A record where every track finds its home in a different place, an endless list of favourable reviews, and two songs (‘The Time To Sleep’, ‘Good Occasions’) which together have already been seen over four million times on YouTube. In all its bittersweet beauty and melancholic simplicity, Marble Sounds announce the eagerly awaited arrival of ’Dear Me, Look Up’, the follow-up to the debut album ‘Nice Is Good’.
Like a thrilling novel on an audio trip to stir up your emotions, ’Dear Me, Look Up’ creates a deep and intense experience, blending lyrics that you make ponder with soundscapes that turn you upside down, before gently putting everything back into place.
Marble Sounds is the brainchild of Pieter Van Dessel, singer-songwriter and rising talent in Belgian popmusic. With Van Dessel masterminding the contoured strokes of the melodies and arrangements, guitarist Gianni Marzo (Isbells), bassist Frederik Bastiaensen and drummer Johan De Coster add in layers of colour. As recording progressed, pianist Brecht Plasschaert (Winterslag, Manhog) joined them to give an additional twist.“Marble Sounds will always be my baby, but it’s important for the chemistry within the group that every band member finds their own way in the songs before we start recording them”, says Van Dessel.
Keeping faith with their indie pop roots, the new album cleverly teases its way through delicate and sometimes fragile tones, yet also manages to organically fold in guitars and pianos, drizzled with the occasional horn and trumpet. ‘Dear Me, Look Up’ was recorded in ten different places, from the STUK art centre in Leuven to Van Dessel’s own home studio. And once again, producer Peter Crosbie took charge of the mixing. “I have written songs that weren’t ready to be launched three years ago, leaving the whole record sounding more intimate”, continues Van Dessel. You can hear Aino Vehmasto (I Am Oak, Secret Love Parade) in ‘Leave A Light On’, and in‘Evenings’. Chantal Acda (True Bypass, Isbells) sneaks into ‘No One Ever Gave Us The Right’.
Nevertheless, Van Dessel still uses familiar sounds from the debut. Think of the skipping ‘The Summer Of The Sun’ (including the banjo riff Gianni Marzo), or ‘Never Lost, Never Won’, the song that introduced the two-year writing process. “In the beginning I was afraid of repeating ourselves, so I tried another approach. However, at the end, I picked a sound that’s closest to my heart”, he continues.
Marble Sounds used to revert to atypical song structures (‘Sky High’), while here Van Dessel prefers conventional songs. In that way ‘Dance Clarence Dance’ (a wink at ‘Love Happened’ from Evil Superstars) is catchy indie that outwits Death Cab For Cutie, whilst the power of emptiness dominates in both the Sophia cover ‘Ship In The Sand’ and the ambient ‘The Silent Song’.
‘Dear Me, Look Up’ is a grand and captivating continuation of Marble Sounds musical journey. Managing to combine a defining moment like ‘High Violet’ for The National with the eye for detail of Sparklehorse, Marble Sounds have done more than pull off an impressive musical trick. As the well-established BBC DJ Steve Lamacq described Marble Sounds, the new album typifies what we have come to expect from the band: “So clean sounding but then again so sensitive and emotional at the same time."
Anyone who didn’t get their hands on the first Marble Sounds release three years ago will go overboard for ‘Dear Me, Look Up’. It will be available online and in all good record stores on March 25thby Zealrecords.
Dark Entires Records is honored to re-issue the debut EP by FALL OF SAIGON. The band was born in 1981 when Florence Berthon (Vocals), Pascal Comelade (Organ, Synthesizer) and Thierry Den (Guitar, Vocals) met at a concert in Montpellier, France. They chose to the name the project FALL OF SAIGON after a song by UK post-punk act This Heat. They self-released their debut EP in 1983 citing Nico & The Velvet Underground, Suicide and James Joyce as influences.
At the time the band form
ed, Pascal Comelade was an accomplished musician with instrumental sketches composed for the trio. The 6 songs on the EP were recorded in two stages. “She Leaves Me All Alone” and “On The Beach At Fontana” were sung by Thierry and recorded at Pascal’s home on a Revox 2-track in one shot. The four songs sung by Florence – “Visions”, “Blue Eyes”, “So Long” and “The Swimmer” – were recorded and mixed at the Montpellier Languedoc Video Animation Center by Jean Alain Sidi on two ReVox A77 reel to reels and a small mixer. On “Visions,” “Blue Eyes” and “So Long,” the group employed a drum machine that could only play four or five rhythms with a single slider to increase or decrease the tempo. The songs were minimal: verse, chorus, no bridge, no intro. Built on a simple spine, they create a feeling of space with just a voice and an organ or synthesizer melody. Full of class and inventiveness, FALL OF SAIGON are often compared to Young Marble Giants due to the fragile, ephemeral quality of the songs.
