Kat Koan And The Lost Souls

20 BEST TRACKS OCTOBER 2022

Posted on by JL

A stream of rattling rippers, jagged jams, and magnific musings

All 20 on Spotify

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Track by Track

Blood-tingling Scottish dance-funk-punk trio YOUNG FATHERS
have their new, 5th LP, called Heavy Heavy out on 3 February 2023.

Sickly sticking stunner I SAW. is the first taster.
I added this spicy scream-along earworm to
my best-tracks-of-2022 list.

Touchdown!

YOUNG FATHERS: Facebook – Instagram

Finally back on track. James Murphy and his musical vehicle LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
are part of the soundtrack of the movie White Noise based on the 1985 novel by
American author Don DeLillo.

LCD Soundsytem still sounds like LC Soundsystem. New track NEW BODY RHUMBA
has that familiar hypnotic and groovy speed-up rhythm propelled by a steady bass riff, guitars popping up now and then and Murphy singing with his characteristic, nervous voice.

Catch the catchy vibes.

LCD SOUNDSYSTEM: Facebook – Instagram

Band: DECIUS (UK)
Who: Members of Trashmouth Records, Fat White Family (frontman Lias Saoudi)
& Paranoid London finding themselves climbing out of a hole together at a disco
after hours.

Single: SHOW ME NO TEARS

Put up your make-up and shake
your booty to the techno beat.

DECIUS: Facebook
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Last month dark-Goth-wave artist Raymond Watts aka PIG
unleashed his gloom and doom album The Merciless Light
.

Hammering brainbreaker THE DARK ROOM is one
of the many highlights on Turn Up The Volume‘s album
of the month.

Let’s roll…

PIG: Facebook – Instagram – Spotify
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Band: GLYTSH
Who: 2 seasoned female musicians from the London music scene.
They mix their love for metal music with their passion for dark and
haunting sonic soundscapes and visuals.

Single: SAV@GE

Want some references: Ho99o9, Skunk Anansie, Nova Twins. Fucking cool, right?
You betcha. Sav@ge is a badass piece, a metal beast. Hell bloody hell yeah!

GLYTSH: Facebook – Instagram
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Band: THE BYKER GROVE FAN CLUB
Who: Ponderous post-punk three-piece from the UK.

I heard and watched this British post-hardcore bulldozer play
in Antwerp, Belgium recently. They blew my mind and turned
me into an instant fan. What a find.

Here’s why…


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T.B.G.F.C: Facebook – Instagram – Spotify
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(photo by Niklas Hawkesworth)

Band: RED LAMA
Who: Formed by five friends from Svendborg, Denmark in 2011. Since then, the sextet has been refining their unique take on psych rock, music for the inner journey, carried forward by melody, groove and soundscapes exploding in grand crescendos.

Single: CHAOS IS THE PLAN
Third shared track from the upcoming new
album – their 3rd – Memory Terrain, landing
on 4 November.

Expect a hypnotic and magnetic psych jam moving
hauntingly, propelled by a groovy bass riff, sinister
synth layers, weeping guitars and emotive vocals.

Grand score!


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RED LAMA: Facebook – Instagram
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(Credit: Luci Lux, Chiara-Meattelli & Dominic Lee)

Band: THE PULL OF AUTUMN
Who: The art-rock collective of Rhode Island musician Daniel Darrow,
from 80s post-punk group Johanna’s House Of Glamour. working
constantly with other notable artists

New album – the 4th – Beautiful Broken World is a 15-track
undertaking that involves a number of experienced musicians.
It arrives on 18 November. Pre-order info here

The first single, named OUTLAW EMPIRE grooves and moves with Massive Attack‘s
trip-hop swagger, spacey reverberance, and a mesmeric, ongoing dub rotation. If you were/are a Pop Group fan you’ll recognize Maffia Godfather Mark Stewart‘s voice from
the first note.

It’s a beautiful swing-and-sway activator
for a broken world, as we know it.

Stream/buy here.


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THE PULL OF AUTUMN/RBM Records: Facebook
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(Press photo via C & The R)

Scottish post-hardcore punk and tattoo artist FRANK CARTER
and his RATTLESNAKES had their 4th longplayer Sticky out last year
(Carter also released 3 albums with his first band Gallows and 1 under
the moniker of Pure Love)

For new single THE DRUGS Carter invited his friend Jamie T to the studio.

An anti-drugs slam.
A nasty rant. Holy cow.

FRANK CARTER & THE RATTLESNAKES: Facebook – Instagram
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Artist: HANG LINTON
Who: British musician, visual artist, filmmaker
and avant-funk enchanter based in Berlin.

