Next Wave: Telenova

Telenova is a Melbourne-based trio formed in the early 2020s. The band comprises singer Angeline Armstrong and multi-instrumentalists Edward Quinn and Joshua Moriarty. Since their formation, Telenova has released two EPs and several singles, establishing a distinctive sound that blends electronic art pop with influences of trip hop and indie folk. Their music has been noted for its atmospheric qualities and intricate production, creating a unique sonic palette that sets them apart.

Their debut album, set for release in August, is highly anticipated and expected to further cement their place in the contemporary music scene.

photo courtesy of Blunt magazine

Geneva Jacuzzi - Dry

Geneva Jacuzzi is back with a brand new single and video for the song "Dry". This release also marks her debut on Dais records and we hope to hear more new material throughput 2024. 

 

Out Today: MGMT - Loss of Life

 MGMT have released their fifth studio album, entitled Loss Of Life today. Four singles were already take from the album including their latest, "Dancing in Babylon", a duet with Chrstine and the Queens. This is their first album in four years, after Little Dark Age and marks the label chnage from Columbia to a New York independet label called Mom + Pop.

Paul Banks returns with a New Project Muzz

Paul Banks of the Interpol fame is back with a brand new music project called Muzz. The trio consists of Banks, Matt Barrick and Joshua Kaufmann and they have been playing demos since 2015. This year, Muzz have released their self titled debut album and a string of singles. Different to the noisy sound of Interpol, here it softens a bit by the inviting baroque pop notes. Muzz is out this month and this very Interpolish video was produced by the band.

WAW: Marcel Wave - The Moon King

It is almost ten years now since A Terrible Splendour released their marvelous "Slaves to the City" tune and their New Romantic half, a good friend Lyle, has recently been experimenting with synth pop on a solo basis as Marcel Wave. The video for the new song "The Moon King" was revealed on Monday. This pleasant piece of synth pop takes us on an artistic and cinematic trip in the realm of The Moon King. The b-side isn't less interesting as it is Marcel Wave take on the French classic "Les Nuits Sans Kim Wilde", originally performed by Laurent Voulzy  The video for the song was created with the help of another old friend, Soft Riot's very own Mr Jack Duckworth (JJD). We hope to hear and see more creative collaboration materializing from these two. 

Please follow the link for more Marcel Wave goodness.
https://marcelwave.bandcamp.com/album/the-moon-king

Einstürzende Neubauten Release New Studio Album

The German experimental band Einstürzende Neubauten which is now around for forty years have released a new studio album titled Alles in Allem. The album which is out on Potomak, has so far been promoted with two singles "Ten Grand Goldie"  and the title track "Alles in Allem".

Nikki Nevver Returns with a New Project Subterranean Lovers

Nikki Nevver of the Terror Bird fame is back with an new and exciting music project, Subterranean Lovers. For all the fans, her first LP is now available for pre-order on Bandcamp.

The album has eight new tracks including the gloomy and dreamy lead single "Past the Mourning" which has been remixed by Maya Postepski of Austra and TR/ST fame. Acoustic driven, the debut is lush, atmospheric art pop with strong vocals typical of Nikki Nevver and certainly a must for fans of Lana Del Rey or Angel Olsen melancholia.

Nikki has granted us the preview of her new video which is going to be premiered soon. The colour LP pressing will be limited to 300 hand-numbered colour vinyl copies and the first 100 ordered will have a surprise inside.
Order the album here: http://subterraneanloversmusic.bandcamp.com/

WAW: Leonard Cohen - Thanks for the Dance

The title track for Leonard Cohen's posthumous album 'Thanks for the Dance' was premiered on Nowness and also reveled on YouTube. The video was directed by London-based photographer Harley Weir.

Perfume Genius Officially Announce New Album

Perfume Genius has finally announced the release of brand new album 'Set My Heart On Fire Immediately' which will be released on May 15th through Matador Records. This comes a follow up to his album 'No Shape' which was released in 2017. The video for the song "Describe"was directed by Mike Hadreas.

WAW: These New Puritans- Inside The Rose

These New Puritans-  Inside The Rose - Inside The Rose
Director: Harley Weir 
Producer: Mike Rowling
 

In Review: U.S. Girls- In A Poem Unlimited

U.S. Girls aka Meghan Remy released her seventh studio album 'In a Poem Unlimited' this February and her second all together on the 4AD label. This album comes as a follow up to 'Half Free' from 2015 and its release was preceded with the lead single "M.A.H." which came out last year. The brand new album includes 11 new tracks and it was recorded in collaboration with Meg's husband Max Turnbull aka Slim Twig and his band The Cosmic Range.

