For your eyes
1. ‘Like A God’ by ASH (UK)
2. ‘The Bomb’ by THE HIVES (Sweden)
3. ‘Dicks In Tanks’ by MORLOCKS (Sweden)
4. ‘Six-Pack’ by SHAME (UK)
5. ‘Wireless’ by WITHIN TEMPTATION (The Netherlands)
6. ‘Fossora’ by BJÖRK (Iceland)
7. ‘Dumbest Girl Alive’ by 100 GECS (St.Louis, US)
8. ‘Now And Then’ by THE BEATLES (UK)
9. ‘Eureka!’ by THE VANITY PROJECT (Manchester, UK)
10. ‘White Van’ by LAMBRINI GIRLS (Brighton, UK)
ALL TOGETHER
.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. ‘What Are The Odds’ by DEATH VALLEY GIRLS (California)
Photo by Little Ghost/Kelsey Hart
This was the first single of their best album to date Islands In The Sky. A terrifically juiced-up power-pop chant triggering your limbs to get up and move. And when the under the spell of joy choir joins Bonnie Bloomgarden on the elated chorus you just know that this stunning tune is a winner.
We are living in a simulated world
And we are simulated girls!
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2. ‘Lads Lads Lads’ by LAMBRINI GIRLS (Brighton, UK)
(Press photo © Bridie Florence)
The unquestionable sensation of the year.
The sassy spirit of fiery Riot grrls, the primal screams of X-Ray Spex‘s late genial vox Poly Styrene, the unbridled DIY mentality of The Slits. It’s all here to get in the macho faces of all macho males. Lads Lads Lads is a loud and clear clamorous uppercut. Trash and slash punk turmoil. Holy fucking smoke!
Feel the fury.
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3. ‘Riverstone’ by DITZ (Brighton, UK)
(Photo by Turn Up The Volume – Brugge, Belgium 2023)
“The lyrics were related to whatever we were talking shit about that day.
Dirt-cheap ’baccy and annoying, invasive TikToks. It’s hard to recall.”
Riverstone is an excessive electro-industrial sledgehammer doing your head,
your ears and your mind in. Bang-bang-bang-bang. Deafening drones, psychotic
guitars, and schizophrenic vocals, it’s all here to have an electric brain-frying
chair experience.
Right here.
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4. ‘Just Shadows’ by JEEN (Canada)
All-round Canadian singer/songwriter nailed it with this efferscent swirling knockout.
This is the kind of 24-Carat gold banger that makes your day, that boosts your worried state of mind, that puts a big smile on your face, that works faster than any stimulant and most of all, that gets you on your feet, triggers your best rotating dance moves and make you embrace life. Reality is not all doom and gloom, as many (mostly politicians) want us to believe to push their own power-greedy agenda. To hell with them.
Listen/watch.
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5. ‘This Just Ain’t My Year’ by 32 TENS (UK)
(Promo photo)
These vigorous Brits hit big time with this flamboyant ripsnorter.
It’s full tilt ahead from the get-go. No brakes, no breaks, and
creeping under your skin faster than you can say this is super-duper.
A whirlwind of scorching guitars, pounding drumming, a revolving bass line
somewhere in the middle, go-getting vocals and a dynamite chorus combine
for a badass belter. 2023 was the year for 32 Tens.
Touchdown.
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6. ‘Baggio’ by MILES KANE (UK)
This contagious cracker celebrates forer Italian football star Roberto Baggio
Kane: “I was eight years old when I first saw Baggio on TV, it was during the
1994 World Cup. I was taken back by his presence, his look and his talent. It was
the first time I’d seen a man look so different and unique. Seeing Baggio led me to
e obsessed with that Italian football team for many years later.
Baggio is one of those typical Kane tunes. Immediately recognisable with its
uplifting 60s/70s beat and blissful melody. But it’s a glorious guitar fragment
and accompanying harmonious, backing vocals that lift the song to a five-star
pop level.
Goal!
