7th Level Music

Flasher are set to return with a new album on June 18, 2022 and go “Sideways” on their new single.

Flasher have announced their new album, Love Is Yours, out June 17th on Domino, and a North American tour. Additionally, they share the album’s lead single/video, “Sideways.” The band’s 2018 debut, Constant Image, was a triumph – a set of songs both dizzy and explosive, balancing new-wave lushness and post-punk frenzy. Love is Yours steps up the ambition and reaches for the horizon. The record is ablaze with mood, melody, and carefully threaded hooks, finding the band foregrounding the pop sensibilities that had always been present in their previous releases. It retains the attitude that was fundamental to the band’s DIY roots, but cuts loose a touch of the angst. Though the songs process disillusionment and loss, the music evokes warmth and optimism. It is their best record and also their most generous.

WATCH FLASHER’S VIDEO FOR “SIDEWAYS”

Following the release of Constant Image and successful touring, it seemed like the Washington, DC music scene was in constant flux. Flasher was not spared a shake-up. Bassist Daniel Saperstein parted ways with the group. Guitarist Taylor Mulitz would eventually decide to relocate – first to Baltimore and then to Los Angeles, making the group bi-coastal. Working as a duo took a bit of recalibration. The songwriting process changed dramatically, but in a way that quickly began to feel energizing. “Once we had this implosion, we let go of the pretense and confines that we had pigeonholed ourselves into,” says Mulitz. “Going into this record, the vision was pretty simple: We wanted to write songs that came intuitively. We were leaning into that while consciously creating a real space of trust and openness.”

Now a duo, guitarist Mulitz and drummer Emma Baker had to reimagine Flasher’s voice. Love is Yours was recorded in Washington, D.C. with long-time friend Owen Wuerker, who also helped flesh out the instrumentation by contributing additional bass, percussion, synths, and guitar. Rather than binding the duo to its past – to geography, old habits, or trusted sounds – the familiar environment proved liberating. Working out of Wuerker’s well appointed home-studio allowed inspiration to arrive off deadline. With no shows in sight, Flasher could relax on presenting as a “rock” band. Baker and Mulitz shared vocal duties, tweaked tempos, structures, and dynamics accordingly. They toyed with genre, melody, and texture.

Today’s “Sideways” single and video (directed by Camille Smura) evokes the liminal stillness-in-motion feeling of a long-distance drive – attentive but adrift, relaxed but reflective – with a laid back groove that is at once motorik trance and fluid boogie. “Lyrically this song uses metaphors about driving as a means of escape/reflection,” says Mulitz. “I’ve found that a lot of self reflection and big realizations come to surface during the course of a long drive where I’m forced to sit with my own thoughts (which is where the idea for the racing video came from).”

Love Is Yours will be available on CD, LP, and digitally on June 17, 2022. The exclusive Domino Mart baby blue vinyl is housed in a gatefold jacket and available for pre-order now.
PRE-ORDER LOVE IS YOURS

FLASHER TOUR DATES
Fri. June 17 – Washington, DC @ Comet Ping Pong
Sat. June 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right
Mon. June 20 – Richmond, VA @ The Camel
Tue. June 21 – Raleigh, NC @ Cat’s Cradle (Backroom)
Wed. June 22 – Atlanta, GA @ The Earl
Thu. June 23 – Nashville, TN @ Third Man Records
Fri. June 24 – Cincinnati, OH @ MOTR Pub
Sat. June 25 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle
Mon. June 27 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Bag
Tue. June 28 – Toronto, ON @ The Baby G
Wed. June 29 – Montreal, QC @ L’Esco
Thu. June 30 – Boston, MA @ Sonia’s
Fri. July 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie

Keep your mind open.

[Slide sideways to the subscription box!]

[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Robin Wylie is set to release a bunch of hot tracks this summer.

As a producer and DJ, Robin Wylie brings something distinct in a sea of the same. Choosing to ignore the typical house and techno format of Belfast, Robin’s ear for breakbeats, 2-step, jungle and pretty much anything associated with the UK sound has earmarked him as one of the Ireland’s most dedicated and respected selectors; bringing a fresh take on local electronic music and inspiring others breaking through in the process.

After becoming infatuated with the burgeoning house and techno scene being spearheaded by David Holmes and Iain McCready to the backdrop of the Northern Irish violence in the 90s, Robin moved to Birmingham. Brum had a huge techno scene in the mid-90s, but it was the back and side rooms of the Que Club where Robin would settle quickest. “There was always drum & bass in the back rooms of nights like Atomic Jam and House of God and that immediately clicked.” With a chance meeting with promoters of a drum & bass night called Antidote, Del & resident MC, Shyan took him under their wing, he was treated as part of the family. Antidote was definitely where the obsession for breaks started.

