HL London: New Music from the London Underground

I'm away for a week from tomorrow, still working but from a beach rather than the office. I'm not sure whether I'll have access to a signal reliable enough to send music to you over the next seven days, so I'm sending everything now, please digest it all at your leisure! 



We have new campaigns beginning this week for Austrian musician Hackmonocut who produces dark and atmpspheric rock. At the other end of the spectrum we have Ford from Stratford-Upon-Avon with his energetic electronica. Please scroll to the bottom of this mail for these press packs.

Roger O'Donnell's 'Love and Other Tragedies', is released this week. I cannot recommend this singularly beautiful album enough!  Below you'll find press packs for other recommended listens this week. As ever, do give me a shout if you need anything.

Enjoy this sunshine that we've all waited so long for!

Bourbon Street Beat are one of the most interesting and possibly one of the most unusual bands we've worked with recently. Their new single 'Crossing On a Bend' takes the listener on a seamless journey from the 1950s to the late 1960s and back again, all inside two and half minutes.

Assured and perfectly crafted, 'Crossing On a Bend' is a great introduction to the band if they're new to you. As ever, feedback is welcomed and please do let me know if you'll be supporting this release with airplay or coverage. Interviews are invited, please let me know if you'd like to make arrangements.

Bourbon Street Beat
Crossing On a Bend 
27 July 2015

Bourbon Street Beat's new single 'Crossing On a Bend' and b-side 'She's His Woman' showcase their signature sound perfectly.

Inspired by 50s and 60s bands such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Band, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, as well as Rock’n’Roll legends like Elvis, Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash, each of these influences are apparent in technique and style yet reinterpreted to give Bourbon Street Beat an indie edge.

Iain Hammond (vocals and guitar), Joe Morrison-Hay (bass) and Andy Mackenzie (drums) met at university and formed the band in 2012. Their last EP 'Knuckles of Brass' earned them a strong following in Manchester with this release set to spread the word even further.
 
‘Crossing on a Bend’ was recorded at Blueprints Studios in Salford, engineered by Tim Thomas and mastered by Gary Hadfield.

“They have a sound that seems to mark them out as a band that goes against the grain in terms of how bands from Manchester sound. Kudos to them for doing that, and extra brownie points for pulling off something that doesn't come across as pretentious.”
Twenty1 Zero Media

“By taking the us from Oldham Street to the Mississippi Delta within a ferocious chord sequence, 'Bourbon Street Beat' supply themselves with a 'Caleb Followill' style baritone and a bottomless pit of melodies, much like 'Creedence Clearwater Revival'”
The Funky Moped

Social Links:
www.facebook.com/bourbonstreetbeat
www.soundcloud.com/bourbon-street-beat
www.twitter.com/bsb_bandpage

Gigs:
25th July 2015 – Single Launch, The Castle Hotel, Manchester

Both tracks written by Iain Hammond
Membership number (CAE/IPI): 646156537

 

Roger O'Donnell with Julia Kent
Love and Other Tragedies 
99X/100 
26 June 2015

Digital Release - May 29th 2015
Physical Release - June 26th 2015


About Roger O'Donnell:

Best known for his role as keyboard player with alternative rock band The Cure, Roger has spent most of the last five years composing for orchestral strings. Ranging in size from the Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra (The Bernhard Suite) to this his most recent work written for the cellist Julia Kent, 'Love and Other Tragedies'.
 
In 2010 having written some exploratory works for piano and cello Roger was asked to compose for the acclaimed Toronto Corktown Chamber orchestra. This led to the suite, 'Quieter Trees' inspired by the painting “Bigger Trees near Warter" by English artist David Hockney. Intrigued by trying to describe colours and shape using sound, Roger went on the repaint the picture using violins, violas, cellos and basses. The piece in six movements was premiered in London by the children of the Centre for Young Musicians and then completed in Toronto with the orchestra.
 
Collaborating with South African born composer Adam Donen led to a Requiem for a small ensemble and then on to a suite for chamber orchestra based on the life of the Austrian writer Thomas Bernhard. Performed by the Wurttemberg Chamber orchestra in Heilbronn Germany and at the Cadogan Hall in London in 2013 and the Summer of 2014.
 
