News – Page 45 – 7th Level Music

The Beths release new single and expanded tour dates.

Today, The Beths present their new single, “Watching The Credits,” and unveil their incredible Tiny Desk Concert, proving once again that they are “one of the greatest indie-rock bands of their time” (Rolling Stone). “Watching The Credits” is a terrific power pop anthem recorded during the sessions of Expert In A Dying Field, the New Zealand quartet’s acclaimed 2022 album. Born out of songwriter Elizabeth Stokes’ habit of learning everything about movies without actually watching them, “Watching The Credits” is Stokes’ imaginary view from the director’s seat. Their accompanying NPR Tiny Desk performance downsizes their beloved live performance while maintaining their signature thrilling energy.

The Beths also announce more US dates around their Bonnaroo and Newport Folk Festival appearances, bringing their incredible set (and beloved inflatable fish) to many cities for the first time. The Beths’ summer and fall dates include two nights at Denver’s Mission Ballroom, three nights at Los Angeles’ Lodge Room (surrounding their sold out show at the Hollywood Bowl supporting Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service), plus three nights at New York’s Music Hall of Williamsburg. Full dates are listed below and general on-sale for new dates begins Friday, March 31st at 10am local time.

Watch The Beths’ Tiny Desk Concert

Listen to “Watching The Credits”

Expert In A Dying Field, the third studio album from The Beths, was released to a wealth of critical praise, and was named one of 2022’s best releases by the likes of Pitchfork, The Ringer, and Stereogum, who praised it as “another collection of tunes that cements their status as one of the great guitar-pop bands of this present moment.” Surrounding its release, The Beths were profiled by Rolling Stone, Document Journal, The Big Takeover and more, and made their US television debut on CBS Saturday Morning. With a full, almost entirely sold out North American tour already under their belt, and supporting slots for The National, Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service on the horizon, The Beths are undeniably one of the most exciting indie rock bands to emerge in recent memory.

The Beths Tour Dates (New Dates In Bold)
Wed. May 24 – Bristol, UK @ SWX
Thu. May 25 – London, UK @ Electric Brixton
Fri. May 26 – Walton-on-Trent, UK @ Bearded Theory Festival
Sat. May 27 – Leeds, UK @ Live at Leeds in the Park
Sun. May 28 – Manchester, UK @ New Century
Tue. May 30 – Glasgow, UK @ The Garage
Wed. May 31 – Dublin, IE @ Whelan’s
Fri. June 2 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound Festival
Sat. June 3 – Ellerdorf, DE @ Wilwarin Festival
Sun. June 4 – Berlin, DE @ Frannz Club
Mon. June 5 – Hamburg, DE @ Uebel & Gefählrich
Tue. June 6 – Cologne, DE @ Gebäude 9
Thu. June 8 – Porto, PT @ Primavera Sound Festival
Fri. June 9 – Madrid, ES @ Primavera Sound Festival
Sat. June 10 – Dijon, FR @ VYV Festival
Mon. June 12 – Nantes, FR @ Stereolux
Tue. June 13 – Paris, FR @ Petit Bain
Wed. June 14 – Lille, FR @ Aéronef
Fri. June 16 – Kansas City, MO @ Boulevardia Festival
Sat. June 17 – Manchester, TN @ Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival
Sun. June 18 – Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
Tue. June 20 – Orlando, FL @ The Beacham
Wed. June 21 – Tampa, FL @ Crowbar
Thu. June 22 – Gainesville, FL @ High Dive
Fri. July 14 – Utrecht, NL @ Ekko
Sat. July 15 – Rotterdam, NL @ Rotown
Sun. July 16 – Nijmegen, NL @ Valkhof Festival
Tue. July 18 – Liverpool, UK @ Hangar 34
Wed. July 19 – Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK @ Boiler Shop
Fri. July 21 – Southwold, UK @ Latitude Festival
Sat. July 22 – Steventon, UK @ Truck Festival
Sun. July 23 – Sheffield, UK @ Tramlines Festival
Fri. July 28 – Newport, RI @ Newport Folk Festival
Sat. July 29 – Omaha, NE @ Maha Festival
Tue. Aug. 1 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia * [SOLD OUT]
Wed. Aug. 2 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met Philadelphia *
Thu. Aug. 3 – New Haven, CT @ Westville Music Bowl *
Fri. Aug. 4 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr Smalls Theatre
Sat. Aug. 5 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
Mon. Aug. 7 – Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore *
Tue. Aug. 8 – Madison, WI @ The Sylvee *
Wed. Aug. 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory *
Fri. Aug. 11 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom * [SOLD OUT]
Sat. Aug. 12 – Denver, CO @ Mission Ballroom *
Tue. Aug. 15 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater *
Wed. Aug. 16 – Atlanta, GA @ Cadence Bank Amphitheatre at Chastain Park
Thu. Aug. 17 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Fri. Aug. 18 – Baltimore, MD @ Baltimore Soundstage
Sat. Aug. 19 – Quincy, MA @ In Between Days Festival
Mon. Aug. 21 – Cincinnati, OH @ Woodward Theater
Tue. Aug. 22 – Kalamazoo, MI @ Bell’s Eccentric Cafe
Sun. Aug. 27 – Seattle, WA @ THING
Sat. Sep. 30 – Austin, TX @ Germania Insurance Amphitheater ^
Sun. Oct. 1 – Grand Prairie, TX @ Texas Trust CU Theatre ^
Tue. Oct. 3 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Financial Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]
Wed. Oct. 4 – Las Vegas, NV @ The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas ^ [SOLD OUT]
Fri. Oct. 6 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena ^ [SOLD OUT]
Sat. Oct. 7 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena ^ [SOLD OUT]
Mon. Oct. 9 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]
Tue. Oct. 10 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]
Wed. Oct. 11 – Berkeley, CA @ Greek Theatre ^ [SOLD OUT]
Thu. Oct. 12 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
Fri. Oct. 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl ^ [SOLD OUT]
Sat. Oct. 13 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
Sun. Oct. 15 – Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
Tue. Oct. 17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Wed. Oct. 18 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Thu. Oct. 19 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