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7. ‘Gorilla Guerilla’ by MANTRA OF THE COSMOS (UK)
This new supergroup features Shaun Ryder & Bez (Happy Mondays/Black Grape),
Andy Bell (Ride/Oasis) and drummer Zak Starkey, yes Ringo’s son, who actually came up with this project’s idea and describes it as “a fantastic psychedelic groove from a band of misfits, outsiders and innovators.”
First single Gorilla Guerilla is a mind-boggling techno-rock stomper
to start and end all (il)legal raves with and fill dancefloors around the
globe with. This seasoned collective is a mean groove machine.
E-tastic!
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8. ‘Right Wing Beasts’ by SLEAFORD MODS (UK)
The duo launched their 12th LP, called UK Grim last March.
This rattling piece is my absolute favorite.
It’s Sleaford Mods by – very good – numbers. The mods still spit and sneer
against Tories‘ merciless pressure and devastating regime. And they still do
it with rappin’ vibrations.
.
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9. ‘Foefetti’ by JODIE LANGFORD (Hull, UK)
The waterfall wordsmith from Hull (UK) released her tip-top debut EP Chaos Of Time
and followed it with this booming corker. Glittery, glammy and trashy (like the video).
Sing happy birthday to 6-year-old princess Jodie midway. Don’t worry afterward you
can continue to pogo around the table.
Whang, whang, whang.
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10. ‘Dicks In Tanks’ by MORLOCKS (Gothenborg, Sweden)
2023 photo by Krichan Wihlbor
This Swedish turbo founded by mastermind J.Strauss had
a new flabbergasting album out, named Praise The Iconoclast,
this year.
Single Dicks In Tanks features vocal efforts from Sascha Konietzko of KMFDM,
dark ambient electro queen Karin My and black metal maestro Heljarmadr
of Grá/Dark Funeral.
Morlocks‘ cynical take on war is sharp-cutting like a first-class Swiss knife
“Salute every hard on, a call to arms / this is my klaxon / sound the alarms”.
It all starts with warning war sirens and marching soldiers chants.
90 seconds later, it’s all hens on deck when this industrial rock missile
erupts with a blitzkrieg fierceness.
Think Rammstein and NIN having a fight with riot guns.
Shoot.
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11. ‘An Individual Soul’ by PRINCESS UGLY (Portland, US)
This blitz duo – J. Christopher-Rome (lyrics/vocals) and Christopher Moncrieffe (music/instruments) mix post-punk, early 80’s goth, shoegaze, and new wave
into their own brand of sound.
An Individual Soul is a multi-layered serpent of a track.
After a short shock intro, psychobilly guitars take over and riff
and roll all the way through, surrounded by glowing synths waves.
Add Christopher-Rome’s creepy whispering and you’ll feel transported
somewhere into a twilight zone where Goths party. Princess Ugly’s ominous
mind mystifies and the enigmatic she-devil in the video is a misleading
magnet.
Check in.
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12. ‘How To Replace It’ by dEUS (Belgium)
The veterans – the best Belgian band ever – dropped their 8th LP,
baptized How To Replace It last February, their first in 11 years.
The title track, also the LP’s opener is a vintage dEUS grower.
An ongoing spellbinding trip that works its way to an
explosive climax.
Watch/listen.
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13. ‘Huevos Rancheros’ by THE IRRATIONAL LIBRARY (The Netherlands)
These Dutch-American misfits have their roots firmly planted in both the regional
and international counterculture. They produce a raw, dirty groove influenced by
punk, provo and punk icons. Their poetry is packed with social criticism.
Huevos Rancheros, from their new longplayer Good Busy is a song about
seeing life clearly through all the haze and confidently strolling through the
daze.
It’s a tremendously sticky and melodic tune that mesmerises from the kick-off.
Stimulated by a sparkling and melancholic guitar riff à la Kurt Vile, a footstompin’
beat and word-smith Joshua Baumgarten‘s expressive storytelling it becomes an
electrifying humdinger, after a couple of spins.
Play.
.
