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Interview: Jay Activist puts Atlanta on his back with Point to Prove

Posted on 7 June 2023

Telling us all about the concept behind his new album and all the vibes in his hometown of Atlanta, Jay Activist delves deeper into his craft and shows us his hunger inside Point to Prove. Inspired by J. Cole and keeping things to the point, we find a confident creative who is ready for whatever is next in this fickle game.

We appreciate your time Jay. Where in the world are you based and who is your favourite artist of all time?

Jay: I’m based in Atlanta, Georgia and my favorite artist of all time is J. Cole.

Please tell us more about your latest release Point to Prove and the creative/production process behind it and do you feel like your sound has evolved?

Jay: I consider Point to Prove my stamp into the music industry. While this isn’t my first project, it checks off so many boxes of points I feel like I needed to prove as Jay Activist. I can do more then just rap on a song with my growing singing ability, but also produce and engineer a good sound.

What does this album mean to your brand?

Jay: This album defines my brand as the playa that put his words in a smooth way.

If you could play live on any stage in the world, where would it be and who would be on the lineup?

Jay: It would be Statefarm arena in Atlanta with acts such as Drake, J Cole, and Smino.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Jay: “Don’t take advice from people who aren’t successful”.

Where are the hot spots to you catch live music with meaning in your local area?

Jay: Definitely Apache in Atlanta or college campuses such as Georgia State University or Kennesaw State University.

Last, if you have the keys to the music industry, how would you change it?

Jay: I would make things fairer to artists and change the ecosystem to where people don’t have to sell out to be successful.

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Hear this fine release on Spotify.

Check out the progress and gig news on IG.

Interview by Llewelyn Screen

Not Dreaming: Ramener slice through the demons on the fiery metal experience inside House of Wolves

Posted on 27 May 2023

Following on from their recent 4-track EP, Ramener sees the blood streaming and waits for it to be over again on the mighty song to turn on all night long when the walls need to crack, House of Wolves.

Ramener is a fairly new Long Island, USA-based indie metal band that makes teeth-shattering songs which shall awaken the spirit within us all which is clawing to get out.

Turning our moods around from the swamps and into the burning smoke of our imagination, Ramener takes us all into deep places on this one. This is a hardcore metal track which doesn’t hold back for a nanosecond.

House of Wolves from Long Island, USA-based indie metal band Ramener is a stunning single which will take all souls away from the doom and into a more enlightened place. Skyrocketing with hefty energy to shake ringing eardrums, this is a fantastic single to roar with when the time to escape clicks into place rather suddenly.

If you love it loud and with no apologies, this is the perfect tonic.

Get that heart rate up to peak performance on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Stuck In a Place: Minnesota hard rockers Störmbreaker slice eardrums in half on Left For Dead

Posted on 30 April 2023

Taken off the brand new release called To the Grave, Störmbreaker destroys all innocent minds with a thunderous performance to dig the heartwrenching pain away on Left For Dead.

Störmbreaker is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based indie rock hard band who are bringing back 80’s hair metal to the core and love performing with a ferociously heavy style.

”Störmbreaker’s resume includes performances at venues such as the world-famous Whisky a GoGo (Hollywood, CA), Rock Fest (Cadott, WI), 7th Street Entry (Minneapolis, MN), the Cabooze (Minneapolis, MN), and SXSW (Austin, TX). We’re honored to have provided direct support to artists including Steven Adler of Guns N Roses, Faster Pussycat, Graham Bonnet, Every Mother’s Nightmare, as well as opening spots for acts including Breaking Benjamin, Five Finger Death Punch, Bad Wolves, Korn, Danzig, Chevelle, We Came As Romans and more.” ~ Störmbreaker

Smashing guitars and shattering strings without a moment’s notice, Störmbreaker is at peak form on this one. If you like roaring music with a superb tone, this is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Left For Dead from Minneapolis, Minnesota-based indie rock band Störmbreaker is a song to stoke the flames away as the winds are changing. After feeling like everything is over, this is the elevating story millions needed in this rather lonely world. Heavy to the bone and never letting up, this is one of the best underground rock songs so far in 2023 without a doubt.

