Allow me to introduce you to Slowmove. No it’s not another Band Interview Of The Day post, this is a new EP you have to get listening to. Influenced by Pixes, Weezer, Tigers Jaw and more, the members have all been part of various bands over the years but now they wanted to concentrate and contribute on a different genre they all love.
Recorded intermittently over the last year, the band have dropped the EP which is available to listen to right now.
In addition, both music videos they have released were filmed by members of the band David and Kat who make up Dai Tan Films.
Now going into the EP, we’re kicking things off with Behind Closed Doors. Now this track does exactly what it says on the tin where the progression of the track moves past what you think you’ll expect from the band right from the very start where the vocal harmonisation mixes better than your average track to great appeal.
Now taking a slightly different approach for ‘Here And Now’, this is a slightly slower paced than the rest of the EP but is reminiscent of Milk Teeth’s ‘Swear Jar’ in a way, at least that’s the way I hear things. Persistently here though, it’s a very notable earworm that’ll you’ll want to come back to again and again.
With the penultimate track, this is a very different approach to most bands where it is just an instrumental track. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good change of pace to most tracks where you can truly hear everything that’s going and so that the band can get to grips with a whole lot more without being dragged down and when they do play this live, I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun for the crowd to watch.
Lastly we have Haven.The title track lives up to the expectation which has been set. While most title tracks currently disappoint, this one doesn’t because of the added layer of the psychedelic rock nature with a sprinkle of the gothic nature to make the track stand out just that much more.
haven – the title track lives up to the expectation that it’s set. while out title track currently disappoint, there’s an added layer of the psychedelic and a little gothic rock nature to it that makes the track just stand out that much more
Overall, what’s been produced here is above the norm for bands on their first release (where the members have learned from their past projects) and there’s a definite impact that it will have, especially with the gigs to be had in the near future but I can’t help but feel the EP is missing just a little substance help elevate the overall feel of the body of work as a whole. On the other hand, this is damn fun to listen to.
Rating:3/5.
Be sure to check out the Music Videos for ‘Here And Now’ and ‘Haven’ below and listen to the EP via Spotify.
Have you ever felt like you just needed an escape from all the negativity and various stressorsin your life? Ronx aims to provide that positivity with their latest track, titled “Good Vibes.”
“Good Vibes is about wanting to escape poverty, drama and even the demons in your head. We understand how stressful and depressing it is having so many roadblocks and hardships come your way while trying to build a stable, blissful life,” the band reveals about the song, “We just want to give a big F.U to all that negative energy and just have good vibes, living life to the fullest like each day is our last.”
As the title suggests, the lyrics discuss trying to remain positive and focus on the positive whilst dealing with unfortunate situations. The song shows Ronx going in a new direction with their music, highlighting influences of pop and pop rock and straying away a bit from the pop-punk sound of their older material.
Psychedelic Desert Funk band Jamila & The Other Heroes will be releasing their second double concept single, BORDER SYNDROME احلام بلا حدود on the 16th July via Springstoff / slowtrane. This follows the release of YABA ياباearlier this month, the first of the concept double singles. The band are also looking forward to performing live at Sisyphos Berlin on the 22nd of July. The five-piece has performed on several notable stages including Fusion Festival 2019, Rudolstadt Festival, the Klangfreunde World Music Festival, the Feminist Chouftouhonna Festival Tunis and supported the famous global pop band Bukahara.
The band released their debut album, SIT EL KON. ست الكون (The Grandmother of the Universe) in 2020 and have already received support from the likes of CLASH Magazine, Vogue Germany, OZY, Last Day Deaf and Psychedelic Baby Magazine, amassing over 143,000 Spotify streams and counting. Jamila & The Other Heroes merge psychedelic rock with elements of funk and Arab folklore. To achieve their unusual sound, they take inspiration from a variety of musicians including Yasmine Hamdan, Aziza Brahim, Dina El Wedidi, Erykah Badu, Fatuma Diawara and Tony Allen. While totally unique, their resulting sound sits close to the likes of Alsahra & The Nubatones, El Morabba3 and Altin Gün.
