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July 26, 2023 Maribou State return with their new single “Blackoak”

Maribou State return with their new single “Blackoak”

Image via publicist

Maribou State — the duo formed of Chris Davids and Liam Ivory — mark their highly anticipated return with brand new single “Blackoak”, their first new music in over three years, released today on Ninja Tune

Blackoak” is a classic slice of signature Maribou State sound, blending intricate electronics with organic live instrumentation and vocals, built around the kind of enticing hooks that have earned them such a huge and dedicated fan base over the years. It acts not just as a reintroduction of Maribou State to the world but as a marker for where they are at both sonically and creatively, a statement of intent on what is surely to follow.

“Over the past few years we’d both begun to struggle with our sense of selves and how connected we felt to our roots in Britain,” they explain. “The world being in a state of flux seemed to amplify this feeling of disillusion but it led us to explore all the things we loved about where we’re from; the musicians, from artists like David Bowie and The Beatles, through to The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers, and also the likes of Burial,  Aphex Twin and Sault; all the electronic genres born here, from Jungle to UK Garage and IDM; and Festivals, namely Glastonbury, the countryside & English summers.”  

The release comes after an intense period of song-writing that saw them embark on several makeshift writing retreats, building their own DIY studios at various secluded locations throughout the UK, and inviting a cast of friends and collaborators along to help. “Blackoak” ended up being written almost entirely in one day during one of the early writing sessions, and was completed on a later trip with the help of their own amateur choir.

“We invited all our friends down and got them to sing the main hook, “do that for you”, in the stairwell of the house. The whole thing was fairly chaotic and turned into more of a party than anything productive whilst they were there, but all that energy ended up feeding back into the song and the vocals we recorded really made the ending come to life.” 

The Blackoak in question actually refers to the area where the bulk of the track was written over the winter of 2021, surrounded by snow covered woodland — something which is close to the Hertfordshire-born pair’s hearts. As part of the physical release, the band have made a donation to the Woodland Trust, equivalent to £1 of every vinyl sold. “Having both been fortunate enough to grow up in an area surrounded by woodland, we’ve always had a strong connection and affinity with forests and now more than ever we fully support the Woodland Trust in their efforts of restoration and protection for these magnificent and vital areas” 

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July 25, 2023 Klay Cartier ventures past genre with ‘Good For Nothin’’

Klay Cartier ventures past genre with ‘Good For Nothin’’

Image credit: Rachael Baker @RWPhotography

Klay Cartier is an emerging artist who dabbles in the deep end, where the borders between genres have evaporated into mist. His latest offering, a percussion-heavy (or should I say heavy percussion) single titled ‘Good For Nothin’’, showcases his ability to veer off into new lanes without changing course.

Stream / Download: Klay Cartier – ‘Good For Nothin’’

To this end, he shared: “I recorded and worked on this song over a year ago. I knew I wanted to step out of my wheelhouse like I usually do, and it pushed me to make this incredible song. I took aspects from R&B, Pop, Rock, and Latin genres and mashed them together to create this electrifying experience for the listener.” 

Signed with Kult Klassic Studios, his latest offering is a bare-bones production. This is not to say that it is by any means sparse, but rather that the focus on the raw physicality of the drum rhythms mixed with Cartier’s unblemished voice makes for an essential and directed work of art.

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July 13, 2023 Django Django reveal video for synth-heavy single ‘Slipstream’, announce tour dates

Django Django reveal video for synth-heavy single ‘Slipstream’, announce tour dates

Image credit: Sequoia Ziff

Following the release of their exceptional new album, Off Planet, Django Django have revealed a new video for the trance-inducing dance anthem, ‘Slipstream’.

The fast-paced techno of ‘Slipstream’s humming beat, and addictive synth tones are accompanied in the new video by Tron-esque flashing lights and neon scenery, while lead singer Vincent Neff journeys through a sonic landscape that visualises Django Django’s unparalleled musical electronica.

