@skopemag news – friday – july 10, 2020 @ 9 am est

@skopemag HQ – http://smarturl.it/skope

AQUILO’S NEW ‘SOBER’ EP IS OUT NOW!

After two years of absence, the reaction to Aqulio’s return with their recent singles ‘Sober’, ‘Just Asking’ and ‘Always Forever’ feels as if they’d never been away. The songs quickly accumulated over 5 million streams, in the process elevating their monthly listeners at Spotify to 2 million. Musically, the duo – Tom Higham and Ben Fletcher – have clearly raised their game and earned renewed critical acclaim alongside resurgent devotion from fans.

PHANTOM ISLE – London new wave outfit release new single ‘MAR V’

Barrelling through the doom and gloom of 2020 at a blistering 130bpm, London based New Wave outfit PHANTOM ISLE today unveil their immensely danceable new single, ‘MAR V’.

South African alt-pop artist James Deacon releases video for ‘Mr Misery’

Eric explains the theme and concept for the video, saying “Being heavily restricted by lockdown, I knew I wanted to incorporate and use the restrictions as an advantage, rather than having the video postponed. I took an antagonistic approach towards the current circumstances and restrictions put in place by the overarching pandemic and the South African government’s response towards it. The music video introduces us to the band wearing face masks, staying the appropriate distance from one another and applying hand sanitiser. Monitoring an empty street at night, the band addresses the situation head-on with withered statements on cardboard (all of which being segments from local headlines). The main theme would be questioning and confronting reality, authority and the layered response from our government.

YOUNG KNIVES share new single “Society For Cutting Up Men”

Young Knives (brothers Henry Dartnall and The House of Lords) are releasing a third track from their forthcoming album Barbarians. ‘Society for Cutting Up Men’ is named after Valerie Solanas’ feminist political pamphlet the SCUM Manifesto. Henry says:

narou Drops New Single ‘Honest (w/ Golow)’ from Debut EP

Berlin-based Austrian songwriter and producer narou is back with the new single ‘Honest (w/ Golow)’ – out 3rd July. This is the second track from his upcoming debut EP ‘GOOD COMPANY’ which is due for release in September.

narou’s EP is a love-letter to the people around him and he uses music as the outlet to reflect on his behaviour towards the people he holds dearest. Connecting with his recently released single ‘Deep End’, ‘Honest’ describes feelings and thoughts after a fight in an intimate relationship.

NEW MUSIC // Arran George – “18 Wheeler”

Cumbria’s born & bred crooner Arran George offers a feeling of solace & warmth in new more produced sounding single “18 Wheeler” , whilst shooting from the hip with his trademark earnest storytelling. This song will feature on his forthcoming EP “Born Under A Pylon” out later this year.

Renowned producer Sun Glitters teams up with RIR on new single “Coralline”

Noteworthy Avant-garde dance music producer and sound-designer, Rome in Reverse has shared her new single ‘Coralline ft. Sun Glitters’, which will be released on the 10th of July. The single was premiered via Deep House Amsterdam. Sun Glitters has an impressive resume behind him, having been featured in tastemaker publications such as Pitchfork, Dazed and Confused, The Fader, EARMILK, BBC Music and xlr8r to name a few. The producer has created official remixes for Purity Ring, Slow Magic, Blue Foundation as well as numerous others, and has appeared in live support for the likes of Moderat, Son Lux and Gold Panda. Sun Glitters has also been featured on the noteworthy Youtube channels Majestic Casual, THUMP and Ambient, resulting in him sitting at well over 10 million plays across streaming platforms. Rome In Reverse caught the attention of the Luxembourg-based producer Sun Glitters who is also the co-founder of Future Archive Recordings (FAR), resulting in multiple ongoing collaborations between the two artists.

