Tag: Simon Irvine

New Music with Pulsating Electro Beats with Like a Feather

Posted on by Simon Irvine

New Music with Pulsating Electro Beats with Like a Feather

Single Cover
Artwork by Adman Rowe

New Music with Pulsating Electro Beats with Like a Feather

Marc Häfner ft Kintsuku – Like a Feather 

New Single from Powerhouse Vocalist Jacqine, It’s Never Been About Us

Some music suits itself better to certain times and places than others. Chilled out beats are better for studying than prog rock and techno is better for a workout than jazz. “Like a Feather” by Marc Häfner ft Kintsuku is music perfectly designed for lazy Sunday afternoons with drinks and friends. 

 

Starting with a steady, electronic pulse and beats, “Like a Feather” reveals its true beauty when Kintsuku’s ethereal vocals are added to the mix. What starts out as a chilled mid-tempo groove is transformed into a track that is both haunting and beautiful. The “B-Side”, “After the Rain Comes Sun” is a slightly more tense affair. Creeping synths and filtered break beats establish the musical palette before the addition of Kintsuku’s delightful vocals. While more suited to the dance floor than “Like a Feather”, this is also a solid offering that simply ramps up elements evident in the title track. 

 

As the days get longer and warmer here in the southern hemisphere, I am sure there will be plenty of opportunity to enjoy this track in just the right environment. Available on September 24 through DeepDownDirty, I would recommend adding “Like a Feather” to your summertime playlist as well. 

 

Simon Says 4 out of 5 Stars

4 Star Rating

 

 

 

Social Media Links 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kintsukumusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kintsukumusic/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kintsukumusic

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3WroM4TfBEXt0lyxCzHV5d?si=mj-YAa5zSUmQ6S5rm6-TYw

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/hagenfx

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hagen.fx

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2IJxvksfgoJvY5WLxTDMj6?si=M5Oy0n5AQ7alcA8qSj0j5g

New Music with Pulsating Electro Beats with Like a Feather

OUT 24th September

DEEP DOWN DIRTY: https://deepdowndirty.co.uk/releases

New Retro-Synth Pop from The Truth Sounds Different

Posted on by Simon Irvine

New Retro-Synth Pop from The Truth Sounds Different

Single Cover

Dive Into Mellow Jazz and Chill Under The Willow

The Truth Sounds Different – Elastic (featuring David Vaughan)

I am a child of the eighties. That decade was the one in which I did my schooling, in which I discovered girls and (most importantly) the one in which I fell in love with music. The sounds of that time hold a special place in my heart – taking me back to a period in my life in which the future was open – when anything seemed possible.

 

So, it is a no-brainer that when I hear music that harkens back to that time, I am going to have a soft spot for it. This is true of “Elastic (featuring David Vaughan)” by The Truth Sounds Different. The side-project of the producer behind Analogue Electronic Whatever, The Truth Sounds Different makes a fragile kind of synthpop, characterized by rippling synth sounds that slowly build over the length of the tracks. Over the top of these sounds comes the voice of Vaughan – a voice that immediately had me thinking of Jim Kerr of Simple Minds and “Mad World” era Tears For Fears. Taken together, this makes for an excellent slower track that wouldn’t have been out of place on a mid-80s mix tape.

 

Due for release on 28th August through Pink Dolphin Music, the single includes an extended version as well as an instrumental and radio edit. This is definitely going to appeal to fans of retro-synth sounds and I recommend checking it out.

 

Simon Says 4 out of 5 Stars

4 Star Rating

 

 

 

Social Media Links

TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/TruthSDifferent   

TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/TenCenturions

TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/PinkDolphinMLtd

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/The.Truth.Sounds.Different

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TenCentrurions

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pinkdolphinmusic

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/the_truth_sounds_different

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/tencenturions/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/pinkdolphinmusic

New Retro-Synth Pop from The Truth Sounds Different

OUT 28TH AUGUST

Dive Into Mellow Jazz and Chill Under The Willow

Posted on by Simon Irvine

Dive Into Mellow Jazz and Chill Under The Willow

Single Cover

Dive Into Mellow Jazz and Chill Under The Willow

Mellow Dive – The Willow

Some artists have monikers that thoroughly establish their sound. When you see the name Metallica, you know what you are in for. The same could be said of acts such as Groove Armada or The Blues Brothers.

 

Mellow Dive has a name that perfectly encapsulates the sound and mood offered on “The Willow”. Released in August 5 through Dezi-Belle Records, the Italian-based instrumentalist and producer presents a collection of eight tracks on his debut album that are mellow to their very core.