Jamila & The Other Heroes formed in 2016, based in Berlin but coming together from a variety of different backgrounds bringing influences from the Middle East and Latin America. The frontwoman, Jamila Al-Yousef was born on the day the Berlin Wall came down, and is the daughter of a Palestinian medical doctor who came to Berlin as a refugee after losing his home in the Six-Day War in 1967. More than just a love for music drives the band as they aim to break down prejudices towards people with histories of migration and asylum and make the abundance of cultural diversity more visible and audible.
InBORDER SYNDROME احلام بلا حدود Al-Yousef is embracing her Palestinian roots and imagining a futuristic border-free Middle East that comes after the pain of war, human rights violations, and being separated. The lyrics of BORDER SYNDROME احلام بلا حدود are about a discriminatory border situation Al-Yousef experienced when returning from a music gathering in Sinai to move through Eilat to Ramallah last year.
Jamila tells us the story behind the song, “I just came from a beautiful New Years gathering in Sinai with artists from the whole region and suddenly found myself in this painful border system – I looked at the Red Sea and saw Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan – knowing that also Syria and Lebanon are just a few hours car ride away – but also inaccessible. I thought of all the friends I have in these places and became very sad and angry about the region and people being torn apart based on political and economic interests. At the same time, I strongly felt my usually given privilege of being able to easily travel within Europe“.
Inside and outside of the studio, James Laurent has become a revolutionary in the Midwest Emo and Punk scene. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, James has the true punk rock looks with lifestyle and sound to match. James Laurent is now releasing his most authentic and personal track yet, ‘Metamorphosis’. The track encapsulates life lessons James has been forced to face at a young age alongside tension-building percussion, punchy riffs and galvanic vocals.
Working as a leading industry engineer in Los Angeles, James is able to bring the sonics and blends of other genres into his own Punk oriented music. After receiving the instrumental from Ballon Beats, James locked himself inside his studio for two days while writing and redrafting lyrics. Once finished, he had to wait to record nine days while his voice rested. James then launched himself into a three-week-long mixing and mastering process of multiple revisions and references.
James Laurent on the inspiration behind his music:
“I got married at 19 and it has ended in divorce at 21. I don’t regret a second of it but it has taught me many life lessons and aged me well beyond my years. I really wanted to encapsulate everything I have given to make my career a reality.”
Music has been the biggest part of James Laurent’s life and has helped him through his most difficult times from overcome drug addiction to failed relationships. Making his own music allows James to paint pictures better than he ever could with a canvas and brush. With downfalls in life such as overdosing, family deaths, mental health issues, failed marriage and the stress of divorce; life hasn’t been easy for James Laurent. But the one thing that has always been constant is music.
Check out ‘
Check out ‘Metamorphosis’ below or alternatively you can steam it via Spotify .
Hello everyone and welcome back to the Band of The Day interview! Today we’re talking to Nia CC, an Alt Pop Singer / Songwriter as well as an amazing storyteller with a lot of stories to tell. Joe us as we talk about her musical origins as well as the weirdest things she’s heard during a show.
If you could introduce yourselves for us, who are you?
My name is Nia C. C. and I’m a storyteller. Songwriting is like a diary for me. It’s the outlet where I’m able to be my full authentic self and tell my story, whether it be about Disney World or heartbreak. And as someone who tends to live in this world with a lot of passion and feelings, I have a lot of stories to tell with a lot of different messages. That said, I would say the through-line in my music is not necessarily the content I’m singing about, but who I am as an artist. As a Black woman in America playing the guitar and singing genres that are often times predominantly white, my message is that of reclamation. Claiming space where many Black artists have been pushed out of, and being a voice that brings us into this more diverse and inclusive stage in the music industry. So whether I’m singing about a break up, or explicitly singing about racial inequality or sexism, it’s important to me that my audience is able to walk away more empathetic, more joyful, or even more supportive about a more inclusive society, no matter how subtle and subconscious that may be. That’s the impact and importance of storytelling and songwriting to me. Not just the story being told, but the importance of who is telling it. That’s really what I want my first impression of me to be
How long have you been playing?