Belfast has always had a small and dedicated jungle scene, despite it being most notable for its house and techno electronic exploits. Kato and Judge Dread flew the flag for Belfast’s junglists in the early 90s playing early hardcore and followed the progression into drum & bass. When Robin moved back to the Northern capital, techno was progressing to something very hard and minimal. It would be the dubstep sound that would spark the inspiration for him to dive into garage associated sounds.

“House and techno have always been king here”, he says. “Don’t get me wrong there were plenty of parties that weren’t house and techno, Shine used to have Drum and Bass in the second room in the Union and hip hop too, there were big beat nights in the Front Page which always had a great crowd.”

“I don’t think I was doing anything different, more trying to copy sounds and styles that I liked, there just wasn’t a huge amount of people I was aware of making those sounds here.”

A pacesetter in every regard, Robin’s work alongside fellow selectors Undadog and dubstep pioneer J.Kenzo as Polarity is to be particularly admired; bringing guests such as Sneaker Social Club for their debut in a city dominated by 4×4 kick drums. A heavy focus on pushing the boundaries of the Belfast soundscape – and pairing talented locals with forward-thinking bookings – has shone a spotlight on the night as a grassroots breeding ground for DJs with an attitude for something different.

“Polarity was Jamie’s [J:Kenzo] idea, he was doing some sessions in England under the Polarity name and wanted to try and get the same vibe here. Prior to that we did nights under the Pressure banner – myself, Nez, John King, Jody Monkphat and later 2BiT from Dublin joined us. We had some great sessions and played from hip hop through to jungle on those nights too.”

“We had a few decent guests: Oneman destroyed the Black Box one July for us. We thought no one would be around because it was July, near the 12th. I think we had a 20K rig in for that one. Mark Archer (Altern8) played for our first birthday in the Bunatee too, full on rave hysteria. El-B was in the Bunatee too, I had so many people thanking us for having a garage DJ over!”

His productions very much encapsulate the Polarity sound – a sonic understanding that can also heard on his Sub FM residency – brimming with skippy steps, lairy basslines and gun-finger energy, most recently lending his hand to a remix of rising star Becky McNiece’s “Next To You.” One of Belfast’s unsung heroes, Robin Wylie has been an essential part of the local scene with his uncompromising take on UK sound culture, not only through his own productions and events, but through what he does for others through his mastering and studio work.

“The mixing and mastering for other people has come about pretty naturally”, he says. “I think as the studio has grown over the years it made sense to try and help other local producers and artists. I’m a bit of a hardware nut, that’s just what I’m used to.”

“I started with an Atari ST, Akai S2000 and a bass station and it grew from there . My friend Cairan Bryne was my YouTube back then, any problems I would buzz him or have to read a manual. He’s also responsible for my GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) . He talked me into a lot of purchases like my 909 and the desk I currently use. The studio is a very hybrid setup these days, I have a Midas f24 handling most of the routing and hardware connections. I can capture jams really easily and it also gives me the ability to take mixes out of the box for people and run them through the outboard.

After taking so much time to help progress others in their solo careers through his mixing and mastering work, Robin’s 2022 calendar is shaping up nicely with a flurry of releases scheduled for throughout the year. First up is a release on Nez’s Computer Controlled Records on April 1st (a collaboration with friend J:Kenzo under his Hezzaine alias), then a drum & bass cut for Devon’s Road two weeks later before a white label release with Prestige Cuts on May 6th and June sees a self-released 3 tracker of jungle influenced breaks on his Belfast Pressure label.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

[Thanks to Harbour Music Society.]

Ruth Radelet confesses “Crimes” on her new single.

Today, Los Angeles-based artist Ruth Radelet releases her debut original single, “Crimes.” After fronting the beloved and influential band Chromatics for over a decade, “Crimes” launches Radelet’s next chapter as a singer, songwriter, and performer. Utilizing the talents of friend and producer Filip Nikolic (Poolside), Radelet’s first solo effort conveys her unmistakable style and distinct voice. “Is it easy to start over?” echoes throughout the dreamy chorus of “Crimes,” capturing a cinematic mood uniquely her own. “‘Crimes’ is about the pursuit of success at the expense of one’s integrity, and the exploitation of others in order to get ahead,” explains Radelet. “It’s about the price we pay for our choices, and whether or not it’s worth it. The question, ‘Is it easy to start over?’ can be interpreted in two ways – it’s meant to ask how it feels to continually reinvent yourself until you lose sight of who you are. It also asks how hard it would be to walk away from it all.”

