Issue 02 // Neon Jungle

MISTREE PRINTZ BOARD| BLOOM TWINS | DAUGHTERS OF DAVIS| THE LOVEBIRDS | THE 1975

issue 02 | JUly ‘14

Neon Jungle 1

MISTREE magazine

TEAM editorial editor: bekka collins bekka@mistreemagazine.co.uk writers: bekka collins, melina scarfo, anthony rogers photography: shannon bray + anthony rogers

commercial advertising: info@mistreemagazine.co.uk

HELLO

jobs: bekka collins

info@mistreemagazine.co.uk

WELCOME TO OUR SECOND ISSUE. Summer is in full force, or rather we’ve had about seven sunny days here in the UK, so we’re pretty happy. How’s summer treating you?

We said we would mention our favourite festivals in this issue, but we haven’t stopped crying about not being able to attend any, so instead we’ve gone overboard with the amount of artists we think you should discover this month.

So many great bands are just popping out from literally nowhere!

However, you can expect a full breakdown of our experiences at the Vans Warped Tour in our next issue, that’s a promise!

We talked to some pretty cool people in this issue, and tried some new things. We hope you enjoy it!

bekka collins, editor

#np: tiesto - a town called paradise

MISTREE MAGAZINE is an independent publication that is solely published on issuu.com. All material is copyright.

All rights reserved. The views of our contributors do not necessarily represent the views of the MISTREE Magazine team. At the time of writing the information published in this publication is known to be correct, but changes can occur bringing the accuracy of copy into question. We do not accept responsibility for these changes. info@mistreemagazine.co.uk

Don’t forget to TWEET us at @mistreemagazine using #unravelthemystery to let us know what you thought of this issue.

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special thanks Thank make have help

you to everyone who helped this issue possible, we wouldn’t been able to do it without from the following people:

Atlantic Records, Chuff Media, Neon Jungle, Theo PR, Resound Media, Jason Blades, Shannon Bray, Anthony Rogers, Peter B. Clarke, IAmMusic, Big Picture Media, and most importantly the featured musicians and contributors.

We would also like to give a big thank you to you, for joining us on our journey into unravelling music mysteries.

CO N T EN T S 30

Neon Jungle

ONE OF FAVOURITE

THE

UK’S

new girl groups Neon Jungle are set to make their real mark in music this summer.

With three charting singles already under their belts, the real goal will be seeing if their forthcoming debut album ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ will achieve as much success. With one of the busiest summer schedules, the girls are charged and raring to go. We spoke to Jess about the bands new album, their formation, what we can expect from their shows and their future. This is not an interview you should miss.

discover

18 PETER B. CLARKE 15 BAD SUNS 45 THE 1975

04 JETTA 08 TONIGHT WE LIVE 12 LOVESTARRS 29 WILD ONES

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bloom twins

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TWLOHA

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peter b. clarke

check out what else is in this issue!

opinions

visual

40 ALBUM REVIEWS 42 NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE

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PRINTZ BOARD

DAUGHTERS OF DAVIS

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catfish & the bottlemen 3

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the lovebirds

JETTA @JETTAOFFICIAL IT’S HARD TO BREAK THROUGH the British music scene as up and coming talent is everywhere you look. Yet Liverpudlian singersongwriter Jetta has rose to the challenge and it won’t be long until the whole country is chanting her name. Already tipped as one to watch this year by Rolling Stone Magazine and iTunes, she’s set to have a promising career ahead of her.

Signed to Polydor Records, Jetta had an honest start in music having joined her local choir at age eight and she self-taught herself piano at 13. By the age of 16 Jetta spent a large portion of her time crafting songs on Logic. Even after becoming a backing vocalist for Cee-Lo, her true talent wasn’t noticed until she posted a DIY iPhone video which attracted the attention of labels all over the world.

Her life was then transformed as she began to work on some new material. Her debut EP ‘Crescendo’ which has been produced by Pharrell, is expected to be released this July. She has a soulful delivery and seems to have concocted an addictive blend of alternative pop, based on the tracks we’ve already heard.

We’re excited to see her make a mark in the music industry. facebook.com/jettaofficial @jettaofficial WORDS BY: BEKKA COLLINS

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D I S C O V E R LOOK OUT FOR OUR DISCOVER HEADINGS WHICH FEATURE UP AND COMING ARTISTS.

@EZSTONEMUSIC

BRIGHTON’S SINGER-SONGWRITER EZ (PRONOUNCED FEZ) STONE has crafted an infectious sound, based upon soul and folk elements, unique lyrics and memorable melodies. Having grown up listening to the likes of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd long melodic segments are some of Ez’s favourite components of a song. He released his debut EP titled ‘Moroccan Whiskey’ last November, which journals the time he spent in Morocco back when he was nineteen, with the title taking its inspiration from a type of tea Ez found while he was there. The EP’s release show is one of Ez’s fondest memories, having the whole room packed out with his supportive friends and family. He has since gone on to support acts like George Ezra, Bridie Jackson & The Arbour, Jake Issac and many others. We can’t wait to see what Ez will do next, and suggest you join his journey because it wont be long before everyone is talking about him.

@SAMGARRETTMUSIC @MYLITTLEAF SAM GARRETT IS IN HIS early twenties and aims to share his experiences of life through indie-acoustic tracks.

Inspired by nature, the sun and the sea, he grew up in the English countryside and began playing guitar at age eight. After spending his teen years playing in numerous bands, Sam transitioned into a soloist after embarking on a spiritual journey. Using his music to heal and help others, he moved to London and released an EP titled ‘Namaste’ back in February, which is a collection of soulful and honest songs that are relatable on many levels. He will be spending his summer sharing his music with the world at festivals and one off shows.

Sam is not motivated by fame or fortune, but instead just wants to connect with others through the power of music, and maintain these life-long relationships.

MY LITTLE AUSTRALIAN FRIEND ARE A London based acoustic duo made up of Isi and Lewis, who met while studying for their degrees in music. They played in various bands together before forming MLAF in 2010.

They create a simple blend of pop, country, acoustic and folk fusing together addictive melodies and enchanting lyrics. Starting out performing at open mic nights where they treated audiences to their own material and covers, they have crafted their own unique style of writing and production which they are sharing at festivals across the UK this summer.

They really are a captivating act who are confident in what they do, and do it well.

HAVING FORMED BACK IN 2012, LONDON quartet Passport To Stockholm have been taking their own spin on the acoustic genre, armed with a variety of instruments such as guitars, cellos, harmonicas, loop pedals and stomp boxes. The unsigned act released their debut EP produced by Carey Willets and Gordon Mills Jr and have been backed by the likes of BBC 6 Music and Amazing Radio. A mere two years into their career and they have already toured across the UK and Europe and appeared in adverts for Sony and HTC. If this is what they can achieve in their first two years, who knows what they can achieve in their next two.

@george_ogilvie

@PTSOFFICIAL

CANTERBURY SINGER-SONGWRITER GEORGE Ogilvie has been drawing some attention from his recent YouTube cover videos. The simplicity of his videos paired with his emotive vocals is a winning combination and making him a much talked about artist in his hometown.

Taking inspiration from artists such as Bon Iver, City & Colour and Ben Howard, George has already released two EP’s. He is touring the local UK circuit across summer, and with a voice as infectious as his, we hope to hear a lot more of it in the up and coming months.

I NT E RV IEW

Bloom Twins

HOW MOVING FROM UKRAINE TO LONDON INSPIRED THEIR MUSIC CAREER 6 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

THE TWIN SISTERS WHO MOVED to London to help kick-start their music career are certainly seeing results. Ukrainian born Anna and Sonia Kuprienko are young, but have admirable drive and passion for music. “We have been into music ever since we were little, but we never thought we would end up in London. We met our managers (Lenka Chubuklieva and Kyrylo Avenirov) and they told us not to be afraid and to pursue what we really wanted.” Ever since then the sisters have immersed themselves in playing and singing music every day, as well as sharing it with other people, noting “that’s what we love.”

The sisters moved to London from Kiev at just 16 years old, leaving their friends and family behind in order to break free from the confines of Ukraine and make an impression in the music world.

London is a perfect place to start your career, but they remembered that it was “quite tough to live here in the beginning. We could barely talk and everything was so different to Ukraine. Every little thing was unfamiliar and we were very young, 16 year olds going on 12! But it made us work harder and we were inspired by rainy London, its busy life and crowded streets. That’s why we wrote our first songs here.”

