SKOPE NEWS FOR AUGUST 8, 2018 @ 2 PM EST

Sammy Brue To Release The “Down With Desperation” EP This Friday – Summer Tour Begins Tonight

Sammy Brue is set to release the Down With Desperation EP this Friday, August 10th. The 5-song collection was produced by Steve Fisk (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Car Seat Headrest) and was recorded live at Soundhouse Recording in Seattle, WA. It features Brue’s live band “The Desperate Parties” and is his first new music following his critically acclaimed 2017 New West Records debut I Am Nice. Already hailed as an “American prodigy” by Rolling Stone and a “wunderkind” by American Songwriter, the 17-year-old is a remarkable young talent. His catchy compositions embody the sort of wisdom, empathy and insight that is usually associated with more experienced songwriters and has caught the attention of The New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, The Fader, and more.

Stream Sammy Brue’s Raucous New EP Down With Desperation

DARK SIGNAL Release Official Lyric Video for “I Was Alive”

Sacramento, CA based Rock/Metal Band has released the official lyric video for their single, “I Was Alive.”

“‘I Was Alive’ is a song about an attempt at a meaningful life. Focusing on what is real and leaving a true mark. Let your actions speak life and light in a dark and impermanent world.” – Dark Signal

Clairo And SG Lewis Reveal Official Music Video For “Better”

The track itself was brought together by a chance writing session in LA, SG Lewis and Clairo’s chemistry in the studio became immediately apparent. “The process was so natural” says SG of the track. The single is the perfect marriage of SG’s signature warm, sunny house production and Clairo’s dreamy vocal delivery and signature lyricism. “Sam is one of the most talented producers I know.” Clairo tells of their collaboration. “We met the same day that we made this song, and just clicked instantly. “Better” is one of the first real steps I’ve made into Pop music and this collab feels like a match made in heaven!”

FATHER RELEASES VIDEO FOR “LOTTO” FT. ABRA

He made an unlikely first breakthrough with stripped down anthems like “Nokia” and “Look At Wrist” in 2014. With the help of ILoveMakokonnen, Key!, and a slew of Awful Records’ artists, Father’s first project, Young Hot Ebony (2014), would mark the birth of what is known today as ‘Soundcloudrap’. Since then, he has carved himself out an independent sweet spot, having grown and maintained a core fan base with two more full-length projects: Who’s Gonna Get F*cked First? (2015) and I’m A Piece of Sh*t (2016).

Metal Insider premiere thunderous new single ‘Chill Position’ from Ben Katsman’s ‘DeGreaser’

Ben Katzman, AKA ‘DeGreaser’ has released the first single taken from his new album ‘Quarter Life Crisis’ released October 12th. As head honcho at Boston’s BUFU Record Label, Ben Katzman has seen his fair share of artists come through the door and now has launched his new project ‘DeGreaser’.

The Miami-based guitar shredding virtuoso (former Guerilla Toss and White Fang) has bounced between NY, LA, and Boston and remained true to his DIY presentation and chill attitude.

DERMOT KENNEDY Releases Spotify Singles

Irish artist Dermot Kennedy today releases two stirring recordings as part of Spotify’s Singles program. The tracks feature Dermot accompanied by a string orchestra and gospel choir, serving a rich sound that effortlessly blends in with the young artist’s cinematic sounds. Alongside his single “Glory,” Dermot also treats fans with a cover of Kanye West’s “Heartless” produced by Koz (Kendrick Lamar, Nicki Minaj). The latter showcases Dermot’s pension for mixing hip hop with his own brand of electronic production that is fast becoming a signature for the rising star.

Cursive Announces New Album ‘Vitriola’ Out 10/5/18

“It’s classic Cursive, with psychic nails of sound and Kasher’s righteously spit anger, enriched by a guitar melody that breaks apart the rage. But for all of its — ahem — vitriol, there’s a disquieting moment that challenges both his and our frustration, by making it personal…It’s a twisted message of hope in Vitriola, as the world goes down in a hot garbage island of bile. You just have to scream along.” — NPR Music

Audius Announces $5.5M Series A from General Catalyst, Lightspeed, Kleiner Perkins, and Pantera Capital

Audius, which is developing the first decentralized, community-owned and artist-controlled music-sharing protocol, announced today that it has raised a $5.5M Series A round led by General Catalyst and Lightspeed, with participation from Kleiner Perkins, Pantera Capital, 122West and Ascolta Ventures. Audius will continue building its blockchain-based SoundCloud alternative, based upon an open protocol that will live forever and is operated by a fully decentralized community of artists, developers, and listeners collaborating to defend the world’s music.