Listen to Ruth Radelet’s “Crimes”

Radelet is influenced by a diverse catalog of artists, ranging from Joni Mitchell to Frank Ocean. She has been performing and releasing music for over a decade since joining Chromatics in 2006 for their acclaimed album Night Drive released the following year. Chromatics’ music and aesthetic has notably been used in numerous films, television series, and fashion shows. The band appeared on screen in multiple episodes of David Lynch’s Twin Peaks: The Return while Radelet was recently featured on a Chromatics’ 2020 remix of the Weeknd’s #1 hit single, “Blinding Lights.” Following the dissolution of Chromatics last August, Radelet released her incandescent cover of Elliott Smith’s “Twilight” in December for the Kill Rock Stars 30-year anniversary cover series. “Crimes” is the first taste of more original music to come from Radelet later this year.

Keep your mind open.

[It would be a crime of you not to subscribe.]

[Thanks to Ahmad at Pitch Perfect PR.]

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard climb “Magenta Mountain” on their new single.

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard have released “Magenta Mountain,” a new track/video from their forthcoming album, Omnium Gatherum, which will be released April 22nd via the band’s KGLW label, and is available for pre-order now. It follows the majestic lead single, “The Dripping Tap.” Some tracks on Omnium Gatherum return to the synth-psych visions of Butterfly 3000, like the neon pop of “Magenta Mountain.” King Gizz’s Ambrose Kenny-Smith elaborates on the track: “You know when you have a really weird vivid dream and it sticks with you like glue? One day I came into the studio and Stu was trying to write one of them down. He kept banging on about this paradise called Magenta Mountain that he had seen but none of us believed him. Every day since then he’s been still trying to convince us all that it’s real and one day he will.”

The band has played the track at their shows before, but this is the official studio recording release. This video, directed by John Angus Stewart, is synched to one of the band’s live performances in Melbourne. “‘Magenta Mountain’ is a new track, which can always be a tricky one to film live as people are yet to have digested the song on their own,” says Stewart. “So we decided to use the normally unseen infrastructure of a gig to guide us through the performance. Giving the audience a ‘protagonist’ for a live show, in this case the watchful and sometimes forceful eye of a security guard. The brute in hi-vis clearing a path through sweaty fans is a beautiful thing to behold.”

WATCH KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD’S VIDEO FOR “MAGENTA MOUNTAIN”

Following 2020’s KG and 2021’s LW and Butterfly 3000, Omnium Gatherum was the first time King Gizzard recorded together as a band since the COVID pandemic hit, and Melbourne placed its citizens under a series of prohibitive lockdown measures. Omnium Gatherum’s sprawling 16 tracks of gonzoid prog jams, dizzying pop nuggets, rubber-legged hip-hop odysseys and passages of pure thrash-metal abandon offer plenty for Gizzard fans and neophytes alike to chew on. Typically, Gizzard albums pursue a single theme or style – for example, Infest The Rat’s Nest’s eco-themed metal barrage, or Butterfly 3000’s new age trance-pop, or Nonagon Infinity’s endless garage-prog contortions – and part of the thrill of Omnium Gatherum for the group was the opportunity of new ideas without committing to deliver an entire album in that vein. It’s the perfect entry point for newcomers, and a solid treat for the faithful as well.

Omnium Gatherum feels like a Greatest Hits album, in its variety and the strength of the songs – only you’ve never heard any of these tracks before. It’s the sound of a group operating at their absolute peak, a group motivated by a deserved confidence that they could try their hands at anything. It’s also the sound of a group ready to return to the road after two fallow years – a handful of live shows in Australia, performed in the brief windows between lockdowns, has reawakened King Gizzard’s taste for live action.

They’ll kick off their North American tour next month. Following, they’ll play shows across Europe and then return to the states this fall. Tickets are on sale now and a list of shows can be found below. To say that they’re “up for it” would be a dizzying exercise in understatement.

