Fresh Indie 2022

Music XII

[Weekly Mix] 2022.09 (2)

N E W   R E L E A S E S

"Charmed" by Σtella
Stream now: https://ffm.to/stellawithasigma_charmed

Σtella: 
Bandcamp: https://stellawithasigma.bandcamp.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stellawithasigma
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stellawithasigma

Sub Pop Records: http://www.subpop.com
MegaMart: https://megamart.subpop.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/subpop
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/subpoprecords
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/subpop
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/subpoprecords
SoundCloud: http://soundcloud.com/subpop
Podcast: http://subpop.fm

Charmed

Σtella - Charmed

High School

Stream "Who's Gonna Hold You Tonight" onerpm.link/WGHYT

Spotify lnkfi.re/TheYvesSpotify
Instagram www.instagram.com/theyvesftw
Soundcloud @theyvesftw
YouTube www.youtube.com/channel/UCc8lmCZAe2uI2MlILwaI0Nw
Twitter www.twitter.com/theyvesftw
Facebook www.facebook.com/theyvesftw

Sleeping In EP

Who's Gonna Hold You Tonight

Release Date - Nov 11, 2022

Originally a working title representing the first letters of the band members’ names (Sean, Cory, Alec, Brandon), S.C.A.B. is an acronym with a shifting meaning – its phonetic double acting as a metaphor for protection and healing for a group that’s always been there for one another.

Following the release of the band’s debut album, 2019’s Beauty & Balance, COVID-19 put the brakes on the Brooklyn-based band’s burgeoning career. Not content with sitting still, the band decided to travel down to Georgia to record their sophomore, self-titled LP (S.C.A.B.), which they engineered and produced themselves. (side note: Brandon, the letter "B" in S.C.A.B., does play on this record, but has since left the group to focus on solo work under the name Hayfitz). Having distance from their beloved city during this unprecedented, tragic time helped them hone a sound that is even more distinctly New York.

Frontman Sean Camargo, whose parents immigrated from Ecuador and Bolivia as teenagers, was born in Elmhurst, Queens. His lyrics are colored with nostalgic memories of 90s Bushwick, where his grandparents later settled, alongside sardonic observations of the contemporary city where he landed again after stops in Maryland and Massachusetts. Each song on S.C.A.B. contains snapshots of New York moments that feel hazy with nostalgia, yet are the result of being present through transformational circumstances, no matter how seemingly small. As a self-titled effort, it solidifies the band’s mastery of balancing raucous, distorted guitars with glimmering spoken word passages and a pop-infused melodic confidence.

The angular guitar passages in lead single “Tuesday” conjure up trains skidding across deteriorated subway platforms, as Camargo declares he's "trying to let go of everyone I’ve ever loved," reflecting a relatable disillusionment with trying to form meaningful connections, and searching aimlessly for something worthwhile. Thematically, S.C.A.B. covers an array of topics ranging from grief (“Small Talk”), as Camargo describes bonding with another band member over the loss of a parent, to infatuation with a partner you know is ultimately bad for you (“Why Do I Dream Of You”).

S.C.A.B. is a result of four musicians, a tight-knit group, best friends: the kind of rare conditions that allow for such raw, emotionally-charged music. When the members of a band are this close, able to protect each other from the world outside it, they are a force to be reckoned with. As Frank Sinatra famously sang about the city, “Green beams of steel, making me feel, like I’m home again”. S.C.A.B. embodies that sentiment and evokes the intangible magic that is New York City.

VINYL 💿

S.C.A.B. - Tuesday

Look Like A Man EP

Look Like A Man (feat. Lias Saoudi)

As we await the follow up to Lazy Queen’s refreshingly impressive EP “A Human Reaction”, the Norwegian-New York bubble punk hybrids are welcoming a new era with their new single “243, New Moon”. 

Set for release on Swedish tastemaker label Icons Creating Evil Art, the new single sees the band reignite their partnership with collaborator Morten Øby at Taakenheimen Lydriket in Oslo. Appearing as a more relaxed version of Lazy Queen, the new single is nevertheless loaded with emotionally-confronting lyrics and earworming guitar melodies from the off. Simmering out the self-antagonistic air evident in the band's previous work, "243, New Moon'' is no less passionate than before as it hints at a new evolutionary stage of Lazy Queen.