Speaking of the video, the band said: “The lyrics are a bit of an ode to watching the Tour de France with Pete Shelley’s signature track playing as a kid. We thought it would be fun to build upon that with the video, which sees Vinny being put through his paces, ramping up in speed until he breaks beyond reality”.

Director Daniel Nellis continues: “In ‘Slipstream’ we join Vinny on his wayward journey through a twilight town. In this parallel universe characters are stuck in motion forever, their soundtrack cosmically transmitted between them, leaving each other in a state of ecstasy. Vinny’s search for his non-existent destination leaves him in ever increasing kinetic states of blissful speed fed highs, leaving the others in his world forever and ever in his Slipstream.”

The video’s unveiling arrives just after the announcement of a new headline UK and European tour, which includes a show at London’s KOKO on 14th December.

Stream / Download: Django Django ‘Slipstream’

Off Planet, the band’s fifth full-length studio album, is out now via Because Music (stream / purchase it here.) Released in four parts, each representing a different “planet”, Off Planet is the biggest, boldest, and most varied statement the band have made, with a cavalcade of mainstream and underground stars – Self Esteem, Jack Peñate, Stealing Sheep, Toya Delazy and many more, all of them either friends of the band or personally sought out by Dave – bringing entirely new creative angles into play. Off Planet was conceptualised by Django Django co-founder and producer Dave Maclean as “a way to go beyond”, to bring new voices, new rhythms, new experimentation into play, and effectively to deconstruct the band’s identity. From bluesy pop and Middle Eastern cabaret goth to Afro acid and piano rave, to call it kaleidoscopic is putting it mildly. Despite at times not sounding like anything on their previous releases, Off Planet is very much still recognisably Django Django

The album was described by Uncut (8/10) as “their most accomplished and ambitious record to date”, by The Arts Desk (4*) as “sprawling, eclectic and ear-pleasing” and Record Collector (4*) as “a rewarding listen”. 

Off Planet features multiple standout singles including the BBC Radio 6 Music A-Listed 90s dance-pop explosion, “Complete Me” ft. Self Esteem, the genre-bending “No Time” ft. Jack Peñate, the futuristic club track “Don’t Touch That Dial” ft. Yuuko plus “Slipstream”.

See below for the full tour routing and click HERE for tickets. 

21/07 – Bluedot Festival, UK @ Jodrell Bank

22/07 – Standon, UK @ Standon Calling

29/07 – Low Festival, Spain

30/09 – Pambula Beach, AUS @ Wanderer Festival

01/10 – Sydney, AUS @ Factory Theatre

04/10 – Brisbane, AUS @ The Triffid

06/10 – Melbourne, AUS @ Corner Hotel

08/10 – Perth, AUS @ Out Of The Woods Festival

21/11 – Berlin, Germany @ Festsaal Kreuzberg

22/11 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso

23/11 – Paris, France @ Trabendo

10/12 – Bristol, UK @ SWX

12/12 – Edinburgh, Scotland @ Liquid Rooms

13/12 – Manchester, UK @ New Century

14/12 – London, UK @ KOKO

16/12 – Dublin, Ireland @ Button Factory

Watch the ‘Slipstream’ video below:

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June 6, 2023 Disney releases The Little Mermaid Original Motion Picture soundtrack

Disney releases The Little Mermaid Original Motion Picture soundtrack

Image credit: Disney

Disney has put a contemporary spin on their classic animation The Little Little Mermaid. Originally written by Hans Christian Andersen, the fairy tale has resurfaced, and this time with a twist. Now reimagined, The Little Mermaid is a musical adaptation featuring singer-songwriter Halle Bailey as Ariel, the little mermaid herself. 

The major motion picture made its debut on the 26th of May and, naturally, the official soundtrack, written by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, followed soon after – available now across digital streaming platforms. Fans can also purchase the cinematic score on vinyl at Disney Music Emporium.

Rob Marshall, the film’s director and producer, said the following: “Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda have written three thrilling new songs and one new reprise for this film, which is kind of amazing. It’s extraordinary actually.”

Listen/watch ‘Part of Your World’ below: