Rich Aucoin has released the second single off of his anticipated third full-length album entitled Release due, via Haven Sounds. ‘The Other’, the video for which went live on 8 May, is a showcase of Aucoin’s production skills, a pleasing amalgam of warm organic instrumentation and cool electronic stylings. Live drums and other percussive elements push and pull between funky guitar riffs and warm piano keys.
Rich Aucoin took to Twitter recently to tease the release of a video for ‘The Other’, adding to the excitement of Release as we draw closer to it
After the announcement of his second album Echoes in Bloom (31 May) and the release of the first single off that album, ‘You Are Your Memories’ via Hera & Now Recordings… the multi-instrumentalist and fine artist, Lomea offers up a video to go with the single on 30 April.
The music video is an eery montage of old family photos, edited to flow with the beat of the song. While family memories are meant to be happy, the way the visuals morph in and out as the images burn, boil and move is haunting. About the song,
Lomea explains ‘You are Your Memories’ is “… a techno track, more or less. This album’s Votive (from my debut Narratives), albeit with a much broader, cinematic scope.”
Drab Majesty have announced details of a new album, Modern Mirror, set for release on July 12th via Dais Records, and have shared a first single and touring plans. Over the course of two records the LA-based project of Deb Demure and Mona D has steadily built a devoted fan base worldwide with their singular hypnotic sound and mysterious, constantly-evolving presence. Following intense touring in support of the first two albums, including 2018 runs with The Smashing Pumpkins and Deafheaven, they escaped to the inspirational landscapes of Athens, Greece to channel the songs for their most ambitious album creation yet: Modern Mirror. Blowing the dust off the antiquarian myth of Ovid’s ‘Narcissus’, Drab Majesty used its premise as groundwork for a modern reinterpretation. Each song on the record tells a piece of the story in which the listener’s own self-identity has become warped and dissociated through rapidly expanding technology, losing touch with the origins of their own personalities. New single ‘Ellipsis’ romantically plays up the distorted concept of courting through modern technology in a world that has yet to adapt. It has been brought to life in a video directed by Thomas McMahan. Modern Mirror fuses synth-pop-noir aesthetics within the cautious instruction of Greek mythology and modern science fiction, birthing a hybrid of romantic dreamy malaise, captured for a future moment. It’s a journey of self-reflection, nostalgia, love, beauty, and heartbreak told across eight addictive and emotional synth pop anthems – a seemingly classic tale delivered unblinkingly through the frame of the modern world. It was produced by Josh Eustis (Telefon Tel Aviv) and mastered by Dave Cooley, with appearances by Jasamine White-Gluz (No Joy) and Justin Meldal-Johnson (NIN, Beck, M83, Air) with packaging and design by Juan Mendez of Jealous God/Silent Servant.
Modern Mirror will be released on July 12th via Dais Records. Pre-order here.
Drab Majesty tour dates: April 15 – Moscow, RU – Pluton April 6 – St. Petersburg, RU – Serdce April 17 – Rostov, RU – Line May 10 – Austin, TX – KVRX Festival May 17 – Chicago, IL – Garfield Park Conservatory May 28 – Istanbul, TR – Zorlu PSM June 01- Barcelona, ES – Primavera Sound June 02 – Dublin, IE – Workman’s Club June 06 – Birmingham, UK – The Flapper June 07 – Nottingham, UK – Rock City (Beta) * June 08 – Glasgow, UK – Audio * June 09 – Guastalla, IT – Handmade Festival June 11 – Roma, IT – Wishlist Club June 12 – Pomigliano D’Arco, IT – Floor Club June 14 – Mosfellsbær, IS – Oration Festival * with She Past Away
‘Modern Mirror’ track list: 1. A Dialogue 2. The Other Side 3. Ellipsis (YouTube) 4. Noise of the Void 5. Dolls in the Dark 6. Oxytocin 7. Long Division 8. Out of Sequence
Eden Samara’s has shared her video for ‘Days’ the title track of her new EP. The Canadian singer/songwriter’s previous singles ‘Robots’ and ‘Days’ were premiered by Line Of Best Fit and Clash Magazine respectively. Prior to that, ‘Upside Down’ was released in February 2018 and caught the attention of Spotify, being placed on several of their editorial playlists. June 2018 saw the release of a second single, ‘High School’ with the video premiered by Exclaim! Magazine and featured in KALTBLUT’s ‘Top 5 Video’s of the Week’, Spotify’s New Music Friday Canada.
‘Days’ EP was inspired by a backpacking trip to Europe, and explores societal expectations and human interaction in the digital age.
The video is a commentary on how the media influences our social norms and identity and analyses the relationship between human behavior and the media. “I wanted to talk about the universal desire to find meaning in life and create genuine connections with each other, in a time when our empathy has been dulled and the media dictates what an ideal life should look like” she says. The video features Samara as a bored housewife, comparing herself to a ravishing blonde french maid, and wishing to be a dangerous femme fatale.
Speaking of ‘Days EP’ Samara says: “The EP looks at a recent slice of my mid-twenties when I had an existential crisis over this, and so did many of my close friends.”