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14. ‘Wild Bird’ by THE CORAL (Liverpool, UK)
(Press photo via Maintain Perspective PR)
The singular psych-folk-pop-rock wanderers released, this year,
one of their best albums ever with Sea Of Mirrors
Wild Bird is The Coral at its relaxing best. A characteristic psych-pop gem
that pleased my ears on repeat since it came out. Breezy and heartwarming,
causing an I-feel-so-much-better-now thrill in the end.
Watch/listen.
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15. ‘Now And Then’ by THE BEATLES (Liverpool, UK)
Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr worked in 1979 on the demo
of this previously unreleased John Lennon beauty, but didn’t finish it at the time.
Now, using advanced technology and a curatorial touch, McCartney
and Starr have completed what they started with George, and turned
it into a fully orchestrated nugget of a love song
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16. ‘Nice To Say Hello’ by THE ROGUES (Wales)
This young outfit from Newport, Wales drew TUTV’s
attention in an eye/earblink with Nice To Say Hello.
It’s only their 3rd single, but this young team sounds as if they’ve been
around for years. Nice To Say Hello is a top-pop thrill. Irresistibly catchy
and captivatingly melodic. Layers of glimmering guitars with an endearing
resonance, that brings, yes, Noel Gallagher’s strumming play of his solo
work to mind.
The charming vocals and the infectious chorus
make the sonic picture complete. Fabulous feat.
Say hello to The Rogues.
.
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17. ‘Freedom’ by CHIC CHOC (NYC)
Chic Choc are three musically seasoned Amazons from NYC using drum machines,
synthesizers, guitars, voice and a variety of sound filters and pedals to make
their point.
Freedom is their crystal clear debut single that criticizes, 200% rightly so, the fact that women still have to fight for so many fundamental rights. It’s bloody 2023 and so much female injustice is still a reality.
Sonically it’s a striking EBM earworm to fill dance floors with. Brisk beats, cool chorus, sensuous vocals and a protesting choir, combine for a spirited piece. Bang-on.
Le freak, c’est chique choc.
.
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18. ‘You’re So Cool’ by KAT KOAN (Berlin, Germany)
This Berlin-based songstress released her arresting debut full-length
LUSTPRINZIP last year. This year, she recorded/shared three rad singles.
You’re So Cool (me?) is one of them. A sexy dance stomper with an instant impact on your hip movements. And, as usual, Koan‘s sultry voice tickles your imagination and makes you light some candlelights, and seduces you to do some shadow-dancing.
Tune in.
.
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19. ‘Eureka!’ by Band: THE VANITY PROJECT (London, UK)
Photo by Jamie Chapman
The Vanity Project is a London-based queer freak pop duo featuring Flora Jackson and Rob Paterson. The project is a multi-instrumented, multi-genre fever dream fusing new-wave, modern art-pop and PC Music influences with dashes of jangle pop, Latin alternative and drum and bass, dazzling hooks, and wryly humoured dystopian lyrics. All accompanied by eccentric visuals.
‘Eureka!’ was one of the standout singles on their debut album, named
We Never Should Have Come Here, that landed last September.
Combine the madcap vibrancy of Sparks‘ early days and some glamourous
Queen bombast and you’ll scream out loud Eureka!. These misfits produce
eccentric pop pleasure, sonically and lyrically, without mainstream
restrictions.
They sound kooky and look kooky, but make no mistake, this tantalizing
tandem know perfectly well how to fabricate and construct entertaining
music.
Listen/Watch.
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20. ‘103’ by THE KILLS (US/UK)
One of my all-time fav bands, on record and on stage, returned, finally,
this year with their acclaimed LP God Games and this arousing bluesy piece
is one of the highlights.
Watch/listen.
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21. ‘Dead Moon Rising’ by CACTUS FLOWERS (Houston, Texas)
Cactus Flowers is a psych-rock outfit from Houston, Texas fronted by Jessica A.M., whose mother photographed bands for Rolling Stone during the magazine’s counter-culture heyday.
With Dead Moon Rising we get a mid-tempo garage blues-rock corker fuelled
by echoing, rollicking riffs, steady drum hits and arresting Jessica A.M. vocals.
This raw cracker resonates like glorious legends The Cramps in slo-mo with a
mean machine vibe, rock-and-psycho-billy swagger and hefty dynamics. From
bad moon rising to dead moon rising.
