Category: Music
The Goa Express release their long-awaited self-titled debut album on the 1st of December. It’s preceded by their anthemic new single ‘It’s Never Been Better’ on the 27th of November.
By Ceri Shaw, 2023-10-23
The Goa-Express’s self titled debut album is a document that encapsulates growing up, their spirit of friendship and dreams of escape. They create a wall of sound, riven with infectious harmonies, waves of psych laden guitars and playful rhythms, it’s constantly refreshing at every turn. With echoes of the youthful supercharged melodies of early Supergrass, the unstoppable rhythms of early Psychedelic Furs or the loose dreamy melodic qualities of the La’s, yet theirs is a unique combination only captured by these five friends in a room and very much a sound of today.
Ahead of dates in December, The Goa Express are excited to finally announce their long-awaited and unmissable self-titled debut album this December. Preceded by the addictive hook laden new single ‘It’s Never Been Better’ on the 27th of November, the oldest song on the album, this bold, swaggering singalong is hoisted aloft on a tidal wave of chiming guitars, widescreen drums and bass, that shudder into your solar plexus. This song is a gloriously catchy lament to summer’s spent together. “‘It’s Never Been Better’ existed for many years as a home demo on GarageBand”, say the band. “Reinvigorated in the studio, the song is a match made in heaven for the summer months and reminds us of the moments we used to spend together with those who ended up going different ways.”
Part Time Signals debut album 'Another Day In Paradise' out 20th October via Bubblewrap
By Ceri Shaw, 2023-10-16
Cardiff Alternative band 'Part Time Signals' are set to release their brand new debut album 'Another Day In Paradise' on the 13th of October via Bubblewrap collective.
Awst shares homemade video for new single 'Afallon' a snapshot of bittersweet childhood memories
By Ceri Shaw, 2023-09-27
Awst is the project of Eryri musician Cynyr Hamer. Awst returns with bittersweet new single 'Afallon’ a hazy wistful song about not being able to recapture childhood memories of long hot summers in the 90s, spending time with family in his grandparents home. Hamer says “over the years our grandparents' home has become like a mythical magical place which exists only in our memories, like the mythical story of Avalon.”
With a redolent, glowing, psych tinged strum and lilting vocals, it’s a wistful and gorgeous window into childhood and fond memories. The accompanying video is a snapshot of that place and time, filmed by his dad through a larger camcorder in the early 1990s.
"And to be in the place of my home, now i seek for that place far within my memory"
Having been involved in various other bands over the years, such as Worldcub, Hippies Vs Ghosts, and We Are Animal, Awst is Cynyr's more personal solo brainchild. Active since 2021, a handful of releases are already under the belt, including debut album 'Haul/Lloer' follow up self titled album 'Awst' and newly released album' Mewn Côf'. All released within a year.
Awst's songs are crafted from acoustic melodies, layered with dreamy guitars and synths, with the occasional horn sections. The material is written and recorded entirely by Cynyr on a tascam multitrack recorder in a caravan up in the Eryri hills. The songs are recorded almost always on first takes, keeping the live element of excitement of playing the parts for the first time, with spontaneity, playfulness and freedom captured in the music. The songs often conjure up nostalgic feelings at the end of summer, capturing bittersweet memories and sounds.
Having played electro-acoustic sets at numerous shows in the past year, including FOCUS Wales Festival and FOCUS Wales’ Dydd Miwsig Cymru event, Awst set out to release his third album, with the single 'Hafan' being the first to appear, followed by second single 'Aros Tan Ddydd', 'Afallon'; is the third and final single to be released from his summer album release titled 'Mewn Côf'.
Cardiff Alternative band 'Part Time Signals' are set to release their brand new debut album 'Another Day In Paradise' on the 13th of October via Bubblewrap collective.
GIITTV 20th anniversary event: Adwaith, Chroma, Carwyn Ellis, The Honest Poet, papaya noon, Half Happy & Kaptin (DJ)
By Ceri Shaw, 2023-09-06
To mark twenty years since God Is In The TV Zine started, we are throwing a party at The Gate, in Cardiff on Saturday 30th September 2023, featuring incredible bands and artists. The bill includes the two-time Welsh Music Prize winners and GIITTV favourites Adwaith who will be headlining. Main support comes from bilingual noise pop trio Chroma fresh from supporting Foo Fighters and ahead of the release of their debut album Ask for Angela this October. They will be joined by master Welsh songsmith Carwyn Ellis of Rio 18, Colorama and The Pretenders live band, who will be playing an exclusive stripped back set, plus emerging artist The Honest Poet , who blends soul, hip hop, and pop into personal songs full of heart.
Igam-Ogam is one of Mali Hâf's favorite Welsh words, so he decided to write a song with this title. She identifies with the reality she describes and believes it is onamatopoeia. He has a lot of fun dancing energetically to the song when it's live.
Lyrics 'IGAM OGAM'
ZIGZAG ZIGZAG
MALI HAF IN THE PRESS
'Mali Hâf takes us on a most experimental sound journey while immersing us in electronic Pop sounds that she dominates with an irresistibly catchy voice!'
- ExtraVAFrench
Pseudo Cool release brand new 'Sharp's Catching Waves' single on Friday 11th August
By Ceri Shaw, 2023-08-08
Indie Punk band 'Pseudo Cool' release their brand new 'Sharp's Catching Waves' single Independently on Friday 11th August. It's an empowering homage to 1970's Welsh surfer Linda Sharp.
Inviting you back to the polluted skyline of 1970s Port Talbot, Pseudo Cool return with their latest single ‘Sharp’s Catching Waves’.
‘I felt both uncomfortable and thrilled. That’s exactly what I’m looking for!’
Pseudo Cool are a ‘Dirty Pop’ band from Maesteg, South Wales.
Witty, punchy and raw with influences ranging from The Clash to Lily Allen.
AWAY WE GO' is the fourth single and video in a series of five music videos to be released by the band from their acclaimed album ‘Druids and Bards’ - created by award winning Ukrainian Filmmaker Taras Merenkov and filmed by Jason Griffith .
Notably, Taras Merenkov won an award for the video he shot for the band for their video for ‘The Hurt Within’ and we can see history repeating itself with the video for ‘Away We Go’.
Merenkov's hazy cinematic style of direction really emphasises and captures the very essence of the music and makes a formidable accompanying visual, filmed on location in the band’s local vicinity in Wales.
As mentioned above, 'AWAY WE GO' is taken from the band’s critically acclaimed album 'Druids and Bards ' which is out now via Welsh label 'Yr Wyddfa Records'
‘Druids and Bards’ has been championed by Gary Crowley on BBC Radio London and playlisted on Amazing Radio's A List, Steve Lamacq on BBC 6 Music and with BBC Radio Wales support from Huw Stephens and Adam Walton . It's fair to say that North Wales Psych-Rock Band Holy Coves have had quite the year!
Through long time friend and Producer David Wrench (just mixed the new BLUR album), 'Holy Coves' were put in touch with Texan Producer Erik Wofford ( The Black Angels / Explosions In The Sky ) and have built quite a magical working relationship, one where Wofford found himself on Mixing and Mastering duties for the ' Druids And Bards' album and it has certainly contributed massively to their new sound and ethos.
The track ‘AWAY WE GO’ is the work of Welsh Singer/Songwriter, Scott Marsden and was Recorded at Pehhesgyn Hall Studios, Menai Bridge Anglesey, Produced by Scott Marsden, John Lawrence (Gorky Zycotic Mynci ) & Owain Ginsberg ( We Are Animal / Hippies vs Ghosts) and Mixed by Erik Wofford (The Black Angels) in Austin Texas USA.
Scott has said of the inspiration behind the track and video:
“The line ‘ All I see is you and me ‘ was written for my wife. She's my soulmate,
We’ve been through so much together, Whenever I sing this I think of her.”
And further
“ This record is about stepping out of the darkness and into the light”
The physical copies of the Druids and Bards album sold out within just two months and the band are set to release another coloured vinyl pressing shortly.
This year has also seen Holy Coves touring the whole of the UK and they have plans to do so again before the end of the year. During their earlier tour of the UK they took in festivals such as the Isle Of Wight Festival where they enjoyed playing to a packed out tent on the This Feeling stage.
SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
Hyll i ryddhau eu halbwm cyntaf 'Sŵn o’r Stafell Arall' ddydd Gwener 28 Gorffennaf ar Recordiau JigCal.
01. Bore Dydd Gwener
02. Hanner Marathon
03. Coridor
04. Mewn Cariad
05. Mike
06. North Parade
07. Yr Unig Ffordd Mewn i'r Pwll Yw Neidio
08. Na
09. Galar
10. Weekender Forever
Silent Forum new 'TREAT YOURSELF' single released tomorrow via Libertino Records
By Ceri Shaw, 2023-07-11
Silent Forum release their most unashamedly poppy single to date, Treat Yourself, coming out on 11 July via Libertino Records. Treat Yourself is a mixture of revealing, uncomfortable lyrics paired with animated, uplifting pop instrumentation. You can hear the band having a great time playing around in much poppier territory than they are used to - this is as bubblegum as they're ever going to get.
Treat Yourself is the classic mixture of revealing, uncomfortable lyrics paired with animated, uplifting pop instrumentation. You can hear the band having a ball playing around in much poppier territory than they are used to. “Why don’t you treat yourself to a little self love / You matter, you matter so much / You don’t matter, you matter”.