@skopemag news – monday – may 31, 2021 @ 12 pm est
@skopemag HQ – http://smarturl.it/skope
Scotland’s Laurence Murray Project release swirling soul-psych-pop ‘NPD’
Laurence Murray Project recorded their sophomore release ‘NPD’ at the UK’s most remote recording studio: Black Bay Studio on the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland. This setting helped create the sense of intrigue and mystery to this stunning psychedelic and rock infused single.
MIKE TRAMP: “Everything Is Alright” out today
Internationally recognized solo artist and songwriter MIKE TRAMP releases today his new compilation record “Everything Is Alright”, few months after the title track – an honest number written directly from the heart – has been announced as the song with which Tramp would take part in the competition to find the Danish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest. – Photo: Morten Madsen
NOTHING NOBLE present unrelenting third single ‘Risen’
After the succesful releases of their first two singles ‘Bond of Blood (feat. Brendan Murphy) and ‘Eternal Change’ – being added to official playlists, receiving airplay on radio stations such as Kerrang! Radio and Total Rock as well as being featured in Kerrang! ‘Now Hear This’, the Copenhagen-based progressive metalcore outfit NOTHING NOBLE now present their unrelenting third single ‘Risen’ – watch the music video –
NEWFAMILIAR DEBUT EP ‘TEXTURES’ IS OUT NOW
newfamiliar have only released two tracks in their quickly ascending career, but they’ve already achieved some landmark moments. They played Radio 1’s virtual Big Weekend before releasing any music, which they built on by releasing ‘How Can I?’ and ‘Here For You’, which hit #1 and #2 respectively on the iTunes singer-songwriter chart. Initial radio support from BBC Introducing was soon followed by praise from the legendary Elton John, who introduced them to a wider audience via hisRocket Hour show.
After delighting us with a wave of bright and glittering singles over the last six months, which have included ‘Summer Of 99’, ‘Rendezvous’, ‘Fool Alone’, ‘One Day’ and ‘Read Between’, Swedish dream-pop outfit ViVii have now released their long-awaited second album ‘Mondays’ alongside the new focus single ‘Smackdown’.
TEMPOREX serves intergalactic pop on “Bad Pin”
An intergalactic pop song inspired by the production style of the Paul Brothers (Jai Paul and A. K. Paul) along with Prince’s late 80’s “Lovesexy” era, “Bad Pin” is also one of the first songs that features live guitar parts played by TEMPOREX. The visualizer tells the story of ‘Bad Pin’, an evil bowling pin character TEMPOREX created that represents self-hatred. Modelled by the artist in Blender, the visuals were inspired by the primitive CG in early 3D tests for the movie Toy Story.
MK drops new summer anthem ‘Chemical’
Dance music titan MK returns with explosive new single ‘Chemical’, poised to take over dancefloors and festival stages alike this summer, it’s out 21st May on Sony Music.
Signifying a shift in sonic direction for the Detroit-born Producer and DJ, MK delivers an irresistible melange of slick vocals, fluttering hi-hats, euphoric breakdowns and a deep, pulsating bassline.
Alex Mills drops high-energy house cut ‘Keep Pushing’
A slick, high-energy club heater, ‘Keep Pushing’ combines pumping hi-hats and a deep, pulsating bassline with Alex’s seductive vocals. It marks the latest in a long list of star-studded collaborations for the Solardo boys, who recently remixed ‘Eyes On Me’, the single from US singer-songwriter Chelley, and linked up with Spanish artist Wade on ‘Get Your Money’, a house smash that has racked up over 500,000 Spotify streams in less than a month. Meanwhile last year they joined forces with former Happy Mondays co-singer Rowetta on house smash ‘Enough’ and remixed UK chart-topper Becky Hill’s single ‘Space’.
WORLD OF DAMAGE Post ‘Breathe (Little Angel)’ Lyric Video Featuring ROY KHAN (CONCEPTION) On Vocals
Norwegian hard rock/metal band, WORLD OF DAMAGE, the solo project of guitarist Kjell Åge Karlsen (JORN, CHROME DIVISION) aka Mr.Damage have released a lyric video for the new single ‘Breathe (Little Angel)’ featuring ROY KHAN (Conception) on vocals. The track is taken from the debut album ‘Invoke Determination’, which will be released on June 11th, 2021.
Eli Gosling shares new single ‘Milia Passuum’ – 21.05.21
‘Milia Passuum’ opens with subtle melodic strums and a rich vocal, that eventually grow alongside a stirring electronic backdrop. Lyrically, Eli’s story continues to evolve as we are taken on an almost voyeuristic journey into the young artists world, where he opens-up, to make sense of the beauty and chaos in equal measures.
LOLA YOUNG SHARES PERFORMANCE VIDEO FOR BRAND NEW SINGLE ‘BAD TATTOO’
‘Bad Tattoo’ is an emotionally evocative and tragic love song from 20 year old Lola. The accompanying performance video displays Lola at her most authentic, with an utterly impressive vocal delivery filmed at The Church Studio where she has been working on new music over the past year. Lola is composed and in command as she describes the complexities of recovering from a toxic relationship, certifying herself as a story-teller with range, emotion and prowess way beyond her years.