THE CRANBERRIES “No Need To Argue” remastered & expanded on Sept. 18th

Island Records/UMe are proud to announce the release of remastered and expanded versions of No Need to Argue by The Cranberries on September 18th. Originally released in 1994, No Need To Argue was the band’s biggest selling album with global sales in excess of 17 million and contained the band’s most commercially successful single “Zombie.” The video for “Zombie” has since been viewed over 1 billion times on YouTube, making The Cranberries the only Irish band to pass this milestone and putting them in a very small club of artists to do so. Dolores O’Riordan – the band’s powerful and captivating lead singer – tragically passed away in January 2018.

Big Havi Reports Live From Atlanta Protests in “Personal Problems”

Crafting confessional music with melody and powerful emotion, Big Havi is a worthy heir to the Atlanta rap tradition. Painting a picture of his city ongoing protests for civil rights, Havi shares “Personal Problems,” his latest video. Featuring an appearance from Havi’s Commission Records associate Derez De’Shon, “Personal Problems” is an outlet for pain, as Havi rhymes about his sleepless nights before his rap career took off, and Derez expressively sings about finding bullet holes in his trunk. In the video, Havi proudly rocks his Atlanta Braves cap, intercutting shots of the young rapper at his hotel with footage of Havi interacting with protesters in Centennial Park. The title track from Havi’s early 2020 EP, “Personal Problems” is the rapper’s first release since No Pen No Pad Just Pain.

Asher Knight | Without Us [REMIX]

After the success of Asher’s track ‘Without Us’ [60,000 Spotify streams] including rave reviews in Big Issue North, Bradford Telegraph and Argus, BBC Leeds and Shout Magazine. He returns this summer with a remix version which was released last week.

Saccage (CA) “Khaos Mortem” @ Blackened Death Metal

Saccage, Canadian band founded in 2007 whose band is oriented in a Death Metal register, tinged with darkness and brutality.

As time goes by, the band settles in a sub branch of Death Metal, namely Blackened Death

JOY DENALANE SHARES SINGLE “I BELIEVE (FEATURING BJ THE CHICAGO KID)”

“”I Believe” is about being in that safe space where “you being you” is enough and where your loved ones see you for who you are,” says Joy on the meaning of “I Believe.”

On “I Believe” Joy’s airy soul-soaked vocals soar as she sings about falling in love complemented by BJ The Chicago Kid’s wild adlibs and tonality creating a vivacious R&B banger. In unison they belt “For you I’d take a leap of faith cause I believe.” Aside from the duo’s vocal prowess, celebratory trumpets, a convivial choir, and the feeling of inspiration felt throughout the track add more flair. Both artists are staples in the world of R&B. Joy is an international star on the rise hailing from Germany. She has worked with Raekwon, Lupe Fiasco, Bilal, Common, Hugh Masakela and more while BJ is a known collaborator to the likes of Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, and Anderson Paak.

Private World shares new single ‘Blue Spirit’, ‘Aleph’ LP out Aug 28 on Dais Records

On the heels of announcing their debut LP Aleph alongside their recent video for ‘Hypnagogia’, Cardiff-based pop outfit Private World are sharing the stunning, bubbly new single entitled ‘Blue Spirit’ today. The heartfelt chord changes and soaring synth lines bring to mind the more emotional sides of ’80s acts like The Human League, or Icehouse.

“‘Blue Spirit’ possesses the first example on Aleph of the saccharine and overtly sentimental harmonic content, borderline Springsteen tonality. The synthesizer and guitar lines are carefully arranged so that they do not step on top of each other,” the band explain of the song.

BECK Receives Khruangbin Remix of “No Distraction” for his Birthday

Beck’s current album Hyperspace was released November 22, 2019 on Capitol Records, and has been uniformly hailed as yet another in a series of nearly 30 years of creative peaks. The ASSOCIATED PRESS raved “There is not a boring moment on the entire album,” USA TODAY added “14 albums into his career, Beck has rarely been better than he is on Hyperspace,” while David Fricke of ROLLING STONE’s 4-star lead review likened Beck’s voice on the album’s lead single “Uneventful Days” to “David Bowie’s Major Tom checking in from distant orbit.”