U.S. Girls has always been good in experimenting with sound and influences, even before their time on 4AD, and this has not changed even with this release and their artpop seem to have even become more vivid this time. The beats on new album reflect 60's and 70's music styles influences, free jazz forms, boogie disco and funk which turn this venture into more organic and expressive music event. It is very dynamic with some pop delights here and there, the lead single "M.A.H.", downtempo "Rosebud" and more electronically structured "Pearly Gates" and "Poem". Vocally Meg's voice register seems to adjust to the music easily from soft whispering Kylish flavour to full soaring ranges. In terms of content, there is angry political commentary to the songs where it stands up against public lies by political and religious leaders as well as studies about gender power imbalances.

 

Now when we compare it with the previous album, there is the impression that the 'Half Free' even more raw in production, was somehow a rounded up concept,  sample based and obscure, that gave the impression of a more intimate affair with the artist. With "In a Poem Unlimited" it seems that the elements that bring the music together and the instrumentation on some tracks seems to be overexposed and a bit out of place. And track wise we are missing a tune that could reach the quality heights of the  brilliant "Woman's Work" from the 'Half Free'.

 

Overall U.S. Girls has expended their territory musically well and some songs have really nice production quality and the protest tone resonates well with the grooves, but as global product it comes too much as polished light Pop for what we would rather have preferred another experiment with loops and samples and therefore a slight downgrade to 'Half Free'.

Release Date: February 16th

WAW: Geneva Jacuzzi- Macho Island

Geneva Jacuzzi has revealed a brand new video for the song "Macho Island". The song is taken from her 'Technophelia' which was released last year. The video was directed by Jennifer Juniper Stratford and produced by Telefantasy Studios.

'No Plan' EP Marks One Year of David Bowie's Passing Away

A year after his passing away, a new EP has posthumously been released through Columbia and Sony. This release is entitled 'No Plan' and it is coinciding with what would be David Bowie's 70th birthday. Some songs appeared in the Broadway musical Lazarus and were originally recorded during the Blackstar sessions. The EP is out now digital with the lead track "No Plan".

Cat's Eyes To Release New Album this Summer

Cat's Eyes have announced the release of a brand new album this June. The album will be entitled 'Treasure House' and it will be the follow up to their self titled debut album from 2011. Meanwhile the duo was active in music releasing 'The Duke of Burgundy' soundtrack last year. The lead track from the new album "Chameleon Queen" is already available with a very hypnotic lyric video and we love it. We hope that the album will include more excitements like this one.

Dinner Announces Debut Album 'Psychic Lovers'

The Danish producer and singer Anders Rhedin who we have already mentioned on several occasions last year, will release his debut album in March this year. Following his EP releases from last year, comes his debut album 'Psychic Lovers'. It will feature the single "Turn Me On" (below) and it will be out on Captured Tracks on April 1st, on CD and LP. 

WAW: East India Youth- Carousel

"Carausel" is one of the lead singles for East India Youth, from the upcoming album 'Culture of Volume'. The album is out this month on XL Recordings and the video for this hauntingly magnificent song 'Carousel' was directed by Andy Inglis and produced by Cherise Payne.

 

Next Wave: Liste Noire

Liste Noire is a brand new incarnation of the art wave project Velvet Condom. Alice Gift and Obers T are joined by a new member Kalle on guitar and keyboards and they are playing what they call Disco Noir. Their debut EP 'Afire Afire' is expected to be released this spring and it is available as a free downloaded on their page. Two of the songs from the new EP have already been revealed on Youtube, "Afire Afire" and "Mother". 

Next Wave: Miaux

Miaux is the stage name for the Belgian underground artist Mia Prce who is originally from Sarajevo (Bosnia). Mia a contemporary pianist whose music is dreamy and melancholic art pop. To this date, from 2010 Miaux has released four EPs and this year finally sees her releaseing her debut album 'Dive'. The album is out on the Belgian record label Ultra Eczema. 

https://soundcloud.com/miaux

Instant Hit: A Popular History of Signs- Dancing with Ideas

The London based quartet A Popular History of Signs released two studio albums and several singles during the 80's. Certainly one of the outstanding tracks was their 1982 release "Dancing With Ideas" which was released as 7" single. It was backed by "The Traveller" and it was issued on Melodia Records in 1982. The music of the band was drifting between arty synth-dance and lightly played mood music. 

 

Instant Hit: Bernthøler - My Suitor

"My Suitor" was one of the two singles the Belgian avant garde group Bernthøler released in 1983. The group was formed in the early eighties as a "musical experiment" named after a line in a Virna Lindt song. "My Suitor" was originally released in 1983 in Belgium and a year later in the UK. The band didn't release any albums up to 2004 when their recording material was released on a compilation Merry Lines In The Sky by LTM Publishing (Les Temps Modernes).