Parallel to these other works and very close to his heart Roger stayed true to a very personal project which evolved to become this release, 'Love and Other Tragedies'.
 
The piece will be premiered at St Leonards Church in London on May 30th 2015.
 
About Julia Kent:
 
After years spent performing and recording with other artists and groups, among them Anthony and the Johnsons and all female cello group Rasputina, Canadian-born, New York City-based Julia Kent found her own voice with her solo debut 'Delay', an exploration of the private emotional worlds that exist within the disjunctions and disorientations of travel.  'Delay' was hailed for its “lovely, melancholy” compositions, full of “aching romanticism…rich melodicism and detailed arrangements”. Kent toured extensively in support of the album throughout Europe and North America and subsequently released an EP 'Last Day in July'.
 
In 'Green and Grey', her following solo record, she continued to use looped and layered cello, electronics, and field recordings to explore the intersections between the human world and the natural world. The record explores the melding of the technological and the organic, the patterns and repetitions that exist in nature and are mirrored in human creations, and the complexity and fragility of our relationships with one another and with the world that surrounds us.
 
Kent's last record 'Character' was released by The Leaf Label in March 2013.
Julia Kent has composed a number of original film scores, as well as music for theatre and dance performances.  She continues to tour extensively and is currently composing for television and film. 


About Love and Other Tragedies:

Almost three years in to the making of this project, it quickly turned in a labour of love, lost love and tragedy.
 
When asked to write a new version of the story of Scheherazade for the Post Romantic Empire project of Italian, Giulio Di Mauro, Roger was first introduced to the cellist Julia Kent. They collaborated on the suite written in three movements by Roger for piano and four cellos and decided to explore this liaison further. After a solo performance by Julia in Spring 2011 the two met and in one of those moments of open thought and excitement decided to add two other stories to Scheherazade and complete an album together.
 
Roger suggested 'Tristan and Isolde' and Julia, 'Orpheus and Eurydice'. The original idea was that they would write one story each but due to Julia’s extensive touring schedule Roger took over the composition. Each story was written in three movements in the same way Scheherazade was approached, and because each story had three crucial plot points, this made the process quite simple.
 
Each piece is written for piano and two to four cellos, all of which are played by Julia. Roger wrote the entire suite for Julia and at one stage contemplated recording with other cellists due to scheduling conflicts. This idea was quickly abandoned due to no other reason than that it simply wasn’t meant to be.
 
Writing in his studio in England’s rural Devon, Roger sent the piano files and scores to New York where Julia recorded the parts in her home studio. Two totally contrasting environments but with a common understanding of emotion and drama; dialogue was never required, misunderstandings never an issue. The male piano and the female cello came together in perfect harmony.
 
Once the recordings were finished, Roger called upon his good friend Paul Corkett to mix the songs and then mastered them in London with Guy Davie. The tracks have been cut to heavyweight vinyl and are presented in gatefold format with art work by constant collaborator Anna Dorfman. The inside cover photograph was taken by Australian photographer Romain Duquesne and realised by the artist Jodee Knowles.
 
Video for Tristan - https://youtu.be/zRfiz9IvEBc

Video for La Ninfa - https://youtu.be/HsgCuHgv-Wk

Video for Il Regno Dei Mort - https://youtu.be/2uJmaQ1P_jg

Love and Other Tragedies
 
The Variations - Les Variations - Le Variazioni
 
Tristan and Isolde - Love and Devotion
Isolde
Tristan
Marke
 
Scheherezade - Le Triomphe de L'Amour sur La Haine
Le Roi
La Princesse
Les Deux
 
Orpheus and Eurydice - L'Amore Cieco per Sempre Perduto
La Ninfa
Romanza
Il Regno Dei Morti

The Winachi Tribe
Time For Love 
A1(M) Records 
20 July 2015

The psychedelic funk of George Clinton, the brooding menace of Massive Attack, the rolling hypnotic beats of Happy Mondays and the vision and flow of Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five are all essential ingredients to the sound and style of The Winachi Tribe, a sonic soul, electro funk collective who are unconstrained by boundaries or formulas, musically or culturally.

