Music

Swansea Sound

Swansea Sound – Live at Rough Trade East

Swansea Sound has given us the absolute privilege of premiering what this world so desperately needs at this very moment: a live show! What makes this show so very, very special is the fact that this is purely from the perspective of the audience. Capturing every moment from the perspective of those in the crowd. Each song captured in it’s own unique live environment, as they were meant to be heard. And what makes this such a breath of fresh air is that this not only gives me that tingly feeling when I see a great band live, but it fills my heart with hope. We are leaving the pandemic behind. No matter what you hear or see on the news. Life is going on. And, people are enjoying it. They are into that sound. That live sound. That Swansea Sound!

About The Show…

Swansea Sound play six songs from their debut album ‘Live At The Rum Puncheon’, live at Rough Trade East, London, 10 December 2021.

Filming was by audience members. On their phones, for their own personal use. They didn’t know we would ask them to send in their snippets, or that they would be used in this way.

The film is scruffy, witty, anti-corporate fun. Just like the band itself.

Swansea Sound live are: Hue Williams, Ian Button, Rob Pursey, Robert Rotifer and Amelia Fletcher. They are playing more shows in 2022:

  • Friday 4th February – Bristol, Zed Alley
  • Saturday 5th February – Newport, Le Pub
  • Friday 18th February – St Leonards, The Piper
  • Saturday 19th February – London, Hope and Anchor
  • Friday 4th March – Manchester, The Talleyrand
  • Saturday 5th March – Leicester, Firebug

The album was released on 19th November 2021 by:
SKEP WAX (Vinyl, CD, Bandcamp)
LAVENDER SWEEP (Cassette)

In North America, it is released by:
HHBTM (Vinyl, CD)
AUSTIN TOWN HALL (Cassette)

In Indonesia, it is released by:
SHINY HAPPY RECORDS (Cassette)

In Japan, it is released by:
HAYABUSA LANDINGS (CD)

The album will not be released on streaming sites.

You can buy the album here: https://linktr.ee/skepwax or www.swanseasound.bandcamp.com.

LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/swanseasound
https://swanseasound.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/soundswansea
https://twitter.com/SoundSwansea

Beauty In Chaos ft. Whitney Tai - Orion

Beauty In Chaos ft. Whitney Tai – Orion

“Orion” is the new video/single from Beauty In Chaos. This track and its accompanying otherworldly video feature the captivating Whitney Tai. BIC’s curator Michael Ciravolo says “Musically, Orion continues on the path set by “Stranger”, the final track on ‘The Storm Before The Calm’. Whitney’s lyrics and soaring voice were a perfect match for this track and sets the tone beautifully for our next record!”

Tai adds “When Beauty In Chaos reached out to me with the opportunity to co-write on a song for their upcoming album, I was immediately hypnotized by the glacial, meandering and crystalline use of guitars against this haunting and dark verbed-out atmosphere. My mind went down the rabbit hole of the past two years that our globe has faced. “Orion” is the ego of destruction. It’s about breaking free from the manipulators mind and severing the ties of deception. A story of an a-type personality, “the hunter”, and how the roles narcissism and exploitation torment the fears and strengths of the human psyche”.

As for this new video, Ciravolo says “We try to make each of our videos different from the others, while being true to the singer and the lyrics. “Orion” is like nothing we have done before; it has a very cinematic ‘big-screen’ look to it… and was really a lot of fun to make!”

Video Credits

Whitney Tai – vocals
Michael Ciravolo – guitar
Tish Ciravolo – bass
Dirk Doucette – drums

Directed and produced by GABB Productions
Art direction by GABB Design
Makeup by Jessica Zweig
Filmed on location at Schecter Guitar Research and FD Studios Los Angeles
Props courtesy of Prop Heaven

Song Credits

Written by Whitney Tai, Michael Rozon, Michael Ciravolo
©2021

Whitney Tai: voice and words
Michael Ciravolo: guitars and textures
Michael Rozon: bass, synth, and drum programming
Dirk Doucette: live drums

Recorded, mixed and produced by Michael Rozon at SAINTinLA Studio
Mastered by Dale Becker for Becker Mastering, Los Angeles

