The Week In #Indie Archives | Page 11 of 21

Diamond Shake Releases ‘Shake’ Video (The Week in #Indie Segment)

Diamond Shake continues his momentum with the release of the fourth video in his series titled ‘Shake’. Continuing his video partnership with French animator Dominique Bloink, the visualization and integrity of style are maintained with brilliance and the marriage of panache and originality are excelled with the dark beauty of the video and the emotional grit of the song. Almost its own undefinable thing, ‘Shake’ becomes it’s own in such a way that you find out who did what, if you don’t know who this is, just to see who could come up with such a thing. Let this sink into your memory.

Check out our other articles featuring Diamond Shake HERE.

Watch the full episode of The Week in #Indie HERE.

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ABOUT DIAMOND SHAKE & ‘SHAKE’

As discussions on mental health, addiction, and immigration in America gain more prominent, nuanced coverage on cable news, Diamond Shake mastermind Matthew Hitchens has lived at the epicenter of all three hot button issues for the past fifteen years.

Growing up in London and playing in bands through his teens, Hitchens moved to Los Angeles seven years ago to pursue a solo music career. After a few failed projects, missed auditions, personal struggles, and a particularly bad visa experience, he decided to stop relying on other people and make the album that faced his demons head-on.

“It’s all about my mental health problems like depression, anxiety, anger, low self-esteem, and addiction,” Hitchens says of From Method To Madness, his debut as Diamond Shake. “Each song is about a different one of those issues while also telling the story of making and releasing the album, ultimately ending in failure.”

Dour as that might seem, From Method To Madness (which came out in November of 2019) arrived with bluesy aplomb and Hitchens’ most candid lyrics to date about mental health. Considering every song on the album aims for the rafters with cinematic ambition, Madness practically lent itself to a visual accompaniment for all ten songs, which Hitchens has been working on with French animator Dominique Bloink.

“Shake” marks the fourth video in the visual series, which will continue throughout 2020.

LINKS:
http://www.diamondshake.com
https://www.instagram.com/thediamondshake
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUT0cqzCanrCsAlqgaZRqhQ
http://www.soundcloud.com/diamond-shake

Prof Drops ‘Squad Goals’ Video (The Week in #Indie Segment)

Prof has dropped his new video for the single titled ‘Squad Goals’. This has got to be the most original and interesting video I have seen this year, by a longshot. I know that’s a hardcore way to start a review, but this video demands that declaration. I mean, Mr. Rogers, PTSD, pill-popping, and more in under four minutes. Try fitting that many lucid subplots together in anything, even involving music.

Having said that, this music is brilliant. Steady. Rhythmic. Staccato. Each deserving itself as a sentence. One thing I like about the Rhymesayers artists is that they bring entertainment and introspective reflection back into music, but now Prof brings the fun.

Watch the full episode of The Week in #Indie HERE.

ABOUT PROF

With an album, entitled ‘Powderhorn Suites’, set to drop on June 26 via Rhymesayers Entertainment, the Minneapolis rapper shows no signs of dampening his off the wall, no-holds-barred approach to music. Nothing is sacred in the “Squad Goals” music video as Prof returns to form as a truly eccentric entertainer. He delivers a nod to the “U Name It” challenge while masquerading as a roguish Mister Rogers—popping pills, dancing on set, and pausing for a Vietnam flashback. The madness escalates scene by scene while Prof effortlessly changes his vocal inflection to match each punchline in the track.

Anticipation for a new album has been steadily building since Prof teased fans with the release of his “Cousins” music video. The album loosely follows a singular concept of all the activity taking place in a fictional hotel. “There are so many different things happening in a hotel at one time,” Prof explains. “Somebody’s doing drugs. Somebody’s having sex. There’s a fight over there. Someone’s trying to get some rest over here. There’s just so much going on in one place.” The same can be said for Powderhorn Suites, a remarkable rollercoaster of a project that hits stunning highs and features dramatic lows.

Longtime Rhymesayers fans will recall a show-stopping performance at Soundset 2018, during which Prof cemented his reputation as an exceptional performer capable of simultaneously inspiring awe and laughter. While his touring plans have been grounded for the time being by the coronavirus, Prof hasn’t stopped connecting with fans. Airing a series of Instagram Live videos entitled “Prof’s Creative Academy,” the emcee has delivered a deep dive into his creative process, welcomed guests such as Murs and label mate Grieves, and proven that his razor-sharp wit can shine through any medium.

LINKS:
https://rhymesayers.com/artists/prof
https://facebook.com/profgampo
https://instagram.com/profgampo
https://twitter.com/profgampo

R.A. The Rugged Man Exclusive Interview (The Week in #Indie Segment)

R.A. The Rugged Man is one of those artists who remains humble despite having a career that has not only spanned decades but has crossed genres and included the likes of Ice-T, Ghostface Killah, Wu Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and many others as well as spanning music and film. But what really impresses me is that he remains both humbled and grateful for what he has worked for. And that, to me, is the mark of a true artist. Someone who not only remembers his roots but holds on to them with reverence.

And it is that reverence that shines throughout his latest album titled ‘All My Heroes Are Dead’ released April 17, 2020, via Nature Sounds Records.

In this interview, we talk with R.A. about his beginnings as well as the new album and how it further advances his evolution of revolution that is his music and much, much more.

Check out our other articles about R.A. The Rugged Man HERE.

Watch the full episode of The Week in #Indie HERE.

ABOUT R.A. THE RUGGED MAN

R.A. The Rugged Man is one of the most fascinating figures in hip-hop history. His career spans decades and defies simple narratives. The Rugged Man has been an up-and-coming star, an industry outcast banished and forgotten, an underground cult hero, an independent success story, and an influential master of the art form. He can obliterate rappers with ferocious battle rhymes, craft heartfelt personal songs fans can relate to, offend sensitive listeners with shocking vulgarity, challenge corrupt politicians and corporations, paint pictures with captivating storytelling, and deliver jaw-dropping flows that prove his lyrical skills are unmatched.

He’s also worked with a staggering number of hip-hop’s most respected artists, including legends like The Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang, Tech N9ne, Rakim, Mobb Deep, Talib Kweli, Kool G Rap, Public Enemy, Brother Ali, and many more. And while others struggle to maintain a foothold in the ever-changing rap landscape, R.A. The Rugged Man is the rare artist who has become more relevant with time, with each new album more compelling than the last.

Originally from Long Island’s Suffolk County, R.A. was raised by his father, a Vietnam veteran whose exposure to Agent Orange left two of R.A.’s siblings with severe disabilities. After building a reputation as one of the most talented unsigned MCs on the scene, he sparked a bidding war between several major labels. R.A. eventually signed to Jive Records, but his outspoken defiance and reckless behavior spelled the end of that deal and left him banned from venues, labels, and recording studios. The Rugged Man re-emerged in the late 90s, pioneering the indie rap hustle by pressing up against his own 12” singles and contributing to compilations from the celebrated Rawkus Records.

He earned his first Gold record for his work on the WWE Aggression album, and his music was featured on the hit video game Tony Hawk’s Underground, which sold millions of copies. R.A. then unleashed his seminal independent album Die, Rugged Man, Die, along with the critically acclaimed compilation Legendary Classics. The latter included show-stealing collaborations and many of the storied tracks that fueled his rise, including the Jedi Mind Tricks song “Uncommon Valor”, on which the Rugged Man delivers what is widely recognized as one of the greatest verses in rap history. By the time his last album Legends Never Die debuted at #1 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart, R.A. was thoroughly established as an independent hip-hop icon, playing sold-out shows across the world and drawing widespread praise for his undeniable contributions to the culture.

Now, R.A. The Rugged Man is back with All My Heroes Are Dead, a brand new album that stands as his best work to date. “So many of the greats are gone, and the legends who made it out alive are cast aside,” R.A. says. “Society left our heroes and their culture for dead. We have to dig that greatness out of its grave, and bring it back with an angry vengeance.” While Legends Never Die was dedicated to the memory of his father, All My Heroes Are Dead is R.A.’s first album since becoming a father of two himself. “When you have children, that’s a whole other level of joy and pain and emotion,” he describes. “It opens the whole entire universes with the pen.” The music covers a wide range of moods and transcends hip-hop cliches. “I didn’t want to make a whole album of just destroying rappers and rapping better than everyone.” the Rugged Man explains. “There’s a lot of places my albums take you, and there’s way more storytelling on this one. I love to bring listeners into different worlds.”

Now available worldwide, All My Heroes Are Dead features an all-star cast of hip-hop heavyweights, including Chuck D, Slug of Atmosphere, Ghostface Killah, Immortal Technique, Vinnie Paz, Ice-T, M.O.P., Kool G Rap, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Onyx, Brand Nubian, Chris Rivers, Inspectah Deck, A-F-R-O, Masta Killa, and more. The highly-anticipated album showcases the full scope of R.A. The Rugged Man’s considerable talent, making it a powerful statement from an unforgettable artist.

LINKS:
https://ratheruggedman.net
https://twitter.com/ratheruggedman
https://facebook.com/RATheRuggedMan
https://www.instagram.com/ratheruggedmanofficial
https://www.youtube.com/user/RAtheRuggedManTV

Drew Davies Releases ‘X and Y’ Single (The Week in #Indie Segment)

Drew Davies has just released his new single titled ‘X and Y’. Sounding like a song that gets right down to business, that business seems to be the sound of an original artist. When I first hear the name Drew Davies I think of originality. And that is not a word to toss around. Listen to ‘X and Y’ for example. It sounds signature from the first note. And the passion is evident in everything from the voice to the hi-hat and everything in between. Beautiful chord progressions accompanied by stellar vocals and a steady backbeat, ‘X and Y’ continue the evolution of Drew’s musical journey that is rapidly defining itself into a wonderful legacy.

Speaking of the single, Drew Davies tells us, “I wrote ‘ X and Y ’ on women’s day a few years ago. It’s a song that on one hand calls for equality for all people, no matter their age, sex, or orientation; whilst on the other hand, calling out hypocrisy stemming from the kinds of people who say one thing publicly and another behind closed doors. It was originally written on piano but for the single and album we decided to add a pseudo-Tarantino vibe with vintage guitars and synthesizers.”

Check out our other articles about Drew Davies HERE.

Check out the full episode HERE.

ABOUT DREW DAVIES

Rock soloist hailing from London, Drew Davies has released his single, ‘X and Y’ on 1 May via AD1. The single is lifted from his upcoming self-titled album, which will be made public on 15 May. The album was mixed by Steve Honest (Oasis, Eurythmics) and mastered by John Webber (David Bowie, Super Furry Animals).

Davies has been featured by the likes of Clash Magazine, Atwood Magazine, Music Week, Music News, and Pure Grain Audio amongst others. He has seen radio play from BBC Introducing London with Gary Crowley, BBC Radio York’s Introducing with Jericho Keys, BBC Wales, Radio X, Planet Rock, and as a previous member of The Mercy House, the band saw support from Kerrang, Classic Rock Magazine, Metal Hammer, MTV and BBC Radio 6 and Radio X. Drew Davies has toured extensively in the UK and Europe and played Download Festival, London’s Scala, and the iconic Troubadour.

Hailing from South Yorkshire, Davies comes from a long line of singers and musicians. He has spent the better part of the last decade working in musical collaborations, writing for other artists, and singing in session gigs to get by. Through successes, setbacks, and everything in between, he has poured himself into his musical labors and has now produced his most personal work to date.

Pulling from a wide array of influences, Drew Davies is inspired by everything from 50’s rock n’ roll to electronica, citing acts such as The National, Scott Walker, Vangelis, and Tom Petty. From this palette of familiar reference points, he has created a genre-bending and timeless sound that bears semblance to the likes of Sam Fender, Future Islands, and The War On Drugs.

Returning with his vintage electronic rock sounds, Drew Davies provides the thought-provoking ‘X and Y’. Taking his own rebellious stance on gender norms, clothing, and old school rock and roll, Drew Davies uses his honeyed voice to convince the world to reject set social standards. The result is a Tarantino inspired traditional sound meeting a non-traditional school of thought, brought together with a romantic tone and leaving the listener breathless in anticipation for what comes next.

LINKS:
https://www.drewdaviesmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/drewdaviesmusic
https://www.twitter.com/drewdaviesmusic
https://www.instagram.com/drewdaviesmusic
https://drewdaviesmusic.bandcamp.com

Jammerzine’s The Week in #Indie for 5/11/2020

This week Jammerzine has an exclusive interview with hip-hop legend R.A. The Rugged Man as well as new music and videos from Prof, Black Needle Noise, Diamond Shake, Drew Davies, Ethan Gold, Lazaris Pit, Lycio, and the new charity video from Indie AllStars for the British NHS titled ‘Chasing Rainbows’.

About R.A. The Rugged Man

R.A. The Rugged Man is one of those artists who remains humble despite having a career that has not only spanned decades but has crossed genres and included the likes of Ice-T, Ghostface Killah, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, and many others as well as spanning music and film. But what really impresses me is that he remains both humbled and grateful for what he has worked for. And that, to me, is the mark of a true artist. Someone who not only remembers his roots but holds on to them with reverence.

And it is that reverence that shines throughout his latest album titled ‘All My Heroes Are Dead’ released April 17, 2020, via Nature Sounds Records.

In this interview, we talk with R.A. about his beginnings as well as the new album and how it further advances his evolution of revolution that is his music and much, much more. Check out the album below!

Check out our other articles about R.A. The Rugged Man HERE.

About Prof

LINKS:
https://rhymesayers.com/artists/prof
https://facebook.com/profgampo
https://instagram.com/profgampo
https://twitter.com/profgampo

About Black Needle Noise

John Fryer, the globally recognized producer and curator of the project known as Black Needle Noise, has dropped his new video titled ‘Seed of Evil’ featuring <PIG> a.k.a. Raymond Watts of KMFDM fame. A contoured divide between the industrial overtone and gothic underpinnings, ‘Seed of Evil’ crosses that great divide into a darkly original mindset with grinding rhythm and a purely black chord progression.

The video adds to the musical mindfuck just short of epileptic orgasm designed to muse as much as it is to shock. Decadance now has a soundtrack.

‘Seed of Evil’ is out now, available digitally across online stores, such as Apple Music, and streaming platforms such as Spotify. It is also available directly from the artist via Bandcamp.

Check out our other articles about Black Needle Noise HERE.

LINKS:
https://www.blackneedlenoise.com
https://blackneedlenoise.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/BlackNeedleNoise
https://www.facebook.com/John.Fryer.Official
https://www.instagram.com/black_needle_noise
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTC_bNQDfUviTBDiBHYAiSg/videos
https://open.spotify.com/artist/3KkYK2dnIfRb9EDrCRndB6

About Diamond Shake

Check out our other articles featuring Diamond Shake HERE.

LINKS:
http://www.diamondshake.com
https://www.instagram.com/thediamondshake
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUT0cqzCanrCsAlqgaZRqhQ
http://www.soundcloud.com/diamond-shake

About Drew Davies

Check out our other articles about Drew Davies HERE.

About Ethan Gold

Ethan Gold has officially released his new video for the single titled ‘Not Me. Us’. Beginning as a somber anthem the song slowly builds up to the hook with pop-sensibility and a craft only a good songwriter can achieve, ‘Not Me. Us’ gives a poignant reflection on the better qualities of humanity with the craft of a poet and the form of an artist.

‘Not Me.Us’ is out now everywhere digitally, including stores such as Apple Music, and streaming platforms like Spotify.

About Lazaris Pit

Lazaris Pit drops their new single titled ‘You Don’t Tag Me in Memes Anymore’ plus the B-Side ‘Cloudsculpting’. This is the perfect ‘capture the band in the moment’ moment. We get that garage-perfect sound with that quirky attitude and tight-yet-loose feeling in the vein of Dinasaur Jr. and the like but all Lazaris Pit in execution and scope.

With ‘Cloudsculpting’ we get the same side of a different coin with an adventurous song climbing to the top with varied guitar chord progressions and a hypnotic varied beat with that lovely feeling of falling apart at the seams while sticking together tightly in that true alt-rock sound at its purest.

‘You Don’t Tag Me In Memes Anymore’ is available everywhere digitally, including Spotify and Apple Music. The full ‘Coniphers’ album will be released on May 22.

LINKS:
https://www.lazarispit.com
https://lazarispit.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/lazarispit
https://twitter.com/themLPboys
https://www.instagram.com/lazarispit
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_mbHlwbaZgIBhb56ybbiAg

About Lycio

Lycio has officially dropped their new single titled ‘Somebody’. The sweet combination of electronic and soul collide in glorious fashion with a solid rhythm and backbeat that throws emotion on the dancefloor and showcases vocalist Genie Mendez’ beautiful vocal range oozing with feeling and meaning every word.

Speaking of ‘Somebody’, Genie Mendez tells us, “I actually thought I’d try a different lyrical approach with this song. I’m rarely one to write about romance and our songs are usually entangled with expressions of my own mental health. So to have such a lyrically open chorus where I’m so clearly talking about unrequited love is definitely a first for us. Although I’ve still kept the verses dark and mysterious, this song is definitely about wanting someone so bad but them not quite wanting you back. Then you get this really catchy chorus, and I did want it to be as catchy as a Jess Glynne or Fickle Friends track, ‘cause they’re really good at grabbing the listener like that. So I hope you all enjoy listening to it the way we enjoy performing it.”

LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/lyciomusic
https://twitter.com/lyciomusic
https://www.instagram.com/lyciomusic

About #Indie Allstars

he Covid19 pandemic has proved how essential they are and funding cuts need to be addressed. Stoke-on-Trent DJ, Terry Bossons wanted to thank them by the power of music. The rainbow has been the symbol of the NHS, so the song ‘Chasing Rainbows’ by Shed Seven is a fitting tribute. Terry asked Rick Witter of Shed Seven to get involved with the video project and without hesitation, he jumped onboard.

Next, a crescendo of indie music royalty joined the fold: Nigel Clark and Matthew Priest (Dodgy), Clint Boon (Inspiral Carpets), Gary Powell (The Libertines), John Power (Cast), Keith Mullin (The Farm), Chris Helme (Seahorses), Dave McCabe (The Zutons), Alan McGee (Creation Records), Baz (The Fratellis), Ryan & Jack Dooley (All The Young), Alfie (Holloways), Matt Bowman (Pigeon Detectives), Johnny Dean (Menswear), Leon Meya (Northern Uproar), James McColl (The Supernaturals), Rikki Turner (Paris Angels), Billy Bibby (Catfish and the Bottlemen) teamed up with radio royalty Mark Radcliffe and Eddy Temple-Morris (plus a few surprise guests) to make this happen in just seven days.

To donate to the UHNM (University Hospitals of The North Midlands Charity) to fund equipment, facilities and research to enhance the care of patients in the hospital please click HERE.

Magnus Premieres ‘Detachment’ Album (The Week in #Indie Segment)

Magnus has released their sophomore effort titled ‘Detachment’. ‘Detachment’ is an album that, if listened to in order, gives a brilliant perspective of the artists involved. Partly because of the songwriting but there is more than that. There is this fire of creativity within the guitars, vocals, and rhythm that bubble up and sometimes feel as if they need restrained. The hooks are encapsulated within a barrage of soundscapes both dirty and clean that give a wonderfully decadent vibe throughout no matter what the overall vibe of the track is. This is one of those albums you just hit play and drive down that highway, letting ‘Detachment’ attach itself to your future memories.

ABOUT MAGNUS

Sydney band Magnus formed in 2012 to bring their urgency, fearlessness in experimentation, and healthy disregard for genres to Australian music. Their name, derived from “Magn-hus” and translating as “powerhouse” in Old Norse, is a testament to their live performances. A casual open mic at Melbourne’s world-famous Cherry Bar landed them a residency there and eventually nomination for the Best live band of the year award by invite of owner James Young Himself.

Their debut album, “I”, received critical acclaim by both online and print media with The Sydney Morning Herald states: “The band clearly likes to tease and with terrific self-confidence, in their undoubted abilities the approach does create a lively anxiousness within their music.”.

In 2017 work on Detachment started with a DIY approach which resulted in recorded demos in their rehearsal space mixed at their home studio. Convinced this album needed to have an “all-or-nothing” approach, these demos were sent out around the world and sparked interest from big names such as Steve Albini, Alan Moulder & Bob Clearmountain.

In 2018 recording of the album took place under the supervision of five-time Aria award-winning producers Paul McKercher. With COG’s Lucius Borichon drums it promises an even more raw and visceral approach, yet maintaining the unexpected twists and turns Magnus has become known for.

Both Paul and the legendary Bob Clearmountain (multi-Grammy winner & nominee, USA – Rolling Stones, Springsteen, The Preatures) are credited in mixing and Big Bass Brian Gardner (multi-Grammy winner & nominee known for QOTSA Songs for the Deaf and his work with Dr. Dré), for mastering the album. Upcoming single “Detachment” came together in a completely haphazard way.

After stumbling over an essential bass groove, the band plugged it into their recording kit and made the rest of it up as they went along. Running themes for the song were inspired by a combination of the bleak aggression, stabbing guitars, and call to arms U2’s “Bullet in the Sky” boasts juxtaposed with the story of a man opting for a life of detachment. Detachment is set for release tomorrow (April 24, 2020).

