Category: Introducing (Page 24 of 25)

Introducing THE SOUND OF ARROWS

14 June 2010 /

THE SOUND OF ARROWS are Oskar Gullstrand and Stefan Storm, a duo based in Stockholm.

Formed in 2006, they were signed to indie label Labrador Records in 2008 and attracted interest and acclaim via a series of EPs which featured gloriously catchy songs such as ‘Danger!’ and ‘M.A.G.I.C.’ – their last single, the superb ‘Into the Clouds’ is dreamy widescreen synthpop, swathed in that beautiful Nordic melancholy.

The Fear of Tigers Remix with its soaring synth solo is particularly impressive. With a magnificent promo video to match, ‘Into the Clouds’ impressed so much that it was awarded ‘Best Single Of 2009’ by the influential Popjustice music website despite some stiff competition in a glorious year for music.

Starting off originally as a more conventional pop act, an impressive listing of largely Roland kit on their social media reveals where their hearts may be now.

Having recently signed to the same management as LA ROUX, THE SOUND OF ARROWS could steal the thunder from the highly rated HURTS and become the big surprise success story of 2010 by coming out from almost nowhere!

THE SOUND OF ARROWS will be playing at Hoxton Hall, London on 5th July 2010.

https://www.facebook.com/thesoundofarrows/

https://twitter.com/soundofarrows

Text by Chi Ming Lai
14th June 2010

Introducing ROCKETS IN A COMA

7 June 2010 /

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK are pleased to introduce ROCKETS IN A COMA whose album ‘Square Strawberries’ is released by the wonderful Undo Records, home of Greek synth sensations MARSHEAUX.

The modern bombastic elektrockers are fronted by the striking Elektra with the publicity shy Java Kid on synths, guitars and programming. Elektra first came to prominence as a guest vocalist on the 2008 album ‘Mistakes Are Good’ by MARSHEAUX’s production team FOTONOVELA.

With Elektra’s feisty vocal style and Java Kid’s eclectic production style, they deliver a mutant strain of electro rock disco with nods towards MIKRO, THE CURE and GOLDFRAPP as showcased by the single ‘Psycholover’.

Here, Elektra kidnaps her hapless male model lover and taunts him with slaps and food before he makes his escape. Yes, they may be ROCKETS IN A COMA but the promo video’s twist actually has an ending of Morrissey-like proportions!

Together, Elektra and Java Kid have creatde a modern bombastic electro-rock album with a very strong influence from today’s state-of-the-art duos as THE TING TINGS and AEROPLANE. Elektra’s haunting vocals promise night full of suprises in a wide big dance field as well as saturdays house parties

‘Square Strawberries’ is released by Undo Records and available now from http://undorecords.bigcartel.com/product/rockets-in-a-coma-square-strawberries-cdun17

https://rocketsinacoma.bandcamp.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
7th June 2010

Introducing KATJA VON KASSEL

23 April 2010 /


Electro Weimar Cabaret is the easiest way to describe the music of Katja von Kassel.

She sings in both German and English, often within the same song in a sultry Marlene Dietrich tone. After working within the UK music scene for several years including a stint as a guitarist on ‘X-Factor’, she was going to head back to Germany.

But luckily met producer and LADYHAWKE collaborator Alex Gray who co-wrote ‘My Delirium’ and ‘Dusk ‘Til Dawn’. He introduced her to the joys of electronic instrumentation and now with her synthetic torch songs, she appears to be in the right place, at the right time with the right music. Songs like ‘Goodbye Was Never Said’, ‘Riding The Horses’ and ‘Lili Marlene’ are electronic dance numbers with a cool, elegant charm. Alex Gray’s intricate production can be fully appreciated alongside Katja’s magnificent vocal presence. The arrangements are busy but uncluttered, giving plenty of space for Katja to hypnotise with her drama.

Add to that, the Wagnerian quality of Katja’s Götterdämmerung delivery when she’s lets rip with her emotions and you have a very unique style of modern electro that possesses a classic quality, electro revival or not! Katja’s moodier numbers ‘Raindrops’ and ‘Der Himmel Brennt’ not only recall ‘Deer Stop’ or ‘Horse Tears’ from GOLDFRAPP’s marvellous cinematic debut ‘Felt Mountain’, but also the influence of Berthold Brecht.

