Artist: MILES KANE Who: Brit-mod rocker who love to revisit
music history and is very good at it.
Album: SUNLIGHT IN THE SHADOWS
His 3rd in 4 years. Overall, his 6th one. Co-written with The Black Keys, Daniel Tashian and Pat McLaughlin.
Clash Magazine: “Miles Kane tackles the blues with an all-killer stadium filler.
It’s anthemic and thrumming, and reads like the soundtrack to a summer spent
on Route 66.”
TUTV: Kane should join The Black Keys (it sounds like he already did). His new record, mostly written with Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney uses those two keys’ formula applied on their last two LPs. Light blues rock tunes, smoothly crafted and mainstreamed for success.
NME says: “There’s unquestionably a space for The Belair Lip Bombs
to thrive globally. ‘Again’, to paraphrase U2, feels like them auditioning
to be the biggest band in the world.”
TUTV: Just like that these pop indies from down under score one of the best guitar pop albums of 2025. Expect a swirling series of emotive earworms. Top-drawer stuff. Trust me, these bombs will go nuclear soon.
Kerrang says: “Carry on screaming! Creeper return with their fangs on full display for
bigger, brassier, bloodier Sanguivore sequel. Creeper have always been great. In this current (and unexpectedly elongated) vampire phase, they’ve blossomed into their true, proper selves. Go on, Creeper, make this sequel part two of a trilogy.”
TUTV: Goth rock bombast with a huge entertaining impact. Titanic tunes blast
out of your speakers for 42 minutes. Not creepy, rather speedy and sweepy.
Band: EX HYENA (Boston, MA) Who: The musical project of Bo Barringer and Reuben Bettsak.
They got together in 2020, surfacing through the haze of the
global pandemic and have released 3 albums since.
Press info: “To understand this rich and complex collection of 11 tracks, one must crawl into its title. The XX in XX YOUR LOVE is a placeholder for the listeners’ understanding of
a personalized reflection of love, as Ex-Hyena canvass a Lynchian narrative that explores the innocent love of youth, the love of our dreams, and the love of our assumed innocence juxtaposed by the damaged love of our desires, the love of our nightmares, and the love of our assumed supremacy.”
TUTV: Ex-Hyena fans know what to expect from this electro-crazy Boston duo.
Old skool techno pyrotechnics, 24-hour party extravaganza, and synth-laced jams.
Artist: ANNA VON HAUSSWOLFF Who: Swedish singer, songwriter, musician, composer, and
pipe organist. She is known for her gothic-styled music, usually
accompanied by the pipe organ.
The Guardian (British newspaper): “It’s music that feels as if it’s in constant motion, amplified by the fact that the melodies, rich and beautiful as they are, seldom adhere to any standard verse-chorus structure: the songs here usually end up somewhere very different from the place they started. Indeed, its maximalism might be too overwhelming to take in one long sitting.”
TUTV: This synth-symphonic, heavy percussion and vocal tour de force opus causes
a transcendental experience that lingers for a long time. Think Kate Bush teaming up
with Florence + The Machine.
Band: EX HYENA (Boston, MA) Who: The musical project of Bo Barringer and Reuben Bettsak. They got together in 2020, surfacing through the haze of a global pandemic and have released 3 albums since, with last year’s A Kiss Of The Mind as their newest.
Track: VANISHING EDGE
The first taster of the duo’s forthcoming fourth album ‘XX YOUR LOVE’, a record that swirls around interlocking themes of yearning, dreaming, sex, and cults, due this summer.
Single artwork
TUTV: Vanishing Edge is an industrial techno sledgehammer to start and end all 24-hour parties with. Imagine Chemical Brothers hitting nine inch nails in your ears. Manic synths, booming beats, and sinewy vocals, it’s all there to pirouette yourself in a trance.
Band: KASABIAN Who: Veteran rockers from Leicester, UK.
One of the best bands of the past 25 years,
on record and on stage, in my book.
Album: HAPPENINGS
Their 8th one, also their
8th number one in the UK.
TUTV: Since former frontman Tom Meighan left the group in 2020, Kasabian‘s wild drugs-fueled hedonistic days are over. Well, sort of. Yes, all 10 songs are disco-dance spiced stompers, but not the Taylor Swift way. Many decibels and pyrotechnics are still involved like on Call, How Far Will You Go, and Hello of It.
Half of the tracks are tailor-made for big festivals, stadiums, and other mammoth happenings where fans want to forget the daily rat race for a while. As Serge puts
it : “Art, for me, is relaxation – I panic when I’m not doing it.”.
Band: EX-HYENA (Boston, MA) Who: The musical project of Bo Barringer and Reuben Bettsak that started in 2020, surfacing through the haze of a global pandemic and illuminated by the city’s darkest corners.