Although they are twins, their approach to music isn’t always the same. “We are alike, but we are really different too. We like the same music, but we like different songs or parts of a song. When we write something, we work on it together but after a while we need to work on our own. Then we unite again, and at the end we have created something that both of us will enjoy listening to.”

Bloom Twins have released a handful of individual tracks including their latest single “Blue”. “We are pretty sure many people are familiar with what a dysfunctional relationship is, and when it’s over you still cling onto the good and bad memories. It can haunt you down in a big city, where everything is moving fast yet you are feeling detached. You

can feel very lonely surrounded by thousands of people, and sometimes it’s hard to distinguish what it is exactly that makes you feel what you feel,” and that is what “Blue” was inspired by. The pair are currently working on an EP that aims to showcase bittersweet music.

Ukraine has been a victim to many horrible incidents in the recent months, and Bloom Twins darkly covered “Get Up Stand Up” by Bob Marley before the shootings took place.

“Though the song was released right before the shootings, Ukraine was already two months into the uprise. We live in a society that has an appetite for immediacy. What is relevant today won’t be mentioned

“YOU JUST HAVE TO BE A FIGHTER” on the news tomorrow, but what is happening in our county cannot be forgotten. We wanted something that would have a longevity and can outlive the ‘headline’. We wanted to let our fellow Ukrainians know we support them, and it was a vulnerable situation in which they had to stay strong and to stand for their rights. Those horrible things that are and were happening have truly touched us.”

While showing support for their hometown, the twins have faced their own battles. With the aim of wanting to make a difference in someone else’s life through their music, they are continuing to write and record songs, play shows, and hope to release another video sometime soon. Their parting note was “every now and then you’ll have to deal with difficulties of all sorts and you just have to be a fighter. A dear friend of mine told me ‘everyday you learn something new’, so never stop developing you. Never stop creating or doing something new. Even when it’s tough, just go for it.” facebook.com/thebloomtwins @thebloomtwins

D I S COVER

TONIGHT WE LIVE @TONIGHTWELIVE

INTERVIEW BY: BEKKA COLLINS

ON THEIR FORMATION AND GETTING STARTED.

T

ONIGHT WE LIVE ARE AN Irish rock band from Kildare and are made up of Stephen and David Youster, Conor Fenlon and Mikey Aldridge. They formed back in 2012 and have recently released their newest single titled “We Called This Home,” which is packed full of chugging riffs and dominant percussion. We spoke to Mikey to find out more about the bands formation, and how they’ve found tackling the music scene thus far.

How did you get started in music and what can you tell us about the formation of Tonight We Live?

“We all started playing music around the same age of 12/13.

We were playing in bands in our towns but none of them ever took off the way we would have liked. So Steve and Dave put an ad on a site online looking for a drummer. I answered it and we jammed out some music and began writing songs for our EP straight away. I had known Conor from playing in other bands and I asked him to come jam and we all just clicked as both band mates and friends in general, which is very important when you spend so much time together.”

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How would you personally describe your sound, and what can you tell us about your latest single “We Called This Home”?

“We usually describe ourselves as rock, we write big rock songs with honest lyrics. That’s what ‘We Called This Home’ is, it’s an honest representation of where we are at both musically and lyrically.

Steve has a great way of writing lyrics that people our age can relate too. We all grow up and go through the same things. I suppose with our music it’s showing people they aren’t alone when it comes to those situations in life.”

You released your debut EP for free, what was the response to it and do you think offering music for free is something newer bands should consider?

“The immediate response was incredible, we never thought 100 people would download it let alone a 1,000. Now it has surpassed 13,000 downloads from all over the world.

I think it’s definitely something bands should consider. I guess our thinking behind it was, nobody knows us at all.

We want to offer them our music to show what we are about and if they like us and what we are about then they would feel like supporting and following

our band as we grew and established ourselves.”

You’ve played a wealth of shows with some highly established bands, what can we expect from one of your live shows?

“Our live show is energy, energy and energy. Our music means so much to us that we can’t help but get lost in it on stage and release as much passion and energy as possible. It’s also a fun show, we have lots of banter between us and the crowd and lots of singing along. We are all there for the one reason, music, so we might as well share it as much as possible.”

What is one thing you would like to achieve as a band?

“To tour the world. To visit the people that our music has touched. We get messages from people all around the world saying how much our music means to them and how our lyrics have found a home in their everyday lives. We would love to play our music and give back to those people who support us.”

What do you have planned for the rest of the year?

“We have loads coming this year, new music shows and some other exciting things we can’t wait to announce.”

D I S C OVER @goldlake_

GOLD LAKE Gold Lake are a Brooklyn-based trio who create soft, upbeat folk-inspired tracks. Founding members Carlos del Amo and Lua Rios met in Carlos’ nightclub in Madrid and embarked on their journey as a duo. After meeting drummer Dave Burnett, two became three and things started to really make sense.

The trio have released a brand new single titled “We Already Exist” which is taken from their forthcoming debut EP ‘Years’.

‘Years’ was mixed by Phil Ek who has worked with the likes of Fleet

Foxes, and aims to showcase the bands organic and warm sound.

Though the band are currently fairly unacquainted with the UK, this is soon about to change.

The trio will be headlining a show at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen and will be supporting Midlake and Lucy Rose across select dates in July. We have no doubt that they’ll find a home within the UK and we can’t wait to see what they get up to while they’re here, but also with their future music plans.

TWIN WILD @TWINWILDBAND

Since changing their name it’s almost like London four piece Twin Wild have had a complete fresh start. The quartet made up of Richard Hutchison, Imran Mair, David Cuzner and Edwards Thomas released their first single “Fear” in June and not one of them could have anticipated what would happen next.

Within it’s first week on SoundCloud the track surpassed over 100,000 plays and gained the band a wealth of new fans including a well known AlunaGeorge. It has since been played on Radio 1’s Review Show and is constantly gaining leverage in the online music world. We don’t know much about this band, but they could quickly become one of the UK’s fastest rising talents.

PHOTO BY: JOSHUA HALLING

@MATTWILLSMUSIC

MATT WILLS When trawling through Facebook one day we came across acoustic singer-songwriter Matt Wills. Not the most exciting of ways to discover a musician, but at least it was a genuine affair. The Londoner is influenced by the likes of Jamie T and Ed Sheeran, and released his debut EP titled ‘She Has No Name’ in February of this year.

‘She Has No Name’ is available for free download in its entirety, and it is a perfect introduction to Matt’s sound.

He has a soulful voice that is backed by cleverly-written lyrics, promising melodies and strong production.

His latest single “Lights Out”, which doesn’t feature on the aforementioned EP has already gathered him some solid support and was one of BBC’s Introducing tracks of the week. If that’s not an impressive achievement for such a young act, I don’t know what is. The track is probably his most Sheeran-sounding song to date.

It’s clear that Matt is still learning the ropes, but he has a solid understanding of his sound that will bode well for his future. He could have a very promising career ahead if he sticks with music.

ALL WORDS BY: BEKKA COLLINS 9

I ND USTR Y

To Write Love On Her Arms, often styled as TWLOHA is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, selfinjury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery. We spoke to Jason Blades, a previous TWLOHA intern who is now a vital part of the movements music and event team.

As an organisation who are partly responsible for creating connections between people who are looking for self-help, we noticed that social media has played a vital role in allowing TWLOHA to connect with others. “Because of social networks and the internet we are able to connect people to resources in their local

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area from our home base in Melbourne FL, or we are able to reach people all over the world by posting an inspiring photo or quote over our social networks,” explained Jason. “All of this wouldn’t be possible without social media or the internet. It has truly allowed us to offer hope and help people outside our area, helping to drop the physical boundaries and limits that might have made this impossible.

Additionally, the level of anonymity that comes with the internet has helped those that might be too afraid or scared to ask for help in person, take the first step over the internet. We still encourage them to talk to someone, but we are able to bridge that gap and encourage them to seek out help in their area.”

TWLOHA also connect with people through their merchandise such as t-shirts.

Their merchandise has since transformed into the sole source of income for the organisation, but that was never the plan. “Early on, we had no intention of ever being a non-profit,” exclaimed Jason.

