@skopemag news – monday – march 22, 2021 @ 12 pm est

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SUNNBRELLA releases ‘Lost & Found’ via Permanent Creeps Records

With a musical sensibility akin to bringing daydreams into focus, ​Sunnbrella ​creates sun-bleached, shoegazing indie rock, as diverse in its sonic palette as it is rich in emotive sentiment. Channelling ​inspiration from the works of Alex G​, Elliott Smith and early 00’s hip-hop​, ‘​Lost & Found’ ​is a mood-swung upbeat downer about searching for a meaningful connection in a world of temporary pleasures and instant gratification. The song gives an overarching sense of intimacy and fragility, presented through David’s almost whisper close vocal performance, wrapped around euphoric guitars, powerfully punchy bass grooves and cold, heavily processed beats.

Dennis Ellsworth (PEI) leans into the referential on The Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side LP

Dennis Ellsworth leans into the referential on new full length album, The Grass Is Always Greener on the Other Side, which is out today, as part of the Charlottetown songwriter’s Bound By Love Series.

“This is a condensed musical history of my life,” said Ellsworth (he/him), of moving focus track, Bound By Love. “It stretches from the 1970s up to today, and uses my photographic memory to tie things together, reflecting on how time spent driving in my mother’s car as a kid shaped a lot of my musical life.”

Jake Manzi Debut Album ‘Whatever My Heart Allows’ Featuring Don Was, Dawes’ Griffin and Taylor Goldsmith, Madison Cunningham, and Mikaela Davis Out 5/7 // “Whatever My Heart Allows” Out Now

Today Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter Jake Manzi has announced his debut album Whatever My Heart Allows will be released on May 7, 2021. Jake has also shared a music video for the album’s title track which will be available to stream and purchase everywhere on Friday. Atwood Magazine called the song “an achingly tender instant hit that makes us unequivocally excited for May 7’s debut album.”

PET NEEDS – Release Video For New Single ‘Toothpaste’ || Album out 12th March

Premiered by Vive Le Rock, “Toothpaste” is a confident new cut that packs a cataclysmic punch. It swiftly follows the BBC6 Music championed “Tracey Emin’s Bed”. Fusing the agitated dance/punk rhythms of DZ Deathrays to the bolshy rock chops of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes, it’s a track that finds PET NEEDS on ebullient form and paves the way for the imminent: ‘Fractured Party Music’ (out 12th March, via Xtra Mile Recordings).

PET NEEDS VIDEO PREMIERE!

Video: JJ Finesser – The Bossman

‘The Bossman’ is the latest single from the forthcoming album ‘Classic OG’ by hip-hop emcee JJ Finesser. Inspired by the 1937 book titled ‘Think & Grow Rich’, ‘The Bossman’ highlights JJ Finesser’s ascent to emcee & entrepreneur. “Every level requires a different version of oneself. One that is more focused, precise, & succinct in order to achieve one’s definiteness of purpose.” explains JJ Finesser. Combining slick rhymes with smooth wordplay, JJ Finesser provides insight on how he applied the knowledge in ‘Think & Grow’ to become ‘The Bossman’.

New Release from Andrea Superstein “Every Little Step”

In a time where musicians have been forced to cancel tours and are relegated to solo shows from their living rooms, Andrea Superstein finds a way to connect in ways she may never have dreamed of pre-COVID. Fuelled by the Digital Originals Grant from the Canada Council, Superstein embarked on a cross-Canadian musical collaboration without ever leaving her home. In fact, none of the 6 musicians featured on the song “Every Little Step” did either, most of them having never met each other, and even Superstein has yet to meet 50% of the band in person.

Hildegard (Helena Deland + Ouri) share debut song/video ‘Jour 2’, out now on new label section1, in partnership with Partisan Records

Two halves of a chant – or a prayer – intertwine, exposing the tension between fear and hope, a constant and perhaps necessary conflict of the self. The result is the exhilarating and alchemical debut single from Hildegard, a new project from experimental singer-songwriter Helena Deland and multi-instrumentalist and producer Ouri (Ourielle Auvé). ‘Jour 2′ is accompanied by a sprawling music video, further opening a window into the two polymath artists’ innate creative connection. Listen/watch below.

Ready for broadcast… Great Beyond from Dutch house / techno pioneer DJ Spandex

DJ Spandex just spun his way onto the Dutch music scene. In that time, he has established a reputation as one of the most innovative DJ’s of his generation.

Having shown an affinity for music from a very young age, DJ Spandex has been fine-tuning his DJ skills with a unique repertoire of mixes, music elements and playlists.

His career took off propelled by a loyal following that loved the mind-bending sounds of DJ Spandex.

Zappa, Take The Wheel!! — Warren Dunes Share Their Latest Single

Seattle based family band Warren Dunes are set to release ‘Get Well Soon’ on 3/19/21. Calling the album a “Hallmark card to everyone that lived through 2020,” the band’s ‘postmodern beach music’ is on a mission to help us all feel normal again.

Today the band is sharing their single “Just Another Band From Warren Dunes.” With a splash of Tune-Yards and hearty helping of Zappa, the track lives in that fun world where genre gets tossed out the window. Instead we’ve got a song celebrating music for music’s sake. Oh, and some killer drumming, sparkly keys, and a melody that builds and builds and builds some more!

Warren Dunes Channel Fear and Confusion on New Single “Tether”

Amber Jay releases debut EP ‘Never Too Far From A Dark Thought’ / Shares final single ‘The House’ / FFO: Marika Hackman, Japanese House, Julien Baker

“The EP really just forced itself into the world. I didn’t plan to make it but after recording ‘Stay The Same’ it all made so much sense that this body of work needed to be made. I had a handful of songs full of heart and atmosphere, that I knew I wanted to give out one day but it really felt like the universe took me and put me in all the right places to make them into the form they are today. The EP has such an energy and is packed with my personality and vulnerability which is scary and exciting all at the same time. This collection of tracks has compacted into what I feel is a solid foundation that I want to grow and build upon as I go forward.”

Leahy – ‘Good Water’ – Our New Album

“Tears” is a song about the highs and lows of life that teach us about who we are. So often tears are only associated with sorrow, suffering or pain but there are equally powerful tears of joy, love, healing, freedom… In this song tears are not only the real physical expression of emotion – “getting it out,” but also a marker of an ongoing process that leads to learning, growing, understanding, empathy, awareness, forgiveness…

Kandle Drops New Single/Video “Honey Trap”

The album’s newest single, “Honey Trap,” weaves a tale of a woman involved with a dangerous man. Thinking she’s fully in control, she finds herself in over her head in a manipulative power struggle. Produced by Kandle and Michael Rendall at Vancouver’s Hipposonic Studio, the backing vocals by Louise Burns, Debra-Jean Creelman, and Kendel Carson were recorded simultaneously on a pair of 67s.

OXYGYN – Maltese electro-pop outfit share brand new video: ‘Mercy’

The new video continues from 2020’s ‘Wicked White Lies’, a portrayal of how society deals with social issues in which individuals are made vulnerable, as frontman Kurt Abela details: “We become angered by a social cause when it first emerges, but we are quick to break it down within our own minds and forget. Instead, we focus on our own personal issues, and are not able to overcome them.

BARLEY PASSABLE – Rising Sydney disco-duo unveil debut EP: ‘Hindsight’ + new single: ‘Silver’

Take latest track “Silver”, with all its clipped French-touch grooves, elastic disco basslines and glittering retro synthesizers. Intended as a beacon of hope and a paean to eternal youth; it’s a mirror-ball speckled marvel, destined to shine in the darkest of dance-halls as the new era of nightlife and all its endless possibilities beckon.