Let’s roll.
.
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22. ‘Lunar Eclipse by THE VACCINES (UK)
(Photo by Turn Up the Volume – Lokerse Feesten, Belgium – 2022)
The British guitar pop idols will make their fans happy with their new, sixth
full-length, baptized Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations out on 12 January 2024.
This is one of the 4 singles they dropped so far. It’s The Vaccines alright.
Sickly sticky guitar euphoria. Totally crazy.
Yes.
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23. ‘Spellbinding’ by THE SMASHING PUMPKINS (US)
With this year’s three-part rock opera Atum chief
pumpkin Billy Corgan released one of his sonic dreams.
And with Spellbinding the band delivered a robust rocker infused with radiant synths, exploding now and then into a feverish haymaker on the flaming chorus and ending
with a dreamy fade out.
C’mon, Billy.
.
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24. ‘Heart On’ by 2LIBRAS (Seattle, WA)
2LIBRAS is a Seattle-based Cyberpunk duo that create dark, synthy beats infused with melodic guitars and vocal harmony since 2018. Their music infuses genres of industrial, dark electro, synthwave/synthpop and rock.
Heart On was one of the singles of their notable debut album World’s End.
It just was the best 2023 Valentine tune. An intoxicating mid-tempo groover. Both spicy and funky, lustful and provocative with hypnotizing vocals. Its slow-mo synth-bass beat crawls under your skin, and progresses steadily towards your restlessly pounding motor while your mind tries to figure out what is going on. Amorous communication isn’t easy, let your heart do the talking. It’s made for it.
Roll the tape.
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25. ‘‘A Feather Of A Pigeon In The Cave Of The Wisdom Of God’ by LIGHT BY THE SEA (The Netherlands)
The Dutch duo offered an intriguing pop symphony with this weirdly titled composition.
Scintillating electronic bliss, beautifully orchestrated.
And the accompanying video is a classy and subtly
sexy visualization. Top achievement.
Listen/watch.
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TUTV: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter
Best of the best of September 2023.
ALL TOGETHER
.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. ‘Crystal Closet Queen’ by PIXIES (Boston, US)
(Photo by Turn Up The Volume)
To celebrate the late genial, eccentric-looking, allround musician Leon Russell,
a 10-track tribute album came out last week, titled A Song For Leon.
Boston’s noise icons Pixies also feature on the LP with their blustering version
of Russell‘s 1971 classic boogie woogie cracker Crystal Closet Queen, which
Black Francis and Co turned into a classic boogie woogie punk cracker.
Dynamite.
.
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2. ‘Dick In Thanks’ by MORLOCKS (Sweden)
2023 photo by Krichan Wihlbor
Dick in Tanks will feature on the band’s forthcoming
album Praise The Iconoclast, out 6 October via
Metropolis Records
It all starts with warning war sirens, marching soldiers chants.
90 seconds later, it’s all hens on deck when this industrial rock
missile erupts with a blitzkrieg fierceness.
Think Rammstein and NIN having a fight with riot guns. Menacing growls and howls suggest imminent danger and when the clamorous chorus crashes in, it’s time to
go to the battlefield. Midway, all need a breather in order to put fuel in the tank and continue the supersonic attacks will all burners on. War can be fun, in case Morlocks
lead the troops.
Jump in your own tank
and kick dicks’ asses.
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3. ‘Eureka!’ by THE VANITY PROJECT (London)
This queer art-pop duo launch their debut longplayer named
Never Should Have Come Here, next week, on September 29.
Eureka! is the third shared piece from the album.
It combines the madcap vibrancy of Sparks‘ early days and some flipped-out
Queen bombast. The Vanity Project produce eccentric pop pleasure, sonically
and lyrically, without mainstream restrictions.
They sound kooky and look kooky, but make no mistake, this tantalizing tandem
know perfectly well how to fabricate and construct high-freak-quality entertainment.
Bring on the album.
Eureka!
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4. ‘I Want More’ by XTR HUMAN (Germany)
XTR HUMAN is the solo project of German artist Johannes Stabel.
