Blogs
‘PAYDAY’ is the relentless first single from Minas’s debut album “All My Love Has Failed Me”
By Ceri Shaw, 2021-05-27
‘Payday’ incorporates a clash of punk and electronica that James Minas as a producer has crafted over the course of three years alongside his band (bassist Bob Williams and drummer Greg Davies). It’s a skewed sideways track with a simplistic yet aggressive bass and drum combination sitting unrelentingly under a strung out, spitting vocal performance.
Taking influence from the DIY punk of Shellac and experimental electronica from Burial, Minas has combined a wide lineage of influence, as well as considering new sounds and messages from the likes of Slowthai and Sleaford Mods. This combination, plus further strong inspiration from The Prodigy and Deftones, makes up a musical, lyrical and thematic basis on which Minas has threaded through stories both grounded in his own reality and conjured up to reflect the state of society.
‘Payday’ digs into frustration and angst with a crooked grin attached. Self deprecating humour describes an almost idle boredom marked by depravity and desperation. Its chorus speaks to the title “I get paid Friday, trust me I am good for it” Minas howls over the increasing noise of his band. (...continues)
The last year has been Minas’s most prolific, releasing two singles ‘ Drinker ’ and “ Burner ” (both with forward thinking music videos and playlisted by Dummy magazine) as well as the EP ‘ Nudge ’, written, recorded and released in a span of a couple of months in lockdown. Minas was also granted BBC Horizons Launchpad funding in cooperation with the Arts Council Of Wales. This has afforded him the opportunity to create a unique recorded live show during a time where his charged, manic, crowd-fueled sets aren’t possible. Set within the walls of a circus rehearsal space in what was once a Cardiff chapel, the three piece band played through the album to no one. The show is set to be released with the album later this year.
Social Media - @minassound - Facebook / Instagram / Twitter
LYRICS
I was dragging my ass across the floor like a dog, mate.
You got like 4 and I’ll pay you later? Mate?
He was like “you’ve had 6 off me this week bruv!” Mate!
Ha this tolerance mate it’s gone up init.
Though…
...
I get paid Friday, I get paid Friday, I get paid Friday.
Trust me I am good for it.
Trust me I am good for it.
I get paid Friday, I get paid Friday, I get paid Friday.
Trust me I am good for it.
Trust me I am good for it.
...
My housemates staying in his room,
We’re blasting tunes, I mix up codeine in the kitchen while he munches his noodles.
My parents were punks and I’m being youthful,
What is this revelation, we’re all stuck on phones, you’ll get run over,
I used to break shit to fix things.
...
I get paid Friday, I get paid Friday, I get paid Friday.
Trust me I am good for it.
Trust me I am good for it.
I get paid Friday, I get paid Friday, I get paid Friday.
Trust me I am good for it.
Trust me I am good for it.
viA fAntAsticA shares video for insistent robot pop earworm 'Row Town(Roath)' inspired by Cardiff communities
By Ceri Shaw, 2021-05-26
Wales is the first country in the world to have a continuous footpath stretching along its entire coastline – 870 miles or 1,400 km long. Weatherman Walking: The Welsh Coast contains 15 guided walks along the Wales Coast Path, each between 4 and 8 miles. They cover a good geographical spread of the coastal path around Wales, with walks in Pembrokeshire, the Llŷn Peninsula, Anglesey, Gower, Glamorgan Heritage Coast, Denbighshire and Ceredigion. [Full list of walks to be found below].
“I am so lucky to present a programme like Weatherman Walking . Not only do I visit many beautiful places but I also get to meet and work with lots of wonderful and talented people! Wales is such as beautiful country and each area has something unique to offer – from the light of Anglesey to the spectacular Pembrokeshire coastline, each section is full of history, myths and the wildlife. I hope you enjoy the book and the walks featured!” said Derek Brockway.
