After announcing their first studio work since 1999 on Toronto's Artoffact Records, Rational Youth has now announced a string of shows for 2016.

High-lights include the duo's first ever show in Iceland, at the Lokað II festival on May 28th, and a prestigous opening slot for Midge Ure at Toronto's Opera House in October. Further dates include shows and festivals in Germany and Sweden.

28 May Reykjavik (Iceland)

8 Oct Toronto (Midge Ure)

14 Oct Stockholm (Sweden)

15 Oct Halmstad (Sweden)

21 Oct Bielefeld (Germany)

22 Oct Erlenbach am Main (Germany)

28 Oct Leipzig (Germany)

29 Oct Berlin (Germany)

About Rational Youth:

Formed in the early 80s by ex-Men Without Hats guitarist Tracy Howe and Bill Vorn, Rational Youth was later joined by Kevin Komoda (who went on to produce CBC's Brave New Waves and co-founded Montreal-based label Derivative). Rational Youth went on to record arguably the greatest synthpop album Canada has ever seen with Cold War Night Life for YUL Records. A national tour and 20,000 copies later, the band broke up, a new band was formed, a new album was released, only to have the band break up again in 1986. Since then, Rational Youth has been revived several times with different line-ups, each time adding something wonderful to the mix, but always rooted in Howe's knack for melody and his remarkable vocal style. The band has toured in Canada, Germany, Norway, and Sweden and has recently been invited to perform at the Tech Noir Festival in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Out now is the follow-up EP to last year’s excellent “The Break Up!” CD by Norway’s electro rock act Essence Of Mind: "After The Break Up". The EP is available right now from Bandcamp, Spotify, etc..

This new EP features 4 brand new songs including the title track next to 4 remixes selected by the band. You'll find re-works by Chris R & Jaroslav Vyhnička (with a piano/strings-rock crossover version), by ExoSun (with an EDM electro remix), by Vigilante and by the band themselves. 8 tracks in total.

A video for the title track is available now on YouTube and shows the band live at work (an excellent experience which has led to a spot on M'era Luna this year after an excellent performance at the Danish SPOT festival).

New AMBASSADOR21 album "Human Rage" will be released this Fall on Invasion and distributed worldwide by Danse Macabre / Al!ve.

They continue touring and working in studio, many new songs already recorded, but it's still lots of work ;) They are planning to do vocal studio sessions soon.

And yeah - they announce the single "Revelation" to be released in the end of July on all best digital platforms.

Keep your ears open!

Next AMBASSADOR21 live-dates:

03.06.16 - Brussels, Belgium / Magasin 4

04.06.16 - Lille, France / Le Midland

11-12.11.16 - Lauter, Germany / Lauter Krach Festival

Since 2010 Taylor Burch and Joe Cocherell have propelled DVA Damas into a curiously cool fixture for Karl O'Connor's Downwards label. Having released a number of singles and EPs; including Brand New Head (2010), Nightshade (2013), Wet Vision (2015) and Clear Cut (forthcoming 2016), the duo have continued an effortless progression from their DIY punk lineage to a forward facing "now" sound.

While looking forward Burch and Cocherell have taken note from the dubwise, the tripped out and the driving. With tough, lean rhythms, heavy, subsonic bass and tongue-in-cheek wordplay, DVA DAMAS continue to present their contemporary, clever take on pop music.

The new 12" is out on June 5th and you can watch the video for title track "Clear Cut" written and directed by Taylor Burch below.

"To Be Clear, or not to be clear..."

Dedicated To Prince

DVA DAMAS - CLEAR CUT (Official Video) from DVA DAMAS on Vimeo.