* w/ The National
^ w/ Death Cab For Cutie & The Postal Service

Purchase Expert In A Dying Field

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[Thanks to Patrick at Pitch Perfect PR.]

Pierre Kwenders expresses our love-hate relationship with the internet on his new single – “SMT.”

Pierre Kwenders, the “arresting Congolese Canadian musician whose scramble of genres, languages, and worlds sounds like the future” (The New Yorker), last year released his deeply personal and innovative album José Louis And The Paradox Of Love on Arts & Crafts, going on to win the coveted 2022 Polaris Music Prize awarded to the Best Canadian Album. Fresh off two stints of touring North America in support of the album, including a stop at KEXP, Kwenders today announces a deluxe edition of José Louis And The Paradox of Love, out June 30th on Arts & Crafts, and presents its lead single, “SMT.” José Louis And The Paradox of Love Deluxe features three brand new songs—“SMT,” “Niata,” and “Good”— along with “Vibraçao,” a reworked version of original album standout, “Heartbeat,” this time featuring Sarah Kalume. In conjunction with today’s announcement, Kwenders also announces a run of festival dates in North America and Europe. A full list of dates are below.

Lifted from the recording sessions of José Louis, “SMT” is an infectious dancefloor track that is both a love letter to and an intervention with social media. An acronym for Social Media Therapy, “SMT” sees Kwenders calling out the magic and the pitfalls of total connectivity. Kenders sings in his signature blend of English, French, and Lingala over a minimal soca-inflected beat with melodious flourishes courtesy of the international production trio of PEDRO (Portugal), ESQO (Chile), and CarloMarco (Chile).

“‘SMT’ calls for a reflection on our use of social media networks and rather good or bad we must question its effects,” says Kwenders. “At this moment in time, social media has taken an important place in our day-to-day lives. As beneficial as it may be, we can find ourselves trapped – what happens online also affects us in real life. Nonetheless, it has become a problem solver, an outlet for joy, pain & communication. It makes us laugh, cry, support, look down upon, and apologize endlessly. After all that we do it all again. The online wailing wall or maybe the Goliath of our generation. Social media therapy is what we need. Social media therapy is a necessity.”

Listen to “SMT” by Pierre Kwenders

Born in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kwenders borrows his stage name from his late grandfather, a widely respected businessman and community figure. Following his mother’s footsteps, in 2001 Kwenders immigrated from Congo to Montreal. José Louis and the Paradox of Love is a culmination of personal growth and the musical dexterity Kwenders has honed over the years, converging his strong songwriting capabilities with the bravado he possesses as a DJ. The album explores an ongoing search to grasp the universal complexities of romance, sometimes through the lens of Kwenders’ own intimate experiences. The songs were written and recorded over the span of four years, and the album is symbolically titled after his birth name, José Louis Modabi. Through different moments of tension and release, romantic narratives of beauty and disaster are packed into powerful poetic musical vignettes.

Pre-order/Pre-save José Louis and the Paradox of Love Deluxe

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Dorthia Cottrell gets back to nature on “Harvester.”

Decorated with wind chimes and childhood nostalgia, Dorthia Cottrell’s new single “Harvester” longs for nature. She explains, “Where I’m from, and probably most rural places in the U.S., there is a strong Christian religious presence, whether you identify as being religious or not, and it was always my feeling that that has a lot to do with being surrounded and immersed in nature and every part of your life being at the mercy of it – even when it is merciless and brutal. When you’re surrounded by something so vast and beautiful, the presence of ‘god’ and whatever that might mean to anyone, is blatant and undeniable. To me, ‘god’ is nature and God is Mother Earth, so also to me, when I’m back home or anywhere like that I feel deeply the presence of my own idea of spirituality, the wonders of it and the feeling of being something small in the face of something totally out of your control.

That’s what ‘Harvester’ is about. Bad or good, in the patterns of nature you can see the patterns of all life, maybe even the patterns of the universe too, and that symmetry to me is god, and I’m grateful for it.”

Listen / Share / Playlist “Harvester”

Across both her solo work and as the vocalist of renowned doom band Windhand, Cottrell envisions her music as both a document of love and a reconciliation with death. On her new album, Death Folk Country, Cottrell wards off death through creation – the most distilled form of love. The spirit of love passed on through her words will be the ultimate reward for earthly suffering. Cottrell’s enigmatic presence guides listeners down a path of introspection – Death Folk Country‘s massive scope touches upon tales of love, loss, and so much more.

Cottrell was raised in rural King George, Virginia, a town with less than 5,000 inhabitants. Forests and tall-grass fields stretched before her. Beauty and boredom soared. That vague melancholy and memory of the American South is smudged all over Cottrell’s music. Cottrell grew up a goth, an outcast in a small town – a time and place she revisits throughout Death Folk Country.

“This album to me is about painting a picture of a place where my heart lives,” Cottrell explains. The title ‘Death Folk Country’ is partly me describing a genre that fits the sound – but it’s also meant to be taken as a Naming, a coronation of the world inside me. ‘Death Folk Country’ is the music and also the land where the music takes place, and the two have always been inextricable from each other.”

Cottrell’s voice, a soaring alto, fills the emptiest of canyons. Singing in echoing harmony with itself, her voice is a kind of prophecy, bringing home to the present thoughts and realizations from the future, even as Cottrell buries herself in remembrance of the past. Death Folk Country takes these nostalgic ideas of “home” and confronts them with their own imperfections and darkness.

The album sees its release April 21 via Relapse Records, her first for the label and follow up to her highly acclaimed, 2015 S/T solo debut. All songs on Death Folk Country were written / played by Dorthia Cottrell and recorded / produced by Jon K. and Cottrell at SANS Studios in Richmond, Virginia.

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Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol announce U.S. tour.

Austin trio Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol announce Spring/Summer U.S. tour dates, including Shaky Knees Festival in Atlanta and Thin Line Festival in Denton. Please see all dates below. Ticket links HERE.

RBBP released their new album Doom Wop in September 2022. Hear Doom Wop on your favorite streaming service HERE. Revolver Magazine recently premiered the official video for “Heel” HERE. (Direct YouTube.)

With their 5th studio release, Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol is putting a name to the style of fuzzed out, overdriven, melodic, groovy music they have been making since 2016. In 9 concise, no bullshit songs, RBBP demonstrates their ability to blend the merciless low end of Leo Lydon’s 8-String guitar, Aaron Metzdorf’s masterful chordwork on the bass, and Sean St.Germain’s driving drumwork. Lydon and Metzdorf’s vocal melodies cut through the high frequencies to deliver fresh layers to the hooks that RBBP fans have come to love.

As the name implies, Doom Wop is a heavy, melody-driven, party metal album. With riffs as big and dumb as ever, and lyrics that stab at the worst members of society and ourselves (while keeping tongue firmly in cheek), listeners will find all the elements that make up the soul of RBBP on this record.

