Browsing Tag

Arcade Fire

Accidental Allies Create The Perfect Union With Adorable Fever


Posted on 30 October 2017

What you really think Accidental Allies are all about depends upon which thread you pick at first. Start one end and they are a synth-pop act doing a spot of avant gardening, start somewhere else and they are an acoustic act building electronic platforms underneath deft, classical guitar lines. Others might think of them more as a dance band heading off into more progressive territory, or a soul band having embraced a futuristic vision of what the genre might become.

The reality is that they are all of those things or none of them, they might be a wide-ranging eclectic mix or a very singular roadmap towards their own musical destination. Not that it really matters, it is only when you try to write things down, to turn music into words that you come up against the limitations of language. Until they invent the right words to properly describe what is going on here you will just have to access their world via your ears and imagination. It is a world of interesting musical choices, mercurial stylistic blends, genre hopping and genre splicing, why would you try to capture that in word form?

A&R Factory Present: Erica Cooper

Posted on 16 January 2017

Erica Cooper announces the release of her debut album Safety Escape, April 29th 2017 on her record label Safety Escape Records. Erica is a Alternative Pop singer/songwriter from the Seattle area.

Her debut album was produced by Alek Edmonds, mixed by Paul David Hager (live engineer for Miley Cyrus, Devo) and mastered by Howie Weinberg (Nirvana, Jeff Buckley).

Erica performs as a solo artist and with her five piece band. She studied Jazz Vocal Performance and Composition at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. She took an interest in audio and met engineer and producer Alek Edmonds. There she found her passion for writing and sound. For the last 3 years, she has been writing and recording her debut album.

Erica is influenced by Disco and artists such as Radiohead, The Eurythmics, Grimes, Joni Mitchell, Enya, Florence and the Machine, Imogen Heap, Arcade Fire and Feist. Themes in Erica’s music include the roles we play in love relationships, vulnerability, being present and staying in the moment, loss, addiction, her struggle with Lyme Disease, the highest highs and the lowest lows, self empowerment, setting boundaries, and hope.

Erica was fortunate to record in some amazing studios including London Bridge, Synergy and Avast in Seattle and Encore Studio A in LA.

www.ericacooper.com

A&R Factory Present: Cities Vanishing

Posted on 5 January 2017

Four years ago, Eric and Brianna met at a show and then, they decided to make music together under the name of Cities Vanishing. The mixed duo from New York is ready to release a debut EP in January 2017.

Eric plays the drums, Brianna plays the theremin, and they both inject some guitar riffs and vocals into their furious and noisy music.

The theremin is an original music instrument that is often associated with the early days of electronic music. Its most famous use

in popular music was probably in 1966, when The Beach Boys released their single “Good Vibrations.” Throughout the five tracks of their debut EP “My Body Is A Temple That I’D Like To Offer You,” the theremin is bringing the light into their haunting, vivid and angry sonic distorted landscapes.

A&R Factory Present: Useless Cities

Posted on 2 June 2016

Starting off in a disused public toilet in Kentish Town as a rehearsal space, Useless Cities was up and gigging after about 12 months.

The outcome is bittersweet melodies and feelings, all pinned together by a skewer of flowing guitar sound. Intertwined male and female vocals are anointed by a holding piano sound and warm bass tones, aligned on OCD-like overthought drum beats.

They have just finished recording their first EP with Jessica Corcoran at Gravity Shack Studios in Tooting. It has had radio play on the Uni of Cork campus indie radio show, Freakscene radio show and Spark Sunderland new music show.

Useless Cities are an indie 4-piece with male and female vocals: Tom – Vocals/Guitar, Conny – Vocals/Keys, Clare – Bass, Sebs – Drums.

For fans of –  The National, Arcade Fire, Mogwai.

https://www.facebook.com/Uselesscities/

A&R Factory Present: Astronaut

Posted on 21 May 2016

With crazy, atmospheric five star reviewed live shows and a new single out, Astronaut is clearly one of the most exciting live acts on the danish music scene at the moment.

Astronaut formed in 2013 at The Royal Academy of Music in Denmark, as lead singer and otherworldly charismatic frontman Martin Zeppelin united old and new friends in an original setup. The sound quickly turned into a vintage late 70’s sound with a modern, spacious animalistic overlay. Fueled by the vision of playing the big stages with songs like the bands old heroes from the past, the band went into several years of rehearsing and playing numerous shows in Denmark. In the summer of 2015 Astronaut played some of the big danish summer festivals – with their latest gig being at SPOT Festival 2016, closing the Limbo Stage.

Astronaut started off 2016 by recording their debut-EP, co-produced and mixed by renowned danish producer Carsten Heller (Veto, Spleen United, Nephew). The first single Supernatural is, according to the band, an exploration of a mood swing of any shape or form. Of how we perpetually change our view on ourselves and the world according to our inner state.

The band are super excited about the sound on the new tracks, and are eager to show it off to the world – already picking up interest from Germany and UK.  Over the summer Astronaut will be releasing more singles and will soon be ready for the big takeoff.

About the track:

New single Supernatural from Astronaut, comes with a video recorded on Koh Samui, Thailand. From the band’s perspective it’s meant to be an exploration of a mood swing of any shape or form. Of how we perpetually change our view on ourselves and the world according to our inner state.

A&R Factory Present: Slowlights

Posted on 9 May 2016

Slowlights are a London based four piece, mainly influenced by Arcade Fire, The National, Local Natives and Coldplay. They started 2016 by recording a debut EP with producer, Peter Miles.

The band have been on the road supporting Eliza and The Bear. Slowlights are independently releasing one track a month from the EP to their soundcloud page, Only Young is the third song that they have put out.

The EP will be released as a whole on June 1st!

A&R Factory Present: Melancolony

Posted on 25 April 2016

Justin Loudermilk had been writing and recording music long before he started creating Dream Pop songs with his wife in Atlanta as Melancolony in 2007. Prior to Melancolony, Loudermilk wrote and recorded dozens of cosmic folk songs while attending graduate school in the indie music mecca Athens, Georgia, and he also played in several lo-fi bands in both college and high school. Loudermilk’s first songs penned as Melancolony were quirky reflections of his newlywed years with commercial model (and Melancolony contributor) Natasha Loudermilk.

In December 2015, Melancolony announced the release of their debut LP, Tunnel Visions. The album’s sound reflects a wide array of Georgia-bred artistic influences, while the lyrics are complex and literate. Filled with biblical allusions and postmodern imagery, the album mixes ringing guitars, retro synthesizers, and lo-fi production values typical of DIY bands that are making music for the only justifiable reason: for the love of it.

For lyrics, videos, and other information, visit Malancolony’s website

About the Song

This song is about depression. It focuses on the simple truth that when a loved one goes through a bout of depression, all his or her loved ones experience some sort of depression as well.