The Unsigned Guide Spotlight: June
Blog by Michelle Lloyd under Artist Managers, Creative & Branding, Finance, Law & Music Business, Live, Media, Music Publishing, Music Training & Careers, Record Labels, Recording & Production, Selling & Distributing Your Music
So we’re half way through the year already, quite how that happened we don’t know but as always a new month brings with it a new stack of tracks. And it’s not just the weather that’s sizzling this week, the following 5 tracks are hot, hot, hot! We’ve got a little something up our sleeve for next month’s Spotlight seeing as it’s our first birthday so keep your eyes peeled and we will reveal all very soon!
Pink Teens – La La La La La La
Pink Teens are a new project from Temple Songs front man Jolan Lewis. With only one live performance under their belt, the live act – featuring members of Egyptian Hip Hop and Grind Outs – are only in their infancy but already seem like a fully realised vision of time tunnelled slush-pop. The recordings are slick and punchy with trippy arpeggiated guitars chiming throughout. The songs, Jolan believes, are some of the best he’s written; each one smacking you with psychedelic pop hooks at every turn.Describing their sound as “kind of a combination of psychedelic pop with a slightly more abstract sound”, their influences include the likes of Red Krayola, Vyto B, The Great Society, The Godz, Harry Partch and Sun City Girls.
Here’s what Jolan had to say about out chosen track ‘La La La La La La’:
“I wrote the song in less time than it takes to listen to it. I just found a few chords which sounded nice together, even though some of them are really gross and dissonant on their own. The next time I was at the studio I ran through it really quickly, improvised the arrangement and structure and got it down as quickly as possible. I think recording works best that way, it feels better. For the lyrics, I did what I do most of the time, which is to record myself singing kind of aleatorically and then translate it into words. Except for the 'la la la' bit, which is probably the most rational lyric in the whole song”.
He also filled us in on what’s in store for Pink Teens in the coming months:
“I’ve been recording an album for the past few months, I have about 20 of the tracks done so far so hopefully I’ll get that released and play a few more shows. As a live band I also have David Richardson of Grind Outs/Old King, Alex Hewett of Egyptian Hip Hop/Aldous and Andrew Richardson, who also plays drums for my main group Temple Songs. We have a show coming up this month where all the members of Pink Teens, Temple Songs and Aldous will be onstage at once. I would like to start playing shows where anyone who would like to is welcome to join the group and do what they want. They can bring a tambourine or a shaker or they can bring a huge bass amp or something and drown out the rest of us for the entire show. Or just be given microphones so they can talk with their friends without us bothering them too much but I don't think sound guys like that kind of thing though.”
The Pink Teens currently feature on a split tape with fellow new Manchester band Fruit Tones. Co-released by Captured Cats and Loch Ness Monster Records, it’s available here.
Goldstar – ‘Daylight’
Forming at the end of 2012, quartet Goldstar set about blurring the lines between bands and producers, as well as making sounds suitable for festivals and clubs. 12 weeks later, having uploaded their debut release MixTape1 onto SoundCloud, they were well on their way. Currently putting the finishing touches to second release MixTape2, they’ve also put together a live show which has seen the gigs mounting up, not to mention festival slots across the summer months.
We chatted to David about Goldstar's sound:
How did our chosen track ‘Daylight’ come about then?
“Our bassist Geoff originally wrote the track, but just like everything we do it has been manipulated so much by various members of the band that it sounds completely different to how it originally began! It was pushed in so many different directions and speeds before we eventually settled on this. It's also unique in that we didn't write the lyrics! Geoff’s wife Freya wrote these for us and they were too good not to use.”
What’s next for you guys?
“Work, work, work! We’re releasing MixTape2 on June 20th, and aim to have another one out by the end of they year as well. Between all that recording and writing we really want to start pushing the live show. We are beginning to book gigs as a full band, and as a small acoustic act, and by the end of the year it would be nice to be out gigging with the unique DJ show that we are just starting to rehearse for."
Kindest Of Thieves – ‘Don’t It Make You Feel Like Crying’
You might be surprised to find that despite the huge level of sonic boom, Kindest Of Thieves are in fact a duo, made up of the suave Chris Fox and ferociously nimble drummer Sam Lightfoot. Hailing from Warrington and Manchester respectively, they’ve been honing their live show with a string of dates across the North West in recent months. And that’s where they really come into their own. The lyrical content might be a little on the macabre side but their delivery is everything but. Full bodied and boisterous, it’s full throttle from the get-go.
Fluctuating between hope and despair, their distinctive blend of rock & roll is mature, but whilst it’s underpinned with off-kilter, thundering drums and infectious jerky riffs, it offers that all important modern edge. Both Chris and Sam have been playing under various guises from an early age and share very different musical tastes, but having assembled together in the latter half of 2012, they both feel it’s a most formidable partnership and one which ultimately works. They’ve just finished recording their first professional full length EP at Castle Rock Studio in Alderely Edge and with a plethora of gigs booked in, they’re ready for the onslaught.
You can catch them live on June 14th at Friars Court, Warrington alongside Clint Boon and at Castle Rock Studios Festival on June 30th.
Antimatter People – ‘Mossy Grounds’
Antimatter People, headed up by London based musician Yehen Jehan, created quite a stir after taking The Shacklewell Arms by storm earlier this year, their blend of starry psychedelia and dreamy guitars leaving many utterly enamoured. After five years of experimenting alone, it was only in 2010 that Yehan felt ready to share his project with others. This coincided with his friends Elliott Arndt and Mikko moving to London from Luxembourg. The threesome decided to jam together and found together they had a natural musical bond. After a few rehearsals as a three-piece, they moved into a flat together early last year to spend more time developing the project. The three then became five after they met the completing members of the band, bassist Spencer Lezaja and drummer Callum Brown. And the rest as they say is history.
Having played a series of acclaimed shows, their exhilarating take on astral rock, as effortlessly demonstrated on ‘Mossy Grounds’, is most accomplished. Taking influences from classical music, rock, hip hop beats, and film composition, their sound is multifaceted enthralling; leaving you wondering what tangent they’ll take you on next.
Having played a series of acclaimed shows, their exhilarating take on astral rock, as effortlessly demonstrated on ‘Mossy Grounds’, is most accomplished. Taking influences from classical music, rock, hip hop beats, and film composition, their sound is multifaceted enthralling; leaving you wondering what tangent they’ll take you on next.
The Shallows – ‘Running For Cover’
London’s The Shallows combine soaring vocals with a backdrop of addictive guitar riffs and hypnotic drum grooves. With their debut EP having been championed heavily by the likes of BBC6Music, BBC Introducing and Absolute Radio they’re hoping for the same success with new EP ‘Same Space Vol.2’.Having drawn inspiration from the bands and artists they love, they’re keen to highlight that they’re not merely a straight up indie band. Although bands like The Strokes and Two Door Cinema Club have played a big part in their sound, they’ve also taken inspiration from artists like The Bird & The Bee, Neu!, Morrissey and The Beatles.
‘Running For Cover’ was composed in their studio on a hot summer’s day with a vision to write a song that would fully embrace festival season. They ultimately wanted something that people would love to hear, sing along to and dance to. And we think they pretty much hit the nail on the head with this little ditty!
With another EP ready to go and set for release in the autumn, the boys are also hoping to get out to Prague to record a new album later in the year. You can keep up to date with all the developments over on their Facebook page, where they’re also giving away a free track.
Read more recent Spotlight blogs here:
The Unsigned Guide Spotlight: May
The Unsigned Guide Spotlight: April
The Unsigned Guide Spotlight: March
The Unsigned Guide Spotlight: May
The Unsigned Guide Spotlight: April
The Unsigned Guide Spotlight: March
How do I get featured on the Spotlight blog?
Our Spotlight blog is compiled every month from fresh new music submitted to us by our members. We want to hear from you! We select 5 of the best tracks from our members, so if you want to be in the running you’ll need to sign up to The Unsigned Guide then follow the instructions in your Welcome email to submit a track for Spotlight consideration to us. If you’re already a member and still not sure about how to submit your music for Spotlight, just give us a shout via our Contact page & we’ll help you out!
As well as being featured in our new music blog, your track will also be forwarded onto these music industry professionals including folks from Amazing Radio, Big Life Management, Club Fandango, Domino Records, The Fly, Memphis Industries, Rocksound, Skint Publishing, Sony Music, Spotify, Fake DIY, Transgressive Records and The Great Escape. View the full list of who listens to our Spotlight tracks here.
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