This week we have an exclusive interview with Detroit based multi-instrumentalist George Morris. Dutch band Dakota premieres their new song “Icons” plus new videos from L.A. based artist Olvia May and German Indie artists Bakery and this week’s latest top five indie songs from the Blue Soap Top Ten.
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An Interview with Ashton Nyte (The Week in #Indie Segment)
The Awakening was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1995 as the creative expression of artist Ashton Nyte. Nyte is the sole songwriter, vocalist, producer and primary instrumentalist behind The Awakening, accompanied by hand-picked musicians for live performances. Dubbed “dark future-rock” and “Johannesburg’s Bowie” by the press, Ashton came to prominence in 1997 with The Awakening’s chart-topping rendition of The Sound Of Silence, followed by another five #1 singles and twelve top 10’s. The anthemic single The Dark Romantics became a staple on alternative dance floors around the world, one of the many gems of The Awakening’s catalog of 8 full-length albums, 3 EPs and 2 greatest hits collections.
Ashton Nyte and The Awakening have toured extensively and headlined festivals in the US, Europe, and South Africa, including Ramfest and the Oppikoppi Festival to over 30 000 people. Nyte and The Awakening have been featured in a diverse range of media, from Rolling Stone and Metal Hammer to Dark Beauty and Fangoria.
As a solo artist Ashton Nyte has released 7 stylistically diverse albums in addition to his work released as The Awakening. After relocating to the US in 2008, Nyte released the cinematic dark-folk album “The Valley” which was toured from New York to New Orleans, played on over 200 US stations and drew comparisons to Nebraska-era Springsteen and Johnny Cash.
Nyte toured South Africa in March / April 2014 to promote The Awakening’s “Anthology XV” release, as well as the release of “Moederland”, his first Afrikaans-language album. “Moederland” was named one of the top 10 Afrikaans albums of the year by Netwerk24 and enjoyed two number 1 singles on Afrikaans radio and featured the Nyte-penned duet with Karin Hougaard.
Nyte’s most recent solo album, “Some Kind Of Satellite” (2015) received critical acclaim and was featured in a variety of press including Gothic Beauty, Sonic Seducer, Dark Beauty, Giuseppina and Auxiliary Magazine, among others. The album saw the artist perform a national sold out headline tour of South Africa, in addition to performing with British alternative rock legend, Wayne Hussey. Nyte’s works have been featured on NPR/PRI in the USA, and he has performed live in-studio to 125 million listeners on the international radio show “Border Crossings”. A prolific artist and activist, Nyte has also written and performed in theatrical productions and organized philanthropic events including his “Rock Against Rape” concert series, and presenting a lecture series at US universities focusing on tolerance and acceptance.
2016 saw Nyte collaborate with British guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite (Peter Murphy, The Mission, Gary Numan) on MGT’s debut solo album, along with Ville Valo (HIM), and a host of other alternative music luminaries. Nyte also completed a 17 date sold out tour, spanning 12 European countries with The Awakening in October 2016. The tour was in support of UK band The Mission’s 30th Anniversary and included prestigious European venues like O2 Shepherd Bush (London), Hard Club (Porto), Markthalle (Hamburg) and many more. The Awakening was the only support for their leg of the tour and crowd response and merchandise sales reflected an ongoing growth for the love of Nyte’s voice and various musical incarnations. Nyte performed with MGT at the Wave Gotik Treffen festival in Leipzig, along with a UK date in June 2017.
In 2018 Nyte co-wrote and co-produced the second MGT album, called “Gemini Nyte”, with Nyte as the only vocalist and lyricist. The album also featured Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke) on drums and was toured with Jyrki69 (The 69 Eyes) across the US in March of 2018. Nyte is currently completing a range of releases for 2019 and has contributed lyrics and vocals to 3 songs on Michael Ciravolo’s “Beauty in Chaos” project, which features members of The Cure, The Mission, Ice-T, Ministry, Cheap Trick and more. The Nyte / Ciravolo composition “Bloodless And Fragile” was used in the television program “The Purge” on USA network. The Awakening has just released a new album, “Chasm” on 26 November 2018 with first single “Back To Wonderland” currently receiving airplay worldwide.
Ashton Nyte ended off 2018 with working on the score of the movie “Relive” with composer Ethan Gold. The movie stars David Oyelowo, Storm Reid and Mykelti Williamson and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019.
Check out the full interview HERE.