“243, New Moon marks the start of a cycle. One that’s unaware of itself; of its own significance as a beginning. It’s feeling like change is the only option, but not knowing where to start. It’s the body leading and the mind following blindly.”

Lazy Queen entered the Norwegian music scene as a blast of fresh air, making the move from New York, where Colombian-Norwegian Henrik García Søberg founded the band. Fast forward to now, the Oslo-based band have embraced the new decade with an ever-evolving attitude of acceptance, perseverance and survival, creating an effervescent soundtrack along their journey. With an instinctive ear for melody and a uniquely intuitive sense of identity, García Søberg effortlessly weaves harmonic and discordant elements together that transform into a rich soundscape of bouncy yet jagged poignancy when the band comes together to complete the jigsaw puzzle of each track. Like CLASH puts it, “their penchant for bouncy, punk-infused electro-pop allows them to deliver poignancy with a sprinkle of sugar”. It’s immediate. It’s urgent. It impatiently demands your attention. 

It’s no surprise then that Lazy Queen’s ingenuity has been praised by fans and music outlets all over the world.  Lazy Queen have three storming EPs under their belt; 2019’s “A Sigh So Deep”,  2021’s “Get Home Or Die Trying”, and 2022's “A Human Reaction” - the latter released on Swedish tastemaker label Icons Creating Evil Art. Beloved singles such as “Bed/Head” and “Alcohol” received spins from Norway’s own P3, UK’s BBC Introducing Networks as well as BBC Radio 1’s Future Alternative show with Jack Saunders, prompting the following response "This band feels like such a rare discovery…it doesn't feel like a carbon copy, it doesn't feel like they're trying to be anyone else but themselves”. The band has received huge praise across the board with press from Kerrang! to CLASH, Rolling Stone France to Rock Sound, Visions (DE) to Louder Than War. On top of this, Lazy Queen have lauded across digital streaming platforms, recognised by Spotify playlists:  Fresh Finds Global, New Music Friday Norway, The Punk List, All New Rock, 100% Rock, Rock idag and Rock ei ole kuollut and many more, as well as Apple Music’s New Music Daily, The New Rock and Flesh Blood.

More from Lazy Queen
Official webpage: https://www.lazyqueenband.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lazyqueenband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lazyqueengang
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LazyQueenBand
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1U9zqBUEcScanms647YanK
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC78ksQbPjwC_3z79_DTwBJw
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/lazyqueenband

243, New Moon

Buy/Stream

Lazy Queen - 243, New Moon

Mandrake Handshake return with their brand new single 'Emonzaemon', taken from their brand new EP 'The Triple Point of Water' out on November 18th. 

'Emonzaemon' is a fearless psych-explosion representing the eclectic sound of the hypnotic 9 piece psych-collective, with the main inspiration for the song coming from a ninja from the anime 'Katanagatari'. Indicative of the self-honed style they dub ‘Flowerkraut’, Mandrake unleash a hedonistic brain-frying feast of krautrock, art-pop and psychedelia, spiced with enigmatic grooves and fearless improvisations.

Mandrake Handshake - Emonzaemon

sell you all out
I’ll tell you my secret

not enough love?
how bout a pick-me-up

year of the rooster
forever raw
year of the rat
baby I’m a narc for your love

lean in close
I’ll show you what you wanna see
I’m not pretty
I just know how to work the angles

year of the rooster
cock of the walk
year of the rat
baby I’m a narc for your love

I’m coming home
I’m coming home
coming home
home

Written, recorded and produced by Alex MacKay
Addtl mixing and mastering by Alex Previty

Skinny Salazar - synthesizer, hi hat
Leo Grossman - percussion

Cover image by John MacKay
Cover art by Devika Sen
Snake icon by Astrid Terrazas

Narc

Angel

Lyrics: 

Thursday morning
Walking H Street in the rain
When you occupy my brain
Without warning