“This is the first time I have worked with ‘Derek the Weather’ and it’s been an absolute joy. His passion for Wales and walking has been infectious, and it’s been wonderful to see the great affection the Welsh public has for him,” says Julia Foot, the Series Producer of Weatherman Walking: The Welsh Coast for BBC Wales. “I have personally walked every one of the walks in this book, often with locals or path rangers who have given me a real understanding of the particular identity of that section of Coast Path, including the wildlife, history and secrets they hold. These people have helped bring the various coastal stretches to life, so they are no longer just 2D sections of an OS maps.”
Each walk has its own chapter and includes an OS route map and essential information for walkers as well as directions. Most walks can be paired, meaning that they can either be done separately or as one long continuous hike. Each chapter presents lots of interesting information about the landmarks that can be seen on each walk, as well as about unusual local activities or people that Derek came across in the related episode.
Derek Brockway
Derek Brockway was born in Barry, South Wales and has been passionately interested in the weather ever since he was a young boy. A qualified meteorologist, he was employed by the Met Office for 20 years and became the main weather forecaster for BBC Wales in 1997. He now presents a number of radio and television programmes, including Derek's Welsh Weather and Weatherman Walking . His leisure activities include walking, squash, skiing and leaning Welsh.
Julia Foot
Julia Foot has worked for the BBC for over 20 years as a researcher, Assistant Producer, Director and now Series Producer, and on a whole range of programmes, including with Ray Mears, DIY SOS , and for Comic Relief. In 2018 Julia was nominated for a BAFTA for an Antiques Roadshow special that she produced about the Holocaust.
List of walks
Where the walks are paired, they can be done together as one longer walk if preferred.
Abereiddy to Whitesands (Pembrokeshire)
Abersoch to Llanbedrog (Llŷn Peninsula)
Llanbedrog to Pwllheli (Llŷn Peninsula)
Beaumaris to Trwyn Du (Anglesey)
Trwyn Du to Red Wharf Bay (Anglesey)
Fall Bay to Port Eynon (Gower)
Port Eynon to Oxwich Bay (Gower)
Porthcawl to Merthyr Mawr (Glamorgan Heritage Coast)
Merthyr Mawr to Southerndown (Glamorgan Heritage Coast)
Saundersfoot to Amroth (Pembrokeshire)
Amroth to Pendine Sands (Pembrokeshire/Carmarthenshire)
Talacre to Prestatyn (Flintshire/Denbighshire)
Prestatyn to Rhyl (Denbighshire)
Ynyslas to Borth (Ceredigion)
Borth to Aberystwyth (Ceredigion)
‘Tom Auton has arrived and isn’t going anywhere but up.’ - New Sound Wales
‘Everything Tom touches turns to Gold!’ - David Owens, South Wales Echo
‘Tom’s a one-man wonder’ - Rock Coven
Tom Auton follows up to the much-adored Victim of the Groove, with a brand new single 9 til 9 which is OUT on Friday 28 May 2021 on all major streaming/download platforms.
Sonically, Tom delivers with another slab of thicc filthy bass to gurn your face, high energy and heavy blues riffs; all woven with Tom’s signature disco groove woven throughout to make your feet want to dance and take you to giddying heights. 9 til 9 was recorded at Longwave Studios, Cardiff, produced and mixed by ‘one-man wonder’ Tom himself, and mastered by Eddie Al-Shakarchi aka Ed Boogie (Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Boy Azooga) . Following on from the success of previous single Victim of the Groove, 2021 is shaping up to be a big year for Tom, with his first show back being with legendary Welsh indie-rockers band Feeder. Tom will open the huge outdoor show at Tredegar Park, Newport on Friday 9 July with his band The Bottlebreakers. Tickets are available HERE . The Cardiff based musician and his band also paid homage to one of their inspirations Royal Blood with their cover of Typhoons, which gained a seal of approval from Royal Blood themselves!
9 til 9 delves even deeper into Tom’s experience and struggles of being a self-releasing indie artist, the creative process and the theme of mental reliance.
“The Lyric ‘9 Til 9’ refers to a full 12 hour day that I spent analysing a song I had written. Trying to make it fit someone else’s idea of “the perfect song.”