Although 'Time For Love' is The Winachi Tribe's debut release, individual band members are already well established on the music scene. Percussion legend Inder Goldfinger was a member of Ian Brown's band for thirteen years, and vocalist Liam and keys player Antony collaborated with Keith Allen in the studio and also toured with him as vocalists in his band 'Fit Les' as part of his Olympic opera 'Will Cliff Be There?'

'Time For Love' b-side 'Plant The Seed', which features Julie Gordon (Happy Mondays / S.W.R), has been chosen to feature in an upcoming feature length documentary about legendary night club The Hacienda. Titled 'Do You Own The Dancefloor?' the film premieres at Glastonbury Festival's Groovy Movie Cinema Tent on Saturday 27th June at 6pm.

The Winachi Tribe's influences are as diverse as their own musical output. Parliament/Funkadelic and Sly & The Family Stone sit alongside The Happy Mondays, Primal Scream, The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, creating a melting pot of references that create a truly individual sound.
Vocalist Liam says "You can hear different influences in our music and maybe take a guess as to what we were listening to when we wrote a certain song, but you can't really pin us down into any specific genre. One thing that ties all our music together though is us. Our stamp is all over it. Wether it's an electro-funk track, an acid house inspired track or a stripped down acoustic song you know it's us by the feel and the attitude of what you're hearing."

The video to accompany 'Time For Love' stars Keith Allen playing an older version of vocalist Liam. Also making a cameo is lead singer of Alabama 3, The Rev D Wayne Love as the DJ at the club. "We had a lot of fun making the video" Liam says . "I hope that comes across when people watch it. I think it captures the feel of the song perfectly."

Horns come courtesy of Tim Hutton (Ian Brown / The Prodigy). The tracks were mixed by LC Coleman, produced by The Winachi Tribe and mastered at Abbey Road by Geoff Pesche.


Social Links:
https://www.facebook.com/thewinachitribe

Live Dates:
18th July - Single launch at Water Rats, London with 'Alabama 3' DJ set and support from Italian Band La Strange http://www.wegottickets.com/event/319583
27th August - Vinyl launch, The Ruby Lounge, supports TBC
29th August - Victorious Festival, Portsmouth, opening for Primal Scream & The Flaming Lips
5th September - Manchester Met Uni, 'The Second Coming' with Aziz Ibrahim, The Clone Roses, Cressa (DJ Set)
7th November - Shiiine On Weekender, Minehead Arena, Somerset with Happy Mondays, Stereo MCs, 808 State
 
Released through 'A1M Records' - http://www.a1mrecords.com
 
The Winachi Tribe are:

Liam Croker - Vocals

Antony Egerton - Keyboards

Inder Goldfinger - Percussion

Richie Rich - Bass

Jamie Fingers Mcgregor - Guitar

Sam Tushingham - Drums

Los and the Deadlines
Perfect Holiday EP 
13 July 2015


Lead Track: 'Feel at Ease' 

Describing themselves as a blue collar band, Los and the Deadlines came into being when Arizona native and lead vocalist Alex LoSardo moved to London in 2010. After being introduced to guitarist Neils Bakx, the two found common ground in their interests and influences and started composing music while studying for their undergraduate degrees.


After several line up changes and the release of two EPs, the band recruited Italian drummer Alberto Voglino and Israeli bassist Rotem Haguel. Together they embarked on the recording of third EP 'Perfect Holiday' which marked a new direction in the band's musical journey. The epitome of art-rock, Los and the Deadlines utilise cliches to convey their message through their broad-ranging sound, which encompasses grunge, stoner rock, noise rock, punk and sludge.

The band's 'Perfect Holiday' EP explores the absurdities of Western civilisation by contrasting the reality of an urban, deprecating society and its oposing depiction in the mass media. This incongruence is described not only through tongue in cheek lyrics but also through music where there is an ever present competition between noise and melody through thrashing riffs and thumping rhythms.
 

