ECHT! announce debut full length album Inwane

02 July 2021

Belgian instrumental outfit ECHT! got our full attention a couple of years ago with the release of their first EP, DOUF. They are ready to follow it up with their debut album this Autum. Entitled Inwane, the effort arrives on September 24th through Sdban Ultra. Martin Méreau, Dorian Dumont, Florent Jeunieaux and Federico Pecoraro, who make up the band, had this to say about it:

“For our first album, we wanted to go into deeper beats. We were listening a lot to trap, gritty hip-hop & bass music, and we tried to emulate those kinds of beats on our instruments. The darkish mood of those music genres was fitting for us with this strangest year of 2020. But we also wanted to give a contrast with some brighter parts, where the human feeling is more present. This duality continued in the mixing process by pushing or destroying some sounds, adding electronic textures & effects, but also keeping some sounds really acoustic & organic. The result is for us a mature album: the feeling of electronic music emulated on instruments is confirmed but the human vibe stays central.”

Along with the news, ECHT! have shared the first single, ‘500 gr.’, an intoxicating and hypnotic track that heads straight to the depths of the dancefloor. Here it is.

Manu Delago unveils new single, ‘Interference’, from upcoming album Environ Me

01 July 2021

Manu Delago is no stranger to extraordinary feats and challenges, having recorded his 2018 album Parasol Peak with an ensemble of seven musicians on a mountaineering expedition in the Alps. Two albums later, the tremendously talented percussionist and composer recently undertook another phenomenal feat, embarking on a tour of Austria with his band, where he played 25 shows in 35 days, travelling solely by bike with all their gear. And there’s no stopping him! Delago is ready to gift the world with a new album entitled Environ Me, with the environment placed at the heart of it. An audio-visual effort, Environ Me is offered with a collection of expertly made films and each of its 12 tracks “represent a different element and contains its own inspired and individual concept, varying from the use of wildlife, fire and water to the manmade steel, gears, Velcro and more”, as the press release describes.

Along with the news, Delago has shared the staggering single ‘Interference’, of which he says:

“The track is symbolic for human interference on the planet. As visual and sonic symbols I chose an electricity pole and the metal framework of a mountain draglift next to it because they appear in the middle of nowhere, where one would expect pure nature. This symbol could be anything else that humans created like square crop fields, glowing cities, never-ending motorways or a cut-down rain forest. ‘Interference’ is also the opening track of my new album and in a way builds a transition from my last album ‘Circadian’. I even used some recordings at the start which were left over from those sessions. But then the track takes a more electronic direction, and especially at the end it’s a real outburst of energy with a drum solo and metallic sounds recorded on that metal framework.”

Environ Me arrives on September 24th through One Little Independent Records. Now lend you ears to ‘Interference’.

Rodrigo Leão announces new album, A Estranha Beleza; shares first single ‘Friend of a Friend’ feat. Michelle Gurevich

27 June 2021

Photo: Angela Muñoz

For over 25 years, Rodrigo Leão has drawn high praise as one of the most influential contemporary composers in his native Portugal. He has also cemented a reputation internationaly as an acclaimed composer, having collaborated with artists like Ryuichi Sakamoto, Ludovico Einaudi, Jóhann Jóhansson, Beth Gibbons, Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy, Scott Matthew, and Joan as Police Woman, amongst many more.

Rodrigo has announced the release of a new album, A Estranha Beleza, arriving on October 15th through BMG / Modern Recordings. Throughout his incredibly rich and singular career, Rodrigo told stories through his albums, composing them as if they were films. As the press release explains, Rodrigo “casts guest musicians who are right for each character, who then takes on a role in the narrative, which is complemented by locations, sets and moods created by music and sound design.” As with his previous records, A Estranha Beleza bears the same cinematic sentiment.

‘Friend of a Friend’ is first sublime single to be lifted from the album with voice and lyrics by Canadian singer-songwriter Michelle Gurevich. “It was a theme that initially started from the search for a happy rhythm, with some influence from the music of the 50s, and that gave me the enthusiasm I was looking for to find new ideas”, explained Rodrigo. “It takes us to a time very different from the one we live in today”.

