Pinkultrashinykiddypooldreams

Russian shoegazers Pinkshinyultrablast are back in the swirlpool with new track 'Kiddy Pool Dream'. There is a math rock freneticism at play under the surface here that I find quite interesting, keen to see if this swells into the foreground more on their new releases ( the single will be out on a multicoloured 10" through Club AC30 in October - preorder here). Also the title is pretty great - it marries well with the lost-in-a-luminous-subterranean-cavern vocals, shimmering synth sparks and jangling spike of a guitar that permeate the song when the distorted curtain parts - and it evokes a weirdly nostalgic warmth to proceedings. And when that wall of noise comes back in force in the last minute, it plays out like a Sigur Ros/And So I Watched You From Afar hybrid - something I never thought could possibly be conceived, let along coexist - but these guys are doing something alchemical here.




Pinkshinyultrablast are in the UK late September for the Liverpool Psych Fest and will do a brace of shows on the island. They hit London's XOYO October 6.

I'm Totally Mild

I mentioned earlier today And So I Watch You From Afar, and how the discovery of one track on the internet led to checking them out in a so-so musical establishment in Kilburn, London, and becoming an instant fan. Another is to walk in off the street to find something that really rocks your boat. Totally Mild was that band for me on Sunday night. Bizarrely hungry for more music after two days of ATP in Melbourne (and seeing Einsturzende Neubaten close things out), I travelled into Collingwood to Bar Open. Maybe it was the beers, the slight pretense of air conditioning, the comfy chairs – but the Melbourne four piece really impressed in their own shambolic way. It’s Liz Mitchell’s baby (she of Tequila Mockingbirds fame), alongside ex-TM drummer Zac, Lehmann B Smith (Kes Band, as well as his mightily prolific solo material – I brought him up to Brisbane earlier this month for a show opposite Seaplane and Ultra Material) and Yuko Kono. It shuffles between shoegazing (as in the gazing at shoes), tweeing, laconicisms and sudden bursts of melancholic rock. Is that a true indicator of what they sound like? Of course not. But I was shitfaced. And they WERE awesome. Promise?

Here are some old tracks. Hunt them down. They are worthy.

And So All Hail Bright Futures From Afar

One of the small UK bands that blew me away in my few years there was the utterly insane instrumental band And So I Watch You From Afar. First show was at the Good Ship in Kilburn, which would go down as first of only two good shows I ever saw there (the other gig I don’t remember, to be honest, although there was an Israeli garage band there once that slayed – again, can’t tell you their name…) I heard a track off what would become their debut self-titled record and dragged SM co-founder Paul to it – suffice to say we came away sweating blood and grinning maniacally. I went on to see them a number of times, supporting This Will Destroy You in Camden and a headlining show (I wanna say at the Lexington, but I'm not sure – man, I'm fuzzy today…), and their two records (Gangs came out in 2011) are strong, visceral slabs of aggressive, frenetic rock that nevertheless has its tongue grafted into the middle of its cheek.

Come 2013 and the Belfast trio are looking to make the biggest impact yet. Signing to Sargent House (which makes sense, seeing as likeminded noiseniks Fang Island and Adebisi Shank are on the roster) and are pushing their third LP, appropriately titled All Hail Bright Futures. Below are the first two tastes off the album. I will admit that these tunes don’t grab me by the scruff of the neck and throttle me with glee like they have in the past, but there is a buoyancy inherent in these tracks, because or even despite of the disparity in noise, that will have punters lathered up for the album’s release in exactly a month’s time today (it must be noted that these are new tracks without fiery guitarist Tony Wright, who left over twelve months ago to push a solo career…he was a true focal point of their live performances, so his darker yet mirthful performances may be the reason for the shift in tone). There’s nothing wrong with a sunnier disposition – as long as that vitality isn’t lost in the mix.



They haven’t relented on the gigs either, closing on 500 in total (which is an average of 2 shows a week since they started five years ago – heady stuff), and with stand-in guitarist Niall Kennedy in tow, the band are preparing an European assault come April – check below for where to catch them.

 Pre-order All Hail Bright Futures here.