LINKS:
https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/beautyinchaosmusic
https://www.instagram.com/beauty.inchaos
https://twitter.com/_BeautyInChaos
https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com/music-store
https://www.beautyinchaosmusic.com/bic-blog
https://soundcloud.com/33-3-music-collective
https://beautyinchaos.bandcamp.com
https://www.whitneytaimusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/WhitneyTaiMusic
https://twitter.com/Whitneytai
https://instagram.com/whitneytai
https://play.google.com/music/preview/A57is65aslv7gv4qdy74gwoeivq?u=0#
https://listen.tidal.com/artist/6337137
https://www.bandsintown.com/WhitneyTai
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCazKu-G82KhrvCpRiHDiCg
https://www.vevo.com/artist/whitney-tai
https://open.spotify.com/user/whitneytai
https://itun.es/us/D8HW6
https://soundcloud.com/whitney-tai

Robert Taira Wilson – Blackbird

Robert Taira Wilson – Blackbird

Robert Taira Wilson has officially premiered his new video for the track titled ‘Blackbird’ on Jammerzine. If you read our review of the original track from June, you will get a perspective of our take from the music. The video offers a visual construct of what we said. Introverted. Introspective. Reflective. All of that and more with brilliant sketch style animations with geometric shapes representing bondage and cages that fade through the looking glass showing a better world and an alternative that could be. This is magic.

Check out our other features with Robert Taira Wilson HERE.

About Robert Taira Wilson

Robert Taira Wilson is an English singer-songwriter whose music mixes folk with modern alternative songwriting. He is currently based in Tokyo and, in recent years, has released both solo and collaborative records.

About ‘Blackbird’

Due to the pandemic, I’ve taken the time away from performing to write a body of new material. For every time you may have felt disowned or dislocated, removed or redundant. This song delves deep into that moment and cries out for escape and healing. A departure from my usual sound, the song features an arpeggiated electric guitar in place of the accustomed acoustic. Written and recorded entirely from my home studio “Blackbird” will be my first release since 2019’s ‘Shine Shine Child’ EP.

LINKS:
https://www.roberttairawilson.co.uk
https://www.youtube.com/user/ROBERTTAIRAWILSON
https://www.instagram.com/roberttairawilson
https://www.facebook.com/roberttairawilson.music
https://www.twitch.com/roberttairawilson

Richard Wølf – Seeking

Richard Wølf – Seeking

Richard Wølf has premiered his new video for the track titled ‘Seeking’, from his new album ‘Hybrid’. To say that ‘Seeking’ is cinematic would be misleading. Even a misnomer. Richard is an artist with a vision. A vision in music with a reach into the visual. A multi-talent in the truest sense of the word. You could easily separate the sound and the sight and have two completely different works of art. But, together, you have magic. That magic we get when we leave a theater after watching a brilliant film. That ‘aha’ moment when we discover a new favorite artist. That layer upon layer of sounds and orchestrations that come from that unique blend of music, mind, and madness.

About ‘Hybrid’

‘Hybrid’ is the debut album for Richard Wølf, stage name for Riccardo Sarti, who in “everyday life” works as actor, performer and voice actor. ‘Hybrid’ was born out of his love for music, but also for movies and sound design, both close to cyberpunk and sci-fi aesthetics and sub-cultures. Not by chance, the album features a cover of one of the most challenging songs ever written, Bowie’s Life on Mars.

‘Hybrid’ draws from several kind of sounds, mixing the elegance of Wagner’s inspired classical music, the energy of hard rock and the electronic futuristic approach. Both songwriting and arrangements were born with cinematographic references in mind, so that the album can be listened as the fictitious soundtrack for a movie, TV series or even a videogame.

About Richard Wølf

Richard Wølf, stage name of Riccardo Sarti, was born in 1989 in Italy, in a small village near Modena. After ten years spent in Bologna (BO) he decided to move to Rome where he currently lives.

A talent for the arts runs in the family: his father is a multi-instrumentist guitarist, his mother has a natural gift for the visual arts and Richard has been cultivating a strong passion for music and acting since he was a child.