Debut single: SALE feat. LeBron Aggressive

TUTV: This funky hip-hop uplift does what great hip-hop vibes do. Having
a prompt impact on your hips’ movements that in turn activate your whole
body’s spryness. Think of rap hero Roots Manuva‘s flamboyant flow.

SALE is for sale, go get it.


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HANG LINTON: Facebook – Instagram
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Band: BUGEYE
Who: Female pop quartet from London blending cherry-liqueur lyrics, bubblegum-kneecap bass electrics, goth-heavy drum compactions & hi-rise guitar sculptures.

Single: SUMMER IN THE CITY
“A song that explores the highs and lows and stories of life in the city. From feeling like you’re winning in life, to turning a corner to tensions and violence, to dating app cringeworthy dating experiences and the death of David Bowie. It is a playful song that highlights our fickle nature and our scrolling boredom obsession.”

Time flies. It’s already 2 years since these 4 colorful Amazons had their swinging
dance-punk debut LP Ready Steady Bang out. But the wait is over with this new
firecracker. It’s sexy bugglegum pop, it’s groovy electro-funk, it’s effervescent fun.

Helloooo!


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BUGEYE: Facebook – Instagram
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Band: PAISLEY PARC
Who: Robust rockers from
Merthyr Tydfil, Wales

Single: COMPLICATED

“The song captures the frustrations of people across the globe as we all try to make
sense of our new emerging world following the pandemic and the economic mayhem
it has created.”

This Welsh turbo bring their celebrated countrymen Stereophonics to mind here, but
with three guitarists, a John Bonham drummer and a red-hot-blooded vocalist who’s alarming voice fits the confusing times we live in. Wowzers!

“Don’t call the doctor he won’t save you tonight”

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PAISLEY PARC: Facebook – Instagram
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(Press photo via YYYs)

Band: YEAH YEAH YEAHS
Who: Pop/rock trio from New York
fronted by the gorgeous Karen O
Active: Since 20000 / 6th LP (new one incl.)

Their new album Cool It Down – first in 9 years – is out now.
The title is taken from the Velvet Underground song of the same name
from their 1970 LP Loaded.

YYYs burn again…

YYYs: Facebook
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(Photo by Rose Dekker)

Band: BLACK NITE CRASH
Who: A psych collective started by Jim Biggs (vocals, guitar) twenty years ago
in Seattle Washington. The band had more than 30 members over the years.

They just released a new full length, baptized Washed In The Sound
Of Black Nite Crash, the band’s fifth. A must hear psychedelic journey.

Opener THE TAKE sets the tone for the full remarkable longplayer.
Influences by masters of the genre such as jangly hero Anton Newcombe
and his Brianjones Town Massacre gang, The Black Angels, and Heart
are all around.

Top stuff!

BLACK NITE CRASH: Facebook
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KAT KOAN is a Berlin-based artist with a passion for expressing intense emotions through music and visuals. With her Belgian musical partner Raymond Rose she canned her second album Coccoon and released it on 7 October.

A sonically versatile and compelling record with Koan speaking and singing
her mind and her heart out. Think Garbage‘s charismatic lady Shirly Manson.

One of my fav tracks is this moody pearl titled STAY
featuring Freddie Dickson and her band The Lost Souls.

KAT KOAN: Website – Instagram – Linktree
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Band: CMON CMON
Who: Indie rock trio from Belgium, signed by renowned manager
Stephen Budd (Gang Of Four, Heaven 17, The Magic Numbers)

Single: SAY WHAT IT MEANS
From their new self-titled debut EP.

The jangly guitars and the glossy resonance of R.E.M. and Teenage Fanclub are obvious,
but my ears also detect the slacker rock mood of Dinosaur Jr. ‘Say What It Means’ is an
ideal post-summer musing for grey Autumn days for confused and vulnerable souls.

Listen/watch

CMON CMON: Facebook
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(Photo by Jeremy McGuire)

Band: MIKE & THE NERVE
Who: A Florida-based folk punk band.

Debut single: CHRISTMAS IN OCTOBER

Mike Llerena (vocalist/songwriter) “This song is our love letter to The Fest, a punk rock festival held in Gainesville every year during Halloween weekend. I’ve attended, volunteered, and/or played at Fest almost every year for the past decade and I’ve made a lot of great friendships and memories because of it.”

Melancholia on Halloween? Why not? When it sounds moony, warm
and romantic as Christmas In October does I’m all ears. So should you.

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MIKE & THE NERVE: Facebook – Instagram
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No retirement for 80-year-old JOHN CALE.

The Welsh icon will release his 17th solo longplayer, titled Mercy
on 20 January 2023 via Double Six/Domino.

Single NIGHT CRAWLING was written with David Bowie in mind when
both had fun in New York City in the 70s. It’s a synth-trippy and chilling
reflection.