I began taking piano lessons at the age of 4, and wrote my first song, about Disney World, when I was 8 years old realizing early on that songwriting was something I wanted to do. I grew up listening to artists like Corinne Bailey and Taylor Swift, and I loved how they were always able to play live with their guitar on hand, something that was harder to do with an immobile piano. So at age 12, I decided to teach myself how to play both the guitar and the ukulele so I could carry them with me to open mics and to school. Throughout school I was very active in the performing arts from show choir, and to dance classes ranging from ballet to jazz and hip hop. As a student at the University of Virginia, where I just graduated from last month, I was the Music Director for the all female award winning A Capella group, the Virginia Sil’hooettes, and a writer and performer for the student run show The Black Monologues. With a degree in music and African American studies, I recently released my self-written and self-produced undergraduate thesis album titled “On Trial” that explores the history and dynamics of Blackness at UVA through a collection of songs. That said, songwriting is like a diary for me. It’s the outlet where I’m able to be my full authentic self and tell my story, whether it be about Disney World or heartbreak. And as someone who tends to live in this world with a lot of passion and feelings, I have a lot of stories to tell. Currently, I have a catalogue of 500+ songs to my name and I can’t wait to continue writing more.
What three words would you use to describe the music you play?
Authentic. Imaginative. Boundless.
What are your musical influences?
I grew up the youngest of 3 and really close to my siblings: my sister Kiara who is 10 years older and my brother Sanford who is 8 years older. Both of them love music and I thought they were the coolest people in the world, so I listened to a lot of what they listened to growing up: Ciara, Usher, Alicia Keys, TLC and so many more. I’ve also been a pretty big Taylor Swift fan since I was about 7 years old, so she really had an influence on my journey as an artist and a songwriter. She was someone who inspired me to not just play the piano, but to pick up the guitar too. That said, growing up in Northern Virginia I listened to a mix of music from Imagine Dragons, one of my favorite bands, to Drake, to Carrie Underwood, to Ed Sheeran, to Corinne Bailey. For a while, I even struggled with a bit of a genre crisis because every song I wrote was so different. Was I a country artist? An R&B artist? Did I want to get into Rock? Maybe pop music? It was something I was so insecure about for awhile until I ultimately decided to see my diversity in sound as a strength, and find the through line in the stories I tell with my music and who I am as an artist.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen during a show?
I don’t know about the weirdest thing I’ve seen during a show, but I think the noises people make during shows are hilarious. Not even the sounds themselves, but the moments that they occur. Like someone laughing during a show is totally fine and normal when it’s a loud venue and the artist is rocking out and the audience is cheering. But put that laugh in the middle of an artist singing an angsty song with just their guitar, and suddenly everyone is looking around awkwardly and the artists is telling themself to ignore it and stay in the mood of the song. While those moments can be awkward, and maybe even annoying for some, I love that it gives the audience character. It makes the conversation between the audience more animated and real, and that’s what makes performing so fun.
Being away from the stages since last year, where is the one place you’d visit when the restrictions are lifted?
I tend to love places where I’m able to make a connection with the audience, so I would love to visit a place like that now that restrictions are lifted. There are so many places that come to mind, but the first one I’d love to visit is The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville. So many artists that I aspire to be like have performed there, and I’ve been to Nashville before and just loved everything about it, so I would love to go back there one day.
What’s the one record you own but wouldn’t ever admit to owning?
This question is so hilarious because I love so many songs and artists that some musicians look down on because they’re not as “hipster-like” or “indie” or “serious. I mean I grew up being a One-Direction, 5 Seconds of Summer, and Austin Mahone “stan,” so I imagine there are a lot of records where people think I shouldn’t admit to having them. But, I tend to have pride and love all of the things I listen to, so I would proudly admit to owning everything I do. That being said, if I had to choose one record, I would probably say “See the Signs” from Elmo. It’s a BOP. And I have no shame in saying that. I watch the video a lot on YouTube because it’s that good. But you know, probably something people would make fun of me for. Definitely something they’ll make fun of me for. I’ll take it though. It’s a great song. No shame.
What have you been listening to in the last few weeks?
