (which has been sometimes criticised and described as a hushed and departed take on idols Ian Curtis and Jeff Buckley) and centred their new sound around Remi Aguiella’s drums. Very much like The XX, I feel, Daughter are meticulous. They won’t drastically change genres or scrap guitars for keyboards in order to gain attention; it’s more of a working progress. Not To Disappear seems like just a platform to the next, and on the way the band will clip, carve and sculpt their way to a perfect masterpiece.

Created at both Cable Street studios in London and in New York (working with Nicolas Vernhes [Animal Collective, War on Drugs]), there is a sense of bustle and commotion which couples the routine plethora of feelings. At times, we feel immersed in Tonra’s unashamed “sad person brain” and affinity to humanity; while in others we are hit straight between the eyes with frenetic indie, thumping post-rock, glum shoegaze, and sparkling dream-pop. Culminating in a delicious cocktail. Maybe not as smooth and as consistent as before; but leaving a spicy kick and warrant us to try some more.

Opener ‘New Ways’ welcomes you like an old friend, holding you and not letting you go – just as beautiful as before, but with a new found edge. The simplicity of a recurrent drum beat and an unassuming reverb runs through the song as it picks up the breadcrumbs left behind by If You Leave. Following this is the lead track ‘Numbers’, which opens with a mysterious deadpan sneer – “Take the worst situations / Make a worse situation” – and is quickly trailed by an insensitive note on the filthy charm of “pulling” culture. “I’ll wash my mouth but still taste you”, Tonra laments before peacefully echoing the hook like “I fell numb in this kingdom”. What’s impressive is the preservation of the intimacy, despite a quickly evolving and somewhat wild (by Daughter’s standards) beat similar to something heard on a Florence & the Machine record. Swiftly after is arguably one of the best tracks on the record, ‘Doing The Right Thing’ – the single released at the end of last year. It plays out like a masterpiece of existential narrative that wouldn’t be out of place in a cult classic film, or as backing to a rolling scene in theatre. We are met with powerful lyrics, nostalgic guitars and an overall pared-back composition. What is surprising is the realisation that Tonra is speaking as the voice of an Alzeimer’s sufferer. With lyrics such as “I have lost my children, I have lost my love, I just sit in silence, let the pictures soak out of televisions”, it’s probably something you won’t want to listen to on a hungover morning or when emotionally delicate.

Rolling through the mid-section, ‘How’ swings back and forth in providing the closest thing to an anthem, while ‘Mothers’ is accurately placed to give us a half time break. Slow and heart-breaking, it bridges the gap between the real slog of mundanity, and the potency of memories when times are dreary. Through a bold, developing theme of motherhood, it is only fair that we are treated to relationship references – whether this be the challenge of emotional distance (‘Alone/With You’), the now ordinary insecurities (‘To Belong’), or both as seen in ‘No Care’: “Oh, there has been one time where we fucked, and I felt like a bad memory”. ‘No Care’ is a mixed bag, upping the tempo at an odd time, and briefly getting drowned out by exuberant backing percussion. However, ‘To Belong’ brings us a perfect fusion of the seamless suffocation we loved on If You Leave and a new grime and determination in the form of dissipating grooves.

Personal favourite, ‘Fossa’, unlike its anatomical name sake, is not hollow and overly depressing. Effortlessly crafted layers are piled up in a precise manner to take you on one final journey, leaving you unable to nod and tap along wherever you may be. Closer ‘Made of Stone’ takes us back to 2013, in a comforting yet dark release: the calm after the storm.

Growing in stature, Daughter show a growing brewing in this second album. An organism, that certainly knows itself better. An organism with a future to evolve and emerge as a more vibrant being.

Daughter – Not To Disappear

Out of 10: 8.2/10

Written by – Richard Maver (@richmaver)


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Field Day announce second wave of acts for 2016 festival

Field Day, arguably London's premier summer festival, takes place in Victoria Park every year - where it grows in size and popularity, but still maintains it's alternative roots and integrity. This year's festival takes takes place on the weekend of the 11-12th June, and is shaping up to be as big and as diverse as ever.