The EP cover art, an out-of-focus photo of an almost demolished building in London, exhibits the 'dirty' aspects of city life; a tacky yellow background provoking a tangible sense of discomfort. The title “Perfect Holiday” is an irony that emphasizes the contrast between the object and its image or myth.

Los and the Deadlines will be supporting the release of the EP with live shows throughout the UK and Europe.


Los and the Deadlines are:
Alex LoSardo - Vocals and Guitar
Niels Bakx - Guitar
Rotem Haguel - Bass and Backing Vocals
Alberto Voglino - Drums


Social Links:
https://www.facebook.com/losandthedeadlines
https://twitter.com/losdeadlines
https://instagram.com/losdeadlines/
https://www.youtube.com/user/LosAndTheDeadlines
http://losandthedeadlines.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/losandthedeadlines

 

Hackmonocut
The Sum of My Parts 
14 August 2015

Lead Tracks: Dead Born Sister, Scarlet, We Better Look Away, The Ripper

The dark soul of Austrian musician Hackmonocut's music produces a feeling of melancholy, driven by humming, distorted rock guitars, creating his 'alternative rock noir' sound.

'The Sum of My Parts' is a collection of dark and feral songs full of irony and social criticism, which tell of love, murder, and failed politics. 
 
Hackmonocut began in 2012 as a single man show. A busy year of songwriting and home recording followed, culminating in the release of his eleven track debut album 'In The Land Of Basement Hobby Rooms'.
 
Second album 'The Sum Of My Parts' is released on 14th August 2015. The new tracks focus more on love and murder than politics. The album is rages less but offers uncompromising dark alternative rock songs. 

Members:
Hackmonocut – vocals, instruments
 
Live Band:
Hackmonocut - vocals
Martin - guitar
Mr. Woolph - guitar, strings
Glenn - bass
Phil - drums

Social Media:
https://www.facebook.com/Hackmonocut
https://twitter.com/Hackmonocut
https://www.reverbnation.com/Hackmonocut
https://soundcloud.com/Hackmonocut
 
 

Robin Guthrie & Mark Gardener
Universal Road 
Soleil Apres Minuit 
23 March 2015

Lead Track: Blind

Universal Road is the new album by Robin Guthrie (Cocteau Twins) and Mark Gardener (Ride). Their former bands' work ought to give hints as to where a collaboration between the pair might lead, but this remarkable new album has its own chemistry and is an unexpected treasure from these two well established artists. The pairing of Guthrie and Gardener might, at first glance, be expected to deliver a very particular brand of guitar-driven euphoria, however, Universal Road, defies expectations across ten tracks whose diversity is one of the album’s great strengths.

This is a most harmonious collaboration, at times affirming – ‘Yesterdays News’, exuberant – ‘Dice’, reflective – ‘Sometime’, striking – ‘Old Friend’ and quietly epic – ‘Blind’. Gardener’s vocals have rarely sounded better than they do on Universal Road, his layered harmonies are a particular highlight. Guthrie’s lush sound and alluring guitar arrangements and melodies are seamlessly interwoven throughout, deftly accentuating the emotional content of the songs. Effortlessly assured, poised and graceful, this is an album whose many charms unfold and reward over repeated listens.

At a time when fascination with the shoegaze movement of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s is enjoying a revival, whether it be through band reformations—including the forthcoming reunion of Gardener’s former band Ride—or adulatory documentaries—2014’s Beautiful Noise—it can be easy to acquire a form of nostalgic tunnel vision. Guthrie and Gardener’s Universal Road leads us in a fresh direction.


"Although the shoegaze revival may be in full flow, 'Universal Road' provides a timely reminder that some of its main protagonists had much more to offer than floppy fringes and extensive pedal racks.'
Drowned in Sound
 
"The album, 'Universal Road', foregrounds Gardener’s strong ear for melodies with Guthrie’s tremulous guitar work..."
Uncut

"'Universal Road' is an effortlessly assured collection of tracks that exude both the musicians’ genuine ability in creating addictive listening. Packed full of retrospective ambience, lush vocals and complex guitar arrangements, the album is remarkable in both its depth and diversity."
Gigslutz
 

robinguthrie.com
markgardener.com

The Pinstripe Pigeon Band
Sound Asleep EP 
3 August 2015

The Pinstripe Pigeon Band began as a modest, yet ambitious studio project, incorporating production values inspired by Jon Hopkins, Nile Rogers and Cut Chemist, but this quickly developed into a seven-strong pop force, releasing five well-received EPs throughout 2013/14.

