TUTV says: Deap Vally invited their friends jennylee (Warpaint), Soko, KT Tunstall, Peaches and Jamie Hince (The Kills). With such
an impressive cast you can’t get but 4 genuine gems: 2 soulful
ballads and 2 bluesy grooves. Top stuff! And a new EP is already
canned. Can’t wait. More info about American Cockroachhere.
EP: ELASTICITY – solo debut Released: 19 March 2021
TUTV says: 5 sledgehammers with balls, perfect to start
insane moshpits with. Tankian still roars, rants and rattles
as if nothing else matters. Absobloodylutely noisetadtic!
TUTV says: 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 house-lockdown-party.
TUTV says: Dream pop at its very best. Sonic melancholia for
the twilight hours with the sensual voice of Elisabeth Thorsen.
Imagine Mazzy Starr‘s wonderful Hope Sandoval wandering
at night in empty city streets while whispering her lullabies.
TUTV says: Expect electrifying head-spinning rippers you
can play out loud to deafen your lockdown demons with.
But this Chicago gunslingers also show their moody blues
side on this excellent debut EP.
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!
If you sound cool, if you look cool, if you dress cool and you have a cool EP out you must be ULTRA SUNN. Who? A Brussels-based duo – Gaelle and Sam – that loves to wander around in your head while producing dark waves causing an instant flush of excitement.
They seduce you with battering and booming beats, nightmarish sound textures, murky dynamics and ominous vocals. 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 this pair was born to start and end chill-out house parties. Before I put on my black leather jacket and talk to the wonderful Gaelle let us have some light at the end of the tunnel…
Hello Gaelle. Merci for having this chat…
What’s the story behind your artist moniker ULTRA SUNN?
“It’s about light, for us ULTRA SUNN means the perfect light. The light that reveals what
is hidden and also the fights against darkness. We are proud that our songs and our band convey positive messages such as the acceptance of yourself and of the others, gender equality, victories against street harassment and victories against anxieties. We strive to
be a light in the dark, a powerful ULTRA SUNN.”
What or who influenced you to do what you’re
doing: writing/playing ‘darkwave’ music?
“The band refers to the sounds of the past but keeps in mind its desire for modernity. We’re influenced by Front 242, DAF, Schwefelgelb, Boy Harsher or Kontravoid. We like
to mix EBM and Coldwave.”
Which track would you play to introduce yourself to people who never heard of you? “Night Is Mine is clearly the most significant track for us. The sound is really typical of what we do and the lyrics reflect our commitments.”
The new EP is a instant winner. How does it feel to have it out and what’s the feedback you got so far from fans and press?
“We’re super happy, it’s very exciting to have released this EP. We’re delighted to see that people are so receptive of the songs and that they travel all over the world in playlists, DJ sets, radio stations etc. We are so grateful for this excitement and can’t wait to play our set live!”
I love the EP’s artwork image. Does the picture tells a story?
“We came across a 17th century painting of a man with a flower in front of his mouth.
We were touched by this image. We love the contrast between flowers that are related to light but here emerge from deep darkness with us like in a Caravagio painting. Hiding the mouth with a flower is also a certain idea of silence which contrasts with music just like the coloured flowers and the dark atmosphere all around. Our dear friend Kris Parenti, who is also our photographer, was sensitive to this idea and succeeded in creating this image for us.”
So far my favorite ULTRA SUNN track is DISTRESS. What’s the song actually about?
“Thank you, glad you like it! Distress talks about anxieties and the fight against it, but
in a positive way. The way to fight is to refuse to let yourself be invaded. The video is a nocturnal wandering in the city with all that it entails: speed, noise, party, loneliness, light, contemplation, and the confrontation with yourself.”
You’re signed to a Spanish label called ORACULO RECORDS. How did that happen?
“They just heard our music and they wanted to collaborate with us for the release of this first EP and it was the right time for us to do it.”
I spotted (some days ago) a live performance video of
a track called WAVES. A great piece. Why isn’t it on the EP?
“It’s a song that we love a lot and that we love to play live. It’s a rather special moment in our set that invites introspection. For the EP, we wanted to offer pure condensed energy:
3 songs about confidence and strength. Maybe Waves will be released later on another disc, why not.”
What’s an ULTRA SUNN gig like?
“Gaelle and Sam on stage with their machines and a beautiful light show. We make sure that all of our gigs are a safe place for everyone and where everybody is included and accepted for what or who they are, that is very important to us. Recently we shot a video of a live set which can give you an idea. This video will be released in the next few days.”
Lots of musicians came/come up with a cover of other artists’ songs during these bizarre times. Which one would you pick to give it your touch?
“Probably something like Duran Duran, Placebo or Depeche Mode. It actually happened
to us to cover Q Lazarus in our live set. It was sweet to say goodbye to the horses.”
Which movie would you choose to have your music in there as the soundtrack?
“Probably in a Xavier Dolan movie or in the vampire rave at the beginning of the movie Blade haha 😀 or more likely, something in between.”
Which artist/band would you really love to work with?
“We probably would have liked to work with David Bowie.
But maybe we would’ve just talked about clothes and music
and smoking cigarettes, which would’ve been perfect too.”
More new ULTRA SUNN music to come in 2021?
“Definitely yes! We are already preparing for the rest.
And we can’t wait to be able to play in concert again
and meet the public.”
