@skopemag news – friday – september 18, 2020 @ 2 pm est

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

PILLOW QUEENS share video for “Liffey” and announce 2021 UK + IRE tour dates

The band reached out to their fans, friends and family and asked them to submit photos of themselves. Balfe then incorporated these hundreds of self-portraits to create his stunning visuals.

FIRST SINGLE FROM GRAMMY-NOMINATED VOCAL POWERHOUSE RYAN SHAW’S FORTHCOMING ALBUM HAS WORLDWIDE PREMIERE VIA SOUL TRACKS TODAY

The first single from Multi GRAMMY®-nominated vocal powerhouse Ryan Shaw’s forthcoming album IMAGINING MARVIN has its worldwide premiere today via Soul Tracks. “Strong Men Can” is co-written by Shaw and iconic songwriter, Valerie Simpson (who with her late husband/partner, Nick Ashford, is responsible for some of Marvin Gaye’s biggest hits; Gaye is the inspiration behind IMAGINING MARVIN). The heartfelt ballad encourages emotional vulnerability in men and supports good mental health via such expression. “Strong Men Can” can be purchased here; click here to access the single art.

MAKEOUT Debuts New Music Video For Latest Single “Home”

Pop-punk phenoms Makeout, have dropped a music video for their soaring track “Home” (their first song with new frontman Kyle Dee (formerly a Season 11 American Idol contestant, and lead singer of Chicago mainstays, The Frantic) and bassist AJ Khah (who was previously a member of Sleep On It). Dee and Khah join founding members Tyler Young (Lead Guitar) and Scott Eckel (Drums) for a more mature sounding yet still super melodic new version of MAKEOUT which should make longtime fans super stoked.

DRACONIAN Releases Fourth Single “Moon Over Sabaoth” and Lyric Video

The seventh full-length of the Swedish five-piece and second one with talented Heike Langhans on vocal duties, appears exactly five years after DRACONIAN’s latest album, Sovran, and guarantees a complete immersion into the band’s essence. Starting off with a soft guitar intro, DRACONIAN’s new single “Moon Over Sabaoth” soon breaks off into Anders Jacobsson’s ghastly growls paired with a stomping doomy rhythm. Complemented by Heike’s angelic voice, the vocals will touch deep inside your soul and interweave with stunning melodies and bone-crushing riffs. An artful conceptualized lyric video underlines these atmospheric tunes of melancholic beauty.

HEALTH ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM DISCO4 :: PART I

HEALTH today announced DISCO4 :: PART I, a new album out on October 16th, 2020, via Loma Vista Recordings collating all of the astonishing collaborations the LA-based band have released since 2017, alongside three new ones with 100 gecs, The Soft Moon, and Brothel, and also a new HEALTH single, “CYBERPUNK 2.0.2.0.”

DREAMSTAGE presents Polo G and Chief Keef; two of today’s hottest rappers streaming in HD a live virtual concert 10/23

Today, Polo G and Chief Keef announce a partnership with live concert platform DREAMSTAGE for an exclusive concert on Friday, October 23 at 7PM EST. The concert marks a major foray into hip-hop for DREAMSTAGE, the new cross-genre premium platform for ticketed live concerts. For this initial week of sales, as a special superfan pre-order price, tickets are selling for just $14.99. Ticket costs will increase a week from today.

Chicago rapper Chief Keef, a pioneer of Chicago’s drill style rap, was named an icon by Complex with a cult following, receiving massive success since the release of his 2012 debut Finally Rich. While fellow Chicago rapper Polo G was recently named a XXL Magazine 2020 Freshman of the year and Rolling Stone named his 2019 album Die A Legend the top spot on their “20 Best Hip Hop Albums of 2019.”

New Netflix series Song Exploder launches globally October 2

Each episode of Song Exploder features some of the world’s greatest musicians as they reveal how they brought one of their songs to life. The series weaves together in-depth interviews, archival footage and raw recordings as each artist breaks down their song, layer by layer, sharing intimate insight into the personal inspiration behind the music and lyrics.