We had a bite at Sticky Rice
Smokin' a cig in city lights
Hide and go seek with our feelings
You left me weak
And I'm still healing

Habit forming
Still addicted to your perfume
And the laundry list of issues
I'm ignoring
Fire burning

We had a bite at Sticky Rice
Little Miss Whiskey's DJ night
Hide and go seek with our feelings
You look so happy
And I'm still healing

We'd watch a couple TV shows
Get underneath each other's clothes
That was back then
Things are different
And that's ok
I just kinda miss it
A lot

We had a bite at Sticky Rice
Smokin' a cig in city lights
That was back then
Things are different
And that's ok
I just kinda miss it

That was back then
Things are different
And that's ok
I just kinda miss you

That was back then
Things are different
And that's ok
But I kinda miss it

That was back then
Things are different
And that's ok
I just kinda miss it

Sticky Rice

IYDLMLMG

Drop Ceiling

Faking The Books

Art-Pop artist Bonander is back with a powerful and intimate EP, unpicking traumas connected to body and self-image
 
Enigmatic and alluring, Bonander released her visionary debut album, 'Things We Don’t Talk About' through Icons Creating Evil Art on 20th August 2021. The full-length was praised by media giants such as Rolling Stone, It's All indie, High Snobiety and GAFFA.  Now she is back with a new EP called "the thread", unpicking traumas revolving body and self-image. Leaning heavily on its acoustic element, the exquisite arrestments gives the EP's theme an even more naked and exposed edge.

Bonander is the shorthand for Ellinor Sterner Bonander. Sporting the role of musician, arranger and producer, the native Swede is a woman unchained. Boldly charging head first into her own fears in regards to the projects subsect, Bonander got to examine her own body image in a detailed and unforgiving way. It all began at a music residency where the artist spent a lot of time by herself a couple of years ago. She says: "'the thread' has been something of a therapeutic journey for me. I tried to challenge myself by writing on the topic of the body, precisely because it was initially experienced as something difficult and scary. I understood quite quickly that there were things to face and sort out there. I got the desire to, via music, lyric and image, put the spotlight on the self contempt for our bodies I and many others have, with the hope that it might lead to something else entirely."

Known for her cinematic soundscapes filled of dense bass lines, playful synth melodies and orchestral elements, Bonander sought to scale down the bombastic arrangements and let the music be more bare and intimate then her earlier work. “musically I wanted to go in a different direction. The challenge was to be as stripped down in the production as I dared, in the same way as the vulnerability in the lyrics I wrote.” she tell us.  
To further capture the essence and emotion of the music, she decided to record the EP live and contacted the pianist, organizer and colleague Sara Hermansson. Together they recorded and arranged five out of the EPs six tracksapart form it'sfirst single 'the loop', which Bonander wrote and arranged by herself. “The recordings are live takes where we play together without a metronome. I am incredibly grateful for Sara's artistry that’s contributed greatly to this work. She even lent me a piano piece she’s written as the outro of this Ep. As the icing on the cake, I also got to record the fantastic violinist Elias Sjöwall. Together, I hope we convey something fragile, naked and a little beautifully broken to the listener.”

“the thread” encourages the listener to join in discourse of uncomfortable topics and challenge the harmful social strukturs that is still very much in place. “We live in such an incredibly exposed society when it comes to appearance.” says Bonander. “As children, we are told that it is the inside that counts, but in every room you are in, it is disproved time and time again. In the workplace, at home, in love life, in the media. Appearance is capital and it's not until we acknowledge it that we can work towards it”.

‘the loop’ is the first single of upcoming EP 'the thread', released everywhere on September 29th, 2023 via Icons Creating Evil Art.

the thread

the loop

Bonander - the loop

REACH is back from their Europe tour with another crushing rock-anthem in new single Mama Mama
 
Recently recovered from an extensive and wildly successful tour around Europe supporting H.E.A.T., as well as the highly anticipated album release ‘The Promise of a Life’, REACH is back with a new thrilling tale in a punching Rock N’ Roll attire. ‘Mama Mama’ is the first offering from the band's brand new album and jump-starts the campaign with a healthy portion of energy, drama and attitude.