 

Apr 02, 2013 - Winterthur, Switzerland @ Gaswerk
Apr 03, 2013 - Modena, Italy @ La Tenda
Apr 04, 2013 - Rome, Italy @ Traffic Club
Apr 05, 2013 - Conegliano, Italy @ Appartamento Hoffman
Apr 06, 2013 - Vienna, Austria @ Flex
Apr 07, 2013 - Munich, Germany @ Strom
Apr 08, 2013 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ MelkWeg
Apr 09, 2013 - Berlin, Germany @ Lido
Apr 10, 2013 - Hamburg, Germany@ HafenKlang
Apr 11, 2013 - Luxembourg, Luxembourg @ Kulturfabrik
Apr 12, 2013 - Koln, Germany @ Gebauede 9
Apr 13, 2013 - Hasselt, Belgium @ Muziekodroom
Apr 15, 2013 - Paris, France @ La Maroquinerie
Apr 16, 2013 - London, UK @ Garage
Apr 17, 2013 - Bristol, UK @ The Thekla
Apr 18, 2013 - Birmingham, UK @ HMV Institute (Temple and Library)
Apr 19, 2013 - Glasgow, SL, UK @ O2 ABC
Apr 20, 2013 - Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy 3

In The Glow Of Arbor Lights

Arbor Lights are an instrumental four-piece from Birmingham, England. They brought out a five track self titled EP (with great cover arearlier in the year which is pretty good, with some real cracks in their opening and closing tracks. There are elements of And So I Watch You From Afar, some Explosions In The Sky, and the young quartet pull it all off.


You can grab Arbor Lights here.

Arbor Lights - El Aborlito
Arbor Lights - Codat)

Two EPs That Slipped Through The Net - Avalanche Ammo/Mittenfields

It has been a hectic few weeks for me, juggling a myriad jobs and responsibilities with varying degrees of success. Sometimes I kept all the balls up in the air, but occasionally I grass a couple. So today, Im embarking on making amends to a few parties who have waited patiently for me to get my act together - starting with the next two acts.

First up is Anthony Boland, or as he'd preferably be known, Avalanche Ammo. The Irish maestro has, in his 4 track EP Animals, showcased a wild flourish of math-rock instrumental prowess that is incredible considering that the breadth and strength of sound coming out of the speakers could be a fully-blown band with years of innate experience. Boland realises that sometimes the strength in these tracks is not length but brevity, delivered in frenetic, incisive stabs at the eardrums. Its all well realised and, when you consider other bands such as And So I Watch You From Afar, bodes well for the future of exciting and groundbreaking instrumental rock from the Emerald Isle.

Avalanche Ammo - Pony Up
Avalanche Ammo - Owl Speak


Mittenfields have been on my radar even longer than Avalanche Ammo, seeing as I received their debut EP The Fresh Sum before its release date back in July. The Washington indie act scratch at the surface of paranoiac rock a la Modest Mouse, yet with broader, more grandiose brush strokes. They have piqued the interest of others such as The Dismemberment Plan, which is always a nice leg up, yet if the strength of opening track 'Mixed Signals (On The Rocks)' is any indication, they are doing enough on their own to do well.

Mittenfields - Mixed Signals (On The Rocks)

There will be a few more posts this week (Im looking at you, Battle Avenue, Psych Tigers and Silver Wren) - I hope these make amends. And for the rest of you - what are you waiting for? Have at it!

And So I Watch Gangs From Afar

Belfast’s And So I Watch You From Afar have been firmly entrenched in Sonic Masala territory ever since we inadvertently caught them at Kilburn's The Good Ship back in May 2009. They are undeniably one of the best live acts in the UK - nay, the WORLD. Since then they have continued to destroy both live and in recorded formats (if you havent got their self titled debut LP - you need to rectify that situation unless you want to spontaneously combust - we can do that to you, you know...), appearing at SXSW, Eurosonic, Electric Picnic, Novarock, Canadian Music Fest, Popkomm, Pukkelpop, Sonisphere, as well as tour dates in Europe, North America, Russia and a support slot for rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures. In between, the band were nominated for a Choice Music Prize for Irish Album Of The Year and XFM’s New Music Album Of The Year, released The Letters EP in February 2010 and a stop-gap tour single ‘Straight Through The Sun’ in November 2010.

