Category: Electro

Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: Zola Jesus

Singer, songwriter, and electro / goth musician Zola Jesus will be playing an early set on Saturday at Chicago’s Pitchfork Music Festival.  Her voice is something to behold, and her near-darkwave music will be jarring under the afternoon sun.  There is a chance of rain, however, and that would be perfect for her somber songs.  Don’t miss this one.

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Pitchfork Music Festival artist spotlight: Mount Kimbie

The British electro duo Mount Kimbie make neat music that combines synthetic beats with dream-pop vocals, guitar, and some live percussion.  They’re another band that’s new on my radar.  I love discovering new bands through festivals, and their performance at the Pitchfork Music Festival might be a nice surprise.

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Steve Hauschildt releases “Alienself” from album due this August.

STEVE HAUSCHILDT SHARES “ALIENSELF”
OFF UPCOMING ALBUM DISSOLVI

GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL DEBUT OUT AUGUST 3

 
(photo credit: Maria Tzeka)

 

Today, electronic musician Steve Hauschildt shares “Alienself,” the second song off his new full-length and Ghostly International debut, Dissolvi (out August 3rd). “Alienself is a song that began in my live set and so I had the luxury of developing it gradually over the last two years,” says Hauschildt. “The final version features guitar by Rafael Irisarri in the first half of the track which then transitions into synthesized voices in the latter half. The song title refers to a psychoanalytical term which has to do with the development of a false aspect of the self and how mental states are not only envisioned in others but how they’re externalized or projected.”

The album’s title — a reference to cupio dissolvi, the Latin phrase meaning “I wish to be dissolved” — needn’t be taken one-­dimensionally or as purely solipsistic. Physiological phenomena are of interest to Hauschildt. These back­-of-­mind ruminations find their way out. Songs are cerebral in orientation, but beyond explanation, the music is truly visceral.

Late last month, Steve shared the first single off the record, the sublime “Saccade,” which featured vocals from Julianna Barwick. The album, which is his most collaborative work to date, also features a song with Gabrielle Herbst, aka GABI.  Watch visuals for “Alienself” and “Saccade” below (art by Robert Beatty).

LISTEN TO “ALIENSELF”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-7Y–KRHvQ&feature=youtu.be

LISTEN TO “SACCADE” (FEAT. JULIANNA BARWICK)
https://youtu.be/Tt7JiZutEDU
Pre-order Dissolvi:
Ghostly International — https://ghostly.com/products/dissolvi
Or at the retailer of your choice — https://Ghostly.lnk.to/steve-hauschildt-dissolvi

 

Download hi-res images & album art of Steve Hauschildt —
http://pitchperfectpr.com/steve-hauschildt/
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Bandcamp | Ghostly International

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Bjorn Torske releases neo-disco single – “Gata.”

BJØRN TORSKE SHARES NEW SINGLE “GATA”

BYEN OUT JULY 6TH VIA SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND

Photo Credit – Einar Broch Johnsen
“[Clean Air’s] gently ascending chords send the song above the clouds,
but Torske’s slowly unfurling piano fills and electric keyboard solos cast a pensive air.
It speaks to Torske’s unmatched knack for making disco that’s not just body-moving
but thought-provoking: With ‘Clean Air’ the father of Norwegian nü-disco shoots
us up into a stratospheric headspace.” — Pitchfork
Next week sees the release of Bjørn Torske’s fifth solo album and first in eight years, Byen, out July 6th via Smalltown Supersound. Byen marks the 20-year anniversary of Torske’s solo career. Recorded over the past year at his home and studio in Bergen, Byen finds the veteran musician fusing two distinct sides of his catalog—clubby, inviting house music, and side-long pastoral ambience. It continues to show his flair for fusing indelible melody with propulsive rhythms.