The band's latest material?showcases intelligent sophisti-pop, electronica, funkadelia and anthemic rock. The lyrics lovingly articulate personal experiences while finding humour in political and social despair. Kirsty's impassioned vocals hark back to Aretha at her most bombastic and Dusty at her most delicate.

Collectively, the band soak up songcraft and live influences from Fleetwood Mac, The Band, The Beatles, Ryan Adams, Motown, Chic, John Coltrane, The E Street Band and Ben Harper.

The band has the benefit of two keyboardists, one melodically inventive Stevie Wonder/Oscar Peterson-esqe pianist and another more classical, akin to?Ludvico Einaudi, both complimenting each other perfectly.
The energised live show is characterised by rousing intent, hitting a resonant chord with each new audience. The band grabbed the attention of local media with BBC Introducing Lancashire showcasing a live radio session and BBC Cumbria playing a live recording of the group at Carlisle Music City.

Live sets at The Ferret, 53 Degrees and Night & Day left a lasting impression in Preston and Manchester, and last August The Pinstripe Pigeon Band smashed it at Kendal Calling's Woodland Stage with new fans and old describing their set as one of the festival's highlights.

2015 will see the pop collective spreading its wings further afield, headlining Manchester’s The Castle and Liverpool's Lomax later in the year.

Video: Never Be Apart - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-y8YINwaUT8


Private Soundcloud Link to EP: 
https://goo.gl/fpXYSo

Social Links:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Pinstripepigeon
https://twitter.com/Pinstripepigeon
soundcloud.com/pinstripepigeon
www.facebook.com/pinstripepigeon
https://pinstripepigeon.bandcamp.com/


Gigs:
27th June – Crafty Vintage Festival @ Brockholes – Preston
4th July - Glastonferret @ The Ferret – Preston
15th August  – K-Stock @ Korova – Preston


Band Members:
Gareth Woodfield
Ben Titley
Andrew Bamber
Dave Sadler
Kirsty Harvey
Joe Parker
 

Songwriting Credits:
1. Never Be Apart (Woodfield/Titley/Harvey)
2. No Enemies (Woodfield/Titley)
3. You Bring Reaction (Woodfield/Titley)
4. It's You (Woodfield/Titley)
5. I Sleep Cos It's Easy (Harvey/Bamber)
 

Ford
Never Again / The Master 
3 August 2015

Ford is Tom Ford, a Stratford-upon-Avon based electronic synth-pop artist.
 
The project was born out of the desire to create energetic, experimental and uplifting electronic music to provide some contrast to the darker and moodier plethora of electronic musicians that emerging right now.
 
‘The Master’ is an example of Ford’s combination of infectious bass-lines,       sweeping production and ponderous lyricism. Singer Andrew Mott provides Justin Timberlake-esque vocals that soar over the synth chords underneath. It is a track that offers more with each listen; its extended outro section providing a visceral conjuring of dreams and their environments.

There are nods to existing artists such as Flume, Disclosure and Blackfield in various aspects of the music, but Ford is his own artist and strives to be as wholeheartedly original as possible.
 
Having just graduated from studying music at university, Tom is influenced by a wide variety of music from avant-garde metal to baroque, hip-hop and film and television soundtracks. He has always had a keen interest in constructing catchy yet quirky songs. This is evident in The Master’s extended outro and Never Again’s recurring liquid-synth.

Social Links:
www.fordthemusician.com
twitter.com/fordthemusician
facebook.com/fordthemusician
soundcloud.com/fordthemusician

Cover Art: Alex Heliwell
Artist Photos: Roosa Alissa

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