Zero Core issue 7 by Croatoan Design

zero core music, design, photography_______________________________________autumn 2013 __ free

Interiors

Hello Sut Mae! Bright Light Bright Light 06 Kraffhics How are you this fine day? What 10 have you been up Article to since we last met? Do you have XX a warm coat ready Article for winter? We sure hope so asXX the music inside these Articlemay pages keep your heart warm XX but it won’t protect Article from frostbite. XX Article XX If you’re picking us up for the first time then a brief explanation is due. We’re a free zine that’s out to celebrate everything about the world of music that us dorkface editors love, from photography and design to the songs themselves. Inside these delicious smelling pages are some acts that have just released albums that we love, some new acts for you to get your teeth in to, and a few pretty pictures to gaze at mindlessly while you wait for your mate to meet you for a coffee. In this issue we are really excited to have our first ever illustrated cover, as drawn by the wonderfully talented Will Exley. You can also read about him deeper in these pages. And what a band to have him illustrate than the incredible Chvrches whose debut album The Bones Of What You Believe has been a ceaseless favourite while putting this rag together.

Made by Jen Long, Adam Chard, Marc Thomas, Chris Chadwick and George O'Brien. Contributors in order of appearance Will Exley, Rob Gray, Andrew Backhouse, Rachel Hogg, Simon Ayre, Ruth Kilpatrick, India Whiley-Morton, Emma Snook, Howard Melnyczuk, John Bell, Adam Burbidge, Thomas Weller, Matt Ayres, Burak Cingi, Eve Barlow-Haim, Anika Mottershaw. Thank you Jo Morris, Natalie Judge, Dan, Charlie and Katy Rockfeedback, Rich Onslow, Will and Leah In House, Adam and Gemma Swn, Adrian Read, Michael and Rachel Moshi, Lisa Ward, Aoife Kitt, Rich cuddle bunny Thane, Adam Shearer, Tom, Mimi and Lucy EYOE, Lauren Down, Adam Royal, Noam Klar and Nathan Warren. This issue of Zero Core was created in Cardiff and London. All rights reserved and stuff like that. Don’t rip us off. Enjoy. Printed by MWL Print. Issue eight due February 2014

Anyway, enough from us – it’s over to the bands. Until next time, have a lovely autumn and Christmas. And don’t forget to watch Home Alone 2. Lots of love, The Editors x

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IN ISSUE

New Bands 1. FTSE 1.

The Midlands has a certain penchant for indie, guitar-fuelled rock, remaining one of the staunch providers for brilliant examples of this arguably stuttering genre. However, Sam Manville, based in the same region, is responsible for an equally exciting but entirely juxtaposing product that entices in a whole different light. For over a year his production project FTSE has been a bundle of electronic musings with the double capacity both to float along in hypnotic grooves, as well as the rhythmic flair to get you on your feet and moving; the swinging ‘St.Tropez’ utilises Manville’s own languid vocals alongside the cooling tones of Atlanta's ForteBowie and, with a genuine hook of a chorus, it shines a light on his ability to produce work just on the intriguing side of accessible.

On the other hand, tracks like ‘Kode’ grow and develop organically from gentle, twinkling beginnings into a deep, whirring and heady trance. It's kaleidoscopic, ordered chaos that highlights a darker side, giving FTSE the potential to soundtrack obscure, factory-esque nightspots. The rest of his latest EP FTSE2, cements his ability to create a lot out of very little, remaining minimal and purposeful in ‘Brave New Wurld’, before ‘Lost In Translation’ nods towards 90s garage; with its glistening synths and some cooing, sugary help from another guest, Femme, it is the closest Maville comes to pure pop. There is certainly something of The Streets about its subject matter, as the songs refrains – "Never again until next weekend" and "I just gotta get some sleep, then I'll be fine" – echo all too familiar sentiments of alcoholrelated regret.

It is another melody that grabs attention and nestles in the mind; no surprise then that he has opened for AlunaGeorge with this kind of summery catchiness. The distinctiveness and unusual nature of his vocal adds a depth and another dimension compared with his peers, while the ability to effortlessly change direction and draw from a wide range of influences places him, as tidily as his work, alongside the growing handful of intelligent, young UK producers who are increasingly, and justifiably gaining the attention of the mainstream; if FTSE continues in this vein he will become very hard to ignore. facebook.com/FTSEmusic

2. Circa Waves It’s exciting to watch a storm of buzz form around a new act, if not a little terrifying. So we can’t imagine how Circa Waves must be feeling right now. We’ve been fans since last year when Kieran was uploading tracks to Soundcloud from his Liverpool bedroom. Like a haze of Wild Nothing and Phoenix taking tips from The Strokes, the songs had an effortless charm and warmth. And then ‘Young Chasers’ happened. And the blogosphere caught fire. As did every manager, label, plugger, PR and you name it under the sun, culminating as a Next Hype spin on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 powerhouse.