THE WANDERING HEARTS SHARE THE NEW SONG ‘DREAMS’ – LISTEN HERE
The Wandering Hearts had already enjoyed the phenomenal experience of recording their second album deep in the Catskills with producers Simone Felice and David Baron, but their adventure would be extended with another remarkable chapter. They met up with the legendary Marty Stuart (a five-time Grammy Award winner and a former member of Johnny Cash’s band) in Nashville, who offered them ‘Dreams’, a song he had written with his wife, the country star Connie Smith. They then headed to the iconic Cash Cabin in Hendersonville, where he joined the band, playing mandolin and guitar on the record. It was fortunate timing, as COVID-19 halted all international travel just a few days later.
Darkness Falls’ Josephine Philip releases dreamy debut solo single ‘Call My Name’
Call My Name is a song about love and longing. The longing to be together, to be important, to be held, to be adored, to be missed and ultimately, the burning longing for somebody ready to make sacrifices to save you. A respite from the ordinary terrors we often face alone. It is also a song about staying strong under unbearable conditions and finding strength in loss. The insisting and mesmerizing vocal – equally strong and fragile, is accompanied by a sparse and dreamy composition with trippy drums. It pushes and pulls with the raw strength of the tide. Immersive and confident, the song engulfs you and carries you away.
Swedish Newcomer MTLDA Shares Brooding R&B Laced Debut Single ‘We Got History’
Opening up about the inspiration behind the track, MTLDA explains; Its a self reflection on how I get blinded by love and how hard it is for me to let go of someone, even when I know I should. Sentimental people like me, keep holding onto the memories they shared with that person. Our judgement is clouded, we can only see the positives, even when the relationship’s toxic and we know we keep rewinding the wrong version of the story.
Lost Frequencies remix Twocolors hit ‘Bloodstream’
Steeped in contemplation and emotion, the Lost Frequencies remix of ‘Bloodstream’ centres around shimmering pads and glistening synths – while losing none of the anthemic energy that makes the original so special. Released last month, ‘Bloodstream’ has already racked up 13 million global streams.
On May 21st 2021, singer and composer Jura will release the single ‘Formality Jerne-Site’ teasing her debut album to be released via Copenhagen label Anyines.
We hear two chords from a dreamy synthesizer and then a fretless slap bass begins the journey of ‘Formality Jerne-Site’. A little later Jura’s enchanting vocals appear. This time in duet with close friend and collaborator Helene Norup Due.
LOONY returns with soul-drenched new single ‘either side’
Following her slick collaboration with Mick Jenkins back in March, LOONY continues her streak of lush singles, with the latest coming in the form of ‘either side’, out today via AWAL.
A gospel-tinged dose of modern soul, ‘either side’ sees LOONY’s rich vocals take centre stage amidst delicate instrumentation and warm backing vocals. With long-term collaborator Akeel Henry (Noah “40” Shebib’s apprentice) and Jack Rochon (DRAM, 6LACK, Charlotte Day Wilson) on production duties, LOONY approaches ‘either side’ with her heart on her sleeve, displayed in her emotive storytelling and vulnerable lyricism.
ICYMI: Febueder share video for new single “May Sun”
The invigorating single arrives at a perfect juncture, as the seasons change and we begin to emerge from a pandemic. The uplifting track is about coming through a period of difficulty into the light. Samuel Keysell, who for the first time sings lead on “May Sun”, explains “The track is about stopping the act of taking on people’s pains and worries and making them your own. A reminder to recognise beauty and optimism for the future. Like the May sun signaling an approaching summer, brighter things are ahead.”
Red Moon shares liberating new single ‘Thirsty’
A beautiful ode to human connection and the intensity it can bring, Thirsty is a gorgeous offering full of emotional liberation. Swooning ethereal vocals and adoring lyrics demonstrate the weightlessness of meeting your match.
Motown/UMe Celebrate 50th Anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s WHAT’S GOING ON with Multiple Releases
With his brother Frankie back from Vietnam and struggling to find a job, the Earth showing signs of ecological distress, police brutality at a protest in Berkeley, and a boiling point of inequality in black urban neighborhoods, Marvin Gaye wrote a poignant plea that we might organize to address these often-overlooked issues. Fifty years later, the influence and meaning behind one of R&B’s first seamless concept albums, What’s Going On, continues to ring true. Calling out to a broken country, Gaye searched for reason and hope in a world that felt desperate and senseless. He opened the door musically, culturally, and politically for countless musicians over the last five decades to address, with a vulnerable depth and complexity, the injustices of our world.
Electronic Artist Perdurabo Shares New Album ‘The Time Traveller’
The Time Traveller is a record born by a collaboration between Perdurabo and Tomat (!K7), nine tracks written in 2014 and rediscovered on a hard drive during last years lockdown. The album focuses on the idea of OOBE – out-of-body experience, a phenomenon in which a person perceives the world from a location outside their physical body. The inspiration comes from reworking the same music compositions at different periods in the artists life; each track represents a personal journey and singular OOBE. Music becomes the binder, capable of taking us far during a year of loneliness and immobility.