LINKS:
https://www.entermagnus.com
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7nh8fJMJ1lLweOkBLJkUtS?si=6tJlDg9lRI-obMMJiwAocQ
https://entermagnus.bandcamp.com
https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/magnus/1452892942
https://www.facebook.com/entermagnus
https://instagram.com/entermagnus
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmRwaCZMSRE6smrseUT2ies5wBAeboVr5
https://soundcloud.com/entermagnus

Follow The Lion Premieres New Single Titled H.O.P.E. (The Week in #Indie Segment)

Follow The Lion officially drop their new single titled ‘H.O.P.E. (Hold On Pain Ends)’. A lear progression from their previous work, Follow The Lion gives a solid mix and master with a stunning lead vocal and lush set of guitars pinning beautiful harmonies. This song is thought out but done in such a way as to capture the moment that was being conveyed during the writing process.

Epic in scope and vivid in execution, ‘H.O.P.E.’ counted on faith and delivered originality. This is brilliant.

ABOUT FOLLOW THE LION

Follow The Lion are a Leeds (UK) based neoteric Alternative Rock group founded in 2013. Following the release of their critically acclaimed début EP ‘The Candy and Gravity Motel’ and its single ‘Candy and Gravity’ the band took an enforced two-year hiatus due to the ill-health of frontman Daniel Francis.

Follow The Lion are back for 2020 with a fresh new line up featuring singer/ guitarist Daniel Francis, dynamic lead guitarist Dylan Price, gifted bass player Quinton Wharton Junior and Brazilian-born, twice-golden, once-platinum award-winning Rodrigo Duarte on drums.

In March of this year Follow The Lion re-entered The Chairworks Studio to record their new single H.O.P.E. (Hold On Pain Ends) together with producer Steve Whitfield (The Cure, Terrorvision, Wire). The track is mastered by Grammy award-winning, Jonathan Wyner.

H.O.P.E. is a song about an ill-fated love affair, about integrity and ultimately the acceptance that some things in life hurt and that pain is unavoidable in pursuit of joy.

In response to the coronavirus crisis and worldwide lockdown, the band has chosen to release H.O.P.E. on April 17th and will be donating half of all sales directly to the NHS. The band announced this via social media asking fans, friends, and family to take part by filming themselves at home doing something that made them happy. The announcement video has had over 44.6k views to date and the response has been so staggering that the band has to delay the video release date by a week (April 24th).

The band intends to follow-up on the release of H.O.P.E. with two further singles and their début full-length LP ‘The Crone, the Thorn, the Lizard, and the Lighthouse’ in early 2021.

LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/followthelionmusic
https://instagram.com/ftlionband

The Academy of Sun Release ‘The Parts That Need Replacing’ Video (The Week in #Indie Segment)

The Academy of Sun has just dropped their new video for the track titled ‘The Parts That Need Replacing’. As we said in our original review of the single, ‘…delivers sustenance within that creative void’. The video adds to that in the fact that the visuals are timed and beautifully representative of the music that is the single. Almost an art-house accompaniment, the video adds that visual something that lends more of a creative touch as a separate stand-alone and not so much of a bonus to the song. Music for the senses.

‘The Parts That Need Replacing’ is out now, available across online stores and streaming platforms such as Spotify. The full album ‘The Quiet Earth’ will be released in the summer of 2020 on CD, as well as digitally.

Check out our exclusive interview with The Academy of Sun’s Nick Hudson HERE.

Watch the full episode of The Week in #Indie HERE.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY OF SUN

Formed in Brighton nine years ago, The Academy of Sun is a four-piece comprised of Nick Hudson (piano, synths, Hammond organ, harmonium, vocals, percussion, synths), Kianna Blue (bass, synths), Guy Brice (guitars) and Ash Babb (drums).

Together, they present dystopian fantastic creations that combine the deeply personal and the poetically arcane. Dark yet buoyant, this is a controlled explosion of psychedelic and dark power pop with atmospheres couched in vast and expansive landscapes and cinematic arrangements.

The video for this single was directed and edited by Nick Hudson with cinematography by Samuel Horn. It features Wolfgang Storm with dinner guests Mark Walter, Gillian Rodgers and TAOS frontman Nick Hudson in what seems to be a red-brushed-culinary spread of grisly delight held in a gothic lair.

