Browsing Tag

post-punk

Free yourself from end of days anxiety with Movment’s alt post-punk single, The Light Goes Out

Posted on 5 December 2023

The Light Goes Out is the fourth single to creep out of the darkness of the third album, REINVENTION, from the alt post-punk outfit, Movment. If you have been waiting for humanity’s final curtain to fall in a state of perpetual fear, slip into the enticing ethos of the release which compels you not to sit idly by waiting to surrender to our collective fate.

The engorging atmospherics, pulsating darkwave synths, sirening guitar lines and the commanding assertion in the gravelly post-punk-to-the-bone vocal lines make a compelling argument on why you should live your life undogged by end of days anxiety. Movment reached the pinnacle of cheerful nihilism with The Light Goes Out, which ties into the overarching theme of the LP, which came to life at End of Light Studios in Ireland, as a courtesy of Alex Borwick (mixing), and Jerome Schmitt (mastering).

The Light Goes Out was officially released on November 24; stream the official music video on YouTube.

The REINVENTION LP is now available to stream and purchase via Bandcamp. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Captain Birthday and the Undertaker seduced Lady Luck with the subversive sonics in ‘Scratch Ticket’

Posted on 1 December 2023

Scratch Ticket by Captain Birthday and the Undertaker is an audaciously infectious track that defies conventional rock iconography with its inventive fusion of genres and wildcard thematic lyricism. Just as scratch tickets symbolise unpredictability, this song embodies that same quality through its musical composition. It’s not often that the worlds of gambling and rock n’ roll intersect in such a literal sense, but this duo has taken the challenge head-on, spinning the concept into an auditory spectacle.

From the nostalgia of surf rock to pivots of electrifying rock riffs which cut through the mix, commanding attention with their raw energy to the embracing of atmospheric post-punk tension, Scratch Ticket, from the band’s eponymous debut EP, delivers all that and more to ensure each transition resonates like a new scene in a play; an unveiling of a different mask worn by the same enigmatic character.

At the heart of this song is the chemistry between Jean-Michel Letalon and Andrew Vogts, who are the creative engines behind Captain Birthday and The Undertaker. Letalon, with his rock opera sensibilities and a vocal style reminiscent of the early 2000s New York City rock scene, delivers lyrics with an intriguing blend of drama and nonchalance. Vogts, “The Undertaker,” brings his classical music expertise into the realm of hard rock with electric violin arrangements that add a layer of sophistication to the track.

Scratch Ticket becomes a metaphor for the band’s journey — a gamble on the fusion of their varied influences, betting on the listener’s willingness to embrace the unexpected. The result is a song that’s both a tribute to rock’s past and a bold step into its future.

Stream Scratch Ticket with the rest of Captain Birthday and the Undertaker’s EP via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

FloatLikeCandy moved post-punk to the left(field) with ‘The Girl & the Peacemaker’

Posted on 13 November 2023

To sear the post-punk genre with their own brand of authenticity, FloatLikeCandy, scuzzed and fuzzed their latest single, The Girl & the Peacemaker up to the nth degree. As the basslines growl, the garage-y guitars swagger and shimmer through the progressions as the drawling with deadpan conviction spoken-word vocals work to ensnare fans of Nick Cave and Swans.

Far from your ordinary allegory, The Girl & the Peacemaker depicts a dark and murky tale of the grim sadness of war, the death of innocence and the gaslighting tendencies of politicians and warmongers as they win public favour as blood spills. With the ongoing conflict in Gaza, The Girl & The Peacemaker is a tragically timely release that signifies the importance of keeping experimental truth-sayers on your radar.

Stream The Girl & the Peacemaker on SoundCloud and follow FloatLikeCandy on Facebook to be the first to know when the rest of the EP drops.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Forgotten Tides have debuted their disarmingly compassionate post-punk-wrapped rock hit, Dark Thoughts

Posted on 12 November 2023

For their sophomore single, Dark Thoughts, the up-and-coming melodic rock trailblazers who came together to forge Forgotten Tides sharpened their instrumental and vocal hooks to ensure no one who becomes witness to the resonant reflections in the lyricism would come away unscathed from their ingenuity.

With atmospheric layers of post-punk draped over the stellar production, there’s a chill in the angular guitar lines, but there’s enough tonal dynamism and soul within the track to keep you warm as you’re enveloped by the compassion extended through the promise that as dark as days get, there will always be someone there to share their light.

From the first hit of Dark Thoughts came the affirmation that my mind will be continually turned back to the cogency and consolation from the alchemically innovative release which ended 2023 on a high note for the Aberdeen-hailing four-piece.

Forgotten Tides said:

“This rocky yet heartfelt song is a poignant reminder for anyone battling the shadows of depression. It gently whispers the comforting truth that, even in the darkest moments, there’s an unwavering circle of friends and family ready to embrace and uplift you. Dive into its soothing melodies and let the warmth of its message envelop your soul.”

Dark Thoughts was officially released on October 24; stream it on Spotify & YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Cayo Coco – Haunt: Hyper Dream Pop Meets Palpitatingly Paced New Wave and Post-Punk Indie

Posted on 7 November 2023

Hyper dream pop meets palpitatingly paced new wave indie and post-punk in the latest single, Haunt, from one of Indiana’s most prodigal sonic protagonists, Lumen Loraine, who has already garnered millions of streams to date, featured on several editorial Spotify playlists and appeared on Pharrell’s devoutly followed Apple Music Podcast, OTHERtone.

As jarring as it initially seems for those tones to blast past you at warp speed instead of being enveloped in the kaleidoscopic choral and reverb-swathed textures which spill from drawn-out progressions, once you grow accustomed to Cayo Coco’s electrifying frantic energy which efficaciously contextualises the need to outrun your demons, you’ll see that they have exactly what it takes to stand at the vanguard of the evolution of indie.