 

Each track feels like a snapshot, as if the artist has simply sat himself down and started to play while reflecting on the various environments and places he finds himself in. This is established through the extensive use of background sounds – be it children in a playground, birds chirping or the sounds of people in a café. Over the top of these sounds float jazzy guitar chords, minimal electric piano meanderings and the occasional swell of strings.

 

All of the tracks are short. Most feature down-tempo hip-hop beats and the melodic hints are subtle, suggesting old-time musicals or the nostalgia of a music box tune. Nothing strays above a gentle groove and taken together it is like a trip inside the mind of the artist who made it – an artist who seems at peace with the world around him.

 

I really, really enjoyed this album. I look forward to the next cold, rainy day where I can curl up with a book whilst having this play in the background. Indeed, I think I will be playing this one as often as I can – as a chance to find calm in a world that seems increasingly hectic.

Simon Says 5 out of 5 Stars

5 Stars

 

 

 

 

Social Media Links

WEBSITE: https://www.dezi-belle.com

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/mellowdive/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/mellowdive

BANDCAMP: https://dezi-belle.bandcamp.com/album/the-willow

Dive Into Mellow Jazz and Chill Under The Willow

The Brothers Burn Cheesy Electro-Pop are Happy To Be Here

Posted on by Simon Irvine

The Brothers Burn Cheesy Electro-Pop are Happy To Be Here

Single Cover

The Brothers Burn Cheesy Electro-Pop are Happy To Be Here

The Brothers Burn – Happy To Be Here

 

Some music defies categorization. The easy genre labels that apply to so much of the music that seems to pollute the mainstream nowadays just doesn’t apply to a select few. This is particularly true of Texas-based group, The Brothers Burn.

 

Making music that is best described as a blend of They Might Be Giants, early Art Of Noise, The B-52s and Seinfeld incidental music, The Brothers Burn produce a sound that is all their own. This is particularly true of their latest release, “Happy To Be Here”.

 

The album kicks off with the catchy electro-pop of “Let’s Go Party With Corrine”, which describes the charms of a girl who “has all the best clothes” and “a box of Legos”, before moving on to describing the events of “March 2020”, when “Twitter blew up coronavirus”. The album continues with shades of reggae and flashbacks to (cheesy) 80s pop.  

 

There’s an innocence to this album but also a knowing irony. Despite its seeming simplicity, the music is a well-spring of references that allows for multiple listens. Just like the aforementioned TMBG, The Brothers Burn offer up what seems on the surface a collection of disposable pop, but that is simultaneously a salute to any thinking listener.

 

And the best thing here is that you don’t have to wait. Released on July 24 and clocking in at just under 18 minutes, “Happy To Be Here” is ready for your listening pleasure now.

 

Simon Says 4.5 out of 5 Stars

4.5 Star Rating

 

 

 

Social Media Links

WEBSITE: http://www.thebrothersburn.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/TheBrothersBurn/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/thebrothersburn

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thebrothersburn/

SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/album/433cxJI14Crn2BktevDu0i?si=5H9nnGALSgebo2_qhmbA6w

The Brothers Burn Cheesy Electro-Pop are Happy To Be Here

This is What Black Lives Matter Sounds Like with Think Good Audio

Posted on by Simon Irvine

This is What Black Lives Matter Sounds Like with Think Good Audio

Single Cover

All Atomic Compelling Cinematic Electronic EP – Sirens Of The Suns

Think Good Audio – Black Lives Matter

It is no secret that Think Good Audio is one of my favorite artists. Working in the area of fractured, downtempo, instrumental hip-hop, Think Good Audio consistently produces music that challenges his listeners to both think and expand their musical horizons. His latest album, “Black Lives Matter”, is absolutely no exception to this.

 

With track titles such as “I Can’t Breathe”, “George Floyd”, “Oppression” and “Giuliani’s Last Stand”, it should be clear what this album is about. But just in cases it is not, it’s worth quoting the artist himself here:

 

“This album addresses the many shades of police and racial supremacy that continues to push an ugly history of America into its own oblivion amongst a pandemic that knows no prejudice. 

This album is dedicated to the many lives of black Americans killed unjustly; through slavery, segregation, and systemic racism. 

I grew up dealing with racism on a personal level. This is an album of significant importance. To still witness minorities dying on TV and cops being protected, sends a message to a person of color like me that my life has no worth in America.”

 

The sonic palette on display here is startling. Wistful piano loops and chilled hip-hop beats meet vocal samples from TV news. Fractured industrial sounds are juxtaposed against vocal choirs and Maggot Brain-style guitar solos fade in and out of a number of tracks. It is challenging listening at times but it is also reflective of the fractious, partisan times we are currently living in.