“The Parts That Need Replacing’ was written to sate my desire to ‘reconsecrate’ 16th Century Hungarian countess and noblewoman Elisabeth Bathory, whose reputed cannibalism and serial murders were most likely reputation-staining fantasies dreamed up by the church out of institutional jealousy. How could a woman possess such vast wealth and estates AND resist conformity with the church’s ways of being. Same tarring-brush as used on Jeanne D’Arc and Gilles de Rais. Usually, Bathory is immortalized in doom and black metal, so I wanted this reconsecration to take place by feeding these myths, scenarios, and allegations of bloodbaths, black magic, and eternal life into the medium of a hyper-catchy, high-energy pop song,” says Nick Hudson.

“The video, just as the song, alludes to various parts of the Elisabeth Bathory mythos – the alleged bathing in blood to replenish her youth, the cannibalism, the occult, and gnostic preoccupations, the aristocratic sensibilities, etc., whilst also ‘queering’ Bathory by having her played by the 23-year-old musician and artist Wolfgang Storm. The local butchers are getting fairly accustomed to my infrequent but memorable extra-curricular requests for off-cuts. As the song states “the best special effects are those you cannot see”… we shot it in one, fevered, orgiastic and insanely fun day. The dinner sequence was as deranged to shoot as it looks to be in the resultant video.”

Following 2017’s ‘Codex Novena’ LP, a hypnotic, doomy opus that found its way onto both Dangerous Minds and Sweeping The Nation end-of-year lists, ‘The Quiet Earth’ offers a colossal meditation on dystopia, irradiated landscapes and extreme states of human emotion. This 15-track collection of post-punk, chamber ballads and darkly prog studio epos was recorded at Church Road Studios with Paul Pascoe, whose work includes the last 2 albums by Barry Adamson (Magazine / Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds).

Nick Hudson’s musical juggernaut has been active in various incarnations since 2012, always transcending expectations. The Academy Of Sun has collaborated with Massive Attack’s Shara Nelson, members of NYC’s Kayo Dot, David Tibet of Current 93, Asva and Matthew Seligman (Bowie, Tori Amos, Morrissey). Hudson has also collaborated with Wayne Hussey of The Mission, as well as Canadian queercore icon GB Jones.

Known for explosive and psychedelic live shows, The Academy Of Sun has performed in a medieval castle in Italy, a boat on the Thames, an abandoned railway carriage in Offenbach, colossal churches, The London College of Fashion, The Old Market theatre in Brighton, the MS Stubnitz in Hamburg, Brighton Dome, and a string of L.A. shows in 2019. Having toured 3 continents, highlights include appearances with Mogwai, Toby Driver and Keith Abrams from Kayo Dot, and Timba Harris (Mr. Bungle, Amanda Palmer).

LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/TheAcademyOfSun
https://nickhudsonindustries.bandcamp.com
https://www.twitter.com/theacademyofsun
https://www.instagram.com/The_Academy_Of_Sun
https://www.youtube.com/user/NickHudsonMusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5CxsNgEPz9v8iBgO52VUUd

Jammer Direct Presents ‘Live @Home’ Concert Series ft. 8 Artists in 4 Countries (The Week in #Indie Segment)

Live @Home is a new chapter in discovering music, with artists performing straight from their homes into fans Homes new and old. Going through Jammer Direct’s multiple streaming platforms via PC/Mac, Mobile, Tablet, Radio, and Television in true HD and Dolby Digital surround sound that reaches a worldwide audience.

With concerts, events, festivals, and concerts effectively canceled for the near future, even after things get back to somewhat normality people will be slow to get back out there. Musicians need a way to reach out with their music, LIVE at HOME is that game-changer that will let recording artists of all genres and levels reach out to fans along with gaining new ones.

Watch the full episode of The Week in #Indie HERE.

THE FIRST EPISODE PREMIERES 25 APRIL 2020 AT NOON EDT ON THE FOLLOWING:

Broadcast on the Jammer Direct Website
https://jammer.direct/

Broadcast on Jammer Direct’s official Roku Channel
https://channelstore.roku.com/details/297950/jammer-direct

Simulcast on China’s IQIYI network
https://www.iqiyi.com/

Simulcast on JammerStream One (JD’s official flagship radio station which includes multiple web, mobile, HD Radio, Alexa, Alexa for Auto, GM Auto Radio, Samsung+, and more
https://jammerstream.jammer.direct/

Ability to vote for your favorite artist via all of the above platforms for inclusion on ‘JamNation Volume 3’ when our digital distribution platform launches this fall.

