All posts by Indie Buddie

Alt- Pop, Grunge Pop, Indie, Indie Pop, indie rock, New Music, Worth A Listen

Worth A Listen

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From The Magic Lotus

The Magic Lotus is a garage rock band based in London whose 60s influenced pop melodicism comes with a minimalist grunge attack.The origins of the band, much like the origins of Western Civilization, are in Athens, Greece, where the guys started many moons ago.Moving to London in 2015, The Magic Lotus wasted no time hitting the capital’s club circuit. The Unsigned Guide picked up on the band, championing them in their mail outs. Local radio and arty blogs alike reacted to their psychedelic punk singalongs.The band have released their debut single ‘Feel Your Love’ by the independent label The Animal Farm records.

‘Feel Your Love’ is a sweeping surge of shredding rock and roll that smacks you in the face and wrestles you to the ground in the most slick, swagger drenched manner. The shredding guitar riff scorches through the track with red hot intensity while the dynamic rhythm punches with a hefty potency. It’s a highly energetic blistering track that rushes through your veins with that get up and go adrenaline. Sing along ready with its catchy chorus and attitude swagger riddled vocals, this track is a mighty infectious, sizzling mammoth that will be running riot in your mind all day.

Stream ‘Feel Your Love’ below


Alt Rock, electro - rock, Electronic, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Synth Rock

METHODS ‘Fires’

After the release of their debut single, ‘Sanctuary’, and a number of live shows throughout 2017, METHODS return with their new single ‘Fires’. METHODS are a Wolverhampton based, 5 piece, made up of, Ash Bradley (Vocals), Jon Nash (Keys), Ryan Deakin (Guitar), Pete Bates (Drums) and Adam Hall (Bass). They play a mix of dark electro indie with Influences including the likes of Joy Division, Depeche Mode, Primal Scream, Editors, Interpol etc… The band are currently putting together a tour around the UK to promote the band and their new single, ‘Fires’ which is currently available to pre order on iTunes and released on 15th June via Hellhole Records .The five piece have recently been played on BBC Introducing West Midlands and toured with The Twang.

METHODS have produced a catchy passionate little pearl with ‘Fires’. They blend a bitter sweet concoction of dark gritty rhythms with ethereal guitars and a delicate sweet melody seamlessly to create an enthralling emotional experience. The shimmering synths flicker and glisten between the throbbing beat adding an aerial breezy atmosphere to the rooted rhythmic foundation while airy guitars soar and bite throughout cutting the lofty atmosphere with a razor sharp sting and shot of glowing vibrancy. The guitar tone is melancholic as it whines and laments along the sombre melody while velvety passionate vocals caress and ooze gripping emotion. The lyrics are moving and the chorus is infectious, tender and delicate. It’s a passionate heart breaking display from METHODS.

When asked about the track singer, Ash Bradley said :
“Fires, is a song about the break up of a relationship. About two people who have been together for a long time, growing a part. Both using actions to show there feelings, instead of speaking to each other. Thoughts get locked away. The only way for them both to move forward is for it all to end.”

Stream ‘Fires’ below


Alt- Pop, Indie, Indie Pop, indie rock, New Music, Pop Rock

whenyoung ‘Heaven on Earth’

Following on from their captivating singles ‘Actor’ and ‘Pretty Pure’, Limerick’s own whenyoung have released their new track ‘Heaven on Earth’ through Virgin EMI. whenyoung are Aoife Power (Vocals/ Bass), Niall Burns (Guitar), Andrew Flood (Drums). Their story started in Limerick … three underage teenagers met for the first time after sneaking into Costello’s Tavern: the only bar in town that floated their musical tastes. After bonding over cheap vodka and the sound of The Velvet Underground, they began playing music together and moved to Dublin to seek some big city excitement. Developing their sound, still with a DIY approach, the band moved to London in 2017 and became whenyoung. 2018 has already been a landmark year for the young band. It’s seen them perform in Dublin as part of Shane Mcgowan’s 60th birthday celebration alongside the likes of Nick Cave and Sinead O’Connor. They’ve supported Dream Wife, Declan McKenna, The Vaccines and are currently on tour with Peace.