’Friend Of A Friend’ comes paired with a video starring both Rodrigo in Lisbon and Michelle in Copenhagen. Watch it below.

Suuns set to release new album The Witness in September

27 June 2021

We’re big fans of Suuns, the Canadian band who boasts excellent musicianship, reflected and augmented on live shows. So we’re excited to know they have a new album on the way called The Witness. “There’s something interesting about the idea of a collective witness, being a witness to the time we’re living in now,” Ben Shemie notes. “And the connectedness of what we all have in common. But also, literally: bearing witness to all sorts of things and how that desensitises you. There’s a recurring line that comes back on the record: “I know that you’ve seen it too.” A song like ‘Clarity’ is also about pulling the veil off and seeing things for what they really are. It kind of comes down to being true to yourself and acknowledging what is and isn’t real.”

Now a trio following the amicable departure of Max Henry in 2018, and with Shemie living in Paris, Suuns had “to find each other again, both socially and creatively.” Suuns have been touring relentlessly in both Europe and North America in recent years and just like their live shows, the upcoming album sees them incorporate more spontaneous moments. “We just do that more improvised stuff so naturally live,” Joe Yarmush commented. “It’s kind of weird that it hasn’t been a big part of our albums up till now.. We’re trying to embrace that side of the band for sure. That’s also part of SUUNS just being the three of us now.”

The Witness arrives on September 3rd through Joyful Noise Recordings and Suuns are giving us the first taste from it with lead single ‘Witness Protection’. The track features Max Henry as studio collaborator and comes with an accompanying video directed by Antoine Dasseville. Take a look.

In support of The Witness, Suuns have announced tour dates in Canada and Europe throught September and October. Check all their stops and other info here.

Efterklang announce sixth studio album, Windflowers, and share first single ‘Living Other Lives’

27 June 2021

Photo: Dennis Morton

Longtime favourite band Efterklang are back with their sixth studio, following 2019´s stunning Altid Sammen. Entitled Windflowers, the new album sees the trio of Mads Brauer, Casper Clausen and Rasmus Stolberg continue to venture in new and thrilling musical territories, “embracing their distinct pop sensibilities and creating their finest melodic moments to date”, as the press release explains.

Windflowers will see the light of day on October 8th through City Slang and ahead of it they have shared the first gorgeous single, ‘Living Other Lives’. About this track Casper comments:

“Living other lives started out as a jam in my Lisbon studio during Spring 2020 lockdown. I was playing around with my 404 sampler and I found that kind of groove that makes my head bop – put some samples on it, and I could listen to it forever – a good sign. So I was just having that on loop while scrolling through my instagram feed. The lyrics sort of came out of that moment; living other lives, imagination jumping from one life/image to another, revisiting, updating myself, absolutely bodiless, while scrolling up and up with my thumb. It’s a fascinating world we’re living in, so strangely symbiotic and aware of what everybody’s doing, I feel I’m living multiple lives all at once. Watching all these people expressing and changing themselves far away, out there around the planet.”

‘Living Other Lives’ is offered with a video directed by Søren Lynggaard Andersen, who added:

“I visited Efterklang in the studio when they were in the process of recording their new album. I had packed this old russian 16mm camera and I wasn’t even sure if the camera actually worked, but thankfully it did (sort of). The video that came out of it I feel is a charming and genuine look at the band together in the studio and in the nature of the island of Møn in the south of Denmark.”

Watch the video now.

In other related news, Efterkland have also announced a live stream concert on June 27th as well as several live dates across Europe later this year and early 2022.

Typical Sisters unveil new single ‘Grains’

26 June 2021

Photo: Alexa Viscius

With only two weeks to go before Typical Sisters put out their third album, Love Beam, the trio are keeping us excited with new single ‘Grains’.  While guitarist Gregory Uhlmann lives in LA, bassist Clark Sommers in Chicago and drummer Matt Carroll in Copenhagen, the three have cultivated a creative and personal affinity for each other over the last decade, and the album celebrates their collaboration and friendship.

Listen to ‘Grain’ below and grab Love Beam when it’s out on July 9th through Joyful Noise Recordings.