Watch/listen here.

JOHN CALE: Facebook
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Band: MODERN STARS
Who: Spacey shoegazers from Italy. Their work is loaded with stringed
and electronic sounds laid down through a multilayering approach that
has more in common with Indian traditional music and Techno,

Single: DROWNING
New piece from the trio’s upcoming third album,
named Space Trips For The Masses.

If I tell you that my ears here echoes of The Brian Jonestown Massacre
and The Black Angels on Drowning you know that you’ll enter a dark space
with enigmatic, psychedelic encounters.

Roll the tape and get puzzled…

MODERN STARS: Facebook
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Band: USE KNIFE
Who: Started as a Belgian duo – Stef Heeren and Kwinten Mordijck – born out of the mutual love for analog and modular electronic machinery. They explore and express hallucinatory freethinking visions to contemporary living. Iraqi artist Saif Al-Qaissy recently joined the duo, making a trio now.

Track: TO FEED THE GENTRY

A spectacular ambient jam from their spectacular debut album The Shedding Of Skin.
An intriguing and fascinating piece featuring Iraqi, Brussels-based artist Saif Al-Qaissy
adding Eastern vibes.

Press play here…

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USE KNIFE: Facebook

From Lost Soul To ‘Fuck It, You Only Live Once’ Mindset – Meet Passionate Berlin Artist KAT KOAN

Posted on by JL

19 October 2022

KAT KOAN is a Berlin-based artist with a passion for expressing intense emotions through music and visuals. With her Belgian musical partner Raymond Rose she canned her second album COCOON and released it on 7 October.

A sonically versatile and compelling record with Koan speaking and singing her mind
and her heart out. Think Garbage‘s charismatic Amazon Shirly Manson. She’s backed by
lost souls when she hits the stage and her new-found motto is fuck it, you only live once. Following the awful pandemic and lockdowns, it’s definitely a reality-related state of mindset to face life in the future.

As usual, Turn Up The Volume starts an interview with
a piece of music to get us all in the right mood.

Hello Kat,
Welcome

On your website, I read that making music is a great excuse to
escape real life. When/how did you start your musical journey, Kat?

“I studied Media Arts and TV production and work as a video producer by day.
It’s a pretty stressful job but I love it. During my time as a commercials producer
in London, I realized that I’m obsessed with the way music can elevate visuals.

So I started to make soundscapes from everyday sounds that I recorded on my phone, spending hours on end trying to put the sounds together in rhythmic ways. After a massive burn out I decided to just leave everything behind and make a drastic change, I moved to Berlin to start over- and to try new things.

The city is great. nobody here asks you that ‘what do you do?’ question so I suddenly felt
a lot less pressure to pretend to be ‘someone’ and less pressure to work like a maniac in order to make ends meet.

It’s less of a rat race, so I found more headspace to spend time on things I really love.
I found out that music is what makes me happy. It’s pretty much the only thing that makes me forget about the mad world we live in and allows me to dive into a place where I can be exactly who I want to be. It’s also the place where I don’t care about what people expect from me or whether I do something right or wrong or quickly or slowly or loud or quietly,
I just do whatever I feel in that moment.

That is liberating coz most other things in life like my family and jobs are subject to routines and rules and objectives. Making music takes me out of the structured results driven world and I am so happy that I have this outlet/ escape. I would probably be in a lunatic asylum if I didn’t have it.”

You’re a DIY artist. What does that really mean in practice?

“Well it means exactly what it says. Do It Yourself. I don’t have a label or publisher or Marketing team etc. I love being an independent artist. I’m free to do whatever I like whenever I feel like it. I don’t make the music by myself tho, I have really cool people in
my life that I partner up with.

I wouldn’t want to and I don’t have the skill to make music on my own. I’m a people’s person, I love to bounce ideas and collaborate with people who are on a similar planet.”

Which track would you pick to introduce your
music to people who do not know your work, Kat?

“This is hard coz they are all my babies and it’s tricky to pick a favorite coz all babies have different personalities. I don’t know how to pick one. I think the one that is closest to how
I am as a person is Silly Me from my first album Lustprinzip. Coz I love tackling dark topics.. some crappy experiences that affected me a lot, but turning that into a humorous story.
I find that super cathartic. To take the Mickey out of your own misfortunes.”

A couple of weeks you released your 2nd album called COCOON. Is there
a big picture/theme for the record or are all songs standing on their own?

“This record sounds like I’m schizophrenic in a way coz there are so many mad emotions in the songs. They are all very real, which took some guts to vocalize but I’m proud that we managed to bring it all across in a raw and real way. It’s not as sexually charged as my first album.