 

For me, the standout tracks were “I Can’t Breathe” where the subtle piano loops and lush orchestral sounds are abruptly silenced by a lingering gunshot, and the musical painting of the experience of oppression on display in the song of the same name.

 

I normally wrap up my reviews with a rating out of five, but rather than do that, I will instead end with this…

 

Simon says listen.

Producer Indie Artist

Social Media Links

BANDCAMP: https://thinkgoodaudio.bandcamp.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/Mixmaster412/

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/HaynesMagaleon9

This is What Black Lives Matter Sounds Like with Think Good Audio

All Atomic Compelling Cinematic Electronic EP – Sirens Of The Suns

Posted on by Simon Irvine

All Atomic Compelling Cinematic Electronic EP – Sirens Of The Suns

EP Sirens Of The Suns

All Atomic Compelling Cinematic Electronic EP – Sirens Of The Suns

All Atomic – Sirens of the Sun (EP)

I am not usually prone to making sweeping generalisations, but I think it is fair to say that the best music is made by those artists most keenly aware of its historical development and their place within it. This is true of all genres, including electronic music. That is why I found the new Sirens of the Sun EP from English producer, All Atomic, so compelling.

It is obvious listening to the four tracks on offer here that All Atomic is steeped in electronic music history. He combines the driving bass arpeggios first introduced to the disco scene by Giorgio Moroder with the synth sounds and phrasing of early Jean-Michel Jarre, along with an eighties synthpop sensibility and the driving beats of more recent years to inform his own sound. What is most impressive is that, whilst these elements are recognised, the end result is a sound that is more than the sum of its parts – a sound that is distinctive and fresh.

Holding all four tracks together on this EP is an underlying tension that All Atomic achieves through the use of repeated, looped arpeggio lines and cinematic flourishes. This is most evident in the first two tracks, Coda and Sequence. The last two tracks, Sirens of the Sun and A Dove 4 Love, add fat, eighties bass sounds that serve to cut through the tension to some extent. Nevertheless, their addition never serves to undercut the dark overall tone of the EP. I particularly liked the rock drum samples on the opening track and the sweeping synth sounds at the start of the title track and my favorite track overall was Sequence.

All Atomic is to be commended for constructing such a thematically consistent EP. He should also be congratulated on his obvious understanding of how the genre has developed historically. His grasp of this has served him very well indeed here.

All Atomic Compelling Cinematic Electronic EP – Sirens Of The Suns

Simon says 4.5 out of 5 stars.

4.5 Star Rating

 

 

 

OUT 24TH JULY

 

Social Media Links

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/allatomic1

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/allatomic

Links to Pink Dolphin Music

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/PinkDolphinMLtd

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/pinkdolphinmusic

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/pinkdolphinmusic/

All Atomic Compelling Cinematic Electronic EP – Sirens Of The Suns

SNEAK PEAK

All Atomic Compelling Cinematic Electronic EP – Sirens Of The Suns

11:11 Invasion Album Serves Up a Serious Feast Of Styles and Sounds

Posted on by Simon Irvine

11:11 Invasion Album Serves Up a Serious Feast Of Styles and Sounds

Electronic Compilation Album

 

Electronic Alliance Records – 11:11 Invasion (Compilation Album)

What a great time to be a fan of electronic music! For the second week in a row, I get to review an album that highlights just how strong the world of independent electronica is right now. Following in the history of genre team-up collections such as the rap-meets-rock of the Judgment Night soundtrack and the metal-meets-electronica of the Spawn soundtrack, 11:11 Invasion couples 11 electronic music artists with a diverse range of rappers. The resulting album is best described as excellent.

 

Starting with the 1920s jazz club chorus and drum and bass switch up of “A Blessing and a Curse” by Davey Hub featuring Fat Pockets and Skyline Tigers, through to the acid-house workout of “Warehouse Party” by Gribbles, 11:11 Invasion serves up a feast of styles and sounds that is sure to please listeners. For me, there were three standouts. “Tribe” by Skaarl is a big bass house number featuring the Dizzee Rascal-style rap of Reminiss. “Light Trails” features the sing-song rapping of Bonnie Legion over the top of a minimalist snare and synth groove. And “Pikes Peak” by ØLSKXX (featuring Cee Reed) brought to mind the dense production of cLOUDDEAD and the lyrical flow of Atmosphere.