This year's line-up so far includes a UK exclusive from PJ Harvey, who will bring a close to the weekend on Sunday evening with her political art and superior song-writing. Alongside her back catalogue, Harvey will showcase her ninth studio album 'The Hope Six Demolition Project' (released on April 15th via Island records), which has been rumoured to follow in a similar style to the critically acclaimed and award-winning 'Let England Shake'. This performance is one we've been waiting for for a while; it's not to be missed.
Check out the brand new PJ Harvey track, which was premiered on Steve Lamacq's show on 6 Music. Listen [HERE].

Elsewhere on the line-up is electronic extraordinaire  Four Tet, the up-and-coming Mura Masa, as well as SOAK, Beach House and Skepta.

This week, Eat Your Own Ears announced the second wave of acts:

Saturday: Bicep (Live), Frisco, Gillbanks, Girl Band, Gold Panda, Jackmaster b2b Gerd Janson, Kelela, Little Simz, Mabel, Metz, Nao, Novelist, Plastician, Sleaford Mods, Slimzee, Tale Of Us, The Black Madonna, Wooden Wisdom & DJ Fitz, Yeasayer.

Sunday: Blossoms, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Cass McCombs, Daphni, Formation, Mbongwana Star, Moon Duo, Parquet Courts, Tangerines, Tourist plus more to be announced!


See the updated line-up below, with many more acts to be announced including Saturday's headliner.

For more info and to buy tickets head to the Field Day [WEBSITE]

[GIG REVIEW] The Magic Gang @ Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 14th December 2015

It’s on a dark, cold Yorkshire evening that The Magic Gang rolled into town; bringing with them their dreamy, laid back tunes that would fit effortlessly into anyone’s summer playlist. Originally billed for the Brudenell Social Club’s Games Room (a more intimate and intense enclosure), I was shocked on arrival to see the main room open with the top level roped off with curtains. Although deemed as a “small” venue, even I knew it would be hard for the Brighton four-piece to fill such a daunting arena – and sadly, the open plan set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Despite smashing their way through a strong setlist of devilishly infectious tracks, both old and from the forthcoming EP (brilliantly named ‘EP’), the band were not able to fill the glaringly empty venue. With a strong crowd of students and enthusiastic fans, the gig would have been perfectly placed in the originally billed intimate setting – which would have reflected their undeniable intensity that is present in their shows.

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This aside, the band expertly proved why they have been included in DIY Magazine’s ‘Class of 2016’ by bringing us a maturing and developed display of searing guitars and refined grooves. By constantly touring, The Magic Gang have slowly altered and perfected a setlist that accurately reflects their fun and energetic nature. While chatting to members Kris and Paeris, it became clear that the development of such a list hasn’t been as simple as you’d imagine – “the only problem is we have too many songs”. However, even with an embarrassment of riches, the band are able to fit in crisp and concise renditions of their many charming retro-indie guitar tunes that never fail to get the crowd dancing (even with a negative punter to floor space ratio).

Old fan favourite and publicity kickstarter ‘She Won’t Ghost’ is simple but effective, bringing with it a vintage production and the first of many examples of seamless harmonising between all three front men. The well-constructed new single ‘Jasmine’ is given some edge with centre of stage Jack forever smiling, cheerfully bouncing, and winking at any audience member he meets eyes with. With a catchy yet subtle chorus, it is no surprise the song is gaining increasing coverage on Radio 1 (tipped as track of the week BBC Radio 1 Introducing). Amidst some questionable mid-set chat about mirrors, we are treated to the dreamy ‘I Wanna Get To Know Ya’ and the never forgotten ‘Alright’. On top of this, we are also spoilt with some numbers off the impending EP (released in January) including ‘She Doesn’t See’, ‘Feeling Better’ and personal highlight 'All That I Want Is You'.

Unheard and unrecognised, ‘Jazzy’ (at least that’s what I think it’s called) is the dark horse of the set. With many fans opting to force the fun and create a ten-man mosh pit, it was seemingly lost at points. However, with close examination, it evolves into an absolute gem that wouldn’t be out of place on the new Unknown Mortal Orchestra album. Revolving around a modest beat and funky bassline, and with vocals lead by bassist Gus, the track oozes with ancillary confidence and develops into a pigeon-toed groove and indie-pop hybrid.

‘No Fun’ closes the regular show, with all the ‘cooler’ kids showing that they already know all of the words to it – testing its imminent status as a festival favourite in the summer. In jest, the Brighton boys play ‘Alright’ as an encore; showing that, even in these undecorated times, there is a place for a band unafraid of just having fun.

With their musical career only heading in one direction, and showing no signs of slowing, The Magic Gang are a group not to be missed.

The band play the 100 Club as part of the NME Awards Shows series on Monday 15th February 2016.
And don't forgot about their debut EP 'EP' - [PRE-ORDER]

The Magic Gang played:

Lady, Please

She Won’t Ghost

Jasmine

Wanna Get To Know Ya

She Doesn’t See

All That I Want Is You

Alright

Jazzy

Feeling Better

No Fun

- - - - - -

Shallow

Written by Richard Maver

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[GIG REVIEW] Unknown Mortal Orchestra @ Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 29th September 2015

It’s been a while since we last heard from the pure yet enigmatic four-piece Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Having now released their third and most decorated album ‘Multi-Love’, the band have expanded beyond the 60s spaced-out fuzzy rock sound of their previous work; this time, adding doses of funk and pop to their classic layered guitar and ethereal vocals. Many have prematurely labelled UMO as a band that can only exist in the studio, and that they are masters of production trickery, creating sounds that are almost impossible to reconstruct live.

Boo to these people.

Their recent tour of the UK has seen the band mature exponentially. By showing off their new material as well as peppering the set with euphoric album cuts, the band oozes confidence and brings all the “studio sorcery” and funk than any one person could handle. What we got at the sold out Brudenell Social Club was non-stop clean, unsullied fun – proof that psychedelic and gone-disco bands don’t have to take themselves too seriously.

Opener ‘Like Acid Rain’ is bolstered by lyrical reverb, with punters crying back the infectious la la la la as if it were the theme to their favourite Pink Floyd inspired children’s TV show. Lead Ruban Nielson shows that he has mastered the art of pulling in listeners with his twisting grooves and delicate fret work, before hitting them hard with a colossal hook. The newly installed PA at the venue perfectly balances UMO’s sound of booming synths, cymbal crunches, and deliberately lithe guitars. Dripping with innocent arrogance and gaining momentum, the band run through the first half of their set quickly and effectively, giving us euphoric singles like ‘Ur Life One Night’ as well as old ones which rarely see the light of day on stage in 2015 such as ‘Thought Ballune’.

The pace is slowed only by the new soulful number ‘The World Is Crowded’ and fan favourite ‘So Good At Being In Trouble’ –  the cautious groove of the latter complimenting the harmonic chorus, proving that they are as danceable and heart-warming as ever. An audience-led hum of the closing tune disperses into a silence as the audience admires the quartet in all their technical ability during ‘Swim And Sleep (Like A Shark)’.

However, the greatest power is through Nielson and his ability to keep the audience transfixed on his movements and fragility – we see him toe tapping whilst playing guitar, nonchalantly leaning up against the back wall under the famous Brudenell paint, sitting front of stage with legs dangling over the edge, as well as venturing out into the audience during ‘Stage Or Screen’. It’s an effortless charm that doesn’t instantly demand attention, but yet you still can’t keep your eyes off him as he loses himself in his own world of psychedelia. After wandering through the crowd with a cheesy grin (note: I’ve heard he went and got a pint during the London show), he finishes off the guitar-lacking segment of the set with an abrupt, unforeseen Jackson-esque swivel and drop. It’s unpredictable, shamelessly silly, and exudes the band’s intrinsic vulnerability – but in this lies the band’s greatest muscle and proof of honest integrity (something which is lost in today’s business).

The only thing predictable about the whole show is the responses to singles, ‘Multi-Love’ and ‘Ffunny Ffriends’. Both leaving punters itching to dance, jump, and clap their hands, stomp their feet, or do whatever they felt was necessary at the time. The title track of the new album, and set closer, is funkier than any UMO song has been before, pasting together a boisterous and unavoidable chorus.

At first, their re-appearance on stage is disappointing, as the deep synths of ‘Necessary Evil’ unable to follow suit of the previous closer. Despite the start of the encore lacking the classic UMO spark, it is swiftly redeemed of a shortcoming with latest single ‘Can’t Keep Checking My Phone’ – this being as close to a new-wave and pop song as you could ever apprehend from this group, with capturing vocals and a disco undertones.

