Rock fans and indie rock fans alike, this new music video from award-winning band Catastrophe & Cure is sure to give you chills if you are a fan of the melancholic yet playful energy of 80’s band The Smiths. Catastrophe & Cure have crafted their sound around iconic acts in rock history, and their latest album Somewhere Down The Line features this indie-rock delight.
Previously featured on our blog for the single release, we mentioned our thoughts on the song, “Catastrophe & Cure’s sound on this track is reminiscent of some of your favorite 90’s indie-rock anthems, feeling so familiar I would not see why this single would not feature at a club or on your playlist. “
The band talk about the release, “’Another Wave’ was one of the first songs we recorded for our new album. It almost wrote itself. We had a couple of chords, the lead guitar and all of a sudden the song was finished. It’s a song about the ambivalence of love and about being at the mercy of one’s own emotions. “You’re my love / Yet my downfall / You’re my love / Still my pain”…. you get the idea!”
Today, music producer and composer HELMAUD has released single ‘Hey Boi’ ft. DIXIE along with an official music video for the single, featuring fiery songstress DIXIE and of course the man himself. Filmed with a DIY approach, the video captures the pair taking a night drive in the iconic city of Paris, where HELMAUD is from.
Previously interviewed by Muze FM, the music producer commented on his relationship with collaborator DIXIE, “The two neighbours initially met in Thai boxing classes in 2015 (have been doing boxing for 8 years now). They would both come and spar with good energy and an open mind, but DIXIE and HELMAUD only truly started sympathizing in spring 2019, as DIXIE learned HELMAUD was a pianist. DIXIE has a wonderful 1920 Pleyel Piano in her flat, rue St Denis, 75002, so I drop by many times just to jam. And she did the same, coming over randomly while down my block. Hitting me up asking if I’m around, and dropped by for a fast jam, and a lot of white wine… Man, I can’t follow up with her drinking.. she’s way too trained. As HELMAUD’s jazz-infused technique started attracting DIXIE, the two yet-to-be friends very quickly became inseparable. Music, and especially jamming had forged a very strong bond for the two, DIXIE, discovering her attraction for singing and composition, and HELMAUD, finding very much satisfaction through DIXIE’s soul heritage and care-free energy. Hedonism, stoicism, philosophy, friendship, and the ups and downs of relationships have forged their urge to doing music together.”
Talking about the video concept, HELMAUD adds, “After many unsatisfying cuts based on another story from a former director, I decided to change totally and go for a real DIY video. A variation on an old hip hop famous theme: the whip ride – a tribute to American hip hop iconography. We thought this 1964 Cadillac riding along contemporary Paris would fit the soul vibe on the modern beat and attitude of this song. Knowing that Dixie is half American (New Orleans) & I’m a full Parisian, it made sense. No one was in town or available for the last-minute deadline. Then comes Isabel Deprice, an old friend of mine, (who featured in my previous music video “I Know Your Game”, shot by Ryan Doubiago). In the end, it was shot in 2 hours with an Iphone & edited with an Ipad.”
Introducing: Team Solo, a collaborative solo project from Hackney based recording artist Scuta Salamanca (previously of The Dallas Guild and also Social Skills). First inspired by a minimalist Hip Hop / R&B approach after finding a broken ’80s drum machine (EMU SP12), he melds Indie, Pop, and Ska influences with a colourful aesthetic to create a sound that’s truly unique.
Debut single It Only Makes Me Love You More is the first taste of Team Solos percussive, energetic and driving left-of-centre pop. The track is a light-hearted play on feeling under the thumb in a relationship, Scuta says, adding I’m trapped in love – but perhaps I like it that way.
Recorded in Scuta’s old, ramshackle studio in a factory in North London the track features his studio neighbour Nick Crofts (Heart Years, The Title Sequence) on piano and also Alex Reeves (Elbow, Dizzee Rascal) on Percussion.
Prone to trying everything, as a solo artist making tracks in his studio in Hackney, the musical mantra of Team Solo is: minimalism. The songs need to be simple enough so he could pack a bag at a moments notice and perform anywhere in the world. Not wanting to just make a solo project, he invites a guest to perform on each song during the process of recording. Some of them he knows, and others he has never met or even spoken to, often allowing the guests artist to do whatever they want which gives a greater colour to each track whilst still remaining distinctly Team Solo.
Team Solo is a wholly unique proposition, which is only set to grow after the release of their debut single.
Swedish world beat artist Gaeya has shared her debut single, ‘Contact’. A captivating blend of ambient soundscapes and evocative vocals, the track is a call for awakening and connection amid an increasingly disconnected world.
The video for the single captures Gaeya in a gorgeous Scandinavian forest performing a beautiful ballet routine, reflecting the stunning yet fragile nature of both humans and the world and the relationships between them.
“2020 was the year when the feeling of separation took physical form. But it was also the year humans realised they needed contact,” explains Gaeya. “‘Contact’ is a song about the importance and the gift that we humans have, to share with each other the physical and emotional touch that we need to survive.
“In these times of keeping distance, it’s more important than ever for people to feel belonging, feel seen and be touched. Remember that genuine eye contact and a smile can change someone’s day. It is time for us to connect.”
With a sound reminiscent of early Björk, Gaeya’s music marries the sounds of the natural world with immersive sonic paintings; landscapes formed from analogue synths and deep-rooted Nordic frequencies which provide the backing for vocals that seek to inspire sustainability and focus for a better world.
Gaeya’s quest to deliver an inspiring and sustainable message has seen her perform a number of Tipi Tours; allowing an audience to be brought closer to the Earth and share the euphoric experience in an environment that takes us back to our roots around a glistening campfire, sharing stories and creating unity in the search for change.
Audience participation is encouraged throughout, while the performance blends soundscapes from Nordic tradition with other cultures that celebrate the earth. Providing a platform to discuss sustainability and the preservation of the world, the result is a unique, intimate and enlightening experience, which has resulted in a number of sold out tours throughout Scandinavia.
For a more immersive journey Gaeya offers the Tipi Experience, in which guests are taught a variety of sustainable skills including forest survival training and forest dining, as well as group exercise and mindfulness. Throughout the day, guests are provided meals sourced from the forest, before a performance and discussion on sustainability.
Gaeya has also launched the TellUs podcast, which focuses on sharing new ideas and solutions for the on-going issues mankind is facing from the results of long term misuse of the planet, its resources and its beings.
Regarding the podcast Gaeya says, “Both as an artist and a human, the earth has always been the central part of my life. During our concerts I talk a lot about sustainability, but I always felt there wasn’t enough time to go really deep into these subjects, so from there the idea of a podcast took shape. In this podcast we invite specialists and experts in the field of sustainability to discuss the issues facing the planet and what we can do to live more sustainably and conscious about our lifestyle.
“We want to talk about the flaws in our society, but most importantly to bring forward ideas that might bring solutions to some of the problems we are facing today. We want to make it fun and inspiring to choose a sustainable lifestyle with respect for the earth.”
With special guests joining the discussion every episode, it addresses modern societal affairs in connection with sustainability, highlighting possible solutions and alternative methods to help create a sustainable world, calling upon ecological, economical and social expertise. You can hear the first episode here.
With an unrelenting desire to affect change, underpinned by a profound respect for the planet and delivered through the medium of beautifully captivating music, Gaeya is a truly exciting artist with a uniquely profound message set to make a bold mark.