After sharing lead single “Clean Air,” Torske presents “Gata,” a funky yet serene disco romp primed for the dancefloor. As described by Torske, “While Byen means ‘The City’ in Norwegian, ‘Gata’ means ‘The Street.’ This is where the youth of my early years in Tromsø had to spend their evenings since there was no place for them to go. But ‘gata’ is also a Rumanian word meaning ‘ready’ or ‘prepared,’ as in ‘let’s go,’ which to me fits just as well or even better than the title’s original meaning.”

Pre-order Byen –
http://smarturl.it/sts333-byen-bcamp

Download hi-res press images and Byen cover art –
http://pitchperfectpr.com/bjorn-torske/

Byen album art
Keep your mind open.
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Exploded View release “Raven Raven” ahead of full album due this September.

EXPLODED VIEW ANNOUNCE SOPHOMORE ALBUM, OBEY,
OUT SEPTEMBER 14TH VIA SACRED BONES, AND NORTH AMERICAN TOURLISTEN TO LEAD SINGLE, “RAVEN RAVEN”
https://youtu.be/Zl-1qPg8iuE

(photo credit – Exploded View)

“Exploded View is a splintered amalgam of post-punk, krautrock, psych, and funk—all of it drenched in dub echo and driven by the aim of staying engaged. Anika’s drawl crisscrosses
the album’s frenetic grooves unfazed, like a searchlight seeking a ship in a storm,
eyes wide open in vigilance.” – The AV Club, Albums of the Year

“Exploded View is the type of album that seeps into your soul. Consciously designed or not, it exposes various unpalatable truths about the way we live now and turns them
into frightening, spellbinding music.” – The Quietus

“As Anika’s voice floats above, the musicians forge taut grooves. Ramping up tension as it progresses, Exploded View builds until everything threatens to burst. But the group keeps it under control through calm, devout repetition.” – NPR Music

Exploded View, the international project of Welsh-bred, Berlin-based Annika Henderson and Mexico City-based Hugo Quezada (Robota) and Martin Thulin (Crocodiles), return with their second full-length album, Obey, out September 28th on Sacred Bones, and news of a fall North American tour. In conjunction with the album announcement, Exploded View present the spooky, hypnotic lead single, “Raven Raven,” of which the band comment, “Ever felt like someone is watching your every move? Your every twitch, your every sneeze? Stare back into the face of observation. Never give in to external control. You can break this.”
Leaving behind their live recording process and now a tight three-piece, Exploded View strike a special balance between precise and wild, unshackled and grounded, groovy and unhinged. They have a knack for making the esoteric feel accessible and crafting pop music out of seemingly raw consciousness. This ability to make beautiful music that feels written beyond the veil is at the heart of what makes Exploded View so captivating, and it’s on full display all over Obey. Recorded in Mexico City, the album feels like a liberation of creative impulses and expression allowing the band to reach more mature sonic territories.
Obey flows like a dream sequence with the aptly titled “Lullaby” opening the album; it slowly lures the listener into a lucid state, preparing them for the journey to come. The ten apocalyptic, yet soothing songs encompass all the classic dream motifs: intrigue, danger, ecstasy, hard to place, yet primordial visions, and a constant sense of movement.
                                                            
Listen to Exploded View’s “Raven Raven” –
https://youtu.be/Zl-1qPg8iuEObey Tracklist:
1. Lullaby
2. Open Road
3. Dark Stains
4. Gone Tomorrow
5. Obey
6. Sleepers
7. Letting Go Of Childhood Dreams
8. Raven Raven
9. Come On Honey
10. Rant