To prove their increasing live identity, the set is littered with solos. Each member of the quartet is given multiple opportunities to emulate any individual rock-star fantasy - from Ruban Nielson on guitar, to Jake Portrait on bass, to Quincy McCrary on keys, and Riley Geare on drums. However, this never overflows into cockiness or to seem immodest, every member remains within their bubble of self-awareness and simply have a good laugh with each other.

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It is now completely understandable as to why Unknown Mortal Orchestra have progressed from a fad to a force. This is a band that are humbled by a sell-out, and a band who leave the stage as delighted as they were when taking it. A band that play the songs you know, as well as the ones you don’t – because they can.

Unknown Mortal Orchestra played:

Like Acid Rain

From The Sun

How Can You Luv Me

Ur Life One Night

Thought Ballune

The World Is Crowded (great)

So Good At Being In Trouble

Swim And Sleep (Like A Shark)

Stage Or Screen

Ffunny Ffriends

Multi-Love

- - - - - -

Necessary Evil

Can’t Keep Checking My Phone

Written by Richard Maver

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[WATCH] VITAMIN - Giving It Up

After a triumphant tour supporting Swim Deep, VITAMIN have been relatively quiet in terms of new music. Today, the Leeds four piece have released a video for their new single 'Giving It Up'. The track has already gained approval from BBC Radio 1 with a premier from Huw Stephens on last night's show.



Be sure to check the band out at this year's Leeds Festival and free teen event Under The Owls.

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Written by // Richard Maver
@richmaver

Field Day to Glastonbury: The Female Resurgence

It’s only July, and it’s fair to say that this year has lived up to its predictive billing as the decade’s ‘Year of the Woman’. 2015 has seen solo veterans appearing once more, in the form of Patti Smith, PJ Harvey, Roisin Murphy and Bjork; as well as the revival of the riot grrrl movement due to the likes of Babes in Toyland and Sleater Kinney. On the wave of this exciting and varied time for female musicians, the real impact in 2015 was to be measured on the festival circuit. For the first time this decade, the UK festival schedule boasts an array of female headline slots including St. Vincent (at Green Man), Portishead (at Latitude), Belle & Sebastian (at Festival No. 6), and the recently triumphant Friday night Glastonbury set from Florence & The Machine. However, the real resurgence in female musicianship comes in the encouraging uprising of female acts which include Hinds, Girlpool, Tei Shi and Alvvays, to name but a few.

The increased wealth in female talent has been well broadcast so far at this year’s major festivals. Glastonbury and Field Day, two festivals to which I have followed and visited respectively, have showcased an abundance of female talent and have had extremely successful outings. This year’s East London mecca, Field Day Festival, displayed a much more acceptable margin of gender difference – some would say, a step in the right direction. Despite the male dominance at the top of the festival bill (with the likes of Caribou, Django Django, Run The Jewels, Chet Faker and Ride), the highlights of the weekend came from some major players in this female resurgence.

Savages' headline performance on the Shacklewell Arms stage on the Sunday summed up the varied timetable Field Day offers and to why the festival’s strike rate remains unrivalled. The all-female band’s disciplined attack of cult-ish punk noir included a healthy mix of old and new. Jehnny Beth fronted the show in increasing confidence, holding the crowded tent in the palm of her hands. Classics from debut ‘Silence Yourself’ maintained their giant, twisting, bolshy rock; while one-off release ‘Fuckers’ was dedicated to anyone who was unhappy with the Conservative general election win – showing that it isn’t just Kanye West who can bring controversy to a festival line-up. Patti Smith’s ‘Horses’ was a jumble of garage, reggae, and lyrical sensibility. Performing with heart, anguish and cynical humour, she shows that class has no expiry date. Moments included jubilant renditions of The Who’s ‘My Generation’ and ‘Because The Night’, as well as a touching reflection in ‘Elegie’ by dedicating it to lost loved ones everywhere (specifically with her own references to Jimi Hendrix, Fred Sonic Smith and Lou Reed).

Saturday acmes came in abundance, but more surprisingly in the early afternoon. Between overhearing murmurs such as “I think my drugs are wearing off” (at 2pm) and “I want to get a Shoreditch House membership – just for the pic’n’mix”, Jagaara played one of the best sets of the entire weekend. With a laid back attitude, and ever increasing following, the three music obsessed sisters (Cat, Jane and Ruth) effortlessly laid down an atmospheric and almost cinematic sound. By drawing influence from folk music, as well as electronica and rock, they are certainly a strong part of the uprising not just in female acts, but in re-establishing musical genres.

Jagaara played:

Heartbeats

Feel It

Better

Faultline

In The Dark

Marble Arch

On the same stage, the visibly humbled Tei Shi performed to a packed-out tent. Dancing around the stage, flying between the centre-stage mic and sampler padded desk, she flawlessly translated her complex sound to her live show. Closer ‘Basically’ boasted mounting high notes and pop dynamics – and eventually had to come to an end despite herself and the whole of Field Day not wanting her to leave the stage. A more brief dissection of Field Day included huge performances from Ex Hex, Shura, TĀLĀ, Sylvan Esso and Tune Yards.

For the past year, FKA Twigs has led the resurgence in female spectacle with her perfectly refined live show. Her live show is now at the point where she is able to put on one-off spectacles more than once (I know that’s not possible, but you know what I mean). In contrast to the above mentioned bands, FKA Twigs strongly emphasises performance over music. Despite the risk in festival performances, where not everything is within your control, she delivered some shocking and powerful performances at Field Day and Glastonbury. The imagery and enactment of her debut ‘LP1’ was deviously mysterious, profoundly meticulous and thankfully lived up to the big billing. Despite her sound’s obvious complexity, it is restrained and performed in a minimalistic and dark manner. Backing this up with some sweet, synth-tinged beats and vogue-nodding elegance, many would have been kept up in late night chat. ‘Two Weeks’ remains a powerhouse, and sends quakes to the system (one friend told me it “melted his brain and turned him into an ice cream”).

The resurgence in female ‘power’ was solidified at Glastonbury; firstly in the backing of Florence & The Machine to headline the Pyramid Stage, and secondly in the maturation and national success of Wolf Alice.

After Foo Fighterspulled out following Dave Grohl’s injury, heads turned to Florence Welch to see if she could step up to the top spot. Dishing out an eclectic mix of old, new and a cover of ‘Times Like These’, Florence repeatedly won the crowd’s affection and attention. The band’s performance showed that they could have been on the top spot all along. On top of the obvious effort and celebratory joy shown by Ms Welch, it helps that the band have a healthy store of undeniably great songs. Ranging from old classics such as ‘Drumming Song’ to new anthems such as ‘How Big How Blue How Beautiful’, the infectious enthusiasm ended one of the best days in the festival’s history.

It’s been a hell of a year so far for the North London four piece Wolf Alice. Fresh after kicking off Glastonbury with a secret set on Thursday at the William’s Green tent, they followed this up with arguably one the best shows of the weekend on the Park Stage on Friday (note: voted the 4^th best set of the weekend by NME readers). In the same week that their debut ‘My Love Is Cool’ initially hit number 2 in the charts (pipped by Florence), the band rocked Worthy Farm and won over an ever-increasingly busy, and rain-soaked audience. Full of energy and ferocity, the band managed to make every moment feel inclusive and resonant; an example came in the run through of new era classic ‘Fluffy’. Ellie, Joff, Theo and Joel were able to pull off the most intimate of moments in a rain drenched Somerset field by curating a nostalgic rendition of revisited new single ‘Bros’; while also providing laughter during ‘The Wonderwhy’, where singer Rowsell’s mic stand collapsed and she battled on the floor to continue to deliver the song - aptly, the line she was trying to voice was “don’t leave me here”. It is clear to us all that the band will continue to rise up the ranks and find themselves at the top of the bill in years to come.

Other explorative and memorable performances at Glastonbury came from the increasingly bizarre Charli XCX, the raw Courtney Barnett, the sublime Sharon Von Etten, and the perfect Jessie Ware. Domination continued with Hinds, Lianne La Havas, Kate Tempestand a masterclass from Mary J Blige.

Having seen the international appraise that Glastonbury and Field Day (and most likely Bestival) have received for their balance in gender, it is still shocking to see the Reading & Leeds festival line-up. The huge gender imbalance has been broadcast across the globe in the form of an edited line-up poster, which upon inspection boasts a grand total of nine acts over the weekend (now boosted by the inclusion of Charli XCX and Ms Dynamite) which have a female member – and only one act on the main stage (this being Marmozets).  (See poster below)

Thanks to @crackintheroad

The whole debacle, in my opinion, is summed up perfectly by Siobhan Smith in her Overblown article:

“It’s not about tokenization, or female members being booked above their male counterparts in a positively discriminating way, it’s about recognising that great female musicians there are out there and addressing a disparity so glaring that it should be completely unacceptable. The first step is to start questioning it. It’s about being aware the problem exists. The music industry, including festival bookers, has to shoulder some of the responsibility.”

While, last year Blood Red Shoes’ Laura May Carter, in an interview for NME, explored the issue in saying:

“This isn’t just a problem with festivals not booking enough women. We need to look at the way society as a whole looks at female artists. If the audience still see women in rock bands as something of an oddity, that’s where the real problem lies.”

Long live the resurgence.

[GLASTONBURY]
[FIELD DAY] - Early bird tickets already on sale!

Written by Richard Maver
@richmaver

Essential Field Day 2015 (Sunday) playlist

Following on from my Essential Saturday playlist, please see below my picks of the tunes that you must go hear at Field Day on the Sunday. The second helping of the weekend is headlined by Ride, with support from Patti Smith and many other names including Savages, Mac DeMarco and Baxter Dury.

With the festival's line-up now essentially finalised (recent additions include Matthew E. White and Jungle, who will curate the afternoon on the Bandstand), I advise you all buy your tickets before it's too late! There's just under three weeks to go!

Check out the website [HERE] for more info and ticket selling outlets.

Top tip: See if you can pop into one of the retailers or pubs which sell tickets, as then you won't have to pay a booking fee.

Hope to see you all there!

Written by - Richard Maver


                                     

Introducing... Bad//Dreems

Picture the scene. It’s September. You’re sprawled out across a semi-damp, stain ridden 2-seater sofa outside in your back garden. You’re trying to get the most out of the British summer by drinking Fosters at midday with your already inebriated mates. Amidst the overproduced clutter of Calvin Harris and the lad-clad Courteeners on the playlist, a song comes on that resonates entirely with the situation. You try hard to be cool in front of your friends by not waving your arms around like you would at a summer Springsteen festival set. Instead, you say to your mate “What’s this band again?” (pretending to have already known who they are). They reply “Bad Dreems”; to which you play along with the façade and nod along as if you’re entirely familiar with the band. Later on when the conversation has ended, you slyly note down the band’s name in your notes section on your phone; so that you can instantly download any releases they’ve had and ‘be cool’ again. The problem is you can’t seem to find the band because it’s spelt with Es.

To save you this intrinsic embarrassment, I’m here to let you know it’s spelt Bad Dreems, and that you should probably check the band out before this scenario affects you. Hopefully, you can be that guy who puts the song on the playlist.

From Adelaide, Bad//Dreems are a 4-piece energetic “outsider rock” band who offer up vibrant melodies and a mammoth sound. Nothing here is brand new. Nothing here is attempting to reinvent the wheel, nor is it trying to genre hop. Despite this, Bad//Dreems have developed from a group of four mates kicking around in bars, to a band (amongst others) carrying the rapidly expanding punk rock scene in Australia. What makes this band stand out, is their rise. It’s not through excessive marketing, selling of their sound, or direct family funding. Rather it’s simply their passion for the music, which is shown through their DIY film clips and gritty live shows.

Mixing raw, heartfelt garage with gaudy vocals, Bad//Dreems tell tales of the sordid underbelly and decaying fringes of their home city. The band released their debut EP Badlands in the summer of 2013, and have since been signed to Ivy League Records. The track ‘Hoping For’ embodies the whole ‘feel-good’ concept and can make a Tuesday evening feel like the weekend.

New UK AA-side ‘Cuffed & Collared / Dumb Ideas’ highlights their electrifying, authentic sound, but this time by dosing it with a sprinkle of raw integrity. It could quite easily be played in the background to a bar room punch-up (not inducing it). A thinking man’s release. To sum it up; think Parquet Courts bouncy, aggressive guitar, but throw in some rasp Cobain-esque vocals (from lead vocalist Ben Mawre).

Recently completing a UK tour including The Great Escape and Live at Leeds festivals, Bad//Dreems will be back soon (potentially after completing their debut album) and by then you should all have them firmly locked into your Spotify playlists.

Check them out now before they conquer the UK too. 

For fans of // Parquet Courts, The Replacements and Nirvana

Written by Richard Maver (@richmaver)

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