EARTHGANG AND BON IVER REMIXES OF SONGS FROM BRITTANY HOWARD’S ACCLAIMED ALBUM, JAIME, ARE OUT TODAY

Today, ATO Records released a pair of remixes of songs from Brittany Howard’s acclaimed debut solo album, Jaime. Atlanta-based hip hop duo EARTHGANG reimagines “Goat Head” and Bon Iver brings fresh textures to “Short and Sweet.” The tracks are the first to be revealed from an upcoming collection of remixes from Jaime. Since its release last September, the album has won widespread praise from critics – earning placement on “best of” lists by The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork and many others – plus fans and fellow artists.

THE RETURN OF WHY DON’T WE

Multi-talented band Why Don’t We have officially returned, announcing their highly anticipated self-penned/produced new single “Fallin'” – arriving Tuesday, September 29th via Atlantic Records. Following a nine-month hiatus spent writing and producing their forthcoming second studio album, the group started a social media frenzy last week with a mysterious #WhereIsWDW campaign that amassed over 5.5 million impressions in under six days.

OMD Announce Special Live Stream Show at London’s Indigo at the O2, October 24th 9pm UK Time, All Profits Go Towards Band’s Crew

Live streamed and with a Zoom-integrated audience of 1,000, as well as a chance to be in the limited 200 capacity audience, the show will kick off on Saturday, October 24th at 9.00pm (UK time) featuring songs from the band’s iconic album ‘Architecture & Morality’, plus many more hits from their legendary back catalogue. The show is a partnership with Live Here Now, AEG and indigo at The O2.

The Hunna return with an anthem for the youth “Young & Faded”

Today (Sept 17), The Hunna releases new single, “Young & Faded” – listen HERE – off of their highly anticipated forthcoming album I’d Rather Die Than Let You In, out October 2nd. On the track, the band’s intoxicating vocals, pounding drums and resonant guitar lines shine throughout, resulting in a hard-hitting song that will instantly transport listeners to the moshpit. The track bounces between refined, filtered verses and a massive-sounding chorus, creating a captivating listen. “Young and Faded” is all about being unapologetic and passionate with your beliefs and not letting others sway your perspective. This song is a mesmerizing ode to the youth and serves as an exciting preview to The Hunna’s upcoming album release next month.

Maxwell Stern Unveils New Single From Upcoming “Impossible Sum” LP on Lauren Records

Lauren Records will release Maxwell Stern’s debut solo album, Impossible Sum, on September 25th, but you can hear a new single today….

“Brave the trains and meet me across town. We’ll go out spinning stories, trying to pull the stars down.” sings Stern in this song that is the product of a lot of drunken reminiscing with old friends in new places.

GSO Phat x OTB Fastlane – “Racks In Here” prod. DJ XO

CARNATION Streams Entire New Album Ahead of Release

Frontman Simon Duson comments: “At last, the moment that we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. For nine months we have been preparing the release of our second album, ‘Where Death Lies’. It feels extremely satisfying to now present the record in its entirety after all the hard work that we’ve put into it. We hope you will enjoy this new composition of relentless death metal as much as we do, and we can’t wait to start performing these tracks live for you across the globe. Furthermore, we would like to thank all those who have been supporting us these past couple of years. From the Cemetery of the Insane, to the Chapel of Abhorrence; we now march into the realm Where Death Lies…”

John MOuse to release new album ‘The Goat’ on vinyl on the 30th of October

When lockdown commenced John MOuse seized the opportunity to create a new album. The concept behind The Goat, was to write, record and release a song on a weekly basis. Each song, accompanied by its own artwork was then uploaded to bandcamp.

Social distancing meant that the music for the album was created Lincolnshire by long term collaborator Phil Pearce and then sent to John in Cardiff who worked on the lyrics and vocal melody for each track. The result is a typically idiosyncratic and heart on its sleeve, electronic pop album, heavy on spoken word content and catchy chorus hooks, these songs possess musical hints of everyone from Adian Moffat, Momus to early Pulp.