“There wasn’t a business plan. We just wanted to help a friend; tell her story and sell some shirts to help pay for treatment. We posted her story and heard from people all over the world that had similar stories and they wanted to help. Having the online store was a natural progression from how we originally started, and it serves a dual purpose. It is how we are able to sustain and fund our programs and operations, and the merchandise is a great conversation starter.”

The movement has been linked to music since the very beginning and it is a big part of their culture. TWLOHA have recently become more integrated in the scene and even created their own tour titled the ‘Heavy and Light Tour’.

“Music is a big part of our story, and we love how it is able to connect people,” noted Jason. “Music is for everyone and we love that. It allows people to feel things that might be hard to put into words. It connects people from all walks of life. We will always be invested into the music scene because it can provide a sense of community, something that TWLOHA talks a lot about. Healing happens with community, and music inspires that. We have quite a few music events planned for the rest of summer and fall.”

As an organisation, TWLOHA have pushed themselves to get as many people involved as possible. One of their most popular campaigns is Fears vs. Dreams, which invites you to answer two questions:

What’s your biggest fear, and what’s your greatest dream?

and fears is also incredible and inspiring,” explained Jason.

“By adding your words to the mix we hope people feel less alone in reading the words of others.

We hope to remind everyone that you’re living a story. The story is yours and it’s entirely unique. The premise is simple, yet answering the questions can be difficult because it forces you to be honest and maybe even vulnerable.

Although TWLOHA is an organisation that aims to be around for many years, with an apparent long-term goal, all of their small-term goals are represented by their programs.

“All of our programs are aimed at presenting hope and finding help for those struggling, and that is something we work at daily. We are on a neverending quest to find creative ways to provide resources, encouragement and hope to those struggling all over the world.”

“HEALING HAPPENS WITH COMMUNITY AND MUSIC INSPIRES THAT” Too often we are told that it isn’t okay to be vulnerable, but we disagree. I think that this project has seen great results because it is simple, but it resonates with people. The questions are two things that motivate us daily.

What do we want and what are we afraid of? Seeing that others might have the same dreams

It is clear that TWLOHA have come a long way since their formation in 2006, and they show no signs of slowing down. If you think TWLOHA is something you would like to get involved with, then you can check them out at the links below. www.twloha.com facebook.com/ towriteloveonherarms @twloha

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D I SC OVER

lovestarrs

ED SHEERAN

X

OUT NOW

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FROM BEING DROPPED FROM THEIR LABEL TO COMING BACK STRONGER THAN EVER LEARN ABOUT THE LOVERSTARRS STORY

L

OVESTARRS ARE YOUR new favourite electro-pop band hailing from London

and Somerset. The irresistible trio made up of brother and sister Hamish and Sarah McIntosh and completed

by George Hinton, are inspired by their dreams and influenced by their parent’s record collections which includes gems such as Prince, Tears of Fears and Cyndi Lauper.

The unstoppable trio already have quite a reputation for themselves having founded the dark-electronic pop group The Good Natured back in 2008. They released a handful of material including three EP’s and were signed to Regal Recordings and Parlophone here in the UK. Unfortunately they were dropped from their label in July of last year, and struggled to reclaim the masters back for what should have been their debut album. In December they promised they would

break into 2014 in a new shape and new form; thus Lovestarrs.

The bands debut single under their new name was titled “Get Your Sexy On” and was released back in February. Layered with pop-hooks, feel good-vibes and the overall message of being confident in yourself, it was a fighting come back single. The original video however, has since been removed from YouTube for apparently violating regulations.

Now signed to Manchester’s LAB Records, Lovestarrs will release their forthcoming EP titled ‘Supernova’ on August 5th. The EP’s lead single “Bullet” is reminiscent of the bands old school sound, but it is more refined. It is a promising single that is sure to please both new and old fans with it’s electronic synth backdrop, captivating effects, steady percussion and as ever, cleverly written lyrics that are a signature element.

PHOTO BY: ALEXANDER RHIND

ORCHARD

HILL

are an Oxfordshire act who are known for creating addictive pop-rock tracks that have been crucial in helping put them on the musical map. The five piece formed back in 2010 and have continually built up a @ORCHARDHILL_ solid local fan-base who Photo: Joe Brady just keep coming back for more. Their new single “Who We Are” which was released in May does exactly as the title suggests, and perfectly captures the bands sound, style and ambitions. They have shared the stage with a wealth of acts and just keep on giving, showing that Orchard Hill are one of the most focused and driven bands on the scene. They are sure to make it far if they keep up this constant stream of energy and hard work.

They will be heading out on the road in August for the ‘Make It Out Alive’ tour, so be sure to catch them at a date near you. facebook.com/orchardhill

@ZELLADAY

I really can’t wait to see what is stored within ‘Supernova’, as it is clear that Lovestarrs have what it takes to make it in music. Hopefully this new beginning will help them achieve the success they deserve.

ROBYN SHERWELL IS A LONDON based singer-songwriter who is from the small island of Guernsey. She cites James Blake, Sia and Imogen Heap as clear musical influences, and some of their characteristics can be heard within her sound. Her latest single “Low” is an organic laid-back track that seems to unravel naturally.

Her freely flowing vocals intertwine with the thudding percussion which makes for a track that deserves to be recognised. Though we don’t know much about Robyn, she seems to be getting noticed and it’s no surprise. We will be keeping up to date with her music journey and can’t wait to see what she achieves in the up and coming months.

facebook.com/planetlovestarr @planetlovestarr

ALL WORDS ON PAGE BY: BEKKA COLLINS

ARIZONA NATIVE ZELLA DAY impresses me with each new song she releases. After getting hooked on her track “Sweet Ophelia” I set my hopes high for “East Of Eden.” Luckily the now California resident has gone above and beyond my expectations, rendering me almost speechless as her infectious blend of pop rings in my ears. “East Of Eden” will be released on Zella’s forthcoming EP via B3Science. I am on the edge of my seat in anticipation for some new Zella music.

@INDIANATHEGIRL

facebook.com/robynsherwellmusic

D I S COVER

PETER B. CLARKE photographs + story by: anthony rogers

Peter B Clarke, an Oregonian turned San Francisco native has been with his musical craft for nearly two decades. After sitting down with Peter in a one on one interview I got to really experience how he works, lives, and breaths for his sound. Peter is a successful DJ here in the SF Bay Area playing at multiple clubs, shows, and other private events. I got to discuss with Peter about the future of his music and what it takes to make it as a “sound artist�.

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“IN THE VERY BEGINNING I STARTED out with piano lessons in the third or fourth grade,” began Peter. “It kind of felt like I was forced into it by my mom, but from there I went on to play other instruments such as oboe, jazz piano, and drums. I got into the electronic scene through disco music / jazz and from there started finding radio stations that played a fusion between jazz and electronic. Which then lead into a serious series of DJ mixes called DJ Kicks. And that’s what got me into it. I’m really bad at interviews,” he laughed.

“Currently I draw my influences from the big techno guys touring the globe, Dub fire, Richie Hawtin, M.A.N.D.Y, and Loco Dice.

My sound is fairly experimental; loungey and jazzy. Cinematic? It’s constantly evolving.”

Up and coming artists are all over the scene, each with their own individual hopes and dreams.

“I want to start getting more festival gigs and just playing at little festivals y’know?” expressed Peter. “I guess for this music, for my more melodic sound I’d like to just start getting more tracks on a few more compilations!

There is a really good label here in the Bay Area called, Ome Lounge, that was one of the first labels I really got into. It got me really interested in what a label was; also I’m really interested in their design aesthetic as well.

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I would love to release a track through Ome if I could. And eventually get an album out.”

Another thing I use religiously is my MACHINE. Logic and MACHINE are really all I need,” he explained.

For someone who defines themselves as a “sound artist”, their creation process was always going to be a little different. “For my melodic stuff I will sit down at the keyboard, but I won’t plug it in to a computer.

Instead I will have just the piano on the keyboard. No synths, no drums, just focusing on the melody of the song. I will then find the key that I like, of course I don’t understand theory enough or practice it enough to give specific chords but I slowly find the key I like.

Peter is a self-acclaimed minimalist, and we wanted to know how he managed to incorporate his love of music and minimalism together.

