POPISM is the second EP by Italian band from Bologna known as Earthset. The theme is a compositional “game”, the challenge was producing a “light” and more immediate EP compared to “In a State of Altered Unconsciousness”. The title, POPISM, comes from the search for pop atmospheres and was recently used to describe that trend in music critique which recognizes artistic dignity to Pop music.
The tracks, in their order, represent a path towards increasingly Pop atmospheres. It begins with “Around the Head” a structurally schizophrenic song, the lyrics of which are an interior dialogue on betrayed expectations and passive attitude in the face of difficulties. The song was inspired in part by band members’ personal hardships and partly by an anime’s characters which were used to describe the behavior of the protagonist’s two voices.
“In the Pendant” (a pun on the word Independent) in an outburst, a criticism of the independent environment which emulates and replicates the dynamics of the world of mainstream, deadening and conforming the musical proposal to the search for the fashionable formula.
“Flush” is the song which, after the outburst, turns to more Indie-Pop textures. The lyrics tell of a circumstance where the protagonist discovers and accepts, by breaking her routine, a hidden, and to a certain extent disowned, part of herself. Like two unknown wanderers, the two egos of the protagonist meet and are reconciled in the song’s final explosion, which is followed by a bittersweet coda.
“Icarus’ Flight” concludes the quartet with an overtly pop song whose lyrics are inspired by the mythological episode of Icarus’ flight. The myth originally has a paideutic significance whose purpose is to teach the young not to disobey the fathers, whereas in the song Icarus is the champion of humanity who prefers to outdo himself, at the cost of losing his life rather than accepting the cautious and mediocre existence suggested by Daedalus’ wise advice. The final verse encapsulates the song’s meaning. “Ghosts and Afterthoughts” closes the EP. Ghosts and afterthoughts, which lead back to the psychedelic textures of the band’s more experimental songs, yet built on loops with an electronic and noise feel… signs of future developments? At the moment we’re not quite sure ourselves to be honest. An EP that is a game, a challenge, and a new proposal.
POPISM was self-produced by the band and Carlo Marrone (also producer of “In a State of Altered Unconsciousness” and other artists’ works such as “Petali” and “Malamore” by Gianluca Mondo, as well as multi-instrumentalist with, among others, My Own Parasite, Carlomargot, Murder, currently Soren Larsen). The mix, by Carlo Marrone, coherently with the EP’s theme, has explored more pop atmospheres, maintaining, at the same time, the band’s alternative rock spirit.
The drums were recorded and edited by Michele Postpischl (Ofeliadorme).
The master was done at Fonoprint Studios by Enrico Capalbo (producer of“In a State of Altered Unconsciousness”, sound engineer at Fonoprint Studios for, amongst others, Arto Lindsay, Luca Carboni, Gianmaria Testa, Paolo Fresu, Ofeliadorme, Francesco Guccini, Humberto Gatica, currently multi-instrumentalist with Soren Larsen ).
The cover art represents a sketch of watercolor shadings. Each of the four colors used identifies a member of the band and a song of the EP.
SOURCE: Official Release
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Earthset
https://twitter.com/EarthsetBand
https://earthset.bandcamp.com
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Bud Sugar – Jon’s Song
Bud Sugar! representing swed Nation with a good vibe fixation Leaf Burners, Fast Learners, jokers with no focus who act bogus! but when the music calls us… …we drop the chorus!
5 members to be remembered, male gendered, always bringing big beats ’til the levels ended! acoustic flows, Bouncey shows, lively people on a Bud Sugar overdose so Give us a glance
or even a chance and we’ll enter your world like an alien advance!LINK:
http://budsugar.co.uk -
Those Fantastic Things – Don’t Feel
Those Fantastic Things have dropped their new video for the track titled ‘Don’t Feel’. Paul Donnelly, frontman for Those Fantastic Things, gives a personal reflection on a situation and stays rooted in the realism of said situation; something more of us should do in this day and age. Musically, this is a brilliant retro-styled electro-magical song that is one consistent hook with that pop sensibility that is somewhat lacking today. The instruments become symbiont with the vocals and come together to deliver the message in a way that captures the ears and stimulates the mind.
ABOUT ‘DON’T FEEL’
Packed with John Carpenter-esque synths, razor-sharp drum beats and jangly guitar hooks, Don’t Feel offers a high energy anthem that leaves you wanting more.
Don’t Feel “is about someone close to me going to a psychic, coming back, and telling me all kinds of nonsense I didn’t want to hear. They thought they were helping but couldn’t have been further from it – the future they talked about trapped me” says Paul Donnelly, the man behind ‘Those Fantastic Things.’
Clocking in at 2.46, Don’t Feel doesn’t drop its energy from the moment the drums kick in until the closing beat, keeping your attention until the closing note. The single epitomizes the pop ethic which is reflected throughout the whole album…this is just the beginning for Those Fantastic Things.
LINKS:
http://thosefantasticthings.com
https://www.facebook.com/thosefantasticthings
https://twitter.com/ThoseFantastics
https://www.instagram.com/thosefantasticthings -
Ways – Death Row
French alternative metal quintet Ways have premiered their brand new single and music video for “Death Row”. The single comes from the group’s upcoming record titled, AFTERMATH set to release March 15th.
“We are very excited for everyone to finally see the music video for our first single of our new EP, “Aftermath”, says guitarist, Nicolas Reignier.
With the new album, the band brings their beliefs to the table in the new album which speaks of the many problems we see today including global warming, animal cruelty and much more.
Reignier continues, “The single titled, “Death Row” and was written by us when we were going through a time where we felt the emergency of the situation of an animals life. We wanted to write something that spoke exactly how we felt. This song is about fur and, by consequences, about animals mistreatment. We don’t understand why a lot of animals are killed for their fur… Most people of the world don’t need fur for protection to the cold, we have a lot of alternative clothes for that. This just for fashion and is cruel.”
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/thisisways
https://www.instagram.com/waysofficiel
https://twitter.com/Ways_officiel