JOHN K RELEASES OFFICIAL VISUALIZER FOR NEW SINGLE “HAPPINESS”

Known for capturing the essence of an eternal summer, Florida native John K quietly cemented himself as an independent artist to watch in 2017 when he was handpicked as Elvis Duran’s “Artist of the Month,” allowing him to appear on the TODAY Show with a performance of his breakout single “OT.” Crediting his soulful vocals and effortless cool to influences ranging from Bill Withers and Donnie Hathaway to Jon Bellion, Ed Sheeran and Drake, he continued to make waves in 2019 by signing to Epic Records and releasing his if we never met EP, which landed him features with Billboard, Rolling Stone, Forbes and more. RIAA Platinum-certified single “if we never met” propelled him into 2020, with a version featuring Kelsea Ballerini and a return to the TODAY Show to perform the song. Garnering over 225 million streams, “if we never met” was followed by the heartfelt single “6 months” where he continued to stake out coveted real estate on top Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music playlists. Now, John K returns with “Happiness” and prepares for the release of his highly anticipated project this Fall.

Vic Mensa shares arresting MACHIAVELLI short film from V TAPE Release

Chicago rapper and activist VIC MENSA has unveiled a new short MACHIAVELLI, an extension of the recently released music video of the same name incorporating more music, additional scenes, and spoken word narration. MACHIAVELLI is soundtracked by excerpts of songs from his recent surprise release V TAPE, a seven song excursion of thought-provoking lyrics and themes of pain, social justice, and redemption met with immediate acclaim from fans and critics alike. The film, directed by Andre Muir and featuring photography by Angel Harrold and Flynn Drew, is part of Vic’s broader effort to reconnect with his Chicago roots after recently moving back, and plays as an intimate portrait of the city’s south side via evocations of west African imagery and Gordon Parks-esque street photography, weaving a thematic narrative of redemption and rebirth. Vic expounded on the film, V TAPE, and his career-to-date in an exclusive in depth interview with Ebro Darden this morning – check it out here.

Lee Paradise – Shares New Single: ‘Message To The Past’

This first single, ‘Message To The Past’ pulls on these dark electronic grooves which are tied into a buzzing, head-nodding trance – in Lee’s own words, he wanted to make this album as “an emo record with music as medicine to distract the mind like a drug” and to accomplish that, he wanted it to “sound like a wasteland where the sun doesn’t shine and humans have long ceased to be relevant beyond contributing to their own self-destruction.” Telephone Explosion as a label has had a pretty successful year finding a couple of its acts – Pantayo and Badge Èpoque Ensemble – nominated for Canada’s Polaris Prize, Pantayo have actually gone on to make the shortlist alongside Kaytranada, Caribou and U.S Girls.

WIZKID UNVEILS PROVOCATIVE NEW SINGLE “NO STRESS” – MADE IN LAGOS SET FOR OCTOBER 15 RELEASE

Today, Nigerian singer-songwriter Wizkid shares his provocative new single “No Stress,” the latest release from the reigning global Afropop superstar. The track will be featured on his eagerly anticipated project Made In Lagos, set for an October 15 release via Starboy/RCA Records/Sony Music International and available for pre-order/pre-save now.

Skittish Release “Savannah Sessions” Tomorrow + Share “Before the Devils Knows” Single

Jeff Noller has been the creative force behind the band Skittish for over ten years. Sprung from the lake country of Minnesota in 2007, Skittish has earned critical acclaim for the Paul Simon meets Arcade Fire blend of bedroom folk-rock. Choosing the name Skittish was a nod to the kinship and calm Noller has found around animals, and less so around people. Other musicians seem to be the exception to that preference, because although he writes and records on his own, many talented Midwest musicians have joined Noller in the Skittish lineup over the years.

PUP announce upcoming EP, share new track ‘Rot’

Toronto’s punk powerhouse PUP are thrilled to announce a brilliant, forthcoming EP to get us through the craziest year of our lives. Entitled This Place Sucks Ass, the six song collection arrives 23rd October via Little Dipper / Rise Records. In addition to the previously released songs ‘Anaphylaxis’ and a cover of Grandaddy’s beloved ‘A.M. 180,’ the EP contains three songs from the Morbid Stuff sessions that have yet to see the light of day, as well as the blistering ‘Rot,’ which was written and recorded this year.

icymi: Kosmogonia (Gre) “Enthrone the Gods” @ Folk/Melodic Death Metal

Kosmogonia is a pagan folk melodic death metal band that takes place in Athens, Greece.