“This song is about rejection and how I deal with it. For me, getting turned down from an opportunity or a job, and not getting feedback as to what you did wrong, sends me falling into an over analytical pit of ‘what did I do wrong’. So I wrote 9 Til 9 to rid my mind all of these questions that I conjure after getting turned down.” explains Tom.
Tom tells the story of ripping himself apart to gain approval from an unforgiving music industry with lyrics ‘now I’ve changed my clothes can I breathe your air?’ but rather than dwell for too long he channels this negative energy into his music and works around the clock to create his fresh sounding and incredibly catchy disco infused blues-rock anthems.
As Tom puts it “It can consume me to the point of wanting to change who I am, It’s a bit dark and gloomy, but I find writing about it makes for some really aggressive riffs. Every song of mine is born from anger and frustration, at things that have gone wrong in my life. The songs highlight the internal conflict I face with myself daily.
” In spite of lock downs hitting the music industry hard, Tom is living the true rock and roll dream; producing his own rock and blues records at the age of 21 from his own studio ‘The Syncopation Station’ (his parent’s living room). Tom’s produces and co-writes with a number of artists including Dan Owen, John Adams, Amber Leigh Irish and The Voice’s Chanel Yates & Jake O’Neil.
“Producing gave me the chance to make the most out of a bad situation and throw myself into my production work. I’ve been working 6 days a week since the start of lock down, mostly over zoom, on a plethora of new music from the artists that I work with. This has definitely helped to keep me sane.” says Tom.
Pre-Global pandemic, Tom was receiving critical success on his previous records with Mother Mary being added to one of the most prestigious playlists on Spotify All New Rock, BBC Introducing’s Adam Walton calling him “An Incredible Talent” and David Owens, South Wales Echo claiming “Everything Tom touches turns to Gold”
9 til 9 will be released on Friday 28 May on all major streaming/download platforms.
‘THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SMILE’ WALES’ BIGGEST FESTIVAL PROMOTERS ANNOUNCE EVOLUTION: ESCAPE RECORDS
The team behind Wales’ biggest events and festivals, including Inside Out and Colour Clash , have announced a major evolution for the company. Having previously operated as Climax Live, the launch of Escape Records is a huge development that sees the brand new record label, as well as all their existing festivals and club nights, fall under one exciting new brand. On top of this, there are bold plans firmly in motion for a brand new sure-to-be historic and much larger addition to their festival portfolio next year. Escape Records, then, is very much set to change the game in Wales and beyond.
This newest project from the team has already begun to pop up in various forms. You may have noticed a Batman-style light projecting a giant smiley face onto historic landmarks in major cities across Wales over the past few days? If you have, now you know why. This is the first of a number of inventive activations from the Escape Records team which you’ll see in the hills, streets and even clubs in the coming weeks and months, so keep your eyes and ears close to the ground.
Escape Records will officially launch on 17th May with the official launch party taking place one month later on 20/21 June, subject to all restrictions being lifted.
The Escape team has undoubtedly established themselves as the leading event promoters in Wales over recent years, launching and firmly establishing four festivals across the country; Inside Out, Colour Clash, Party At The Park and Escape, each with capacities ranging from 5000 to 20,000 people, with a huge new game-changing festival all set to be unveiled soon.
The collective have always strived to surround themselves and work with an array of amazing and creative people that are the heartbeat of what the brand stands for. Escape Records was very much a vision for the future, but after the enforced 2020 fallow year because of the pandemic, it now takes centre stage, as bold new challenges await whilst the team work on some very special new projects to be announced very soon.
Says Mark Hopkins, Director of Escape Records, “Our mantra is trust and love the process. This means we’ve had an incredible ride, with many knocks along the way, but we have learned from them all and improved each time and are now ready to take things to the next level. When this journey began, it was based in music and partying and the wider cultural impact in truth was not at the forefront of our minds. Fast forward 15 years and sadly the carefree attitude of youth is starting to escape us, but this space is now filled with a more meaningful purpose. The creation of our academy to support and bring through the next generation of music talent in South Wales, our range of charitable and project work most recently supporting the building of a home in Cambodia. Giving back in all its forms to our community, the industry further afield and making sure we embody that in all that we do.”
The launch of Escape Records is the first chapter in an exciting new story. Sign up here to keep up to date with all announcements and developments as the story unfolds.
...
SOCIALS
ABOUT ESCAPE RECORDS
The Escape Records team has roots that are deeply woven into the nightclub scene of Cardiff and the surrounding cities. Starting as students working for various other event companies, the team's passions were ignited and skills honed. As soon as they graduated from university, it was clear that working for corporate companies in the city was never going to work so together they formed their own small business. These young and creative minds paired with a determined work ethic led to huge early steps and major successes.
From the very smallest of spaces to the 3000 capacity venues of Greyfriars Road, the journey has been unique and enriching. Always determined to take a passion for music outside of four walls and into the open air, this manifested first in Newport through the creation of the Party At The Park and Colour Clash events. Immediately offering something new and different, the music community welcomed these parties with open arms and so Inside Out in Cardiff quickly followed, making an instant impact and achieving consistent growth and success since its inception in 2015. Escape in Swansea has since followed, with the team taking over the reins of the legacy brand in 2020 after a nine-year hiatus, breathing new life into one of the country’s most loved events, heavily credited for driving the emergence of dance music and the culture which went with it across the late 90s and beyond.
He'd never heard of replacement theory
but he was still sitting there
cowled in a no good hoodie
a cheap light grey like his complexion
he who used to receive final demands
by lowering a bucket from an upstairs window
unhinged by losing the family farm
to irresistible forces
to inevitability
those were the days
narrow old men trying to get the most
out of their narrow old tractors
slim and puny workhorses
when compared to the monsters
that superseded them
but still running on an idea
of efficiency through regular oiling
the treadmill of inheritance
the hoped-for success of repetition
their pinched sunned faces
squint at the diminishing returns
their loosening holdings
with sloping ploughed fields
whose pious furrows end in
mists that could conceal sea
sky a rainbow’s terminus
or Gawain’s green chapel
he won't budge until the undertaker
is booked and his pockets gone through
loss adjusted to nought
a vacated shell colonised
by curious new creatures
a beast among other beasts
brittle flinty had
Newport Events Presents
FEEDER
THE HOMECOMING!
Friday 9 July 2021
Feeder have announced they are coming home to perform in Newport’s Tredegar Park on Friday 9 th July 2021. Tickets will go on general sale from 10am Tuesday 4th May via www.newport-events.com . Support for the homecoming will come from special guests The Magic Gang and Welsh bands Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard and Tom Auton and the Bottle Breakers.
As ever, Grant Nicholas leads from the front, alongside bass player and comrade Taka Hirose. The British rock mainstays are responsible for some of the biggest British indie rock hits in the past twenty years. With 8 top #10 studio albums and 20 top #40 UK, the band are responsible for such anthems, ‘Just the Way I'm Feeling’, ‘Tumble and Fall’, ‘Just a Day’, ‘Feeling a Moment’ and the widely loved ‘Buck Rodgers’.
Since forming in 1994, Feeder have released ten studio albums, spanning early albums like Echo Park to Comfort of Sound and Renegades. The Welsh rock band's ninth album All Bright Electric came out in 2016 and the band released their most recent album Tallulah in 2019, which was met with critical acclaim. The album peaked at No. 4 on the UK Album Charts on release and was supported with singles 'Fear of Flying', 'Youth', 'Daily Habit' and 'Blue Sky Blue'
Feeder have come full circle. More than two decades after their first show the band are reinvigorated, tapping into the essential, primal energy that first inspired them.
Support for this huge event come from very special guests Brighton indie band The Magic Gang , whose second album ‘Death of a Party’ received critical and fan adoration worldwide; NME hailed it as ‘A timeless and genre-blurring record’. The line-up also sees two Welsh artists performing, first up is retro rock outfit Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, who have received prestigious air play from BBC Radio 1’s Annie Mac, Jack Saunders and Huw Stephens and disco-infused blues rock from Tom Auton & the Bottle Breakers.
Feeder will perform at Tredegar Park, Newport on Friday 9 th July 2021.
Tickets will go on general sale 10am Tuesday 4 th May via www.newport-events.com
On his laden career bicycle
Johnny Onions or Sioni Winwns
meets paramours and cousins
the names the lives of names
the routes of commerce
way from Armorica to corner Cymru
an unnamed lorry driver
flat cap trim moustache
hooded eyes 1956
registration number PO 5384
brake lights brighten pre dawn hedgerows
in the squeal of stopping
on a stretch where the farm is unseen
he carefully steers metal milk churns
from the concrete stand
to the flatbed of his vehicle
replacing them with empties
the mornings will lighten then darken
then back again for this employee
dependable essential anonymous
on leaving these lanes forever or so
our Emrys as Ambrose as Ambrosius
us as Arthur yr arth the bear
is he with Glyndwr awaiting the perfect dawn?
I don't know but sometimes pretend I do
to conceal my plastic bag full of fault lines
I don't happen I don't occur I don't figure
I a mere carrier of bags
a haunter of yesterday's hedges
nearly everything’s changed
but the grass still grows
in places it should and should not
and the land that sustains it is unmoved
I walk away from away
I thought I recognised you
but I was someone else
Dawn-Song announce physical version of 'For Morgan' album Out 28th June | Share Single
By Ceri Shaw, 2021-04-16
Released physically via Ffynnone Records on the 28th of May, 'For Morgan', the beautiful debut album by Dawn-Song will be available on Limited Edition Vinyl and Compact Disc.
Come with us on an epic journey from Dark to Light, an extraordinary tale of total excess to finding ones inner calm, a musical time-capsule 'For Morgan' is an audio letter from Father to Son. Welshman Nick Evans originally from Penarth, South Wales found himself in the centre of London's consuming Music Business in the 90's. His Elemental Records a pioneering Label was home to Alabama 3, Rocket From The Crypt amounst others.
"I made an album of my songs with some wonderful collaborators over the last couple of years. When I’m gone I wanted to continue to be able to sing for my son Morgan if he needed me. My father published a small book of poetry before he died and if I’m missing him a lot I read a bit of it and I feel reconnected. I also wanted to make something my mother could enjoy. So the record is for Morgan" - Nick Evans AKA Dawn-Song
Links Online
facebook.com/dawnSongforMorgan
instagram.com/nickypevans
theconsciousfire.tumblr.com
twitter.com/NickypEvans
Freyja Elsy's "off the scale evocative" debut single 'Lungs' - out Friday April 23rd
By Ceri Shaw, 2021-04-14
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The debut single ‘LUNGS’ from Freyja Elsy - an epic, yet introspective look at the end of a relationship.
Freyja Elsy is an independent singer songwriter and composer with a nomadic past and a sound that pushes into the future. Creating songs with a keen ear whilst pursuing music education, she found herself within the vibrant, engaging Cardiff scene. Through both outside musical influence and internal personal conflict she started to establish a clear identity, forging a path forward to create ‘ Lungs ’, her first single.
Based around very real, very intimate voice recordings, ‘ Lungs’ starts small and reserved, fragile in its form and structure. The track slowly unfolds and develops into rising crescendos alongside uncompromising percussion. A mixture of glitchy synthesisers and rising strings interweave around Elsy’s voice, which sits unwavering and steadfast. Her bold lyrics are strong in the face of a contrasting anguish found in the recordings nestled within the music.
With other musical endeavours in the form of collaborations within the band Blue Amber, alongside orchestral compositions performed by members of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales and thematic interludes created for commercial use - this single is her first, strikeout release and sets the course for a prolific career ahead.
