MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY MUSIC NEWS, REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS
November 2021
LIVE!!!!
DON BROCO SEAGIRLS
IN REVIEW
THE DARKNESS FAKE SHARK SAM FENDER LIFESIGNS
DEAD IN SHIBUYA TOM TOM PARK GHOST XI
PLUS
DOHNY JEP KROOKED TONGUE ROYAL DISTORTION BLISS WILLIAMS TEN EIGHTY TREES EDEN HUNTER FINN ASKEW PRïNCEPS KABBA JACKSON LAKE THE TIMEOUTS
NEW RELEASE
Ten Eighty Trees release powerful new rock single ‘The Kick’
Northern rock outfit Ten Eighty Trees return with their pulsating new single ‘The Kick’. The track explores shedding the dead weight that prevents you from doing what you really want in life. In this instance, getting out a toxic relationship that has long since ran its course. Instead of moping around and feeling low about things not working out, ‘The Kick’ finds comfort in treating the negativity as a blessing and as a call to arms to rediscover what actually brings happiness. The new track encompasses all the conflicting and confused emotions into three minutes of pure alt-rock energy with huge guitar sounds and euphoric hooks that are all killer no filler. Talking about the new track, Ten Eighty Tress reveal: “The Kick captures all the energy, emotion and attitude that comes with reinventing yourself. This is Ten Eighty Trees at our most refined.” Blossoming out of the postindustrial North of England, Ten Eighty Trees have been blazing a turquoise trail across the UK with a heavy yet vibrant blend of rock. Photo: Isaac Johnson
Since launching onto the scene three years ago, the band have earned a reputation for their infectious alternative rock anthems and enthralling live shows.Having previously performed alongside the likes of We Are Scientists, Jake Bugg, King No-One, AllUsInLove, The Virginmarys, Blackwaters and Avalanche Party, Ten Eighty Trees have also featured on North-East festival line-ups as well as playing over Sheffield’s Tramlines weekend since their inception. 6 Music’s Tom Robinson has also proved to be a fan of Ten Eighty Tree’s rock maximalism having dropped previous singles Born Free, Casual Habits and Something in the Blood during his BBC Introducing Mixtape shows on the station.
FOLLOW THEM Instagram:@teneightytrees Twitter:@TenEightyTrees facebook: @teneightytrees For links to their music and merchandise, head over to their Linktree: LINKTR.EE/TENEIGHTYTREES
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Dohny Jep announce fourth and final EP of 2021 ‘No More Love’ alongside leading single ‘Dial Up’
Prior to the release comes the EP’s leading single ‘Dial Up’, due for release November 12th, which explores how the modern age of technology has become the everyday person's main source of success and selfdestruction. No More Love is due for release November 26th 2021 via Favour the Brave Records and will be available on all major platforms.
Kent-based alternative-rock three-piece Dohny Jep began as a duo in early 2019, with Stuart and Pete deciding to create something unlike anything either of them had done before in previous bands and projects. With their unique video concepts and mesh of pop-synth melodies and rock guitars, they did just that. Fast forward one year and with an additional member in tow, the group self-released their much celebrated debut album L.U.S.T in July 2020. After playing just one show together as a band, they had tours planned throughout 2020 to coincide with the release of their debut album, but as the Coronavirus put a halt to any plans of playing their new material live, they headed back to the studio to record more new music. Following up on this year’s three previous successful EP releases, ‘Smile, it Might Never Happen’, ‘Shallow Is The Water’ and ‘This Is Love’, comes their fourth and final EP of 2021 ‘No More Love’, due for release November 26th via Favour The Brave Records. Recorded at their recently-built home studio and produced, mixed and mastered by Rhys May (Bring Me The Horizon, Don Broco, While She Sleeps), No More Love was lyrically inspired by the fear of change and the long, tumultuous journey towards acceptance and moving on. No More Love sees the band pairing punchy indie rock with subtle electronic flourishes, pop melodies and danceable grooves. MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
Leading single Dial Up is due for release November 12th via Favour The Brave Records and will be available on all major platforms. Check out their Linktree linktr.ee/DohnyJep
In Review
GHOST XI - 'At The Door'
DEAD IN SHIBUYA- 'Left For Mission And Revenge'