After obtaining the university degree in “Foreign Languages and Literatures” (BO), he graduated at “The Bernstein School Of Musical Theater” (BO), directed by Shawna Farrell, in 2014 and also at the “Voice Actor Academy” (FI) ran by Christian Iansante and Roberto Pedicini, starting his professional career as an actor, a singer, a voice actor and a performer in different national shows constantly improving his skills by attending several masterclasses.

After his first band, “Quarto Verso” musical satisfactions – their first single “Suono Sordo” was used worldwide as the soundtrack of RAI International / Directv TV spot and their second single “Mad Society” entered the TOP 50 international playlist GOTHIC ORGY VOL. VI by DarkTunes Music Group (Germany) -, he decided to start his new musical project during the first lock-down period writing his first album “HYBRID” and publishing his first single “Seeking” in November 2020.

His musical influences go from space rock, alternative rock, folk, post-grunge, and nu metal, to trailer hybrid music, sound design FX and cinematic soundtracks, never letting go of his musical theatre background.

Furthermore, he has a strong passion for photography and filmmaking that he practices at high levels as a director, a cinematographer, and an editor in his and other artists’ videoclips.

LINKS:
https://richardwolfofficial.com
https://www.facebook.com/wolf.richard.official
https://www.instagram.com/richardwolf_official
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCli48i0tw0NiZ5JWgGRPHhg
https://open.spotify.com/artist/447yQ8sUQTahnJ3xJtkv9l

Mercury Slim

Mercury Slim – Space Cadet

Mercury Slim has officially released his new video for the song titled ‘Space Cadet’. This song, and video come to think of it, have that ethereal quality from that first frame/note. Almost a subtle journey to be shared. A dream state in transit. A personal journey of bonding and growth. Its funny how life can inspire, and even encourage, the magic in music and share that with anyone who wants to listen. In that way alone, we are all connected. We’re all the space cadet. Our goal is to live long and prosper.

About ‘Space Cadet’

I wrote this song while living in a Van on a rainy day

The song is very multi-faceted and takes on Many roles rather than being about any one thing in particular. I continue to find new meanings as time marches on. Space Cadet about rejecting everything culture and society hands you as what you are supposed to be. As well as rejection of the consumerism and ideology that drives a lot of what’s harming people and the planet we live on. The chorus/ hook is a release from societal expectations.

I became a huge Star Trek (particularly TNG) fan after high school and it has shaped how I view the world and what is possible for humanity in a post-scarcity society. On another facet, my father and I began working together right after I got out of high school and he drove the company work van.

Once I got into Star Trek, which he was already into, it became something we bonded over and we were able to connect in a positive healthy way really for the first time in our lives. He had been gone for half of my childhood battling addiction and was able to overcome what he needed to come back into my family’s life. We named his work van the NC-17D and it was kind of our ship to drive around and solve mysteries (doing IT work) in.

LINKS:
https://linktr.ee/mercuryslim_
https://www.instagram.com/mercuryslim_
https://soundcloud.com/mercury-slim-6
https://www.facebook.com/mercuryslim
https://mercuryslim.bandcamp.com
https://twitter.com/SlimMercury

Brother Hill - My Dirty Stream (Played Out in the Rain)

Brother Hill – My Dirty Stream (Played Out in the Rain)

A take on Pete Seeger’s Hudson River Song, floating on a pond out in the boondocks.

Sunlust

Sunlust – Orange

Sunlust was birthed in early 2018 in Toronto, Canada by Stephanie Woulfe (guitar and vocals), Dan Wiktor (drums) and Stefano Signorile (bass). Stephanie moved to Toronto from her small hometown in rural Ontario in 2017 looking to pursue music and find like-minded band mates to play her songs. In a short couple of months, a Kijiji classified ad lead to drummer Dan who was excited to join a thriving Toronto rock scene. After meeting and jamming, Dan recruited friend Stefano Signorile to play bass and the trio formed Sunlust.

