Track Of The Day: Shoun Shoun – ‘Sway With Me’

Following the release of their genre-defying do-it-yourself debut, Monsters & Heroes, Shoun Shoun’s (‘shoon-shoon’) lead vocalist and guitarist Annette Berlin ventured out into the woods to direct the music video for ‘Sway with Me‘; a droning, fuzz-drenched art-punk experiment.

‘Sway with Me’ – one of many highlights from the Bristol-based four-piece’s psychedelic LP – shimmers in ethereal feedback, disorienting the listener with its soft-loud-soft dynamic. Opening with delicate lo-fi rhythm, Giuseppe La Rezza’s percussive groove and Ole Rudd’s infectious bass-line build to a crescendo of unpredictable post-punk noise. Piercing through its psychedelic melody, Boris Ming’s abrasive violin strings complements Berlin’s eccentric, distorted guitar riffs and evocative lyrics – “Feel your way through time and space.”

Created with the assistance of Adam Hillmann, Sam Wisternoff, and Caleb Bruce, Berlin’s gothic music video for ‘Sway with Me’ hearkens back to both the silent-era of German expressionism and the golden age of home video; a curiosity presented in scratched monochrome, broadcast decades later on cable TV, recorded onto VHS, and rediscovered during a midnight viewing of Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Like the track itself, Berlin’s visual language exemplifies the DIY ethos of the band, complementing Shoun Shoun’s idiosyncratic sound. ‘Sway with Me’ – or its German reprise as Monsters & Heroes closer ‘Schwing Mit Mir’ – is an experimental livewire shock to the senses. The perfect introduction to Shoun Shoun’s uncompromising ingenuity.

Ken Wynne
@Ken_Wynne

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Track Of The Day: Tokky Horror – ‘Jazz Music’

A two minute blast of hyperactive beats, catchy lyrical refrains and jungle-inspired electronics, Merseyside-based punk-rave trio Tokky Horror have shared their latest single ‘Jazz Music’. Capturing the chaotic spirit of the genre the track is ironically named after, the band put their own spin on things via their relentless rhythms, manic synths and buzzing bass lines.

Formed of producer Zee Davine (previously Queen Zee) and dual vocalists Mollie Rush and Ava Akira, Tokky Horror formed virtually at first, sending demo’s back and forth online to entertain themselves during the pandemic. The band playfully coined their sound as “virtual hardcore”, as founder Ava Akira explains “the only way for city kids to rave in 2020 was on the internet.” Since then, the band have released their debut EP, I Found The Answers And Now I Want More and they’ve toured extensively performing multiple shows across the UK.

Newly signed to FMLY Agency, Tokky Horror are now gearing up for another run of UK shows that are sure to keep fans “coming back for my jazz” if their new single is anything to go by. Full dates – including support slots with Wargasm & CLT DRP – are below.

 

Follow Tokky Horror on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

TOKKY HORROR UK Live Dates 2022
05.09 – Tunbridge Wells, Forum with Wargasm
06.09 – Glasgow, Hug & Pint with CLT DRP
07.09 – Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s with CLT DRP
08.09 – Newcastle, The Cluny with CLT DRP
09.09 – Hull, The Adelphi with CLT DRP
18.11 – Wolverhampton, North Street Social
19.11 – Bristol, Old Market Assembly
24.11 – London, New Cross Inn
25.11 – London, DM-4-Address
26.11 – Liverpool, Quarry

Photo Credit: Joe Guppy

Kate Crudgington
@kcbobcut

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Track Of The Day: BRUTUS – ‘Victoria’

Raw vocals, charged percussion and rapturous riffs punctuate ‘Victoria’, the latest single from Belgian heavy trio Brutus. Taken from their upcoming third album Unison Life, which is set for release on 21st October via Hassle Records/Sargent House, the track is a cathartic reflection on teenage angst, inevitable growth, and the solidarity that comes from facing up to these parts of life together.