'Left For Mission And Revenge' is the latest offering from London based rockers Dead In Shibuya. Formed in 2019, the group has achieved a lot in a short time. In their own words, 'Dead in Shibuya strikes from the shadows, a twisted mesh of dark pop and hard rock.' Their sound is on par with many of the larger groups on the scene today. The track is a well rounded composition. Gritty riffs and rich vocals are backed up with heavy drum work and solid as a rock bass backbone, all wrapped up with good use of synthesisers. The galloping beat draws the ear in to start before a transition to heavy rock guitar. Entertaining from start to finish, this is a group that knows how to keep their audience engaged. Hard rock meets the 21st century, Dead In Shibuya have carved their own niche and if this is a taste of things to come, then the future is most certainly going to be awesome. Available to stream: songwhip.com/deadinshibuya/left-for-mission-andrevenge MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
Ghost XI are an indie altrock trio from Birmingham UK. They are due to release their new single 'At The Door' on Friday 26th of November. The track is from their forthcoming album 'Trick Of The Light' which is due for release in early 2022. 'At The Door' is a great little number, with stunning harmonies, the track is not as heavy as it's predecessor, 'Find Your Way' but is just as memorable for all the right reason. Ghost XI certainly know how to make their music so catchy that it is impossible to forget. Currently unsigned, the band have written, recorded, mixed and mastered the track themselves with amazing results. If you are looking for a new band to get behind, you can't go far wrong by putting your time in to supporting Ghost XI. Check out their socials and more by visiting their Linktree here : https://linktr.ee/GhostXI
LIVE
NOISY
As Don Broco kicked off their tour in Newcastle, we went along to check it out.
NOISY
KID BRUNSWICK
Bedford rockers Don Broco kicked off their autumn tour to a sold-out crowd at Newcastle's O2 Academy. With support from Kid Brunswick and Noisy, they are taking their brand new album 'Amazing Things' on the road to the delight of their loyal fans. Harry James AKA Kid Brunswick took to the stage and warmed up the crowd with an awesome set, showcasing his XFOREVER album. Rocking the Newcastle crowd. Kid Brunswick may be a one man show but he certainly has more than enough presence to fill the stage. Kid gave way for Noisy, a trio from Worthing with their own unique style which mixes rap, rock and R&B with stunning results. With the air suitably tense and the room heating up both physically and metaphorically, Don Broco made their way on stage to a wave of cheers from the audience. Kicking off the show with a 'Manchester Super Reds No.1 Fan' and made an instant connection with the audience. With singer Rob Damiani throwing a blow up dinosaur into the crowd. High energy from the get go, the lads kept the crowd engaged and entertained with ease. When it comes to live music, very few bands do it better. Topping off the show with 'T-Shirt' song. Newcastle was left wanting more. The band continues their tour in Glasgow before heading on to Manchester and beyond. Their new album 'Amazing Things' is available to stream wherever you stream your music. Head over to donbroco.com for more info.
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For More from Don Broco visit their website www.donbroco.com
All photos copyright David Weddle 2021
LIVE NEWCASTLE O2 CITY HALL
Vocalist Henry reminisced about his 3 years living in Newcastle, saying how great it was to be back and playing on the City Hall's stage. Welcoming everyone to the show and telling the crowd how much he loves playing these sorts of shows in front of other music lovers, Henry showed a real connection with the fans. Belting out tracks old and new and fitting in a great rendition of The Animals classic 'House Of The Rising Sun', the band gave it their all and it showed. Ending with their latest single, 'Sick' they left the room still buzzing. An awesome performance and if you are lucky enough to have tickets to see them in the future, you won't be left disappointed.
The indie four piece Sea Girls are touring the UK with support from Coach Party. We headed over to their gig at a packed Newcastle O2 City Hall to check it out. Kicking off the night with a bang, Coach Party put their heart and soul into their set, including 'Everybody Hates Me' and 'Oh Lola', which went down well with the Geordie audience. Topping off their show with their version of Nirvana's 'In Bloom'. The Isle of Wight rockers gave a great performance. With the crowd warmed up nicely, Sea Girls took to the stage to rapturous applause, opening with 'Call Me Out'. The anticipation of finally getting to hear and see live music after such a long time added to the energy of the fans. Sea Girls certainly know how to put on a good show. With a set list packed full of their hits, the Newcastle audience were in for a treat.
MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
The tour continues with dates in Glasgow, Birmingham, Cambridge, Sheffield, London, Liverpool, Oxford, Leeds and Manchester. The Sea Girls release their new album 'Homesick' in January 2022. For more info visit www.seagirls.net
NEW REVIEW
MOTORHEART Our review of The Darkness' seventh studio album.
