UK artist Bentley Jones has experienced success that most independent artists can only dream of; +25 million YouTube views, +6.2 million artist sales, and remix credits for the likes of Britney Spears, will.i.am., Madonna, Calvin Harris, Taylor Swift – even Lady Gaga follows him on Twitter.
Debuting in Japan in 2009 his first single broke the Japanese Top 5 and his album was the first major Japanese album to be released by a British artist. Since then he has been independently successful around the world topping various charts, touring as well as composing scores for video-game franchises such as The X-Files, Tekken, Sonic the Hedgehog, Gradius and QQ Dance.
LINKS:
http://www.bentleyjones.com
http://www.facebook.com/BentleyJonesMusic
http://twitter.com/Bentley_Jones
http://www.youtube.com/BentleyJonesMusic
http://www.soundcloud.com/BentleyJones
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Blacklite District – Goodbye (Regular & Minecraft Version)
Spearfish, SD based electronic alternative rock act Blacklite District (BLD) has released two videos for their single, “Goodbye,” off of their third LP, Instant Gratification, one an official video and the second a Minecraft video.
Blacklite District follows no rules. With sounds of everything from electronic, EDM and hip-hop, to hard rock and alternative, the band truly stands out from the pack of what has become today’s generic sounding “Active Rock”. Formed in 2012 by Kyle Pfeiffer and Roman James, ages 12 and 11 respectively, the band grew organically in their local music scene through the years to come. In 2011, BLD was discovered by Grammy Award-winning producer, Stephen Short (Paul McCartney, Queen), which resulted in a 10 day recording session at the world’s largest residential recording studio, Sonic Ranch, just outside of Mexico in Tonillo, TX. The group re-located to Los Angeles and played some of the most famous venues in the world for the remainder of 2011.
In 2013, the group released “With Me Now” as the lead from it’s debut album Worldwide Controversy. “With Me Now” immediately went to #1 on SiriusXM channels Octane and Faction, hit the Top 40 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart (#32), and sold 100,000 copies. BLD went on a very successful US tour with Saving Abel in Jan-Apr 2014, with 26 of those shows SOLD OUT. After a legal battle with their management and record label, Blacklite District went on hiatus in late 2014.
On August 23, “The Struggle” was release to radio and To Whom It May Concern went for pre-order at digital retailers. Revolver Magazine premiered the music video for “The Struggle” on August 25. The band also announced a 41 date tour called “The Struggle Is Real Tour”. Blacklite District released a Nightcore remix of “The Struggle” to YouTube on September 6, which got over 2,000,000 plays and resulted in the single breaking the Top 40 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Indicator chart at #36.
One month later, on October 6, the group released a Nightcore remix of “We Are The Danger” which got over 400,000 plays on YouTube. A couple of weeks later, the band released “Broken Souls” to radio, as well as a Nightcore remix which resulted in 500,000 plays and hitting #30 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Indicator. This was the second song in the month of October to break the Top 40 (along with “The Struggle.”)
“The Ghost of You and Me” was released as a music video and a Nightcore remix on December 28, 2016. The song was yet again a success for Blacklite District resulting in 400,000.
On January 20, 2017, BLD released “Living In A Nightmare” as the first single from upcoming album Instant Gratification. With a coinciding Nightcore release, “Living In A Nightmare” broke the Top 25 on the BDS Indicator chart, marking the bands highest spot in chart history. The song has been streamed over 250,000 times.
On February 24, famed radio DJ Lou Brutus posted the bands video for “Cold As Ice”, which was released the same day. The song scored a whopping 350,000 streams in its first week alone, and as of May 2017, has over 3.5 million combined views on YouTube. “Cold As Ice” serves as the second single from Instant Gratification. In the summer of 2017, “Cold As Ice” was added to Spotify’s “Rock Hard” playlist, and was put into rotation on SiriusXM’s alternative channel Faction. In October, “Cold As Ice” was added to rotation on SiriusXM Octane, and it’s Minecraft music video has over 10 million views on YouTube. There are about 4 videos about a Herobrine invasion with zombies and “nether watchers” and how the main character, a player in a blue suit, survives. There are 4 songs in total in the order of The Struggle, Cold as Ice, We are the Danger (possibly not from Blacklite District), and Just so you Know.
Blacklite District released their third album Instant Gratification on September 22, going Top 10 on Amazon’s Top Electronic Albums chart.
LINKS:
http://www.blacklitedistrict.net
https://www.facebook.com/pg/BlackliteDistrict
http://www.twitter.com/officialbld
https://www.instagram.com/blacklitedistrict -
AM Clouds – Rainmaker
Oregon-based AM Clouds craft adventurous rootsy indie rock that traverses both the internal and external landscapes of human experience. Their hometown of Bend offers extreme climate changes and expansive beauty, prompting them to coin the term ‘high desert rock.’ Even their name, AM Clouds, was derived from a phrase that was constantly broadcast across the Oregon weather forecast.
Meshing classic and alternative, the band connects the dots between several eras of rock music, from angular indie to psychedelic noise jams, equal parts Neil Young and Meat Puppets, Tom Petty and Uncle Tupelo. Their debut EP, War of Love, was released in 2017 and was welcomed with open arms by the local press, picking up heavy rotation on KPOV and KRFM. “We’re located in a rugged, remote place, where culture has a tendency to be overshadowed by nature,” Moon relates. “I think people really connect to hearing their majestic surroundings captured musically with a bit of cinematic flair.”
Made up of Bruce Troy Moon (lead vocals, lead guitar), Graham Boostrom (rhythm guitar, vocals), Pete Ficht (bass, keys, vocals), and Dan Paggi (drums, vocals), the band is both immediate and relatable, comprised of musicians committed to their individual tone but more invested in serving the overall sound. Since their inception, they’ve played across Central Oregon, sharing the stage with veteran roots rockers the Mother Hips and Portland’s psych-rock pioneers King Black Acid.
Their album, Rainmaker, was tracked at the Firing Room in Bend, Oregon with engineer Dayne Wood and mixed by Portland producer Jeff Stuart Saltzman (The Black Keys, Death Cab for Cutie).
Featured image by Amanda Marquez.
LINKS:
http://www.am-clouds.com
https://www.facebook.com/amclouds
https://twitter.com/amcloudsband
https://amclouds.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/am.clouds -
The Bramantes – Calling
The Bramantes have premiered their new single titled ‘Calling’ on Jammerzine. That smooth, almost lofi, sweet sound from that dynamic duo from Canada has that sweet, certain something that captivates the ear and shakes the rear. But what may impress you without realizing it is the mix. The mix is brilliant. There is more in the background than you realize. But you also get that slight but powerful hook. That hook is spread throughout the song in a gorgeously stretched fashion and by the time the song is over, you want to hit play again.
ABOUT THE BRAMANTES
Hailing from Toronto, siblings Abigail and Eli Bramante (professionally known as The Bramantes) are a dynamic duo crafting pulsating music mixing jazzy vocals with electro-house and neo soul production. Such eclectic influences come from a rich upbringing in the arts, with heavy inspiration coming from their parents who are involved in visual arts. Abigail’s love for singing began as a young child when she would perform in children’s choirs.
That love led her to win singing competitions in jazz and musical theatre and eventually auditions for America’s Got Talent and American Idol. Eli’s love for music production developed after sitting in on his sister’s studio sessions. He took it on himself to learn all there is to know about producing music sound engineering and mixing, but his inspiration transcends aural realms. Fashion and visual aesthetics drive his creative processes and are muses when creating atmospheres and moods in the songs he embodies.
After signing on to Cash Money Records and collaborating with Grammy award-winning producers, The Bramantes forge their own path with their upcoming single “Calling”. The follow up to last year’s single “Wonder”, this second offering from their upcoming debut EP hearkens on an irresistible rhythm section reminiscent of GoldLink’s 2017 hit “Meditation” while rich vocal harmonies give the track unique jazzy undertones. It pulls listeners through times of confusion, helping them find their purpose and motivating them to pursue it.
LINKS:
https://thebramantes.com
https://www.facebook.com/TheBramantes
https://twitter.com/TheBramantes
https://www.instagram.com/thebramantes
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLaSiHck3OA5trqU36WyTzw