[SONG OF THE DAY] SOULS - "Hold On"

IT’S VIBE O CLOCK ON FRIDAY MY LOVES!! 🙌🏻💖🙌🏻💖🙌🏻💖

Sorry in advance if your speakers end up getting blown out because SOULS is back with a brand new single and it’s the kind of track that you find yourself inching back to turn it up *just a little bit more* but then end up doing that until you can’t turn it up anymore. Neither myself or SOULS are responsible for any hearing loss, speeding tickets, or any other accidental side effects from getting too carried away with yourself while rocking out to this song.

This wallop of a new track, “Hold On”, comes from his forthcoming sophomore album, which we have no other details about right now other than it is coming this year and clearly we need to better prepare ourselves if this is what he’s bursting out of the gate with. In true SOULS fashion, the song features sampled vocals from gospel singer Sister Ernestine Washington’s 1954(?) song, “Holding On Parts I & II”. Those of us who have long been hip to SOULS know that project mastermind David J Gledhill is a bit of a prodigy when it comes to transforming vocals from the past into astonishing present day works of art as seen on his 2016 debut full-length, Release. With this new track, however, it’s like he took an already roaring bonfire and backed up a tanker of gasoline to Washington’s vocals. I know that Release wasn’t a subdued album by any means, but damn something about this just FEELS so different.

Basically what I’m trying to say is Geldhill should be walking around East London on this New Music Friday feeling like the fucking badass in the way that I imagine Washington would be if she heard what he did with her already incredible voice. My dude has knocked it out of the PARK.

Listen now but keep scrolling because this isn’t the only thing our hero is up to!

In addition to this new SOULS single, Gledhill has actually decided to make us all look bad for not pushing our creativity to the limit by challenging himself to a weekly songwriting challenge for what he hopes to be all of 2019. Although his primary instrument of choice is typically guitar, he’s decided to return to piano, the first instrument he ever learned to play and write music with, for the challenge. The hope is to write and record one new instrumental piano song every week and as of this fourth Friday in January 2019 he’s successfully kept to the challenge so far. I have to warn you, these songs are quite literally breathtaking.

I had fallen behind a couple of weeks in checking out the pieces, but as I was preparing for this post I started with today’s track, “Once”, and work my way through the others in descending order. Somewhere between the 30 second and minute mark, I realized I had stopped multi-tasking and was sitting very calmly with my hands on my lap listening very intently to every note. They’re so delicate and devastatingly beautiful but remember this is just a random side project he decided to do.

…..fucking showoff…….

LOL. jk jk jk

But in all seriousness, you won’t regret making the effort to spend some time with these songs. In fact, I think I’m going to build a ritual around listening to this playlist once a week as a way to spend some quality time with myself. 🙏🏻💖

[SONG OF THE DAY] Hockeysmith - "Lonely Loving Me"

Yooooooo y’all ready to get kicked in the nostalgia feels something fierce? Good Lorde.

Please meet Copenhagen electro-pop outfit Hockeysmith. As they gear up for their new EP, Tears At My Age, the band has unveiled the video for their latest single, “Lonely Loving Me”. While the previous single and title track, “Tears At My Age” throws some Cocteau Twins-esque vibes, all I can hear in “Lonely Loving Me” is 80s Madonna and Janet Jackson, but in a hazy shoegazey sort of way. If you listen closely it sounds like singer Annie Hockeysmith straight up went back to 1986 and stole whatever synth they used on, the Janet Jackson classic, “When I Think Of You”. At any rate, I’m obsessing over this project and can’t wait for more folks to catch on to this.

The video for “Lonely Loving Me” was clearly built for a Throwback Thursday, incorporating footage of 80s fitness videos with action shots taken from films and video games - all tied together with Annie's own VHS-style exercise footage. Speaking about the video, Annie said: "I’m a kick boxer in my spare time. I was given these amazing pink boxing gloves and wanted to do something with them. I thought it would be a fun idea to match the 80s vibe of the track and the exercise trend of the 80s and to feature some of my favourite leading women in movies." IMO the only thing missing from the elements that Annie contributed were leg warmers, but given how quickly I’ve taken to the song I’ll let that minor detail slide.

Hockeysmith LIVE:

Jan 25th - FIVES, FALMOUTH
Mar 8th - Falmouth University, FALMOUTH  (supporting Bellatrix)

[SONG OF THE DAY] Mansionair - "Shadows"

photo credit: Jess Gleeson

Am I an influencer, y’all?

I’m not entirely sold that I am, but I’m also not sold that I’m NOT.

I swear to Sheezus that I’m not tryna get a big head from this, but damn if this isn’t a cray coincidence.

Late-ish last year I recounted that 3 years prior while scoping the band out at Pianos that I had fallen for an unreleased “piano song that broke my heart” and asked Sydney-synth rockers Mansionair what happened to the only song from their set that had me so shook that I needed to make a note of the name of it.

attn @Mansionair whatever happened to that song “Shadows” y’all were playing in 2015? I stumbled into this old show recap where I was apparently deeply moved by it https://t.co/BvFyoaAqkl

— Some Kind Of Awesome (@SKoABlog) October 19, 2018

Fast-forward to this past week when the song finally surfaced along with the announcement that their long anticipated debut full-length, ironically enough titled Shadowboxer, will be dropping on March 1st courtesy of Liberation Records. According to the band, apparently the album is about, “acknowledging that we are often our own opponent, and learning to accept our inner shadows – the ones we try so hard to ignore. It’s a record about deciding to lift our gaze from the darkness and acknowledge the light that shapes us.” They went on, “It bookends our first years of discovering who we are and what we wanted Mansionair to be, as we pushed through insecurities, uncertainties and moments of relief. It’s as much a diary of our first three years working together as friends as it is about making every mistake possible together.”

The band will be hitting the road prior to the release of Shadowboxer, hitting a few Laneway Festival dates in February before doing their first ever US headline run in March, which includes their performance at Coachella. Although I continue to harp on how Australian bands are worth importing into the US, they’re only one of a few on the festival’s bill.

Given the patience and amount of work the trio has put in over the course of the past three years, I can see 2019 being their year for sure. Here’s hoping. 💖

SHADOWBOXER TRACKLIST:

1. EST.

2. Alibi

3. Easier

4. Technicolour

5. Heartbeat

6. Astronaut (Something About Your Love)

7. Violet City

8. We Could Leave

9. Shadows

10. Waiting Room

11. Falling

12. Sierra

13. Harlem

14. Best Behaviour

15. I Won’t Take No For An Answer

16. Heirloom

[SONG OF THE DAY] Methyl Ethel - "Trip The Mains"

We’re only a few weeks away from album #3 from one of Australia’s finest exports, Methyl Ethel. The latest offering, “Trip The Mains” is a moody little pysch-pop number that glitches in all the right places. Singer and band mastermind Jake Webb says of the track, “behind every eye-twitch, a depleted mainframe barely pulses. ‘Trip The Mains’ is my moment of short circuiting.”  In addition to the track the band has also unveiled an accompanying video featuring Webb being suspended in time, defying the laws of gravity, and crashing into beds.

Good news for folks who don’t live down under: the band will hitting the road in the US with TEEN in March. Tickets are on sale now so get ‘em while the getting’s good. You can also pre-order Triage now before the album drops on February 15th.

Methyl Ethel — 2019 Tour Dates
3/14/19 – Heaven, London, UK
3/19/19 – The Echo, Los Angeles, CA*
3/20/19 – Cafe Du Nord, San Francisco, CA*
3/22/19 – Mississippi Studios, Portland, OR*
3/23/19 – Barboza, Seattle, WA*
3/25/19 – Schubas, Chicago, IL
3/27/19 – The Garrison, Toronto, ON
3/29/19 – Elsewhere, Brooklyn, NY*
3/30/19 – DC9, Washington, DC*

* – w/ TEEN

[SONG OF THE DAY] Copeland - "Lay Here"

It is absolutely freezing in New York but I am still in my pajamas curled up under the covers listening to the latest Copeland single, “Lay Here”, and honestly I kind of never want this moment to stop.

Since I was a literal #teen, frontman Aaron Marsh’s voice has always made me feel like sunshine was coating my insides and this latest track from their forthcoming sixth studio album, Blushing, is no exception to that. I’ve known for the majority of my life that this band had maximum stay power and having the opportunity to witness the evolution of their songwriting and arrangements from day one when they released their debut album Beneath Medicine Tree is something I have never taken for granted for a single second.

Blushing follows the band’s 2014 release, Ixora and will be available for you to snuggle up with in its entirety on February 15th. The band will also be hitting the road with From Indian Lakes and Many Rooms. I am going to assume that my all time favorite fellas routed their tour to make sure that they were in at Gramercy Theater as close to my birthday as possible. I certainly can’t think of a better way to celebrate, tbh.

Upcoming Copeland Tour Dates:

w/ From Indian Lakes & Many Rooms

February 8 - Austin, TX @ Barracuda (Outdoors)

February 9 - Dallas, TX @ Curtain Club

February 10 - Houston, TX @ The Secret Group

February 12 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade Hell

February 13 - Birmingham, AL @ Saturn

February 14 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East

February 15 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat's Cradle

February 16 - Virginia Beach, VA @ Elevation 27

February 17 - Charlotte, NC @ Amos' Southend

February 19 - Lake Park, FL @ Kelsey Theater

February 20 - Tampa, FL @ The Orpheum

February 21 - Orlando, FL @ The Beacham

March 23 - St. Louis, MO @ Off Broadway

March 24 - Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room

March 26 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater

March 27 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge

March 29 - Portland, OR @ Bossanova Ballroom

March 31 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos

April 2 - San Francisco, CA @ Slim's

April 3 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Regent

April 5 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House

April 6 - Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge

April 7 - Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad

April 9 - Lawrence, KS @ The Bottleneck

April 10 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater

April 11 - Chicago, IL @ The Bottom Lounge

April 12 - Detroit, MI @ The Pike Room

April 13 - Columbus, OH @ Skully's Music Diner

April 14 - Toronto, ON, @ Lee's Palace

April 16 - Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall

April 17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Theatre of Living Arts

April 18 - New York, NY @ Gramercy Theater

April 19 - Washington, DC @ Union Stage

[SONG OF THE DAY] Pat Lok x Party Pupils - "From The Back (feat. Dances With White Girls)"

IT’S VIBE O’CLOCK ON FRIDAY, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DANCING TO THIS WEEKEND YET?!

Actually don’t stress, as always I gotchu fam.

We got a Twitter fam party up in today y’all! Vancouver’s finest, Pat Lok, has teamed up with LA future-funk duo Party Pupils for the soon-to-be floor filler, “From The Back” featuring the vocal stylings of one of my favorite all-time follows, Dances With White Girls. Seriously, no one rants like Dances.

I’m not exaggerating about it being a Twitter party, btw. That’s actually how Pat and Party Pupils first linked up. As Pat shared, “I had been following PP on Twitter and saw they were talking about an A-Ha remix, so I reached out and sent them some piano ideas for it and that was how we connected. A few months ago we finally met backstage at Electric Forest in Michigan where were both performing and hit it off.” After playing out the demos from a session in LA they did together to audiences in the US and Asia, they collectively decided to enlist Dances to finish off the track with his vocals as “the cherry on top” to the song.

I love when Twitter can be the result of wonderful things like this instead of serving as a place where white supremacists roam free. It’s stories like this that keep me from taking a cheese grater to my hashtag tattoo tbh.

Anyway off you go! Dance the night away!

Oh! And if you happen to be hashtag blessed enough to be in San Diego, Los Angeles, or Brooklyn in the coming weeks you can catch both Pat and Party Pupils live (and livetweet the entire experience if your heart so desires)!

PAT LOK LIVE DATES

January 20th : San Diego (secret location)

January 25th : Los Angeles (The Morroccan) / Sold out

February 2nd : Brooklyn (Elsewhere)

[SONG OF THE DAY] Jakuzi - "Şüphe"

Photo credit: Aylin Gungor

OH MY GOTH Y’ALL WE’VE GOT ANOTHER SKOA FIRST!

Layer on more eyeliner and put on your darkest lipstick if that is your thing (I know you’re already wearing all black), we’re about to join Istanbul creatures of the night Jakuzi for an all night dark wave dance party with "Şüphe", the lead single from their forthcoming sophomore album, Hata Payı, which will be out on April 5th courtesy of City Slang. Like every smart band does for an album launch, the band has also unveiled an accompanying video for the song, which follows the somewhat tumultuous relationship of a pair of dancers over the course of the song.

Y’all I am deadass SMITTEN with this band and I have no fucking clue what they’re saying. This is like when I fell in love with Sigur Ros only this time I want to dance like Molly Ringwald late into the night.

In true Kibbe fashion, I’ve spent a lot of time looking more into this band that stumbled into my inbox and learning about the Turkish underground music scene is SO FASCINATING and makes me love this band even harder. Apparently Turkish music, specifically male-fronted bands aren’t exactly known for being introspective. With that in mind, singer Kutay Soyocak made it a point to not just write more vulnerable songs, but to further express himself as a Turkish musician by choosing to sing in Turkish as well. While this choice poses a handful of limitations for the band (there’s not a huge punk/dark wave scene in Turkey, there are no Turkish dark wave-type playlists on Spotify for the band to be discovered on, etc.), they’ve managed to garner a fair amount of praise for their debut album, Fantezi Müzik and have even had the opportunity to play sold-out shows with their hero John Maus.

Their new album, Hati Payı' (which literally translates to “a part of the mistake”), is a deeper dive into the the intimate themes that were briefly explored in Fantezi Müzik. Speaking about his personal journey creating this record, Kutay said, “I think my own melancholy is coming from where I live. This can be seen in the lyrics. I feel dark, lost and lonely. The country that I’m living in just puts me in these feelings. The economy and politics here feels like life without hope.” He went on, “The future is dark for us in here. Trying to keep our hopes high and continuing what we do. The audience is getting bigger every day and they support us and it is just pure love in our gigs.”

Produced by Taner Yücel and recorded in Istanbul, Hati Payı is all about acceptance of every community, gender, race, sexuality. It’s also about the acceptance of yourself and dealing with the demons that come with being alive in the modern day.

*SWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON*

[SONG OF THE DAY] Jerry Williams - "David At The Bar"

Ready for a nice swift kick in the feels today, fam?

No?

Too damn bad.

Portsmouth singer-songwriter Jerry Williams released a track late last week about an experience she had striking up a conversation with a stranger at a bar. “It’s one of the most honest songs I’ve ever written,” Williams reveals, “I just felt this weird, bizarre connection to this man.” In one of the more eye watering simple yet painfully intimate stories I’ve heard in song form, she went on to share the gist of their conversation. “He said, ‘If you write a song about me I promise I’ll give up drink’”, she explains, “and I said, ‘You should give up drink anyway, but I will’. The next day this song was written, I haven’t found him to tell him but I would love to find him.” She also revealed that didn’t even bother to change his name for the song, so wherever David is, here’s hoping he’s doing a lot better than he was that day. 💖

For those heading to SXSW you’ll be able to catch Williams at the conference. More updates on all of that coming soon.