‘Heaven on Earth’ is a pure concentrated juicy indie number. Its catchy, peppy guitar lines weave between punchy drums while Power’s sweet vocals venture between a coo and attitude driven dynamism. The honey soaked melody melts along a buoyant rhythm and elastic bassline while the biting, jangly guitar lifts the track to vibrant sun kissed heights. It’s an upbeat tune with darker underlining tones that add depth to this infectious pop sprinkled gem. It’s difficult not to sing along and dance about to this track. This trio have a skill with writing tunes you want to hear and love to have stuck in your head all day. It’s going to be a hit at the summer festivals this year.

You can catch whenyoung live at

2nd June – Field Day, Brockwell Park – London
6th June – Royal Hospital Kilmainham – Dublin (Supporting Nick Cave & Patti Smith)
14th July – Latitude Festival – Suffolk
3rd August – All Together Now Festival – Waterford
4th August – Bestival – Dorset
26th September – The Key Club – Leeds
27th September – EBGBs – Liverpool
28th September – Think Tank – Newcastle
3rd October – The Boiler Room – Guildford
4th October – The Purple Turtle – Reading
5th October – The Cookie – Leicester
6th October – Neighbourhood Festival – Manchester

Stream ‘Heaven on Earth’ below


Alt- Pop, Hypnotic, Indie, Indie Psychedelic, New Music, Psych-Pop, psychedelic, Trance

Lucille Furs ‘Another Land’

Lucille Furs are a Chicago-based 4-piece psychedelic rock/baroque pop band who take inspiration from not only 60¹s trailblazers The Beatles, The Kinks and Love but from contemporary acts such as The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Temples and The Horrors. The band have released their new single ‘Another Land’ by Treehouse Records. After a successful run of showcases at SXSW and a show at Elsewhere in Brooklyn recently, Lucille Furs are looking forward to several shows/festival performances this summer, including sets at the Summer Camp Music Festival and SummerFest in Milwaukee.The band comprised of members Patrick Tsotsos (bass, vocals), Nick Dehmlow (guitar), Brendan Peleo (Lazar-drums, percussion) and Trevor Newton Pritchett (vocals, guitar) have also released a video for ‘Another Land’ which was directed by Celia Marie Peterson and shot on location in Paris, France.

‘Another Land’ is a sheer psychedelic marvel. Doused in a dreamy mirage of glittering guitars between swirling trippy soundscapes this track is a kaleidoscopic curling mind melting surge of utopia. The guitars venture from an Oriental guitar style to spaghetti western -esque seamlessly while a bopping beat hops along the molten melody. It’s hazy, blissfully dazing obscurity that soothes and tranquillises your mind melting it into a slushy of creamy fluffy bliss. The deeply hallucinating instrumental firmly grips you into the wispy clutches of the track while velvety vocals coo and pacify leaving you in a lush liquefying state of ecstasy. It’s pretty chill and mellow-taking all your moods and feelings away leaving you mindlessly wallowing in this trippy lush daydream.

Watch the video for ‘Another Land’ below


Album Review, Alt- Pop, electro- pop, Electronic, Indie, Indie Pop, New Music

Cappellino ‘Ghost Town’ Album

Cappellino has recently released his newest album ‘Ghost Town’, a 10-track album featuring a fusion of indie pop, electro pop and hints of folk. Hailing from Watford, Cappellino has been making music since he can remember. After spending years honing his craft in bands around Watford’s thriving scene, he released his debut EP back in 2015 which lead to performances at Soho’s Ronnie Scott’s and Jamie Oliver’s Big Feastival. The following year was spent writing and recording his debut album ‘Ghost Town’ which has already received support from BBC 6Music for the lead single ‘Love Is All I Want’. The debut album ‘Ghost Town’ was written about a break up and the rediscovery of self outside the confines of a relationship. A journey of realisation and self-therapy for Cappellino himself, ‘Ghost Town’ is lyrically honest and personal, with the musicality reflecting the rawness of emotions.

