“Dream of Bees” is the first single from Lilies on Mars’ full-length Dot to Dot, to be given worldwide release early next year on Saint Marie Records. Previous recordings by the London-based, Sardinian multi-instrumentalists Lisa Masia and Marina Cristofalo have established the duo, formed in 2009, as purveyors of  poignant, otherworldly “retro-futurist” dreampop.

“Dream of Bees” opens with a hovering organ chord that’s quickly overtaken by an instrumental preview of a chorus that always pulls the listener aloft on a softly turning but slightly dizzying carousel of sound, an image bolstered by a vertiginously calliope-like keyboard line. With the first verse commences a high, distant vocal that soars gently through the rest of the track. Nimble drum work contributed by Valentina Magaletti ensures that the proceedings never quite touch the Ground.

The first remix included with the single comes by way of San Francisco’s ethereal pop team Silver Swans, whose sparer, more synthetic approach to the song brings the vocal line to the fore and uses programmed drums to pull the track’s rhythmic emphasis inside out. A remix by Vancouver-born, New York-based cellist Julia Kent startlingly recasts “Dream of Bees” in purely instrumental terms with an exquisite string arrangement.

Lilies On Mars - Dream Of Bees

"Horseshoe" is the first single from Withered Hand's album "New Gods," and features a guest appearance from Pam Berry (Black Tambourine) on backing vocals.

Fortuna POP! (UK/Europe) and Slumberland Records (US/Canada) are proud to announce the new album by the Edinburgh based folk-rock troubadour Dan Willson who records as WITHERED HAND. “New Gods” is his stunning second album, following his critically acclaimed debut “Good News”.

Active in the world of visual art and dabbling in music for many years, Withered Hand’s Dan Willson came late to singing and songwriting at age 30, in a period of reflection between the death of a close friend and the birth of his first child. The resultant material, much of which went on to become the album “Good News,” has been praised for its depth and startling honesty.

Withered Hand has been embraced by Fife-based musical powerhouse the Fence Collective (whose sovereign King Creosote guests on the new album), seen his songs picked up on MTV and cult series Skins, and gained a legion of fans including Jarvis Cocker and Rolling Stone Magazine USA (who decreed him “Artist to Watch”).

A prolific live performer, recent Withered Hand shows have included collaborations with Pam Berry of seminal 90's US noise-pop band Black Tambourine and a rotating cast of musical friends embellishing Dan's exuberant and original songwriting alongside fragile and uplifting solo performances.

The long-awaited second album (produced by Tony Doogan – Mountain Goats/Belle & Sebastian etc - and part-funded by arts council body Creative Scotland) features guest appearances from the likes of Pam Berry, Eugene Kelly of The Vaselines and members of Belle & Sebastian and Frightened Rabbit.

The five years since “Good News” was recorded has seen Willson honing his songcraft, building his audience and gaining critical momentum. “New Gods” is a beautifully executed collection of songs from one of Scotland’s most gifted songwriters.

“Beautifully constructed lyrical frameworks ... on this banjo-tinged brand of Caledonian gospel” – **** MOJO

“the UK’s best lyricist” – King Creosote, in The Independent

“Killer melodies ... wobbly folk grooves ... tunes full of warm, woozy sing-song charm” – 'Artist to Watch', Rolling Stone

Withered Hand - Horseshoe

ticktock is the musical moniker of a human called Sebastian Zieler. He is foreign (Danish, specifically), in his mid-twenties and currently lives in Copenhagen, Denmark. His new release, cryptically entitled TCOLT EP, is the product of long sessions spent drawing sound with MS Paint-looking audio-imaging software, live recording and technical playfulness. The result is immediate, but otherworldly – like pop conceived of elsewhere. 

Years of eager listening, from the most obscure DIY-punk and techno to Destiny's Child (check out the string arpeggios in the EP closer Would You Look At God Go! and tell us that isn't related to Survivor), and failing to mimic various genres has helped form the sonic smorgasbord that is this EP. Take the opening track, A- A- A-. What started off as a botched attempt at making two-step immediately morphed into some sort of very slow, fragmented and morose afro-beat, with the syncopated beat and languid bassline serving as a skeleton for an intensely direct and beautiful song, far from the dark, skittish ambience of its original point of reference. 

The influences are many and varied, but no matter the technical approach, and no matter what genres and specific artists may be referenced sonically, the red thread in ticktock's music is an interest in the world: a profoundly enamoured and confused longing that permeates the EP from start to finish.

The first single, the aforementioned A- A- A-, is accompanied by a minimal film-snapshot capturing the mood of the song. It was made by friends Raúl Gonzo and Stephanie Leigh. Keywords: nudity, horses, guns and a California sunset.

Sebastian Zieler was born in Denmark, spent his teens in the north of England, where he quickly learnt how to run fast chased by large, angry groups of people. Since then he's moved back and forth between Copenhagen and London much too often, recently having wrapped up a popular music degree at Goldsmiths in New Cross. He is currently putting the finishing touches to another collection of songs. 

ticktock - Time For A New School Of Alchemy

LYRICS: 
Made of wanting, solely, I’m used to - it’s easy, look at what we gain. Sorta holding on loose ever so slightly, fingers feeling rain. And if it’s over will you wanna go, I’m down. If you account for me and vouch for me every time we go. Will you surrender to a remedy so ripe it’s running cold.

Push in to fix, to get it set. Pushing to feel the very half. And it counts as an echo when we get out.

Never one not only, no not like the TV, whittle it away. Sorta novel to stay largest and heavy, mountain full of clay. And if it’s over will you wanna go, I’m down, you know that I’m down.

Ava Luna - "Coat Of Shellac"

Desolat - Puzzle

The Golden Lion 12” out November 13, 2015 on Jagjaguwar
A Complex Coliseum Museum out January 22, 2016 on Jagjaguwar

Buy Links:
Buy 'The Golden Lion' 12”: http://smarturl.it/besnardlakes

Buy 'A Colisuem Complex Museum':
CD, LP & ltd white vinyl: http://smarturl.it/besnardlakes
Download on iTunes: http://smarturl.it/besnardlakes_itunes
Pre-order at Amazon: http://smarturl.it/besnardlakes_amazon
Support your local independent record store: http://smarturl.it/besnardlakes_indies

The Golden Lion 12” out November 13, 2015 on Jagjaguwar
A Complex Coliseum Museum out January 22, 2016 on Jagjaguwar

The Motorway

The Besnard Lakes - "The Motorway"

http://shelflife.com/catalogue/LIFE136.html

It's been nearly two years since Shelflife has had the pleasure of putting out new music from the eternal Close Lobsters, and we're proud to say that this will be changing shortly. On June 2, we are extremely excited to be releasing the Scottish band's new EP featuring "Under London Skies" b/w "Wander Epic Part II" on limited gold 7" vinyl with download and digital formats. 

These self-proclaimed "Post-Neo-Anti-Close Lobsters" are back in a big way, and with these two tracks you'll be quickly convinced of that. The A-side, "Under London Skies," serves as both a lament and ode for London- the radical London of The Clash, the Rock London of The Only Ones and Flesh for Lulu, and the Libertarian London of The Mob and the June Brides. There's a lot of history (both musical and otherwise) tied closely with London, and if any band is gonna do justice to that fact it's undoubtedly our trusted Close Lobsters. If that sounds like a big subject to tackle, the single's B-side "Wander Epic Part II" will make you think again. Calling the song an epic is no exaggeration; the band has described it as a yearning for the vast and endless sea. The song is both a wanderlust and a pilgrimage, designed to take the listener on a journey as huge as the subject matter they're tackling. 

The release will be available on 70 gram limited edition 7" vinyl with download coupon that includes bonus tracks "Wander Epic Parts I & II" and "Wander Epic Part III". Early presale copies will be available on gold colored vinyl. There will also be a digital-only version that includes an exclusive bonus mix of "Under London Skies."

Close Lobsters - Under London Skies

Lost Map are excited to welcome latest signings Bas Jan, the London experimental post-punk trio built around the remarkable and distinctive voice and songs of multi-instrumentalist and composer Serafina Steer. A brilliant, bonkers, shape-shifting song about the weird tedium of a text message spat (“Drop it? Why don’t you drop it!”), Argument – available to stream and share now – is the first single to be revealed from Bas Jan’s forthcoming debut album Yes I Jan, due early 2018. The track was produced by Leo Abrahams. Serafina is one of the latest winners of the prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation’s Awards for Artists.

Bas Jan - 'Argument'

Absentee

Firestations - Receiver

Out now limited 12” and download on Mark's own Shape Records label.

'Triangulation Station' comes from our forthcoming album 'Released By The Movement', due for release in the autumn.

The single will come with with three additional exclusive tracks. Inlet is a new track we recorded at the Rhombus Rooms using a lot of synths, a drum machine and none at all of shouting. Plus a woozy drone remix of Triangulation Station by Welsh musician/producer R. Seiliog and our remix of I Chi by the awesome Danish band Pinkunoizu.

Pre-orders of the 12" come with immediate download of this track.  The vinyl includes a colour riso printed sleeve and a poster issue of The Isness, a zine made by ourselves.

Recorded and mixed in Wales by Stephen Black. All artwork by Islet.

http://www.shaperecords.co.uk
http://isletislet.com

Islet - Triangulation Station

ISLE OF EIGG. MUSIC, MUSIC, PARTY TIMES, MUSIC, PARTY.

Amy May Ellis, BAS JAN, Alabaster dePlume, Firestations, Josie Long, Tuff Love, Insect Heroes, Rozi Plain, Kid Canaveral, Seamus Fogarty, Randolph’s Leap, eagleowl, Monoganon, Victoria Hume, Ichi & Pictish Trail.