LINKS:
https://theawakening.com
https://facebook.com/theawakeningofficial
https://youtube.com/theawakeningsahttps://ashtonnyte.com
https://facebook.com/ashtonnyte
https://youtube.com/ashtonnyte
https://instagram.com/ashtonnyte
https://twitter.com/ashtonnyte -
Cabinet of Millionaires Release ‘Theresa, Vol. 3’ (The Week in #Indie Segment)
Cabinet of Millionaires gives multiple doses of political commentary with their new single(s) titled ‘Theresa’. With British Prime Minister Theresa May stepping down on June 7, this set of singles couldn’t have been timed better.
Each version of the track is unique in its own right as we get samples of EDM, Dance, and Grind from different producers lending their ear. While I gravitate more towards the original, there is something for everyone with the beat sustaining in each version and the hook redressed and sounding good as well.
On June 7, ‘Theresa, Vol. 3’ will be available for digital download across online stores such as Apple Music and streaming platforms like Spotify. It can already be obtained via Bandcamp with all profits going towards supporting food banks.
About Cabinet of Millionaires
British electronic act Cabinet of Millionaires presents the new EP ‘Theresa, Vol. 3’, a rather politically-charged song set to release via Bandcamp on June 7, the very day that Theresa May said she would stand aside as British prime minister. The general release date for other online platforms is June 14.Hailing from Huddersfield, Cabinet of Millionaires bring a scathing attack on the austerity policies of the UK’s Conservative Party government, referencing the Windrush scandal, the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and failure to take in enough refugees (whilst selling arms), not to mention the dismantling of the country’s National Health Service.
Band spokesman Dave C said, “Theresa’s resignation speech was painful. Austerity is clearly NOT over and the Government’s lack of response to Grenfell was actually pretty shocking, NOT something to be proud of. We hope you like the package. It’s honest. We’re not saying we are political because it’s fashionable all of a sudden. The lyrics are straight to the point. No sitting on the fence. We want the Tories out and a general election NOW!”
Featuring resplendent punchy beats, sci-fi loony tune hooks, dub basslines and gospel-tinged soul-rock vocals from Pat Fulgoni, this five-song release includes the original version of this track, along with several remixes, including from USUK, a collaboration between Leeds-based award-winning Allen & Heath sponsored DJ/producer Mark EG and Chad Stegall, an American piano composer and synth addict.
Renowned producer Steve Whitfield (The Cure, The Mission, Terrorvision, Klammer) also delivers a lush Donna Summer-meets-Underworld dance remix, in addition to contributing guitar on the original version of ‘Theresa’. Zion Train’s remix of Theresa is a brutal takedown of Theresa May and her Government’s austerity program.
Whether you call it agit-house, electro-rock or social disco, Cabinet Of Millionaires is an uncompromising project with a ballsy soulful political message and infectious grooves. According to Eddie Gordon of BBC Essential Mix, this is “the kind of dance music that DJ’s like Andy Weatherall would turn people onto or the Talking Heads would delight the New York uber-cool clubs with”.
The video for the ‘Theresa’ original mix is inspired. Shot in and around Manchester, it stars Clay Whitter playing a homeless busker who tries to survive on the streets by busking with a useless Theresa May puppet!
Prior to 2019, Cabinet of Millionaires released the singles ‘Satan’s Horses’, ‘Serve Me’ and ‘Cabinet Of Millionaires’, receiving radio support from the likes of Eddy Temple Morris and Nemone (BBC Radio 6), as well as various American college radio stations.
Vocalist Pat Fulgoni has a fantastic raw soul voice. He sings across a wide range of genres including his own live blues band, even massive Drum & Bass artists like Camo & Krooked, Teddy Killerz, Bcee, Logistics, and The Vanguard Project. Technimatic’s 2019 single “Sometimes” has been hammered by Annie Mac and Rene La Vice on BBC Radio 1. He’s toured the planet with various acts from the USA to China and throughout Europe. His activism began in the 1990s when he collaborated with Tony Benn MP and organized the ‘No Compromize’ CD against the introduction of tuition fees in the UK.
Live CoM dates have included shows for Love Music Hate Racism and the Peoples Assembly Against Austerity, even being incorporated into a play (theatre) down the road from Conservative Party Conference and live appearances on official demonstration stages in Manchester and Downing St, London.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/CabinetOfMillionaires
https://cabinetofmillionaires.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/cabinetofmillionaires
https://www.youtube.com/cabinetofmillionaires
https://twitter.com/cabinetmillion -
From Venus Releases ‘Unconditional’ Single (The Week in #Indie Segment)
From Venus has released the new single titled ‘Unconditional’. From Venus is a unique project from Abi Crista D’Arcy.