“‘Victoria’ is about getting older,” explains vocalist and drummer Stefanie Mannaerts. “You know grown-up life is lurking around the corner, but you’re not afraid of what’s coming, because we’re all going to go down together.” This heavy comradery permeates ‘Victoria’, from the way Mannaerts joyfully exclaims “wake me up inside / when the light strikes again” in the chorus, right the way through to the lyric that inspired the title for the band’s new album: “This is our unison life, my friend / this is the end,”

Dissecting the darker, more desperate parts of the emotional spectrum was the focus for the songs that form Brutus’ upcoming album, Unison Life. “I wanted every song to feel like the last song we’ll ever write,” Mannaerts comments about its conception. “It killed me inside because it’s almost an impossibly high standard, but that was my personal goal for this album. It was a two-year quest of trying to do better.” This version of “better” has manifested itself in Brutus’ recent singles ‘Dust’ and ‘Liar’, with latest cut ‘Victoria’ once again hitting the “impossibly high standard” that the band originally set for themselves.

Bassist Peter Mulders adds that the new track is a nostalgic moment for the band, going “back to the old Brutus days.” This is reflected in the accompanying video, directed by Jonas Hollevoet. The visuals show the band in different locations around Belgium, trying to find the balance between being young and old, isolated and connected, still and transitory.

Watch the video for ‘Victoria’ below.

Pre-order your copy of Brutus’ new album Unison Life here

Follow Brutus on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Facebook & Instagram

BRUTUS UK Tour Dates 2022
16th Nov – Bristol, The Fleece
17th Nov – Manchester, Rebellion
18th Nov – Glasgow, Audio
19th Nov – Leeds, Lending Room
21st Nov – Brighton, Patterns
22nd Nov – London, The Garage

Photo Credit: Kemizz

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: AGAAMA – ‘Blackbox Oracle’

An intoxicating blend of enigmatic vocals, heady electronic beats and jazz-inspired instrumentation, Birmingham-based artist, composer, vocalist and producer AGAAMA has shared her latest single ‘Blackbox Oracle’. Taken from her upcoming EP Wandering Worlds, which is set for release on 15th September via The state51 Conspiracy, the track explores our complex relationship with Artificial Intelligence, questioning whether we can live in harmony with the machines we have created.

“‘Blackbox Oracle’ is about our relationship with technology and how humankind draws closer to the singularity – the moment in time where the capabilities of AI will overtake the abilities of the human brain,” AGAAMA explains. The track’s title is the name of an imagined ‘AI’ lover, who AGAAMA toys with via her majestic instrumentation and seductive beats. “My body craves control” she confesses, resisting the urge to become “addicted to your code”, trapped in a push-and-pull scenario that has no concrete solution.

AGAAMA’s eclectic sounds stem from a childhood rich with varied musical experiences. Growing up in a British-Jamaican household, she was influenced by the contemporary classical tastes of her parent’s record collection, she sang in Church on Sundays, studied classical trombone as a teenager, but also spent her weekends raving to UK bass music and writhing in the mosh pit at metal gigs. This glorious array of musical experiences have all informed her work as AGAAMA, making her sounds as vast and altruistic as her collective memories.

Her upcoming EP, Wandering Worlds, reflects this kaleidoscopic musical vision perfectly, whilst also tapping into something darker. “I grew up listening to a lot of angsty, heavy music – metal, dubstep, prog rock and bass music. I wanted to make something where you could explore angst and frustration,” AGAAMA explains. “I found that having a space to release angst within music was healthy and helpful on my path toward healing. I really wanted to incorporate this brooding, meditative, almost primal thing that hooked me into music.”

AGGAMA has explored these instincts on her recent singles ‘Which Way’, ‘Sarehole Mill’ and on her latest cut ‘Blackbox Oracle’, which you can watch the captivating video for below.

Follow AGAAMA on Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

AGAAMA UK Tour Dates 2022
22nd September – London, Hootenanny (with Jack Tyson Charles)
29th September – (EP Launch) London, state51 Factory
3rd October – Birmingham, The Night Owl

Photo Credit: Myah Jeffers

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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