Press info: A Kiss of the Mind skillfully captures the trademark Ex-Hyena combination of dark electronic, post-punk attitude mixed with the moody aura of the underground ‘80s
and a future-noir vision. But the record finds the project exploring a wider sonic landscape, with sprinkles of synth-pop, shoegaze, industrial, psychedelic, soul, trip-hop, Britpop, and more filtered through the Ex-Hyena sound lens, where heavy beats and razorsharp synths cascade through a hall of mirrors underneath a dual vocal melody attack.
Bettsak: “These songs are a bit longer and more expansive than the previous songs. There
was a bit more experimentation, and throwing lots of styles into the fold. I think we operate better when we don’t set any strict rules on genres, etc. We let the music, and songs guide us.”
TUTV: Once again Ex-Heyna take you on an EBM journey through the Apocalyptic war
times we live in. Surely, you can dance, move and groove to their new trippy pieces of orchestral manoeuvres in the dark, but the shadowy tone and timbre of this new record resonate like a fitting soundtrack for the ongoing disturbing turmoil we experience.
Expect a versatile mix of ambient vibes, wayward dynamics à la Aphex Twin, and early Human League eurhythmics all served with a twilight vocality. No rest for the wicked. We also need dance music in grim times. Enter A Kiss Of The Mind.
The late great country icon JOHNNY CASH recorded
an LP’s worth of self-penned songs in 1993 that weren’t
released until now.
TUTV: It’s always an aural pleasure to hear Cash‘s heart-and-soul warming Americana voice. Whether it’s a romantic ballad, a jaunty country tune or a
(rare) rocker his vocals/phrasing both stir and calm down my mind.
All 11 songs at play here are definitely no leftovers from some studio sessions.
Each track charms and endears. Imagine sitting on a swing chair on a cosy porch surrounded by green trees and a soft sun, with a bottle of red wine at hand and
the masterly Songwriter Johnny Cash as your musical friend.
Band: LOSSLINE Who: Manchester-based singer/songwriter tandem, Jack and Adam,
who look around, inside and outside, every day and write songs about
it, mostly sad songs.
“Our third album came about through us changing the way we write. Lots of the songs
were written as instrumentals and then the vocals were thought about afterwards. We
still write as a duo but we’re in the same room less and less.
In terms of themes it draws a lot from our day to day experiences. Feeling like we’re getting
a bit old to be going out. Finding the daily grind to be wearing us down. The joys and difficulties of having children. We drew a lot of inspiration from the work of Bill Ryder Jones who uses melody and time changes beautifully to create really strong emotional songs.”
TUTV: These two Manchester songwriters make you reach for your favorite drink,
make you dim the lights, make you go and sit down in your lazy chair, and make
you relax to melancholic, day-and-night-dreams with sepia-colored candlelight
vocals, but this time it happens a bit less than before. Mind you, they do not
start to rock out like mad.
On Again they resonate like weirdo Mark Oliver Everett and his band Eels and on
standout pearls I Can’t See Pass Monday, Heavy Rain and Sticking Point they cause goosebumps with affecting choir-like orchestrations, inspired as they say by intimate songsmith Bill Ryder-Jones, co-founder of Liverpool‘s romantic musers The Coral.
Listen to his heavy-hearted gem This Can’t Go On and you’ll know what they and
I mean. And as I mentioned before famous crooners The National and the softest
moments of The War On Drugs are floating around here and there too on this
splendid Lossline album 3.
Artists: POEJI Who: German drummer Simon Popp and jazz-loving, Mongolia-born singer/musician Enji. Both were/are involved in several solo, as well as collaborative projects.
The first result of their collaboration. Nant is music without borders or constraints, translated in various languages, such as the Slovenian word for ‘sing’ or the rough Japanese translation to ‘poetry’, whilst the album title is an old Welsh word for a stream or a valley. Parts of Enji’s vocals on the record are sung in her native Mongolian, whilst Simon Popp explores melody via various tuned percussion from around the world. They have created a truly universal album, pulling inspiration from German avant-garde, dub, downtempo and musique concrete.
Popp: “Nant is our shared exploration, merging our diverse backgrounds into an unconventional yet distinctive soundscape. It’s a deeply personal journey through
unique, atmospheric sounds that unite our individual worlds.”
Enji: “If this record takes you to places where you encounter “a quiet inner speech,” “unexpected messages,” or thoughts of “nothing to say, let the music speak,” then perhaps that’s precisely what we’ve been aiming for.”
TUTV: I never heard of both artists before, but I’m thrilled that I discovered them recently.
The fruit of their first musical partnership is special, nothing to do with the modern-day mainstream music.
Two things came to mind while listening to Nant for the first time. The title of Simon
and Garfunkel‘s majestic 1965 hit Sound Of Silence and the superb, romantic 2003
movie Lost In Translation.
Meditation, relaxation, peacefulness, atmospheric inventiveness and mind-massage
are the keywords here. Nant is an ideal sonic companion for soothing evenings, far
away from the busy reality we experience every single day.
Kasabian‘s general Serge Pizzorno is a master in writing sing/scream-along stadium/festival belters. And the lead single of new, upcoming longplayer Happiness Bastards, is another ecstatic call to arms.
2. ‘Welcome To Your New Future’ by LEG PUPPY 2.0 (UK)
If you’re a party animal and you don’t know the self-proclaimed best Techno/EBM act in
the world LEG PUPPY, it’s about time you will because a new LP is coming up, baptized ‘Humanity 2.0’, and will signify a totally new beginning for you and them.
Welcome to your new future, all you survivors out there.
These fast up-and-coming indies from Leeds (UK) fronted by wonderful
voice Lily Fontaine prove their huge talent once more with this new pearl.
R&B is another wayward slice of ET pop intensity. It starts a bit like a Dry Cleaning
song with a rigid bass riff and Fontaine‘s spoken word vocals, but turns quickly into
a strenuous stunner fueled by schizo guitar frenzy and jittery percussion.
Lily Fontaine, Brugge, Belgium, 13 February – photo by TUTV)
4. ‘I Don’t Understand What Any Of You Are Doing’ by DEAD ANYWAY (UK)
This British duo combine the dark lyricism of vocalist Kate Arnold
with music and soundscapes of Marc Symonds.
Their new album, Partially Eaten By Animals is the best indie one of the month
in TUTV’s book, with trip-hop thrills all the way. Think Massive Attack, Arab Strap
and Portishead. I know big names, but my trained ears told me what they heard.
‘I Don’t Understand What Any Of You Are Doing’ will draw your aural attention on the spot.
Yokophono is a Finnish duo that hit the scene in 2020. Their music consists of energetic
dance-punk/indie rock songs. Their sound has been compared to the likes of Royal Blood, Arctic Monkeys and even Queens Of The Stone Age. Consisting of just drums and guitar they also rely on their catchy melodies.
Their new single Red a is wham bloody wham bam disco-punk juggernaut.
This Finnish tandem make you jump around like a kangaroo on acid. Distorted guitars
and banging percussion work close together to create a filthy disco-punk juggernaut.
Red triggers your limbs’ actions from the kick-off until the final beat. Inbetween you
can go berserk every single time the clamorous chorus hits your greedy speakers.
After 3 albums the Canadian post-rock-noise project of seasoned Canadian singer-songwritter-guitarist Laura Lee Schultz, backed by a tremendous bass/drum tandem return with this scorching Herculean shocker from their new, upcoming EP, titled Dirt,
out on May 3.
The heaviest parts of this quiet/Loud/quiet/Loud uppercut resonate like if British blues rock turbo Royal Blood having a fierce sonic fight with post-industrial-punk legends Killing Joke.
These 4 young Irish bullpits take you on a tempestuous ride with this new blazing blast.
Just like their countrymen Gilla Band, they look like 4 regular guys from around the block. But when they open the gates for Dead Sound they become 4 not-regular guys storming fast forward. A bumpy bass riff takes the haymaker on its back throughout the full course of its speedy rush.
The vocalist spits and sneers like Mark E Smith did his whole jarring career. The clamourus chorus is one that’ll start mospiths and when a psychotic guitar works its way to the front we get pandemonium. It’s also a loud and clear harbinger of an out-of-your-fucking head finale. Bingo master’s breakout.
Molly Horses left their basements only a year ago.
They produce elements of post-punk, krautrock, and Albini-esque noise rock.
With King Dundalk they take you on a dazzling rollercoaster.
All burners, all cylinders on. No rest for the bad man. Hefty.
You really need to check out these maddening motherrockers.
This fresh 4-piece outfit from the North Wales nail
it right away with their first cut Mourning Sickness.
What a superb debut. It’s a slow-progressing psych guitar jam rotating around an intoxicating riff that creeps under your skin without asking. Think of early Radiohead
days. Engrossing and riveting.
There’s an eerie vocal and electrifying tension in the air that makes you wonder when
the song’s intensity will explode. But it moves on like a serpent on a mission until the last second.
The reincarnated Ramones are back among us as 4 Ramonas fronted led by Australian songwriter (now living in Los Angeles) and musician Romy Hoffman. They make schizo, synthy, paranoid, post-punk with a dash of dysmorphic desire.
An absolute standout piece from the L.A.’s psych-pop gem from their brand new
full-length Loss Of Live. It features Christine and the Queens and turns out to be
a match in heaven.
Portland‘s dark-dance-wave trio say about their new single Impetus: “While creating this track, we all pushed our creative boundaries to write a song that reflects our desire to grow
as artists and people. This song encourages the listener to reflect inward. We hope to inspire ourselves and others to stop hiding. Stop waiting. Take one small step toward your goals, then another, and another. The time is NOW. Stop hiding your gifts. The world needs your passion.”
Impetus is a sensual mid-tempo electro-pop tease. Seductive,
flirtatious and tempting. Dim the light and move in mysterious
ways.
Sukie Smith is a songstress from London who has collaborated widely with artists, musicians and writers creating cross-disciplinary sonic work, exhibiting and performing internationally. She has released three critically acclaimed albums with her band Madam and toured throughout the UK and Europe.