Drawing from a variety of influences, including grunge, garage, punk, classic rock, and alternative, the trio began their musical journey playing live shows extensively throughout the city. Sunlust has had the pleasure of playing live with notable bands Ready the Prince, Zig Mentality, Frankie the Pig, Joe Cool, and Barry Lyndon to name a few.

With dozens of shows behind them, Sunlust began recording what was planned to be their 5-track debut EP in December 2019 with the help of engineer, mixer, and producer Lorne Hounsell. Lorne is best known for his work with Fucked Up, Cuff the Duke, Bedouin Soundclash, amongst other notable Canadian artists. As the EP progressed and the 2020 pandemic slowed down the live music scene, the band began recording an additional 5 songs with Dan’s brother and the band’s good friend Jack Wiktor at Cadence House in Toronto.

In early 2021, all 10 tracks were completed and compiled to make the LP ‘Geek Confessions’, with Side A being the songs done with Lorne Hounsell and side B being the 2nd session with Jack Wiktor.

LINKS:
https://music.apple.com/ca/artist/sunlust/1530877003
https://music.amazon.ca/artists/B08HNFJRLS/sunlust
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4WMqN2pDXq83U4OUc0IlQO
https://sunlustband.wixsite.com/website
https://www.facebook.com/sunlust.band
https://www.instagram.com/sunlust.band

Kepa Lehtinen - Face Plant

Kepa Lehtinen – Face Plant

A new musical excursion from Kepa Lehtinen …Face Plant is a six-track mini-album of original contemporary classical music written for piano, contrabass, and theremin. . The theremin is a century-old electronic instrument that’s played by hand gestures rather than direct contact.

Nobody uses theremin like I do. It is not a solo instrument anymore. Because theremin responds to even the slightest movement (even to the player’s breath) it has become the organic sonic cornerstone of my music. It is the element that makes the soundscape really come to life ”

Face Plant “I am 50 years old skateboarder. I have always loved the expression ”Face Plant” (an instance of falling face-first into or onto something.) If you skate on the limits of your skills you are going to fall at some point. It is going to hurt.”

Kontula Kontula (2018) is my most beloved composition. (740 000 streams on Spotify) ”Kontula ” is a new solo remake of the piano version of the theme.

 ”The mix of classical and retro electronic music makes ideas escape easily and appreciate the changing season. Beautiful, very, very beautiful.”
Mika Roth/desibeli.netNowhere

”Kepa gives an original instrument a new voice and expression in a center stage manner that merges electronic with a future indie classic. ”
Ryan Martin/Jammerzine

Lockdown…Arpeggios on a broken piano – the sound of a pandemic.

It is ok to be a computer… Chiptune version of my track ”It is ok to be sad and dark” The last track on all my solo records is the Commodore 64 version of some previous song. The Spotify algorithm will punish me – lol.

Kepa Lehtinen has written music for many films, commercials, and TV productions. He plays the piano, synthesizers, theremin. He released his first solo album, Playing Theremin, in 2018. In 2019 he released Helsinki in November and 2020 It is ok to be sad and dark. Last year Kepa was chosen as the composer of the week on the prestigious moving classics tv.

About Kepa Lehtinen

The theremin comes to life under the direction of the rising Finnish composer, Kepa Lehtinen on his new dark andante Nowhere.

‘The way I use the theremin is quite unique. Together with double bass, the theremin completes the piano like cello and violin does in a classical piano trio.” The theremin is an electronic instrument that produces sound when your hands interact with the electromagnetic field it emits without actually touching the device itself. It was invented in the labs of KGB by Russian engineer Leon Theremin in the early 1920s.’

‘Strumming through the invisible electronic waves the Tonality play is unnoticeable. While harmonies are modern and complex; the overall feel seems to be nonetheless easily approachable and primitively hypnotic. Insight to the world of the Theremin from Kepa….On the sound ”Retro but ultra HiFi sound has been my goal at the studio. Sound of sadness and past.’

Everybody wonders at my instrument,” ”but after all, it is the most organic musical instrument there is. The sound is in direct contact with my breathing and the slightest movements of my body. I played the theremin part with a sore hand that I had hurt in a small skate accident I can feel the pain in my hand every time I listen to this track – lol.’

