Browsing Tag

Garbage

Seductive Synths and Industrial Grit: Silverlake Digs Deep with ‘X (I Should Be Digging)’

Posted on 27 October 2024

Synthesising the demure magnetism of Garbage, the arcane aura of Bjork, and a visceral indietronica pulse, Silverlake electrifies the senses with strobing synths lighting up the polished production in their latest seminal single, X (I Should Be Digging), taken from their third LP, Exotic Metals Ltd.

There’s a seductive power in every second, with sharper-than-razorwire hooks, luxe guitar licks, and siren-esque vocal lines courtesy of Sally-Ann Parker, whose performance is nothing less than hypnotic.

The track’s descent into pure leftfield chaos, guided by oscillating synths and pummelling bass, leaves a lasting impression, securing Silverlake’s place as one of the most scintillating indie-pop outfits on the UK underground circuit.

Drawing on their West Midlands roots, ‘X’ reflects their unique ability to fuse industrial influences with ethereal sublimity. Industrial electronica doesn’t frequently veer into the remit of otherworldly tonality, but as X proves, when it does, the result is nothing short of alchemic and starkly cinematic.

X (I Should Be Digging) was officially released on September 20; stream the single on SoundCloud and Bandcamp now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Post-Punk Pulsates Through Dissolved Girl’s Latest Alt-90s Spectral Sonic Shadow, I’m a Beast

Posted on 22 June 2024

Dissolved Girl is back for round three; the gloves are off, and teeth are bared in their latest single, I’m a Beast, which blasts past alt-90s pastiche and scathes the rhythmic pulses with killer hooks, sharp enough to tear through the monochromatically cold atmosphere of the release which aches for redemption.

Ornate gothic instrumentation carves its way through the production while the basslines pulsate with post-punk volition under the vocal lines which blend raw power with haunting vulnerability. If Garbage released this single at the zenith of their career, the spectrally sensuous soundscape would have darkened the top of the charts for weeks. We may be living in a new sonic epoch, but the London-based four-piece is unflinching in their determination to keep bands relevant in the modern music industry.

With their refined approach to bending minds through esoteric alchemy and their ability to linger in the psyche for long after the final shadowy note, it’s only a matter of time before they take the alt-music underground by storm.

I’m a Beast was officially released on June 14; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spotlight Feature: Madam Who? Has riotously returned with her pop-hooked and rock-licked electro-clash earworm, Peter Meter

Posted on 19 January 2024

Electro-pop-rock meets hip-hop in the latest single, Peter Meter, by the indomitable visionary, who always favours the bold and rejects the mundane to empower others through the electricity in her eccentric expressionism, Madam Who? In her rap verses, the trailblazing sonic mould-breaker gives all the ensnaring electro-clash energy of Peaches before the track descends into a Garbage-esque alt-90s earworm in the choruses to deliver the ultimate liberating anthem.

The larger-than-life vignette of how her Grandma Rita used to absolve her of her boy troubles took Madam Who? 20 years to write, but now it has arrived, complete with a fully characterised music video and a quirkiness akin to the B-52s, we can all drink in the sage wisdom, which you may not want to follow to the T, but one thing is definitive about this track, it will riotously shake every ounce of ennui out of you.

After overcoming brain cancer, Madam Who? Has remained relentless on her mission to defy expectations and verse for the underdogs. In 2023, her debut EP, Reclaim Your Power, caught the attention of Good Morning America, and her story aired to 1.7 million viewers. Now that Peter Meter is on the airwaves, the Maryland-residing singer-songwriter is set to spill more serotonin and uplift countless people from their minor and major tribulations.

The official music video for Peter Meter premiered on January 19^th; stream it on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Until the End of the World gave pop a noir twist in their latest single, Easy Come, Easy Go

Posted on 21 January 2022

For their latest single, Easy Come, Easy Go, the lockdown-born outfit, Until the End of the World, gave pop a noir twist. With the 90s-style pop harmonies that will throw you right back to the days when Say You’ll Be There was dominating the airwaves while simultaneously captivating you with the same haunting mystique as Mazzy Star, Easy Come, Easy Go couldn’t be more beguiling.

Until the End of the World consists of the Nashville-based singer-songwriter Meg Olden and the English ex-pat, Ian Webber; their sound is equally as international as their formation. There are obvious hints of Americana in the deserty guitar tones, with nods to the likes of the English singer-songwriter Richard Hawley in the melodies. It isn’t every day that you stumble across an artist as authentic as this. Until the End of the World definitely isn’t an outfit to underestimate.

Easy Come, Easy Go is due for official release on February 21st; check it out for yourselves via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Make room for GelaX’s Avant-Garde Electronic Rock earworm ‘Voodoo’ to creep in.

Posted on 5 December 2020

There was no forgetting Toronto-based artist GelaX after getting acquainted with the Alt-Rock outfit through their single, Mr. Square, now, they’re set to drop their debut EP ‘Dreamsonic’, any fans of alluringly scathing Dark Electro-Rock are going to want to hear it.

The standout track ‘Voodoo’ exhibits the best of GelaX’s signature empowering sound, this time, they’re making no bones about humiliating and eviscerating gas lighters and people who need to crush the sanity of others to feel like they’ve won. I’m sure we all know PLENTY of those.

While GelaX exude all of the commercial potential and accessibility of artists such as Massive Attack and Garbage, there is a darker Avant Garde edge to their tracks in the same vein of Industrial artists such as Angelspit and Emilie Autumn. Yet, Voodoo retains its rhythmic melodicism with the indulgent bends of the bass notes sitting alongside bluesy rock textures which come with a kick of kaleidoscopic Psych.