Into The Light is a new compostion from her upcoming 4th album, named ‘The Glass Dress
and a Ringing Bell’ and will land on 8 March via Smith’s own label Shillingboy Records.
A song about leaving a turbulent relationship Smith found herself trapped in during lockdown, as Smith succinctly says, “I wrote this, then escaped,” with its focus a celebration of the jubilation felt in newfound freedom and the liberation found in the enlightening processes of recovery.
Into The Light grooves and moves pushed by dynamic eurythmics from the get-go, and keeps on cruising throughout its ablaze 3.07-minute duration. Glowing jingle-jangle guitar play, rock-solid drumming and Smith‘s impassioned vocals combine for a striking stroke.
The iconic Jamaican pioneer of dub reggae passed away in 2021, aged 85.
His final album, titled King Perry is now posthumously released. It features
vocal guest performances from Greentea Peng, Shaun Ryder, Tricky, Marta, Rose Waite
and Fifi Rong.
The musical project of Bo Barringer and Reuben Bettsak, have since their project’s inception in 2020, surfacing through the haze of a global pandemic and illuminated by the city’s darkest corners, produced steady and prolific beats across underground dance floors.
Their 3rd album, called A Kiss of the Mind,
is waiting in the pipeline for its imminent release.
First new shared piece Spiral Down is vintage synth-pop pulsation. Utterly infectious. There’s a shadowy side to it, but its bootylicious vibes, its subtle guitar riff, its shiny electronic waves and moony vocals combine for a spot-on EBM thrill.
Common Culture is a rousing, fiddle-driven alternative folk band from Barnsley, England.
They fuse traditional and contemporary elements into an upbeat and energetic
sound, their songs are full of catchy hooks, infectious rhythms and a party spirit.
The song serves as a poignant lament for the Earth’s dwindling natural beauty and a stirring call to action in the face of greed and injustice destroying the planet. It’s five to twelve, indeed. The majority of political leaders look the other way when these world-crushing issues come up. Some even don’t believe that our climate is changing drastically. More red-alert songs like this one are always welcome.
Bad Ritual is a Polish trio formed at the beginning of 2020 by three architects.
They play songs immersed in a dark and unsettling atmosphere. Their music is
a blend of indie-folk, swampy blues, and rock ‘n’ roll. It often evokes associations
with David Lynch‘s films, spaghetti westerns, and film noir.
They have their arresting self-titled debut album out now. Stream it here.
Standout track On The Road gets you in Bad Ritual‘s sonic/cinematic world. Its melancholic timbre and shiny guitar sparks, make me think of romantic glam legend Chris Isaak. Bad Ritual‘s idol David Lynch directed Isaak‘s Wicked Game video that featured flashes from
his 1990 Wild At Heart movie).
Leonardo: “I wrote this song after reading Nick Cave‘s reply (note: read below) to some of
his fans, who had asked him why he was about to attend the coronation of the UK’s king as
part of the Australian delegation. I love most of Nick Cave’s records and I consider him one
of the greatest songwriters ever.
I’m also a long-time Nick Cave fan. A truly remarkable artist. But attending King Charles‘ coronation? Disgusting. That guy nor his late mother never ever had something done to earn their status, they were born that way, they didn’t pay taxes for many years etc… It’s just as disgusting as Johnny ‘Rotten’ Lydon (the Sex Pistols‘ album the best punk one ever, in my book) voting for natural-born charlatan Trump. What is wrong with those millionaire artists?
That said Nicholas Palace is an infectious groove, a jagged jam, driven by an addictive riff with Leonardo‘s augmenting the funeral vibe of the song, think The Velvet Underground on a rainy day. Around the 1.30 min mark aggressive guitar play accentuates the ultimate end of Cave‘s birthday party.
Band: EX HYENA (Boston, MA) Who: The musical project of Bo Barringer and Reuben Bettsak. Since their project’s inception in 2020, surfacing through the haze of a global pandemic and illuminated
by the city’s darkest corners, the duo has delivered a steady and prolific beat across underground dance floors, with two albums – 2021’s Artificial Pulseand 2022’s, a remix edition of the latter a handful of singles and EPs, and several collaborations with other artists.
Album number three, named A Kiss of the Mind,
is waiting in the pipeline for its imminent release.
Ahead of it the 2nd single, following In Slow Motion
we get another new one to please our ears.
Art Design by Ian Adams
SPIRAL DOWN is vintage synth-pop pulsation. Utterly infectious. There’s a shadowy
side to it, but its bootylicious beats and bleeps, its subtle guitar riff, its shiny electronic waves and moony vocals combine for a spot-on EBM thrill.
The celebrated British indie rockers prepare for the launch
of their 6th LP, titled ‘Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations’, with this
new stonker, bringing the sonic euphoria of The Killers to mind.
This synth-pop duo is warming up for their third full length ‘A Kiss of the Mind’
Lead single ‘In Slow Motion’ is dark-synth-wave pizazz at its haunting best.
