Confessional singer-songwriter Luis Mojica has released his new single ‘City Friends’. Earlier, he announced his new album ‘How A Stranger Is Made’, to be released in early October, while teasing the first single ‘The Ranger’.
This album features production from Mercury Prize-winning producers David Baron (Bat For Lashes, Peter Murphy, Lenny Kravitz, The Lumineers) and Simone Felice (The Lumineers, Bat For Lashes, Dan Mangan) and mixing by three-time Grammy award-winning producer Justin Guip (Levon Helm).
Mojica’s new long-play is intimate and empathic – a beautiful tapestry of piano-driven songs that quite intimately express his healing journey through shamanism, sexuality, trauma and ecstatic joy.
“I wrote this song while walking in NYC’s East Village. The St. Mark’s bookstore had just closed, my favorite tree in Washington Square Park was severed in half, and all around me, my beloved neighborhood was changing so rapidly. I walked around feeling so much loss and, this song became a container for me to pour all kinds of loss I had experienced into it. The loss of friendships, lovers, cities, cultures, the identity of self. I finished the song years after leaving the city for Woodstock, NY. You can hear a duality in the track: a somber, lonely piano and vocals against an upbeat drum and then a full-on ecstatic sounding chorus. It was my way of celebrating the loss, gentrification, and the betrayal – in hindsight. It all brought me to a new life that was much better for me. So I became grateful for the forced growth and transformation,” says Luis Mojica.
“I asked 25 of my friends in Woodstock, NY to each lip-sync one line from the song to create a diverse cast of individuals threaded together with the same sentiment: “I lost something”. The song, originally about NYC, became an anthem for us in Woodstock as we’ve experienced so much change in class, culture, and business. Woodstock is quickly evolving and that old, messy, timeless wild that attracted us to the area is disappearing. I shot the video at the last dive bar, now closed and abandoned, that graced Woodstock’s main street. The video features all locals of Woodstock, most of them my dearest friends, as an almost anthropological project to preserve and document this fading era of people and place”.
‘How A Stranger Is Made’ follows up Mojica’s first studio album ‘Wholesome’, released on August 2016 after two years of touring with the avant-garde cello band Rasputina. He toured this album, which features his unique style of live looped beatboxing and rich vocal harmonies, both as support for Rasputina and as a headliner. The album’s limited pressing sold out quite quickly and now is only available digitally.
A pianist and vocalist now based in Woodstock, New York, Mojica began developing his unique musical style in the crowded apartments and crumbling theaters of NYC’s East Village. In 2012, he moved upstate to the mountains of the Hudson Valley, where he’s become renowned for both his holistic healing work, as well as his musical compositions.
Piano-based, his songs blend his 3+ octave vocal range to create choir-like textures, as well as utilizing unusual character voices and harmonies that explore androgyny, spirituality, and unorthodox male identity. Mojica’s music and sound esthetic is inspired by Leonard Cohen, Tori Amos, Patti Smith, Joanna Newsom, and Kate Bush.
The scenario, filming, and direction for this video were all handled by Mojica himself. Video editing was performed by Joel Patterson at Mountaintop Studios in Petersburgh, NY. The accompanying video was written, filmed and directed by Kelly Merchant with editing and compositing by Fredo Viola. Merchant also took the photo for the cover artwork, while Viola designed it.
SOURCE: Official Bio
“Perfect for those who enjoy the visceral sound of Bjork, the hypnotic vocals of Thom Yorke and looking for something new in the scene”
– Music Existence“Mojica’s music requires refined aesthetics and discernment and is damn near a new wrinkle in the sonic territory”
– Mark S. Tucker“Convincing delivery, it seems he is speaking right to the listener in the same way Tori Amos, Devendra Banhart, Kate Bush and Ani DiFranco manage to. His muse has obviously led him into some deeply personal, vulnerable places. Through his music, Mojica radiates creative joy, making this a thoroughly enjoyable listen”
– Big Takeover Magazine“Luis Mojica’s vocals really are an instrument unto themselves and the pinnacle of what makes this album a jewel among the thistles”
– Band Blurb“The harmonies are exceptional. From the opera style to the beatboxing. I haven’t been this impressed this much with vocal harmonies since I heard Fleet Foxes”
– No More Division“Mojica’s voice is an instrument in itself; it soars as he sings and his beats are like bullets puncturing through the track”
– Mookychic
LINKS:
http://www.luismojica.com
https://www.facebook.com/luismojicamusic
https://luismojica.bandcamp.com
https://www.instagram.com/luis.mojica.music
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCl-Z3peOvHwczSYyv4J-IVA/videos
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/luis-mojica/763703531
https://open.spotify.com/artist/0kqaE6tmzfgC4hk6CKXlr7
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Fear Is Dead – Dirtnap
New York-based Heavy Rock / Metal band Fear Is Dead has released the Official Music Video for their single ‘Dirtnap’ off of their August released EP, ‘What Remains’. ‘Dirtnap’ was directed and edited by Skila of Fear Is Dead.
In today’s overcrowded Metal scene it’s virtually impossible for a band to rise up and stand out, against the odds, that’s what Fear Is Dead is doing.
Since 2011 they’ve been racking up large numbers of awe-inspiring live performances, Fear is Dead has garnered the acclaim of many of New York’s underground, bringing fans from the Metal scene, and Hardcore / Punk scene together. Melting faces from BK’s Knitting Factory to LES Mercury Lounge, most recently packing out Brooklyn’s new Metal haven Lucky 13 Saloon. Their unique sound and intense energy some would say is reminiscent of early Machine Head and Korn.