Apart from its high intensity and satisfactory rock casing, the song has some intriguing and horrifying storytelling wrapped in the grinding guitars and powerful vocal performance. Front singer and songwriter Ludvig Turner tells us about the dark lyrical theme of the single; “Mama Mama is one of the darkest songs from the new album. It’s written from the perspective of a kid seeing his parents fight, believing it's his fault. Classic… Mom beats dad to death and the kid worries what's gonna happen next. It all ends with him beating mommy to death”

REACH is known to incorporate a dramatic flare into their music, both musically and through their lyrics, and the new song does not disappoint! In this new album, the band teamed up with music producer Christian Schneider, who made it his mission to unite the playful essence of REACH’s music with their raw talent as musicians. Turner goes on to explain about his songwriting process: “I´m not really fantasizing about doing or experiencing the things I write about, but I will see or hear something really strange and then wanna make music and a story about it. This song takes inspiration from an interview Dr Phil did with a Teen named Zachary Davis. It is some dark horrific stuff, nothing for the faint of heart. But that's what I saw and “Mama Mama” is what came out of it.”

The trio consisting of Ludvig Turner, Marcus Johansson and Soufian Ma’Aoui is characterized by their mutual passion for music, their drive for experimentation and finding a very genuine joy in the process. The bond that connects the three musicians is evident in their explosive and unforgettable live shows, where their innate musical ability is bolstered by their unchained nature and love for improvisation.

After the extensive tour around Europe alongside H.E.A.T, Turner tells us: "We´re overwhelmed by the support and reactions from the tour. It was our first time playing the songs of "The Promise of a Life" live and they sound even better live than on record, and they sound damn well on record. We´re thankful for our chance to go out as H.E.A.T´s support act and we´re confident that we should keep doing what we do."

While making a name for themselves around Europe, steadily growing in supporters and fans, Reach opens this new era in thier Rock-Saga with a track that will no doubt keep their audience jumping and dancing. ‘Mama Mama’ is out September 15th via Swedish Boutique Label Icons Creating Evil Art.

Prophecy

Mama Mama

REACH - Mama Mama

Darkplace släpper de sista bitarna av sin episka berättelse om världens undergång med det nya albumet "About The End Of The World"

Darkplace är ett anonymt konstprojekt som intog musikscenen med imponerande närvaro och unikt berättarskap tidigare detta år. Musiken är rotad i postpunk men inspireras av en mängd andra genrer i sin komposition, där bland annat Experimentell Rock, Alt-Pop och Shoegaze är framträdande. Debutalbumet 'About the End of the World' är en monumental release som inte bara talar genom ljudmediet, utan också genom vackra och dystra digitala målningar och animationer. Konceptet bakom albumet utspelar sig i en mörk framtid eller kanske en alternativ nutid, där världen skildras i bilder inspirerade av verkliga platser, ofta centrerat kring det karga betonglandskapet i Stockholms Västerort, i en skrämmande  fantasifull tolkning.

Debutsingeln 'Arken över Hesselby' (video) skildrar en kuslig version av Stockholmsförorten "Hässelby". Videon visar oss en välbekant stadsbild, hemsökt av en okänd ark som iakttar från ovan. Dess efterträdare 'Fearmonger' (video) eller 'Skräckmakaren' tog oss till en annan del av samma universum, där vi vittnar om en ensam soldats öde när han står öga mot öga med den skrämmande luftfarkosten. I den tredje singeln 'Cars' (video) fokuserar historien på en man som följer kryptiska meddelanden på motorvägsskyltar norrut, och i den senaste singeln 'This Is Loud' (video) är vi tillbaka i Västeort, där lokalbefolkningen  skakas av oförklarliga enorma stenkors.

"Jag kunde inte gå ut längre, jag kände mig inte säker. Allt hängde ihop, jag vet inte hur men vi visste alla att det var en del av något större. I hemliga forum diskuterade vi. Vi visste vad det innebar, världen höll på att gå under. Är det möjligt att överleva detta? Kommer vi alla att bli galna? Ingenstans är säkert."