Once I find the key and chord progressions that I want, I’ll bring them up into a Logic session on my computer and from there start dragging notes around to start creating a thicker chord for how I want it to sound. I’ll tighten up my theory a bit, and make sure it’s more ‘technically’ right.

So to get started I need key / chord progressions for the main parts of the song, then get that tracked, and from there start ‘fuxsin’ with shit.”

As for what gear Peter uses, he’s a Logic man through and through.

“To create with, I’m definitely a Logic guy,” he explained. “It’s my DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) of choice. My favorite piece of gear is my XONE 92, Allen Heath XONE 92 Mixer. Yes, it is a DJ mixer but I find myself using it for other creative decisions in my work flow too. It’s my command center really.

“My average song usually has no more than ten tracks,” he said. “But more recently I’ve been getting into the double digits, maybe twenty or so. Usually I don’t use more than just a few instrument tracks just so that each sound that I do use has it’s own hero moment within my composition.

So even if it’s not minimal techno and more melodic, it’s still minimally produced because I’m focused on which few instruments I use. I want each instrument to shine through so using a few just keeps it simple.”

So what does Peter’s minimally produced music offer the audience.

“I think they will just be able to relax. Since I don’t use lyrics in my work, the instrumental can really come forth. I want my listener to create their own story without the guiding aspect of lyrics.”

And we think that’s a great concept too. It seems too often that people don’t appreciate tracks without lyrical tales, but in actual fact soundscapes are just as capable as evoking emotions as hard-hitting honest words. Solo instrumental tracks can be completely captivating if they are created properly, and it seems obvious that this is what Peter wants to achieve in his work.

“I say this every year, but I want to get an EP out. I am getting closer, and I’m getting ready to release more of my techno stuff through different friends’ labels in the next few months. For my more melodic stuff, I just need to finish a couple of things and possibly submit them to Ome. But I would love to just get one big EP out a year, three or four songs and then in the future an album.

I’ll be announcing all releases on my Soundcloud so check regularly.”

Peter ended our interview with some words of wisdom. “I know I wasted a lot of time thinking that I didn’t know what I was doing. I like to make sure I understand everything within my craft. But one thing I did through my time in music school was ask too many questions about whether you do this or that when the real answer was that there is no right or wrong way, you just got know what you’re going for and go for it.” soundcloud.com/peterbclarke @peterbclarke

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PRINTZ BOARD “BEING A GREAT MUSICIAN DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN BEING A VIRTUOSO AT ONE THING”

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I NT ERVI E W Priese Prince Lamont Board, better known as Printz Board is almost an iconic figure in the American music scene, known as a recording artist, producer and songwriter. After messing around on his grandparents organ when he was younger, he first learned to play the trumpet and fell in love with it.

He began to study Jazz and then studied at San Diego State before heading to LA. “I was pretty much in it [music] before I had a chance to think of it like a career. I had a band called Gravy, and other bands that came up with us. One of those bands was the Black Eyed Peas. There was an incredible community of musicians and we all mixed it up together.

Everything really stemmed from just a pure love and enjoyment from playing live with other musicians,” he recalled.

Now with several Grammy’s under his belt, Printz transitioned into the role of a solo artist fairly easily, with one of his main outlets being songwriting. He is grateful for his background in songwriting and producing, believing they have led to him becoming a better musician. “Being a great musician doesn’t necessarily mean being a virtuoso at one thing. Being a great musician is being the whole package, and sometimes it’s the opposite of being a virtuoso. Songwriting and producing allows you to key in on certain areas of that and become well-rounded. Also, writing for other artists is the perfect way to really develop as a true songwriter and develop those skills. Any great producer is one who has the ability to step back and analyse things.

I’ve gotten to do so many unique things in my career that I would suggest any unique opportunity that comes your way; jump at it.

You’ll learn from it, guaranteed.”

Printz’s solo work is all about his own personal story. Comparing his solo material with that of the Black Eyed Peas Printz states “Black Eyed Peas is a

group of people. Even with the big records that we did like ‘Where Is The Love’, that’s a collaboration between Will, Taboo, Apl, myself and Justin Timberlake. That was from a few different perspectives and stories because it’s a group. My project is all me, so it’s my story and my perspective. No way is better than the other, but they are different which is good. It allows me as an artist to expand and keep things interesting.”

Speaking about his music, Printz says “my sound is a mix of artists and musicians and sounds I love. In a lot of ways, people kind of already know the Printz Board sound from the records I’ve written and produced, but it’s a bit of Gym Class Heroes, Ryan Leslie, a bit of Lenny Kravitz and a bit of the Black Eyed Peas. Add in some salt, a little pepper and mix it up.”

To introduce the public to his sound, Printz Board released an EP titled ‘Pre Games’ which offers a bit of everything, allowing each song to have an individual meaning and the ability to stand on its own.

“Recording the EP was great, each song was so different.

‘Hey You’ for instance just came to me while I was in the studio.

I just started singing the NaNa’s and it all came together on the spot. ‘Love, Love, Love’ was a very personal song and touches on a past relationship.

‘Rockstar Moments’ was fun.

Slash is featured on that track and he was actually touring, so we had to link up while he was on tour so he could jump on it. The EP is a true collection of stories and experiences.”

His latest track “Mountains” is riddled with an empowering vibe and is a very powering song. “It’s one that just hits home for a lot of people, probably because they relate to the struggle.

The song is about overcoming obstacles and not backing down.

The little boy in the first verse is me, and the woman in the second verse is my mom. My

mom was quite young when she had me and we lived together with my grandparents. It was a struggle, but my mom just never gave up and she instilled that kind of drive in me.”

Speaking of challenges, Printz finds it difficult to answer the question “Where’s Fergie?”, saying “people know me from the Peas and still want that to be part of it [his solo career].

Thing is, it will always be part of me, but this is a project that I started so I can do something a little different. I LOVE my bros and sis from the Peas, and we will never stop, but enjoy this for what it is, not what you expect it to be.”

He went on to say that it was easy to define his biggest achievement; “at the end of the day, it’s you that is front and centre. It’s your name on the marquee. It’s also MY story.

These stories are who I am to the core, the fact that people gravitate towards it and relate to me and what I’m putting out, that’s the biggest achievement.”

One place where people relate to Printz the most is during his live shows. When it comes to heading out to a Printz Board show, you can expect a lot of sweaty people regardless of the venue. “I like to put on an energetic show and the crowd gets hyped. My band which is on the road with me playing with CeeLo bring it every night too.”

Printz will be on tour with CeeLo and Lionel Richie for the next few months before heading to Europe for some dates. His own tour is coming up in the fall following the release of his full length album. He will be continuing to work with other artists, developing new projects and travelling. Printz’s advice to new bands is to “harness the technology that’s available to us now, including the social media angles.

Everything changes with the times, so don’t get stuck in the past or you’ll never see the future.” facebook.com/printzboardartist @printzboard 21

DI S COV ER

HUNTER & THE BEAR 2014 IS SET TO BE THEIR MOST HECTIC YEAR TO DATE

Hunter & The Bear are a folk-rock act who began as a duo made up of Will Irvine and Jimmy Hunter.

The pair started out while studying at Newcastle University and moved to London in 2012. Earlier this year Gareth Thompson and Chris Clark completed their line up, and all things have been raring to go since.

Inspired by artists such as Dire Straits and Bruce Springsteen, the quartet have crafted their own power-folk sound that is continually impressing the masses, much to their enjoyment. Last year they released their debut EP ‘Dusty Road’ which was produced by Jamie Bell (Metronomy) and that too was met with a positive response. It certainly helped put the bands powerful signature sound on the map.

Their notable sound has also bagged them spots on the stage alongside the legendary Bruce Springsteen at Hard Rock Calling. Tipped as one to watch this year,

Hunter & The Bear are taking their recommendation seriously, and aim to make 2014 their most hectic year yet. They recently supported Eric Clapton and will be releasing their Pledge Music funded EP ‘Before I Come Home’ before summer is out. With a lot of things in their pipeline we will be keeping up with their journey. facebook.com/Hunterandthebear @hunterthebear

The Afterparty are a fine example of a band who understand the importance of networking and building themselves and their fans up organically. I have watched the band grow over the past few years, and while it may have been a tougher ride for them, it’s certainly a more rewarding one.

the afterparty THE UNSIGNED ACT WHO SEEM TO HAVE STEPPED INTO THEIR SIGNATURE SOUND 22 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Unsigned London act The Afterparty have been circling the touring circuit since late 2010. The five piece made up of Nic Matthews, Matt Semmens, Joe Roshier, Dave Sheard and Matt Russell are now known for their energetic poprock tracks equipped with anthemic choruses, big melodies and strong lyrics.