3. All We Are Within a few short months Circa Waves was the chatter on every industry tongue, and now it feels like that chat has hit boiling point and is ready to explode into public consciousness with the release of debut double A-side single ‘Get Away’ and ‘Good For Me’ through Kissability/Transgressive in December as limited cassette and vinyl respectively. ‘Get Away’ is a storm of early Arctic Monkeys guitars launching into a crush of chorus that sounds like something straight from a 2008 indie disco dance party, while ‘Good For Me’ is like Casablancas on Citalopram. Circa Waves are certainly one beautiful storm. twitter.com/CircaWaves

In an abandoned schoolhouse in Liverpool, three musicians hailing from Brazil, Norway and Ireland are writing music as quirky and expansive as their personalities. Guro Gikling, Rich O'Flynn and Luis Santos came to Liverpool for its musical heritage and stayed with the intention of becoming a part of that resplendent tradition. Holed up in the empty classroom that drummer and vocalist Rich calls home, the three-piece have been carefully honing their sound alongside producer Joe Wills (Dan Croll, Mikhael Paskalev) with truly breathtaking results. Their debut single ‘Utmost Good’, is a hypnotising blend of lilting beats and fizzing cyclical riffs topped by spine-tingling, melancholic harmonies. The band have dubbed their dreamy sound “Bee-Gees on diazepam” and as surreal as that description sounds, it's pretty much bang on the money.

The weird, reverberating vocal effects and echoing drum delay give ‘Utmost Good’ an otherworldly feel, like it's being played twice simultaneously but slightly out of sync. Despite a distinct lack of further recorded proof of All We Are's brilliance, watching the band live is enough confirmation of their potential, Santos' spiralling guitar lines underpinned by subtle grooves and ethereal vocal lines. All We Are take to the road this month with Everything Everything so don't take my word for it, get to a show. facebook.com/thisisallweare

Words: Andew Backhouse Illustration: Rob Gray cargocollective.com/robjgrayillustration hisclancyness.com

For Jonathan Clancy, punk has always been in his blood. “I remember going to hardcore shows when I was like sixteen, and that’s what really blew my mind. Especially being really close to stages and figuring out that the person playing on-stage wasn’t doing something that was unreachable.” It’s certainly not unreachable. Fourteen years on, and we’re with Jonathan – aka His Clancyness – talking about the release of his solo debut album Vicious. Despite growing up between Canada and Italy, over the course of our chat – on the array of British bands contributing to his This Is Vicious zine via his grief at the pending death of All Tomorrow’s Parties – it all becomes clear: Jonathan loves British music.

I thought the album was like wearing a mask - a different persona in each song Not clued-up on the His Clancyness back catalogue? Jonathan doesn’t mind, insisting he wants us to see his new album Vicious as his first “proper” debut. “It’s an album I’ve been waiting to put out for a long time. I think it’s the most accomplished work I’ve done. There was a lot of thought to keep it fresh and not over-produced, because it was written over six months, then recorded in five days in Detroit. I’ve done albums before, as collections of singles and stuff like that, but for me this is the first proper His Clancyness album.” But make no mistake: while Vicious, like all great debut albums, is a perfect introduction, it’s less of a self-exploration for Jonathan himself.

Talking to the mild-mannered, good-natured Jonathan Clancy, there’s no two ways about it: he couldn’t be further away from vicious. “The songs are like stories told by a different person – not necessarily me – and I like the idea of having a different character for each song. I thought the album was like wearing a mask and wearing a different kind of persona in each song, and I think that’s something really special about music – especially nowadays, where everything is so socialised on Twitter and Facebook, I think there’s a lot of mystery that isn’t there anymore in music.” Jonathan continues, explaining how the creative streak while making Vicious wasn’t confined to just an album. “While I was writing the record and decided on the title Vicious, I kept asking myself ‘What is Vicious?’” That’s when the idea of creating a zine was born. Accompanying the album’s release, This is Vicious features contributions from the likes of Maximo Park, British Sea Power and Veronica Falls, asking what the word vicious means to them. “I managed to gather a bunch of friends – people I’ve toured with or slept on couches or booked shows for.” And Jonathan enthuses he’s very pleased with the project. “Some people have gone on for three pages, some people have told some incredible stories. I really like how it came out!” With His Clancyness travelling the world to tour his debut album, Jonathan’s sixteen year old self would be proud. DIY punk is in his blood, but he is anything but vicious.

Islet

Words: Rachel Hogg Photo: Simon Ayre simonayre.com isletislet.com

“There’s nothing stopping you from making music forever, or doing whatever you want,” Islet’s Emma Daman Thomas says offering honest and inspirational advice when we caught up with her and Mark Daman Thomas, one half of the Cardiff quartet Islet, to chat about the band’s second full length album, Released By The Movement, the future, their infamous live shows and doing things their own way. Touring the UK until the end of October with their new LP, Islet wanted to make sure everything felt right. “We wanted to make a record that was really natural to the way that we work,” says Emma. Released By The Movement is the first LP the band have released on Mark’s record label, Shape. Recorded with Sweet Baboo (Stephen Black) in Warwick Hall, Cardiff with “no extra engineers or outside influence. Just us four and Steve,” Islet went in to record with songs and ideas that had room to develop, so there was plenty of room for improvisation and jamming. Mark stresses that although it sounds like there’s a lot going on, everything is playable by himself, Emma, John Thomas and Alex Williams. However, he does admit to “a lot of jiggery-pokery, multi-layered vocals and effects.”