I’ve been listening to a lot of movie soundtracks lately. I absolutely LOVED the soundtrack from Cruella since it’s set in the 70s and I love the 70’s. The music, the fashion, the social movements. So I’ve been listening to Ike & Tina Turner’s version of “Come Together” by the Beatles a lot. I’ve also been listening to the In the Heights soundtrack a lot ever since I saw the movie, so “96,000” and “Carnaval Del Barrio” on repeat when I’m running, in the shower, in the car. You name the action and I’m listening to those songs in the background.
Are there any releases you have planned in the near future?
That’s always such a scary question because it feels like the future is always changing. For the immediate future, I’m moving to Los Angeles, California at the end of the summer. And in terms of music, my plan is to continue chasing song-writing and singing as full heartedly as I can, keep releasing new music, and start performing more sets to build a fan base. I also see a lot more recordings in my future which makes me really excited, and pushes me out of my comfort zone of just singing songs with my guitar live. I have a song “Animals” coming out soon, so definitely keep your eye out for the release date for that. Nonetheless, no matter what the future holds, singing and songwriting will always be a part of my life.
Check out Nia CC’s latest release, ‘Monsters’ below.
“Again?!” is a forty minute roller coaster ride through mutant genre splicing where black metal meets 90s punk and the singer songwriter meets noise rock. Airy singing cruises overtop cranked transistor fuzz carving out notable literary presence as words thicken the sonic maelstrom, giving comprehensive meaning to the laissez-faire knob twiddling. Authoring lyrics as varied as the sounds, Dan Potter Sings takes each track, bending and shaping the different subject matter in imaginative ways until a collection of emotionally complex music comes to fruition that will hopefully resonate with the musically adventurous listener. “North Star” defies the wicked break neck pulse of the band and reveals the extent to which artistic freedom matters. Things can also get weird as the need for ‘insect love’ is told from the perspective of a soul-sucking spider on the mechanical beat laden “Firefly”. Striking dissonant chords prop up sensitive vocals on “Twenty One Centuries”, an ode to the “Village of the Damned” movie storyline while disco breakdowns get incised with thick grunge guitar riffs on the narcissistic “Not” as the squirrelly words alarm and baffle. A shimmering murk gives way to thundering groove metal on the unsettling “Knock You Out” while “Feeding Time” goes from delicate electro-pop to demented anime punk bombast warning all you parasites out there to be careful what you bite into.
On the video release Dan Potter says: On ‘Escapee Satellite’ the earthly waves of melancholia inspire a getaway trip from planet earth as otherworldly musical textures create the feeling of drifting in space, helpless yet satisfied.”
Check out the video for ‘Escapee Satellite’ below.
US heavy hitters Calling All Captains have dropped a new track, ‘Undone’.
On the track the band say: “The track is about the person in your life that makes everything about them and takes no responsibility for their own actions.”
Starting out very vocal heavy, the track then dives into their more melodic heavy side which just screams out right into your soul and from there, that all leads into a finale which I can’t wait to hear a crowd sing back.
Rating:5/5.
check out the video for ‘Undone’ below or stream it via your preferred service.
Scott Magnus is a pop artist from Oldham, Manchester (UK). He creates strong, beautiful and melodious indie, pop/rock songs, bringing them to life with upbeat trap and hyper-pop production, resulting in something which is powerful, introspective and heartfelt.
Scott is an outspoken supporter of people with disabilities, particularly those with learning difficulties, because he himself has ADHD, Autism and Dyspraxia. Scott turns the experiences he encounters as someone with disabilities into music that can heal, embolden and inspire anyone facing difficult obstacles. It is his mission to help people overcome their challenges as he does.
As an actor and model, 2020 saw Scott realizing his true passion for music and has since honed his craft for songwriting, singing, playing guitar and music production to an even more obsessive extent. He has amassed an ever-growing fanbase who not only enjoy his covers and original songs, but also the sketch comedy he creates and performs prolifically.
Like a phoenix rising from the flames, the aptly named new single “The Phoenix” was written after Scott decided to move on from a job that wasn’t aligned with him as a neurodivergent person. With a newfound sense of excitement and experience under his belt, the songwriter shares, “I emerged from the old job a new and better man. My discipline had been forged in a fire of adversity and I felt like London had so much opportunity to offer me and I was ready to make the most of it! I didn’t stop making mistakes as they are part of having learning difficulties and being human for that matter, but this song was an expression of my positive attitude upon making mistakes and receiving criticism.”
