Deaf Club Newydd

Deaf Club, as seen through the camera of Eliot Humphreys

Look at that, Deaf Club have released a snippet from their upcoming single. It is called Moving Still and it's out on July 16 (limited vinyl and download).

If you go here you can read pretty much exactly what I just said but in snazzy red letters with a nice picture in the background. It all looks very cool and there are some some links to Twitter and Soundcloud etc.

As far as it is possible to tell, Moving Still will be brooding stuff. Sitting on the edge of epic in a similar way to 2011's slow-burning Lull. A dictionary definition grower.

It was a very likeable EP that evoked images of Beach House stabbed with Joy Division and post punk basslines.

If you want to hear more and buy stuff get yourself over to deafclub.bandcamp.com

DRKMTR, Daily Post, June 22.

The article (below) appeared in the Daily Post last week. DRKMTR play Telford’s Warehouse in Chester on July 12. You should go. For more details go right here.

DRKMTR is the brainchild of Sophie McKeand, Steve Nicholls and Andy Garside. Perhaps more of a project than a band in the traditional sense, it is an experiment in poetry, sound and art.
If that doesn’t sound intriguing, they perform live backed by a mountain of TVs – all piled up like an US 80s second hand store.
“The idea is a concept album, the poetry sets a theory for the origins of dark matter,” explains Mold poet Sophie McKeand. “We wanted it to be art based, a whole experience. With the poetry and music it is not traditional. The music is more soundscapes than anything full of dis-ambient noises.
“It is poetry noise, if you like, although some of the sounds are quite beautiful. the poems are quite earthy with regards to the message. That’s contrasted with very industrial sounds.”
Distinctly conceptual, it is easy to see how label intervention could dilute the vision or message. McKeand says it is a scenario DRKMTR have avoided.
“The idea was inspired by Peter Saville and the work he did for Factory Records... Bands like Crass as well. We’re very punk and have that ideology of doing things for the love of it.”
As she ponders the project’s direction, accusations of pretension are also something the band have avoided – yet more through apathy than much else.
“People might say it’s pretentious but a band like Islet, who are one of my favourite acts, have been accused of that. The way I see it is a band doing what they want and not compromising on their vision or sound – you need that in music and art. It’s boring otherwise.”
She says the process of accompanying poems – some of which are three years old – with music and visuals has been enlightening.
“For some I had no idea what they would sound like when put to music. Others were different. The poem Deep, which is about the ocean, has this very deep bass and vibration. It just feels like you’re lost in the ocean. But Steve [Nicholls, sound and production] has managed to do it without it being twee.
“Andy [Garside, art and visuals] has done the same. It is a little difficult to explain how that works but it stands apart from when, maybe, people do something like interpretive dance.”
Pulling together the work from DRKMTR’s, so far, brief existence, the concept and process seems to have been planned and executed meticulously. In reality, that is roughly half true.
“It has been quite organic, we released the record before we’d even played a live show,” says McKeand. “It grew after we really liked the first results and then Andy came in and we made an album. People liked that so we decided ‘let’s do it live’.“That got a good response so we thought ‘bass and drums, let’s get those’.
“It seems to be growing so we’re just going to ride this wave while we’re enjoying it... I don’t know what we’d do for a second album, though.”

Golden Fable newydd

Golden Fable lying on the ground

A pleasant end-of-the-week surprise, Golden Fable have some new material out. Sugarloaf is a shining slice of gossamer pop. Really, quite disarmingly, lovely.
Warm and lush, there is still a hint of Elizabeth Fraser in the vocals. The duo steer wisely clear of swooping and operatic, favouring ethereal and haunting. Haunting in a warm way, of course. Nice ghost.


This is ace.

Pretty Places no more

Pretty Places

Pretty Places are no more. Although low key, C86/Sarah Records/Field Mice indebted indie pop is rarely something that is going to set the world on fire, they really were a little beam of sunshine poking out of the clouds above Anglesey.
Two songs -- Miracle Girl and You See What I See -- I can't find on the internet jangled along like the coolest of summer breezes. The soundtrack to some grainy Super 8 footage, C86 tapes, pin badges, fanzines and hand-drawn posters. A simpler time, you might say.
Two thirds of the group have now formed Memory Clinic. So look out for that.

DRKMTR got records

DRKMTR

DRKMTR, who feature in today's Daily Post available in all good newsagents, released an album at the beginning of the year.
I'll put up the interview sometime soon but for the time being here is a trailer for the record which you can buy here.
It's a mix of poetry, noise and impressive visuals. They also perform in front of a load of piled up TVs.
They will be playing at Telford's Warehouse in Chester on July 12.


DRKMTR promo from theABSURD on Vimeo.

Sex Hands Newydd

Llanfairfechan by way of Dwygyfylchi by way of Conwy by way of Manchester's Sex Hands have contributed four songs to a 12" split with Pawz, Dolfinz and Waiters. It's all been put together by Song, by Toad and can be purchased here.
You can listen to Sex Hands' tracks below:

Shy and the Fight EP / Popty Ping

Shy and the Fight have a nice new shiny orange record out. It is the first release from the label Popty Ping.

One of the most striking things about the band is how little pretence there is behind them. Perhaps striking is the wrong word, but in terms of approach they seem unconcerned with subtlety or subversion tactics. Unless I’m missing something, All That We See Or Seem is boldly uncynical. Sonically, the track is brassy and wholesome and, for the most part, stays away from being a little too sugary sweet.

The B side, Breaks, is better. It works itself into the kind of euphoric outro that doesn’t warrant a raised and clenched fist. You sway, going nowhere in particular. It is delicate and quite lovely.

Listen HERE and purchase it HERE.

This is them performing the A side at Wychwood Festival a week or so ago

Shy and the Fight will also be interviewed on Bethan Elfyn's BBC Radio Wales show on Saturday. Tuune in.