Another batch of 5 new, stellar tracks have
been added to Turn Up The Volume’s Jukebox.
Turn it up.
ALL TOGETHER
. TRACK BY TRACK
Band: VEDA RAYS Who: Indie duo from Philly, making ethereal indie rock rooted in dream pop, post-punk, and traditional shoegaze, with lyrics that explore liminality and abstraction, channeling subconscious impulses into the present moment.
Track: TRUE AGENCY
It’s the first chapter in a song
cycle years in the making.
The songs are rooted in liminality and abstraction, the songs channel subconscious impulses into the present moment, where past and future blur and meaning remains
in flux.
TUTV: Guitar dream pop at its feverish and jangly finest. True Agency sticks after just one spin. It’s pick-me-up drive and infectious euphony causes elation, yet lyrically the tone is somewhat darker. A triumphant return to the scene for the Philly tandem.
TUTV: Vampire Queen is a double-edged crackerjack. Partly a glam-rock stomper,
partly a high-octane missile. The two parts assembled combine for a super-duper rollercoaster that goes back and forth. Striking stroke.
Track: A HARD LESSON
Newest piece from his 11th LP o\i.
Release date TBA.
Gabriel: “This is the oldest track of the project. It probably started in the late 80s
or early 90s when I was in Senegal. I was falling in love with the music I heard there.
I loved the tension created by the use of polyrhythms, particularly the threes and
fours, so that was the start of this song”.
TUTV: Gabriel sticks to trippy beats
and trancy vibrations. And it works
damn well.
TUTV: Vicious blues-rock riffs and sinewy sneers open up the debates, followed by a
dreamy introspection flash, turning in a few seconds into a wall-of-agressive electricty. Swing moods mess with your head, but if you bang it against a wall, all demons will be crushed. Just do it.
Artist: KRISTIN HERSH Who: Singer-songwriter luminary (now 59), best known for her band Throwing Muses and, to a lesser extent 50 Foot Wave. And she has
11 solo albums on her résumé.
It’s the lead single of her new, upcoming LP,
titled Sugar On Blackstone. Out August 18th.
Tracklist here.
Hersh: “He was a ‘Dark Eyed Junco’ and I was a light-eyed weirdo. We’d play basketball until after dark then, when we couldn’t even see the hoop anymore, so that we didn’t have to go home. After our stepfather moved in, it wasn’t a home anymore.”
TUTV: A feverish torch song spiced with Hersh‘s ever-transfixing vocality.
TUTV: Post-punk aggression at its Mclusky‘s sharp-biting best,
gas-powered by a cast iron bass/drum tandem, schizo guitars
and Falkous‘s intimidating sneering.
“‘Politics on the Internet’ is about caring for yourself enough not to engage in the beast battle
all the time. You can talk to your brothers, parents, and friends. Prioritize your family and fight locally. Flinging verbal excrement at a screen isn’t the way. Love yourself, love others. Love, sex, being strong through kindness, the weight of political turmoil and technology on what is human in humanity.”
TUTV: Blimey. This pyrotechnics juggernaut has a knockout vehemence
that floors you in 150 seconds. To hell with shitty politics on the Internet,
these motherrockers are the real riff-raging deal.
Artist: MARK STEWART Who: One of the most adventurous/inventive/original post-punk & dub artists/performers
ever. He was a founding member of genre-bending new wave group The Pop Group and released lots of solo and collaborative records. Unfortunately, he passed away 2 years ago,
only 62.
Track: MEMORY OF YOU
First shared taster from Stewart‘s solo album The Fateful Symmetry,
that was completed early 2023, not long before his passing.
TUTV: Haunting, synth-symphonic and boom-tastic
with Mark‘s characteristically energetic voice on top.
Band: THE NEW EVES Who: Must hear/see indies from Brighton (where everybody is in a band).
They cruise from folk to punk, using, besides traditional instruments (guitar,
bass and drums) also cello, flute, violin, and other classical gear.
It’s a darkly-energised, female-first retelling of
writer/poet Alfred Noyes classic 1906 romantic
poem.
TUTV: These four musical mavericks don’t care about rock ‘n’ roll rules. Only 4 singles in, and it’s clear they do what they want, the way they want, annex unseen visual presence on stage and in video clips. On Highwayman they rattle and brattle full speed ahead motorized by restless drum/bass teamwork.
Here and there the tune, goes, eh, out of tune, and it sounds totally perfect for this emotional belter. No arty farty production for TNE. Winder-Lind‘s awesomely agitated vocals put a spell on you. Pure present-day punk. I want more.
The accompanying, eye-catching video is quite special too.
Band: WHOLES Who: A fresh, rowdy hit team led by Belgian, musical chameleon Wolf Vanwymeersch,
who played with several bands (pop, rock, sludge metal) and released a pure singer-songwriter pearl with solo debut album The Early Years back in 2022. Wholes are what remains after a soul has been detonated, what struck those around it, what could no longer be contained.
TUTV: Stoner rock dynamics and spiky garage blues disturbance work together to inject your eager ears with doom and gloom disturbance. Like dark clouds predicting a storm, like demons challenging each other, eye to eye, face to face. Wolf’s near-whispering, Josh Homme-esque vocals complete the ominous sonic picture.
Band: ARCADE FIRE Who: The famous pop-rock
collective from Canada.
Track:YEAR OF THE SNAKE
First single from their forthcoming 7th album, named Pink Elephant ready for release on May 9th. 2025 is
the ‘year of the snake‘ in the Chinese Zodiac.
TUTV: It’s a sublime, crystalline pop pearl, with its hypnotizing guitar riff, the non-stop
banging drum beat and the intertwined, spellbinding vocals of Win Butler and his spouse Régine Chassagne.
Artist:ANDY BELL Who: Best known as vocalist of British synth-pop duo Erasure with
former Depeche Mode/Yazoo keyboardist/songwriter Vince Clarke.
Track: HEART’S A LIAR
Newest single from his upcoming 3rd solo album Ten Crows,
which lands this Friday, on May 2nd. It features Blondie icon Debbie Harry.
TUTV: Two glamourous voices, one glamourous disco
tune. It’s a fervid break-up pop gem to fill dance floors
with.
Artist: LIFE COACH Who: The musical project of singer-songwriter-poet Jamie Cameron. Hailing from
the Scottish Borders, the music blends lo-fi beats, synths and guitars with spoken word lyrics in which he discusses subjects ranging from politics and premonitions to self help culture, and a modern society obsessed with economic thinking.
Track: SQUADDIES IN HAIR NETS
Piece taken from the upcoming 2nd album, named ‘A Love Letter To Your Yearning Heart’, which is due for
release on May 30th.
TUTV: Life Coach are on fire, again. This new rattling rap ‘n’ punk roll crackerjack
swings you forth and back, left and right and Jamie Cameron’s adrenalizing word-flow
energizes all of your insatiable limbs before he relaxes towards the synthy end. Another kinetic kick. Hands up for the coach.
Tim Baker (founder and creative director): “The best of what we do in one song,
it’s a tune that really carries the soul of everything good we have stood for over the
last ten years”.
TUTV: Expect electrifying energy from the kick-off. Delirious guitars set the haywire tone and hyperventilating vocals augment the buzzing fuzz. A modern-day post-punk roller coaster.
TUTV: Only two singles in, and it’s already clear that Salvia‘s songwriting skills,
and her impressive vocal performance will bring her musical journey pretty far.
You And Me is an entrancing jam with a rotating guitar riff that gets under your skin
from start to finish. Salvia‘s seductive vocals match the trancy vibe perfectly well.
Today Ghent, next week Belgium, next month the world.
Artists: peach I melba Who: Queer femme indie duo,
half Brighton and half Los Angeles.
Track: WORST TRIMESTER
With blistering lyrics delivered at a rapped pace, the riot grrrl duo
explore the gender politics of pregnancy, in their style of both members
singing every word together over minimalist bass guitar and driving drums.
TUTV: There’s good news and bad news. Bad news first? World peace is an illusion.
From the moment Adam & Eve fucked up, shit started to happen and dirty wars are
still fought, its part of human nature.
The good news? These two DIY Amazons swear to release a new song every six weeks until world peace has been fully achieved. So, we’re ready for a looooong wild and rough ride, starting with this fun, outspoken and catchy 100% indie thrill. Don’t miss their bus, all you music junkies out there.
TUTV: Frontwoman Hannah Vandenbussche‘s voice is the heartbeat of this fresh
act, composed of experienced musicians. With Shadow they released their 4th single.
A spellbinding and haunting piece of captivating music, moving around a bewitching
guitar riff. Tension in the air throughout. Compelling tune. Sugarbunny is going places.
Band: LEDHER BLUE Who: The product of two distinctively different individuals, Zé and Pedro,
that the waves of life comically decided to beach in a northern town of Portugal – Guimarães.
Track: CRAIC
Piece from their brand new, excellent debut
album, titled Fait Divers. Stream it here
TUTV: What starts as a both moody and amplified reflection, explodes
on the let’s all sing together chorus, like if this cracking anthem was recorded
at a Premier League football game. It sticks after one spin. Score!
TUTV: When I just say that my excited ears hear jangly Parquet Courts echoes, you already should get excited too. The sharp-edged riffage, explosive eruptions now and then, and fidgety vocals will drive your mind and stereo mad.
Band: VIRGINS Who: Belfast-based shoegaze band who transcend that reductive tag to deliver a noise which is thrillingly loud and weightily light. Last year they released their notable debut album nothing hurt and everything was beautiful.