‘Ghost Town’ is an ornate collection of tracks that are crisp and pristine, exhibiting an instrumental and emotional warmth that makes your heart skip with each and every moment.The R&B flavoured ‘Love Is All I Want’ slinks along with a fun, fresh sound, catchy backing vocal line and skittish dance-able beat. The layering and intricate compositions makes this album a wholly satisfying listen as the electronic pulses teamed with luscious melodies and ethereal instrumentation really hooks you into Cappellino’s unique fascinating world. ‘The Things We Knew Before’, ‘My Hearts In The Wrong Place’ and ‘The Better’ display this perfectly with warm guitars twinkling between sticky beat slaps and passionate vocals. The  rich glittering and humid shimmers of electronics flood the track with a sun kissed warmth and heartfelt sweetness that is infectious. While the slow burners ‘Maps’ and ‘Steps’ flicker and elegantly bounce with gentle keys in the former and supple guitar in the latter teamed with sweet as pie vocals. The guitar work in ‘Steps’ is just sublime especially for the instrumental solo, it glides with a tropical tone and intricate fluctuations that are divine. Each track has a powerful rushing crescendo that is worthy of a swaying crowd sing along and lighters in the air drama. Cappellino writes sublime gripping tracks that consume you in emotion and cosy vibrancy. Title track ‘Ghost Town’ is a golden gem. With its lush and carefully- sculpted dimensions teamed with a beautifully delicate and delightful melody, velvety vocals and sweet backing vocals- it’s harmoniously exquisite. Tender and sombre it brings a tear to your eye while the tapping beat adds a positivity and lift to the song before the fantastic crescendo bursts with juicy electronics and breezy refreshing tones. ‘Teeth & Tongue’ makes its driving rhythm the main focus as it is unique and exotic with shaky percussion blended into the pop sensibilities while ‘Mirror the Verb’ pushes through with airy synths that hover over a peppy melancholic hued melody and strong guitar strums as dance-able soundscapes wisp and rush around this full bodied sound. ‘Best Intentions’ closes the album sweet and melodic as guitar jingles sway through a steady beat and elegant melody, ending the story of this album as richly crafted as it began with zesty guitar injections stinging between the dainty flow of the track.

‘Ghost Town’ is a remarkably complete album, a lavish blooming garden growing out of delightful melty melodies sprinkled with sweet pop hues and exquisitely compact instrumentation. It’s honest and warm making for a delightful listen.

Steam ‘Ghost Town’ below


Alt- Pop, Indie, Indie Pop, New Music

Sea Girls ‘Too Much Fun’

Sea Girls have released their new single, ‘Too Much Fun’. The band are one of the most enthralling young indie guitar bands to have emerged in recent times, the new track received its first play by Radio 1’s Huw Stephens and is lifted from an upcoming EP ‘Adored’, due for release on 5th June.

‘Too Much Fun’ is a sparkling anthemic party popper that bursts with luscious indie pop soundscapes. A mouth watering melody flows upon a snappy beat and buoyant bass while vibrant soundscapes rush through with adrenaline surging urgency and sun kissed luminosity making this track perfect for summer listening. It’s a feel good hook laden anthem that is infectious and attention grabbing. Jangly guitars whine, sting and soar over the catchy melody and hazy instrumentation adding a breezy zealousness and dynamic ethereal lift to the track. This number is a kinetic surge of youthful indie that is irresistible.

Vocalist and songwriter Henry Camamile describes ‘Too Much Fun’:
“It’s a city story about a complicated chaotic summer of love. It’s about capturing the excitement and anticipation from our youth. Triggered by hearing a siren out the window, the lyrics are of memories flooding back of the previous summer’s excess, humour and playing with fire. And what’s more dangerous than crossing your best friend. Terrible behaviour. The words “wanna see the king play in the park” harks to reading about Bowie playing at a bandstand in Beckenham and us all seeing the Kings Of Leon as kids forming the crazed idea of forming a band together one day that could support them. Fundamentally it’s telling someone, maybe a friend that they party a little too much, too often. Maybe that’s the letter of love…”

The band will be playing at over sixteen festivals this summer, followed by a UK headline tour this coming Autumn. The run kicks off in Nottingham on 4th October, taking in Glasgow, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle, London’s Scala on 18th October (only the band’s fourth ever London show), Brighton and Southampton, and rounding off in Bristol on the 21st October.They have also announced two shows in Ireland, playing Dublin on 23rd October and Belfast on 24th, .

