SKOPE NEWS FOR AUGUST 26, 2015

FANS SINGLE “TAKE IT”

The band’s debut EP is due out this September, the band went onto speak about their first official body of work: “It’s a real, honest and raw record – both lyrically and in the way it’s recorded and produced live. Everything has pretty much seemed to tie itself together in an organic way.”

The EP, produced and recorded by Matt Peel (Eagulls, Pulled Apart By Horses) is built upon a foundation of 90’s indie rock influences, all fusing together to create something both immediately striking and intriguing, yet equally enjoyable and memorable.

BAEGOD “TROUBLE”

Trouble is a new release from Baegod (a.k.a. Maryann) from her brand new project “Bedroomtrap’n Vol. 1: Vampin” which released today for sale exclusively on Bedroomtrap.com. The song is a wavy Future R&B track prod by Sbvce, that finds the songstress caught up in a sinister love affair. The production is haunting, spacey and dripping with bass, and her verbed out vocals twist the track into a sonic drug trip.

MIPSO TO UNVEIL THEIR ‘OLD TIME REVERIE’

Drawing inspiration up through layers of North Carolina soil, maverick stringband Mipso embrace the present day while continuing to explore their local legacies on their new album Old Time Reverie, to be released via Robust Records on October 2, 2015. Spawned from the ongoing renaissance currently enriching and expanding the traditional vocabularies of old time and bluegrass music, Mipso put time-honored tools to work on new terrain, with evocative, intoxicating results. Years of constant touring have tightened their attack, lending a new degree of authority and cohesion to their sound, while the addition of fiddler and vocalist Libby Rodenbough to the existing lineup of Jacob Sharp (mandolin), Joseph Terrell (guitar), and Wood Robinson (bass), has added new colors to an already rich palette.

When Mipso’s 2013 debut, Dark Holler Pop, rose to #8 on Billboard’s Bluegrass charts, the success surprised a lot of people – including the band themselves. “Well, we didn’t think so many people would embrace it,” laughs mandolin player Jacob Sharp, “and we definitely didn’t know we were a bluegrass band.” Two years on, Old Time Reverie – produced by Mandolin Orange’s Andrew Marlin – reflects the quartet’s continued musical and personal growth with their gripping and mature sophomore release. Its songs encompass and attempt to reconcile the contradictions of growing up in an evolving South, artfully careening from desperation to hope over the course of eleven atmospheric, engrossing original songs.

http://www.mipsomusic.com/

CATS IN SPACE NEW VIDEO

UK’s CATS in SPACE have landed! A brand new six piece band who, armed with their exciting brand of ‘Power Pop Rock’, will transport you back to the heady days of the 70s when bands like ELO, Queen, 10cc & Cheap Trick, in particular, ruled the airwaves. CATS in SPACE featuring band members with a wealth if experience in the music business for over 30 years, both as writers and performers for bands like: The Sweet, Asia, T’Pau, Ian Gillan Band, Mike Oldfield, Airrace & Arena to name a few, you can expect performances if the highest caliber. Their debut album ‘Too Many Gods’ is released worldwide in October 2, 2015 via Harmony Factory/Cargo Records.

From the album ‘Too Many Gods‘, a debut single, ‘Mr. Heartache’ is released as a digital download on SEPTEMBER 7th 2015. Co-written by founder member and guitaristGREG HART and MICK WILSON (10cc), it also featured a guest appearance by legendary Glam Rocker ANDY SCOTT from THE SWEET on both vocals and guitar. The new ‘Mr. Heartache’ video can be viewed below.

MAIA SHARP TO RELEASE NEW STUDIO ALBUM + NEW SINGLE

The Dash Between The Dates, the new album by acclaimed singer/songwriter Maia Sharp, will be released on October 16, 2015 on eOne Music.

The 12-song The Dash Between the Dates showcases Sharp’s vivid lyrical insight, infectious melodic sensibility and soulful vocal grit. The album features effortlessly eloquent originals such as the first single “Nothing But the Radio,” as well as tracks like “Phoenix,” “You’re Alive” and the stirring title track, which offer pointed meditations on life, love, sex and mortality that are steeped in hard-won personal experience. The album also features “I Don’t Want Anything to Change,” co-written by Sharp, which is already familiar to fans through longtime admirer Bonnie Raitt’s popular version.