Låtarna på 'About the End of the World' skrevs alla med en specifik dramaturgi i åtanke. De filmiska musikvideorna beter sig närmast som kortfilmer, med egna berättelser från olika delar av det dystopiska universum som Darkplace skapat. Konstnären själv ger oss en spännande inblick i den kreativa processen: "Den första idén till en animation var Arken Över Hesselby. Jag började skapa konsten innan jag hade musiken, så stycket är skrivet som ett soundtrack till animationen."

Skapandeprocessen har flera lager som innefattar fotografi, skulptering, oljemålning, digital redigering och animering. Darkplace förklarar: "För strukturer som ‘Arken över Hesselby’ används Nomad Sculpt för att sätta formen, sedan exporteras motiven i specifika vinklar för varje scen och importeras till Procreate för att målas där. jag använder mig av oljepenslar och målar över fotot och skapar på så sätt en lager på lager-process. Det blir lätt rörigt och exporten blir ännu stökigare eftersom jag vill ha djup i scenerna och exporterar dem i olika lagerdjup. Några scener i det här projektet har också animerats bild för bild. Projekt har tagit nästan 2 år hittills, så jag försöker hålla det  rent och enkelt när det går."

Men sitt ambitiösa världs-skapande och berättande kommer det knappast som en överraskning att Darkplace har ett större fokus än enbart sin musik. Projektet vill utforska och kritisera tillståndet i världen genom ljud och bild och kommer säkerligen att vända huvuden med sitt innovativa tillvägagångssätt att skapa konst och diskussion.

’About the End of the World' släppas via det Stockholmsbaserade indie-etiketten Icons Creating Evil Art, streambar på alla större plattformar den 27 oktober 2023.

The End

Darkplace - The End

Art-Pop artist Bonander is back with a powerful and intimate EP, unpicking traumas connected to body and self-image
 

Enigmatic and alluring, Bonander released her visionary debut album, 'Things We Don’t Talk About' through Icons Creating Evil Art on 20th August 2021. The full-length was praised by media giants such as Rolling Stone, It's All indie, High Snobiety and GAFFA.  Now she is back with a new EP called "the thread", unpicking traumas revolving body and self-image. Leaning heavily on its acoustic element, the exquisite arrestments gives the EP's theme an even more naked and exposed edge.
 

Bonander is the shorthand for Ellinor Sterner Bonander. Sporting the role of musician, arranger and producer, the native Swede is a woman unchained. Boldly charging head first into her own fears in regards to the projects subsect, Bonander got to examine her own body image in a detailed and unforgiving way. It all began at a music residency where the artist spent a lot of time by herself a couple of years ago. She says: "'the thread' has been something of a therapeutic journey for me. I tried to challenge myself by writing on the topic of the body, precisely because it was initially experienced as something difficult and scary. I understood quite quickly that there were things to face and sort out there. I got the desire to, via music, lyric and image, put the spotlight on the self contempt for our bodies I and many others have, with the hope that it might lead to something else entirely."
 

But the EP doesn't focus solemnly on the negative thoughts we tend to have about the body. New single 'the void' is one of the songs that approach the subject more kindly, although still very intimate. Bonander tells us: "One of the more naked and warm thoughts about the body I encountered during this trip is the song the void, which deals with the desire of the body. To be attracted to someone, to long, to listen to the will of the body, disconnected from the rational, from norm and from prejudice. I think this feeling is easily suffocated under a lot of silly notions, and body anxiety is one of them for me. The void is my way of breaking free and admitting what I long for. The title reflects the endless sea of ​​desire and longing my body and the bodies of others carry with it. It looks different for everyone - but it's there."
 