Stream ‘Too Much Fun’ below

https://soundcloud.com/sonicseagirls/too-much-fun


Alt Rock, EP Review, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Rock

Callow Saints ‘Unhinged’ EP

Callow Saints are a female-fronted indie/rock band from Aylesbury. After taking the local music scene by storm, the band rapidly spread further afield, becoming more and more in demand in the Oxford and London scenes. They were voted one of the top bands out of 20,000 entrants to win a slot at the prestigious Camden Rocks Festival; performed alongside the likes of the Kaiser Chiefs, Bryan Adams and The Pretenders at Cornbury Festival, have headlined a packed out O2 Academy in Oxford and had two sold-out EP launch shows in the past two years.The band have just released their latest EP, ‘Unhinged’.

Callow Saints deliver a varied batch of memorable songs that exude energy and passion in their ‘Unhinged’ EP. ‘I Should Run’ sets the EP in motion, seeped in emotional tones as a moving melody drifts upon a vibrant backdrop of crashing drums, elastic bass and strident stinging guitars. The flicker between the zealous guitars and sensual groove on bass makes for a wholly enthralling experience for the verses as it teases and builds in intensity for the gritty explosive chorus. They blend the raw expressive emotion and edgy rock soundscapes perfectly creating a meticulously layered sound. This EP gives a sublime taste of the sound Callow Saints have developed, the tracks are catchy, dark and extremely consuming. ‘E.M.M.A’ is pushed by a driving rooted bass line while punchy drums pummel through staggering, slick, guitar work. The whispered bridge adds a creepy, haunting quality that keeps you on your toes- this track is sublimely mesmerising. Ruby’s vocals command attention- her power and control is masterful as she croons, whispers and bellows with magnificent control. Her sultry vocals for the verses of ‘Ten’ is particularly enticing as steamy guitars whine over a steady beat and sensual bass. Once again they produce a fiery aggressive chorus which interrupts the vaporous atmosphere. That guitar riff is hypnotic and spine chillingly good.‘Kiss Is Bliss’ brings us to the end of the EP with a lighter tone. The riff has a Lynyrd Skynyrd’s ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ feel while the buoyant rhythm, catchy lyrics and peppy melody lusciously makes this track a sing along anthem. It’s an animated, bright way to the end the EP while still packing in some rock punch.

‘Unhinged’ is a thoroughly satisfying EP filled with all the right ingredients to have you rocking out, dancing and singing with ease. Each track is brimming with delicious melodies upon gritty rough instrumentation with a sweet, swagger soaked sliver of silky sleekness on top. Ruby’s vocals are just sublime and powerful she transmits passion and emotion from every note effortlessly to create enthralling, gripping tracks that are wonderful to listen to but mighty enough to have a nice kick.

Stream ‘Unhinged’ below


Alt- Pop, Ambient Music, Indie, Indie Pop, New Music

The Elephant Room ‘Blue Horrors’

The Elephant Room are a three piece band from Wexford, Cork and Louth based in Dublin and have been purveyors of their own genre Alco-Pop since early 2017. As a band they haven’t forgotten about the importance of having a hook. They inject their melodies with lyrics that switch between either abstract word painting or touch on the more dark and honest aspects of human nature. In late 2017 the band recorded an eight track EP in a Studio in Bray and in May 2018 released it across all platforms independently. The band recorded live with very few overdubs attempting to capture the authenticity of the three piece playing together in a room. What little overdubs that were used plays to the bands love of using subtle studio experimentation such as using analog organs and playing autoharp through Lesley speakers. Since their inception they have been regularly gigging the indie scene playing nights such as The New Love & Terror Cult in The Sin É, Gigonometry in the Workmans and The Midnight Hour in Whelans. The band have now released a video for their single ‘Blue Horrors’ which is taken from their ‘Music On The Bones’ EP.