Exploded View Tour Dates:
Fri. Oct. 19 – Dallas, TX @ Nasher Sculpture
Sat. Oct. 20 – Austin, TX @ The Parish
Mon. Oct. 22 – Phoenix, AZ @ Club Congress
Wed. Oct. 24 – San Diego, CA @ The Whistle Stop
Thu. Oct. 25 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
Fri. Oct. 26 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo
Sun. Oct. 28 – San Francisco, CA @ Rickshaw Stop
Mon. Oct. 29 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studio
Tue. Oct. 30 – Seattle, WA @ Vera Project
Wed. Oct. 31 – Vancouver, BC @ Fox Cabaret
Thu. Nov. 1 – Chicago, IL @ The Empty Bottle
Fri. Nov. 2 – Detroit, MI @ Deluxxx Fluxxx
Sat. Nov. 3 – Toronto, ON @ The Garrison
Mon. Nov. 5 – Montreal, QC @ Sala Rossa
Tue. Nov. 6 – Boston, MA @ Middle East
Thu. Nov. 8 – Brooklyn, NY @ Rough Trade
Fri. Nov. 9 – Philadelphia, PA @ PhilMOCA
Sat. Nov. 10 – Norfolk, VA @ Charlies American Cafe
Sun. Nov. 11 – Washington, DC @ DC9
Mon. Nov. 12 – Harrisburg, PA @ The Cathedral Room

Pre-order Obey:
via Sacred Bones – https://www.sacredbonesrecords.com/products/sbr209-exploded-view-obey
via Bandcamp – https://explodedview.bandcamp.com/album/obey

(Obey cover art)

Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

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Howard release new single, “Your Honor,” from album due September 14th.

Howard Announce New Album, Together Alone, Out September 14th on Fashion People; Watch Video For First Single, “Your Honor”
https://youtu.be/JXRHCs5ZZms
(photo credit: Sonya Kitchell)

“The video’s kitschy collage-style animation, as well as the zany, exaggerated expressions of the band’s characters, elevate the classic outsider-falls-for-girl narrative into something refreshing and whimsical.” — NPR Music on “Your Honor” video

“…a stellar introduction…” — Stereogum on Religion

“Slow building electronics swirl forward, urging you to get wrapped up in the call to prayer that is Feibusch’s vocals.” — Consequence of Sound on Religion
Howard, the Brooklyn-based outfit composed of Howard Feibusch (guitar, vocals), Alex Chakour (guitar, synth, backup vocals), Myles Heffernan (bass), and Chris Holdridge (drums), are thrilled to announce their new album, Together Alone, out September 14th on Fashion People.

The video for the album’s first single, “Your Honor,” was directed by Joey Abisso and premiered on NPR Music earlier this morning. He says, “We wanted to strike a unique balance between elegant, zany, and playful, which led to the ‘Life Magazine,’ Monty Python, construction paper visual combo of the final video. The weird little story came about pretty organically alongside the visual style…it was a lot of fun directing everyone to make silly facial expressions at various angles and dropping the results onto their animated bodies.” Watch the video below.

Watch Howard’s “Your Honor” video — 
https://youtu.be/JXRHCs5ZZms
Together Alone follows Howard’s debut album, 2015’s Religion, and it’s companion EP, Please Recycle. It’s the first album from 30-year-old multifaceted bandleader Howard Feibusch’s project to be recorded with the full band that so capably toured behind Religion; it’s also an aching, restless, and altogether lovely document of the paradoxical sensation in which we feel more isolated than ever in the face of increasing togetherness and connectivity—a modern sentiment wrapped in music that’s timeless in its timbre.

Together Alone finds Howard venturing further out of their comfort zone and using their full-band capabilities to their greatest advantage—a full-bodied warmth, aided by horn contributions from the famed Daptone musical family. No sonic stone is left unturned here, from the gently rollicking and subtly psychedelic “Mothers Wedding” (shared last fall) to the brittle, dusty desert rock of “Oh Dear Brother.” You can hear a variety of influences here, from the winsome sounds of Athens’ Elephant 6 collective to Amnesiac-era Radiohead and the distant lullabies of the Everly Brothers—but they all coalesce to form a sound that is truly its own. It’s untethered from the present and applicable to the plight of humanity at large—but it represents Feibusch and his band finding themselves, too, necessary hope for anyone who’s ever dreamed of turning the thoughts in their heads into something tangible and real.

