Daniel Brandt announces second album Channels and shares lead single ‘Flamingo’

08 August 2018

Photo: Özge Cöne

Daniel Brandt, best know as the drumming force behind Brandt Brauer Frick, has announced details of his second solo album following last year’s outstanding Eternal Something. Entitled Channels, it arrives on October 12th through Erased Tapes. On the new album, Brandt tried to “capture the essence of minimalism whilst lending it to a more playful context,” explains the press release. Channels is informed by Brandt’s experience performing and recording Steve Reich’s Six Pianos in a six-piece, which influenced him to compose long meditations on the piano. The record’s “frenetic energy and shape-shifting identity was also born out of touring with his new band”, the blurb adds, “and a desire to translate both the sound and spiritual unity of their live shows in which musicians locked together to create an intriguing meld of expansive works”.

Brandt has let loose the wild and wonderful opening track ‘Flamingo’ and he has also made a video for it. He comments on it:

“The video for Flamingo is deliberately non performance – people sitting in a room and watching basically nothing, never really sure if anything is ever going to happen. It’s also a play on John Cage’s 4’33”, except in this instance there isn’t even a performer present”

Watch it now.

Darto announce new EP Fundamental Slime

03 August 2018

Darto have announced details of a new EP, Fundamental Slime, out on September 14th via Aagoo Records. Fundamental Slime follows the release of last year’s exciting and exhilarating album, Human Giving, and their split 7″ with WAND ‘Hush/Follow Up‘.
Featuring four new tracks, Fundamental Slime is described as “an observation on the darker end of the human-possibility spectrum”. Speaking about the EP, the band’s singer and multi-instrumentalist Candace Harter had this to say:

“These songs share a similar theme of power and control, and speak from a variety of perspectives. We all sat down and co-wrote most of the lyrics together, each of us taking the lead on a different song. I really liked that process because it allowed for instant feedback and there were 3 other people helping me with putting ideas into words. I think this record touches on the shadow of what is happening in this world and how people are being mistreated. Overall, it’s just a record about misuse of power.”

As a first taster, Darto have let loose the EP’s mesmerizing and unremitting opening track ‘Brotherhood’. Drummer Greg Flores comments on the song:

“The song ‘Brotherhood’ is about power and dominance. Men in particular seem to protect their power with violence without ever questioning the reasons why they feel the need to protect power in the first place. The irony is that violent dominance is an ultimate display of weakness, and it’s a way to express insecurity while still maintaining power,” says Greg Flores.

Take a listen to ‘Brotherhood’ below.

Laurence Pike shares new live video for ‘Distant Early Warning’

02 August 2018

Inventive drummer and composer Laurence Pike is a busy guy. This year alone he released and toured his highly awaited celestial debut solo album, Distant Early Warning, and there’s an exciting new record from his band Szun Waves on the way.

Pike is back on the road this month, performing solo and also with Szun Waves. If you haven’t experienced his phenomenal drumming talents, just take a look at what you’re missing out on in his new live video for the title track ‘Distant Early Warning’, recorded at Sydney’s Golden Age Cinema.

Catch Laurence Pike live at The Shacklewell Arms on August 22nd, and what’s more, it’s free.

Distant Early Warning is out now on The Leaf Label.

Manu Delago shares new single and teaser trailer from upcoming album + film Parasol Peak

30 July 2018

After sharing the magnificent ‘Parasol Peak‘, wonderfully talented Austrian percussionist and composer Manu Delago is beguiling us again with a beautiful new single, ‘Parasol Woods’. The track is taken from his upcoming album and film Parasol Peak, a giant sonic venture recorded with an ensemble of seven musicians on a mountaineering expedition in the Alps. Along with the new single, Delago has also shared another stunning teaser trailer. Check it out straight after ‘Parasol Woods’ and grab the album when it drops on September 7th through One Little Indian.

Klaus Johann Grobe announce third album Du Bist So Symmetrisch and share lead single ‘Discogedanken’

27 July 2018

Swiss duo Klaus Johann Grobe have announced details of their third album, Du Bist So Symmetrisch, set for release on October 26th through Trouble in Mind. Du Bist So Symmetrisch continues in the vein of last year’s Spagat der Liebe, “incorporating the slinky, jazz-fusion-laced grooves populating late night clubs and braiding them together with the band’s own blend of mutant electro-funk”, as the press release explains. “Driven by an organic, metronomic beat aligned with synth, chant-like vocals, and a monstrous funky bass,” it adds, “the music aims towards a certain kind of hypnosis, particularly as the sleeping pill echo-heavy vocals cycle over the locked grooves the pair throw down.”

The first single to be revealed from their forthcoming album is the melancholy-tinged cosmic track ‘Discogedanken’ and it comes with an animated video made by Jonas Baumann. Watch it below.


Listen to Szun Waves’ new single ‘Temple’ off forthcoming album New Hymn To Freedom

23 July 2018

Anticipation is growing as we near the release of Szun Waves‘ second album New Hymn To Freedom. Made up of three extraordinary musicians, Laurence Pike, Luke Abbott and Jack Willie, from varied backgrounds, including jazz, classical, electronica, ambient, experimental and club music, Szun Waves crafted and recorded an album of live improvisations, finding inspiration in each other’s experiences and influences. The band had previously shared the phenomenal lead single ‘Constellation’. Ahead of the album’s release on August 31st through The Leaf Label, they are offering another glimpse into their enveloping, immersive and improvisational album with new track ‘Temple’.

In other related good news, Szun Waves are celebrating the album’s release with a special 360 degree A/V show, taking to the stage in London, Sweden, Glasgow, Manchester and Leeds. Find out when to catch them below:

Thursday August 30th – Space Gallery, LONDON
Friday August 31st – PLX Tjärö Festival, SWEDEN
Wednesday November 21st – Broadcast, GLASGOW
Saturday November 24th – Soup Kitchen. MANCHESTER
Sunday November 25th – Headrow House, LEEDS