Known for her cinematic soundscapes filled of dense bass lines, playful synth melodies and orchestral elements, Bonander sought to scale down the bombastic arrangements and let the music be more bare and intimate then her earlier work. “musically I wanted to go in a different direction. The challenge was to be as stripped down in the production as I dared, in the same way as the vulnerability in the lyrics I wrote.” she tell us. To further capture the essence and emotion of the music, she decided to record the EP live and contacted the pianist, organizer and colleague Sara Hermansson. “The recordings are live takes where we play together without a metronome. I am incredibly grateful for Sara's artistry that’s contributed greatly to this work. She even lent me a piano piece she’s written as the outro of this Ep. As the icing on the cake, I also got to record the fantastic violinist Elias Sjöwall. Together, I hope we convey something fragile, naked and a little beautifully broken to the listener.”
 

“the thread” encourages the listener to join in discourse of uncomfortable topics and challenge the harmful social strukturs that is still very much in place. “We live in such an incredibly exposed society when it comes to appearance.” says Bonander. “As children, we are told that it is the inside that counts, but in every room you are in, it is disproved time and time again. In the workplace, at home, in love life, in the media. Appearance is capital and it's not until we acknowledge it that we can work towards it”.

the void

Bonander - The Void

REACH unveils their latest single "A Million Lives" from the upcoming album "Prophecy"

REACH is making waves in the international Rock scéne. The upcoming new album's electrifying first single, "Mama Mama," has been on a remarkable run, featuring for three consecutive months on Radio Bob, one of Germany's largest commercial radio stations. The track's popularity continues to surge, as it's now being played on Star FM (Berlin/Nürnberg) and has also garnered support from Radio 21. This notable achievement places "Mama Mama" on three of the four biggest rock stations in Germany. But the excitement doesn't end there. "Little Dreams," the album's captivating second single, is making its mark in Sweden, earning a spot in the rotation of Bandit Rock. 

---

The dynamic Stockholm-based rock trio REACH is set to captivate the music world once again with their latest single, "A Million Lives," available from January 19th. This release marks another milestone in the band's journey towards their highly anticipated album "Prophecy," scheduled for release on March 29, 2024, under the esteemed Swedish Boutique Label, Icons Creating Evil Art.

"A Million Lives" is a testament to REACH's ability to weave dramatic narratives into their music. Known for their thought-provoking and emotionally charged lyrics, the band takes inspiration from real-life events, infusing a dark, compelling twist. This track delves into the psyche of youth, exploring themes of helplessness, desperation, and the tragic consequences of actions borne out of rage. Written from the perspective of a young individual on the brink of committing a crime, the song is a poignant reflection on the chilling reality of school shootings.

Ludvig Turner, the band's lead vocalist, shares his insights: "School shootings are so freaking dark and terrible in every way, and their increasing occurrence is frightening. We're all victims in this. 'A Million Lives' is our attempt to capture the consciousness of a moment that should never happen, a desperate plea to prevent a tragedy."

Musically, "A Million Lives" starts with an enchanting, almost crooning style before escalating into a full-blown rock anthem, characterized by powerful and gut-wrenching lyrics. The song's dynamic progression mirrors the tumultuous emotions it explores, capturing listeners in its intense narrative.

REACH, comprising Ludvig Turner, Marcus Johansson, and Soufian Ma’Aoui, continues to push musical boundaries. Their collaboration with acclaimed music producer Christian Schneider in crafting the upcoming album "Prophecy" has further honed their distinctive sound, blending playful elements with raw musical talent. This synergy is palpable in their explosive live performances, where their passion for music and improvisation creates an unforgettable experience.

Following their successful tour supporting H.E.A.T. across Europe, REACH has seen their popularity soar, with their previous singles gaining extensive airplay on major radio stations in Germany and Sweden.

"A Million Lives" is more than a song; it's a reflection of our times, a call to awareness, and a showcase of REACH's remarkable artistry. Be ready to experience the intensity and emotion of this powerful track. 

D I S C O V E R
Facebook: http:// https://www.facebook.com/reachofficialsweden
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reachband
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/REACHsweden
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4PAH2hYK4vEvxLEwCg9zQ2
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reachsweden

A Million Lives

REACH - A Million Lives

ICEA is a boutique music label and publisher with the intention of evoking feelings and reactions, we want to provoke, inspire, create, destroy, and disrupt old structures while having fun doing so. We sign and develop new talent from the ever evolving field of pop music. Fighting conservatism since 2015