Booming beats rotate on and on towards a full orchestral plangency while
shadowy vocals add even more sinister vibes.
These masked synth-punk freaks from Vancouver (CA)
produce lots of mayhem on their new album Play Cobra.
One of the 5 best albums of the month on TUTV’s list.
Mouth Yellow is one of the crazy corkers.
Fasten your seatbelt, folks. It’s a rough ride.
The veteran superstar born Leonard Albert Kravitz in New York City 59 years
ago has his new longplayer – a double one – dubbed ‘Blue Electric Light’ out
on 15 March 2024.
On the video for the first taster ‘TK421’ Kravitz
drops his towel and shakes a lot of body parts.
6. ‘Downtown Operation’ by DUBINSKI (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Four brothers who’ve literally been through everything together – from childhood
through adolescence, success and grief – using music as the gel to hold them in place.
This first cut from their forthcoming 2nd album is a pure not-so-happy
pop pearl about the doom and gloom era we’re living in.
Its whirling groove, its ebullient beat, its glistering synth flashes, its vivacious
harmonies and last but not least its tremendously infectious chorus combine
for a top-notch earworm. Think Everything Everything and/or Hot Chip turning
up the heat.
Beginning as a solo project and growing into a band, Millie Milner & The Deadnames
of Manchester, UK was forged with a stronger mission at the heart to be the queer representation that the band’s members struggled to find in their own teenage years.
Lie was inspired by a breakup of Milner‘s and co-penned by a friend. It tells of
a need to take ownership of their life and their choices and the newfound element
of fun and recklessness they found themselves surrounded by as a newly single
person.
It’s indie at its vivid best. Sparkling guitars going berserk now and then, firm
drum hits, crystal clear vocals/harmonies, evocative lyrics, and a steamy chorus.
10. ‘Dead Moon Rising‘ by CACTUS FLOWERS (Houston, Texas)
This psych-rock act is fronted by Jessica A.M., whose mother photographed bands for
the legendary Rolling Stone music weekly during the magazine’s counter-culture heyday.
Their new sultry mid-tempo garage blues-rock corker is fuelled by echoing, rollicking
riffs, steady drum hits and bewitching Jessica A.M. vocals. Dead Moon Rising resonates
like glorious legends The Cramps with a mean machine vibe, rock-and-psycho-billy
swagger and footstompin’ dynamics. From bad moon rising to dead moon rising.
The Libs met in the studio once again for a new LP.
It’s been 8 years since the release of their 3rd album Anthems For Doomed Youth, which was their first
in 11 years back then.
Their new one ‘All Quit On The Easter Esplanade‘
and comes our way on 8 March 2024.
Run Run Run is a sickly sticky runner.
A vintage Libertines anthem.
Two years after the release of their charged self-titled debut EPEmpty Head are
back with a brand new follow-up EP named Tales Of A Modern Man. A 5-track
one anchored by the overarching theme of the Modern Man and bristling with
a wiry tension.
Opener Violence sets the tone with its hammering beats, its inflammable
guitar galvanism and frontman Simon Galloy‘s sky-scraping vocals.
This Belgian/Iraqi launched their excellent debut
full length The Shedding Of Skin, last year.
Their new piece is “a cynical “c’est-la-vie” anthem, set to a heavy 95 BPM beat and a disarray
of fucked up samples & sounds, about ten little wanderers who wander kilometers from home trying to belong. But home is where the heart is. And the House will never share its wealth.”
The release was initiated before the brutal reality of the genocide happening in Gaza.
Now, the cynical message must make way for solidarity with the Palestinian people.”
Expect a both haunting and hypnotic trip, with ominous slo-mo beats pounding
relentlessly with eerie chants all over it. Dark clouds in the air, calm before the storm, subdued electronic anger. It’s an alarming beast of a track.
Carter and Co release their fifth LP Dark Rainbow on 26 January 2024.
First single Man Of The Hour is a gorgeous surprise. Sonically and vocally
we get the softer side of the post-hardcore punk and tattoo artist. A super
duper ballad.
Abdelbarry: “The song reflects on having a friend who is acting in immature
ways you’ve outgrown, but knowing they still need your support and friendship.”
Birthday Cake is slow-progressing musing that appeals instantly with its
rudimentary PJ Harvey-esque guitar play and Abdelbarry‘s affectional voice.
The song has both a romantic and wistful sonority that captivates and moves.
And halfway melancholic synths accentuate the overall ruminate timbre in
an endearing way.
Caleb Orr is a young skilled country-pop-rock singer-songwriter who grew up in Helena, Alabama. He found his passion for music at a young age. He and his two older siblings were raised on music legends like Alan Jackson, Van Halen, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.
Great voice, great musicality, and great guitar play, echoing classic country
melancholia, and proving that the genre is simply timeless. As we all know, music can
have a healing, comforting and cathartic power and it also works here as Orr wants
to shake off bad habits of the past and want to focus on the future as a compelling
singer-songwriter.
This is the brainchild of seasoned Norwegian singer-songwriter Hans PetterGundersen
Dusty Road is a smooth mid-tempo country musing with a bluesy feel and both
a melancholic and yearning sensitivity. Warm voice, captivating melody, vintage
pedal steel guitar charm. All the matching ingredients for a warm sepia-colored
nugget.
Dan Cummings fronts Boston’s rowdy trio Already Dead
No wall-of-Already-Dead-dynamite electricity this time. Cummings
picked up his acoustic guitar and wrote this bone-chilling cry-out
about living on the edge of drowning or surviving.
Imagine British leftist/political activist and terrific veteran songsmith Billy Bragg
raising his voice or equally politically driven folk legend Woody Guthrie killing fascists
again with his wooden guitar. Landlord‘s profound emotions go from hope to despair
and back, and Cummings‘ anxious vocals send shivers down your spine.
In order to not miss a beat Turn Up The Volume scans the musical
horizon daily (doing it for years now, actually) to stay in touch with
all new things sonically great and shares the results on a weekly
basis.
Check the 10 new rad cuts just
added to this rad 2023 playlist.
“The music of Ex-Hyena – Reuben Bettsak and Bo Barringer – has often
explored our collective sense of being through hyper-specific moments.
But if we were granted the ability to slow those moments down, would we
react differently, and would we have a greater or lesser understanding of
what transpires before us? That’s at the core of the Boston dystopian
dance-pop duo’s new single and video.”
Reuben Bettsak: “Things seem to move so fast sometimes and it’s hard to savor moments,
or understand a magical day, a traumatic event, a breakup or a fight, etc. It’s kind of the whole imagining life as a movie where you could replay things in slow motion – with other psychedelic effects for good measure.”
In Slow Motion is the lead single of the duo’s forthcoming, third album ‘A Kiss of the Mind’. Expect dark-synth-wave pizazz at its haunting best. Booming beats rotate on and on towards a full orchestral plangency while shadowy vocals add even more sinister vibes.
The Aussie psych-prog-rockers announced their 25th LP in 13 years.
Their second of 2023. I don’t know when they sleep, or what meds
they take but their productivity is off the charts.
The new one is called The Silver Cord
and comes our way on 27 October.
One of the pieces they already shared is Set.
Psychedelic disco for the wicked.
3. ‘Fourth Pass Over The Graveyard’ (UNKLE Reconstruction) by THE BLACK DELTA MOVEMENT (Kingston-Upon-Hull, UK)
TBDM has a new 5-track EP, titled In Acetate, out on November 17th. More info here.
One of the pieces is a remix by UNKLE (the musical act of veteran trip-hop hero James Lavelle) of February single Fourth Pass Over The Graveyard. Expect psychedelia in slo-mo with Stone Roses‘s Fools Gold echoes, fuzzy vocals and spacey rhythms.
Newdance is the title track of the duo’s brand-new EP. Stream/buy it here.
It’s about non-stop burning matches and circles around and around pushed
by a mind-boggling synth riff creeping in your head faster than you can say Fuck Putin. It’s stroboscope electro that gets you in a trance for 5 and a half
minutes. Want more? You know where the repeat button is.
Boasting power vocals and a rippin’ guitar riff, she’s a pleaser and a teaser dealing pure punk out your speakers. This is the hand; a perfect play for lovers, an ex, or one night stand.”
Punk-pop fireworks at work. Dark Angel rattles and rolls with energetic elan and greedy guitars and flares up when the tempestuous chorus hits your ears. Desirous vocals complete this roaring ripper.
This British 5-piece just released their high-spirited 5-track debut EP,
titled A Place Like No Other. Stream here.
Same Old Story is a standout track. Think Garbage‘s Shirley Manson
rockin’ out with freaked-out guitars flying around her head.
______________________________________________
8. ‘Safe’ byWIRE SPINE (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Wire Spine was formed in 2015 by Robert Katerwol of Weird Candle, and Jesi Tekahionwake. Following their 2018 debut album Bury Me Here they’re back now with new single Safe. An electro-pop stomper with New Order-like synth beats and seductive Tekahionwake vocals.
9. ‘Crown Of Thorns’ by THE SUBTHEORY (Los Angeles/Oxford)
At its core, Crown of Thorns delves into the concept of boundaries, those elusive lines
that define personal space and individuality. Singer Cate DeBu lyrical talent shines as she weaves a narrative that vividly portrays the dynamics of establishing and maintaining these boundaries.
It’s a smooth, soulful reverie with gentle and charming vocals
and a Portishead vibe. Sensuous, relaxing and appealing.
Enjoy.
Reverb Records
________________________________________________________________________________________________
10. ‘Thoughts Of A Child’ by THE LATHUMS (Greater Manchester, UK)
Last March the British pop-rock darlings launched their 2nd album From Nothing To
A Little Bit More. And last week they dropped this brand-new splendid and infectious humdinger.