TUTV: Heavenly melodiousness, edged layers of shoegazing guitars, forceful
drumming, crystalline vocals, and a non-stop bass riff pushing the pace
throughout combine for a breathtaking score.
TUTV: From the first chord on Donat takes you on a head-twisting and power-driven
trip. No brakes, no breaks. Always pedal to the metal. Raise your voice and absorb
this flat-out ripper. Bingo.
TUTV: Never a dull guitar-pop moment with this seasoned Swedish combo. This lazy tune, for lazy days is one that Scottish melancholic heroes Teenage Fanclub would be proud of. It feels as if Spring invites you to have a feel-good Summer.
In order to not miss a beat TURN UP THE VOLUME scans the musical
horizon daily, for 10 years now, to pick ace tracks and add 5 new ones
twice per week, to the one and only JUKEBOX playlist that matters.
ALL TOGETHER
.
The 5 fresh ones TRACK BY TRACK
Photo credit: Ebony Alexander Media
Band: VIRGINS Who: Belfast-based shoegaze band who transcend that reductive tag to deliver a noise which is thrillingly loud and weightily light. Last year they released their notable debut album nothing hurt and everything was beautiful.
Heavenly melodiousness, edged layers of shoegazing guitars, forceful
drumming, crystalline vocals, and a non-stop bass riff pushing the pace
throughout combine for a breathtaking score.
“‘Politics on the Internet’ is about caring for yourself enough not to engage in the beast battle all the time. You can talk to your brothers, parents, and friends. There are minds you can change in this world if you disagree with them, but some dope on the other end of a keyboard isn’t going to open their mind because of the intelligent quip you made on the socials. Prioritize your family and fight locally. Flinging verbal excrement at a screen isn’t the way. Love yourself, love others. Love, sex, being strong through kindness, the weight of political turmoil and technology on what is human in humanity.”
Holy fuck. This guitar-pyrotechnics juggernaut
has a knockout vehemence that floors you in
150 seconds. To hell with shitty politics on the
Internet, Real Beaut are the real riff-raging
deal.
Prepare your ears for a spasmodic sucker-punch.
Paranoid guitars, badass bass/drums, stressed vocals.
All ingredients you need for a sonic molotov cocktail.
From the get-go Donat takes you on a head-rotating and power-driven ride.
No brakes, no breakes. Always pedal to the metal. Raise your voice and absorb
this flat-out ripper. Bingo.
Artist: FIR CONE CHILDREN Who: The musical moniker of Alexander Donat,
a Berlin-based indie dream punk.
New single: LET’S DEFY GRAVITY
From his new, upcoming album landing this Friday.
TUTV:Donat takes us on another starling roller coaster that tries to
defy gravity with storming force and rapid-fire velocity. Expect 3 minutes
of spiralling speed on repeat. This is what happens when you accelerate
and reinforce a catching melody.
Info: “Today There’s No Tomorrow”, marks a return to raw, fast and wild lo-fi psychedelic garage rock with: #1, a pair of loud guitars (one that’s constantly shredding, the other’s there for the dreamy part); #2, a noise rock bass; #3, a punchy and crashing drum kit that loves to include blastbeats when the song demands it; and, not to forget, #4, the polyharmonic vocals reverberating this summer’s last beach party. Still, the record’s title is a two-bladed sword. It does refer to having a good time and getting lost in the moment, but it also says that we live in troubling times, and it seems like we have to take action now and today, in order to still have a planet to live on tomorrow. It’s a now-or-never situation.”
TUTV: I felt all kinds of different emotions during my 1st spin, like a resume of what many of us felt in and out 2020-2022. Fun/fever, hope/fear, doubt/faith, black/white, day/night. From the depressing lockdowns to the liberating end of the coronacrisis. We all had to process the difficult times in some way. Donat did/does it with this new record fueled with steamy speedballs (Way Up North / Head In The Clouds /No Mercy / If You Don’t Get Words), some glam-punk blowouts (Pull It Out / Quite Okay With Mondays / But Does It Break?) and a couple of sticky power-pop reflections (Travelling Dune / Certified In Purple). Even after all these years it strikes me how music has a healing effect on my mind, heart, and soul, on a daily basis. Thank you for your cracking contribution, Alexander Donat. I’m sure there’s a tomorrow.
On “Way Up North” it’s the neverending summer
holiday in which the sun and the moon become one.”
Turn Up The Volume: Take a deep breath before you start this supersonic
head-over-heels spunk missile up. You will need a lot of oxygen to follow this Blitzkrieg speedball going at a razzle-dazzle, head-twisting pace. Way Up North
races from the get-go. No brakes, no breaks, no mistakes.
Maniacal guitars and the avid bravado vocals of the Berliner punk rush
unstoppably toward an orgasmic climax. Breakneck, Aflame, and euphoric.
