For those of you eagerly awaiting a new Slowdive record, this release may just tide you over! Pure Phase Ensemble is a collective of musicians including Ride frontman Mark Gardener (how refreshing to not have to say FORMER), Raymond Dickaty (a member of Spiritualized from 1997-2002), Jacek Rezner (Wilga), Kamil Hordyniec (Wilga), Michał Pydo (Hatifnats), Michał ‘Kostek’ Stolc (Cisza nocna) and Karol Schwarz (KSAS).
Lush arrangement and poetic, but not horribly cumbersome, lyrics make this a song for movement – this is a track to drive to, to walk to, to dance to – but it is also a song for mental movement. It is a track to think to, as well. I actually found myself reminded of bands like The Railway Children; there is an element of that sumptuous mid-eighties New Wave sound represented here – a bit darker, but quite handsomely dressed in the same sort of brilliant guitar melodies and steady, up-tempo undercurrents.
There is indeed a warm staccato style of bass and guitar sound here which is highly reminiscent of the Smiths at their peak – Moon Tapes has mastered this particular brand of textured aural and emotional complexity, but give it their own unique spin. There isn’t quite Morrissey’s lyrical dexterity, but the plaintive angst vocalist Joep Meyer brings to the song is spot-on. Essentially, this is the Smiths without the hubris.
Hearts Of Black Science have a knack for layering, building from sparse guitars and subtle synths into harmonies of complex splendor. Ethereal, chilling vocals lead into what is essentially a lesson in aural world-building; by the end of my first listen I felt I had been transported into the moody, unnerving realm of its lyrics….palpable mistrust, doubt, and fledgling hopes all combine to create a panoply to showcase the talents of this fantastic Swedish mixed-genre band.
New order release their first single ‘Restless’ off their upcoming album, Music Complete out September 25th on Mute.
Well, this is certainly a welcome sound. A brand new EP from Elbow. A brand new single from Elbow. Those are enough to perk up my ears, but a shimmering, majestic and UPBEAT single from Elbow? The sounds like a lost Peter Gabriel single from the Us-era or at least a return to Elbow’s early days.
What better way to enjoy these hot summer nights then rolling down the windows and cranking out some Disco-Synth? Synthco? Disynth? I’m not even sure what to call this genre, but Kisses‘ A Groove could be one of its defining tracks, melding classic disco sounds with modern Electro-chill dance.
A Copy for Collaspe’s second single “Grey Sunday” is a sickly sweet, sinister treat for those who like darker synthpop. Fans of Teeel and Torul should welcome another shimmering nightmare into their listening consciousness, as this track packs just enough glitter in its fangs to make you wonder if you should stay asleep or snap out of the dream before you reach the song’s conclusion.
We are bringing back a popular feature to Strangeways called Alternative Timelines. Each post identifies iconic images and formats them perfectly to fit on your Facebook Timeline Header. There will be a different theme each week and for the first installment, I decided to go with a simple Alternative Classics theme that focuses on three of the most iconic covers of all time.
Spotify has introduced a new featured called “Discover Weekly” that is aimed at providing you with a weekly mixtape of music based on your music preferences. You will find the appropriately named playlist “Discover Weekly” at the top of your playlist hierarchy. My initial impression of this feature is very positive. The first 3-4 songs were bands that I have never heard of, but ones that fit in perfectly with the type of music that I listen to
Right when this track started, i thought it was a new A-ha song…and that isn’t far fetched as A-ha DOES have a new song, and frankly this sounds like a dream collaboration between Morten Harket and Thom Yorke. The downtempo beats and falsetto vocals are gorgeous and infectious.
Chvrches has announced the initial details of the sophomore album called Every Open Eye. It is scheduled to be released on September 25th. The first single is called Leave A Trace and you can get your first listen right here.