UNSIGNED INDEPENDENT MUSICIANS IN THE FIRST BROADCAST ARE

Thanks to mts management group and Billberg Entertainment for their participation in the first event.

Slated to broadcast a new show every two weeks a plethora of musical acts will be featured covering all genres so there is something for everyone. Independent Music at its best: Rock, Pop, Alt, EDM, Rnb, Hip Hop, Soul, Country, Darkwave, Americana, Synth, Classical, Electronica, and more. To participate in future LIVE @HOME events please email publicist Al Geiner HERE.

Recording artists interested in taking part can go to Jammer Direct’s official site HERE.

Ender Bender Premieres ‘Honey Lavender Girl’ Video (The Week in #Indie Segment)

Ender Bender (a.k.a. Eddie Olguin) dropped his new single on April 17th, 2020 titled ‘Honey Lavender Girl’. The track is ‘retrotastic’ in that it has that beautiful summer vibe that brings me back to the summer of ’84 with the bright pastels coming through the speakers and the oversized neon shoelaces giving me goosebumps through the hook. A little mainstream Bowie within the vocals, this nouveau take on new wave noir is a fresh start for the new decade, which may have gotten off to a bad start, but Ender Bender is one of the artists that can bring us back into our musical ‘happy place’, and that is a good thing.

As of April 17, ‘Honey Lavender Girl’ will be available everywhere across online stores and streaming platforms. The full five-track EP will be released on Friday, May 1.

Watch the full episode of The Week in #Indie HERE.

ABOUT ENDER BENDER & ‘HONEY LAVENDER GIRL’

Ender Bender, a newcomer in the indie-pop world, presents his new feel-good single ‘Honey Lavender Girl’, hot on the trail of his debut track ‘Star Killer’. These positive vibing tracks present an enticing taste of the forthcoming ‘EQ’ EP, to be released in late spring.

The new single centers around his life-changing move from LA to Rome, a journey from self-destructive hedonism to a spiritual and artistic renaissance. ‘Star Killer’, on the other hand, explores the ups and downs, the angels and the demons of life in Los Angeles. The accompanying video was designed and directed by Italian artist Tommaso Ragnisco.

Ender Bender is the solo project of Eddie Olguin, a multi-instrumentalist producer now based in Rome, guided by a unique mission of making perfect modern pop-rock. Creating music and spreading bliss in the face of the realization that nothing in life is perfect, the pursuit of this perfect sound is what fuels the Ender Bender fire.

“The idea for this song came about when I decided to walk away from everything I knew, pack my bags, and follow my heart. The song encompasses basic feelings that can be associated with such a decision: anxiety, excitement, hope, love, but most importantly, choosing to allow yourself to be happy. The ride was exciting, tumultuous, and often scary; but the destination is joy. “There’s a time and a place for everything, and our time is right now,” says Eddie Olguin.

About ‘Star Killer’, Olguin says, “L.A. raised me and made me who I was, both mother and lover, an open highway to my fantasies and, eventually, the butler of my demons. This song is but a humble, yet bittersweet, an ode to this city”.

An artist and a small business owner in Los Angeles, Olguin had the Ender Bender ‘vision”, one night in a hospital in Glendale, California while literally facing the prospects of his own death. He decided that he had to cut ties with the artistic quagmire that is Los Angeles and all of its demons. Soon after, the Universe, in all her giving glory, opened the doors for Eddie to relocate to Rome, Italy in the name of love, sanity and, in this case, music.

Not looking for a scene, but simply in need of certain energy and feeling, Rome ultimately proved to be the perfect place for Eddie to create this music, bringing the Ender Bender project to fruition.

Inspired by music from multiple genres, including light-hearted indie pop, Ender Bender combines new wave and synthpop elements of decades past with forward-thinking indie pop and electro. Here the past meets the future in an addictive sonic stimulant designed in an audio lab somewhere.

Featured image by Roberta Ovatta.

CREDITS

Written by Eddie Olguin
Vocals and all instruments performed by Eddie Olguin
Backing vocals by Roberta Ovatta
Recorded and mixed by Eddie Olguin
Mastered by Justin Weis

LINKS:
http://www.enderbender.com
https://www.facebook.com/enderbendersonicdrug
https://soundcloud.com/iamenderbender
https://twitter.com/iamEnderBender
https://www.instagram.com/iamenderbender