Listen/Share:
“Mother’s Wedding” stream (first single from Together Alone) — https://spoti.fi/2xJ1Wab
“Ooh Baby Baby” stream (Smokey Robinson cover) — https://spoti.fi/2sFVyuK
“Tracks of My Tears” stream (Smokey Robinson cover) — https://spoti.fi/2Jku2dv
Stream Religion (2015) — https://spoti.fi/2xHCulr
Stream Please Recycle EP (2016) — https://spoti.fi/2HkDHyG



Pre-order Together Alone — https://listentohoward.bandcamp.com/

Download hi-res images & album art — http://pitchperfectpr.com/howard/

(Together Alone Cover Art)

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Soundcloud

Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s new single, “Hunnybee,” is a delightful treat.

UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA SHARE VIDEO
FOR NEW SINGLE “HUNNYBEE”

Today, Unknown Mortal Orchestra share a new video for album track and single “Hunnybee.” From the day their new album Sex & Food was released, it was clear “Hunnybee” was really hitting a chord with fans in a special way.  A live show favorite, the song draws lyrical inspiration from UMO mastermind Ruban Nielson‘s daughter, whose middle name gave the song its title. A beautifully understated song, it still moves with propulsion that gives fans reason to dance. The video remains stylistically in tune with previous videos for Sex & Food‘s previous singles “Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays” and “American Guilt.” Watch it below.
WATCH “HUNNYBEE”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJrKlSkxRHAYOUTUBE EMBED:
<iframe width=“560” height=“315″ src=”//www.youtube.com/embed/IJrKlSkxRHA” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>

LISTEN TO SEX & FOOD
https://unknownmortalorchestra.lnk.to/sexandfood

UMO TOUR DATES:
June 10 – Hilvarenbeek, Netherlands @ Best Kept Secret Festival
July 6 – Richmond, VA @ The National w/ Shamir
July 7 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel w/ Shamir
July 8 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse w/ Shamir
July 9 – Athens, GA @ Georgia Theatre w/ Shamir
July 11 – New Orleans, LA @ Republic w/ Shamir
July 12 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall w/ Shamir
July 13 – Austin, TX @ Stubbs BBQ w/ Shamir
July 14 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater w/ Shamir
July 16 – Englewood, CO @ Gothic Theatre w/ Shamir
July 17 – Ogden, UT @ Ogden Amphitheatre w/ Sylvan Esso, Shamir
July 18 – Las Vegas, NV @ Vinyl at Hard Rock w/ Shamir
July 19 – Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom w/ Shamir
July 21 – Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
July 23 – Missoula, MT @ The Top Hat
July 24 – Billings, MT @ The Pub Station
July 26 – Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
July 27 – Chicago, IL @ House of Vans
August 9 – Budapest, Hungary @ Sziget Festival
August 10 – Basel, Switzerland @ Open Air Basel
August 11 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Haven
August 16 – Hasselt, Belgium @ Pukkelpop Festival
September 5 – Christchurch, New Zealand @ The Foundry Bar
September 6 – Dunedin, New Zealand @ Glenroy Auditorium
September 7 – Wellington, New Zealand @ Hunter Lounge
September 8 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Auckland Town Hall
September 12 – Melbourne, Australia @ Forum Theatre
September 14 – Adelaide, Australia @ Fat Controller
September 15 – South Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Festival
September 16 – Newtown, Australia @ Enmore Theatre
September 18 – Perth, Australia @ Badlands
September 23 – Tokyo, Japan @ WWWX
October 4 – Guadalajara, Mexico @ C3 Stage
October 6 – Lomas Atlas, Mexico @ Festival Hipnosis @ Deportivo Lomas Atlas
November 19 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute
November 21 – London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall
November 22 – Brighton, UK @ Concorde 2
November 23 – Sheffield, UK @ The Leadmill
November 25 – Dublin, Ireland @ The Academy
November 26 – Glasgow, UK @ O2 ABC

Watch “Not In Love We’re Just High” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY82vChor2A
Watch “Everyone Acts Crazy Nowadays” – https://youtu.be/ad2Iy0DMCWU
Watch “American Guilt” – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-JlcmCxIXU
Download hi-res images here: http://pitchperfectpr.com/unknown-mortal-orchestra/
UMO Online:
https://twitter.com/umo
http://unknownmortalorchestra.com/
http://instagram.com/unknownmortalorchestra
http://www.jagjaguwar.com/artist.php?name=umo
https://www.facebook.com/unknownmortalorchestraKeep your mind open.