Earlier this year they released their new single “When The Lights Go Out”, and it is quite possibly some of their best material to date. A little bit more mainstream than normal, they seem to have fully stepped into the sound they’ve been looking to perfect for the past few years, and they are sounding truly great.

They will be supporting The Last Carnival on their summer tour across the UK. We suggest you check them out because it won’t be long before they’re headlining their own tours.

facebook.com/ theafterpartyofficial @afterpartyuk

LITTLE MAY @LITTLEMAYMUSIC

Little May, a Sydney based trio made up of Liz Drummond, Hannah Field and Annie Hamilton sound a heck of a lot more polished than their years would suggest. They have just released their third single “Dust” and is it a perfectly produced, indiefolk track that captures the state of euphoria in under four minutes. Forming back in 2012, it is incredible to see the progress Little May have made in such a short time, transforming into three storytellers that have a knack for clever tales and structurally sound songs. I only recently came across this trio but I’m already excited to see where they will go, because I know it will be far. They are just too good already.

SAM FENDER I mentioned Sam in our last issue, and I’m pretty much an advocate for giving him as much publicity as possible, because if I could bet on someone becoming successful in music I would put all of my money on him, and I promise it’s not because he’s from the same city as me.

Sam is still so young yet he has a voice beyond his years, a cliche that’s overused I know, but it totally applies here, and I doubt anyone would disagree with me.

He has a charming stage presence, is seemingly laid back and gets lost in his own performance which is refreshing to see. His songs are about every day life, yet they seep such deep emotion you felt like you went through things with him - which I find is a quality only the strongest songwriters have. His soulful vocals carry every word with ease while his guitar strums always make sure he has a solid melodic backdrop. He is a true, unique talent and it won’t be long until he’s discovered properly.

Currently playing a handful of festival and working on some new demos, Sam seems to be keeping himself busy across the rest of the year. Here’s hoping there’s an album on the cards soon.

www.poom.fr

I don’t think you would believe me if I told you I’ve been looking for a new YELLE in my life for the past four years, but I’ve finally found my dose of French disco-pop in POOM. POOM are a duo made up of Camille and Siegfried, and it was their track “Les Voiles” that got me hooked. I’ve always loved the French language, it’s better in songs but when you combine it with funky guitars and a pulsating beat you’re onto a definite winner.

TOY SPARROWS @TOYSPARROWS Infusing acoustic with electronic Toy Sparrows hint at greatness. The duo from Cambridge consists of Leanna on piano and vocals and Chirs on guitar and effects.

Having formed last year, they have just released their debut single “Inside My Head” which boasts sweet melodies and an immediate uplifting soundscape. As Lenna’s crisp vocals float over the subtle guitar and shimmering effects, we can see their talent shining through already. We’re excited to see what else they have to offer when they release their EP later this year.

facebook.com/samfendermusic @samfendermusic

WORDS: MELINA SCARFO PHOTO BY: TOM CALTON ALL OTHER WORDS BY: BEKKA COLLINS

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DAUGHTERS of DAVIS 24 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

25

SIBLING DUO’S ARE ALWAYS interesting especially when they have never had any intentions of being in a band without one another, which was the case for Fern and Adrienne Davis, the sisters behind Daughters of Davis. Having always done music together since they were really young, they liked hanging out too much to be in two different bands. “Some people told us we shouldn’t sing together since our voices were so different,” but that never stopped them.

Growing up in an 8-piece funk/soul band together that unfortunately disbanded due to other members’ commitments to university, Adrienne began teaching herself guitar. “The start of Daughters of Davis would have been when we were having this jam one day by a river. We were sheltering from the rain in Guilford, and without realising it we had been serenading the pub at the other side of the bridge, as our voices had echoed down the tunnel,” they recalled. The manager then invited the girls to play an hours set at his pub, and with a lot of practising and word of mouth, the girls’ music began to spread organically through their hometown and further afield.

Describing their current sound as a mixture of soul and folk, or “solk”, the pair joked, they became confident in their material and decided to take a gamble with their music careers.

“We tried to wrap up education and keep down jobs as artists tend to do when their passions don’t necessarily promise money up front, and so we got on the obligatory conveyor belt and pulled up our safety blankets for while. We let our greatest passion tick on alongside our work lives, but it just wasn’t enough,” the girls explained. “We decided to give it all up, bought a van off eBay and took to the road on our own pre-planned headline tour. I guess we just had to know in our hearts that we’d given a career in music our best shot, and we trusted God that it would all work out some how - even in a rustbucket as bad as what we had.”

While out on the road the duo captured their touring experience 26 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

through a DVD titled ‘Where Do We Go’, which on reflection is a little too honest for their liking.

“When we were shooting the video and blogging whilst touring, we never knew it would end up on a DVD available nationwide.

It was put together by our team at Resound Media, Storm 5 who manage us and with the help of our amazing fans who helped fund it via Crowdfunder.” So even though their struggles and achievements are documented on a handy little DVD it’s a great product to look back on. As for their actual live shows, you should prepare to be unexpected, the duo plan to have you moonwalking and “yerharring” until you don’t know what day of the week it is.

While the touring life can be fun and games, it’s also worth a reminder that things can get tough, and sometimes you just have to make do with what you have.

“SOME PEOPLE TOLD US WE SHOULDN’T SING TOGETHER” “One time we had a gig to get to and we needed showers. Normally we would go to a leisure centre and pay for a shower/swim, but we were so broke that we decided at 6pm in the autumn to go for a shower/bath in the not-so-pretty River Mersey. We felt clean after but in theory I think we were actually cleaner before. But it did the job and it was good enough for us, I think the man walking past with his dog had a bit of a shock though,” the pair laughed.

After their own headline tour and performing material from their debut album ‘To The Water’, Daughter of Davis opened for Rebecca Ferguson’s European tour and began working on their new album titled ‘British Soul.’ “It’s more ambitious, and a bit more layered this time. It captures the energy we have live really well, and I even debut my mad/modest Ukulele skills too,” noted Fern.

To record the album, which is due

out in late summer, the girls did a few things differently but the main change was bringing in a band.

“We rehearsed the songs together, bringing on board the likes of a fantastic banjo player, Richard Kitson and mandolin extraordinaire Ian Griffiths for some really great songs.

It was great to be able to scope the sound we wanted with some really talented players,” they added.

Inspired by great soul singers of the 60s the duo write from the heart.

“This new album does incorporate some fiction too. The song The Trade from ‘British Soul’ is about an alternative universe where you can swap your soul with someone if you wish, how about that for fiction!

It does have real life themes in it too, so that’s what you get with us.”

Daughter of Davis started back in 2011 and the sisters have been fortunate enough to experience a wealth of opportunities. “Getting a brand new tour van sponsorship from Elddis so we didn’t have to live in the previous joke van that was falling apart,” is one of the girls’ biggest accomplishments. They also have great pride in learning to life off a diet of 10p noodles, economy porridge and surviving English arctic winters during their travels. They’ve also had a handful of memorable gigs that they’re thankful for. “We’ve played in front of many different audiences from soldiers about to be commissioned to 17,000 football fans pitch side at St. Andrew stadium, Birmingham City FC. We’ve recently had the pleasure of opening for Rebecca Ferguson on her European tour, and playing at The Royal London Opera House for a concert with Alison Moyet, they are big highlights too.”

You can currently catch Daughters of Davis supporting Eels across Europe which will take them across 6 countries. They are preparing for an album launch tour of their own as well as an exciting line of house gigs off the back of their sponsor a Meal-A-Month. If you would like the sisters to rock up at your house for an event of gig, or get access to other exciting goodies like their new album pre-release you can get involved with their Meal-A-Month campaign by visiting their website. daughtersofdavis.com @daughters_davis

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DIS COV ER

CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN

MEET ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT UP AND COMING UK BANDS OF 2014

WORDS BY: BEKKA COLLINS

I HAVE BEEN A STRONG supporter of Catfish and the Bottlemen since early 2013 when I first heard their track “Homesick”.

The power behind their sound was enough to have me hooked in seconds. Since then however, things have literally flipped upside down for the group and they have become one of the most talked about up and coming UK acts.

The North Wales quartet is made up of Van McCann, Billy Bibby, Benji Blakeway and Bob Hall. They spent a solid amount of time honing their craft and defining their signature sound.

They broke out into the scene last summer with a string of 28 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Radio 1 championed singles to their names. They have had one of the best spotlight years a band could ask for, gaining praise from all corners of the music world and their success is only continuing to grow.

league of their own. They have since announced that they will be releasing their debut album ‘The Balcony’ on September 15, and will be playing their biggest headline show to date in November at the London KoKo.

After signing with Communion Records and playing over 150 live shows including a slot on the BBC Introducing stage at last years Reading and Leeds Festival, the band seemed unstoppable.

I don’t think it will be long until Catfish and the Bottlemen follow in the steps of the likes of PEACE and Arctic Monkeys. They have the drive, ambition, and talent to make it and we can’t wait to watch it happen in front of our eyes.

Their latest single “Kathleen” was released this April after emerging as Zane Lowe’s Hottest Record In The World. It has a slick indierock sound that puts them in a

facebook.com/ catfishandthebottlemen @thebottlemen

D I S C OVER

WILD ONES

THE PORTLAND SYNTH-POP QUINTET WHO JUST KEEP ON GIVING AND GETTING BETTER.

WORDS BY: MELINA SCARFO PHOTO BY: HEATHER HAWKE

WILD ONES WILL STEAL YOUR heart with their dreamy synthpop. The quintet’s sound is the result of vastly different musical backgrounds.

Guitarist Nick Vicario is into punk and bassist Max Stein is a classical composer.

But somehow they come together to create blissful and uplifting pop driven by Danielle Sullivan’s sweet vocals.

The Portland natives have been through a lot and almost called it quits in late 2012. But not even a burst eardrum, a punctured lung and the loss of their drummer could stop them. The following year they went on to release their debut album ‘Keep It Safe’. It took

a year to write and nine months to record and mix. But we’re thankful it finally saw the light of day.

Relying on their DIY approach Wild Ones recorded and mixed the album themselves with help from engineer David Pollock.

Even the artwork was created by keyboardist Thomas Himes. ‘Keep It Safe’ is a vibrant yet melancholy voyage filled with subtle guitar, shimmering synths and enchanting vocals. It is simply beautiful, brimming with heart and emotion.

“It’s Real” is a standout with its choppy piano melody and simple bass line which weaves around Danielle’s flawless melodies. It

oozes with charm and innocence, mesmerising from the very beginning. In 11 tracks they have captured the feeling of a warm, tropical breeze in the form of soaring hooks and tinkling piano.

‘Keep It Simple’ was just rereleased through Topshelf Records and the band will be on tour this August to support it.

Wild Ones are definitely on our ones to watch list this year and if their debut is anything to go by then they are just getting started. facebook.com/ wildonestheband @wildonestheband 29

Neon Jungle

30 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

“I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO MEET MY BEST FRIENDS AT AN AUDITION. THAT TAKES NOTHING AWAY FROM US AS A BAND...”

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NEON JUNGLE ARE QUICKLY becoming the UK’s new favourite girl group. The four piece made up of Shereen, Asami, Jess and Amira have thrown out the typical girl band rule book and are making history on their own terms. No synchronised dance routines or matching outfits, Neon Jungle are one of the most diverse groups going and that’s exactly how they like it.

“We were put together through auditions held in London around Christmas in 2012. The audition process lasted a little over three months, and it was a very gruelling and scary experience.

There was so much tough competition, but on February 10th Neon Jungle as you know us were formed,” explained Jess.

The girls come from all over the country including London, Suffolk and Scotland. Their strikingly different backgrounds has had an obvious effect on their music production and sees them incorporating different genres and elements to help create their signature sound. “I think it [their different backgrounds] shows through our music, and that no one song sounds similar to the other. Although we are a girl band, we are still four individuals and we love experimenting to show those four different personalities and styles.”

which is something that is understood worldwide and across many industries, not just music.

The bands latest single “Louder” which is due for release on July 20 has been described as a raw number, but it’s definitely not a ballad. “It’s still feisty and powerful,” expressed Jess. “But this song is about using the volume of music to drown out unwanted emotions or thoughts.

It’s something we as a group can all relate to doing, as I’m sure a lot of people can too.”

the band formed, they are still the people continually putting the hard work and hours in, and we think they should be praised for that alone. Speaking of hard work, Neon Jungle are playing some of the UK’s best festivals this year, so if you’re heading out to see them expected to be entertained. They have promised us high energy performances and a lot of fun, no matter what the weather! This especially rings true for their dance tracks, they always get the crowd moving.

“Louder” is taken from the bands forthcoming album ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ which is also due to be released in midJuly. The group loved being in the studio and didn’t face any challenges, but their biggest concern was making sure they had all of the right music to create a compilation for others to enjoy. The girls’ influences are as diverse as Foo Fighters, Bob Marley, Beyonce to Italian Opera.

When we asked Jess what should expect from the album, she told us to: “Expect to be surprised.

There’s no one track that sounds the same as another, so there’s something for everyone. Or ten tracks that everyone one will enjoy, hopefully,” she laughs.

Though it may seem like the girls are living the high life, Jess admitted that “it’s always tough leaving friends and family behind, but by doing so we are living our dreams so we would never complain nor change any of it.”

Their debut single “Trouble” was two and a half minutes of feisty melodies, an anthemic chorus and a varied range of vocals. They then released their second single “Braveheart”, a dance-worthy track followed by the upbeat and urban-styled “Welcome To The Jungle.” All three singles landed charting spots, but that band dismiss the pressure and continue to put out music they like. “We wouldn’t release music we didn’t like, that’s just silly,” noted Jess. “We are our audience, and we want what we sell to be believable. If we don’t believe in it, then who will?”

The music industry has always been a tough place, but it seems to be getting harder to break through into the spotlight. If you have a good team behind you, it can become easier, but even that comes with consequences - most notably people exclaiming that a band is manufactured and not responsible for their own success.

We asked Jess what she thought about the concept of Neon Jungle being a manufactured group and were pleased with her answer. “I would agree with them to some extent because yes we were put together. Some people meet their friends through Facebook, some at parties. I was lucky enough to meet my best friends at an audition, and that takes nothing away from us as a band.”

And Jess has a very valid point

That’s true. Regardless of how

32 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

Living their dreams has allowed the band to travel to many different places that they feel privileged to have visited. Jess recalls that the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show will always stick out in her mind, but she is determined that the quartet have many more memories to make. They’re not going anywhere anytime soon.

As far as future achievements go, it’s simple: “We wanna be a household name. We want people of all walks of life to know the name Neon Jungle, whether their opinion of us is a good or bad one - that’s down to their taste.

We definitely want to be known globally and to tour worldwide.”

As for the immediate future, the band have a lot more shows ahead of them including some in-store HMV acoustic performances.

They will be visiting America as they are newly signed to RCA Records, and they aim to work closely with their modelling agency Storm. With their album due to be released in a mere few weeks, the girls are going to be juggling busy schedules for the rest of the year. facebook.com/ neonjunglemusic @NeonJungleMusic

33 VICTORIA’S SECRET FASHION SHOW NEON JUNGLE

The Lovebirds

ON THEIR DECISION TO STAY TOGETHER, AND CREATING THEIR THIRD ALBUM. 34

“WE WERE NEVER REALLY GOOD AT COMMUNICATING IN REAL LIFE AS A COUPLE.”

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i nt ervi ew DESCRIBED AS TWO EXLOVEBIRDS singing their hearts out, Veronica May and Lindsay White are the two ladies behind the duo The Lovebirds. Everyone has to start out in music somewhere, so we let the girls tell us their stories from the beginning.

“My mom and dad were in a country band in the 70s,” said Veronica. “My mother was in an all-female 80s band called The Night Birds (no relation to The Lovebirds) and she was and still is our church organist and pianist. I was sitting on bass amps for band practice when I was three years old, so music has always been a part of my life. My grandfather played fiddle and my grandmother played a mean organ. Both my mother and grandmother have perfect pitch…but I don’t. There’s a video of me when I was three where my grandma told me to sing her a song, and I just started making up words and melodies like kids do. She turned to the camera and said ‘someday this one is going to be a songwriter’, so she called it!”