The official music video for Haunt, which premiered on October 18th is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Oxford singer-songwriter Emma Hunter brought Latino Post-Punk to UK shores in her artfully augmented single, Guilty

Posted on 29 October 2023

If Iggy Pop is the Passenger, the Oxford singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist Emma Hunter is the driver in her biggest single and battle of conscience to date, Guilty, which hit the airwaves on September 29.

With her artful sonic signature scribed through her Flamenco guitars augmented with a brashy and garagey high-octane post-punk energy that will ensnare fans of Siouxsie Soux and Debbie Harry, this guilt-riddled and demon-parading evolution is a far cry from her former releases which reach the epitome of affectingly arresting.

Hunter’s new-found strident approach to enticing listeners into her conceptually cunning creativity will undoubtedly put her on the right trajectory towards the reverence she’s deserved from the outset. As much as the industry maintains that it favours authenticity and talent, her absence from the charts is a damning testament to their appetite for melodic monotony.

Stream Guilty via YouTube and Spotify and keep up to date with Emma Hunter’s new music via Facebook and Instagram. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Diablofurs’ Vampires of Rome will sink its teeth into the heart of any power pop fans.

Posted on 21 October 2023

Imagine Sonic Youth came to fame on this side of the Atlantic, they displaced their distorted guitars with analogue synths, and punky power pop ran in the veins of Goo, and you will get an idea of what Diablofurs consummately concocted with the lead single, Vampires of Rome, from their forthcoming album, Welcome to the City of Fun.

The deeply affecting atmosphere in the verses of Vampires of Rome, which holds an alchemic candle to Echo and the Bunnymen, makes the crescendos even more sonically transcendent to experience. While just about anything with a hook gets labelled as an earworm in these lazy days of music journalism, the infectious appeal of Vampires of Rome is far too intoxicating to experience once. From the first shoegazey rings of euphonic bliss from the guitars in the intro to the Teenage Kicks-y energy when the track reaches its momentum, the nostalgic sense of fabled romanticism will sucker diehard romantics and those whose souls haven’t been stirred viscerally since the 80s.

After receiving critical acclaim from Vive Le Rock, being lauded and spun by 6 Music and BBC Introducing and performing unforgettable shows at Rebellion, the Nottingham-based outfit is set to take the scene by storm with their sophomore release.

Pre-order the sophomore LP, which is due for official release on October 27, from Rough Trade and ensure it sells out as fast as the debut album.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

It’s all about the instrumental and mental breakdowns in Jeff from Work’s shoegazey grunge rap hit, Stand Up

Posted on 19 October 2023

Imagine the Beastie Boys augmenting their sound with the anthemics of Nirvana and accentuating the intricacies of the melodies with elements of post-punk, and you’ll almost envision the snarky sharp alchemy which bursts through every (instrumental and mental) breakdown in Jeff from Work’s seminal single, Stand Up, which also forcefully feeds nuances of the Smashing Pumpkins and Joy Division.

Taken from their concept LP, Overtime, which chronicles the oddities of the human experience through the eyes of Jeff, a ready-to-break slave to the rat race, the single is an exhilarant manifestation of rage, corporate disdain, shoegaze etherealism, and pure juggernautical experimentalism.

Their schtick starts to make all the more sense upon learning that the band formed after meeting at an LA ad agency and discovering they had more in common than their workplace angst. It’s an unlikely aural antihero story, but we’re here from it. They have exactly what it takes to become one of the biggest icons of the alternative scene in 2024.

Stream Overtime with the rest of the debut LP which dropped on October 5th on SoundCloud and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

djamesk13 lit a beacon to the outliers in the Lynchian post-punk atmosphere of his latest single, The Left-Over Piece of the Puzzle

Posted on 17 October 2023

If djamesk13 wasn’t a solo artist, you’d be forgiven for wondering if Paul Banks had added a new project to his legacy. With echoes of the early Interpol records lingering in the guitar’s reverb entwined with an atmosphere which could only be described as Lynchian, the latest single, The Left-Over Piece of the Puzzle, is an alluring pool of tonal and textural mesmerism.

When you’re not busy being consumed by the artful effects applied to the post-punk nuances, you will find the time to find the melancholic beauty in the release. While some people lament because a piece of them of missing, others are alienated by the unshakable feeling that there’s no place where they can fit in and feel at home.  This one is for anyone who has felt a kinship with Camus.

The Left-Over Piece of the Puzzle was officially released on October 8th; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pomaa – Wide Eyed: Painfully Sober, Sonically Celestial Indie Dream Pop

Posted on 11 October 2023

With a transfixingly astral vocal register layering harmonies over the retro reverb-swathed synths, Pomaa’s latest single, Wide Eyed, bridges the gap between Siouxsie and the Banshees and cutting-edge outfits in the vein of Wolf Alice and Desperate Journalist while allowing you to linger in a kaleidoscope of dreamy psych-pop tones.

From the first immersion, the artist’s unique talents in blending the spirit of her own hypnotically authentic expression with the mixer of era-spanning signatures from shoegaze, post-punk, psych, pop and indie to pour the perfect sonic mocktail becomes immediately apparent.

Through Wide Eyed, Pomaa narrates the isolation of being the only sober person at a party; starved of connection and wracked with unshakable sensations which embed the loneliness of growing at a different pace to everyone around you.

Wide Eyed will be available to stream on all major platforms from October 11; stream it on Spotify & SoundCloud. If you like what you hear, stay tuned for the release of her debut EP, Bridge to Somewhere, which will drop on November 15.

Review by Amelia Vandergast