Mint Julep shares dreamy “Pulse” via NPR All Songs Considered

On their new album In a Deep & Dreamless Sleep out March 19th via Western Vinyl, the duo of Keith and Hollie Kenniff aka Mint Julep soften the glare of the crystalline pop structures of past releases, striking a balance between song-craft, and Hollie’s solo material, as well as Keith’s output as Goldmund and Helios. In a Deep & Dreamless Sleep assumes a more aerated form, exuding a heavy fog of shoegaze sensibility, though the infectious pop know-how of its precursor remains firmly intact.

Indie-Folk Duo Annie Oakley Debut Their Album SECOND DAY OF SPRING on April 30

Sophia and Jo were homeschooled and raised on about nine farmland acres just outside of Norman, OK. Their lives changed abruptly at 13, when their father, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease, took his own life. “I am not afraid of telling people that my dad killed himself,” explains Sophia, calmly. “I am not afraid of talking about it at this point. Mental illness is such an undervalued issue that is not talked about enough.” Jo agrees. The loss pushed the girls to write, and their voices have been channeling that despair ever since.

Hey, King! Collaborate With Powerful Women In Video For “Road Rage”, Listen + Watch Now

Hey, King! has released their anthemic new single “Road Rage” today. With a sound reminiscent of The Black Keys, the biting electric guitar and drum-driven “Road Rage” fiercely expresses the frustration women feel with harassment and having their sense of safety threatened but also celebrates their strength.

HANDS DOWN drops dreamy and bittersweet debut single ‘TOO LATE’

Hands Down is the current project of Swedish artist Filip Sjörgren, who took a year away from working as a sound technician and producer to write a set of personal songs, so it’s no surprise that he knows the small tricks and attention to detail that makes a song work. That’s clear when he hops over to the other side of the recording studio with his band Hands Down. Though the genre swings from jazz-inflected pop to indie rock, what unites these songs and brings them to life is the richness of the sound, the flow provided by the spark in Sjögren’s vision and the harmony of the individual parts working in perfect sync.

Impure Wilhelmina Reveals New Album Details, Shares First Single

IMPURE WILHELMINA comment on the track: “‘Gravel’ is a hymn to human pain. It starts in a dark mood, continues with a tortuous verse and ends with a chorus that we can’t help but sing along. And this is how one will fulfill one’s destiny. Indeed, man’s destiny is to sing his sorrow, in the howling wind, as he bends under heavy burdens, his feet in the mud, under the pale glow of sardonic stars. Directed by Steven Blatter, the video transcribes the turmoil induced by this cold fatality, in a sad, mineral and epic atmosphere.”

LA-Via-Istanbul Guitarist & Composer Deniz Cuylan Shares Video for “Object Of Desire”

The memory is distant but distinct: Deniz Cuylan, five years old, early 1980s, at home in Istanbul, Turkey, listening to Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony on his parents’ turntable. Those regal opening notes arise from nowhere and the music is instantly as real as daylight, refracting his imagination into a spectrum of unfamiliar sensations: grandeur, urgency, beauty, sorrow. Communion.

Walter Egan: Video for ‘Miss Pamela’ released today

West Coast, Country and Americana music crossover legend Walter Egan releases his new video for the single ‘Miss Pamela’ today. The single is taken from the album ‘fascination’, which comprises of thirteen West Coast Rock and Americana influenced tracks all inspired by Walter Egan’s shared history with legendary Super-Groupie Pamela Des Barres and is out now on Red Steel Music.

John Hiatt with The Jerry Douglas Band To Release “Leftover Feelings” May 21 – The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Premieres “All The Lilacs In Ohio” Video Today

John Hiatt with The Jerry Douglas Band will release Leftover Feelings on May 21st via New West Records. The 11-song set was produced by Jerry Douglas and recorded at Historic RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tenn. A meeting of two American music giants in a legendary setting, Leftover Feelings is neither a bluegrass album nor a return to Hiatt’s 1980s days with slide guitar greats Ry Cooder and Sonny Landreth. There’s no drummer, yet these grooves are deep and true. And while the up-tempo songs are, as ever, filled with delightful internal rhyme and sly aggression, The Jerry Douglas Band’s empathetic musicianship nudges Hiatt to performances that are startlingly vulnerable.