OMNIUM GATHERUM TRACKLISTING: 1. The Dripping Tap 2. Magenta Mountain 3. Kepler-22b 4. Gaia 5. Ambergris 6. Sadie Sorceress 7. Evilest Man 8. The Garden Goblin 9. Blame It On The Weather 10. Persistence 11. The Grim Reaper 12. Presumptuous 13. Predator X 14. Red Smoke 15. Candles 16. The Funeral

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD TOUR DATES

Fri. April 22 – Indio, CA @ Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Sun. April 24 – San Luis Obispo, CA @ Madonna Inn $ SOLD OUT
Tue. April 26 – Sonoma, CA @ Gundlach Bundschu $ SOLD OUT
Wed. April 27 – Petaluma, CA @ Phoenix Theater $ SOLD OUT
Thu. April 28 – San Francisco, CA @ Bimbo’s 365 Club ? SOLD OUT
Sat. April 30 – Atlanta, GA @ Shaky Knees Festival
Wed. May 4 – Monterrey, MX @ Showcenter
Fri. May 6 – Mexico City, MX @ Quarry Studios
Sun. May 8 – Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, MX @ Loot/Musa
Sat. May 14 – Queretaro, MX@ Jardin Hercules
Sun. May 15 – Guadalajara, MX @ Teatro Estudio Guanamor
Fri. May 20 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre & SOLD OUT
Sat. May 21 – Columbus, OH @ KEMBA Live! Outdoor &
Sun. May 22 – Millvale, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theatre & SOLD OUT
Tue. May 24 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall & SOLD OUT
Wed. May 25 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground & SOLD OUT
Thu. May 26 – South Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground &SOLD OUT
Sat. May 28 – Boston, MA @ Boston Calling Music Festival
Tue. May 31 – Athens, GR @ Gagarin 205
Wed. June 1 – Athens, GR @ Gagarin 205
Fri. June 3 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound – SOLD OUT
Sun. June 5 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera in the City SOLD OUT
Mon. June 6 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera in the City SOLD OUT
Tue. June 7 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera in the City SOLD OUT
Thu. June 9 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound – SOLD OUT
Sat. June 11 – Mannheim, DE @ Maifeld Derby Festival
Sun June 12 – HIlvarenbeek NL @ Best Kept Secret
Tue. June 14 – Berlin, DE @ Tempodrom
Fri. June 17 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Sat. June 18 – Miami, FL @ Space Park &
Sun. July 31 – Waterford, IE @ All Together Now
Tue. Aug. 2 – Šibenik, HR @ St. Michael’s Fortress √
Wed. Aug. 3 – Šibenik, HR @ St. Michael’s Fortress √
Fri. Aug. 5 – Prague, CZ @ Archa Theatre √
Sun. Aug. 7 – Vienna, AT @ Arena Wien (Open Air) √
Tue. Aug. 9 – Leipzig, DE @ Parkbühne √
Wed. Aug. 10 – Munich, DE @ Tonhalle √
Fri. Aug. 12 – Sion, CH @ Palp Festival
Sun Aug 14- Helsinki, FIN @ Flow Festival
Wed. Aug. 17 – Paredes de Coura, PT @ Paredes de Coura Festival
Fri. Aug. 19 – Gueret, FR @ Check-In Party Festival
Sat. Aug. 20 – Saint-Malo, FR @ La Route du Rock Festival
Sun. Aug. 21 – Hasselt, BE @ Pukkelpop
Tue. Aug. 23 – Cologne, DE @ E-Werk √
Wed. Aug. 24 – Hamburg, DE @ Markthalle √
Fri Aug 26- London, UK @ All Points East
Sat. Aug. 27 – Málaga, ES @ Canela Party
Sun. Oct. 2 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre * SOLD OUT
Tue. Oct. 4 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater* SOLD OUT
Wed. Oct. 5 – Vancouver, BC @ PNE Forum*
Thu. Oct. 6 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre *
Mon. Oc. 10 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre* SOLD OUT
Tue. Oct. 11 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre* SOLD OUT
Fri. Oct. 14 – St Paul, MN @ The Palace Theatre* SOLD OUT
Sat. Oct. 15 – Chicago, IL @ RADIUS* SOLD OUT
Sun. Oct. 16 – Detroit, MI @ Masonic Temple*
Tue. Oct. 18 – Toronto, ON @ History* SOLD OUT
Wed. Oct. 19 – Montreal, QC @ L’Olympia*
Fri. Oct. 21 – New York, NY @ Forest Hills Stadium*
Sat. Oct. 22 – Philadelphia, PA @ Franklin Music Hall* SOLD OUT
Sun. Oct. 23 – Washington, DC @ The Anthem at The Wharf*
Mon. Oct. 24 – Asheville, NC @ Rabbit Rabbit*
Wed. Oct. 26 – Atlanta, GA @ The Eastern*
Thu. Oct. 27 – New Orleans, LA @ Orpheum Theater *
Mon. Oct. 31 – Oklahoma City, OK @ The Criterion #