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Love Hustler signs with Jumpsuit Records and will release first single for them June 5th.

Love Hustler’s Adam Rudolph and Matt Cashdollar announced the official release of their single “Sinderella” with San Francisco’s Jumpsuit Records.

“We feel very fortunate to be a part of the Jumpsuit Records family. The label has proven to be driven by such a positive nature, we jumped at the opportunity to add to the vibe.” said Adam Rudolph, one half of the electronic band Love Hustler.

FIRST INDEPENDENT LABEL RELEASE

After two self-releases, Love Hustler set out to procure distribution in markets previously untapped. Love Hustler, an emerging electronic music duo, recently entered into a contract with Jumpsuit Records for the release of their new single “Sinderella”, available for purchase/download Tuesday, June 5th on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon and more. The debut release of with Jumpsuit Records will ultimately introduce the band to the growing audience commanded by label founder David Sugalski (AKA The Polish Ambassador) as well as the diverse audiences of all Jumpsuit Records artists.

“We plan to grow with the label,” said Matt Cashdollar, of Love Hustler. “Jumpsuit is making waves in the industry on many levels.”

“SINDERELLA” AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD 6/5/2018

Formed in 2009, Love Hustler’s Adam Rudolph and Matt Cashdollar have created a live dance music experience merging analog and digital instruments in a live format. From synth pop styles to downtempo funk, the LH brand of electronic music is one to keep your eyes and ears on.

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Jon Hopkins announces tour dates for North America in September.

Jon Hopkins Announces North American Tour In Support of Singularity,
New Album Out Now On Domino
Special Guests Daniel Avery and Leon Vynehall Will Support
photo credit – Steve Gullick
“One of the most celebrated electronic musicians of his generation.” – New Yorker

“Pitched between heat-seeking acid house and ambient bliss, the techno auteur’s first album since 2013 is a beat-music odyssey that thrums with spiritual resonance.” – Pitchfork, Best New Music

“Singularity still tells a grand story—a synesthetic evocation of how it feels to be alive.” – The AV Club

“Singularity continues in the vein of Immunity, though its depth of feeling is greater,
and rhythmic power more potent.” – XLR8R

“Jon Hopkins knows how to fill a dance floor with techno that throbs insistently. But he’s also got a tremendous gift for the comedown; for warm, ambient baths of sound that slow the blood and settle the mind.” – NPR Music

“A spellbindingly impactful LP, Singularity blends ethereal choruses with nostalgic instrumentals, all constructed around industrious, reverb-heavy noise tunnels.” – INTERVIEW

Jon Hopkins released his new album, Singularity, earlier this month. Debuting at #3 on the Billboard US Dance/Electronic Chart, #9 in the UK overall, and #1 on the UK Dance and Independent Charts, it marks Hopkins first top 10 release in the UK. Following Moogfest, Festival of Disruption, and tomorrow night’s sold out performance at Elsewhere in Brooklyn, Hopkins will return for a proper North American tour this fall. Special guests Daniel Avery and Leon Vynehall will support. All dates are below and tickets are on sale this Thu. May 24th.

Where Hopkins’ last album, Immunity, charted the dark alternative reality of an epic night out, Singularity explores the dissonance between dystopian urbanity and the green forest. Shaped by his experiences with meditation and trance states, the album explores the connectivity of the mind, sonics and the natural world. It flows seamlessly from rugged techno to transcendent choral music, from solo acoustic piano to psychedelic ambient. Its epic musical palette is visceral and emotionally honest: with a destructive opener full of industrial electronics and sonic claustrophobia and a redemptive, pure end on solo piano.