Her tremendous song ‘Lies’ features strong traditional European influences like French accordions and ‘Vienna’ piano but also has hints of being a dancier version of Grace Jones ‘I’ve Seen That Face Before’. Not entirely surprising as both songs are routed in the same dance… the tango. The stylish promo which accompanies it echoes her own words… it’s “1930s meets the future”. Welcome to the world of Katja von Kassel.

https://www.facebook.com/KatjavKassel/

https://twitter.com/katjavonkassel

Text by Chi Ming Lai
23rd April 2010

Introducing THE VANITY CLAUSE

6 April 2010 /

Originally a duo consisting of David Woods and Russell Harris, THE VANITY CLAUSE were in various rock bands until the chance acquisition of various vintage synths, courtesy of an emigrating pal.

One of these included the Moog Liberation, a beast so huge that David admitted it was probably heavier than him!

Having gigged to just about anyone who would listen, the Essex duo soon developed a synth sound that was heavily influenced by early ULTRAVOX, LADYTRON, Some Bizarre and Mute Records.

Their material, which included futuristic titles such as ‘Fluotexine’ and a cover of FAD GADGET’s ‘Back To Nature’, was promising with the emphasis on big ‘played’ synths sitting on top of sequences and urgent rhythm construction.

However, THE VANITY CLAUSE were open to new directions so recruited vocalist and synth girl Louisa Strachan to augment the line-up. The result? Songs that combined their original systematic edge with a romantic warmth… a system of romance if you will!

So with the brilliant ‘Lifeline’, David takes the lead in a blistering burst of energetics on a slice of alt-pop reminiscent of SOFT CELL’s ‘Forever The Same’. Louisa compliments David’s Marc Almond-like mannerisms with an appropriate (if you recall the Wigan Casino roots of ‘Tainted Love’) Northern Soul tone. The stuttering video captures that rabid tension between boy and girl, human and machine.

On ‘No’,  a raw sequencer opens, followed by busy percussion heavy backing. Menacing ‘Martin-esque’ string bursts and analogue riffage accompanied by Louisa’s echoey lead vocals go well with David’s counterpoints. Her confident delivery is also a reminder of that under rated cult new wave band FATAL CHARM who supported ULTRAVOX and OMD in their time.

Meanwhile, their new single ‘Time’ is a natural development of ‘Lifeline’ and ‘No’. There’s electro potential there in THE VANITY CLAUSE and a marvellous combination of the current female fronted electro pop revolution with the style of the classic synthesizer duo.

THE VANITY CLAUSE say “We’ve been compared to John Foxx-era Ultravox, described as ‘Pet Shop Boys-esque’ and told we’re ‘Nothing like those popular jangly guitar bands, not one little bit’. We think we sound like a pair of blokes with too many old keyboards knocking around”. Actually, they now sound like a pair of blokes and a girl with too many old keyboards knocking around!!

‘Time’ is now available to download now from Amazon while their debut album ‘Fractured’ is expected later this year.

www.myspace.com/thevanityclause

Text by Chi Ming Lai
6th April 2010

Introducing ARTHUR & MARTHA

30 March 2010 /

Independent alternative synth duo ARTHUR & MARTHA are rather confusingly, Adam Cresswell and Alice Hubley.

Presenting lo-fi electro for happy robots to dance to, ARTHUR & MARTHA have been described as “Gilbert & George, disguised as The Carpenters, stealing the hits of Kraftwerk and bashing them out on an old Moog in the style of SECTION 25”.

With an impressive arsenal of old analogue synths and augmented by quirky instruments like melodica, stylophone and Theremin,  they released their debut album ‘Navigation’ last year.

The superb first track ‘Autovia’ was one of the lost songs of 2009 in a year teaming with quality electro from all quarters. With a charming slightly off-key vocal from Alice and driven by a synthetic motorik beat, ‘Autovia’ is perfect fahr’n-fahr’n-fahr’n musik for English eccentrics heading north up the M1, as can be seen in the video.

The ‘Navigation’ album is also worth checking out with its variety of styles ranging from early NEW ORDER and CRYSTAL CASTLES to the sort of quirky instrumentals that would accompany the weird East European animations they used to show on BBC2 in the ’70s!

If you’re into Brighton’s highly acclaimed KATSEN, you might like ARTHUR & MARTHA too!

‘Navigation’ is released on CD by Happy Robots

www.facebook.com/Arthur-and-Martha-6821029194/

www.myspace.com/arthurandmartha

Text by Chi Ming Lai
30th March 2010

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