Emma is pleasantly surprised by that review: “Wow, in terms of life-changing, if that is the effect Islet has on anyone, it would hopefully be to make them feel like they can do it as well. When we play, we’re not being elitist, we’re just encouraging people to do what they want to do creatively.” The band have been together since 2009 when they faced a lot of “hoo-ha” for not being on Myspace. Mark and Emma said it took them by surprise a little as they had only just started gigging and “Myspace was kind of going downhill at that point.” Emma said it seems irrelevant now and a really long time ago, plus, the band are now and have always been searchable online. While it may have created a mysterious vibe for fans, Mark says: “We have always had a website and stuff. We’ve always done interviews and things like that. We were never shy about it.” One thing that really comes across is that Islet genuinely care about the music they are releasing. Emma says: “People might like us and come to our shows and be excited about the record, but they’re not looking forward to it as much as the people who have made it, because it is our lives.”

When we play, we’re encouraging people to do what they want to do creatively

So what does the future hold for a group of “sonic adventurers, sonic explorers” who seem so content in doing their own thing, at their own pace, for themselves?

Islet’s live shows can certainly be described as energetic. Forget about Zumba or Bikram yoga, just get yourself to an Islet gig, which have been described as ‘life-changingly brilliant.'

“I feel like the world’s our oyster in terms of just doing more and recording more and releasing more records," Mark says. "So that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to carry on and make music forever.”

Chvrches

Words: Jen Long Illustration: Adam Chard croatoandesign.co.uk chvrch.es

Belief is a condition at the core of Chvrches. The belief that a skittering sample can catch like a razor hook, that despondent lyrics can carry a pure pop melody, and that even in today’s musical climate, a band’s artistic vision does not have to be compromised. Having released their debut album The Bones Of What You Believe last month to a wave of praise from both sides of the Atlantic, lead singer Lauren Mayberry recently penned a piece for the Guardian highlighting the online abuse her band would not tolerate. We won’t go in to details here, you know how Google works. There’s certainly more to Chvrches than meets the ear. The band formed in September 2011 after longtime friends and occasional colleagues Iain Cook and Martin Doherty finally decided to, “Sit down and do something that was ours and that was original.” With Mayberry joining on vocals the trio started from scratch recording several tracks. Debut offering ‘Lies’ sent bloggers into a Hype Machine frenzy when it premiered on Neon Gold in May 2012. Their first show, in July of the same year at Glasgow’s Art School, was wall to wall with industry and fans alike, and the buzz hasn’t subsided since. Rumours of the band’s formation fly across the Internet and range from a week of first gig rehearsals spent testing the lighting rig, to the project’s initial conception as a songwriting effort for Katy Perry. “I feel like one of my favourite things about the media is the amazing amount of misinformation and assumptions,” deadpans Lauren. “I’m a really big fan of those.”

Catching the band for a brief moment of stasis backstage at Reading Festival this summer they’re amused by the rumours and happy to set the record straight. While all three are well known from their previous stints in Glaswegian indie bands, Lauren puts their initial anonymity down to a desire to be, “Taken at face value,” and not listened to out of, “Morbid curiosity.” While Iain feels, “It wasn’t relevant to mention the previous bands we’ve been in because it’s such a departure.” And the extravagant and rehearsed first show? “It wasn’t really a normal or natural kind of first gig scenario,” Iain understates. “With most other bands I’ve been involved with your first gig tends to be quite low key and in a small place with not too many people watching. But when we put ‘Lies’ out on Neon Gold blog there was quite a bit of a buzz around the band so we had to make sure that when we played live for the first time it wasn’t shit.”

I get tired of seeing female singers in bands modeling clothes in magazines So there you go. Chvrches, they just don’t want to be shit. Always a good start, although refreshingly, when talking to the trio you get the feeling that the only people who could determine if something was or wasn’t ‘shit’ are the band themselves. They no longer care to search for reviews, as Martin explains through the thickest accent of the three, “Very quickly we realized there was no good that could come from listening to that sort of stuff. None of us start seeking that out, the good or the bad. Both ultimately has a negative effect in different ways.”

The three members of Chvrches are true advocates for equality, and Lauren is a founding member of Glasgow’s feminist collective, TYCI (I can’t print what it stands for in case my mum is reading). But even with these ethics at heart, would it not have been easier to let the singer become the ‘star’? “That’s something that we wanted to head off right from the beginning,” negates Iain. “We tried to stay honest with that stuff from day one. We never tried to make out that this band was anything other than what it is, when that would have been easier for us in a lot of ways. Stick two guys at the back, call it a solo project with a name, effectively, and things come more naturally in terms of press but that’s not what we’re about.” Ever the teammate, he passes the ball to Lauren, “I think the whole push the girl to the front thing would be inconsistent with the things we do in our lives. If your band works the way that it’s meant to in terms of your personalities or your beliefs then that’s probably not going to make you lose your mind as much. And hopefully give the project a bit more longevity.” Although she speaks at the speed of light, every word out of Lauren’s lips is considered: careful not to cause offense, but articulate enough to argue her point. She continues, “I kind of get a bit sick and tired of seeing female singers in bands modeling clothes in magazines. If that’s what they want to do, that’s their prerogative, it’s not for us to tell other people what to do, but that’s just not where we come from, and I don’t think that we would ever want to do that.”

“It’s not like we don’t, like blanket, don’t speak to things like the fashion magazines,” defends Martin. “Those are ways people discover bands as well. But we just make sure that if they ask for an interview it’s a band interview they get.”

It’s like exams – I’ve got that nervous tension, but I feel prepared But sometimes even the strongest of morals can quaver. Having gone headstrong in to the release of their first album, are there any nerves in the background? “I’m more excited than I am nervous about it,” beams Martin nonchalantly. “We’ve been working on this since the first day that we were a band. It’s like exams – I’ve got that nervous tension, but I feel prepared.” “No one really knows how long anything is going to last, ever,” pipes up Lauren with all the pessimism of a Death Cab fan. “But if you’ve made the choices you were comfortable with and you get to make the music that you want to make, then I think you can look back on that later and feel happy about what you did. And I think no regrets is a pretty good place to be.” Regrets aren’t an option after pressing play on this trio’s debut offering. Chvrches are a band you can believe in.

FEATURE

Will Exley

Words: Marc Thomas williamexley.co.uk

If you've read Zero Core before and are not familiar with the name Will Exley, you're certainly familiar with the work produced by that name. Exley's illustrations have appeared in Zero Core including last issue's Lemuria profile and, perhaps more notably, our first ever illustrated cover (this issue). His work is predominantly pastel in its pallet with a tendency toward the style of graphic novelists.

I think deciding to use a brush and ink was a huge step (Main image) Halloween (over page) 1. Among Brothers 2. Bouncing Souls 3. Blue Stragglers 4. Sauna Youth

"My introduction to drawing and illustration was comics, and I still draw from that. I used to read Marvel and DC and Image comics, and I really like digging into the past on that stuff," he says. "I love Jack Kirby, and anyone who inked him with that strong, black brush work. Then a lot of the independent comic artists from the 90s – Daniel Clowes, Seth, Ivan Brunetti. At university I found the work of Chris Norris who works under the name Steak Mountain, and his covers for bands like Atom And His Package and Armalite and his band Combatwoundedveteran were huge for seeing illustration as album artwork, and how an aesthetic could carry across a whole record or represent a band." The style is very popular now. The graphic novel has always been a peculiar part of alternative culture embraced as far back into its history as its own birth with Daniel Johnston's early work.

However, in the last two or three years, there has been a notable resurgence in the graphic novel 'style.' One of the people ahead of the wave is Exley, who has been working in this way for several years. "I left university almost seven years ago and it's probably taken that long trying different things out to settle on something I can do day to day," he explains. "I think deciding to use a brush and ink was a huge step, as it changes the way you make an image on the page and opens up possibilities – and maybe more importantly closes off other opportunities. I think it's super iterative – trying things out and forgetting things that don't work and trying to end up with almost a tool kit that you can apply to future things." This style of iteration and the time it took him to 'settle,' is so well suited to the subjects of his work, many who are also trying to find their feet and settle on a style – or, more relevant to his subjects, a sound. He's now putting that approach to work on his first graphic novel which he is currently talking to a publisher about. The piece is both illustrated and written by him and he's quite candid about his own limitations: "I wrote it, which is part of the reason it's taken a while to do!," he jokes. "Turns out that writing is super hard and not as simple as sitting down and letting inspiration strike!" Regardless of the quality of his writing – although we're sure it's just great – we'll be first in line when that graphic novel gets published. 18

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Au Revoir Simone

Words: Ruth K Photo: India Whiley-Morton aurevoirsimone.com

Viewed by many as being amongst the frontrunners of modern synth-pop, Au Revoir Simone are back with a brand new record. After four long years out of the spotlight, I caught up with them ahead of their recent London show, where Annie explained the reason behind such an extended break.

Throughout the entire record, the tentative dreamlike drawings of before are now redefined with strong, sharp lines – a clear marker of their personal development. This is evidenced again in darker moments like ‘Love You Don’t Know Me’, which sounds crisp even throughout the gloom.