“And music has always been a part of my life since I was a baby,” explained Lindsay. “My first performance was Amazing Grace in front of my church when I was still in diapers. All four of my grandparents were musical, so I think it’s in my genes for life. I realised early on how much I enjoyed words, writing, reading and Bob Dylan - my Englishteacher father had a lot to do with that. In high school and college I dabbled in songwriting but it wasn’t really until I moved to San Diego and became a part of its awesome music community that I decided to pursue a music career. I’m so glad I did, because there’s nothing that makes me happier than songwriting.”

So the pair were brought up with music in their veins, and it completely shows. They formed the musical duo The Loverbirds back in 2010, and Veronica describes their sound as “endearing, heartfelt, rockin, calming, awesome and humble. Our tunes range from country to pop to jazz to blues but the harmonies are always the thing that holds it all together,” she explained.

“Our website says it concisely: folk that pops. We are not your standard 36 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

folk act because a lot of our songs have some serious grit and intensity, but we are not your standard pop act because we actually give a serious shit about our lyrics. This diverse sound works well for us because we can adjust our set list to slay at an intimate house concert or at a rock club.

We always say we’ll melt your heart and your face,” added Lindsay.

about accepting where you are and being patient and graceful with your emotions. The recording process is almost always the same.

The person who wrote it records their instruments and vocals first to a metronome, the other person puts harmonies on it, adds drums, adds piano if needs be, a few session players here and there and boom that’s the album done.”

The Lovebirds have honed their sound over the past four years and released their third album ‘Breakup Shmakeup’ in May. It is somewhat of a concept album documenting the decision to end their romantic relationship but to continue making music with one another.

When asked whether or not the writing process allowed the pair to communicate more openly, Veronica said: “I think more than anything it allowed us to slowly process and express the unfolding of what it all meant. The fact that I could bring in a song that meant something to me, and expressed what I was going through was so validating.

Having Lindsay take time and put effort into my songs was a way of her saying ‘I honour these feelings.’

“So after we broke up in 2013 we immediately went on tour,” explained Lindsay. “Some people might call that crazy, but we got through it and wrote a ton of songs individually that helped us process the whole experience.

It was like our way of talking to each other in a healthy way. We went straight to Berkley Sound

“STAYING TOGETHER IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE OUR ULTIMATE ACHIEVEMENT.” and recorded it with a vengeance.

Being in the studio was a very familiar and comforting thing for us in an otherwise emotionally tumultuous time, so in a way it really helped us keep our focus on what was important. The final product was ‘Breakup Shmakeup’ - a concept album that really documented our journey; the songs reflect everything from pain and anger all the way up to hope and acceptance.”

“Out of our three albums it stands out in the way it came about,” added Veronica. “We usually do a lot of collaboration but due to the fact that we no longer lived together and needed some physical space, we wrote the songs individually and then the other lovebird would add the harmonies and maybe some drums etc. There was only one song we wrote together and I think it was very fitting. The song we co-wrote was ‘Echo’, and it’s

“We were never really good at communicating in real life as a couple,” admitted Lindsay. But when it comes to V talking through music, I have never had such great conversation. Writing all those songs separately was a crucial step for us to move forward. I actually feel like we’ve gotten a million times better at real life communication since our breakup. Now we are more comfortable saying how we really feel and listening to each other. I think we both got a huge lesson is maturity and perspective through writing this album, and I’m so grateful for that. There’s still so much love there, we’re like family,” concluded Lindsay.

The Lovebirds also released a personal documentary alongside the album. “It was always important to pair the two,” said Veronica.

“The documentary is about our relationship, about my manic episode that occurred during our relationship and the breakup and how we processed it. These are the biggest events that have happened to us and the pairing of visual and audio seemed very relevant. We want to share our story so others can relate and learn about themselves.”

“One of our main priorities with The Lovebirds is connecting genuinely to our audience. We believe in the power of storytelling - that it really can help heal people. The documentary offers a little bit more

of a back story behind our musical relationship: how we met, the obstacles we’ve faced together, and how music has been our rock time and time again. We hope viewers will be able to find some way to relate to the ideas of overcoming adversity through love or music, or whatever passion you might have that generates positivity, community and spiritual growth,” added Lindsay.

As the pair stated, they can transform their live show to suit any audience, but we wanted to learn more about what we could expect should we ever see them live. “We have a very soft, folky, pull-at-the-heartstrings, swoony lifting set and we have screaming harmonies, sixteenth notes on floor toms, crash cymbals everywhere, heads banging feet stomping set.

Come to a library show, you’ll get the first set, come to a bigger venue and you will get the second.

Sometimes we combine if the mood is right,” explained Veronica.

“If it is a house concert it’s kind of like having a cozy cup of coffee with us. You will feel like you really got to know us by the time you leave. If it is a club we go crazy.

You will feel like you just watched wild animals in their natural habitat.

Cozy vs. Crazy, Intimate vs. Intense.

Pick your poison,” offered Lindsay.

It’s clear that The Lovebirds haven’t had the simplest of dynamics nor journey, and Veronica expanded on INTERVIEW + STORY BY: BEKKA COLLINS

this by saying: “We have faced really big challenges already, so any other challenges we face seem to be a bit easier these days. The breakup was the biggest but another big one was my manic episode. My delusions and paranoia lasted for over three months and Lindsay had to spoon feed me the whole way. It was exhausting.”

Yet Lindsay disagreed, stating “for me, the breakup was small potatoes compared to V’s hospitalisation and the subsequent months of recovery. It was by far the scariest and loneliest and most challenging time of my life.

I still have nightmares about it and cry like a baby at the tiniest thought of that time. But at the end of the day, I know that the whole experience taught me so much about love and patience and strength. All I can do is be so grateful that she is ‘back’ and pray that it never gets to that point again. I can not stress to anyone enough how big a role music played in getting us through that experience, the breakup and so many other obstacles.”

Yet there have been many positive things to come from this partnership too. “Our biggest achievement recently happened,” began Veronica. “We were one of the New Folk Kerrville Folk Festival winners. [There were] 800 submissions and six winners. David Wilcox and Lyle Lovett were two of the many other awesome winners in past years. We were also nominated for a couple of San Diego Music Awards.

I’m sure if there was a lesbian music duo interpretive dance-off we could at least take 3rd place, but on the serious side staying together is and always will be our ultimate achievement.”

Lindsay agreed: “Kerrville is pretty high on the list. I know you have to take contest-type awards like that with a grain of salt, but that moment was like the universe telling us that we were on the right path and that all the hard work would pay off if we just keep doing what we’re doing.”

As for forthcoming plans, The Lovebirds hope to be on the road a bunch, with Veronica telling us that they “have some fun ideas in the works that we are not telling anyone, oooooh. But we’re going to continue to write for our upcoming album,” with the aims of being back in the studio at the end of the year. Lindsay added that they would like to: “start planning more mini-tours all over. Music has taken us to some pretty cool places, and we’d love the opportunity for it to take us all over the world.”

Lindsay ended our interview with some links for anyone interested in learning more about their experiences dealing with mental illness, which you can read here and here. www.thelovebirds.com @theLVbirds

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albums

REV IEWS

5 SECONDS OF SUMMER ‘5 SECONDS OF SUMMER’

3.5/5 New Australian pop-punk group 5SOS incorporate Blink 182 and Busted sounds into their debut release. Having co-wrote 11 of the 12 tracks, the album deserves praise for being engaging, upbeat and for the most part fun with anthemic choruses and head bopping melodies. It may not be breaking boundaries, but it’s bringing back some old school vibes and channeling it into modern pop-punk. It’s a good effort.

LINKIN PARK

‘THE HUNTING PARTY’

3.5/5 Linkin Park have taken charge with ‘The Hunting Party’ and selfproduced this album that is raw and real. There are snippets of electro and synth experimentation, but Linkin Park have stuck with their aggressive sound, with chugging riffs, heavy percussion and a tonne of energy. They’re just doing what they love and it shows.