This new album COCOON was written during the lockdown, so many emotions that were pent up inside had time and space to surface and they sure came out with a vengeance. Anger, procrastination, questions about the way we C/O-exist in this society, and some new relationship issues like jealousy, infidelity, breakups. So it’s a more grown up album with more grown up topics.”

Who developed the blurry artwork of the LP?
And is there a story behind the image?

“The photo was taken by my husband Patrick Tichy and the artwork was designed
by Stefan Lucut, a good friend of mine. It’s blurred coz that’s how I felt during the time of the lockdowns. Confused and kinda loud in my head, with a huge urge to express it all. Not being able to go out and perform or even just to meet people made me feel like a caged up animal. So the motion blur felt like a good way to visualize that.”

Newest single STAY (featuring Freddie Dickson) has a melancholic
feel, so does the video’s performance. What’s the song about, Kat?

“I love Freddie. He’s the nicest dude and so very talented. He is making a new album
at the moment and I am VERY excited about it, it will sound amazing. I feel very lucky
that we met and collaborated on 3 songs on this album, Stay being one of them.

The question about the meaning is a very good one coz quite frankly I don’t know. I normally spend hours and days writing and re-writing lyrics. With this song something mad happened. My music partner Raymond Rose sent me a basic idea for a sound and I got goosebumps, sat down on my bed with a rubbish microphone and just recorded a take of whatever came into my head.

We ended up keeping that take coz the emotion in it was so right that we didn’t wanna mess with it. So it was literally a somewhat otherworldly outburst of an unintentional story. In the widest sense, I guess the song is about regretting not saying things when
I should have said something.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell a person how you feel
for fear of rejection or vulnerability or shame.”

Did you listen to records of other artists to inspire
yourself in the writing process of the album?

No, I don’t listen to anything else when I’m writing coz I don’t want to be influenced.
I wanna get into a zone and block out other people’s ideas. For me, it’s about expressing intense emotions. My partner Raymond Rose in Belgium is amazing at tuning into these emotions and expressing them musically.

I don’t think I’ve ever had that kind of ‘thing’ before, not to this extent.. where someone gets under your skin and revs you up in just the right ways. Sometimes I wonder how the hell it’s possible to be on the same creative wavelength with a person. It’s pretty rare and very precious.”

You covered KYLIE MINOGUE’s 2003 sensual hit SLOW.
Why did you pick this song to cover?

“We wanted to take a classic pop song and turn it into a darker, more badass version. Making this cover helped us to develop the overall sound of the album.

I love Kylie. She likes sparkly outfits, so do I. There isn’t a deeper meaning behind the song choice. I’m happy with the way it turned out. It’s a really cool sound. Really enjoyed making the video for it too, it’s an ode to Berlin- the messy colorful creative haven I live in.

Is your band THE LOST SOULS involved in the songwriting and the recording?

“No, it’s all Raymond and me. But I love my band here in Berlin, great bunch of people.
We have started to play live and the energy is insane.

You should come and check it out sometime. It’s a lot of fun. I’ve recently adopted a
‘fuck it you only live once’ attitude which changed the way we perform. We just wanna
have a good time and connect with people. There’s no other agenda.

Suppose COCOON was the soundtrack of a movie.
Which one or what genre would it be?

It would be a dark comedy. Some anger, some sex, some sadness, some silliness.

Our songs have a soundtrack feel. I’m mostly inspired by visuals so our songs have
a kind of vibe that you could imagine on tv/ movie scenes as they are all built around
a mood, a place, a scent, or a taste that we had in mind when we wrote them.”

We’re nearing the end of 2022. What’s the best track and album you heard so far?

“My favorite new artist/ band I discovered this year is Lulu Van Trapp, a French artist/ band. She’s a firecracker. I believe every word she says and I love how liberated she is as a woman and how much energy she has and how much fun she is having.

I also saw the Viagra Boys live. Omg, so much power. Their sound is great and the lyrics resonate very much with me. I’ve mostly been enjoying going to live concerts. I’m a bit overloaded with all the music that’s coming out on streaming platforms every day.

Seeing bands play live is different tho, coz you experience it properly and have a bit more of a connection. I’m looking for realness, I like people who have something to say and hit the zeitgeist with their lyrics and their music.”

Next step for KAT KOAN & THE LOST SOULS?

“I wanna play live with the band as much as possible, it is so cool to finally bring
the songs to life and come up with creative ideas to put on a good show.

Raymond and I are also currently finishing up demos for a new album
and figuring out some new sound ideas. Can’t stop won’t stop.”

Thank you for this interview, Kat.
May the road rise with you.

Stream/buy COCOON here.


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KAT KOAN: Website – Instagram – Linktree