“The first three albums happened really quickly and organically for us and we spent most of our 20s just making music; writing, recording and touring an album and then starting all over again. So after Still Night Still Light we looked at each other like maybe we should work on other stuff; personal lives, other goals we wanted to achieve.”

Having worked with Violens’ Jorge Elbrecht on her solo EP, Erika described it as a natural step for him produce the new album, explaining that Greenpoint in Brooklyn is a hub of creatives, with Jorge being one of the most prolific. As well as the collaborative atmosphere in the studio, we also talked about the issue of maintaining control now they’re ten years down the line. “Signing to a label in the US is definitely different,” explains Annie. “We’re still a very hands-on band. I think there’s just something about having an artistic vision and staying true to it. It can be extremely difficult to maintain but we really know what we want and what we want to project.”

Four years may seem like a lifetime in new music, but with a solo project from Erika, an Environmental Biology degree for Heather, and the small matter of giving birth having pre-occupied Annie, the end product certainly sounds like time well spent.

I think there’s something about having an artistic vision and staying true to it In contrast perhaps to their earlier albums, Move In Spectrums is a supremely confident record. A complete body of work that epitomises new found self-assurance. “I think we all came to this album so much more refreshed,” explains Erika. “With us all having gone different ways personally, it really helped towards making something so creative and new.” It’s an album where the once hazy imagery of before is now fully in focus. On lead track ‘Somebody Who’ for example, there now exists this HD hyperreal version of their former selves.

When asked what advice they’d give their younger selves, Heather emphasised the importance of clear thinking. “You need to take your time with your decisions, and it’s especially important to make sure everyone is comfortable as best as she can be. There’s always that weird random photograph that you really wish didn’t exist but it’s something that we work hard at and it’s so important, as women, to be in control of your own image.” Released on Moshi Moshi, Move In Spectrums is a master-class in modern pop; ten tracks marking the sound of three individual souls coming together to find their most sophisticated, sure-footed stance yet. 21

LABEL PROFILE: 3.

Words: Emma Snook ilovealcopop.co.uk

Alcopop! was founded in 2006 by Jack Clothier and Kevin Douch, as a sister to Kevin’s Big Scary Monsters Recording Company, following the successful gamble of a small loan from Jack’s dad on a football match. Thanks to the nimble feet of Lomana Lua Lua, money was invested in Yeovil band Encyclopedia. Since then Alcopop! have worked on releases for the likes of Johnny Foreigner, Anamanaguchi, Fight Like Apes and The Crimea. We caught up with Jack. Is there an ethos underpinning the label? We’re very much about believing in the joy that can be generated from wonderful music and creativity. We’re very keen to push Alcopop! as a community of music lovers (‘Team Pop’). It’s about everyone who bothers to buy the music, chat with us on social media, come to the shows and make all of them a massive party… I’ve made more friends through Alcopop! than anything I’ve ever done in my life and we’re keen to stick to doing what we love. We’re ‘fucking indie’ really – and proud.

You were recently awarded ‘Small Label of the Year’ by the Association of Independent Music, well done! What are your tips for success? I think a lot of it comes down to trusting your instincts and being careful not to fall so deeply in love with a band that you start making stupid decisions where you end up losing stacks of money because you get teary-eyed about what might be. You’ll also have a million mini-setbacks as you go, but match them up to all the brilliant stuff that happens and keep getting excited every time a nice email, order or whatever comes through. Don’t be afraid to approach bands you think might be out of your league – oh, and ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE PRINT ON YOUR TEE SHIRTS IS MASSIVE. People love massive print tees. Finally, what future Alcopop! releases should we be getting excited about? Too many to mention! We’ve just signed an incredible young Welsh band called Radstewart, who are like a mix of Parquet Courts and Pavement, who have an EP out later in the year, as well as an exciting new release from Fight Like Apes! Johnny Foreigner have a new album coming early 2014, and we’re releasing a MASSIVE compilation on a branded Alcopop! Mountain Bike. It’ll cost £300 a unit but looks DYNAMITE.

Crushed Beaks

Words: Chris Chadwick Photo: Howard Melnyczuk facebook.com/crushedbeaks

Considering the slender shapes cut by Matt Poile and Alex Morris, it seems somewhat unlikely that these two skinny-wristed musicians could be responsible for the glorious and full-bodied sound produced by Crushed Beaks. Yet the south Londoners have been making music in Matt's shed for the better part of two years, with their early singles causing as much noise online as they captured on record. Relentless drums and crushing guitars are tied effortlessly together by the laconic pop melodies of Poile's vocals and such has been the support for the band's efforts to date that their only fault consistently bemoaned is the time it has taken the two-piece to put out a more extended release. Pressed on the issue Poile is pragmatic in his response.

We don't just want to put out anything; we have to make sure we're happy “A lot of it is down to practical things like not being able to afford studio time and relying on people to help us to get things done. We've taken our time but we don't just want to put out anything. We have to make sure we're happy...all the songs that you'll hear on the EP have had two or three demos sketches at least before the final recording.” The irony is that after such an extended build up, the band's debut EP was recorded in just two days under the supervision of in-vogue producer, Rory Atwell (Test Icicles, YUCK, Palma Violets). “He just let us get on and do what we wanted to do. It's good having that freedom to do what you want. Sometimes people try and take over and it's always better when it's left to the band I think.”

The resulting EP, entitled Tropes, is a far more expansive and ambitious sounding Crushed Beaks, subtle ambience and synth chords underpinning the usual cacophony of clattering drums and soaring guitars. “A lot of the time when you're in the studio you feel like you're running out of time but with Rory we had plenty of time to do all these other parts” explains Matt, before continuing “I think we've just got better at the whole process of recording too.” Tropes is definitely a signal of intent from a band quietly marching towards an exciting debut album, a prospect which is already taking shape. “At the moment we're writing and starting to record. I think it'll be different again. There's a lot more scope to do different things because we've got so much more time. I'm pretty excited. It's all falling into place.” For the moment though, Crushed Beaks seem satisfied to stay busy. Their debut EP was released in September on London's ASL Records and an intensive live schedule will see Matt and Alex through to the end of the year, including a string of dates supporting Big Deal. In any spare moments they can grab, you'll probably find Crushed Beaks crammed into the shed where they perfected their craft and where they'll no doubt write and demo one of the most highly anticipated debut albums of 2014.

Reviews 1. Los Campesinos No Blues Wichita 29 October 1.

Los Campesinos! are no strangers to a changing lineup, and after original bassist Ellen announced in December 2012 that she was leaving to pursue a career in writing, fans had no reason to doubt that the six-piece would keep making the melodious dark pop that has come to characterise them, or that they would keep working as hard as they do. And they do work hard. Forgetting for a moment all the zines and odd singles that the band proffer from their blog, their new album No Blues is their fifth studio album – quite a feat given they’ve only been going since 2006. The first taster of the album ‘What Death Leaves Behind’ was offered as a free download in August and reassured listeners that thematically LC still have the same obsessions: love and death.

But such personal issues need never be depressing or dull, and the album’s opener, ‘For Flotsam’, reinforces this. A heartfelt and vivacious number, the repeated lyrics, “Knees knocking, blood flowing,” seem to anticipate the collisions and adrenaline that will no doubt prosper when the song is played live. Fans of the gang vocals and tight drum fills of ‘By Your Hand’ from 2011’s Hello Sadness will no doubt be quickly enamoured by this opening track. But by no means does the quality end here; be it the poetic ingenuity of ‘What Death Leaves Behind’, or the glorious breakdown in ‘Cemetery Gaits’, it’s clear that their songwriting has become even more refined.

Counterbalancing singer Gareth’s self-deprecation is semireminiscent of LC’s ‘twee-pop’ days, the result is an exuberant, Arcade Fire-esque, no man’s land that will surely make this track a favourite at live shows. The last half of the album continues to be a delicious and dynamic range of intelligent pop songs that culminates in the closing track ‘Selling Rope (Swan Dive To Estuary)’, which is just as enticing and inclusive as the beginning of the album. With its inebriating hooks and sobering lyrics, No Blues typifies the old expression, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Words: John Bell loscampesinos.com

2. Haim Days Are Gone Polydor 30 September 2.

Unless you’ve been wearing industrial strength ear muffs and living under an enormous music-proof umbrella for the last year, you’ll be familiar with the Californian sister trio who have propelled themselves firmly onto the front page of ‘The Music Scene’. Their quirky interviews and instant likeability has been backed-up a string of promising singles and Este, Danielle and Alana Haim have finally released their debut, number one selling album. With more hooks than a pirate convention and a blend of 70s rock, 80s pop and 90s R&B, the record is a real tonic, offering something to listeners of all ranks.

The fun kicks-off with ‘Falling’; a breathy vocal from lead-singingsister Danielle flows over a bassled opening, and takes us, head nodding, into the body of the song and indeed the record – mostly punchy, charismatic tracks with cosmically catchy choruses. ‘If I Could Change Your Mind’ is no exception, and is prime, unfiltered, late 80s soundtrack material. The girls’ childhood staple of jamming classic rock covers with their parent-led family band ‘Rockinhaim’ is evident all over the album, and their fondness for Fleetwood Mac is well-known. ‘Forever’ is classic Tango in the Night material, while the simple and elegant ‘Honey & I’ bears a striking resemblance to Tusk’s ‘Honey Hi’. No bad thing and simply an extension of what they do so well elsewhere on the record.