So far he recorded/released 3 albums. Check them out here.
Now he has a new single out, titled I Want More. An EBM brainbreaker that makes
your head spin uncontrollably. An electronic gloom and doom hammer blow to smash
capitalist pigs with.
The accompanying video, directed by German filmmaker
Matthias Landenberger, is an eye-catching spectacle.
Listen/watch.
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5. ‘Better Than Life’ by GRRL GANG (Indonesia)
Last week this young, most exciting Indonesian trio unleashed their ablaze debut album, baptized Spunky! More about it in an upcoming interview with Turn Up The Volume.
One of the standout tracks is Better Than Life.
Angeeta Sentana (vocalist/songwriter): “Being diagnosed with any mental disorder is
not a nice thing to have. I’m still in the process of accepting it as a ‘normal’ part of my life,
but there are times when I would feel super down about it.”
Better Than Life races and rushes for 90 seconds with all engines on. Its razzle-dazzle tempo makes you dizzy, while angry guitars and scary screams in the back have the
force to kick evil demons into oblivion.
Stroke!
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6. ‘Making Me Mad’ by JEEN (Canada)
Canadian rockin’ songstress Jeen‘s sassy single will feature on her new,
5th full length, titled Gold Control, coming our way in February 2024.
Making Me Mad is a mid-tempo burst going up and down, swinging your mood from left to right and back, while you ask yourself if the mind-crushing demons will still haunt you in the end. Human nature stuff, as we know it. I swear I can hear the young out-of-her-head Courtney Love in the back.
Press play.
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7. ‘Danse Macabre’ by DURAN DURAN (UK)
Glam and glitter legends DURAN DURAN have no intention whatsoever to retire.
They canned album number 16, baptized DANCE MACABRE and they will share it
with the world on 27 October.
Danse Macabre is a funky/groovy earworm that combines Goth, psych-o-tic darkwave,
and some hip-rap-hop fragments. Ace. This year’s Halloween will be different, Duran Duran are different, it will be a horror-tastic party.
Here’s why.
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8. ‘103’ by THE KILLS (US/UK)
(Photo by Turn Up The Volume)
It’s been 7 years since iconic blues-rock duo THE KILLS – Alison Mosshart
and Jamie Hince – had their last longplayer out with the first-rate Ash & Ice.
Until a couple of weeks ago when the charismatic tandem announced
the launch of their 6th LP. It’s titled GOD GAMES and comes our
way on 27 October.
The tantalizing tandem already shared three cuts from the longplayer.
I’ll go with 103.
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9. ‘Love And Misery’ by DEAD LEVEE (Canada)
These manic motherrockers are all about raw and rough, rip-roaring racket as they let your stereo experience once again with this mend-bending riff monster. Think Metallica covering Guns N’ Roses. Thundering drums, crazed wah-wah guitars, hell-raising vocals, and a slam-bang, scream-along chorus. All ingredients you need to get up, stand up and fight for your right to be a hedonist.
Let’s rock.
.
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10. ‘Down’ by pMAD
The moniker of Irish musician Paul Dillon
featured here on TUTV several times before.
He just revealed his new turbulent 4-track EP Sword.
Stream/buy it here.
My favorite piece is Down.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the emotional turmoil that arises when personal safety and self-worth are threatened, reminding us that until we confront these issues, the cycle of suffering will persist. However, with the power of self-reflection and a realisation of life’s value, one can choose to break free from the cycle and reclaim their self-esteem and identity.
Down is an ardent bona fide punk-rock ripper going
full steam forward with all sonic cylinders on.
Listen up.
.
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11. ‘Heartbreak Kid’ by THE VACCINES (UK)
(Press photo)
The celebrated British indie rockers prepare for the launch
of their 6th LP, titled ‘Pick-Up Full Of Pink Carnations’.
And here’s the lead single.
A vaccination that boosts your mood immediately.