The Darkness have put their all into making 'Motorheart' a true instant classic. The lead track, "Motorheart," is as catchy as it is heavy. With lucious guitar work and ludicrous subject matter, it doesn't get more quintessentially The Darkness than this. Singles such as 'Jussy's Girl' and 'Nobody Can See Me Cry,' which were released prior to the album, are nestled alongside 'Its A Love Thang (You Wouldn't Understand),' with its experimental sounds, and the more subdued final track 'So Long'. A standout track for us is 'Eastbound', a homage to the feeling of heading home after a long time away. The band can be heard planning a heavy night out while naming a stream of local haunts to visit on their return. The Darkness know how to have a good time and 'Eastbound' captures that perfectly, in fact its simply ace. With its stunning art work and its classic heavy rock sound, "Motorheart" is in essence a collection of love songs. Whether it be love for a city, a person, or even a robot, The Darkness will have you laughing and rocking all at once. Unsurprisingly, there is no weak track on this album. It really is all killer, no filler. The Darkness have definitely pulled it out of the bag with this one. A band that has had many transformations over the years yet has managed to stay true to their own sound, The Darkness have again shown why they deserve a place in your music collection.
FOLLOW THEM
We've been lucky enough to check out 'Motorheart', the latest offering from rock icons The Darkness. Released via Cooking Vinyl, 'Motorheart' is the band's seventh studio album, here is what we thought of it. A full-on journey through the minds of the Lowestoft musical maestros, the album has The Darkness written all over it. Opening with an ode to the glorious city of Glasgow, 'Welcome Tae Glasgae' it starts with atmospheric bagpipes, which is reminiscent of the start of their 2005 album 'One Way Ticket To Hell... and Back', which kicked off with those stunning pan pipes, this song is great opener. Justin gives a nod to Glasgwegian venues like 'Barrowlands' as he tips his hat to the city.
From the 19th of November, 'Motorheart' will be available wherever you listen to music. Also available on exclusive vinyl, CD and cassette, visit www.thedarknesslive.com for more details. The album will be supported by a full UK tour. For tickets visit www.thedarknesslive.com
The album flows really well, with plenty of their signature swagger and humour throughout. MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
NEW REVIEW You can catch Lifesigns live in concert at the following dates and venues: 23th Nov - Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes 25th Nov - Chinnerys, Southend 26th Nov - Brickmakers, Norwich 28th Nov - Eleven, Stoke on Trent 29th Nov - Musician, Leicester 2022 8th April - Queen Victoria Hall, Oundle 9th April - The Bread Shed, Manchester 10th April - Robin 2, Bilston 12th April - Half Moon, Putney 13th April - 1865, Southampton 14th April - Trading Boundaries, Fletching 2nd May - Cruise To The Edge, Port Canaveral FL
LIFESIGNS We review the latest album 'Altitude'
Lifesigns, is the band you never knew you needed in your life. A collective made up of musical talent at the top of their game with members having worked with the likes of Asia, Scorpions, Dr Hook, Flower Kings, Iona, Bonnie Tyler, Yes and many more. They have put all of that rich musical history and experience into their latest release, 'Altitude'. A progressive rock masterpiece featuring the epic title track which takes you on journey for a fantastic fifteen minutes. The track list is only 8 songs but don't be fooled, there is a lot of bang for your buck.