Voodoo is due for release along with the rest of GelaX’s debut EP on January 8^th, 2021. In the meantime, you can check out their earlier releases via Bandcamp.

Keep up to date with their latest releases via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

STUNTDRIVER – FUGITIVE: Sultrily Volatile Electro-Rock

Posted on 25 October 2020

As someone who grew up on Garbage before delving even deeper into Riot Grrrl and dabbling with Industrial Metal and Rock, STUNTDRIVER’s latest track FUGITIVE was always going to set my synapses alight. It’s super-charged with playful Punk energy and there’s plenty of theatrical flair to well and truly set the artist apart from the rest.

It’s fierce, but the ferocity doesn’t dilute the sultry and playfully sardonic approach which STUNTDRIVER took with FUGITIVE, which may just be the most volatile track I’ve heard this year. If you’re a fan of the Distillers, you’ll definitely want the LA artist on your radar. With their album SAGA due to drop in 2021, expect to hear plenty more from this trailblazing captivatingly trashy artist.

You can check out STUNTDRIVER’s track FUGITIVE for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Surrounded by Wolves are simply brilliant with new single ‘Garbage’

Posted on 24 September 2020

Surrounded by Wolves are simply brilliant with new single ‘Garbage‘ and this is a song to turn up loudly.

After a very successful career with directing TV and feature documentaries, Josh Wong is also known to music fans all over due to his strong voice and meaningful lyrics that are a pleasure to hear. After a few years off from music, a random conversation flipped the switch on thanks to meeting a new friend, Leo. Turns out, Leo is kick ass on the drums too.

The story goes that Josh was out with a high school friend, long time collaborator and bass player Reza Cassam. Josh and Reza fell into a conversation with the Leo Martinez, a young Parisian who was taking a year off to snowboard and work part time in the restaurant that they were dining in.

“Leo started to play and both Reza and my jaws dropped, we really found something here”. This is the type of moment out of a movie or music documentary. With local and good friend Jimi Leach on guitar, the lineup is complete and this will help the band focus on their music and bring out as much as possible.

With a rough and rugged start, you know that this is going to be a powerful rock song. This intuition is proved correct here and this is proper rock music. The solos are quite brilliantly put together and this is a track to party with. The vocals are pure and I like how the song never loses its luster, there is so much energy here and the drumming here is top class.

Surrounded by Wolves are on top form here with ‘Garbage‘ this is a fine song with a busty beat and their class shines through.

Click here for the Spotify page.

Head through to the Soundcloud links.

Here is the Insta page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Rya Park – Bad Name: A Feisty Alt Indie Earworm

Posted on 1 April 2020

The latest single “Bad Name” from up and coming Indie artist Rya Park isn’t to be missed. Especially for fans of Amy Winehouse, Garbage, Arctic Monkeys, Lily Allen, and The Black Keys.

The Australian artist mixes the soul of Winehouse, the magnetic attitude of Shirley Manson, and absorbing Blues Rock riffs similar to The Black Keys. All wrapped up in a polished, pulsing, visceral massive sound which Arctic Monkeys used to offer before Alex Turner tried to assimilate Bowie.

It’s quite a potent mix. And it leaves us with no question about how much potential lingers in Rya Park’s resounding approach to Indie. Another thing it leaves us with is an all too welcome Indie Pop earworm which means that Bad Name will require repeat attention.

If you’re ready for that much aural commitment, you can check out Bad Name for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Damask – Inner City: Pop with a Punch

Posted on 7 November 2017

Damask are an innovatively underground act from Essex, UK who have recently celebrated the release of their first single Inner City. Their sound is a concoction of Pop Rock & Funk styling, which is wonderfully produced into an enigmatic universal sound. The idea behind the sound came from band members; Duncan Haslam and Takahide George combined desire to create sweet, soulful vibes with a touch of class.

Inner City boasts the unmistakable soul jingle which introduces the track before it starts to flow with infinite possibility. I adore the darker undertones to this music, it transcends the usual cheap styling of the genre to create a dulcet sound which are resonant of bands such as The Killers, Editors and Chris Cornell.

The lyrics are as catchy as the hooks in the music, put them both together and you get an infectious melody, not too dissimilar for Daft Punk’s cult hit with Get Lucky. However the lyrics have a far Deeper Indie Rock resonance behind them thanks to the monumental vocal arrangements of the lead vocalist.

Check out their debut hit on the Soundcloud link below!

https://soundcloud.com/damaskmusic/tracks

Why not stay connected with Damask via Facebook on the link below?

https://www.facebook.com/akindofmodernlove

SLIGHTLYKILLD release dark indie track ‘Love Hurts ‘

Posted on 27 July 2017

There is a dark and unsettling heart beating at the centre of Slightlykilld contrasting with the slick and sweet indie-rock that it comes wrapped in. The result is that beguiling blend of light and shade, allure and menace, the sonic equivalent of that moment when finally get up the courage to talk to the gothic beauty you have been pursuing all night and knowing that it will end with you used, lost and heartbroken. And knowing too that it will be worth it.

It’s the same blend of surface glamour and hidden danger that coils through The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Garbage and so it is no surprise to find that they have already opened for the latter to a sold out Moscow arena. It is also proof that seduction is better than savagery, for at least with seduction you go to it willingly.