Kepa Lehtinen is a native of Helsinki, Finland. He began to study music as a child and eventually went on to study Sound Design at Finland’s Aalto University and has since written music for many films, commercials, and TV productions. He plays the piano, synthesizers, theremin, After college Kepa continued his work as a composer, sound editor, and sound designer. His music has appeared in award-winning Finnish titles such as Kimmo (TV series), Almost 18 (feature film), and A Stone LeftUnturned (short film).

He released his first solo album, Playing Theremin, in 2018. In 2019 he released Helsinki in November and 2020 It is ok to be sad and dark. Kepa is also an avid skateboarder and also runs a sound studio for film and tv. This fall Kepa was chosen as the composer of the week on the prestigious moving classics tv.

LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/kepalehtinenartist
https://twitter.com/KepaLehtinen

Murdocco - Rainy Day

Murdocco – Rainy Day

Mariana Murdocco, who goes by her surname, ‘Murdocco’ is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to her style and musical output. With her velvety and sultry tones, Murdocco’s songs allude to personal experiences where she transmits deep emotions, immersing you into her world. Using the piano and often heavy bass lines, she delivers a melodic, quirky and unique sound. Speaking of her upcoming release Murdocco says “I hope that my single ‘Rainy Day’ will inspire you to speak up and say all that you’ve been holding back, without fears or taboos. Let it out, you ought to say it!”

Originally from Uruguay, Murdocco is a London-based singer-songwriter, her original productions are a fusion of live instruments and Electronica, citing Bjork and The Knife as influences.

Murdocco started in Barcelona with her ever-evolving band ( Jose Martinez on guitar), she released a number of EPs produced by David Okuniev, which was much more Rock orientated. This solo project has taken her down a different path where she finds herself being much more experimental and free to explore other genres. This is the first of a number of releases that will be coming out over the forthcoming months.

Welcome to Murdocco’s world.

LINKS:
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2G0cbBExtt6UIrbC1uqaLC?si=ZWdCeb5PQp2m_m2sWsahhg
https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/murdocco/1540358146
https://soundcloud.com/murdocco/rainy-day-1/s-RZ44Sjzz8yh
https://www.facebook.com/MurdoccoMusic

Aura Davis – Die Alone

Aura Davis – Die Alone

Aura Davis has today released her new single and video titled ‘Die Alone’. A solid mix of electronica, power-beat, piano, and that original something that Aura has within her voice. Her voice is captivating on many levels. A combination o angelic and experience. Add to that a solid monster of a hook and you have her new single ‘Die Alone’. Beautifully crafted in its dark and somber overtone, the song is clearly a stylistic evolution for Aura. She will be one to watch…. and listen to.

About Aura Davis

Aura Davis is an up-and-coming artist hailing from Switzerland. Davis has had an interest in music and arts from a very young age, with experience in casting auditions and live shows. She wrote poems and novels already at the age of 9. Around the age of 13, she found herself on a rollercoaster of feelings, such as being bullied and being confronted with family issues, which lead her to put down art and music. Soon finding back to it, to deal with the struggles of finding her own way at the age of 15.

Aura is a big fan of the Nashville scene. When asked about her songwriting process, she explains: “like a lot of other songwriters I usually sit with my guitar, pen, and paper. It could start from anything, like a melody that is stuck in my head that day or even a few words or a phrase that I have heard or said to someone. …and then I come up with whatever the moment throws at me.”

Her first two singles ‘Secrets’ and ‘Keep Running’, both released in 2020, were door openers in many ways. “It was me, trying to find my sound I guess,” she says, “I have been trying to sound like my idols for quite a long time, instead of focusing on my own strengths and magic moments. I worked hard on that in the past months.” The result of that mental change is a song called “Die Alone”.

There’s no doubt Aura is back. She’s darker, stronger, more honest, and a lot more herself than ever before. And there’s a lot more to tell in 2021.

LINKS:
https://www.auradavis.com
https://www.facebook.com/thisisauradavis
https://twitter.com/thisisauradavis

Scroll to top