JOHN HIATT WITH THE JERRY DOUGLAS BAND TO RELEASE LEFTOVER FEELINGS

Lil Durk, King Von, Booka600 & Memo600 Squad Up for “JUMP” From 3/5 OTF Tape

With a roster full of established and rising stars, Lil Durk’s Only The Family label commands respect on the streets and on the charts. Today, Durk and the rest of OTF’s vultures proudly share the tracklist for Loyal Bros, the label’s upcoming compilation tape. The upcoming project is packed with new songs by Lil Durk, plus posthumous appearances from King Von, emotionally impactful turns from Booka600, snarling street missives from Memo600, and contributions from fellow OTF signees like Timo, Doodie Lo, JusBlow600, THF Zoo, and C3. Only The Family rolls out the red carpet for special guests like Lil Uzi Vert (who connects with Memo600 for the standout track “Let It Blow,” Durk’s frequent collaborator Tee Grizzley (who has his own solo track on the project), and The New 1017 standouts Foogiano and Big30. Featuring additional appearances from Slimelife Shawty, EST Gee, Lil Mexico, Ikey, and more, and production from OTF-signed producers TouchOfTrent and John Lam, plus others, Loyal Bros releases on March 5th via Only The Family/EMPIRE.

Sasha and the Valentines share new single + video, “Flower”

About the video, the band states:
“The video for “Flower” is a series of whimsical, bright moments on the streets and in the yards of Austin, TX. It’s the first music video with all five band members playing their instruments, effectively scoring the other scenes while being scenic in themselves. Lyrically, “Flower” combines elements of jealousy and betrayal with a bubblegum pop melody to coax you in with its nostalgic, comforting sound. The song is meant to convey the universal feeling of not being good enough when all you want to be is enough.”

WARBLY JETS Share “LOW RESOLUTION” Video Via Flood, Pay Homage To Downtown LA

Today, WARBLY JETS have announced the music video for “LOW RESOLUTION,” the Los Angeles-based band’s second single since stripping down to the original duo of Samuel Shea and Julien O’neill. The Spike Jonze-inspired video features the band and Chris Greatti (YUNGBLUD, Poppy, Grimes), who plays guitar on the track, roaming around downtown Los Angeles outside of Ultrasound—the band’s home recording studio.

Warbly Jets Pay Homage to The Pharcyde and Spike Jonze with Their “Low Resolution” Video

Strung Like A Horse Share “Till The Wheels Fall Off” Music Video From Debut Album ‘WHOA!’, Streaming Now at CMT.com

Today, Strung Like A Horse share the official music video for their single “Till The Wheels Fall Off” from their debut studio album WHOA!, out now via Transoceanic Records. The video for the “fun, bluesy country” song is streaming now at CMT.com who said, “Strung Like A Horse’s claim to fame is delivering Americana music with grit and grandeur… However, it’s bluesy soul — as defined by a stirring electric lead guitar — that also defines the act, especially on their latest single, ‘Till The Wheels Fall Off.’”

Branan Murphy nails how the world feels after spending a year in lockdown on new track ‘Bored (feat. Byron Juane)’

Branan Murphy released last Friday his new track “Bored (feat. Byron Juane)” (Paravel Records / DREAM Records)! The track was co-written and produced by Eric Ramey (Zaia, Tauren Wells) and is available on all streaming platforms. Fans of Branan’s lyrical vulnerability and penchant for tackling more sensitive subject matter will welcome this latest edition that tells the story of a fictional teenager who falls victim to substance abuse.

Branan Murphy Releases “Bored” Feat. Byron Juane