Browsing Tag

Portishead

Chords of Eve bring in the future of psych-pop with their intimately ambient single ‘Butterfly Machine’

Posted on 10 February 2021

Psychedelia comes in a spectacular array of guises, making the genre less about the sound and more about the sensation, under Chords of Eve’s nuanced prowess, it’s a meditative foray into electronically-crafted ambience complete with vivid sci-fi imagery.

The delicately inviting vocals meld into breath-arresting synth-led progressions, and despite the sonic quality of the soundscape, there’s a magnetic sense of intimacy which allows you to follow suit and feel without pretence as you listen.

Chords of Eve may have only been conceived in 2019, but the American multi-instrumentalist, Atlas Cage, is already making massive waves with their unique fusion of alt-electro-pop and trip hop.

Butterfly Machine is available to stream via Spotify.

Follow Chords of Eve to stay up to date with news of the forthcoming LP of the same title which is due for release in Summer 2021.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

apatternimperfect – Entrance: Disqueitly Ambient Alt Eltronica

Posted on 14 January 2021

Give your Portishead records a rest and delve into the ethereal tones in Alt Electronic Rock artist, apatternimperfect’s, standout single ‘Entrance’.

With a Post-Punk style prelude, Entrance starts to unravel to the tune of cavernously haunted vocals and trepidation-laden beats. The deftly-placed static amplifies the disquiet energy of the release as it builds to a climax of jarring buzzsaw riffs to mesmerisingly hypnotic effect.

apatternimperfect is the latest creative project by English producer, composer and songwriter, Rob Wacey. After honing-in on his talent in a myriad of successful bands, he put his accumulated talent to work, orchestrating deeply emotional tracks which offer a cathartic formula of ambience, pulsating rhythms and haunting vocals.

You can check out apatternimperfect’s single Entrance for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Le’lani brings evocative obscurity to Pop with “Can’t Wait 4 U”

Posted on 2 November 2020

Musician and performance artist Le’lani is acclaimed as a paragon of performativity in LA. Her latest solo single “Can’t Wait 4 U” is provocative enough to make her name internationally recognisable.

The track kicks off with beats which bring an enticing level of anticipation and energy while you’re treated to a recording of doubt-laden introspection. After a tantalizing instrumental segment, Le’lani’s hypnotically alluring vocals finally breeze into the mix and bring a sense of tranquillity to the soundscape. Any fans of Portishead definitely won’t want to let this release pass them by.

You can check out Can’t Wait 4 U which was released on October 16th for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

With an EP due to drop in 2021, you’ll definitely want Le’lani on your radar.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Temperature Falls revived the Alt 90s sound with their Trip Hop track “Cut the Wire”

Posted on 30 October 2020

Temperature Falls’ 2020 single “Cut the Wire” is an Alt 90s dream wrapped up in an Urban Pop earworm.

If the tantalising tones as used by the likes of the Deftones send your synapses into overdrive, you’ll find the very same spark in Cut the Wire which oozes with feminine sensuality. There may be reminiscences to the likes of Portishead, but the modernity, the hunger, and the sheer level of contemporarily-contorted emotion will ensure that Cut the Wire sticks with you long after it has faded out.

The Oslo-based Alt Trip Hop duo offers more than just ingenuity or a fresh new sound. They achieve what so few bands do, they reignite rhythmic nostalgia while leaving you transfixed by their own signature sound.

You can check out Cut the Wire for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Toronto’s The Silk Demise stalk in with seductively haunting single ‘’Professor’s Lake’’

Posted on 22 May 2020

Wrapped in a promise, under stars. I set our feet as we melt in the dark.

Founded in 2006, this is the ultimately dark ambient electronic, trip-hop, and chillout music for the soul- to be enjoyed with the lights ideally off. 

‘The Silk Demise’ are highly influenced by trip-hop legends Massive Attack and Portishead and they expertly conjure their own smooth brand of the genre, relying on samples, synths, and melodic drones. Their music is a bit scary but enjoyable and this is a quality outfit.

Let’s enjoy this top act from Toronto, Canada and hope for more quality release while they create that one massive hit to propel them to the front of the queue. 

Stream more from ‘The Silk Demise’ here on YouTube.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

New Folk Trip-Pop artist From Venus makes us all hot with beautiful ‘’Fire’’ single

Posted on 22 May 2020

Oh won’t you please come back to life. Many of us wish for this to happen but sadly it isn’t possible most of the time.

‘From Venus’ is very new in the music scene with only a few songs out. This is a very good song from this soulful artist. A solo musician, who likes being mysterious with her music story. All will be revealed soon if she carries on in this form. 

This is a sad story about a friend and her spiritual journey. I look forward to finding out more about her and what inspires her music. ‘From Venus’ has a promising career, her voice is alluring and is clearly very good lyrically. 2020 hasn’t been such a bad year after all, with fantastic music like this to enjoy.

Hear more from this fantastic new act on her Spotify page.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Get Naked with Katie Bates

Posted on 24 November 2017

If you remove the urgency out of the modern dance floor template, slow things down and chill things out and replace it with a rolling and hypnotic groove yet retain a sultry grace and understatement you arrive at a musical place where Katie Bates’ Naked is the leader of the pack. Employing the same downtempo minimalism as the likes of such alt-dance pioneers Portishead or Massive Attack, this is a sassy and sashaying piece of music, one which thinks very differently from the by-numbers pop and dance set which it will find itself competing with.

Aloofness, elegance and charm are threaded through shimmering beats, plaintive electronica washes through vocal delicacy, dance floor culture is turned into smoke and anagrams and dream-pop vibes soak into a wholly new sensual and understated EDM sound. It wanders the fringes of so many musical styles it is difficult to pin down, but rather than being a detraction it is actually its strongest selling point.

Abigail’s ‘Perfect Storm’ is a true cocktail of pop and electronica

Posted on 31 August 2017
https://youtu.be/drUSI15AbOk

Abigail is a singer and songwriter with a distinctive voice and a very special production approach.

Her new single release is mellow, yet somewhat dark and haunting, echoing the work of artists like Portishead or Tori Amos, but with more energy. The beat has an amazing impact and a unique punch, while the beautiful layers of vocals really allow the song to stand out and reach an amazing depth.

The song opens up with a really great chorus, where Abigail managed to unleash an insane vocal hooks, rising the volume and intensity of her singing, only to take it softer again in the verses. The wide range of this singer’s voice is amazing: in the verses, she can create a smooth, warm tone, while in the courses, she manages to cut through the mix seamlessly, with control and grit, while remaining melodic and appealing. The bridge is also memorable, with a sparse beat and some cool vocals on the forefront.

This song is a true cocktail of pop and electronica, but with the energy of rock.

A&R Factory Present: Faces On TV

Posted on 16 June 2016

Faces On TV is youngest project of Jasper Maekelberg. As an incredibly talented and charismatic leading vocalist he is also part of Yuko and Amongster, has worked as an engineer/producer for artists such as Gabriel Rios, Mintzkov, Nordmann and Soldier’s Heart, but is a gifted singer/songwriter to start with. His untainted, styled and groovy songs, which can be said to have common grounds with Beck, Eels and Gorillaz are a proof of vision and a personal musical identity.

In 2014 the band reached the finals of De Nieuwe Lichting 2014 thanks to a selection by Jef Neve. Early 2015 they released their first single “Run Against The Stream”, which was played by Studio Brussels, Radio 1 and FM Brussel. Max Colombie called the song one of his top Belgian tracks, and Humo described it as an outstanding debut single, like driving on full speed with the handbrake up. The track peaked the list of most popular songs on 22Tracks for weeks.

In the meantime Faces On TV played some of Belgium’s finest stages including AB, Vooruit, Trix, Muziekodroom en Boomtown and supported Balthazar, Team William and Douglas Fir. They are now fully focussing on their debut album, to be released with the power of WasteMyRecords!