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12. ‘Fade Out The Fear’ by EWAN MaCFARLANE (Scotland)
As I read firstly that the song’s theme was about fighting mental illness
I could relate before I heard it, as I struggled with bipolar problems myself for
years. It’s a drag that messes up your life in a hard-to-explain way. Always good
to hear emboldening music that arouses hope for everybody out there who experienced/experience those burdensome feelings.
Ewan Macfarlane‘s mighty voice is the star on this wholehearted Springsteen-esque
rocker. Americana ardency the Scottish way delivered with dedication, fervor and arousing electricity and when the loud and clear chorus hits your speakers it feels as if he wants to eliminate the fear with sonic assertiveness and confidence. Superb stuff.
Here we go.
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13. ‘Somewhere’ by JOHNNY MARR (Manchester, UK)
SPIRIT POWER – THE BEST OF JOHNNY MARR will
be launched on 3 November. Pre-order info here.
The compilation will also feature this new guitar pop gem,
titled Somewhere. A sickly sticky tune that made my day
on the spot.
It’s a sickly sticky tune that made my day on the spot, which
happened/happens so many times with Marr‘s killer instinct
for thrilling tunes.
Here comes the messenger.
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14. ‘Don’t Do That’ by SHAW’S TRAILER PARK (Brighton, UK)
This Britsh alt.country/Paisley Underground-inspired collective
released their self-titled debut album last month. Stream it here.
The band’s roots are in the same North London rockabilly/country-noir
scene that gave us the likes of Gretschen Hofner, Gallon Drunk and
The Flaming Stars.
The standout album opener Don’t Do That is a riff-rotating roller
dominated by high-voltage guitar electricity with feverish vocals.
Let’s go.
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15. ‘A Feather Of A Pigeon In The Cave Of The Wisdom Of God’ by LIGHT BY THE SEA (The Netherlands)
Back in 2019, the Dutch duo released their notable debut
full-length ‘Only Death Makes Iocns’. Discover it here.
With this new piece, they deliver another intriguing pop symphony.
Scintillating electronic bliss, beautifully orchestrated.
The accompanying video is a classy and subtly sexy visualization.
Listen/watch.
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16. ‘Date Night’ by LOSSLINE (Manchester, UK)
Lossline is a Manchester-based singer/songwriter tandem who, as they state themselves, love to write sad songs. So far they filled two affecting albums with sad beauties. Check them out here.
To be honest I’m a sucker for heartfelt lullabies/ballads. And that’s a musical mood territory Lossline excell in, which they prove once more with Date Night. Although, sonically here they combine tranquil lullaby intimacy – mesmerising piano play and near-whispering vocals – with fully orchestrated passion, winning your heart over second by second.
Probably the best-ever Lossline piece. It should have been – no, I’m not joking – a bonus track on The National‘s new bewitching album First Two Pages Of Frankenstein. I’m sure you get the vibe at work here by now.
Pure pearl.
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17. ‘Route 36’ by MORPHINE RIDGES (Berlin)
Morphine Ridges is a new liaison, based in Berlin, led by Andreas Miranda (Lucy Kruger
and the Lost Boys, Third Sound, Ex Camera) blends dark country riffs with lap steel
guitar sliding through the cracks of shadowy vocals.
Route 36 is a gloomy ballad for the twilight hours, when reality and fantasy
get together and your dusky thoughts float somewhere in the middle. It’s a murky
mind-wanderer, with vulnerable vocals and melancholic guitar lines, triggering
darksome images on your head’s inner screen.
But unexpectedly, near the end, you’re awakened from your hallucinatory
state of mind with a wall-of-flabbergasting-electrical disturbance leaving you
behind, totally puzzled. What a bone-chilling debut this is.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
18. ‘Saccharine’ by TEEN IDLE (New Jersey, US)
Photo by Samantha Abdelbarry
Teen Idle is the musical project of New Jersey singer-songwriter,
producer, and multi-instrumentalist Sara Abdelbarry.
She shared her bittersweet debut album with the world today.
It’s named Nonfiction. Play it here.
For all lovers out there who realize that their relationship is over the LP’s opener Saccharine could serve as a comforting, mid-tempo synth-pop vibration that breathes hope for another future. After a smooth, Eastern-like-guitar-resonating intro a trippy bass riff and rhythmic drum touches take care of the song’s steady (heart)beat while Abdelbarry‘s crystal voice sounds sorrowful and reflective.