Writing collaboration with Jessie Ware and Kid Harpoon sees the move from guitar to a more electro feel on the title track, heading in more of an R&B direction. ‘My Song 5’ is a step even further and has an almost Jai Paul feel to it, found in that crunchy bass that is so dominant throughout. There is sincerity too, most notably in ‘Go Slow’; it is hard to ignore it in such a beautiful song. Matched with quite brilliant execution, the record demonstrates a truly eclectic appreciation for the recent classics; Days Are Gone seems an entirely appropriate title then for this truly A* effort. Words: Adam Burbidge haimtheband.com

3. Laurel Halo Chance of Rain Hyperdub 28 October Tumbling electronic tones cut across by bubbles of distortion signal the opening of Laurel Halo’s latest album, Chance of Rain. Announced over a month ago, we’ve been promised “Moments of movement and stillness, psychedelia and presence of mind”. These categories are fulfilled on the first track; oddly reminiscent of certain sci-fi programs from the 60s, they disappear towards to the middle of the album, where Halo forgoes any suggestion of tranquillity and pensiveness for a rhythmic, muted bass drum overlaid by some sharp trap.

4. Sombear Love You in the Dark Trans-Records 18 November Overall it’s a claustrophobic affair defined by a total lack of vocals and oddly stacked harmonies that keep you on your toes. You can’t help by feel somewhat disarmed by Laurel’s efforts; without anything like the melancholy tremors of Burial, or the addictive melodies of Four Tet, it is at first difficult to define the album’s purpose. However with each time you listen, it becomes clear that Laurel Halo is carving out an entirely new territory for herself – the electronic influences are difficult to detect simply because she’s wholly on her own in this dark pulsating world. Whether you want to join her is up to you, but don’t expect to find anything familiar during your stay. Words: Thomas Weller laurelhalo.com

Until now, Brad Hale was known for playing drums in three-piece indie rock outfit Now Now, remixing Tegan & Sara and providing bespoke graphic design work for fellow Midwestern homeboy Justin Vernon. But with his brave new “introverted pop” project, Sombear, he has combined rhythmic instinct, technical knowhow and voguish visuals to create something even more compelling. Jumping straight into the good stuff with dynamic opener ‘Incredibly Still’, we are struck by shuffling beats and arpeggiated synths. These are the kinds of deliberately retro sounds that signpost something more than your ordinary bedroom producer.

Vintage electro-pop is admittedly the latest craze, but Hale hasn’t fallen victim to the influence of other timely genres – dubstep and chillwave – chucking in a few ‘wob-wobs’ would have been all too easy in this territory. Instead, staccato guitar has been tastefully used to augment submerged bass lines in tracks like ‘The Way We Are’ and ‘Easy Thief’, adding an analogue element to the otherwise digitally dominated album. Funk-laden, ‘Get Lucky’-style phrases in ‘Never Say Baby’ also prove irresistible. Being this savvy to the trendier side of mainstream tastes, Love You In The Dark is bound to win Sombear a legion of vinyl junkie followers. Words: Matt Ayres facebook.com/Sombear

Live

Lorde Madame JoJo’s, London, 18 September There is nothing quite like the feeling of intense hype that surrounds a future star’s first UK show; social media channels flood with praise and excitement in the build-up, as a competitiveness and that strange feeling of ownership takes hold. It almost becomes something of a no-win situation for an artist who has already convinced the majority of the industry before soundcheck. Rarely has this been more the case than when 16 year old Ella Yelich-O'Connor came to London’s Madame JoJo’s. The sold out venue was brimming with excitement for her appearance, which comes in a cloud of smoke as the Kiwi starlet takes to the small stage in – what will surely become trademark – vintage, gothic attire. Everything feels thoughtout, through this choice of clothing, to the lack of any major interaction and steely glares directed at the fascinated crowd.

‘Tennis Court’ is a catchy highlight, alongside and the bouncing ‘Love Club’ and her US chart-conqueror ‘Royals’, which provides the hipster equivalent to Jessie J’s ‘Price Tag’ and, with its “we don’t need money” theme, is a no-brainer hit single. It is a good length set for an early outing and gives an insight into the depth of Pure Heroine, her debut full-length due 30 October in the UK. The reserved calm of ‘Ribs’ provides a certain respite from the up-tempo majority; “It feels so scary getting old,” is desperately squeezed out through gritted teeth by a performer, and indeed songwriter, who is vastly talented and completely assured beyond her young years. A star for the future; with Lorde ‘pop music’ is in a very good place. Words: George O'Brien Photo: Burak Cingi for The Line of Best Fit lorde.co.nz

But in this instance, looks are not deceiving and the dark and devilish pop Lorde produces is similarly intuitive; opening with the bare-boned ‘Bravado’ highlights her characteristic vocal, the intuitive rhythms she utilises (see ‘Biting Down’) and the perpetual social emphasis her songwriting possesses.