With its hazy dreamy atmosphere creating a euphoric backdrop for the sweet calming melody ‘Blue Horrors’ is a tranquillising creation from The Elephant Room. Light shaky percussion rattles and bounces off a steady beat and psychedelic hued instrumentation while lush backing vocals coo behind creating a little world of soothing bliss. The velvety vocals caress the luscious melody while warm guitars gently stride and playfully weave between the rich percussion. It’s a laid back number that sways and glides with a gentle little spring in its step creating a delightful easy going atmosphere which consumes you in a bubble of euphoric bliss. It’s a sedating soothing gem which develops steadily becoming a little more intense as striking symbols and strong guitar strides increase for the psychedelic- esque crescendo. This compact track is brimming with infectious grooves that are subtle enough to add luscious flavours without becoming overpowering. They maintain a heavenly, floaty vibe with a touch of sweet monotony that is just captivating- leaving you craving more.

Watch the video for ‘Blue Horrors’ below


Alt Rock, Garage Rock, Grunge, indie rock, New Music, Rock

Fangclub ‘Knife’

 

Fresh from their first UK headline tour Dublin trio Fangclub have have announced the release of their highly personal new EP titled ‘True Love’ along with their new single ‘Knife’. The 5 track EP, set for release on June 29th, is a fiery collection of Fangclub’s unique brand of alternative rock. 2018 has already been a busy one for Fangclub, having toured with The Cribs, Milk Teeth and Nervus as well as rocking the UK with their first headline tour. 2017 was a hell of a year for the band too. Not only did they release their self titled debut album (available now on Vertigo Records) to mass critical acclaim but they also toured the UK and Ireland with their own headline dates as well as playing shows with Biffy Clyro, Muse, Pixies, and SWMRS. Fangclub have gathered major attention from specialist DJ’s at BBC Radio 1 (Annie Mac, Huw Stephens, Daniel P.Carter, Phil Taggart) with their monstrous tracks ‘Bullet Head’, ‘Loner’, ‘Dreamcatcher’ and ‘Bad Words.

Now this track raises the bar. ‘Knife’ introduces a more aggressive mind destroying sound that is just fantastic.It bulldozes in with pure unruly aggro as the rooted bass boils and bubbles beneath a chilled eerie vocal line before the chorus bludgeons you with its crashing wall of sound -screaming vocals and distortion galore. It’s a thrilling, electrifying whack of gritty, rugged, garage rock at its most fermented. The drums bash your skull while the melody still firmly grips the pop infectiousness of their previous tracks however, the intensity is at dangerous levels. I love the energy in this track the destructive, barbaric, chaos churning and coiling for the verses becomes effervescent and erupts for the riveting chorus. This is something special.

Speaking honestly about the music and its lyrical content, enigmatic frontman Steven King said this of the EP.
“True Love is a collage of an intense year that almost ended the band.Last year I became infatuated with the idea of True Love. But not just love of a person. Love of drink, drugs, people, actions & habits. Anything can be your “One True Love” if you let it. Love can be painful. True Love can cut deep like a Knife. “Knife” was my skewed idea of an obsessed love (at the time). It’s the introduction to the EP’s theme. Am I using you or are you using me? I don’t care, I need you. Keep me alive, kill me, keep me warm, make me cold, make me happy, make me sick, wake me up & make me sleep. I don’t mind being chained to you under the blanket of True Love.”

You can catch the band live at the following shows this summer

June

1st Vestrock, Hulst, The Netherlands

2nd K-Fest, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland

July

13th 2000 Trees, Cheltenham, UK

20th Truck Festival, Oxford UK

27th Sunflower Festival, Lisburn, Northern Ireland

Stream ‘Knife’ below