LISTEN: Sweeping Promises – ‘Pain Without a Touch’

An irresistible slice of punk-infused synth-pop, Kansas-based duo Sweeping Promises have shared their latest single ‘Pain Without A Touch’. Released via Sub Pop and Feel It Records, the track is a rush of brooding riffs, punchy electronics and crystalline vocals, designed to get listeners moving on to their next adventure.

Formed of Lira Mondal and Caufield Schnug (and live touring drummer Spenser Gralla), Sweeping Promises came to life in a “disused and reverberant concrete laboratory” just before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The pair released their debut single ‘Hunger for a Way Out’ in 2020 – which was mixed in mono and with their “self-devised single-mic technique” – and now they’re back with the vibrant ‘Pain Without a Touch’. With shades of Le Tigre and Yeah Yeah Yeahs thanks to Mondal’s clear-cut vocals, the track fizzes with a euphoric energy, driven by infectious beats and chant-worthy lyrics.

Sweeping Promises will be touring the UK and Europe in 2022, so make sure you catch them live in a city near you. Listen to ‘Pain Without a Touch’ below.

Follow Sweeping Promises on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Sweeping Promises UK Tour Dates 2022
Tue. May 24 – Brighton – Hope & Ruin
Wed. May 25 – Bristol – The Exchange
Thu. May 26 – Glasgow – Hug & Pint
Fri. May 27 – Leeds – Hyde Park Book Club
Sun. May 29 – Manchester – YES (Basement)
Mon. May 30 – Birmingham – The Hare and Hounds
Tue. May 31 – Portsmouth – Wedgewood Rooms

Photo Credit: Jackie Lee Young

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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LISTEN: The Dead Zoo – ‘In The End’

A shimmering synth-pop tune that celebrates the importance of emotional resilience in the face of adversity, London-based group The Dead Zoo have shared their second single ‘In The End’. Following on from their J-Pop cover ‘Mother‘ in 2020, the band continue to blend pop sensibilities into their usually heavier post punk/shoegaze offerings, this time reflecting the optimism and strength that underscores their latest effort.

“During the second lockdown, I was listening to a lot of 80s stuff–Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer, Madonna, Japan, New Order,” songwriter and vocalist Kaoru explains. “That poured into the conception of sound and melody for the song. The lyric is founded on my gender transition experience. The sense of keeping faith in an envisioned future and using that goal to overcome difficulties and stay on course; though I think it carries a more universal message of hope and optimism that I think we all need right now in these unusual times.”

Full of lush synths and snappy beats, ‘In The End’ is an uplifting ode to coping through testing circumstances. The track has also been remixed by Brighton’s CLT DRP and fellow London band The Sly Persuaders, something band member Somrata takes great pride in. “We were completely blown away by the creativity and variety of the remixes as they came in. It’s great to have so many liberating perspectives on a piece that was conceived and mostly recorded and mixed during the very difficult winter lockdown. We can’t wait to share it with the world and to perform it live for the first time.”

Listen to ‘In The End’ below.

Follow The Dead Zoo on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Photo Credit: K Hearne

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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Track Of The Day: Dawn To Dawn – ‘Care’

Montreal based trio – Tess Roby, Adam Ohr and Patrick Lee – aka Dawn to Dawn – are due to release a full length LP in spring 2022 and are drip feeding singles throughout this year as an advance taster – ‘Care’ is the latest of these. It’s a gentle and stylish ode to the sheer joy felt when dancing away summer nights.

The track opens with laidback synths treading lightly over a chilled-out drum loop. First impressions are that this is either the song that you dance to at 3am in the club once the DJ has their flow on and the dance-floor is in full swing, or the song in your headphones the next morning as you make your way home. Roby’s shimmering vocals act as an extra textural layer rather than a front and centre feature of Dawn to Dawn’s sound. Long, warm, and breathy, the delivery is so sensual and relaxed you can almost hear the sunrise. The lyrics are minimalist, depicting a dance-floor crush walking away in the sunrise as the encroaching light cuts off the chance to catch up to them. 

Dawn to Dawn have also created a stunning video clip to go with the track. Shot on 16mm, it has the feel of a ’70s/’80s home video and depicts three friends dancing wildly in the studio, driving the streets in early morning sunlight, sharing a glass of wine. Scenes are non-chronological and recreate the sense of lost time so familiar to anyone who has had a massive night out dancing with friends. 

Watch the new video here:

‘Care’ is out now  and is available on bandcamp.

Kate Sullivan
@katesullo

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Track Of The Day: Catherine Moan – ‘Drop It!’

A playful synth-pop tune that fizzes with feel-good vibes, Philadelphia-based musician Catherine Moan has shared her latest single ‘Drop It!’. Taken from her upcoming debut album Chain Reaction, which is set for release later this year via Born Losers Records, the track is an 80s tinged exploration of joy and love, underscored by a relatable feeling of loneliness.

Inspired by the likes of Depeche Mode, CHVRCHES and The Chromatics, Catherine Moan blends dancing beats, yearning vocals and cinematic synths to create her shimmering electronic sounds, with ‘Drop It!’ being a catchy combination of all three. “The song is about a burst of desire to drop what you’re doing and go out dancing with someone you love,” Catherine explains. “I wrote it in the middle of the winter of the pandemic trying to channel the harsh isolation into an exciting and catchy dance song.”

Like many artists, Catherine used the mandatory solitude that Covid-19 brought to her advantage, writing and recording her upcoming record. “My debut album Chain Reaction is a product of a year spent habitually online in my bedroom. The songs tell a story of digital love and coping with excessive solitude with your own body in isolation.”

Watch the video for ‘Drop It!’ below.

Follow Catherine Moan on bandcamp, Spotify, Twitter, Instagram & Facebook

Kate Crudgington
@KCBobCut

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