Jon Hopkins Koko, London, 21 September Walking down the tunnel to Koko's cavernous red interior tonight feels like being pumped into a beating heart. While the venue might have seemed too big for Jon Hopkins's intimate, introvert techno, in reality it's perfect – the huge old theatre is a fitting setting for a glorious live audio/visual show. It's packed to the rafters too – now twice Mercurynominated, Hopkins is pulling bigger and bigger crowds, and deservedly so. Immunity is this year's electronica album of choice, blending hard-edged glitch 'n' twitch with warm piano to amazing effect, and drawing comparisons with artists as varied as Four Tet and Sigur Ros. A screen lowers and a drone of synth builds and builds until Hopkins appears on stage. Although it's interesting to watch him play live – it's clear he's enjoying it as he bobs behind his array of samplers and faders, launching into 'Breathe this Air' – the focal point of the show quickly becomes the display behind him. Although perhaps not as technically impressive as the multi-layered projections on show from the likes of Flying Lotus, here the visuals suit the music perfectly: washes of colour strobe in time with repeated loops, album-artwork inspired shards explode and swirl with the beats. Music and visuals become one hypnotic experience, and within moments the crowd is moving.

By the time 'Open Eye Signal' kicks in, Koko is going wild. Nearing 10 minutes long, it slips into its punishing grind and doesn't let up; the rhythm and modulated synth line building to an unstoppable head of steam. It's hard to believe that someone is controlling it manually. Controlling is the operative word – this track sounds like it could run away forever unless properly restrained. Ready for a breather? Tough. 'Collider' immediately follows, another beast that drops and drops and drops again despite its slow and steady boom. It leaves the audience euphoric for 'Light Through the Veins' from 2009's Insides, tonight's most captivating and epic moment. Blue and purple shards form and fragment on-screen and soft-edged sounds take hold of our hearts and squeeze. As the sounds fade and visuals recede at the end of the hour-long set, our attention returns to the man left standing in the middle of it all. With a wave and a smile, he's off – hopefully back to his piano to craft another slice of genius. Or maybe to collect that award? Words: Adam Chard Photo: Adam Chard croatoandesign.co.uk jonhopkins.co.uk

Eve Barlow: I CAN'T REALLY TELL YOU HOW TO BECOME A MUSIC JOURNALIST eve-barlow.tumblr.com

Do you know who the most ill-adjusted section of society is? The homeless? Drug addicts? Psychopaths? People who watch the channel Dave? No, no, no, no. It’s ‘the music industry’. People who have become woefully addicted to music, so inseparable from their headphones they've considered having an iPod shuffle superimposed onto their brain. It’s the journalists, DJs, bands, managers, PRs, A&Rs, etc. who have taken a love of music so far they've had to make a living out of it, thus challenging the concept of REAL LIFE and never integrating into civilisation. If you become a music journalist before you learn how to drive you will never get round to learning how to drive. Ditto cooking. Music journalists are just trying to keep the party alive, while disregarding ‘the norm’ and routine, ignoring polite conversation, and continuing to swear in inappropriate places. Just this week I said “Robin Thicke’s a right CUNT” on the Northern Line in the middle of the afternoon. In front of a child. Sometimes I just don’t know what time/day/ century it is. Unless, of course, it's 'Hammer Time' and I'm listening to the playlist I curated called "Songs that sound like Rick James wrote them". I am a victim. When you work for NME, often aspiring journos will ask you about “becoming a music journalist”. There isn’t a formula. It’s in you. Kinda like how being a superhero is in Superman, it’s your calling. In order to do it well you must eradicate all normalcy in life because a) music is all that actually matters anyway and b) who knows, for example, when Lady Gaga is actually going to release ‘ARTPOP’?

Feasibly it could drop. Like right now. And then what? “Sorry I’m busy cooking polenta for my mate’s hen-do, she’s well into Wholefoods. Can my first reaction blog wait till Monday?" WHAT?! NO! THIS IS A GAGA EMERGENCY! WHAT PART OF THAT DON'T YOU GET? On the days when I haven’t answered my mum’s 25 text messages and voicemails I explain my music journalism duties as Deputy Editor of NME thus: “Well mum, you know how in Casualty there’s a head doctor in Triage and everyone’s dying at once and the head doctor has to figure out who’s going to die first, save that person, then move onto the next and so on … That’s basically me all day.” Mum responds: “You make a music magazine. It's not life and death.” Actually, it is. Music journalism has shaped my life. Hours studying '90s piano house is why I’ve still not managed to get to IKEA to buy some furniture. Stalking indie bands is why I’ve got three different currencies in my wallet. Life is just sort of… backwards in comparison with everyone else's. Just last Saturday I was in the shop picking up some orange squash at 9.30pm. I’d run out. “Woah someone’s Saturday night is super rock’n’roll,” said the cashier before I went home to mope to all the Cat Stevens rarities I've yet to get round to. That’s how I survive. Saturday nights: in. Every other night: out. If you want to become a music journalist ignore everything everyone else is doing – that’s a great start.

—CIRCA WAVES— GET AWAY / GOOD FOR ME 2 DECEMBER

—RAINER— HOPE / SATIN / GLASS / DREAMS 25 NOVEMBER

—GLITCHES— RGB 2 DECEMBER

—CUT RIBBONS— BOUND IN LOVE EP 18 NOVEMBER

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