Lifesigns are: John Young (Asia, Scorpions, Bonnie Tyler) Vocals & Keys Dave Bainbridge (Iona, Strawbs) Guitar & Keys Jon Poole (Cardiacs, Dr Hook) Bass & Backing Vocals Zoltán Csörsz (Flower Kings, Quincy Jones, Stu Hamm) Drums & Percussion Steve Rispin (Yes, Asia) Sound & Production
Created during lockdown in the band's home studios, 'Altitude' represents a pinnacle moment in time and is as experimental in it's style as it is engaging, with each member bringing something worth hearing to the table. Produced by Steve Rispin (Yes, Asia) and Vocalist / Keyboard Player John Young (Asia, Scorpions, Bonnie Tyler), the production quality is wonderful even accounting for the unusual circumstances in which it was produced. The album is independently released and is sold directly through the band. If you are looking for something new to get your ears around then 'Altitude' should definitely be on your must have list. Lifesigns have created a stunning collection of their finest work to date and it can be yours on vinyl or CD by visiting their website lifesignsmusic.co.uk
MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
NEW REVIEW
FAKE SHARK TIME FOR THE FUTURE
Fake Shark are back with their fourth studio album 'Time For The Future'. We took the opportunity to check it out. Here is what we thought. The opening track, 'Nostalgia Proof' gives a glimpse of what to expect from the rest of the album. Great vocals are backed by a fusion of stunning beats and electro synth sounds, setting a solid foundation. The album's namesake, 'Time For The Future' is a delight to listen to. Fake Shark set the standard high and it is one of the standout tracks on the album. 'Time For The Future', is packed full of little nuggets of musical gold. Twelve epic tracks from grunge and electro- pop to good old indie rock with guitar infused heavy hitters like 'Lover And A Fighter' and 'Young, Fun And Dangerous'.
The Canadian five piece, are sure to make waves with 'Time For The Future'. An outstanding collection of tracks mixing up so many genres it is hard to define the sound that is Fake Shark. However you choose to label their musical style, it is undeniable that this album is a fantastic piece of work.
STREAM IT HERE SMARTURL.IT/TIMEFORTHEF UTURELP
FOLLOW THEM
Instagram:@fakeshark Twitter:@FakeShark facebook: @Fakesharkmusic
Fake Shark have taken aspects from many varied musical styles and created an album that has something for everyone while still managing to work as a collection of awesome sounds.
MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
TOM TOM PARK TOM TOM PARK (feat. Will Burton) -Déjà vu
Déjà vu, the latest single from Dutch writer and producer Tom Tom Park, has recently dropped. Taken from his album 'Somebody Just For Me', is musically upbeat with its groove and bass sound with the synth hiding in the wings to draw it together. Tom Tom Park certainly has rhythm. Lyrically, the song discusses the fragility and frustration of repeated relationships with that special someone who you know is bad for you. With stunning vocals thanks to UK singer Will Burton, 'Déjà vu' has the makings of a club classic. One of five singles that Tom Tom Park is releasing from his album, there are definitely more good things to come. Tom Tom Park has also recently dropped the album 'Somebody Just For Me' which is definitely worth checking out. Stream the full album right now on Spotify.
MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
London EC24 4NE
NEW RELEASE
BLISS WILLIAMS LA's Answer to NYC's Blondie? Royal Distortion is a female-fronted four piece rock band from Venice Beach, California that plays '80s influenced PopRock with grungy nods to Blondie, U2, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and is the only house band that the world famous Whisky A Go-Go has had in the last two decades. Royal Distortion has repeatedly sold out the legendary venue on The Sunset Strip in Los Angeles were previous house bands include The Doors, Van Halen, and Guns N' Roses. Debut single "Hole In My Life" recorded, mixed and produced by Kyle Hoffmann (Bush, Grey Daze, Lacuna Coil) at NRG Studios is out now via Grunge Pop Records. Here's what the singer said about the video:
www.coloramarecords.com
"Clearly a very talented young music-maker" (Gary Crowley, BBC Radio London) Andy Crofts' (Paul Weller, The Moons) Colorama Records presents 'Tearaway', the soulful new single from Bliss Williams. 'Tearaway' has already received airplay from John Kennedy on Radio X and follows July's well-received single 'Make Time For Mourning', which was championed by Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London.