Sonically, the vocal melodies stand out in a neon glow of echoing, raw lyrics, dancing in a catchy array of melodies. The guitar riff carries a sense of stability and familiarity mirroring the artist’s freedom in leaving behind the past to come back stronger. The simple soundscape allows us to enjoy each aspect, accompanied by rocky tones which pack a punch. Scott’s voice bleeds power and peace in the euphoric atmosphere of the single, creating an overwhelming, spine-tingling sensation.
“The Phoenix” follows his debut single “Diamond In The Rough”, both of which are off of the upcoming six-track EP Comeback Stronger. The EP chronicles ‘The Phoenix’ like transformation and resilience required to come back from a fall, into a better version of yourself.
As final appetizer from the show captured at The Mill Nightclub near the band’s hometown in Yorkshire, England, PARADISE LOST unveil new single and live video of their legendary hit ‘As I Die’.
Guitarist and songwriter Greg Mackintosh comments: “This song is almost 30 years old and its popularity amongst our fans, old and new, still amazes us. It marked a turning point in our career and if you missed it, here it is played live at The Mill.”
Tired of sunshine, singing birds and all these smiling people around? Good. PARADISE LOST have just the right amount of misery and grimness at hand for you and are ready to release the testimony of last year’s intimate streaming event “At The Mill” today, to herald this year’s autumn.
Captured at The Mill Nightclub near the band’s hometown in Yorkshire, England, the recording of the BluRay was directed by Ash Pears, mixed by Les Smith and mastered by Jaime Gomez Arellano, and unites the band’s greatest songs of the past 30 years in one show.
Behold! Arise! Vast distances from Earth’s dimension, in a galaxy millions of light-years away, the WIZARDTHRONE resurges! Traversing vivid sci-fi multiverses in the spirit of H.P. Lovecraft via comprehensively established technical death, power and symphonic black metal, Hypercube Necrodimensions(out today via Napalm Records) is a bombastic journey through hyperspace and otherworldly realities. Featuring members of ALESTORM, GLORYHAMMER, AETHER REALM, FORLORN CITADEL, NEKROGOBLIKON and more, the musical brilliance of WIZARDTHRONE is absolutely undeniable.
In celebration of Hypercube Necrodimensions being released today, WIZARDTHRONEreveal their single and video for “Black Hole Quantum Thermodynamics”! WIZARDTHRONE pushes the boundaries of technical synth metal, displaying incredible musicality on their new single. Lyrically exploring tales of journeys through alternate dimensions, “Black Hole Quantum Thermodynamics” is guaranteed to conquer the hearts of tech-death, power- and symphonic metal fans!
Check out the video for ‘Black Hole Quantum Thermodynamics‘ below.
Guitarist/Songwriter M. Archistrategos Barber elucidates further: “Black Hole Quantum Thermodynamics” was the first track written for WIZARDTHRONE, and encapsulates the deadliest facets of Extreme Wizard Metal. What better way to celebrate the momentous release of Hypercube Necrodimensions than bestowing a gift of this sort upon the Earth? Such a relentless and brutal song would surely need to be mirrored by an equivalent spectacle, and so it was that we entrusted the venerable videomage J. “Iconoclast” Nageer with this daunting task. Never before has the blasphemous allure of the boundless abyss been portrayed with such devastating accuracy! Xhul praises all who have waited patiently for this release, and assures you that diabolical forces are already in motion to further unleash the might of WIZARDTHRONE.”
Featuring guest appearances from Aleksi Munter (SWALLOW THE SUN/INSOMNIUM), Florian Magnus Maier (DARK FORTRESS/ALKALOID) and Evan Berry (WILDERUN), Hypercube Necrodimensions is a spectacular display of WIZARDTHRONE’s musical finesse, constantly pushing the boundaries of heavy metal and thus offering a one-of-a-kind extreme wizard metal listening experience!
Orders for ‘Hypercube Necrodimensions’ are available via the following link.
