Autumn/Winter 2010 Bands to Watch Part 2

So it seems that Band to Watch Part 1 has gone down pretty well with the crowd. Here's part 2, in no particular order...

Forest Swords
Tunesmith Matt Barnes AKA Forest Swords gives Liverpool music scene a massive boost with nature-inspired dark and dusty beats. Rooted in classical soul, hip-hop and dubstep, it has been coined "dronestep" by the highly regarded Gorilla vs. Bear, which somewhat undermines the "nowness" of Forest Swords's sound. Drone is Sunn O))), and Forest Swords sounds nothing like a step-version of Sunn O))). It seems almost bizzare that no comparison has been drawn between the Scouser (NOT a "woollyback", a term I acquired on my way up to Liverpool earlier this year) and the mass number of Witch House/Drag bands sprouted in the States this year from oOoOO to Balam Acab. (For a non-typical Witch House playlist, I've put together one here). Perhaps it's because Forest Swords started on this side of the pond, he's been automatically excluded from the "witch house" movement? We would never know.

Catch him DJing at Static Gallery in Liverpool on the 13th of November warming the place for Liars, it'll be good.


Forest Swords - Rattling Cage from ///NO PAIN IN POP\\\ on Vimeo.

Party Trash
Another one-man project it seems, and a member of the mysterious Owlhead Collective, also a member of the Disaro Records family, Party Trash has put together some of the most "difficult" drag/witch house remixes to date. A self-titled album came out in June on Bandcamp, if you prefer Salem and White Ring to oOoOO, as the latter is a tad more poppy, you'd like what you find in Party Trash. Surprisingly, his latest take on Alicia Keys is as smooth and silky as the sheer water on a still lake.

Download the remix here and listen to the full mixtape below, featuring a chilling remix by Master Suspiria Vision of Party Trash. It's better upon second listen, no goosebumps, just waves of "R n B".



James Blake
Everyone's talking about James Blake, and I don't blame them. The rising star in British music has got everyone excited with his varied and contrasted two EPs from sweat and swagger to cool and calm bleeps. He could be the ultimate combo of Radiohead and Skream, bridging dubstep with mainstream electronic in an effortless grace. As if the two EPs are not enough proof, the cover of Feist is simply beautiful and enchanting. The single Limit To You Love is out on his debut album in early 2011, it's going to be huge so I won't post about it again.

Meanwhile, familiarise yourself with his 2010 EPs CYMK and Klavierwerke on Spotify


James Blake - Limit To Your Love from James Blake on Vimeo.

Wolf People

Last but not the least, an actual band that puts guitar at the centre of the stage and yes, they are touring. Make it to Angel Islington on the 16th of November to catch this psychedelic quartet from Bedford/London/North Yorkshire. If you appreciate Black Mountain and Sleepy Sun, then you'd be more than happy with Wolf People's latest attempt to bring back the classic rock sound with pride and honesty. Check out their label Jagjaguwar for the likes of Small Black and Women.

Who said guitar's gonna fade out and keyboard and synth's taking over? Nobody's listening to La Roux any more that's why she's declared that synth's dead.

Rock's more than alive, especially this winter.

Tiny Circles by Wolf People from Secretly Jag on Vimeo. Full post...

Balam Acab - See Birds EP : The Witch House ∆ continues

Remember the symbols and codes all these witch house bands use and the arrival of Tri Angle label? Check out the debut EP release from Balam Acab featuring birds, winds, underwater currents, light clanks and beeps. Stream/buy the whole thing here


Obssessed with triangles at the moment, so here we go, "retro futurism" spotted on Behance
Sakke Sioni

Hannibal Chew

Portuguese web designer/illustrator Joao Oliveira (or according to himself, a computer and telematics engineer) has done some cool stuff for brands such as Nike and Hugo Boss, check out his tumblr for some more offbeat collections and fancies.

Full post...

New Band Watch: Dawn Golden & Rosy Cross

On rare occasions I can remember new band names, they are either silly or funny. My latest successes include Teengirl Fantasy and Bitch House.

It must be a bit of a shock then to be able to remember one goes by the name of Dawn Golden and Rosy Cross, which consists, as far as I know, a mysterious guy named Chris in Chicago, who writes about drug addiction and suicide and has no intention of touring yet.

A full length EP named Blow was released on the 16th of August and hasn't been mentioned much on this side of the pond. BUT, the lovely Bandcamp transaction record shows that Pitchfork's Ryan Schreiber made a swift purchase a day before it came out. Must be nice for Dawn.

As previously predicted, Winter 2010/Spring 2011 is going to be very Witchy and ghostly, and DG&RC is a nice addition to the genre which grows into not only a movement but a full-blown indie evolution.



Listen to the EP in full and enter TUMBLR or TWITTER for 15% off your minimum $6 purchase on Bandcamp. Come on boys and girls, that's one and a half Starbucks caramel frappuccino which you wouldn't buy anymore as the weather's crap for the next 6 months.  It's worth it.

Full post...

Bewitched by Witch House the 2010 genre

Much owing to my hippiest friends namely The Owl Post, Witch House AKA Ghost Drone AKA Drag as a genre was introduced to me a couple of months back and has been growing on me ever since. Slowly gaining recognition among new sound seeking bloggers and Pitchfork, its status is rising to the likes of "chill wave" - not in the least doing it any justice.

Wherever you see some unpronounceable symbols and codes, it's probably another alter ego/new name of an up and coming Witch House band expanding the "movement" and following the footsteps of  SHAMS and Salem. Tracks here cover the likes of OoOOo, White Ring, Sleep Over and Horse MacGyver, among my favourites. For a quick intro check out remixes of Lady Gaga and Crystal Castles on YouTube under obscure names and goth, vamp-filled old film clips. And last but not least, look out for the triangles...it's going to take over the world this winter.
Seaww by oOoOO
White Ring - IxC999 by Speaker Snacks

§ - La Main Gauche from § on Vimeo. Full post...