It was founded by Kostas Magalios on vocals and guitars and Christos Drossos on guitars in 2015.

In the beginning, the band used to play melodic thrash metal, but that was until the year of 2017 when the line up was completely changed and Kostas decided that the band should follow a different music style. And so they started to add on their music more folk elements.

Depeche Mode Songs of Faith and Devotion Singles Boxed Set Available October 30

Depeche Mode 12″ vinyl singles project continues with the release of SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION | THE 12″ SINGLES on October 30 from Rhino. The set is available for pre-order starting today.

SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION | THE 12″ SINGLES, a collector’s edition deluxe boxed set, contains eight 12″ vinyl discs showcasing the singles—“I Feel You,” “Walking In My Shoes,” “Condemnation” and “In Your Room” –and key B-sides, mixes and live recordings contemporaneous to Depeche Mode’s pivotal Songs of Faith and Devotion album.

From their earliest days as a band, Depeche Mode have championed 12″ vinyl, embracing the format’s singular power and potential for innovation. The 12″ single allowed the band to explore new sonic possibilities while the tactile physical beauty of real-world packaging gave Depeche Mode room to develop a sophisticated and commanding design aesthetic. Depeche Mode used their singles discography as a means of offering left field remixes, rare B-sides, standout concert performances and other exclusive delights for fans.

Seven Kingdoms’ New Single, “The Great Goat Rodeo” to be released Worldwide on Sep 24th!

“Its really amazing to have the direct support from our fans. This is a unique release as it’s based on just one song, so we were cautious about how to go about it. We are just thrilled that people have caught on to what were doing and continue to support us! We can continue because of that. This is what keeps us going and making more music! We are really just so thankful!”, commented guitarist, Camden Cruz.

Prince Unheard Track I Need A Man Available Now From Upcoming Sign O’ The Times Reissue

Today, The Prince Estate in partnership with Warner Records, released “I Need A Man”, a previously unheard recording from Prince’s legendary vault that will be featured on the expanded reissue of Prince’s iconic Sign O’ The Times out September 25.

“I Need A Man” was recorded at the Washington Avenue Warehouse on January 22, 1987, by engineer Susan Rogers.

Although Prince’s Paisley Park Studios was still months away from completion, Paisley Park Records was in full swing when Prince reached out to Grammy nominee Bonnie Raitt after seeing her perform. “I Need A Man” was the first of four songs he offered her.

My Dear Mycroft Announces New LP, Shares “The Ghost That Slows You Down”

New York-based trio My Dear Mycroft share their single “The Ghost That Slows You Down” and announce the upcoming album, Heaven’s Entertainment. Hauntingly ominous and emotive, “The Ghost That Slows You Down” is the lead single off of the album, which is perfectly timed to be out October 30th.

My Dear Mycroft independently released 2 EPs, Dinosaur and Wiiiild, to discover their core sound. Heaven’s Entertainment is the band’s debut album and was recorded and mixed at Strange Weather in Brooklyn, with additional recording at Joemca’s Laboratory in NYC.

Douglas Lee Debut Album Out Oct. 23 Conjures up Nino Rota, Angelo Badalamenti, Niklos Rosza & Carl Stalling – whoa!

Douglas Lee, is set to release his debut album Themes For Falling Down Stairs on Friday October 23, 2020.

Themes for Falling Down Stairs is an aural treat that takes the listener to remote place in their imagination. Sounding like a mash-up of Nino Rota, Angelo Badalamenti, Niklos Rosza and Carl Stalling, it’s equal parts 40s Film Noir soundtrack, Romani gypsy music, Shibuya-Kei Japanese pop, 60s Italo-western soundtracks and 30s Shanghai cabaret. Fleshed out with postmodern arrangements incorporating electronic noise, live manipulated electro-acoustic sound effects and various exotic devices to produce rich soundscapes, the album sounds as if somewhere in time, the muslin gauze has been pulled off the concussed head of a transfixed toy doll as a child to reveal the world’s strangest down and out performance of all time.