And STILL they cant stop, as here comes their sophomore effort, Gangs. As can be expected, Gangs is the band’s most cohesive record, a 44 minute, eight song unyielding document of the band’s last two years playing together told through ironclad guitar riffs and colossal yet increasingly subtle rhythms. It is this beautiful juxtaposition between destruction and rhythm co-existing that makes these melodic gems so entrancing. Its genuinely exciting music, and you cant help but jump in the air in triumph over the fact of these songs are in actual existence, not just tunes in your head that you wished someone would create. It’s a celebratory record, one which fittingly culminates in a samba outro on the album’s final song ‘Lifeproof’ which layers up many takes of percussion played by the band in the studio until a carnival atmosphere is created, whistles and all. The heart of Gangs is a section entitled Homes: ‘Ghost Parlor KA-6 to Samara to Belfast’ which spans tracks six and seven. It’s a near 10 minute epic which taps into the emotions of returning to familiar places and visiting new ones for the very first time.

Guitarist Rory explains: “It’s a cheesy thought but we wanted to capture our journey through touring: seeing so many different things, unexpected happenings, sudden changes and then a homecoming. The end of that tune sums up the relief and elation of coming back into Belfast and getting to see our friends and family again.

Then there is the choice of the album's title too. “In the same vein, everything we’ve done, places we’ve played all, people we’ve met, all circulate around these pockets of people, pockets of scenes and pockets of culture. These gangs of people who emanate from everywhere. It’s that DIY / The Clash / Black Flag sort of thing that our band is like a gang sometimes.”


Gangs will be out on Richter Collective on May 2nd. As for dates, they are playing their biggest London headlining show the day after, May 3rd, at Scala. Its times like these I still wish I was in the UK...

ASIWYFA - Search:Party:Animal

Envious Of The Dark

I mentioned last week that And So I Watched You From Afar finished off the year in the US supporting Envy on a string of Stateside shows. And although Recitation has been out for a while, I thought it rated a mention, as well as a small discussion on Envy itself.

If you havent had the pleasure of hearing Envy before, then when you do it is likely to be something of a shock. There is no easy way to define this Japanese act - they are not Post-Rock really, due to Tetsuya Fukagawa's rasping screams and balls to the wall fury of noise; yet they are not Hardcore, as much of their sound (and Fukagawa's spoken word moments) is orchestral in scope somewhat like their brethren, Mono. Instead they traverse the uneasy territory between the two, creating music that is as beautiful as it is dark and terrifying - and yet somehow it works, really really well. Think of the Japanese heavyweights - the aforementioned Mono, or Boris - and Envy eclipse them in their visceral energy, yet match them in elegance. Never has darkness and light been straddled so openly, and with the ultimate of respect. The screamo style vocals can upset some - those used to singing as opposed to screaming I guess - and it is jarring at first, especially as its in Japanese therefore more indecipherable than usual. But it is a part of the whole, and once you accept that, it is an exhilarating ride these guys take you on...

Recitation, Envy's sixth full length album, opens even more elegantly than usual, thus lulling you into a gentle repose before 'Last Hours of Eternity' implodes in a white ball of fury. 'Rain Clouds Running In A Holy Night' is a more traditional Envy tune, being 8 minutes long and incorporating all that Ive previously mentioned, but also there is an element of bewilderment when the strains of 'The First Noel' are used in the quieter moments... And again there are some lightning quick tracks, like 'Your Hand' and 'Incomplete' - but these tracks work as quiet, emotive maelstroms, not the brutal physical kind. Recitation both adheres to and plays with the conventions that they have created as the Envy sound - a punk band with the requisite energy and zeal, but steeped in the moody atmospherics of creating orchestral walls of noise. Im not sure if this surpasses any of their previous releases - but it is pretty fucking awesome nonetheless.

As per usual, Recitation is out now on Mogwai's Rock Action Records.