Established in 2011 by Skila and Jacqueline Burns, the early line up included Anthony Moreno Brown on drums. Jax’s guitar and bass stylings set the tone for the heavy sound that would evolve to what we hear today. They released two EPs Fear Is Dead in 2011, and Mourning Ritual in 2013, that were both well received. Songs like “I’m Slow,” “Lie to Me,” and “Boomerang” still requested by fans today.
The band went on hiatus in 2014, and in 2015 Skila returned with a new line up, composed of Matt Pompeii on Bass, Carlos Crowcell on Drums, and newcomer David English on Guitars. This new Fear Is Dead still had the trademark strong groove and poetic introspective lyrics but is musically much heavier, and darker than it’s earlier incarnation. In the beginning of 2016, the band released their 3rd EP, Eleutherophobia. An appropriately more aggressive project, reflecting the times, personally, socially, and politically. Songs like “Pretty Ugly” and “Miranda” quickly became underground favorites. Since the EPs release, FID has been performing monthly and putting out a video per song every 2-3 months, all produced and directed by Fear Is Dead.
In 2017 Fear Is Dead released their 4th EP, What Remains. While a bit more experimental than the last project, they still retain the heavy feel that they’re known and loved for.
Their music, videos, and artwork all embody what Fear Is Dead is about: evolving musically, artistically, exorcising demons and losing yourself to find yourself, even for a moment.
LINKS:
https://www.fearisdead.com
https://www.facebook.com/fearisdead
https://twitter.com/FearIsDead
https://www.instagram.com/fear_is_dead -
URN – Silently, I’m Still Screaming
Urn has also completed the writing process on their sixth album which is tentatively entitled “;”(Semicolon) and have been in talks with Thom Hazaert (Thom Hazaert Company/Ellefson Music Productions) to produce the upcoming album with a potential 2018 release date. The band also is in the process of booking tours that will have them return to Canada and Mexico in 2018.
“Many fans had given feedback that this song was one of their more favorites off of the album, so we wished to honor them by doing this video. We also wished to showcase our guitarist, Christopher Migdalski’s lead work on this song, as he has been a role model for those afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease and how to overcome disabilities to still pursue his life dream. Our hope is that this will inspire those to continue on in their battle and achieve whatever dreams/goals that they have.”
– URNSOURCE: Official Bio
LINKS:
http://www.urnband.com
http://www.facebook.com/urnband
http://www.twitter.com/urncentral
http://www.instagram.com/urnband -
Bromide – Magic Coins
British noise-pop outfit Bromide has announced their new single ‘Magic Coins’, an infectious track accompanied by ‘Always Now’ as its b-side. ‘Magic Coins’ is an unexpected rhythm track that is seemingly drum and bass-inspired, written collectively by all three band members.
Bromide is Simon Berridge on vocals and guitar, Ed Lush on drums, and Hugo Wilkinson on bass. These songbirds worship at the altars of Husker Du, Teenage Fanclub, The Replacements, Guided By Voices, Dinosaur Jr., The Only Ones, Buffalo Tom and other melodic rockers equally obsessed by songs, songwriting and the euphoria associated with playing music through amplified electronic equipment.
Hailing from London, their sound has been described as “Grant Hart fronting Sebadoh” and “Elvis Costello fronting Dinosaur Jr.” Vive Le Rock noted that they mix “the best bits of The Lemonheads and Dinosaur Jr. replete with melancholic melodies and J Mascis-ish guitar lines”.
“Magic Coins is a good example of how being in a band can take things off in directions you’d never expect. I’d been trawling youtube one night and on my travels come across Susan Boyle’s gobsmacking debut performance on ‘X Factor’ and a thumping AC/DC gig from Oakland Coliseum, California in ’79. Both had made me think about the nature of performance and invisible energy release and so I put this into a new song I was writing “I wanna stand in their shoes. Tell me what it is I have to do,” says Simon Berridge.
“When we next got to practice, we hadn’t played together for a while and I remember starting playing the riff and Ed literally running to get behind the drum kit. He started playing this frenetic almost drum and bass beat and the song exploded. It ended up totally not where I was expecting.”
This single follows the album ‘I Woke Up’, released in the summer of 2018, and the ‘I Remember’ album previous to that. In that time, they have won over news fans including Gideon Coe at BBC 6 Music, who has called their music ‘Fantastic’ and says their latest single ‘Two Song Slot’ is ‘a mighty fine tune’, playing these tracks numerous times over several months.
Legendary producer, Brian O’Shaughnessy (Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine) recorded, mixed and produced these tracks at Bark Studios in Walthamstow, London. Seamlessly welding their pop onto their rock, together they achieved Bromide’s sublime college-rock sound. The band also wrote some of the music in the studio while recording, including the confessional album opener ‘Tale To Tell’ while album closer ‘I Woke Up’ sees them begin to stretch their wings a bit as a Glenn Branca / Krautrock groove builds to an an epic conclusion complete with thunder, rain, autoharp and anything else lying around the studio.
“We’ve recorded the most recent two Bromide albums with Brian because he knows how to make you focus on what you’re trying to achieve, plus he knows how to make it sound great,” says Simon Berridge.
The ‘Magic Coins’ single will be released digitally and plans also include a 7″ on limited edition vinyl. The ‘I Woke Up’ album is available across online stores and streaming platforms, as well as on limited edition vinyl and CD. It can be obtained from Scratchy Records through Cargo Records.
LINKS:
http://www.theinternetatemysoul.co.uk/bromide.htm
https://www.facebook.com/bromidebanduk
https://twitter.com/bromide_band
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7l4GWNPAIsXLRFSaCvC6pb
https://itunes.apple.com/cy/artist/bromide/285841264