LISTEN: Beach House – ‘Once Twice Melody: Chapter 1’

A cinematic introduction to their new record, dream pop outfit Beach House have shared the first four tracks from their upcoming album, Once Twice Melody. Set for release via Bella Union on 18th February, the record features 18 tracks which the band have chosen to share in four ‘Chapters’ in the lead up to the release, with ‘Chapter 1’ being available to listen to now.

Featuring eponymous track ‘Once Twice Melody’, ‘Chapter 1’ is a lilting, majestic showcase of the band’s new material. Produced entirely by Beach House and using a live string ensemble for the first time, ‘Superstar’, ‘Pink Funeral’ and ‘Through Me’ shimmer with the duo’s trademark lullaby-esque vocals, dramatic riffs and atmospheric beats. Bittersweet lyrics and heady synths combine to make this first instalment a captivating, tranquil listen.

Beach House will be releasing a new ‘Chapter’ of music each month until the full album is released in February 2022. The band will be touring the UK and Europe in Spring, which will include a night at London’s Brixton Academy on 26th May. Tickets for each date are on sale from Friday 19th November (more info here)

Listen to ‘Chapter 1’ of Once Twice Melody below.

Follow Beach House on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: David Belisle

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Camp Cope – ‘Blue’

A heavy-hearted acceptance of love that comes in many different shades, Melbourne power-emo trio Camp Cope have shared their latest single ‘Blue’. Released via Run For Cover Records, the track is the band’s first piece of new music in three years and despite its softer sound, it rings with the same raw charm the trio have cultivated on their previous releases.

Since sharing their second album How To Socialise & Make Friends in 2018, Georgia Maq (vocals/guitar), Kelly-Dawn Hellmrich (bass) and Sarah Thompson (drums) have been working on their third album at their own pace, partly influenced by the global COVID-19 pandemic but also by changes to their careers and living arrangements. Taking time to reflect on and accept these changes meant Camp Cope were able to do what they do best – write cathartic and earnest tunes that provide joy and relief for their listeners.

New offering ‘Blue’ is a bittersweet contemplation on what it’s like to love and be loved in the midst of depression. Tapping into the chasm that’s left by the disconnection that mental illness can bring, ‘Blue’ doesn’t cushion listeners from the reality of depression, but it does gently remind them there’s still love in the world – even if they’re struggling to feel it in the present moment.

Listen to ‘Blue’ below.

Follow Camp Cope on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: Michelle Grace Hunder

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: Big Daisy – ‘Without Dreams’

Described by the band as a “sleepy lullaby-turned-powerhouse journey of a song,” Belfast four-piece Big Daisy have shared their latest single ‘Without Dreams’. Full of soft, yearning vocals and atmospheric guitar sounds, the track is a melodic slice of fuzz-pop that rings with genuine warmth and charm.

Formed of childhood best friends Aidan Reynolds, Ciara King, Dan O’Rawe and James Orr, Big Daisy released their debut single ‘Go Outside’ in November 2019, unaware that their agoraphobic anthem would become an appropriate soundtrack for a global pandemic. The band’s love for “whiny lyrics and big dreamy riffs” is something they take pride in, and latest offering ‘Without Dreams’ is another lush example of their penchant for blending the sad with the sweet.

“I dream of everything being better / I can’t wait for sweater weather” muses Ciara, as the track fluctuates between being content with being doe-eyed and daydreaming, before unwillingly following a tendency to self-sabotage feelings of joy. Penned as “a journey through the mind of someone who struggles with organisation & completing tasks,” ‘Without Dreams’ is a bittersweet, relatable tune that softens and soothes any inner chaos.

Listen to ‘Without Dreams’ below.

 

Follow Big Daisy on bandcamp, Spotify, Instagram, Twitter & Facebook

Photo Credit: 26 North Productions

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Sea Change – ‘Night Eyes’

A pulsing, atmospheric track that taps into the need to separate your body from your mind, Norwegian artist & producer Sea Change has shared her latest single ‘Night Eyes’. Taken from her upcoming album Mutual Dreaming, which is set for release on 11th February via Shapes Recordings, the track is an evocative reminder to loosen up and surrender to the beat when too many thoughts are pressing down on you.

“‘Night Eyes’ is about the need to shut off your head and just be your body for a while – how good it can feel to lose control,” Sea Change aka Ellen A. W. Sunde explains. “I wanted to produce a danceable sensual track and it’s one of my personal favourites from the album. A friend of mine told me that when she heard it it felt like she was floating in rave space: an image that I absolutely love.”

Equally as inspired by the club music of LA and Berlin as she is by her current quieter surroundings in the southern coastal town of Kristiansand in Norway, Sea Change’s sounds ebb and flow with a tranquil, yet deeply primal desire to move through an intensity of feeling that sometimes escapes verbal or written articulation. Her electronica ripples with emotion without every feeling weighty or over-thought, reflecting the way she feels about music in general.

Listen to ‘Night Eyes’ below.

Follow Sea Change on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo credit: Victoria Nevland

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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