Envy - Rain Clouds Running In A Holy Night

Oblivious To The Sun

Irish sonic madmen And So I Watch You From Afar have had a bustling 2010, what with their fantastic Letters EP (which I criminally left out of my fave EPs for the year), support slots with the likes of Them Crooked Vultures and Japanese roarers Envy, and now this single release, Straight Through The Sun Without A Scratch. I really loved their self-titled album of 2009, and the Letters EP delivered on the promise. The new one takes their aggressive propulsive post rock one step to the left, with introspection and nuance added to the already heady mix. What you're left with is 'Straight Through The Sun', a more typical ASIWYFA track that is as fun as it is frenetic (their staple song structure - it even reminded me a bit of what London duo Friendship do at times). The B side, 'Without A Fucking Scratch', is just as enthralling, opening up with a meditative roll forward that harkens to latter-day Mogwai, before tearing the world asunder halfway through.

Purchase Straight Through The Sun Without A Scratch from Smalltown America Records here. The boys are opening up 2011 by touring Russia...

And So I Watch You From Afar - Straight Through The Sun

Sinking The Talons In

Talons arent that new - they've been around since 2008, and they are an reincarnation of a former outfit - but their sound is incredibly fresh. Not in that poppier than thou, high production values, "we'll change the world" kinda fresh either - this is some dense, intricate, manic shit. This is energised instrumental math rock (with violins!) - and it comes from a large young collective based in Hereford! Whats more, after floating around the scene for a bit, they are dropping their debut LP Hollow Realm (via Big Scary Monsters) this month. This is a huge release. Dont believe me? Try on first cut from the album, 'Peter Pan', below. There are echoes of Mars Volta in the opening volleys, plus the intense and insane caterwauls of Irish mad bastards And So I Watch You From Afar as the song intensifies. Whats more, this is amazingly polished - in part due to their producer, Forward Russia!'s Tom Woodhead. This has already raced up the list as not only one of the best new band releases of the year, but one of the best UK releases of the year. Make sure you get a hold of it as soon as its been forced into its circular waxy form, stat!

And if you want to catch them live, they are launching Hollow Realm at the Amersham Arms this Saturday, before they continue on for a November England tour.

Talons - Peter Pan

Making Friends From Enemies

Enemies. We all have em, whether we like it or not. Mine has to be the 60 year old lady two blocks away who always hits my shins with her stroller, takes the red pepper I had my eye on, and smells like formaldehyde.

And now there's more to add to the mix. The Irish math/post rock act Enemies have just released We've Been Talking, and whilst it doesn't hold any of that raw power and brute energy that compatriots And So I Watch You From Afar have when they step up to the plate (although there may be some rubbing of shoulders if you listen to the late breakdown of 'Nag Champa'), there are some nice curveballs, such as the slight moment of respite in the middle of 'Fierce Pit Bosses' or the growing intensity of 'Gingerly'. It has a wiry enthusiasm all its own, and would be electrifying live.

Enemies aren't making to tour the UK just yet, focusing instead on their homeland and Japan (huh?), but expect these guys to be giving you wedgies, wet willies and stealing your lunch money in the very near future - if not tripping you over in your attempt to get to the self-serve aisle at Tesco's... I really don't like that old lady...hag...

Enemies - Backaches & Cardigans
Enemies - Nag Champa

ASIWYFA Is For...

There have been a few bands that have blown my mind in the past 12-18 months, small bands that I will endeavour to promote as much as possible until they get the recognition and respect they deserve. Ireland's And So I Watch You From Afar is one such band. Their energetic, frenetic, balls to the wall post rock is something to behold, whether they are ripping up the sunken lounge of Kilburn's Good Ship, or dominating proceedings as support acts to bigger international players, ASIWYFA are the Tasmanian Devils of rock. They have a few EPs and an amazing self titled LP to their name thus far, and are just releasing a further EP, The Letters EP. The 4 songs on it are a perfect showcase of what these boys are capable of. They are party monsters, incessant tourers, and imminent rulers of the rock and roll stratosphere. Have a taste below - prepare to be hooked.

ASIWYFA - D Is For Django The Bastard