IN HEARTS WAKE Debut “Dystopia” Music Video/Single

Australian melodic metalcore outfit IN HEARTS WAKE have just released a fourth single, “Dystopia,” from their upcoming entirely carbon-offset album KALIYUGA, due out August 7 via UNFD. “Dystopia”–as seen below– takes a new musical approach for the band, with compelling drive, progression and layered melodic intricacy. The track, like the album, is inspired by the ‘Four Ages of Humanity.’

Ruston Kelly’s “Radio Cloud” music video debuts today

Reflecting on the song, Kelly shares, “‘Radio Cloud’ is about remembering who you are, what you are born to do, and seeing your uniqueness as an important and vital addition to community and culture. The video, directed by Stephen Kinigopoulos and Alexa King, was an ode to late 90s pop punk/emo music videos, which were very band heavy, accompanied with a loose but impactful narrative. I also got to graffiti the room myself which has a lot of little Easter eggs in there if you look close enough.”

Pat Keen Shares New Music Video + Single “All Along”

I believe “All Along” is Pat’s most developed piece of songwriting to date. It’s dynamic, rich with nuance, and it gives me the shivers every time I hear it, particularly at the drop that comes in around the 2:48 mark (well worth the wait). Apparently the track went through many variations before they landed on what’s on the record, and that openness to experimenting with production makes this a stand out piece in many ways. Contrabass clarinetist John McCowen makes the entire record pop, but his playing stands out in particular on this track. Pat adopts a more nasal vocal delivery, which feels fresh and new compared to his usual Chet Baker-esque breathy croon. It’s soothing, complex, and full-bodied.

CARNATION Reveals New Album Details, Premieres First Single

The Belgian death metal stalwarts of CARNATION will be releasing their second full-length, ‘Where Death Lies,’ on September 18 via Season of Mist! The album art and tracklist can be found below. In conjunction with this announcement, the band has shared the first single, ‘Sepulcher of Alteration’ along with an accompanying music video.

Introducing Slow Pulp | Announce debut album “Moveys”

Madison, WI-bred and Chicago-based band Slow Pulp – Emily Massey (vocals/guitar), Alexander Leeds (bass), Theodore Mathews (drums), and Henry Stoehr (guitar)–announce their self-produced debut album, Moveys, today. A testament to hard-fought personal growth, Moveys is a remarkable debut made in remarkable times, as Slow Pulp powered through health challenges, personal upheaval, and a pandemic. The songs on Moveys took shape while on tour with Alex G in 2019, after the band scrapped an album’s-worth of material following Massey’s diagnosis with Lyme disease and chronic Mono. The obstacles only continued from there, as Massey’s parents were soon after in a severe car crash one week before COVID-19 shut the country down. Full of blistering energy and emotional catharsis, this compelling 10-track collection highlights the band’s resourcefulness and resilience to come together during unthinkable time. Pre-order Moveys, out October 9th on Winspear, HERE.

Peter Cincotti’s Love Letter to NYC — “Heart of the City”

Peter Cincotti, singer-songwriter-pianist and native New Yorker, has written a heartfelt missive to his hometown. “Heart of the City” is a love letter to NYC, whose strength, resilience and compassion were so much on display during the height of the COVID 19 pandemic. Peter puts it best, “There is no place like New York and there are no people like New Yorkers. I feel lucky and proud to have been born and raised in this city, and I wanted to share my gratitude in this song.” The video for “Heart of the City,” directed by Jordan Lisi, is an interactive affair with fans who submitted their photos and videos of New York and their “hearts” for the city. The video will be unveiled on July 8th and the single drops on July 10th. To mark the occasion, Cincotti will be making an appearance on Good Day New York on July 9th.

NYC’s Concetta Abbate merges post-classical & outsider folk with mental health awareness on ‘Mirror Touch’ LP

Mirror Touch is the upcoming second album from Concetta Abbate, a NYC based violinist, singer and composer. The album is a song cycle, the outcome of creative collaboration between a musician/composer and women facing mental health challenges, including their struggles with self-care. The album is set for a September 25th release date.

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