^ w/ Mildlife
~ w/ Mildlife, DJ Crenshaw
% w/ Amyl and the Sniffers, SPELLLING, DJ Crenshaw
! w/ The Chats, SPELLLING, DJ Crenshaw
$ w/ SPELLLING, DJ Crenshaw
? w/ SPELLLING
& w/ Jess Cornelius
* w/ Leah Senior
# w/ The Murlocs, Leah Senior
√ w/ Grace Cummings

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

[Thanks to Jacob at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Rewind Review: Black Sabbath – Paranoid (1971)

I don’t know what I can write about Black Sabbath‘s classic sophomore album, Paranoid, that hasn’t already been written. It’s a metal classic, a doom classic, a rock classic, and a British classic. I think the only thing I can write about regarding the album is how, until I finally got around to listening to it in its entirety, it’s also a psychedelic classic.

I mean, the opening track, “War Pigs” (originally titled “Walpurgis” – a song about witches but later altered to reflect the horrors of the Vietnam War), is a doom anthem, of course, but the opening riff and air raid sirens are an instant mind trip. Tommy Iommi‘s solo in the middle of it is the glint in the eye of doom metal’s father, but all of his work on the track has a trippy quality to it that’s hard to define.

The title track is the start of thrash metal, and, as the story goes, came about from the band goofing around in the studio. Little did they know it would become their first mega-single. Ozzy Osbourne‘s slightly fuzzed vocals balance well with the cranked fuzz of Iommi’s guitar and Terry Butler‘s bass and Bill Ward‘s relentless, yet precise drumming.

“Planet Caravan” then does an abrupt left turn into full-blown psychedelia. Osbourne’s vocals are barely perceptible, and the whole thing sounds like it was somehow sung and played through a lava lamp. Everything about it is warped and weird. I thought, “Why isn’t this song considered one of the classics of the psych genre?” when I first heard it. Mind you, I’m sure it is, but it seems like it’s a sadly overlooked Sabbath gem.

Probably because the next track is “Iron Man,” which has been featured in everything from Marvel movies to The Simpsons by now. Everyone remembers the riffs, but how many remember the song is about an astronaut who sees the Earth’s future, returns to warn us about it, is ridiculed by humanity for doing it, and then decides to trash us for mocking him?

Iommi makes full use of his effects pedals on “Hand of Doom,” which again has heavy riffs but part of their weight comes from the psychedelic touches the band puts on it. It’s creepy, sure, but also mind-altering – especially when they get to the bridge and it almost turns into a prog-rock track. The slick “Rat Salad” continues the brain-melting effects by starting off with adder-like slithering bass from Butler that explodes into a panther pouncing on you when the whole band kicks into gear. The song does this over and over, leaving you unsettled and somehow exhilarated. The closer, “Fairies Wear Boots,” is a dig at Nazi skinheads who were coming to their shows, is chock-full of great hooks, and even has a groovy intro (known as “Jack the Stripper”) with a somewhat bonkers Ward drum solo.

I know many fog hats were worn while listening to Paranoid and many “left-handed cigarettes” were rolled on its cover. I know I shouldn’t be surprised that it’s an album that easily moves back and forth between doom and psychedelia, but yet I still am. That’s a testament to the album’s craftsmanship.

Keep your mind open.

[Get on the 7th Level Music caravan by subscribing.]

Review: Emily Jane White – Alluvion

Emily Jane White‘s new album, Alluvion, might win the award for the Most Accurate Cover Image of the Year. Ms. White stands on a stark beach surrounded by towering rocks and watched over by a blue sky that you can only see at certain moments during dusk. She appears to be holding, or perhaps projecting, a single light in the gothic landscape. Her black dress melds into the water and mud below her feet and reflects her image below her, as if she arose from this salty, sandy, chilled landscape like a ghost searching for a lover whose ship crashed on the pictured shore.

And the whole album sounds like this image – haunting synths, cold-wave beats, and White’s alluring, hypnotic vocals.

On “Show Me the War,” White sings about “life’s blood raining down on me” while she craves for explanations and reasons behind the chaos she sees in the world every day. “Crepuscule” is a song about loss and embracing the grief when it hits so hard (“This mourning lives in everyone who has lost someone. Aurora in lightning, the living and the dying.”). The sparse guitar notes in it are perfect. “Heresy” is full of stark piano and White’s vocals sliding around you like a cold wind that signals an approaching storm.

“Poisoned” takes on a goth-western feel with echoed guitars and countrified beats while White sings about a friend carrying grief that she recognizes as they walked through “harm drenched fields.” “Body Against the Gun” is about a friend having to flee to another state for a medical procedure and White remembering her upbringing “in light so dim with those who sang assailing hymns.”