Tuomo & Markus Share Video For “Vanity Blinds” feat Glenn Kotche

Tuomo & Markus is the new musical project from acclaimed Finnish soul/jazz artist Tuomo Prättälä and singer/songwriter Markus Nordenstreng of The Latebirds.

Today, they share a live video for their song “Vanity Blinds” which was recorded in the Genelec Artist Room at Sonic Pump Studios in the band’s hometown of Helsinki, Finland. They were joined by acclaimed Finnish jazz trumpeter Verneri Pohjola and Wilco’s Glenn Kotche on drums.

TWENTY ØNE PILØTS UNVEIL “LEVITATE”

Twenty One Pilots have unveiled the latest track from their hugely anticipated new studio album, TRENCH. “Levitate” is available today at all DSPs and is joined by an official music video, streaming now on Twenty One Pilots’ YouTube channel. Directed by longtime collaborator Andrew Donoho, “Levitate” concludes the three-part narrative first established in the official music video for “Jumpsuit,” the chart-topping first single from TRENCH, and then continued in the official music video for the LP’s second release, “Nico And The Niners.” Both films made massive impacts with “Jumpsuit” trending on YouTube for over 24 hours, receiving over 24 million views to date.

Seattle rock/pop band Spesh share quirky “Candy Legs” video

How do you tell the story of a band? If you had to, there are worse places to start than with a place. In this case, Seattle, present day. The city is beset—or if you’re less inclined to doomsday thinking, enriched—by corporate interests. Neighborhoods that once housed artists, musicians, and weirdos of other stripes have become inhospitable. These people congregate in dive bars or out-of-the-way clubs or someone’s apartment. They drink cheap wine and talk about where they’ll go when they inevitably have to leave. In these dim corners, Spesh first took root. Today the four-piece share their Tara Thomas directed video for “Candy Legs” with New Noise Magazine. You can watch on YouTube. Famous World’ LP is out 9/28/18 on Killroom Records.

Video Premiere: Spesh – “Candy Legs”

SABRINA CLAUDIO DROPS NEW SONG “NUMB” AVAILABLE NOW

The song comes on the heels of Claudio’s emotional new song Messages From Her released last week. Complex called the song “a chill, slow-tempo track that showcases the intimate vocals that helped her skyrocket to popularity in 2016.”

NEW SINGLES GARNER IMMEDIATE 15K SPOTIFY AND 5K YOUTUBE STREAMS

Brian McShea and the Sidemen have been having an eventful summer this year with new music and live performances in California, all season long. Their latest EP, Real People, Not Actors, was released at the end of June and has been gaining traction on both Spotify and YouTube. The EP has summer anthems like “We Don’t Wanna Hear About It” as well as their newest hit “Stephanie.” Their song “Stephanie” off the EP has been getting a lot of attention online, an article from NoDepression described “Stephanie” as the:

“…huge arena rock vibe of the Foo Fighters or Phish, while maintaining a really stunning personality and a somewhat ironic vibe that really makes the band stand out.”

-NoDepression, Stacey Zering

OSTINATO PRESENTS TWO NILES TO SING A MELODY: THE VIOLINS & SYNTHS OF SUDAN

In Sudan, the political and cultural are inseparable.

In 1989, a coup brought a hardline religious government to power. Music was violently condemned. Many musicians and artists were persecuted, tortured, forced to flee into exile — and even murdered, ending one of the most beloved music eras in all of Africa and largely denying Sudan’s gifted instrumentalists, singers, and poets, from strutting their creative heritage on the global stage.

What came before in a special era that protected and promoted the arts was one of the richest music scenes anywhere in the world. Although Sudanese styles are endlessly diverse, this compilation celebrates the golden sound of the capital, Khartoum. Each chapter of the cosmopolitan city’s tumultuous musical story is covered through 16 tracks: from the hypnotic violin and accordion-driven orchestral music of the 1970s that captured the ears and hearts of Africa and the Arabic-speaking world, to the synthesizer and drum machine music of the 1980s, and the music produced in exile in the 1990s. The deep kicks of tum tum and Nubian rhythms keep the sound infectious.

DRAM GIVES THE BEST HUGS…IN MUST-SEE NEW VIDEO

Hampton, Virginia-raised DRAM, born Shelley Massenburg-Smith, stepped into the music scene over three years ago. Inspired by a range of soundscapes and artists, from George Clinton, Bilal, to Dipset and Snoop Dogg, he garnered success with his #1EpicSummerEP which was released in September 2014 and featured buzz single, “Cha Cha.” Fueled by the 6X-Platinum hit single, “Broccoli feat. Lil Yachty,” DRAM introduced his debut album BIG BABY DRAM in 2016.