Thank you very much for this interview, Gaelle.
May the road rise with ULTRA SUNN!
Score: This body-activating rave duo causes an instant flush of excitement with
battering and booming beats, nightmarish sound textures, murky dynamics and
ominous vocals. 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 house-lockdown-jamboree, for a mindless darkwave boogie-woogie night is yours party, in front of your mirror.
Eletro-tastic!
Ignore reality for the next 20 minutes and
pirouette yourself dizzy to these 4 rhapsodic
strokes of intoxicating firework…
.
Watch also the enigmatic video clip for the EP’s track Distress…
Fifteen Knockout Tracks hitting Turn Up The Volume‘s speakers this past month!
A steamy melting pot of isolation corkers and lockdown cuts. Don’t worry, be happy!
– Incinerate – PHOSPHENE (Portland, Oregon, US)
Twinkling guitars, pulsating drums, radiant melodiousness, and bright vocals bringing Cocteau Twins‘ wonderful singer Elisabeth Fraser. Glimmering shoegaze sparks. From
their excellent longplayerLotus Eaters.
. – Hear Me Now – DJ DOVE and ROWETTA (UK) #Selfishness is toxic #Change is desperately needed #LetUsDance is the message #DJDove is the techno wizard #Rowetta is the sky-high soul voice #Beach-party-tune #IbizaRules
– Born To Run – by RICH GIRLS (NYC)
For all those tramps who were born in the USA, go and dance in the dark before
you need to run for that sickly narcissistic American idiot. The Boss for president!
. – Rainbow Records – OCEANOGRAPHY (Oakland, California)
Glorious guitar pop humdinger getting your aural attention instantly with a repetitive
riff sticking as first-class glue. Inflammable passion, scintillating ardency, and vehement fervor. Affecting voice reminding me of Greg Dulli‘s imposing vocals at times.
. – Televised Mind – FONTAINES D.C. (Dublin, Ireland)
Rollicking Krautrock-like jam with charismatic frontman Grian Chatten‘s parlando
vocals rattling on and on and on. From the brand new top albumA Hero’s Death.
– A Boat To Drawn In – METZ (Canada)
Halfway this storming steamroller turns into a trance-like juggernaut driven by
boisterous drum kicks and raucous guitars. Hypnotic and mind-boggling. It’s Metz’s deafening sound of hope. New album ATLAS VENDING out 9 October.
– Down The Stairs – SHEHEHE (Athens, Georgia, US)
A blistering jackhammer doing your head in from the explosive get-go. A thunder and lighting corker that rages like a Formula One race car at a dangerous speed. Noise-tastic!
– My Faith Is Larger – SAVING JACKIE (San Antonio, Texas, US)
Move over RATM for this shattering, striking slam dunk with the merciless power
of a bone-crushing iron ball. A hot-tempered sucker-punch triggering every single
nerve, every single muscle, and every single vein in your shuddering body. Hell yeah!
– Unstoppable – MIESHA & THE SPANKS (Calgary, Alberta, Canada)
A rumbling crackerjack rolling from the kick-off. A sickly sticky stunner to jump along, scream along and sweat along. Crackling guitars, hammering drum kicks and spicy vocals is what you get, hopping like a kangaroo on drugs is what you should do. Isolation firework to pump up your mood and body temperature. C’mon!
. – Hetty O’Hara Confidential – ELVIS COSTELLO (UK)
The great imperishable songsmith still knows how to surprise.
This sonic jim-dandy, a sort of beatbox banger says it all. Boom boom.
– Keep Your Eyes Peeled – by ULTRA SUNN (Brussels, Belgium)
Combine D.A.F.‘s industrial vibrations, Sisters Of Mercy‘s catchy gloom and doom hallucinations and Depeche Mode‘s pop-noir melodies, and what you get is a trip to
a tenebrous underground basement where Ultra Sunn‘s Sam Huge and Gaelle Souflet
are the DJ’s. Dance like it’s 1999 all over again.
. – Jackie – HYPERSPACE (Atlanta, Georgia, US)
Riff extravaganza / Electrical lobotomy / Gabba Gabba Hey /
High-voltage power pop / Alive and ticking / Punktastic!
. – A Hymn – IDLES (Bristol, UK)
A slow-moving ominous groove that feels like it will explode any second, but doesn’t. Like a fierce volcano about to spew lava but… doesn’t! The tension is almost unbearable. Another topnotch stroke! Idles keep on delivering soul-stirring thrills.
– You Are Just Not Alone – by BLACK MOON BOOK(Chicago, US)
A tender and romantic ballad with a Nils Lofgren-like, starry-eyed voice as the most important instrument in the middle. You can file this comforting reverie next to Kurt Vile and The National. Relax, sit down, and enjoy…
From Brussels, Belgium here’s darkwave duo ULTRA SUNN
with their new twilight piece KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED.
Expect battering and booming beats, nightmarish sound textures, murky dynamics
and enigmatic vocals. Black is the color, black is the tone, black is the mindset.
Combine D.A.F.‘s industrial vibrations, Sisters Of Mercy‘s catchy gloom and doom hallucinations and Depeche Mode‘s pop noir melodies and what you get is a trip to
a tenebrous underground basement where Ultra Sunn‘s Sam Huge and Gaelle Souflet
are the DJ’s. Dance like it’s 1999 all over again.