White calls out to a higher power on “The Hands Above Me,” a lovely gothic track of longing for peace and understanding (“Gonna write a note to the hands above me. Gonna ask them on which side do they air.”). “Mute Swan” is a song about carrying the wounds of a relationship gone, probably caused by a death (judging from White’s lyrics about how even uttering her lover’s name causes her pain).

“Hold Them Alive,” while sounding bleak, is actually uplifting if you examine the lyrics. White sings about carrying loss, and the physical and mental wounds of it, with grace through life and remembering the love that was there: “The flora and fauna, incantations surround you. It lives in a stark liminal space within you.” The love is there, disguised as grief. “Hollow Earth” has the peppiest beats on the album, but it doesn’t lose any of the heavy themes of loss and longing.

“I Spent the Years Frozen” is a powerful track about desire and how it can so intensely burn that it might consume you. The quick fade-out is like someone blowing out a candle flame. “Battle Call” ends the album with lyrics of hope, of being able to rise up from the mud and heal from scars on our bodies and our souls.

Ms. White isn’t screwing around. She’s here to entrance us and be a guiding light out of a murky darkness (See the album cover?). She’s been there. She’s found the tricky, sometimes treacherous path out of the swamp, and Alluvion is a map to dry land and brighter skies.

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

[Thanks to Monica at Speakeasy PR.]

Cool Maritime reaches an “Apex” with his latest single.

Cool Maritime – the project of Sean Hellfritsch – releases a new single/visualizer, “Apex,” from his forthcoming album, Big Earth Energy, out May 20th on Western Vinyl. Following the lead single, “Temporal Dryft,” the smiling album-ender “Apex” perfectly embodies the quiet triumph of conquering a long-played video game; a mix of satisfaction and accomplishment with a tinge of tragedy at the notion that this little world where so much time and effort has been spent is now fully excavated, offering no more novelties to unearth. “‘Apex’ is the final piece on the album. Because this music was composed for an imagined video game, I ask you, the listener, to imagine for yourself how the story ends,” says Hellfritsch. “When I wrote it, I was reflecting on the eternally iterative flow of nature – how it’s always changing and growing to adapt – reaching for a peak that is itself, constantly in motion. I couldn’t think of anything more beautiful and hopeful. I was also mourning the massive loss of biodiversity that increases every day. I found myself suspended between parallel feelings of deep joyful awe and profoundly overwhelming sadness.” This track evokes that moment the last programmer name scrolls past, the copyright line dissolves, the title card reemerges, and the air of curiosity is renewed, emboldened by a sense of achievement. In a similar way, Big Earth Energy begs to be heard again from the top, knowing that the details that were missed on the first pass will be gleefully revealed this time around.

Watch Cool Maritime’s Visualizer for “Apex”

Big Earth Energy plumbs the depths of his multimedia mind and naturalist heart, spinning an impressionistic narrative world off of cultural touchstones like the PC game MYST and the work of Japanese composers like Hiroshi Yoshimura, Yoichiro Yoshikawa and Studio Ghibli’s Joe Hisaishi. Using those inspirations and guided by Hellfritsch’s experience as an animator and filmmaker, Big Earth Energy is the soundtrack to a hypothetical video game with a pointedly ecological premise and a twist of psychedelic charm. In Hellfritsch’s imagined virtual journey, the player assumes the perspective of a treefrog 65 million years ago, hopping epochs with each new level, forming a comprehensive picture of the massive changes the planet has gone through over eons. The ultimate goal of the game is not to amass resources, defeat enemies, or gain power, but to fully witness the unfolding of one of the biggest systems of energy imaginable. The album is steeped in exploratory RPG intrigue, possibility, and contemplation, lovingly overlaid with Miyazaki-an sentiments and aesthetics. Its meticulous polygonal arrangements recall the computerized sheen of late 80s Japanese environmental music, using true-to-period gear. Hellfritsch’s reconnaissance of virtual reality and actual reality feels skillfully balanced as if knowing how to navigate one dimension is merely training for traversing its opposite. On Big Earth Energy, he pinpoints the discovery, escape, introversion, and imagination that are mutual of the two worlds, which he scouts as if they are the same territory.

Watch the “Temporal Dryft” Video

Pre-order Big Earth Energy

Keep your mind open.

[Why not subscribe while you’re here?]

[Thanks to Yuri at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Ultraflex are bringing up “Baby” with their new single (and for real, too!).

Flamboyant twosome Ultraflex, the project of Norway’s Farao & Iceland’s Special-K, are back with their suave yet punchy love song “Baby“, which follows on from their debut album release in 2020 and recent single “Relax“.