Listen up on Spotify.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Rushing Through The Door: Harshini Magesh is trying not to fall apart on Seven

Posted on 29 December 2022

Finding a way to be happy and so fulfilled despite the lurking dangers ahead, Harshini Magesh moves forward expeditiously and attempts to be so much better that yesterday on the stirring new single Seven.

Harshini Magesh is a passionate indie singer-songwriter who makes the kind of songs which will surely make the heart rather happy.

Projected like a young Queen who is working out her flight path, Harshini Magesh sings with so much joy on this tremendously meaningful soundtrack to life in this perplexing world.

Seven by the promising indie singer-songwriter Harshini Magesh is a totally mesmerising performance from one of the more genuine vocalists imaginable. With a sweet sound and honest lyrics to feel nourished by, this is the story of finding your way in this confusing world. Sung with so much poise and precise timing, we find a young artist who is finding her wings rather quickly.

Knowing who you really are takes many years of deep thought and life experiences to figure out, after all.

Hear this fine song on Spotify. View more on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Circonflex Interview: taking us back to our core with monumental new release Lorem ipsong

Posted on 2 November 2022

With their likeable charm and groovy treats to keep our hungry stomachs filled, we were blessed to speak to Circonflex about their excellent new release called Lorem ipsong. There are delightfully vibrant energies inside their music, so A&R Factory sat down and found out more about this dynamic outfit.

Hello Circonflex. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. To start, please let everyone know where you’re from and based currently?

Hello! I am based in Montreal, Canada! But Circonflex also has offices in Toronto and Paris (France!). We speak French, English, and….a bit of Latin!

When you close your eyes and imagine the vision of your new project called Lorem ipsong, what do you see?

We actually wrote this during the pandemic. Our vision was to put a smile on people’s faces during such a difficult time. We thought, music IS a universal language, and these lorem ipsum lyrics are non-specific, so everyone can dance!
Also, I like to imagine songwriters starting to use the Lorem Ipsum lyrics to help them to find a new topline. It helps designers to structure their graphic design, so why can’t these lyrics help composers structure their melodies?

Have you found the live music scene in your local area feels back to normal again?

Pretty much! It’s so great to see people getting together again. I can’t wait to walk into a venue where a band is actually playing a Lorem Ipsong cover!

How would you describe your sound to a complete stranger?
Our sound can vary quite a bit – really it is anything YOU want. We pride ourselves in writing orginal (bespoke) music that resonates. We also do audio branding: so we are known to discover the sound you’ve been searching for.

Your new song is super funky and certainly gets my feet tapping. Do you love making tracks that get the party started?
Absolutely! Have you tried memorizing the rap part? Challenge accepted?

Which musicians in the world inspire you the most?
You know, there are so many great musicians! It’s hard answer this question honestly. But these days, my favorite songwriter is Cicero – who actually wrote the lyrics of Lorem Ipsong in 45 BC!

Do you have anything lined up gig-wise in 2023 and where can we find you?
Hopefully writing more tracks that people love! We made Lorem Ipsum sound amazing – imagine what else we can do!
Which makes me think – maybe we should try and remix the song? Or is there anyone out there who’d like to give it a try?
The stems are available right here: www.circonflex.com/lorem!

–

Find this facinating outfit on Spotify.

View their website for more.

Interview by Llewelyn Screen

London-based band Bastien open up the door to their debut release inside that ‘Empty House’

Posted on 23 June 2022

Bringing us a true story about how songwriter Seb has moved out from that darkly lit social anxiety ridden feeling, Bastien are in a confident mood to show us what it’s really like on their first single, ‘Empty House‘.

Bastien is a 4-piece London, UK-based indie rock band who makes that nostalgic sound to take you back into a better time.

”Formed one week prior to the first national lockdown, Bastien have been through a lot for such a new band. They spent their first year writing remotely, swapping ideas over email as they worked out their common influences and inspirations.” ~ Bastien

Displaying impressive poise and giving us an inside look where others will keep locked until it’s too late, Bastien delve into a subject that is often misunderstood or swept under the carpet. The aura is mellow here and sends you into a thoughtful place, that will have you calling up that friend you haven’t heard from for a while.