Band: EX-HYENA (Boston, MA) Who: The musical project of Bo Barringer and Reuben Bettsak
crafting the sound of an emerging dystopia, a sort of fantasy
land that existed along the margins of reality and within the
confines of the imagination.
Reuben Bettsak: “Moon Reflections brings forth cinematic landscapes from the Ex-Hyena world,” says Bettsak. “This futuristic world is created to build imagination sparks, to grasp memories, and to delve into understanding our fragile minds. It’s interesting. I think our last album was maybe built a bit more on stories, and characters from a dystopian future world, and of course aspects of that world touched upon the realities of our world. But in building imaginary worlds, one can tap into the subjects of the mind. Moon Reflections dives into the deep, murky waters of memories, it falls down a void of nightmares, it experiences extreme loneliness, and it also highlights a few characters via cinematic scenes from the Ex-Hyena
future world. And it all meshes together because imagination is a great magnifying glass.”
Turn Up The Volume: Ex-Hyena conduct orchestral manoeuvres at the dark side of the moon with a variety of vibrant vibes. A mix of ambient spheres (At The Moondial / Sight Unseen / Dark Passage), idiosyncratic electronics à la Aphex Twin (Tremors / Magnification) and dark-colored-waves (Nightmare Pills / Capture The Stills / While Curtains Burn). Throw in some special Pink Floyd effects in here and there and you know what will be on your headphones when the lights go out at night.
Singles/clips: Capture The Stills / Nightmare Pills
– NIGHTMARE PILLS –
Ladies we’re floating in space. Buy/stream the album here…
Band: EX-HYENA (Boston, MA) Who: The musical project of Bo Barringer and Reuben Bettsak
crafting the sound of an emerging dystopia, a sort of fantasy
land that existed along the margins of reality and within the
confines of the imagination.
Reuben Bettsak: “Moon Reflections brings forth cinematic landscapes from the Ex-Hyena world,” says Bettsak. “This futuristic world is created to build imagination sparks, to grasp memories, and to delve into understanding our fragile minds. It’s interesting. I think our last album was maybe built a bit more on stories, and characters from a dystopian future world, and of course aspects of that world touched upon the realities of our world. But in building imaginary worlds, one can tap into the subjects of the mind. Moon Reflections dives into the deep, murky waters of memories, it falls down a void of nightmares, it experiences extreme loneliness, and it also highlights a few characters via cinematic scenes from the Ex-Hyena
future world. And it all meshes together because imagination is a great magnifying glass.”
Turn Up The Volume: Ex-Hyena conduct orchestral manoeuvres at the dark side of the moon with a variety of vibrant vibes. A mix of ambient spheres (At The Moondial / Sight Unseen / Dark Passage), idiosyncratic electronics à la Aphex Twin (Tremors / Magnification) and dark-colored-waves (Nightmare Pills / Capture The Stills / While Curtains Burn). Throw in some special Pink Floyd effects in here and there and you know what will be on your headphones when the lights go out at night.
Singles/clips: Capture The Stills / Nightmare Pills
– NIGHTMARE PILLS –
Ladies we’re floating in space.
Buy/stream the album here…
Disco-freak stomper of the month, hands down. This new punky-funky corker follows
the previous 2 shared crackers Wild Flowers and Fatso. They will all be on their upcoming album At the Hot Spot, out tomorrow, 1 April (no joke).
It’s a bangin’ beast with a screamin’ chorus. A perfect pick-me-up tune for all the weirdos
who are always in the kitchen at parties waiting for Warmduscher to kick their lazy asses.
Compared to this Japanese red-hot-bloody fury the Ramones sound like choirboys. Otobeke Beaver‘s race and rush in an overwhelming overdrive. No brakes, no breaks.
Their rabidity rolls like a tsunami through your ears. These perky punkettes produce
moshpit madness on the spot. The average song length is 2 minutes, 120 seconds
of clamorous pandemonium.
3. ‘Territorial Call Of The Female’ by BODEGA (Brooklyn, NY)
The New Yorkers still operate on Parquet Courts’ playground with their new,
2nd full-length Broken Equipment. But they supersized their jangly beats
and they turned up the temperature.
Territorial Call Of The Female is my favorite cut. It activates
every muscle and every nerve in my itching body.
Scott Kirkland (the remaining member of Las Vegas dance act The Crystal Method)
invited icon Iggy Pop (you can hear him almost any day on a new collaboration, the
past few years) and his British buddy, composer/DJ Hyper in his studio.
The raving result is a techno boom boost, bursting all the way, with Pop‘s voice
strangled by a blender. Sounds spooky, sounds wicked, sounds like lust for life.
Breaking news: Iggy says he’s not a punk anymore!
“I don’t want to be a punk
I don’t want to belong to any of it
I just want to be”
Busy blues-rock bee Jack White canned two new longplayers for this year, titled Fear Of The Dawn (out 8 April 2022) and Entering Heaven Alive (out 22 July 2022)
The hottest cut I heard so far is Hi-De-Ho (from ‘Fear Of The Dawn’ LP) featuring Q.Tip.
The by now legendary passion rockers from Cincinnati, Ohio with mastermind
Greg Dulli in control are back from being away for 5 years. Their last album In Spades came out in 2017.
I’ll Make You See God a striking steamroller, a red-hot-heated stunner, an unstoppable
cannonball going everywhere fast. It will feature in the upcoming PlayStation game Gran Turismo 7.
7. ‘Nothing Comes Good Easy’ by DEAD LEVEE (Canada)
Wowzer! This sickly uplifting belter (from upcoming EP Rise-Up) elevates your state of mind with fired-up dynamism from the get-go. Rapid-fire rawk and roll riffs switch on a fervent feel of euphoria. It did it in the past, it does it in the present and it will do it in
the future.
Despite all the BS we have to endure (pandemic, Ukraine, natural disasters,
and other threats) it’s never too late to get back on track and why not start
with 4 and a half minutes of heart-warming guitar-fueled boogie-woogie
that breathes hope and assurance.
Once I learned that this startling uppercut is about the horrible
exploitation of human beings by ferocious money sharks this
jagged jackhammer blew my mind even harder than I heard it
the first time before knowing about the band’s inspiration
for this standout.
Expect rabid guitars, doom and gloom vocals, and frantic twists and turns
until the chaotic finale. Post-punk at its razorblade best. Think fierce Canadian
turbine Metz and London‘s up-and-coming gunslingers Crows.
This fiery crackerjack goes forth and back with
turbulent velocity. Imagine the full of vim and vigor
intenseness and puissant vocality of The Afghan Whigs.
Anxious, unyielding, and ablaze.
Breaking Grounds races like a rush of blood to the head with
screaming guitars and propelling drum muscularity.
The first taster from the upcoming debut full-length Dancing On A Volcano.
Imagine the fervid fuzz of punchy guitar pop legends Buzzcocks, with The Stranglers’ Jean-Jacques Burnel on bass, combined with the cutting
verbality of today’s post-Brexit-punk rebirth and you know a frisky doozy
is coming your way.
Add some American-dream girls of the City of Angles on your imaginary
mind-screen and you’re about to start a champagne party in your head.
The combination of a nasty Gang Of Four bass riff,
frenzied Keith Levene guitars here and there and Skinner
hip-hop-rapping like Beck used to do, works like an ecstatic
upper.
This funk-punk stonker has an immediate intensifying impact on all of your
limbs and your bloodstream’s flow. Add some sexy sax thrills to the mix and
you’ll have all you need to jump out of your slump. Capice?
Cut from their sophomore album
‘Moon Reflections’, out on June 24
A rotating synth riff echoes British electro legends New Order and
is the beating heart of this new piece, yet the mood is meditative
and musing, strengthened by the near-whispering and eager vocals.
This darksome and soul-searching reverie gets under your skin after
a couple of spins.
This impassioned hard-luck story grows slowly but surely into a soul-stirring and mesmerising heartbreaker with an epic finale. Glowing guitars, a steady drumbeat,
and mixed emotions vocals all come together for a poignant performance.
‘Love Is Cruel / The Hurt Within’. You can feel it.
You’ll hear titillating electro-echoes of early Depeche Mode before
they became the darkwave Goth-esque rockers we all know. But
in an eye-blink White Skin becomes an infectious nightclub earworm
with an ecstatic chorus.
In a normal world (does that actually exists?) this adrenaline-infused
and hip-swinging spark should top the dance charts around the globe.
The musical project of singer/songwriter Jordan Speare
assisted by guitarist/bassist and friend Andrew Billone.
After a couple of EPs the pair’s canned their first longplayer
called Silhouettes. Release at the end of the year.
I don’t know if it’s the world-famous and historic museum in Paris
they want to burn, that wouldn’t be so nice. What I do know is that their
brisk and spirited sound is infectious and captivating with an immediate
impact on your body’s movements. Expect guitar pop electricity, extra
pushed by lively vocals.
16. ‘Life And Lies’ by LEE ROGERS (Northern Ireland)
The Americana voice of Northern Ireland releases
his new album Gamebloodon 13 May.
Ahead of it came this mixed emotions single with Rogers‘ sky-reaching voice as the star, once again.
It’s a bluesy goosebumps reflection. Wurlitzer jukeboxes should be reinvented
for these heartbreakers so moody minds can cry their eyes out (or cry in their beer)
at night in a downtown bar where lonely ones gather and chat about life and lies.
A poppy synth trip with a floating flow and near-whispering vocals. Both eerie and affecting, both dizzy and hypnotic with a frenetic guitar attack coming out of nowhere around the 3-minute mark.
It’s an epic ballad with a country feel. If this melancholic gem was written
in the 60s it would have been sung by Linda Rondstadt, Tammy Waynette
or Dolly Parton, anyway, by an angelic voice like Olsen‘s magnific one.