The lyrics in “Baby” liken dancefloor-flirtation to a duel; you have nothing to lose except perhaps your reputation (which is, admittedly, long lost). The narrator claims not to be afraid – which, honestly, sounds like a lie – however, bravery is not about fearlessness, but as John Wayne put it: “courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway”. Accompanying the song are never-before-seen wedding photos of the band (including a future baby) and a steaming hot music video, straight out of Cairo’s nightlife.

Speaking about the track, the band said:

“Although the song is about romantic endeavours, we realised afterwards that it is also about our artistic collaboration. It emphasises the importance of taking risks (otherwise “you’ve already lost”) and indicates that whatever happens tomorrow, we’ve got each other right now, and that’s what counts – the energy of the moment is worth whatever the future brings, whether it’s happy-ever-after or heartbreak.”

Watch & listen to “Baby” here: https://youtu.be/6Czkqmzp8a4

Ultraflex released their debut album ‘Visions of Ultraflex’ to popular and critical acclaim in 2020, winning the Icelandic Music Awards for ‘electronic album of the year’ and The Kraumur Award, along with numerous international nominations and selling out their first edition of vinyls and cassettes.

The band also recently re-emerged with their single “Relax“, accompanied by an ASMR inspired music video that was said to have been “a little disturbing“.

With concert options being limited in the time around Visions of Ultraflex, the band instead prepared a highly visual promo package and sculpted a well curated yet wild internet presence. Music videos were made to every song on the album, either by the band themselves or in collaboration with other video artists (including a video trilogy in collaboration with OKAY KAYA). This quickly became an important part of Ultraflex’s identity, along with heavily choreographed, stylized and visually interactive concerts.

During the pandemic, Ultraflex performed on Icelandic live Television, as well as playing a sold out show in Reykjavík, doing a live stream for Berlin’s CTM Festival, a commissioned piece for Oslo Classics, screened a short film at Eurosonic and last but not least – played a packed concert in Cairo. That is where the music video to “Baby” was born.

Ultraflex was elected to be a part of Keychange 2022. Through the organisation they will play at MaMa Festival in Paris and take part in conferences in London and Hamburg this year. They are also booked for Iceland Airwaves and Vienna Waves and are playing in Berlin on April 23rd. Later this year, Ultraflex will also tour in Norway, Germany, England and Iceland.

Links:
Facebook
Instagram

Keep your mind open.

[Don’t forget to subscribe before you go.]

[Thanks to Frankie at Stereo Sanctity.]

The Staples Jr. Singers release “I’m Looking for a Man” from rare 1970s gospel / funk album.

The Staples Jr. Singers share “I’m Looking For A Man,” from the forthcoming reissue of their sole album, When Do We Get Paid, originally released in 1975, out May 6th on Luaka Bop. In conjunction, the family from Aberdeen, Mississippi, share a live performance video of the new single recorded this past January, and announce a slate of performances in New York City taking place on Saturday, April 23rd, at Baby’s All Right, The Lot Radio, and Friends & Lovers.

Following an invite-only, press preview at The Paris Review in Chelsea, these concerts will be the Staples Jr. Singers’ first performances as a group in over 40 years. It will be their first-ever visit to New York City, as well as an extremely rare appearance outside the South. Presented by Luaka Bop and Boom Collective, this ambitious series of shows—three in one day!—will begin with a “Gospel Brunch” at Baby’s All Right in Williamsburg, then move outdoors to The Lot in Greenpoint, where the Staples Jr. Singers will be broadcast live on-air. While these first two shows will be free, the day will be capped off with a grand finale, an extended set at Friends & Lovers in Crown Heights. It may be one of the best performances that you’ll see all year. The original members of the family band—the siblings Edward Brown, A.R.C. Brown, and Annie Brown Caldwell—will be joined onstage by members of Annie’s family, including her husband Wille Caldwell Sr. and their children Willie Jr., Abel, and Deborah. For tickets, RSVP and more information, go to JuniorSingers.com.

Listen to “I’m Looking For A Man” by the Staples Jr. Singers

Watch the Staples Jr. Singers Perform “I’m Looking For A Man” (January 2022)

Like many gospel groups at the time, the Staples Jr. Singers were a family band: Annie Brown Caldwell was 11, A.R.C. Brown was 12, and Edward Brown was only 13 when they started playing school talent shows, local churches, and front yards near their hometown of Aberdeen, Mississippi, on the banks of the Tombigbee River. As was common practice among gospel acts, they named themselves after their idols: the Staple Singers. As their reputation grew, they started traveling across the Delta and the Bible Belt, piling into their family van on weekends to perform as many as three shows in a single day.