LISTEN TO “NOTHING BUT THE RADIO” HERE:

KENBEN “TRAP SHIT”

Hailing from the North Side of Chicago, Rogers Park to be exact, KenBen is bringing lyrical heat on his latest single “Trap Shit”. This is a record by Chicago, for Chicago. KenBen put the pen to the pad and channeled some of Chicago greats i.e. Do or Die, Crucial Conflict & more. Click the link below to check out the brand new visual directed by @MoreMilliSVG. Catch KenBen on stage on September 2nd at Jerry’s Wicker Park alongside Sasha Go Hard, Sir the Baptist & more. The show starts at 9PM and is only $10. Get there early because this one will sell out!

PACIFIC RECORDS ANNOUNCES NEW CANADIAN AGENT

Pacific Records is pleased to announce it has reached an agreement with the British Columbia based Schell Shock Entertainment Agency to act as agents for two of it’s recording acts. Renowned for the quality of the performers it represents, Mike Schell and the crew at Schell Shock will represent Pacific Records recording artists Lynne Taylor Donovan and Tommy Roumanas in all areas of live performance. We look forward to working with Schell Shock and sincerely thank them for their interest in Lynne and Tommy.

http://schellshockentertainmentagency.com/

HERMITUDE LISTEN TO THE EXCLUSIVE FULL ALBUM STREAM AT PANDORA

Partnering with Pandora, Hermitude shares the first glimpse at a full listen of the worldwide release. The sneak peak includes bonus tracks featuring guest appearances by Estelle, Pell, Chuck Inglish (The Cool Kids) and Big K.R.I.T., in addition to the explosive first single “Through The Roof (feat. Young Tapz)”. Listen To The Full Album Stream Here:

http://pdora.co/DarkNightSweetLight

CONVERSE RUBBER TRACKS GIVES 84 EMERGING ARTISTS KEYS TO THE WORLD’S MOST ICONIC STUDIOS

Today, CONVERSE Inc. unveils the selection of aspiring artists chosen for the new Converse Rubber Tracks global program, offering free recording time at 12 legendary recording studios around the world. Throughout the registration period, over 9,000 up-and-coming international artists applied for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and a total of 84 acts – representing 28 countries – will record at participating studios and become part of music history. Starting Monday, September 14, studios including Converse Rubber Tracks in Brooklyn, New York, and Boston, Massachusetts; Abbey Road Studios in London, England; Sunset Sound in Los Angeles, California; and Tuff Gong in Kingston, Jamaica, will host chosen artists throughout a two-week period.

As part of the Converse Rubber Tracks studio takeover, selected acts will record alongside a team of experienced producers and sound engineers during 1-2 day sessions. Upon completion of their studio time, each act will retain all the rights to their music. Demonstrating the global reach of the program, the selected artists represent the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brasil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Jamaica, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

http://www.converse-music.com/worldwide

THEM&US “SLEEP TALK”

Every great story has a beginning, and this summer electronic duo Them&Us unleash the start of theirs; the aptly titled ‘Chapter 1: And So It Begins’ EP created with super producers James Rushent (The Prodigy), Greg Wells (One Republic) and Eliot James (Bloc Party).

Epic, cinematic, steeped in mystique, Them&Us offer a debut which becomes a declaration; of love, of war, of an intense desire to be anything but mundane. ‘And So It Begins’ is a project which demands to be heard, not just listened to, comprised of equal parts thrashing electro-pop, rumbling bass music and ambitious fantasy audiobook storytelling. This is, if you like, a game of tones.