 

That is not to suggest those are the only strong tracks on offer here. I could have also mentioned the RZA meets John Carpenter production on “Better Place” by DZM (featuring Helstrip) or the straight up boom-bap of “Oldsckool S.A.N” by Cylotron (Featuring Donte Pringle), but there’s only a certain amount of words I have to play with.

 

Electronic Alliance Records are to be commended for this experiment. The sheer quality and range on display here should make this a must-listen for all fans of electronic music and hip-hop. So, for the second week in a row…

Diverse Intelligent Electronic Music On Red Shift Compilation Album

Simon says 5 out of 5 stars.

5 Stars

 

 

 

Electronica Records

BANDCAMP: https://electronicalliancerecords.bandcamp.com/album/11-11-invasion 

WEBSITE: https://electronicalliancerecords.weebly.com/

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/1EARecords

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/1EARecords

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/electronicalliancerecords/

Diverse Intelligent Electronic Music On Red Shift Compilation Album

 

Diverse Intelligent Electronic Music On Red Shift Compilation Album

Diverse Intelligent Electronic Music On Red Shift Compilation Album

Posted on by Simon Irvine

Diverse Intelligent Electronic Music On Red Shift Compilation Album

Album Cover

Triplicate Records – Red Shift (Compilation Album)

I am a big fan of compilation albums. Some music purist friends of mine find that disturbing – a kind of musical sin, so to speak – but I have always found them a great way of discovering new artists and new styles, From the yearly collections of chart hits when I was a child, through to the Ninja Tune and Dope on Plastic samplers of the 90s, onto to my recent purchases of Northern Soul compendiums, compilation albums have always been a part of my musical diet.

 

The Red Shift compilation from Triplicate Records is a very worthy addition to this diet. Featuring tracks from some of the most interesting artists in the field of electronic music today (including Crest of the Syndicate, Suncastle, Station Zero, Leaving Richmond, Mood Exhibit and Belial Pelegrim amongst others), Red Shift represents a collection of tunes that fall at the more “experimental” or “intelligent” end of that broad genre’s spectrum. The styles and sounds on display here are diverse indeed, but what holds them together is a sense of inventiveness and sonic exploration. Each and every one of the tracks is pushing at the limits of their chosen sub-genres and asking the listener to go beyond their comfort zones.

 

Whilst it is hard to pick favorites, there were two standout tracks for me. “Index” by Richard Alfaro is an exercise in slow building psychedelica, as various glitched and deformed synth elements are added to build a kind of demented merry-go-round sound. “Fume Jazz” by Dark Fidelity HiFi was another standout – lush synth pads and delayed trumpet sounds float over the top of a subtle drum and bass workout to create a chilled and atmospheric listening space.

 

Whilst not every track will appeal to every listener, there is a great deal to recommend this album. Most importantly, it will introduce the uninitiated to the wealth of sounds that is to be found in the world of independent electronic music – music that will take them out of their safe spaces. And for those who are familiar, Red Shift is a rewarding listen consisting of some of the best and brightest working in electronic music today.

Diverse Intelligent Electronic Music On Red Shift Compilation Album

Simon says 5 out of 5 stars.

5 Stars

 

 

 

Triplicate Records

WEBSITE: https://triplicaterecords.bandcamp.com/album/red-shift

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/triplicaterecords

TWITTER: https://www.twitter.com/triplicate_recs

Diverse Intelligent Electronic Music On Red Shift Compilation Album

 

 

Diverse Intelligent Electronic Music On Red Shift Compilation Album

Simon Irvine About To Release An Electronic Masterpiece

Posted on by Music Talks

Simon Irvine About To Release An Electronic Masterpiece 

Simon Irvine About To Release An Electronic Masterpiece

Rituals Album

Ritual Music by Simon Irvine is a modern underground masterpiece due for release on 20th September. 

Simon has been releasing music Pink Dolphin Music, along with a prolific SoundCloud profile, since 2017. He lives in Australia and typically creates an Electronica/synth pop hybrid with a dark edge.

Ritual Music is his second full length album and features many instrumentals including help from featured artist Rusty Keys and a collaboration with American producer Bufinjer.

The album also features a track with vocal work from fellow Australian Colleen Peterson and a remix by UK’s Screamershock.

The artwork was specially made for this album including the apocalyptic gas mask on the front by Shedquartercreations’ Scott Bourke.

Available For Pre-Order

iTunes | Bandcamp

 

 

   

 

 

LINKS TO SIMON IRVINE

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stuffamebobs/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stuffamebobs

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stuffamebobs/

Soundcloud:  https://soundcloud.com/stuffamebobs

 

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