Artists: RITUAL CLOAK(Cardiff, Wales) Who: Daniel Barnett, formerly of Samoans & drummer/producer Andrew Sanders.
Both coming from predominantly rock backgrounds, the duo set out to explore
new musical territory in the form of piano-led ambient soundscapes & minimal
techno beats drawn from a mutual love of sci-fi. So far they released 3 albums.
Barnett: “Left Behind wouldn’t exist without the influence of George Harrison
and The Brian Jonestown Massacre. The song revolves around a sitar-like guitar
line that we knew we wanted to have constantly looping to create a meditative
drone. The lyrics are a collage of different lines and ideas that when brought
together create a story of a long-forgotten ‘saviour ’that’s coming back but
nobody needs them anymore.”
Artwork ‘Left Behind’
TUTV: Left Behind moves in slo-mo, like misty clouds in the morning. The song’s hallucinatory timbre, its ongoing sitar-like guitar riff, and its featherlight vocals
combine for a hazy dream to close your eyes to and drift away, ignoring reality
for a while.
Info: “The track was completed just a couple of days before the untimely
death of their friend, Chris, who was its inspiration. Given he was such a
big supporter of the band, it’s a massive shame he was never able to hear
it. Naturally, it is dedicated to him.”
Score: After the rotating, sticky lead-single Opaque Crater this Welsh duo
comes up with another captivating creation. A starry-eyed synth meditation
dedicated to a lost friend. After a moody slo-mo foreplay, the heartrending
trip gets intenser when electronic handclaps and a repetitive techno beat
enter the scene, without turning onto a wild Chemical Bros whirlwind as
the overall sentiment is one of doubt and mixed emotions. Gripping.
Turn Up The Volume‘s 15 Knockout Tracks for February 2021!
A fervid fusion of rhapsodic rippers and clashing crackerjacks.
‘One + One’ – DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 (Canada)
New album Is 4 Lovers comes our way on 26 March and One + One
is the trash & slash lead-slam. Welcome back noiseniks. Hallelujah!
‘Coma-Inducing Gibberish‘ – PIZZA CRUNCH (Scotland)
The young gunslingers hit the bullseye again with this new stunner. A fab-tastic masterstroke to shut up all narcissists. Beware of getting too excited. It can lead
to a rock ‘n’ roll coma. Whatever! Go for it!
. ‘Middle-Finger’ – DROPKICK MURPHYS (Boston, US)
A booze-filled party cracker from upcoming LP Turn Up That Dial. A familiar Pogues-like chant that unleashes the beer devil in all of us. Bottoms up!
‘Vendetta’ – ICEAGE (Denmark)
An intoxicating jam with a threatening pace. A glam power
punch from their new album Seek Shelter arriving in May.
. ‘Night Is Mine’ – ULTRA SUNN (Brussels, Belgium)
Combine D.A.F.‘s industrial vibes, Sisters Of Mercy‘s gloom and doom hallucinations and Depeche Mode‘s pop-noir thrills and you know it’s time for a dazzling party. It’s the title-track from their standout debut EP. Learn much more about this cool black leather duo from their interview with Turn Up The Volume!
‘Toxic’ – PUSSY RIOT (Russia)
The glorious Russian rebels hit again with a new cut from their upcoming EP. It’s an industrial-synth-whack going forth and back, bringing techno icons The Prodigy to mind.
‘Darkest Hour’ – N.O.A.H (Dublin, Ireland)
An instant killer with a harmonious, mood-boosting sing-along chorus and special guest the Booka Brass – Ireland’s first New Orleans style Brass Band – turning up the heat even more. Even in your darkest hour this vivid earworm causes an uplifting kick.
. ‘LOUT’ – THE HORRORS (UK)
A mind-slashing, industrial drone that keeps on pounding and pounding until
the wall comes down. Hefty stuff, folks! Just the way I like it, any day, any time!
‘Ace Of Base‘ – THE FLAVIANS (Berlin)
Your feet and head’s movements get activated from the get-go. Unremitting piano bliss, glorious rhythm, pushed by a funky beat and colored with frisky vocals and cool sixties backing vocals. Synth-pop legends Eurythmics would say Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This.
‘Opaque Crater’ – RITUAL CLOAK (Cardiff, UK)
The power of resounding repetition here is just mind-boggling. In the end, you want the buzzing vibration of this adrenaline-charged tune on repeat in your head. And when this trip slows down for a brief moment it’s only to come back with even more dynamism. Top!
. ‘Apply The Pressure’ –MISLED CONVOY and KAT FIVE (UK)
The missing link between two vibrating hallucinations, Massive Attack‘s Teardrop and Leftfield‘s Original. Spacey, outlandish and far-out. Michael Hodgson AKA Misled Convoy creates a flying saucer vibe and Kat Five‘s futuristic thoughts and prophetic words of change reinforce the puzzling and obscure experience.
‘Soho Bedroom Party’ – THE HIDEAWAYS feat. TINY DYNO (UK)
Blissful synth melodiousness. Tremendously sticky flow. Glorious duet chorus. Sparkling orchestration. Play this boosting cock-a-hoop stunner out loud in your bedroom so your neighbors can enjoy these spiffing pop sparks too. Sonic magic!
. ‘Fade’ – VIOLET (Midlands, UK)
Imagine The Verve of the early days with madman Richard Ashcroft in the middle with their huge anthemic wall-of-psych-sound going sky-high. Add that cocksure Britpop swagger and you know that your stereo will shake, rattle and roll when this bittersweet amplified symphony bursts out of the speakers. A winner!
. ‘Oxygen’ – SEASIDE HEIGHTS (Sweden)
A shot of pop adrenaline. Oxygen causes rhapsodic titillations. You can sing along, hum along, whistle along while pirouetting yourself dizzy to the vibrant vibrations. Fresh air to forget your lockdown blues for a while.
. ‘There Be Monsters’ by FAR LANDS (USA)
A magnific sepia-colored musing. A tranquilizing stroll triggering your daily dream moments. McFarlane‘s warm voice takes you on a pacifying trip while a guitar gently weeps throughout the journey. This bluesy beauty invites you to forget the troubling reality we all experience for a while.
. ‘Shouts Of The Coal Mine’ – JONAS AND I (Finland)
This beauty resonates as if it comes straight from a Tom Petty album. Its country-pop-
rock feel glows, scintillates and glisters and when the enlivening chorus sets in, with
those Beirut-like warmth of ardent trumpets a satisfying smile will emerge on your face. Topnotch tune!
Band: RITUAL CLOAK (Cardiff, Wales) Who: Daniel Barnett, formerly of the band
Samoans, and drummer/producer Andrew Sanders.
References: Can, Tangerine Dream, The Horrors, Mogwai, Sigur Ros
Single: OPAQUE CRATER – new single from upcoming album Divine Invasions.
“Opaque Crater’ is one of the songs on the album that was pretty much fully written
and recorded pre-lockdown. When writing started and we’d work in the studio together
we’d come in with small ideas, never anything fully formed and just see where they took
us on the day. That’s always been what makes Ritual Cloak so exciting for us, there are
no expectations and that attitude of “there are no rules” really allows for our creativity
to flourish.”
Score: This multi-layered electro instrumental goes on and on, infiltrating your
ears and mind without asking until you’re totally addicted. The power of resounding repetition is hypnotizing and intoxicating. In the end, you want the buzzing vibration
of this adrenaline-charged tune on repeat in your head. And when this trip slows
down for a brief moment it’s only to come back with even more dynamism.