http://www.vevo.com/watch/UKAHM1400010

SIR MICHAEL ROCKS NEW SINGLE

Following 2014’s Banco, Sir Michael Rocks announces the 9/11 release of its more wavy successor, Populair. Filled with ambient synths and space-rap influenced drum patterns, Populair exudes a soundscape more idiosyncratic than his previous work. “Populair is the next continuation in the Banco saga, which will span from 2014-2024 AD,” Sir Michael Rocks explains. Produced, mixed, and recorded by Sir Michael Rocks himself, Populair is one of the nature-loving rapper’s most introspective projects to date. “I wanted to unleash more of my abilities,” Rocks explains, “and I could only achieve that by getting my hands deeper into the process.” As such, Populair is an evolution and growth of Sir Michael Rock’s songcraft. It’s more personal and deep than prior releases but still includes doses of his signature humor.

http://www.thefader.com/2015/08/21/sir-michael-rocks-perfect-populair

INSANE CLOWN POSSE, P.O.D. AND MORE TO PERFORM AT ROB ZOMBIE’S GREAT AMERICAN NIGHTMARE

Another night of music has been announced for Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare–the ultimate Halloween horror event–at Odeum Expo Center in Villa Park, IL. Detroit-based horrorcore/hip hop band Insane Clown Posse, rock band P.O.D., along with artists Stitches, Young Wicked, and Dope D.O.D., will perform at Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare on Saturday, October 3.

When Insane Clown Posse (ICP) emerged from the darkness surrounding Detroit’s underground music scene in the early ‘90s, the world had yet to imagine the impact that the hardcore hip-hop style spawned by these two artists–Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope–would bring to bear on mainstream music. Shunned by mainstream music players like MTV and castigated in the media, banned from radio airwaves and yanked from the shelves of “conventional” retail outlets, ICP was dealt a hand that seemed destined for swift and certain failure. Instead, the duo amassed a following of millions of fans endearingly called “Juggalos” and smashed through the ceiling of music industry expectation.

http://www.greatamericannightmare.com/

2016 SOUL TRAIN CRUISE SELLS OUT

StarVista LIVE announces that their 2016 Soul Train Cruise has officially sold out. The 2016 Soul Train Cruise voyage sold out faster than all predecessors, reaching capacity more than five months prior to its Caribbean departure on January 30, 2016. The cruise will include performances by the greatest names in R&B music and features special guest, the iconic Smokey Robinson. The 2016 Sailing also includes The O’Jays, The Whispers and more, along with exclusively curated onboard experiences that bring fans up close and personal with the stars performing on the ship. The Soul Train Cruise is the latest in a string of popular live entertainment travel experiences that StarVista LIVE has launched in the past five years, joining the Malt Shop Memories Cruise, The Country Music Cruise and their newest, the Flower Power Cruise.

http://soultraincruise.com/

SHERIF MATTAR NEW VIDEO “GRAMMY”

Sherif Mattar releases his new music video “Grammy” directed by DJ Fam. Over the DJ J Scrilla produced track Sherif reflects on what he’ll do when he wins his first “Grammy.” This song can be found on his newly released project Misadventure.

SKITTISH “SWIMN AWAY, LITTLE FISH”

Last week Skittish premiered their reflective, acoustic driven track “Swim Away, Little Fish” on PureVolume who praised the bands deceptively dark “eclectic blend of indie rock-meets-folk”.

http://www.purevolume.com/news/PREMIERE-Skittish-Swim-Away-Little-Fish

WAVE RACER RELEASES NEW VIDEO FOR “FLASH DRIVE” FEAT. B▲BY

Sydney, Australia producer Wave Racer has released a colorful new video for “Flash Drive” feat. B▲by, the title track and first single to his forthcoming EP set to drop on October 24th via Future Classic. The video was directed by Anny Wang (www.annywang.se) and Tim Söderström, two 3D artists from Sweden that recently joined forces to work on a wide spectrum within the 3D and digital art worlds respectively.