Douglas Lee on Korean TV

Brand new hit single Mary Jane By Eliot Ness is heating up the summer

It wasn’t long before Eliot Ness was making airwaves working with Paul Wall, Willie D, Daz Dillinger, Scarface, Devin The Dude, Luenell, and several more heavyweights in the music industry. Eliot Ness has also been featured on mixtape projects with Wyclef Jean and Lil Jon. These music projects caught the attention of music media giants, MTV and VH1, who used their respective platforms to feature Eliot Ness’s music.Eliot Ness: The Man Behind the Houston Hip-Hop Scene

Tennessee – Air Force Veteran and country artist John Rian Eason

Tennessee – Air Force Veteran and country artist John Rian Eason releases his patriotic tribute song, “StandUP” through The Label Group on INgrooves. His tribute goes out to those who have fought for freedom and for the women and men in BLUE that have given their lives to keep us safe.

9/11 had a huge impact on Eason and this single “StandUP” comes from his own experiences while serving his country.

“StandUP” clearly lends itself to the passion he shares for Old Glory and most importantly in memory to those who have served her yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Billy Raffoul Releases Live Video for “International Hotel”

Singer/songwriter Billy Raffoul shares a live performance video of the title track from his recently released full length album International Hotel. International Hotel takes its title from a bar in Raffoul’s home town of Leamington, Ontario. Raffoul filmed this live performance at the actual International Hotel Bar.

AFFLICTION VECTOR: Italian black-death metallers featuring current and former members of Grime and The Secret premiere new song “Abandoned Into Madness”

The band will release the “Death Comes Supreme” debut EP on 25th September 2020 via Argento Records.

AFFLICTION VECTOR has been conceived as an introspective exploration by Ans in 2018. After the dissolution of Ooze and his separation from Grime, the artist decided to embrace a solitary journey through his own inner demons, choosing isolation and his dissolving mental health as a fuel for his creative flame.

Dreamy folk track “Headlights” from Brighton, UK’s Rapt is out today

Rapt is the alias of Jacob Ware, a musician based in Brighton, England. After 8 years of involvement in the extreme metal scene and co-founding the death metal band Enslavement, Rapt is an exploration of his other musical passions.

Spanning slowcore, folk, shoegaze, ambient and electronic music, the moniker’s name is intended to be fluid and loose, allowing the project to explore a range of genres. The blog Tome to the Weather Machine succinctly described Rapt as ‘Categorically Autumnal Music’.

Luke Combs wins Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year at 55th ACM Awards

Luke Combs won two awards last night at the 55th Academy of Country Music Awards: Male Artist of the Year and Album of the Year for his platinum-certified, global #1 record, What You See Is What You Get. Combs also performed his new song, “Better Together,” from Nashville’s Bluebird Café during the live awards broadcast.

The Brummies debut ‘Little Monsters’ themed video for “After Midnight”

he Brummies offer a little spice and flavor to the work week with the 80s themed, black-lit music video for “After Midnight.” The Nashville-based, Alabama-bred trio rock out in the basement alongside choreographed aerobic dancers and some creatures of the night inspired by the 1989 family fantasy flick “Little Monsters.” The band even enlisted some family members and close friends to jump in on the adventure.

“This is our dark disco song,” explains Jacob. Trevor continues, “It started with me playing this rhythm on keys one night. At first, it was this long rocking jam that went into this dark halftime outro.”