Somewhere in the middle, a heart-warming saxophone comes on (think of soul
diva Sade’s hits) and gives the song a matching melancholic feel that endears.
Lovely.
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19. ‘One More Time’ by BLINK-182 (California)
Press photo
Californian veteran rockers BLINK-182 got
together with their classic line-up last year.
There’s no stopping them now. A new album is canned. It’s named
ONE MORE TIME… and will make the massive army of B-182 fans
go nuts on 20 October.
A candlelight ballad.
Melancholic, romantic and heartfelt. Millions of fans
around the globe will sing along with tears in their eyes.
Enjoy.
.
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20. ‘Excommunicated’ by NOBODY (Finland)
Photo by Mikke Strandberg
Nobody is a one-man dark acoustic prog folk
rock act fronted by Tuomas Kauppinen.
Two weeks ago his new album, called Hyperborean Ecstasy
came out. Listen here.
Opening musing Excommunicated an introspective ‘I don’t belong here‘ reverie.
Think Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. Intimate and heavy-hearted accentuated
by his moody acoustic guitar play.
It’s a shadowy contemplation for quiet
moments when melancholia hits you.
Stream/buy.
.
See/hear you next month, music junkies
TUTV: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter
Daily electricity to load your batteries
6 September 2023
Photo by Jamie Chapman
Band: THE VANITY PROJECT
Who: London-based queer freak pop duo Flora Jackson and Rob Paterson. The project is
a multi-instrumented, multi-genre fever dream fusing new-wave, modern art-pop and PC Music influences with dashes of jangle pop, Latin alternative and drum and bass, dazzling hooks, and wryly humoured dystopian lyrics. All accompanied by eccentric visuals.
Single/video: EUREKA!
The 3rd piece from their upcoming debut album, named
Never Should Have Come Here, that lands on September 29.
Album Artwork
TUTV: Combine the madcap vibrancy of Sparks‘ early days and some flipped-out Queen bombast and you’ll scream out loud Eureka!. The Vanity Project produce eccentric pop pleasure, sonically and lyrically, without mainstream restrictions.
They sound kooky and look kooky, but make no mistake, this tantalizing tandem know perfectly well how to fabricate and construct high-quality music. Bring on the album!
LISTEN/WATCH
STREAM/BUY
.
THE VANITY PROJECT: Facebook – Instagram
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 tracks
added to this rad 2023 playlist.
1. ‘Children’ by British post-punks Opus Kink
2. ‘Jailbreak’ by post-hardcore Brits Enter Shikari
3. ‘Rescued’ by Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters
4. ‘High Life’ by London’s rockers Bloc Party
5. ‘You’re In The Show’ by Washinghton duo The Electric Grandmother
6. ‘Veronica Lake’ by SPARKS
7. ‘Council Skies’ by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds
8. ‘My Illusion’ by Newcastle upon Tyne outfit Electric Circus
9. ‘Dandelion Wish’ by 60s psych pop inspired duo The Vanity Project
10. ‘Cars’ by American electro-dreamwave duo Lunar Twin
TUTV: Blog – Facebook – Instagram
New striking strokes
18 April 2023
Band: THE VANITY PROJECT
Who: London-based queer freak pop
duo Flora Jackson and Rob Paterson.
New single: EARTHBOUND
Flora “It’s a song about wanting to shed one’s corporeal form and
dissolve into the aether” Jolly stuff! It’s probably at least a bit trans.”
It’s a taster for their forthcoming debut album coming later in the year.
The pair say “It’s a a mad, sprawling mess of vintage synthesizers and bizarre
instruments spanning several floors.”
Artwork single
TUTV: Earthbound is a brisk mid-tempo glam pop tune that swings forth and back
with a peppy feel-good combination of glistening synths and tripping guitar play and
a smooth and catching vocal chorus. Around the 2-minute mark, the heat turns up
causing a delirious thrill until the finish. Lively score. Freaky fun.
Press play.
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