For more insight into Singularity, head over to NPR Music for a Track By Track breakdown by Hopkins, and keep your ears peeled for a Song Exploder episode, out this Wednesday.

Stream Singularity –
http://smarturl.it/SingularityJH

Watch “Everything Connected” Visualizer –
http://smarturl.it/ConnectedVid

Watch “Emerald Rush” Video –
http://smarturl.it/EmeraldRushVid

Watch Singularity Trailer –
https://bit.ly/2F1mzkg

Purchase Singularity –
http://smarturl.it/SingularityDLX
Jon Hopkins Singularity North American Tour Dates
Tue. May 22 – Elsewhere – Brooklyn, NY – SOLD OUT
Wed. Sep. 12 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall #
Fri. Sep. 14 – Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall #
Sat. Sep. 15 – Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre #
Sun. Sep. 16 – Denver, CO @ Grandoozy – DJ set
Tue. Sep. 18 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre #
Thu. Sep. 20 – San Francisco, CA @ Regency Ballroom #
Sat. Sep. 22 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos ^
Sun. Sep. 23 – Vancouver, BC @ Imperial ^
Tue. Sep. 25 – Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel ^
Wed. Sep. 26 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair

# = with Daniel Avery
^ = with Leon Vynehall

Download hi-res press images and cover art – 
www.pitchperfectpr.com/jonhopkins/
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Norwegian producer Bjorn Torske releases new single, “Clean Air,” to celebrate 20 years of making music.

BJØRN TORSKE MARKS TWENTY YEAR SOLO CAREER WITH BYEN,
NEW ALBUM OUT JULY 6TH VIA SMALLTOWN SUPERSOUND

LISTEN TO LEAD SINGLE, “CLEAN AIR”
https://youtu.be/MWV9x1Q86dU

Photo Credit – Einar Broch Johnsen
Norwegian producer Bjørn Torske marks the 20-year anniversary of his solo career with Byen, his fifth solo album and first in 8 years, out July 6th via Smalltown Supersound. Recorded over the past year at Torske’s home and studio in Bergen, Byen finds the veteran musician fusing two distinct sides of his catalog—clubby, inviting house music, and side-long pastoral ambience. It continues to show his flair for fusing indelible melody with propulsive rhythms. Upward scaling lead single “Clean Air,” is a mountain-traversing track with piping synths and crisp backbeats laid over a warm, inviting bassline. Listen to it here.

Since the release of his last solo album, 2010’s elegant Kokning, Torske has kept busy with a steady drip of single and EP releases as well as reissues of his first two albums, 1998’s Nedi Myra and 2001’s Trøbbel, and last year’s collaboration with Prins Thomas, Square One. “Apart from having made this album entirely by myself, this was also more planned,” Torske states regarding the differences between Byen and Square One. “My collaboration with Thomas was pretty ad-hoc and messy in its conception, but this album is cleaner and more straightforward—more primed for the dance floor.” Whereas much of Torske’s previous work (including 2007’s Feil Knapp) featured tracks that had been in gestation for years, Byen‘s songs were recorded entirely within the confines of 2017.

“My original idea was to keep things simple and more driven by melodies than has been my wont with the earlier releases,” he states regarding his thematic intentions behind Byen. “Still, I am always considering myself to produce music for DJs, so there is hopefully some material that will find its way to select dance floors.”

Stream Bjørn Torske’s “Clean Air” –
https://youtu.be/MWV9x1Q86dU

Byen Tracklist:
1. First Movement
2. Clean Air
3. Fanfatas
4. Chord Control
5. Gata
6. Night Call
7. Natta
Pre-order Byen –
http://smarturl.it/sts333-byen-bcamp

Download hi-res press images and Byen cover art –
http://pitchperfectpr.com/bjorn-torske/

Byen album art