All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The vinyl comes housed in a full color jacket using the original artwork from the EP and includes an insert with lyrics and photos. Through two years of existence, FALL OF SAIGON only released one EP and 30 years later their subtle sound is an essential guidepost in post-punk history.
MIE is proud to be releasing Cuckoo Live Life Like Cuckoo, the eighth album from the London/Somerset 8-piece, Hey Colossus.
Now in their tenth year the band have been gathering plaudits and accumulating new fans with every release, and after playing to thousands at Supersonic Festival last year, things are accelerating at an even faster pace.
As with each album release, Hey Colossus continue to mutate and for their eighth album they have enlisted the support of a new drummer,Part Chimp guitar/vox man, Tim Cedar, who has undoubtedly brought a whole new kind of energy that has reinvigorated the band. When the rhythm section takes a shot to the bow it’s only natural for the game to change. But long term supporters need not worry, they're still heavy, still got the same vibe, only now they are focused in a fresh way.
Cuckoo Live Life Like Cuckoo was recorded live to tape throughout 2012 in Dropout Studios, South London, by Mr. Westminster Brown, mastered by James Plotkin. For this recording, Hey Colossus opt for a hefty hi-fi sound when previously they were drenched in Lo-fi fuzz. Now there is room to breathe when before they were utterly unrelenting. Tape loops and walls of noise created by bass and drum rhythmic klang, dual vocals, and three guitars are supplemented by a variety of instruments including the ba?lama saz, turntables and synths - adding a whole new dynamic to their sound. These are signs of a band who are playing with their ears open and it's all systems go.
Big Country will release their brand new studio album, The Journey as they embark on a 14-date tour of the UK this April. Released on Cherry Red Records, this is Big Country’s ninth studio album and their first since the sad and untimely death of lead singer and songwriter, Stuart Adamson in December 2001. The Journey was recorded on the Welsh border town of Wrexham in an old cold war nuclear bunker With 8-feet thick walls, there was no phone or internet signal and, thus isolated and disconnected from the outside world, the group were able to enjoy a very productive time in the studio.
Aptly titled, The Journey is released some two years after Big Country embarked on a new era, when guitarist and founder member Bruce Watson officially invited Mike Peters (The Alarm) to join them as lead vocalist for two concerts to celebrate 30 years since the group’s formation. Two years of intense and emotional touring followed and as fans and critics alike responded positively and a whole new generation of fans were created, the group, imbued with new energy and passion, performed at many of the UK and Europe’s most prestigious festivals, including Isle of Wight, V, T In The Park and Oxygen.
More recently, Big Country has been joined by another long-standing friend of the group, Derek Forbes (Simple Minds), who took over bass guitar duties from original bassist Tony Butler who retired gracefully in 2012. Derek was recently voted Best Scottish Bass Player of all time and, in the words of Tony Butler himself "plays a mean D”.
Mike Peters has had a long and heartfelt association with Big Country. He first met Stuart Adamson in 1983 and was with him at his last ever Big Country show at Glasgow’s Barrowlands in 2000. Mike, who has fought and won two very public battles with cancer, also credits the words of In A Big Country as literally inspiring him to "Stay Alive” during his illnesses.
Mike wrote 99% of the lyrics for The Journey, a challenge he accepted in the knowledge that it would mean having to look into the soul of the band’s original lyricist, Stuart Adamson, whose words revealed someone who was at once both positive and pessimistic. Moreover, Mike realised the importance of following the formula for all of the great Big Country songs, which started life as instrumentals; a guitar phrase from founder member Bruce Watson or a drum break and piano melody by Mark Brzezicki, with lyrics and vocal melody coming after the music had been created by the band as a unit.
"There are themes of redemption and of coming to terms with a life lived all through this record, and the process has brought us together as a family united and ready to stand proud for what and who we are…..Big Country.” (Mike Peter)
"I am looking forward to the next Big Country chapter…. it feels right and fitting that Big Country continue the journey… and as Stuart always said, "When taking a journey, it’s not about the getting there, it’s enjoying the view on the way”” (Mark Brezezicki)
“Martin Kleid” are an Italian indie rock band formed in 2010. The band consists of Sasha Polita (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, synth) Claudio Santoni (lead guitar, synth) Francesco Pellegrinelli (bass guitar, synth) Michele Bellagamba (drums).
The four musicians are creating their own distinct sound, mixing British indie rock and electronic music. Martin Kleid use unique, original composition, creative songwriting and musical arrangements with a melodic structure of energy reaching their listeners immediately.
Combined with their strong and engaging visual presence on stage they are an exciting new force to be reckoned with.
“Martin Kleid” will release the first studio Album 8LIGHTS on the 1st of March on Alice in...