THE WOOLEN MEN NEW SINGLE

The Woolen Men are three – two Oregon natives and a Washingtonian. They play punk influenced DIY music in the Pac-NW tradition of Dead Moon and the Wipers. More than a sound or style, that means a kind of work ethic – do-it-yourself and do it a lot. The band is happiest touring up and down the I-5 or bunkered in their practice space with the cassette 4-track rolling. And it shows. Live, the band is thunderous and energetic and the magnetic chemistry of the three of them playing together shines through in the recordings.

http://www.npr.org/2015/08/24/433577601/songs-we-love-woolen-men-clean-dreams

WASIU NEW SINGLE

“P*ssy N*gga” is preceded by loose singles “No Chance” and the Kanye West and Jay-Z-sampled loose single, “I Got It.” “No Chance,” premiered by HotNewHipHop, is a vengeful single about an unfaithful companion. Sampling Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River,” the 2002 record is turned into a disjointed instrumental for Wasiu to express his anguish. “I Got It,” which debuted via HYPETRAK, is an upbeat track that sample’s Watch the Throne’s “What U Need” and has a funky bass line and dance floor-ready swing. At 24 years old, the rapper was first introduced in January with his Kaytranada-produced video single, “Physical,” and he has since gone on to show his range of politically-charged, socially conscious and self-confident rhymes. “My music is empowerment, and defeat. It’s the whole spectrum,” he explains. “I’m showing what people view as both the good and the bad… and how without the bad, you can’t have the good, and so you start to appreciate the bad… for the good.”

https://2dopeboyz.com/2015/08/21/wasiu-pussy-nigga/

JESUS SONS SHARE FIRST SINGLE “RANDY’S BLUES”

Jesus Sons began with singer-songwriter Brandon Wurtz and lead guitarist Shannon Dean jamming in a motorcycle repair shop in San Francisco where Wurtz worked. There, the two came up with the foundation of what would be the first Jesus Sons record. After recording their debut record in Oakland, CA, Wurtz and Dean moved to Los Angeles where they met vocalist/bassist Erik Lake, drummer Chance Welton and multi-instrumentalist Bert Hoover who would all round out the final lineup of Jesus Sons.

CAPE LION “OH GIRL”

Stockholm electronic pop duo Cape Lion features vocalist/producers Carl-Johan “Oa” Sevedag and Martin Wiklund.

With one foot standing steadily in hip hop production and beat making and the other in Gothenburg’s indie scene, the duo decided to meet somewhere in the middle, thus creating the uncompromising sound ofCape Lion.

SYMBA NEW SUNGLE

Following a strong response to the first leak from his upcoming album 2 More Words, Symba calls on fellow Bay Area artist Marc E. Bassy for his meditative single “Stuck In My Ways,” premiered via DJ Booth. Regretfully admitting he enables leeches to proliferate, Symba vows to stop the cycle and cut them loose. With lyrics such as, “Overdoing favors for those who don’t appreciate it / they burned a bridge, boat sanked, and now they look for me to save ’em,” Symba explains that sometimes the people you love most will take advantage of you. “They know you love them too much to cut them off.”

http://www.djbooth.net/index/tracks/review/08255-symba-stuck-in-my-ways-marc-e-bassy

SZJERDENE “FADED”

With a growing fanbase already enthralled by Szjerdene’s mesmerising blend of slow burning electronics and ethereal vocals, 3rd single Faded, from the upcoming ‘Paragon EP’ (premiered this week by Clash Music) is testament to Szjerdene’s fully realised artistic voice. Originally produced by Szjerdene alone, Faded in its final incarnation is remastered by Amsterdam producer Full Crate and the next chapter (after Are You Here and Find Me) in Szjerdene’s series of bittersweet tales of love and loss. Pulsing with warmly dubbed out beats and distorted chimes as lashing rainwater hits the imagined window pane, Faded ebbs and flows with a more uptempo, propulsive energy, eventually cutting into space and slowing down again, with softly broken textures. Another acutely personal and wandering journey, Szjerdene’s flawless and ever-hypnotic vocals float above the bass-heavy tones, providing an innately pure soulful injection that cuts through the smoke…

http://www.clashmusic.com/news/track-of-the-day-248-szjerdene

FOALS RELEASE NEW SONG “LONDON THUNDER”

As the release of Foals’ eagerly anticipated new album What Went Down approaches this Friday, the band can now present the latest taste of what to expect with the new track “London Thunder”.