"We really wanted to start a Blondie cover band at one point, but we were writing so much of our own material. So when we started this band officially, we just jumped into creating our own sound that was inspired by lots of bands as we all have different tastes in music. Some heavier and some softer. I think a bit of Blondie snuck into our sound too. So here we are. Just ourselves making our own version of what we love to do. And this video was filmed at one of our sold out shows at Whisky A Go-Go by George Reed of Esoteric Films." INSTAGRAM:@royaldistortion FACEBOOK:@RoyalDistortion
Williams channels the spirit of Motor City whilst ruing missed chances and wondering what might have been. An irresistible combination of wistful contemplation and non-stop toe-tapping. A driving beat courtesy of Ben Gordelier (Paul Weller, The Moons) ensures that, however tempted to sink into the past, we keep on moving forward. MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
SAM FENDER
We've reviewed'Seventeen Going Under', Sam's new album
Out of the seventeen tracks on this album there isn't a weak link, each track is as individual as the next. Well written, superbly composed and produced, 'Seventeen Going Under' is a real accomplishment that any artist would be proud of. It is available to stream right now wherever you stream your music. You can see Sam Fender live at the following venues 2021:
North East singer songwriter Sam Fender has recently dropped his highly anticipated second album 'Seventeen Going Under'. Delving into the first few tracks, Sam kicks off with the upbeat title track, 'Seventeen Going Under', getting the toes tapping and the head nodding. With 'Get You Down' and 'Aye' adding to the list of hits on this epic seventeen track masterpiece. When you get to 'Spit Of You', the album takes a turn down an unexpected path. Sam draws you in, exploring the reality of life for so many people in working class families across the North East in particular, but also across the country as a whole. The video for 'Spit Of You' features actor Stephen Graham, is a hard hitting work of art. Unafraid to talk about difficult subjects that many would shy away from singing about, Sam knocks it out of the park with 'Paradigms'. The raw, honest emotions in the lyrics of 'Good Company' show a maturity that you'd expect to find in a person twice Sam's age. With stunning guitar picking and haunting vocals, this is one of my personal favourites on the album. 'Seventeen Going Under' is so much more than just another album, it documents a moment in time that I am sure will be talked about for years to come. An important piece of work, capturing the thoughts and emotions of a man who knows where he is going, but more importantly, won't forget where he has been. MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
25th October – Barrowlands, Glasgow SOLD OUT 26th October – Barrowlands, Glasgow SOLD OUT 18th November – Newcastle Arena SOLD OUT 20th November – Alexandra Palace, London SOLD OUT 21st November – Alexandra Palace, London SOLD OUT 24th November – Leeds Arena SOLD OUT 25th November – Cardiff Arena SOLD OUT 2022: 20th March – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham 21st March – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool 24th March - 3Arena, Dublin 26th March – SSE Hydro Arena, Glasgow 27th March – Utilita Arena, Birmingham 30th March - Brighton Centre 1st April – SSE Arena Wembley, London 5th April – Utilita Arena, Newcastle 6th July – Castlefield Bowl, Manchester
NEW SINGLE
Prïnceps step up on the scene with a mix of electronic genres and a rock dna.
Prïnceps are a London based electronic rock duo consisting of singer Renz Byrne and bassist and producer Marko Press. The two have worked together for years, forming Prïnceps when their previous band split up in 2018. Their name is inspired by their mutual love of Ancient Rome (Press's home city) and the video game 'Rome: Total War'.
Described as a fusion of The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Bring Me The Horizon and The Used, Prïnceps' influences range far and wide. They have covered a wide range of genres, the only common theme being that they must love the songs, as well as releasing their own original music. With their contrasting mix of high energy, positive dance music and nihilistic and dark lyrics, perhaps Prïnceps are the perfect band for this new age with its constantly changing landscape.
Krooked Tongue We review the latest album 'Altitude' krookedtongue.bandcamp.com/releases
Following up on the successful release of their recent single 'Swarm', Bristol's alternativerock three-piece Krooked Tongue have today released a surprise new single 'Vampyre'. After their formation in 2019, the band released their debut single 'I Wanna Steal Your Car' to critical acclaim, which soon saw them embarking on their debut UK tour. Label interest in the band quickly grew and they soon established working relationships with the likes of ENTS 24 and Laney Amps. 2020 saw the cancellation of their second UK tour and the postponement of shows alongside the likes of Dinosaur Pile-Up and Turbowolf, as well as festival slots at Boardmasters and 2000 Trees. The band have instead spent the last year honing in on a more refined studio sound with Josh Gallop of Phoxjaw, working to help replicate their formidable and much-acclaimed live act. Krooked Tongue are aiming to launch themselves back into the groove of gigging, which they kicked off with a tour alongside Moriaty and Mother Vulture, combined with a sponsored gig with Laney Amps. Their latest track 'Vampyre', the second single from their upcoming EP, broods with a dark and energetic swagger, combining threatening bass notes, slick poetry and addictively heavy riffs. The song's finale erupts into a cataclysm of sound, scorching a fire pit in the ears of the listener. Speaking about Vampyre, produced, mixed and mastered with Josh Gallop (Phoxjaw, Mother Vulture) at Stage 2 Studios in Bath, vocalist and lyricist Oli Rainsford states, "Vampyre embodies what it means to be carefree and have fun; the age old tale of 'drunk invincibility' in this case personified and paralleled by the transfiguration of a Vampire."
MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
NEW MUSIC
Finn Askew
EDEN HUNTER After holding herself back for years, British songbird Eden Hunter is finally ready to fully immerse herself into the UK music scene with her first official single: “Weightless”, released independently via AWAL.
A dreamy, minimal synthpop number, “Weightless” is the first in a trilogy of singles planned for release by the emerging twenty-year-old artist. Merging staccato synth pops with bubbling pads and a snap-driven beat, Hunter’s airy vocals float above the laid-back production for a truly ethereal atmosphere. In the accompanying, independently produced “Weightless” music video, Hunter serves a full ‘00s popstar fantasy by effortlessly delivering slick choreography with a posse of dancers to bring her chill track to life.
Somerset based Finn Askew is fast establishing himself as one of the most exciting UK artists to emerge in 2021. He is poised now to release his new EP “Tokyo“ via Polydor on 5th November alongside new track ‘Dadfodil’. Over the past 18 months Finn has clocked up millions of streams across platforms and garnered radio support from all the right areas. He played a storming set at Reading & Leeds festival to his rabid fanbase and is set to play 4 x sold out UK shows in November. His new EP “Tokyo” is a thrilling six-track record that moves him on in the process of honing his sound while maintaining the very Gen Z ethos of refusing to be pinned down to once genre. Title track “Daffodil” is a melody heavy, raw and organic slice of perfection. It is the perfect outro for the EP. Finn adds of the EP “This EP feels like the start of Finn Askew for me. I definitely believe the sound of this one compared to my first EP is closer to what I wanna be as an artist. I wrote this project over the past year and I feel like it is just a pure collection of my feelings! I hope you love it as much as I do.” With this new release set to add more fire to his already speedy ascent and a flurry of major live shows and festival appearances in the pipeline for 2022; all focus now is on the incredibly bright future Finn Askew has ahead of him.
Speaking about “Weightless”, Eden shared the following: Weightless is the absence of pressure and a feeling of freedom. I wrote it at a vulnerable time in my life; I am always someone who has had a plan and knows what is coming next, but I felt at a really awkward in-between. I couldn't seem to find a balance in anything and when I explained it to my friend Tom, he gave me the biggest cuddle and held me and it made me feel safe and 'weightless'. I felt like I was looking for clarity in something that I didn't realise was as simple as a hug. Although on first listen one might assume Hunter is speaking about romance in her songs, Hunter’s music actually explores platonic relationships. Reasoning that as she has never been in love would mean that she can’t create authentic art, all of Hunter’s music is only written from the perspective of when she has personally experienced something: “My songs have really genuine, raw messages. None of my music I write for my own artist project is about being in love. It’s about friendship, hardship, happiness, drive, intuition. I can write about being loved and loving someone, but being in love is something very different.” Eden has been working tirelessly to put herself out there over the last few years, building a growing yet loyal following by performing at countless showcases around the UK in venues including O2 Academy Islington and Putney’s The Half-Moon. Eventually finding herself in sessions with some of the industry’s biggest labels, Hunter decided to go at it alone and finally felt the time was right to independently share her original creations with the world: “As a young female in the music industry, I have found it is really hard to be taken seriously. In such a straight, male-dominated industry, I think people find it hard to understand exactly what is going on because I’m not writing about feeling heartbroken.” The young artist has found herself attracting a predominantly LGBT+ crowd with her performances, including a following of notable British drag queens, and has been ingraining herself into LGBT+ culture: “Most of my life I never felt as though I slotted into a mould that I didn’t have an influence in making. In queer culture there is no mould. People that aren’t afraid, people who know what feels right in their hearts and that’s me.” Describing her style as “very costume inspired and influenced by androgynous and camp icons”, Eden attributes a lot of her main influences artistically and musically from a lot of camp culture: Lady Gaga, Elton John, Freddie Mercury, Bowie, Cher, Alexander McQueen, Bob Mackie. In support of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Eden will be marking the launch of “Weightless” with a headlining show at London’s Bush Hall in Shephard’s Bush on Oct 20th – tickets are available here. Only at the start of her career, Eden Hunter is already proving herself to be a fiercely unique artistical prospect, aiming to deliver pop bops with substance – stay tuned for more from this promising young artist.
MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
KABBA -'Note To Self' After making a massive statement with “Rather Be Single”, South East London’s KABBA marks a daring new chapter in her illustrious career with Note to Self – a five-track snapshot of heartbreak, love, pain and strength, released independently.
Despite the feel-good sound of the EP, the stories in KABBA’s lyrics reflect on an intense period of hardship. Sonically, Note to Self hears KABBA blending her version of R&B and pop for “tunes that highlight the process of self-discovery”. Kicking off the EP is the lead single “Rather Be Single”; earning an abundance of international acclaim from top tastemakers like Clash, Wonderland, GRM Daily, Mixtape Madness, MuuMuse, Consequence of Sound, PopJustice, Official Charts and Noctis. The bold yet empowering lyrics paired with a glamorous music video explore KABBA’s journey to find her identity, a process she was able to share with her best friend MNEK who produced and co-wrote the project. KABBA muses on whether her perception of love has been altered by the music she listens to, a concept she teamed up with Dionne Bromfield to explore on “R&B Dreams”, their bright, self-aware antithesis to heartbreak. “[I was] thinking about why I view love the in the way I do. I was like, ah, I wonder if I have internalised some of these songs and lyrics to the point where I now have a rose-tinted view of what love should be or look like”. And whilst many of the songs on Note to Self see KABBA channelling the more vulnerable reflections of her diary, “Mood” is her moment of celebration. The track sees her give herself a pat on the back for navigating through the highs and lows in both her personal life and career to date over a tough, bouncy beat. “It is my favourite song on the EP and the one that I constantly go back to because it makes me feel so good. I wanted it to be a thing of empowerment for me, and it can be for you too.” KABBA made the following statement about the Note to Self EP: “I needed to write an EP about everything that I've been through and about where I was at right this minute. Note to Self is looking over the other side and moving on.”
Born Aminata Kabba in Sierra Leone to a musical family, she moved to the UK when she was eight. Audiences will instantly recognise KABBA’s distinctive presence via her collaboration “Need U (100%)” with DJ Duke Dumont, the chart-topping track that culminated in a Grammy nomination, and undeniably huge tracks such as “My Love 4 U” with MK, Shift K3Y’s “Entirety” and “White Lies” by M-22: “I think public perception would have been that I make dance music or that I am a feature artist: as much as I love these tracks and they got me to where I am today, I always felt that I had more to show”, says KABBA. Triumphantly dropping the stage name ‘A*M*E’ in 2019 in a move to be her true authentic self, 2020 saw KABBA finally able to stand proud as the artist she always wanted to be by unveiling her wellreceived body of work: KABBA. Winning acclaim for the EP from the likes of COMPLEX and HUNGER, KABBA also added KSI’s Gold certified hit “Really Love” (featuring Craig David and Digital Farm Animals) to her envious songwriting catalogue. Now continuing her journey as an independent artist on a mission to make music “that speaks to people that look like me”, KABBA is operating completely on her own terms for the first time. Note to Self marks a significant chapter in the ongoing career of one of the UK’s most impressive rising talents.
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JACKSON LAKE NEW ALBUM 'LOST & FOUND' OUT DECEMBER 10th www.jacksonlakemusic.com On 10th December 2021, Leeds based country artist and songwriter, Jackson Lake will release his long awaited and highly anticipated brand new studio album, LOST & FOUND. His third album to date since the release of home recorded debut “Putting Out Fires” in 2015 followed by acoustic album “This Is How It Feels” in 2018. This album is by far Jackson’s most ambitious recording project yet. I T FEELS LIKE COUNTRY TO ME... The album began as a simple conversation about a possible creative collaboration between Jackson Lake and producer Matt Dunwell of Assembly Point Studios in Leeds. Three days later, the UK was plunged into a nationwide lockdown. The pair decided to record a single from opposite ends of Leeds which would become “Country To Me”, Jackson’s ode to some quite unrelatable stereotypical themes of US country music. The single drew lots of attention through the various music streaming services so it was decided to enlist the services of many of the pair’s talented friends who had been forced into musical hibernation due to the pandemic. This and the successful funding (actually more than double the target was reached) of the project from Jackson’s fan-base through the Kickstarter platform ensured that this album would far surpass previous releases. WHY 7 SINGLES FROM AN ALBUM? WELL... LOST & FOUND is a collection of songs co-written by Jackson Lake and Matt Dunwell. The decision was made in mid 2020 to drip-feed the songs out into the world to keep the interest of those who were eagerly awaiting due to the restrictions having an effect on the time we could spend in the studio. The 7th release from the project will hit the world on 26th November 2021 entitled “What Would You Say?”. Jackson is hoping to build on the growing success of the previous releases with the last single, “Lord Don’t Let Me Fall” reaching number 4 in the iTunes Country Chart back in March 2021. The songs from LOST & FOUND have so far racked up 60k streams across every continent except for Antarctica (there’s time yet!). MUSIC NEWS MONTHLY
With the restrictions eased, work commenced at a pace and the rest of the 12-track album was completed in person at Assembly Point Studios with the remainder of songs planned to be released as intended, to be released on Jackson’s 38th birthday, 10th December. Jackson is proud to be part of the rich and varied UK Country music scene and now that live music is returning, is looking forward to performing this collection of songs around the UK starting with a special album launch gig in Leeds on 19th December with an expanded band setup with support from fellow local Leeds musician, Chris Dover.
EXTRA! EXTRA! - READ ALL ABOUT IT! From the first release “Country To Me” to the most recent single “What Would You Say?”, Jackson Lake has had featured articles in local (Yorkshire Evening Post, Telegraph and Argus) and national press (Evening Standard) and had radio airplay on numerous country radio stations in the UK, mainland Europe in Luxembourg, Norway and London Germany and some US Country EC24 4NE stations. SAVE THE DATE “What Would You Say?” Single PREORDER - 12/11/2021 “What Would You Say?” Single GENERAL RELEASE - 26/11/2021 “Lost & Found” Album PRE-ORDER 26/11/2021 “Lost & Found” Album GENERAL RELEASE - 10/12/2021
IN REVIEW
THE TIMEOUTS
Don Broco
'Amazing Things' Don Bronco are back with their stunning fourth studio album, 'Amazing Things'. The Bedford rockers seem to have been working hard to bring a fresh new sound to their ever growing fan base.
Teenage band The Timeouts from Nottingham, England are a Grunge/Metal hybrid that blend the sounds of Led Zeppelin, Soundgarden, Alter Bridge, Alice In Chains, QOTSA and Jeff Buckley into one. Their heavy, loud, raw, and powerful guitar-driven rock with intensely sung vocals has gained them a loyal underground following and band members often end up joining the mosh pits at their own shows. The Timeouts are poised to be the next band in line to take on the Rock and Metal scene. Discovered and signed by Grunge Pop Records for a multi-album deal, they are set to release their much anticipated first single "Let Me In" in January 2022. The band is currently recording their debut album with producer Simon "Smiley" Hopkinson at Electric Bear Studios in England. Follow The Timeouts on Social Media Instagram www.instagram.com/thetimeoutsband Facebook www.facebook.com/wearethetimeouts
Knocking it out (pun intended) of the park with the opening track 'Gum Shield', front man Rob Damiani gives a taste of great things to come.
A personal favourite of mine, 'Manchester Super Reds No. 1 Fan', is packed full of rocky, metal guitar crunching mixed with a hint of Daft Punk Electonica. The accompanying video is a must watch, showing the lad's humorous side as ever. Just how many Beckhams is too many? Taking a swing at the perception of modern day perfection in 'Swimwear Season', Don Broco is calling out Mr and Mrs Perfect. As catchy as it is heavy, the track definitely shines a spotlight on the pointlessness of most first world problems. The album is heavy and rocky but also has it's mellower tracks to give the ears a brief moment of calm with the awesome 'Anaheim' with superb guitar work following on from the melodically heavy 'One True PRince'. Don Broco has taken the spirit of early Anthrax, with their eagerness to experiment with new sounds and styles and mixed it with a hint of The Prodigy in the likes of 'Bruce Willis'. The new single, 'Endorphins', is a winner in any playlist with its signature heavy beats and clean vocals mixed with a touch of electronica. It really is a great track. 'Uber' is an angry, thrashy track dealing with issues of racism and discrimination in modern society. You can feel the anger and frustration in the vocals that Don Broco feels at the bigotry that still exists in the world. The album is an accomplished work, with the band seemingly finding their feet with a superb mix of electronics and heavy guitar riffs. Experimental and no doubt influential, Don Bronco has excelled themselves with 'Amazing Things', and it truly is an amazing thing. 'Amazing Things' is released on October 22nd through SharpTone Records.
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London EC24 4NE