Kitty Solaris “Sunglasses” (Solaris Empire/Broken Silence) VÖ: 18.9.2020

“Ein Album wie gemacht für Fahrten mit dem Auto mit offenem Dach oder zumindest geöffneten Seitenscheiben durch eine laue Sommernacht. Elektronische Beats paaren sich mit lässigen Synths und einer ebenso leichten Stimme. “Supermoon” ist da ein perfekter Einstieg für einen nächtlichen Cruise um die Häuser. Die Berlinerin adaptiert dazu mit “Sunglasses at night” Corey Harts’ Hit, der perfekt in diese Szenerie passt und auf ganz eigene Weise interpretiert wird. Auch wenn die Gitarre sicher in der Zukunft ein wichtiger Begleiter bleibt, “Sunglasses” kommt auch prima ohne aus, ohne allzu sehr nur elektronisch zu klingen. ” Westzeit

“Mit „Supermoon” präsentiert die Berliner Indie-Ikone schillernden Pop mit 80er-Wave-Vibe und lässigem Elektro-Groove” Popmonitor.de

U2 TO RELAUNCH OFFICIAL YOUTUBE CHANNEL

YouTube, Island Records, Interscope, UMe, and UMC today announce the relaunch of U2’s Official YouTube Channel with weekly releases of the band’s most iconic music videos and never before seen content on YouTube, all remastered at the highest possible standard. Over the course of the next year and beyond, the band’s music video catalog will be remastered in HD and launched exclusively on YouTube in that format.

SERUM 114 Releases New Single & Official Lyric Video

Just in time for the upcoming release of their new album, Im Zeichen der Zeit (out September 18 via Napalm Records), German rock group SERUM 114 proves that their heart still beats for pure, dirty punk rock! Their fourth single, “Meine Band” (engl. my band), showcases SERUM 114’s pure intention for brash lyrics and catchy riffs, underlined by Eche’s scratchy vocals. The accompanying official lyric video opens a box of memories and features some shots of their explosive and captivating live shows, which can be experienced again at their release concert in Gelsenkirchen (GER) today. With a light-footed, tongue-in-cheek attitude, SERUM 114 takes a closer look at the music business, underlines that they are not taking themselves too seriously, and demonstrates that they have not lost their sense of humor throughout their years.

Denver’s RECORD THIEVES (Feat. Members Of Authority Zero, Allout Helter, Boldtype) Sign with Thousand Islands Records

By most accounts, this has been a pretty lousy year. Civil unrest, political uncertainty and a pandemic make for some depressing times. However, there have been a few random highlights sprinkled into the shit stew that is 2020. One of them is certainly the reemergence of Denver, Colorado punks Record Thieves (feat. members of Authority Zero, Allout Helter and Boldtype), who have been disturbingly quiet since 2017.

Young Dolph Can’t Change His Womanizing Ways in “Cray Cray” Video

Young Dolph’s music videos combine his undeniable rap bangers with elements of comedy and tributes to his favorite films and film directors. In his new video for “Cray Cray,” a new video from his biggest-ever album Rich Slave, Dolph showcases his acting skills as he visits his various female friends across town. Produced by Bandplay, “Cray Cray” finds Dolph sharing boastful details about his twin vices of women and wealth: “Money blue, diamonds too, ain’t no rules, n**** (Uh)/I went swimmin’ and lost a Rolex in the pool, n**** (Uh)/Fell asleep on one b*tch and woke up with two, n***** (What?)/If you was livin’ like this, shit, what would you do, n*****?”

RICK ROSS RELEASES NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “PINNED TO THE CROSS”!

CLASS IS IN SESSION! WATCH THE KID LAROI AND LIL MOSEY TAKE IT BACK TO SCHOOL IN NEW MUSIC VIDEO “WRONG”

In the spirit of Fall, The Kid LAROI is back to school for the highly anticipated visual for “Wrong” featuring Lil Mosey. Directed by YouTube and internet personality Logan Paul, the music video stars LAROI and Mosey, with cameos from friend and fellow label-mate Lil Tjay.

VALLEY RELEASE NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO “HICCUP”

“‘hiccup’ is the story of a person that you once knew everything about, and they knew everything about you. Maybe you were ghosted, unfollowed, or blocked. Regardless, the time you spent together feels like an illusion and despite your best effort to get over them, a small part of you still wonders what they’re doing now,” VALLEY shares. “There are so many breakup songs out in the world already, but this is our truth on heartbreak. The word “hiccup” felt like the right way to title the feeling of a “breakup” visually without being too obvious. Hiccups are like little texts your mind receives with attachments of photos, memories, and locations, where there’s no “do not disturb button’ to help process losing someone. Having those kinda’ hiccups really sucks.”