“Sometimes you don’t want to think about how terrifying life used to seem when things are going ok, but I felt it was important to take stock of how my life used to look–small and scary–and compare it to how it is now–wider and more positive.” ~ Bastien

‘Empty House‘ from London, UK-based indie rock band Bastien is such a sincere song that leads you into that psyche of not wanting to come to your home alone, but knowing that you need to venture outside. Feeling like time is just turning with no results, this is a song that will have you feeling rather contemplative as you wonder where the key is to break out of this never ending dream.

Sometimes you just need to express your feelings, so you can be free again, like a bird out of that cage.

See the first single on YouTube and see how the band develops on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Thank God In The Morning: UK rapper THE MiiRACLE YV gives genuine thanks on ‘Hopeful’

Posted on 13 November 2021

As he looks up to the beautiful blue sky above and shows his immense appreciation for still being alive, THE MiiRACLE YV shows us that he will always stay honest and never live the life that so many have unwisely created on ‘Hopeful‘.

MiiRACLE YV is a highly motivated and brand new UK-based indie rapper who has kept his exact location hidden for now.

There is much to like about such a talented rapper who truly knows that he isn’t a saint, but is a good soul nonetheless. He flows like a man who is ready to really make an impact – and to inspire the youth – to avoid those pressured potholes that can take you down forever if you stumble into them.

On a catchy beat that has been made with a real purpose – this is a tremendous experience to wake up so many sleepy ears – who need a dose of real truth to help them shine authentically again. There are other options than taking the easy route after all.

‘Hopeful‘ from the UK indie hip-hop artist MiiRACLE YV, shows us a creative artist on a mission to get to where he knows he needs to be. With so many temptation-filled streets calling his name – he knows that to look in the mirror without shame each time he brushes his teeth – keeping himself accountable for his actions is the smart way to live.

This is the type of track to play when you need to feel some extra inspiration again, to keep on going on your path until those gold-tinted treasures are shiny and rightly in your glowing hands.

Check out this new single on his Spotify and get a sense of what comes next on the IG visuals.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

That Late Night Cruise: Wheel drives through the temptation-filled streets on ‘Numeral’

Posted on 7 November 2021

Returning with a hypnotizing new single to show us into the quick-moving streets, Wheel turns the engine on to move us into a night-filled sky that has so much opportunity inside it on ‘Numeral‘.

Wheel is alias of the well-known Swedish electronic music producer and artist Ricard Magnusson. He makes a magnetic blend of ear-glowing sounds that washes away all those pesky self-doubts.

”He has made music for adverts (Swedish supercar manufacturer Koenigsegg among others), done remix work for high-profile artists like Barry Adamson, and also produces his own material.” ~ Wheel

Gushing with quality like a tap which is overflowing with fresh water, this is a tremendously intriging track from a highly skilled producer. Featuring a fueled-up single that is sizzling with rubber spinning electricity, you feel like you are in a Fast and the Furious movie with Vin Diesel and ready for any adventure that awaits.

‘Numeral‘ from the classy Swedish music producer Wheel, is a midnight cruise single for when you are speeding into those temptation-packed streets – which can either bring you back in tune for where you need to go – or tempt you onto a path which you should rather avoid altogether. The beat is rather mysterious and you feel like you need to head outside, to remind yourself of what is truly out there if you look deeply enough for the answers.

Check out this new single on Spotify and see more via the IG music page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Oklahoma Rap/Rock artist 3Mind Blight smashes through the speakers with ‘’Breaking Down’’

Posted on 15 May 2020

‘3Mind Blight’- also the frontman for Alt Rock band DeadEyeChokeHold- is back with his breakthrough single and makes a big point with this effort. With a heavy start, you know he means business here after a short break from the music game. 

Blending Rap, Metal and Rock, ‘3Mind Blight’ doesn’t fit into any specific box which is refreshing to see, as there are so many bands and solo acts that sound the same in this genre. With stomping beats, this is a powerful song that is surely destined for major attention.

Going full pace through barriers is a hard thing to do and I feel like ‘’Breaking Down’’ does that all the way and pulls it off with a massive jack-hammer to your face. The real genius in this track is when he slows things down and I wish this song had more of this build up. Nevertheless, this is a strong effort for the full 2 minutes, 26 seconds.

If you like RapCore then this one is definitely for you as long as your speakers are up to scratch. I would sound-proof the room for this and look out for more from this creative artist in 2020.

Stream more from 3Mind Blight here on SoundCloud.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen