A small sample of what we got up to in 2017. A collection of pals old and new. 

All available in various physical formats via our shop: www.artishardrecords.co.uk

2017: a sampler

PRE ORDER 7" AND COMIC: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/517480-best-friends-happy-anniversary-nosebleeds-7-and-comic

Doherty and heroin. Gazza and the booze. Rolf and the kids. They all eventually relapsed, and would you look at that, it's our turn now too.

Having been featured on several past AIH releases, we return again to musical mystros and all-round-good-guys Best Friends. They’ve previously dominated cassette tape, CD/photo book and pizza box formats so we were running low on ideas of how to get these guys out .. obviously vinyl was a natural and long deserved progression.

And if vinyl wasn’t enough for you, the band have put together a comic that will be included with each 7” (which by the way are a lovely frosted colour). All the artwork is put together by Lew Currie of Nai Harvest.

"Happy Anniversary / Nosebleeds" is presented as a double AA single - the former starting slow, teasing a glimpse towards a more mature side of the band before morphing its way into a heroic climax and unleashing a true summer anthem. "Nosebleeds" is an audible cross-country train that doesn’t even have time to stop at Salisbury, taking you exactly where you want to be before you finish your packed lunch.

'Happy Anniversary / Nosebleeds' is set for release on September 23rd but is available to pre-order now. Purchase just the frosted 7” w/ comic or grab a package deal with a dope new Best Friends tee.

Best Friends - Happy Anniversary

PRE ORDER 7" AND COMIC: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/517480-best-friends-happy-anniversary-nosebleeds-7-and-comic

Side two of Best Friend's AA single due for release September 23rd.

Emerging from a damp, airless basement, rife with decay and broken equipment, Best Friends set about inflicting their warped idea of garage pop onto the public back in 2011, hell-bent on taking music back to a time when three minute pop songs transported you from your miserable maggot existence to a blissful state of nirvana, guitar tones fried your brain and hygiene was a dirty word. Armed with a encyclopedic knowledge of WWF, a full set of achievements on Mario Kart and several crates of beer, the band have been delving deep ever since to reach your most primal instincts.

Forthcoming Live Dates

20th August Trof Fallowfield, Manchester
21st August Nation Of Shopkeepers, Leeds
25th August Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham
31st August The Victoria, London
14th September Southsea Fest
26th September Tipsy Bar, London
28th September The Great Gatsby, Sheffield

Buy 7" w/ comic

Best Friends - Nosebleeds

This week Brighton’s Home School hit the club - a fusion of members that also occupy The Magic Gang and previous-postcarders Bayy. Not to be dismissed as side-project guff, Home School is very much a primary project from young’n’handsome Jack Kaye.

Driven by a true smut groove that could champion a sped up Andrew Cedermark number, ‘Mellow Neighbour’ is the antithesis of how chilled out Zachary Cole Smith’s mother is right now.

To purchase the postcard, head to http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/

Home School - Mellow Neighbour

Pre Order Cassette Package: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/521377-gorgeous-bully-nobody-hates-you-as-much-as-you-hate-yourself

Today we are delighted to announce details of the new EP from the ever prolific, irresistibly charming and admirably talented Gorgeous Bully.

For those who haven’t been with us an awfully long time, Gorgeous Bully (the moniker of musician Thomas Crang) has been a mainstay of the AIH family. Whilst based in Cornwall he first cropped up on AIH05 (a compilation of bands from the SW). He then moved to Plymouth and January 2012 saw us releasing his debut EP 'The Young Obese'. Fast forward to November 2013 and with a 7" EP under his belt, Thomas is now based in Manchester.

Whereas earlier material saw Thomas playing everything himself, 'Nobody Hates You As Much As You Hate Yourself' marks the first outing from Gorgeous Bully as a full band. Having spent the last 12 months playing up and down the country with the likes of Joanna Gruesome, Cymbals and Throwing Up some recorded output from the full band was long overdue.

The addition of a full band has certainly aided Thomas's ability to craft self aware, self inflicted ditties. Across the EP's further four tracks, expect a celebration of misery, loneliness and self-loathing, perfectly molded into three minute grungey pop songs that celebrate the freedom of not doing what is expected of you

2012's Gorgeous Bully EP was released in a cigarette style package that sold out on pre-order alone, for 'NHYAMAYHY' we have tried to come up with something just as visually appealing. The EP is set to be released on February 17th on cassette, in a hand-stamped box that contains a lyric sheet, badges, a bottle opener/lighter, a download code for an MP3 version as well as a further secret EP.

If you would prefer just to have the MP3 version then you can purchase it from our Bandcamp and receive a download of the full EP straight away ahead of the February 17th release date.

Gorgeous Bully - Sinking Feeling

On May 5th we will release the debut EP from New Zealand based Shunkan - the guise of the extremely talented and exciting Marina Sakimoto.

Just 20 years old, her debut EP 'Honey, Milk and Blood' is a melting hotpot of sounds and influences. From the yelps of Karen O, the song writing intricacies of Tegan and Sara, the heartfelt chugging pop songs of Waxahatchee to the shoe gaze soundscapes of My Bloody Valentine - its all here.

The 5 track EP will be released on cassette, limited to 50 and housed in fold out card artwork similar to our long sold out Best Friends/Grazes split..

PRE ORDER: artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/527367

Shunkan - Dust in Your Eyes

Taken from the forthcoming Flexizine (7" flexidisc record and 20 page zine) Fifths, to be released 28th July 2014. Pre order now: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/529271-the-death-of-pop-fifths-flexizine-ep

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Following on from how much we enjoyed putting out the recent Fear of Men release, we have decided to make the flexizine (a 7” flexidisc record accompanied by a 20 page zine) a quarterly fixture. With no further ado, it gives us great pleasure to introduce issue 2. The new EP from Bournemouth based 5 piece The Death of Pop. 

Made up of three brothers and two cousins, The Death of Pop produce the sort of well-polished sound you’d expect from a tight knit family unit. We have long admired their jangley shoegaze from afar, but it was only when they sent us a lovely cassette demo did we finally make acquaintance. Opening track ‘Whenever’ picks up where excellent previous single ‘Sun in my Eyes’ left off. Dueling guitars, blissful summery melodies and a magic carpet ride of fuzz and distortion.

The EP’s further four tracks are testament to The Death of Pop’s ability to consistently craft jangle pop masterpieces that engulf you in a glowing warmth, which is basically the mark of any good shoegaze band. If it doesn’t feel like turning them up really loud would defrost a bag of peas from 50 yards, they’re probably not doing it right.

As previously mentioned, the EP is set to be released on a lovely blue transparent 7” flexidisc accompanied by a 20 page magazine. The flexidisc will feature the sub-6-minute drones of track 2 Mirage and a download code for the full EP will be included with the magazine. We have elected to release music in this format as we were getting a bit frustrated with the standard 7” release and realised we could be giving you a bit more for your money. 

The release is ltd to 250 copies and set to be released on the 28th July. You can pre-order your copy from our shop right now.

The Death of Pop - Whenever

Taken from the forthcoming Flexizine (7" flexidisc record and 20 page zine) Fifths, to be released 28th July 2014. Pre order now: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/529271-the-death-of-pop-fifths-flexizine-ep

---------------------

Following on from how much we enjoyed putting out the recent Fear of Men release, we have decided to make the flexizine (a 7” flexidisc record accompanied by a 20 page zine) a quarterly fixture. With no further ado, it gives us great pleasure to introduce issue 2. The new EP from Bournemouth based 5 piece The Death of Pop.

Made up of three brothers and two cousins, The Death of Pop produce the sort of well-polished sound you’d expect from a tight knit family unit. We have long admired their jangley shoegaze from afar, but it was only when they sent us a lovely cassette demo did we finally make acquaintance. Opening track ‘Whenever’ picks up where excellent previous single ‘Sun in my Eyes’ left off. Dueling guitars, blissful summery melodies and a magic carpet ride of fuzz and distortion.

Here is Mirage, track two on the EP and the track which we have committed to vinyl. Once again it's a shoegazing stunner whilst the EP’s further three tracks are testament to The Death of Pop’s ability to consistently craft jangle pop masterpieces that engulf you in a glowing warmth.

As previously mentioned, the EP is set to be released on a lovely blue transparent 7” flexidisc accompanied by a 20 page magazine. The flexidisc will feature the sub-6-minute drones of track 2 Mirage and a download code for the full EP will be included with the magazine. We have elected to release music in this format as we were getting a bit frustrated with the standard 7” release and realised we could be giving you a bit more for your money.

The release is ltd to 250 copies and set to be released on the 4th August. You can pre-order your copy from our shop right now.

The Death Of Pop - Mirage

As we enter the home run of our Pizza Club series (5 more to go) we are delighted to welcome Broadbay to the fold. Landing on our radar back in March, the band had just played a gig with Home School, Bloody Knees and Birdskulls. Hopefully that should give you a pretty solid indication of what to expect from 'Plasticine Dream' - grungy emo-tinged punk rock with hooks a-plenty!

Buy a physical pizza version from our shop at 1pm: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/523909-the-pizza-club

Broadbay - Plasticine Dream

7" hand cut record, limited to 25. Available from our site from 1pm, 13.03.15: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/546911?preview=true

It might be March but we've decided it's definitely not too late to launch our 2015 singles club - The Handcut Record Club.

We're kicking things off with a new track from The Red Cords, ramshackle, roof raising, garage pop from Cornwall. 'Scratch it Off' takes all the promise they exhibited in their first two EP's and solidifies it into one of the best sub 3 minute pieces of shout-a-long surf rock you'll hear this side of the summer.

The Red Cords - Scratch It Off

Taken from the forthcoming four way split between Living Hour, Bruising, Fruit Bomb and Abattoir Blues. Released on black/white marble effect 12" on April 27th.

Pre order now: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/544699-family-portrait-pt-ii-12

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Back in 2012, we released Family Portrait; a four way split between Joanna Gruesome, Playlounge, Keel Her and Gum. The idea was to give four bands with a similar sound and ethic their first vinyl release. We decided it was time for round two and gathered together some of our favourite new bands.

This first track comes from Living Hour, a four piece from Winnipeg Canada. Steady Glazed Eyes is a a slow burning super 8 reel of psychedelic dream pop. All four bands will be on tour throughout April and May and we will be sharing more tracks soon!

Fruit Bomb - Normcore Girlfriend

Taken from Family Portrait pt. II due for release 11th May 2015 on marbled 12" and digital download.

Pre order here: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/544699-family-portrait-pt-ii-12

Bruising formed late last year after singer and guitarist Naomi Baguley spotted Ben Lewis wearing a Perfect Pussy t-shirt in a Leeds nightclub. Bonding over a mutual love of all things fuzzy, they began messaging voice memos from their phones back and forth until, finally, they got together in the same room and started writing some songs. Since then their infectious, ear worm, fuzz pop has gained them acclaim from the NME, DIY and even Radio 1's Huw Stephens, as well as being described by GoldFlakePaint as 'The best new guitar band in the country'.

Buy 12" record

Bruising - Think About Death

Remember the instrumental album that Mac DeMarco pushed out early July? Written and recorded in his bedroom across just four impressive days, we are merely lo-fi paupers whilst Mac wears the crown. 

We thought it’d be great fun to get some AIH friends and family in to have a play and complete the tracks by adding their own vocal & melody ideas. Initially wanting to match the four-day window that Mac achieved the process in, it turned out this was next to impossible .. 

HOWEVER! Everyone managed to finish their takes and have done a great, great job. Come roll in the disco fusion of Shunkan vs Mac on Hachiko, the grizzle fuzz of pet cemetery’s Fish Terry or Early Ghost’s paranoid deprecation on closer Special K. 

Mac gave it away for free and so are we. Enjoy!

Download from: https://artishardrecords.bandcamp.com/album/some-aih-ones

Nai Harvest - Onion Man

Sleep Talk / Dinner Date is a Father/Daughter and Art Is Hard co-release. The 7" is limited to 500 copies on white frosted clear vinyl, available to purchase from http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com now!

Recorded with Christopher Daly at Salvation Recording Company in New Paltz, NY and mastered by Jamal Ruhe at West West Side Music.

www.facebook.com/dietcigmusic
dietcig.bandcamp.com
twitter.com/dietcig
www.fatherdaughterrecords.com
www.artishardrecords.co.uk

ORDER 7" / SHIRT

Diet Cig - Dinner Date

Pre order ltd edition 7" flexizine: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/568445?preview=true

Back in 2014 we put out a series of flexizines (a 7" flexidisc record accompanied by a 20 page zine) from the likes of Fear of Men, The Death of Pop and White Sands. We're delighted to say we're bringing the format back whilst also welcoming The Orielles to the family!

Hailing from Halifax, the Orielles formed after sisters Esme and Sid Hand-Halford met Henry Wade at a house party. Learning to play their instruments as they went along, the band have spent the past couple of years honing their craft with a string of singles and appearances at the likes of Live at Leeds, Festival no. 6, swn and Dot to Dot.

We're delighted to be releasing their new EP Jobin, three tracks of infectious surf pop influenced by the band's love of riot grrrl and all things C.A. The EP opens with lead track 'Jobin' - a barnstorming amalgamation of whoops and sweet summer melodies and the rest of the EP follows in a similarly seasonal fashion.

The EP is set to be released on 1st April on ltd edition flexizine; a 7" flexidisc featuring lead track Jobin, a 20 page colouring book zine illustrated by the awesome Alex Gamsu Jenkins and a download code for the full 3 track EP.

On tour:

6th March - Birmingham, Actress & Bishop 
12th March - The Maze, Nottingham 
25th March - Manchester, Soup Kitchen 
26th March - Tooting & Tram, London 
2nd April - Reading, Oakford Social Club 
3rd April - Louisiana, Bristol 
9th April - Flying Vinyl Festival, London 
7th May - Music Week Canada, Toronto

The Orielles - Jobin

Buy ltd edition pin badge w/ download code: 
http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/569128?preview=true

Having started the year with a new single from Bristol's Two White Cranes, we're continuing our 2016 Pin Pal Singles club with a new track from London 5 piece Sad Culture. Raspberry Ooze is a sun-summoning piece of jangle pop all about "Uncomfortable evenings in pubs with music that’s too loud, parties where every surface is sticky, no one has a spare lighter, your girlfriend’s vomiting raspberry coloured sick...but generally you feel ok." 

The track opens with a sample from Cool Runnings, a theme which carried over when it came to creating this month's badge (a quizzical John Candy). The badge is available to purchase by itself or as past of a subscription to the Pin Pal Club (http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/artists/pinpalclub) which includes 12 enamel pin badges sent out over the course of the year. 

Each badge comes on a backing card containing a download code for a new and exclusive single. Future editions are set to include the likes of Dirty Girl, Iyesaya and Small Wonder. 

Sad Culture - Raspberry Ooze

PREORDER: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/categories/gorgeous-bully-something-anorak

We're delighted to be teaming up with long-time AIH pal Gorgeous Bully as well as relative newcomers Something Anorak, for a four track split 7" due for release 27th May.

The two bands met whilst both living and playing in Cornwall in early 2011 and bonded over a shared love of boisterous lo-fi music. In the five years since, Something Anorak, consisting of cousins James and Chris Barrett, moved to Bristol; released an album on Howling Owl and split time writing music between working as a plumber and a postman. Meanwhile, Gorgeous Bully's Thomas Crang moved to Manchester and with no such restrictions on his time, has spent 5 years of unemployment ascending the stairs of bedroom-pop stardom whilst sharing a steady stream of songs that are "ugly and bummed and uncomfortable in all the right ways.

The split features two tracks from each band and is set to be released as a cherry red 7" record on May 27th.

ALSO 
We will be releasing a special Record Store Day version of this release - limited to 25 handcut & handnumbered 7" records. You'll find 5 in Rise Records in Bristol, 5 in Piccadilly in Manchester and 10 at our release show in Bristol at The Crofter's Rights that night.

Buy ltd edition 7"

Gorgeous Bully - Beaucoup

PREORDER: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/categories/gorgeous-bully-something-anorak

We're delighted to be teaming up with long-time AIH pal Gorgeous Bully as well as relative newcomers Something Anorak, for a four track split 7" due for release 26th June.

The two bands met whilst both living and playing in Cornwall in early 2011 and bonded over a shared love of boisterous lo-fi music. In the five years since, Something Anorak, consisting of cousins James and Chris Barrett, moved to Bristol; released an album on Howling Owl and split time writing music between working as a plumber and a postman. Meanwhile, Gorgeous Bully's Thomas Crang moved to Manchester and with no such restrictions on his time, has spent 5 years of unemployment ascending the stairs of bedroom-pop stardom whilst sharing a steady stream of songs that are "ugly and bummed and uncomfortable in all the right ways.

The split features two tracks from each band and is set to be released as a cherry red 7" record on June 26th.

Gorgeous Bully - Just Like Before

Pre-order EP/32 page book (ltd to 100): 
http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/574863-ski-saigon-brings-the-storm-cloud-ep

After a few months of sitting on this EP we’re incredibly excited to be sharing it with you. ‘Brings the Storm Cloud’ was recorded at Holy Mountain studios in London and is inspired by Khmer pop and the fictional historical events from which it takes its name.

In doing so Ski Saigon have perfectly captured the humidity and closeness of a jungle and channeled it into bedroom pop wooziness. Imagine Public Service Broadcasting and Bradford Cox popping a couple of Valium and jamming it out and you’d probably end up with something similar to this.

With the extensive backstory surrounding the EP we felt the only way to release it would be as a book. 32 pages long and limited to just 100 copies the book details in beautiful photos and words the complete history of Ski Saigon (the historic events not the band). It’s due for release August 26th and is available to pre-order now.

Ski Saigon - Wintergarden / Sweet Dreams In The Botanics

Another sad pop superhit from Gorgeous Bully with vocal duties shared with Rebecca Lima of Whorish Boorish . 

Thomas has allowed us to share this track as a musical apology for the delay with the Gorgeous Bully / Something Anorak split 7" that was due out in June. Due to extreme delays at the pressing plant, frustratingly we won't have the records until the end of September. This is obviously horrible for us, the bands and of course anyone that pre-ordered. Hopefully these two and a half minutes of fuzzy brilliance will go some way to thanking you for your patience.

If you didn't pre-order, it's not too late: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/categories/gorgeous-bully-something-anorak

the worlds an oyster
lifes a race
but im stuck lying here 
half awake

nothing to do but dream of you

its motivation i cant find
always something
never the time

nothing to do but dream of you

Gorgeous Bully - Nothing To Do

Happy Cassette Store Day! We’ve decided to celebrate by giving one of our favourite EP’s of recent times a proper physical release, it is of course Comfortably Swell, the debut EP from Brighton brother and sister duo Penelope Isles.

Originally self released on their own Wavey Head label, Comfortably Swell is seven tracks of wonderfully varied melodic beach pop. I often find it quite a struggle to write about music that I love so dearly, but thankfully our pal Ross has already done a pretty great job of describing what makes this release so special.

"Opening slowly with each listen, the way the group engage is in their apparent ease in writing such compelling melodies. Each chorus swells with emotional value; the gentle delivery of their vocals producing the most stirring effect. Lily sings with an innate ability to evoke child-like curiosity, ‘Apple Juice‘ full of wonderment in it’s loose and adventurous moments, ‘The Loop‘ dwells on love’s disorientating nature as guitars sweep and mingle in swelling distortion, while ‘Tea‘ dreams nostalgically of the coast, patters of synth topped with another heart-wrenching chord progression through it’s chorus.

It all builds around an empathetic belief in the reminiscent romance of growing up and it’s influence on what’s happening in the very present. ‘Bad Head‘s introduction is of wishful thinking and a proactive need for change; “I’m trying to act my real self / but I don’t think it’s working.”. A plea for difference and positivity opens the record to the colourful remembrance of youth, ‘Apple Juice‘s comfort and buoyancy in simplicity is the complete antithesis; “I think I’m the better swimmer / after only two weeks” Lily’s lyrics are convivial in their simplest form, yet are penned by an irrepressible melancholy, trying to hold onto the happiest of memories that allow at least a moment of escape, “grab your bucket and spade / before the memory fades“. "

If it had been left to me I would’ve just gone for the much less eloquent description of “Comfortably Swell is the sound of your favourite Beach House and Deerhunter records spinning round inside a tumble dryer full of glitter and that one good Melody’s Echo Chamber album.

As anyone who arrived early at our Label Mates party in March or our 6th Birthday in August will attest, live, these songs take on a new form as they soar and swell. Despite their early billing both times, I think I can honestly say both times they have been my favourite band I’ve seen that day. We’re really excited for whatever they come up with next, but in the meantime we thought giving this amazing EP a bit more attention served as a nice stick in the ground.

Comfortably Swell

Penelope Isles - Bad Head

We've had a bit of a break punctuated by moving house and our 6th birthday at Knee Deep Festival but today we're back with the debut single from Holiday Ghosts, punchy paranoia fueled garage pop.

Having dug up this treasure from within sadly otherwise lost tape sessions at Troubadour in Falmouth, Stacpoole (The Black Tambourines) and fellow Kernow stars Katja Rackin, Ben Woods (Lost Dawn and Charlie Murphy (The Red Cords) bring the melodic erudition of their other projects together into a melting pot of loose pop and timeless malaise.

Under the haze of Stacpoole's relatable charm lie dynamic harmonies and vivacious rhythms, spaghetti hooks under the floorboards moving a knee or two as the Holiday Ghosts frontman waves off the anxiety of a night under the influence and life itself and just exists. The pin comes with a download code and backing card and is available from our shop now: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/580793?preview=true

The Pin Pal Club

Buy 1" pin single

Holiday Ghosts - Paranoia

PRE-ORDER 7" Postcard/card postcard: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/584916-penelope-isles-cut-your-hair-pcc01

Our 2017 singles club will be taking the form of a monthly postcard from some of your favourite bands, and we're kicking that off right now with Penelope Isles.

Following their Comfortably Swell EP which we reissued to coincide with Cassette Store Day 2016, the Brighton via Cornwall foursome jump right into the new year with a fresh audible bowl cut in the form of Cut Your Hair.

25th Jan – Tooting Tram & Social, London
26th Jan – Cookie Jar, Leicester
28th Jan – Wharf Chambers, Leeds
30th Jan – Maguires Pizza Bar, Liverpool
31st Jan – Mothers Ruin, Bristol
2nd Feb – Woodlane Social Club, Falmouth
3rd Feb – Unit 23, Totnes
4th Feb – Green Door Store, Brighton
7th Feb – Old Blue Last, London

Penelope Isles - Cut Your Hair

Returning to the fold following a hearty absence after their 2015 LP, Birdskulls kick down the door with a pounding EP leaving little room for potato based sides; it's bangers only and business as usual for Jack Pulman and co. Shining with their most melodic and earnest tracks to date, Pulman wears his heart on his sleeve throughout. Touching on the first cut, he explains that "'Over It' is about the severe impact of relationships on your happiness in the best and worst ways. It's loving someone completely whilst finding yourself in trivial arguments about frozen peas."

To mark the occasion and as a throwback to their first ever release (shout out to you Rolling Tongue fans), we've got a super limited run of custom embroidered baseball caps. We're only selling these for ONE WEEK, so snap em up!

S/T was recorded with Theo Verney at Verney Recordings (https://www.facebook.com/verneyrecordings) and will be released in Autumn 2017. 'Over It' is the opening track.

The band are in the middle of a UK tour, catch them at the following dates:

12th July - Northampton, The Garibaldi
13th July - Exeter, Cavern
14th July - London, The Waiting Room
15th July - Brighton, East Street Tap
16th July-  Bristol,  Exchange
27th August - Bristol, Hardly A Party

Birdskulls - Over It

For any not aware of the prolific output of Gorgeous Bully aka Plymouth’s Thomas Crang, he crafts heart-on-sleeve bedroom grunge pop at a prolific rate. As well as featuring on our latest compilation back in 2011, he has also made frequent appearances on the super-spot-on music blogger collective Lostx3 and featured on TLOBF’s track of the day.

Lo-fi is a term bandied around far too often, but in ‘The Young Obese’ each minuscule of fuzz does nothing but add to the warmness of the recordings. From the opener ‘Never Cry’ to the shoegaze’esque outro of ‘Adjusting to Change’ the EP is full of tumultuous grunge pop tales of misery, heartbreak and hating your hometown.

The 5 track EP is set to be released on ltd edition cassette (Feb 20th), packaged in a custom designed cigarette packet and is available to preorder from our <a href="http://artishardrecords.bandcamp.com/album/the-young-obese" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Bandcamp</a>

DOWNLOADS EXPIRED BUT STILL AVAILABLE FREE FROM OUR BANDCAMP



Gorgeous Bully - Never Cry

St. Bernadette / Haunted

Pale Kids - St. Bernadette

Today we're delighted to introduce the dream pop fuzz of Londoners Worst Place.

Having formed in early 2016, Worst Place have spent several months propping up basement bills, sharing a smattering of psych-tinged jams and receiving support from 6 Music's Tom Robinson. With the weather's poor attempt at convincing us that it is indeed summer, Worst Place are perfectly poised to bring the rays. In 'Dreamer' Worst Place deliver three minutes of perfect shoegazing pop taking shimmers of inspiration from Alvvays knack for an earworm chorus and Fear of Men's ability to enshroud something slightly darker amongst perfectly pleasant fuzz pop. 

For the artwork the band decided to create a classic American-style postcard with each of the maps inside the letters representing places that they grew up or have links to. Worst Place will be celebrating the launch of the single with a release party at The Shacklewell Arms this Friday. It's free entry and support comes from Meal Deals and Scab City: https://www.facebook.com/events/1748199365210175/

The Postcard Club

Worst Place - Dreamer

PRE-ORDER ON LTD EDITION 7": http://bit.ly/2xjj9Xq

Following their well received debut single - the 10 minute long Alternative Facts released in June as part of Too Pure's singles club - Mush have returned with a new AA 7" due for release on the 17th November.

Whilst their previous single called out the bullshit of the White House press department, this time round Mush have set their sights on those despicable creeps; the people who exclusively live their lives in the comments section of online articles. Meanwhile on the flip-side 'Luxury Animals' is a call to arms to "sack off work and go lay down somewhere instead".

The tracks were recorded with Matt Peel at The Nave and combine clever Television'esque interplay with the slacker-rock of their previous singles. Since forming early in 2016, the Leeds four piece have recorded an EP with MJ at Suburban Studios, been invited by Marc Riley for a BBC 6 Music session and supported the likes of Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever and Happyness. You can catch them live at the following dates with a longer tour to be confirmed shortly…

10th October - Soup Kitchen, Manchester (w/ Ulrika Spacek) 
12th October - Oslo, London (w/ Ulrika Spacek) 
15th October - Oporto, Leeds (headline) 
21st October - Hug and Pint, Glasgow (Massive Sanctions all dayer) 
9th November - Shacklewell Arms, London (w/ Drahla) 
11th November - Rough Trade West (instore)
12th November - The Old England, Bristol (single launch).

Pressing Information
Ltd to 300 copies. First 50 pre-orders come with a very limited floppy disc containing hidden content. You'll also get an instant download of Luxury Animals when you order.

Comment Section Creeps / Luxury Animals

Buy 7" record

Mush - Luxury Animals

Buy 7" flexidisc: http://www.artishardrecords.co.uk/products/604383-various-artists-7x7-7-or-postcard

To celebrate the seventh birthday of the label we asked one band from each year of our history to record a 50 second song. Here is the surprising, exciting and earworm'esque results.

Samuel Stacpoole (The Black Tambourines) - Low Flyin' Bird

Released 4.12.17 on ltd edition postcard. Grab one here:
http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/artists/postcardclub

Likely familiar to anyone who wears their heart on their cardigan, Laura K forms part of Fortuna Pop'sters Tigercats. In her spare time she also plays in Jean K, Ski Saigon, Mikey Collins as well as finding moments to work on her own material. 'Apologise' is the result of some of that spare time. Though it kicks off like a Casio keyboard demo, by the minute mark it has slowly built into a swelling pop song.

Of the track Laura says "the song is about being insecure and anxious in a relationship; having negative thought patterns - not knowing if problems are real or in your head...classic! It’s also about not being sorry for your feelings."

The single is out on Postcard and digital download from Monday 4th December. The artwork was created by David Zacharis of the Smittens.

Laura K - Apologise

Buy 7" flexidisc: http://artishardrecords.limitedrun.com/products/607176?preview=true

Porridge Radio have been one of our favourite bands this year so obviously it made sense to ask them to record the annual AIH Christmas single.

Opening with a shriek of "its Chriiiiiistmas" from Garden Centre's Max Levy, the song is the soundtrack to that Christmas Eve where you remember how much you hate your hometown and walk home alone in the rain. Because your life is far too dismal for it to snow on Christmas Eve.

#porridgeradioforchristmasnumberone

O. Christmas

Porridge Radio - O. Christmas

As ever we are extremely honoured to announce our latest release. Best Friends are a Sheffield four piece that we’ve been fans of since their very first demos started getting posted around. Their debut EP was 7 tracks of garage surf pop that perfectly embodied hazy summer days and we’re pleased to say their second EP ‘Throwing Up’ is much more of the same.

Being suckers for non conventional packaging we have worked with the band to put together a 21cm square 12 page photo booklet of halloween parties, crowdsurfing at house shows and other rad photos. The CD is encased within the booklet itself. At the risk of sounding terribly middle class, its a bit like one of those coffee table books but with a CD inside - we will hopefully get some pictures up soon! You can listen to the full EP and preorder the EP from our Bandcamp - http://artishardrecords.bandcamp.com/album/throwing-up

Best Friends - Wasting Time

Taken from S/T released on 12" (ltd to 100 copies) on 2 March 2018. Pre order here: http://bit.ly/birdskullsST

Returning to the fold following a hearty absence after their 2015 LP, Birdskulls kick down the door with a pounding EP leaving little room for potato based sides; it's bangers only and business as usual for Jack Pulman and co. 

Set for release 2 March 2018, the four track EP features previous single 'Over It' - a song about "the severe impact of relationships on your happiness" - alongside three brand new songs.

1. Over It
2. Sleep Walking
3. Promises
4. Away Day

Birdskulls

Buy 12" (ltd to 100)

Birdskulls - Promises

Buy ltd edition 7" flexidisc with zine: 
http://www.artishardrecords.co.uk/products/609935-lazy-day-weird-cool-7-flexidisc-and-8-page-zine

We're delighted to be welcoming Lazy Day to the family with the brilliant Weird Cool. Originally the solo bedroom project of Tilly Scantlebury, they have since grown into a fully fledged dreamy grunge pop quartet. Weird Cool follows a succession of absolutely solid singles and more recently an EP which caught the attention of Lauren Laverne, Steve Lamacq and Gideon Coe amongst others. Lazy Day are playing some live shows in the support of the single (out 9th March)

| Headline Shows |
Thursday, March 8 @ Bournemouth, 60 Million Postcards
Friday, March 9 @ London, Moth Club
Saturday, March 10 @ Bristol, The Louisiana

| Supporting Alex Lahey |
Friday, March 23 @ London, Omeara
Saturday, March 24 @ Liverpool, Studio 2
Sunday, March 25 @ Birmingham, Hare And Hounds 2
Monday, March 26 @ Nottingham, Bodega Social Club
Tuesday, March 27 @ Sheffield, Record Junkee
Thursday, March 29 @ Newcastle, Think Tank
Friday, March 30 @ Edinburgh, The Mash House
Saturday, March 31 @ Belfast, Black Box
Sunday, April 1 @ Dublin, Grand Social

Written by Tilly Scantlebury
Drums performed by Beni Evans
Lead guitar performed by Liam Hoflay
Vocals, rhythm guitar and bass performed by Tilly Scantlebury
Recorded by Oliver Betts at The Crows' Nest Studios
Mixed by Adrian Hall at Clever Pup Studios
Mastered by Andy 'Hippy' Baldwin at Metropolis
Artwork, layout and design by Eleanor Crewes Illustration

Weird Cool

Buy 7" flexi + zine

Lazy Day - Weird Cool

PRE-ORDER 12" RECORD/CD: http://www.artishardrecords.co.uk/products/612959?preview=true

Hell it's been a long time coming, but boy was it worth the wait. Today we're delighted to be sharing news of the debut album from The Golden Dregs - the project of the magnificient Benjamin Woods.

Ben has spent the past four years filtering Falmouth life into his first full length album - Lafayette. What plays out is a rich representation of small town living; from the churn of the rumour mill to the assortment of intriguing characters that only seem to exist far away from motorways, itsu chains and the relative anonymonity afforded by city living.

With a musical approach inspired by 70’s Americana and jam bands - The Basement Tapes, The Grateful Dead and the Mussel Shoals scene - Lafayette is an album fit for longer evenings​ full of simpler decisions. It's jangly summer-summoning pop for the hours when the sun is dissappearing below the sea.

With contributions from some of the town's best musicians - the Cleave brothers (The Red Cords), Samuel Stacpoole (Holiday Ghosts), Jake Wilbourne (The Black Tambourines) and plenty more, the album was recorded at the now closed Troubador Studios in a converted warehouse space.

We're delighted to be teaming up with Cornwall based label Krautpop to be releasing the album on a lovely black 12" record (limited to 300 copies) as well as a small run of handmade CD packages. It's due out on Friday 28th May but you can pre-order the album right now. Anyone who orders in the first 7 days will receive an instant download of a Adaptation plus a (really good) Gorgeous Bully cover. Alongside the record we've also created a small booklet which comes with both the CD and vinyl versions of the album. All artwork was created in collaboration with Jay Harper, probably our favourite Falmouth artist.

Lafayette

The Golden Dregs - Adaptation

FREE DOWNLOAD! Taken from an as yet untitled release out on Art is Hard later this year.

Emily Isherwood (fka Nugget) is a Bristolian magician, familiar to anyone who has ever frequented one of Bristol's record shops or perhaps those who caught her fronting frenetic acts like Rink or Skeleton Frames. The decision at the end of last year to start recording music under her own name feels like a symbolic one. With it, Emily has drawn a line under what came before whilst also undoubtedly being influenced by those previous experiences.

'Calibrate' is the first track to be shared in this new guise and is a startling introduction. The stripped back sound of the earlier Nugget Demo EP is replaced by sparse electronics segueing into swelling choruses bubbling with raw emotion. It's not the sort of music you put on in the background, rather an all consuming experience requiring your full attention. Partly this is down to Emily's knack for stringing together poetic lines that feel effortless in their construction.

Recorded in a studio just outside Bath, the track forms part of a larger collection set for release on Art is Hard later in 2018. In the meantime, Emily is heading on a nine date UK tour with a full band in tow supporting Black Foxxes:

28th March, Manchester Deaf Institute
29th March, Leeds Key Club
30th March, Glasgow Cathouse
31st March, Newcastle Thinktank
2nd April, Nottingham Bodega
3rd April, Birmingham Mama Roux's
5th April, Southampton Joiners
6th April, London Heaven
7th April, Bristol Thekla

Calibrate

Emily Isherwood - Calibrate

Buy ltd edition 7" flexidisc with zine:
http://www.artishardrecords.co.uk/products/615887-wedding-hands-in-the-till-a-little-love-7-flexidisc-and-8-page-zine

For the second issue of our zine Eyes & Ears, we're delighted to be welcoming Wedding to the family. The Berlin-born, Manchester-raised five piece put out mini album Mania Whatever on Stockholm label Maternal Voice last year. Their shimmering, psych-tinged jangle pop has been elevated to new levels on this AA single. Hands in the Till is the motorik socialist pop song we all need, whilst A Little Love is a bittersweet summer afternoon where the sun sets too soon.

Each issue of Eyes & Ears includes a 7" flexidisc record and an 8 page zine including illustrations, an interview (with Sammy Maine) and more. You'll also receive an instant download of Hands in the Till.

Wedding - Hands In The Till

PRE-ORDER 12" RECORD/CD: http://www.artishardrecords.co.uk/products/612959?preview=true

Today we're delighted to be sharing a second track from the magnificent debut album from The Golden Dregs - the project of the magnificent Benjamin Woods.

Ben has spent the past four years filtering Falmouth life into his first full length album - Lafayette. What plays out is a rich representation of small town living; from the churn of the rumour mill to the assortment of intriguing characters that only seem to exist far away from motorways, itsu chains and the relative anonymonity afforded by city living.

With a musical approach inspired by 70’s Americana and jam bands - The Basement Tapes, The Grateful Dead and the Mussel Shoals scene - Lafayette is an album fit for longer evenings​ full of simpler decisions. It's jangly summer-summoning pop for the hours when the sun is dissappearing below the sea.

With contributions from some of the town's best musicians - the Cleave brothers (The Red Cords), Samuel Stacpoole (Holiday Ghosts), Jake Wilbourne (The Black Tambourines) and plenty more, the album was recorded at the now closed Troubador Studios in a converted warehouse space.

We're delighted to be teaming up with Cornwall based label Krautpop to be releasing the album on a lovely black 12" record (limited to 300 copies) as well as a small run of handmade CD packages. It's due out on Friday 25th May but you can pre-order the album right now. 

Alongside the record we've also created a small booklet which comes with both the CD and vinyl versions of the album. All artwork was created in collaboration with Jay Harper, probably our favourite Falmouth artist.

The Golden Dregs - What a Life / What a Waste

DIY label based in south west England releasing great music on weird things.

You can stream all our releases in full over on our bandcamp - http://artishardrecords.bandcamp.com

Art Is Hard Records

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