OUT NOW: DUO HAERTS RELEASE ALBUM DREAM NATION VIA ANTIFRAGILE
Dream Nation is marked by a sense of urgent intensity. Nini Fabi & Benny Gebert wrote the songs over a period of a month and recorded most of the album with their touring band during a week-long live recording session in New Orleans. They put the finishing touches on the album in Los Angeles where they collaborated with Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste on the album’s lead single “For the Sky”.
Counting Crows release brand new record ‘Butter Miracle, Suite One’
Duritz wrote BUTTER MIRACLE, SUITE ONE while living by himself on a friend’s farm in rural England in the summer of 2019. Following a five-year hiatus from songwriting and finally feeling inspired by his surroundings and frequent periods of isolation, Duritz penned the first track on the record, ‘The Tall Grass’. The lyrics, reminiscent of his mood, are simple, almost lament-like at the beginning but open up with a subtle shift of chord sequences and flowering melodies. While writing the end of ‘The Tall Grass’, Adam found the track effortlessly flowed into another song, ‘Elevator Boots’ the band’s first single in nearly seven years that appropriately broke the top 10 at AAA Radio in less than two weeks.
New Music from Canadian Rock & Americana Band Puts Women in Charge With Fast Cars and Loud Guitars
The Redhill Valleys’ exciting new sound is an amalgam of Alternative Country, Rock and Amerciana, with powerful harmonies, rootsy guitar licks, and timeless songwriting.
This Canadian band is carving their own path with an edge towards the evolution and resurgence of Americana back into mainstream music with influences such as Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Neil Young, The Band, and Fleetwood Mac.
Out Now: Vi. & ZOEY ‘It Was Good (Until It Wasn’t)’
“It Was Good (Until It Wasn’t)’ tells a story about being in the process of realizing your self-worth while getting out of a destructive relationship. It captures that one moment of understanding that you deserve better and the importance of being selfish, even if it means you might break someone’s heart. – Vi. on ‘Shame on Me’
Goodboys drop new single ‘Bongo Cha Cha Cha’
Grammy-nominated duo Goodboys have joined forces on new single ‘Bongo Cha Cha Cha’, out 21st May.
An exhilarating modern rework of the 60s schlager track of the same name, ‘Bongo Cha Cha Cha’ sees Goodboys inject a grooving bassline and a driving dancefloor beat while losing none of the exotic charm of the original. It follows a slew of recent remixes from the duo, who have reworked tracks from AJ Mitchell, Joel Corry, Ella Eyre, Griff and more.
New York R&B Jazz Artist // New Album
Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez is a singer/composer based in Brooklyn, New York. Born into a family of musicians, music was Raina’s first language and it runs deep within her veins. Rooted in Jazz and R&B, the songwriter invites us into her unique sonic world with harmonic nuance and lyrical poetry.
STOREFRONT CHURCH RELEASES DEBUT LP + VIDEO CO-DIRECTED BY LUKAS AND SCOTT FRANK
Storefront Church, the Lukas Frank helmed Los Angeles-based band has delivered their debut album As We Pass via Sargent House and along with it a video for “Us Against Us”. A father/son collaboration the video was directed by Lukas and his dad Scott Frank, the two-time Academy Award-nominated screenwriter/director of Logan, Get Shorty, The Wolverine, and co-creator of The Queens Gambit. Featuring five different versions of Lukas driving in a car the video explores the idea that problems we face as a society are the duty of the individual to overcome. The characters look tired, disaffected, and annoyed with each other, and the world set to the backdrop of the hyper-capitalist imagery they drive by.
REGENT – Return With New Single ‘She Rocks My Soul’ Out Today
Cutting right to the centre of pure, uninterrupted rock, REGENT are the unruly rocks of Southampton. Taking inspiration from the seminal songbooks of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and the masterful melodies of their many Brit Pop acolytes, Regent revel in the works of those past masters and carry their mantle on to a new generation. Receiving acclaim for the last single, the four piece have received recent airplay across the globe with plays from BBC Introducing, Radio X, Amazing Radio, and even SiriusXM in America.
Ready for broadcast… No Real Men from British pop group Angel and Co.
Would it be a bit of an understatement to say we live in crazy times? Would you have believed anyone who told you practically the whole world would one day be under lockdown? Will life ever get back to normal?
Paula Cole Releases New Album “American Quilt”
Today, Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Paula Cole releases her new album American Quilt through Renew Records / BMG. Cole has also debuted her original song “Hidden in Plain Sight” with Grammy.com. The song honors the story of women artists who created clues within their quilts and hung them in plain sight for other slaves seeking to flee to the Underground Railroad. “Hidden in Plain Sight” conveys something of a statement of purpose for American Quilt, given Cole’s propensity as an artist to give voice to acts of humble, everyday revolution.