In 1975, at the time of When Do We Get Paid’s release, the Staples Jr. Singers were still just teenagers, and they sold the copies they pressed themselves at shows and on their front lawn to neighbors. With soul-inflected gospel songs that carried timely, subtle social messages, the Staples Jr. Singers responded to what they saw in the South: the struggles of the Black community, the backlash after desegregation, CivilRights.

While the Staples Jr. Singers have all gone on to write an entire catalog of gospel music since the era of When Do We Get Paid, for the original members of the band, the incantatory funk of this music still holds the power to help make a way out of dark and troubled times.

This project from Luaka Bop originates from their acclaimed compilation World Spirituality Classics 2: The Time for Peace Is Now – Gospel Music About Us (2019), which includes the Staples Jr. Singers’ single “We’ve Got a Race to Run” (Best New Music by Pitchfork (8.5), and listed among the best reissues of the year by NPR and Uncut). The compilation also resulted in the 2020 VinylFactory documentary, “The Time For Peace Is Now,” featuring Annie Brown Caldwell.
The Staples Jr. Singers Live In New York City, presented with Boom Collective:
Fri. Apr. 22 – New York, NY @ The Paris Review (press preview, invite only)
Sat. Apr. 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Baby’s All Right (11am) (RSVP needed, here)
Sat. Apr. 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ The Lot Radio (3pm, live broadcast) (RSVP needed, here)
Sat. Apr. 23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Friends and Lovers (7pm) (Tickets, here)

Listen to “When Do We Get Paid” by The Staples Jr. Singers

Pre-order When Do We Get Paid Reissue

“Please Meet The Staple Jr. Singers” film

Keep your mind open.

[I’m looking for your subscription.]

[Thanks to Sam at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Review: Primer – Incubator

Alyssa Midcalf, otherwise known as Primer, to you and I disguises songs about heartbreak and depression inside lovely new wave and pop hooks on her new album, Incubator – so named because many of these songs began their life before she was even twenty-years-old.

“Welcome to your life,” Midcalf sings on the opening track, “Impossible Thoughts,” which hooks you right away with its synth bass and beats. She’s welcoming us to our lives and the brief, yet intimate look at hers. “The world is ending, by the way. I accept it, but I don’t want to live that way,” she sings. She wrote that lyric, I’m fairly certain, about a break-up she experienced not long before finalizing the album, but one can’t help but put that lyric onto everything happening around us right now.

“Just a Clown” is a fun tongue-in-cheek poke at herself, as Midcalf discusses the hustle of being an artist and how you’re always setting yourself up for potential failure. “I can’t believe it has come to this. I am just a clown, and I’ll never win,” she says. Haven’t we all be there? Yes, but we haven’t all been there with the lovely dream pop beats Midcalf puts down on the track.

A groovy bass line uplifts the blue lyrics of her break-up on “If You Need Me,” taking the track to disco floor bliss. “Giving Up” builds with bright synth chords to become something that sounds like a happy kid skipping down the sidewalk, even as Midcalf sings heavy lyrics about waking from “a nightmare I constructed inside.”

“Things Fall Apart” has a swagger to it that seems to indicate that Midcalf was getting her feet back under her after the break-up dropped her to the mat. “Every day, I ask myself how do I live with the pain…”, she says, but she also knows she’s doing it. She’s able to move forward, even if only a little bit at a time. “Hypercube” is a flat-out industrial banger that will flood dance floors in clubs found behind metal doors in obscure alleys.

“I will never feel the same way that I did at that time in my life,” Midcalf sings on the heartbreaking “Anything,” a song about being desperate for love and willing to sacrifice whatever it takes for it. “Feel the Way I Do” is a love song for robots (judging from it’s cyber-beats and electro-bass) that practice magic. Midcalf sings about a strange thing inside of her that she wishes her lover could feel so they’d understand her love / anguish.

“You” starts off with android bees happily moving around in a bio-dome on a spaceship drifting past a gas giant planet. Midcalf sings about lying awake at nights missing her lover, but soon realizing “It never had a thing to do with you.” She’s the one who can control her response to the situation, and she does it with skillful synthwave. She’s reclaimed her life and heart on “Warning,” in which she sings, “I’m never gonna feel that way for you again.” while she dances around to her peppy beats.

It’s clear by the end of Incubator that Midcalf has grown from her experience, and perhaps we can grow with her if we’re willing.

Keep your mind open.

[I’m primed for you to subscribe.]

[Thanks to Gabriel at Clandestine Label Services.]