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TIESTO

while “Last Train” introduces the first female vocals to the album with 4.5/5 thanks to LadyHawke. This track I have a hard time saying no to has all you need, from an addictive memorable melodies or any hook melody to a sing-along chorus it’s that makes me dance, and lucky one of the best tracks on the album. for me Tiesto’s newest album is packed full of them. The trance DJ The country-inspired and already has always been a crowd pleaser, popular “Wasted” is actually not for and his new focus on mainstream me, while “The Feeling” is a bit of EDM is for the most part a success. a ride, and has the signature sound Granted, most of the songs are of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool etched fuelled by similar sounding electro into it from the first note. “Rocky” is patterns, guest vocalists and great almost “The Final Countdown”, while drops but what’s wrong with that? “Close To Me” seems somewhat out of place until the drop well, drops.

The album kicks off with the already I’m a huge advocate for Krewella, and familiar “Red Lights” which I will knew they featured on “Set Yourself reluctantly sing-along to every time I Free” almost immediately. They’re hear it. “Footprints” is power stricken vocals are on point on this one. and upbeat, and certainly gets me in “Can’t Forget” took me a little bit by a dancing mood. “Light Years Away” surprise by the massive reliance of is actually more of an electro- techno/house beats that I definitely ballad at times, controlling its verses wasn’t expecting. It’s the most layered before jumping into a thudding and complex track on the album, chorus while “Written In Reverse” while “Take Me” should be blasting was always going to be a banger, through radio speakers worldwide. anything that combines Hardwell, Matthew Koma and Tiesto can only Tiesto has really pulled it out of the bag scream excellence. Andreas Moe is with this album. I’m genuinely impressed one of our favourite soloists and with its simplicity but likability and think he’s features on the grungy “Echoes” it will achieve nothing but success.

‘A TOWN CALLED PARADISE’

MEGAN & LIZ ‘SIMPLE LIFE’

THE READY SET

‘THE BAD & THE BETTER’

KYLA LA GRANGE ‘CUT YOUR TEETH’

4/5

3.5/5

3.5/5

Megan & Liz, fraternal twin sisters but also an American musicduo have undergone an artistic makeover with the release of their fifth EP ‘Simple Life’. The seven track EP was released independently and journals the duo’s departure from their previous teen pop sound. The ‘Simple Life’ sees the pair focus on countryinspired jams about riding in Chevy’s, love and life. It is a definite transformation from their previous sound, fuelled by rock-tastic riffs, easy going melodies and soulful vocals. There’s no doubt in the fact that this EP is more emotive and allows you to connect with the duo more than you could previously. What surprised me most though, was the diversity of each track. Though this is an obvious country influenced EP, the tempos are constantly changing from sickly sweet love songs like “Switch Hearts” to powered and upbeat numbers like “New To This”. If anything, this album demonstrates the true extent of Megan and Liz’s songwriting talents, which certainly shouldn’t be underestimated after this effort.

Four years of waiting and finally Fort Wayne native Jordan Witzigreuter, also known as The Ready Set has released his third album. I’ll get straight into it and say this album doesn’t break boundaries and nor will it leave you speechless. After four years, I understand why some people may feel disappointed with this album, but personally I think it’s shiny, new and a whole lot of fun - and that works for me.

The synth power-pop sound is not as prominent as it was back in 07, but many of the tracks on the album have taken a more mature route compared to past tracks. “Higher” is a great opener, highlighting the importance of picking yourself up when things get tough, but sounds like “Are We Happy Now?” and “Bleeding” seem to be more structured and identify growth within Jordan’s sound. However, “Fangz” is a clear indicator that experimentation and samples are important to The Ready Set. Overall this is a bit of an interesting album, it is not necessarily coherent, and it seems somewhat scattered, but it is home to some pretty memorable tracks.

Watford’s Kyla La Grange released her debut album ‘Ashes’ back in 2011 that sported a folk-rock vibe.

Her latest release ‘Cut Your Teeth’ unfolds into a synth-pop frenzy, displaying experimentation and a fancy for bubbling electronics and strong harmonic elements.

The album hasn’t completely disbanded her folk nature, but it is predominately focused itself in a new direction, one which seems much more suited to Kyla and her future ambitions as an artist. “White Doves” has an almost exotic nature, with layered vocals and scattered percussion.

“The Knife” is a great track that showcases Kyla’s vocal and songwriting abilities, backed up by “Fly”, a 80s inspired electro ballad.

With radical riffs and punchy percussion, impressive vocal notes and relatable riddles, ‘Cut Your Teeth’ is worthy of praise.

It combines 80s electro influences with modern day production to create something that works well individually but also as a compilation. It is certainly an album of progression that is worth giving a few listens to.

ED SHEERAN ‘X’

4/5

Ed Sheeran beat the common curse of creating a second album that sucks, instead his sophomore release “x” (pronounced multiply), which follows his debut “+” (plus), is a compilation of beautifully structured tracks that navigate his journey through love, jealousy and inebriation. Each track shines towards the catchiest part of each melody, which is usually the upbeat acoustic riff that is backed by percussion and strong hand claps. “I’m A Mess” has been circling around my head for days, with its sing-a-long chorus and breakdown while “Don’t” is as honest as they come but packs a punch.

“Tenerife Sea” falls back into one of Ed’s nicer, more sweeter sounding tracks, but he brings out his fighting side in “The Man” where he raps about “cider-drinking and spliff-lighting.”

Ed is a storyteller and it’s hard not to get caught up and involved in his tales. He has a way with words, and a way with crafting songs, conveniently they go together. “x” is sure to be another success for Ed and one that is well deserved.

live

REV IEWS

REVIEW: NEWCASTLE, UK || FEBRUARY ‘14

"SEEING THIS BAND LIVE IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE" 42 | MISTREEMAGAZINE.CO.UK

northeast party house YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT to expect from the first show of a tour. Playing new songs has the potential to go wrong but Melbourne’s Northeast Party House has nothing to worry about. Over the past few years the six piece have built their reputation as a must see live act. Kicking off their first tour of the year in Adelaide, the young crowd were in for a night of party vibes and craziness.

Local trio Flamingo opened the night with chilled out electronica. It was refreshing to see them switch between instruments, from synths to drums to guitars, always keeping the audience guessing.

Velvety vocals and even smoother beats eased the crowd closer to the stage as they played songs from their latest EP. Australians are producing some awesome electronic music at the moment and Flamingo has the right formula of dreamy synths and strong pop hooks.

I had high expectations after seeing Northeast Party House open for The Jungle Giants last year. Everyone was dancing in seconds to their blend of percussion, synths and guitars. And tonight was no different.

Launching straight into songs from their debut album ‘Any Given Weekend’ the crowd began to loosen up to “The Haunted”, the guitar fuelled “Into the Water” and “Sick Boy”. Seeing this band live is a completely different experience to their album. They are less constricted and willing to experiment which brings a new dimension to the songs.

Singer Zach Hamilton-Reeves

is a man of few words. But they aren’t needed because his carefree dancing is contagious, making it impossible to stand still.

He got the crowd involved, asking them to point both fingers in the air, which made me feel like a member of The Wiggles, and do the classic fist pump. The rest of the band gave off the same energy; the keyboardist enthusiastically rocked out at the back while the guitarists provided backing vocals and that ever present cowbell.

The crowd became rowdier throughout the night and especially during the much loved older tracks “Pascal Cavalier” and “Embezzler” with its distorted synths and punchy chorus. Ending with “Youth Allowance” everyone screamed along, “Let’s all get on youth allowance”, as the guitars screeched. The hyped up crowd chanted for an encore but unfortunately the band didn’t reappear.

What’s great about Northeast Party House is that it doesn’t matter if you have never heard them before. These guys are all about fun, high energy and partying. Most of their songs do follow the same structure which has the danger of becoming repetitive but it doesn’t because live they explode with danceable beats, electrifying synths and of course that cowbell. If you’re up for a good time then Northeast Party House is where it’s at. facebook.com/ northeastpartyhouse @northeastpartyhouse

REVIEW BY: MELINA SCARFO

BAD SUNS PHOTOS: BY SHANNON BRAY ORLANDO, FL || MAY ‘14

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THE 1975 PHOTOS: BY SHANNON BRAY ORLANDO, FL || MAY ‘14

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PHOTOS: BY SHANNON BRAY ORLANDO, FL || MAY ‘14

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M ISTREE

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