Doom Wop is available on CD and download, released on September 23rd, 2022. Vinyl LP coming in May. Pre-orders are available HERE.

RBBP LIVE 2023:

04/21 Houston, TX – Black Magic Social Club

04/22 San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger

04/29 Denton, TX – Thin Line Fest

05/06 Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees Festival

05/07 Nashville, TN – The 5 Spot

05/09 Charlotte, NC – Snug Harbor

05/10 Washington, DC – Quarry House Tavern

05/11 Cambridge, MA – Middle East Upstairs

05/12 Brooklyn, NY – Saint Vitus

05/13 Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie

05/14 Pittsburgh, PA – The Funhouse at Mr. Small’s

05/15 Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle

05/17 Oklahoma City, OK – The Blue Note

06/09 Los Angeles, CA – Permanent Records Roadhouse

06/10 San Francisco, CA – The Kilowatt

06/13 Seattle, WA – Substation

06/14 Portland, OR – High Water Mark

06/16 Salt Lake City, UT – Aces High Saloon

06/17 Denver, CO – Hi-Dive

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[Thanks to Dave at US / THEM Group.]

The Slingers release “No Harm Done” ahead of their debut album due July 07, 2023.

Ahead of their sold-out show at The Corner, Melbourne/Naarm 5-piece, The Slingers share new single ‘No Harm Done‘ and announce their debut full-length LP, Sentimentalism, will be released on Friday, 7 July, via Flightless Records. The 10-track LP features their summer singles ‘Living in the Age of Loneliness‘, ‘Streets of Tokyo‘ and ‘Our Last Day in the Sun‘.

In a departure from earlier guitar-driven releases, No Harm Done is played entirely on an authentic 1960s Wurlitzer (courtesy of Head Gap studio in Preston). The warmth of the Wurlitzer is counteracted by a driving kick and snare. Finally, the crooning lead vocals of Robert J Mahon are elevated by the dulcet harmonies of Melbourne artist and guest vocalist Juice Webster.

Over the last five years of eclectic releases and impassioned live performances, The Slingers have cemented themselves as one of the most unique bands in the Australian underground/alternative scene. The band signed to Flightless Records in 2020, releasing a double A-Side 7-inch vinyl, The Cruellest Cut//Kind Hearts (a collaboration with legend of the Melbourne underground, Spike Fuck). Their recordings have garnered a cult following on Youtube and Spotify, resulting in sold-out crowds in their hometown of Melbourne.

The evolution of the band culminates in their incoming full-length LP ‘Sentimentalism’. Written in a small cabin on a farm outside of Colac, Western Victoria, and produced by Errol Green (Big Yawn), the album ranges from piano ballads to purely electronic pieces and features guest appearances from ‘’Evil’ Graham Lee (The Triffids) on pedal steel guitar and Melbourne artist, Juice Webster, on vocals.

Influenced by the music of William Shatner and the films of Nick Cave, The Slingers have sought through their music to balance and synthesize several oppositional artistic forces: lyrics that are both tongue-in-cheek and haltingly sincere, a sound that is as comfortable producing outlaw country as it is exploring drum machines and synthesizers, and a live energy that borrows simultaneously from Elvis and Angel Olsen.

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[Thanks to Flightless Records.]

DA Mekonnen announces solo LP and new single – “dragonchild.”

saxophonist, composer and ethnomusicologist DA Mekonnen of the renowned Ethiopian funk/rock/jazz unit Debo Band is announcing the debut self-titled album from his monumental new project called dragonchild, out April 21st, 2023 on FPE Records.

Featuring collaborations with claire rousay, Sunken Cages (aka Ravish Momin), and Ethiopian Records, the dragonchild debut takes Mekonnen’s exploration of Ethiopian music they began with Debo Band and explodes it into vivid, three-dimensional space. Where Debo called back to the sounds of 1970s Addis and added original material along those same lines, dragonchild shatters traditions and boundaries, incorporating sampled material, field recordings, experiments in high and low fidelity, and the through line that unites the diverse sounds, layers of Mekonnen’s rich and ecstatic saxophone.

Out today and premiering in The Fader is lead single “The Source,” a collaboration with Philadelphia-based percussionist and producer Sunken Cages. Mekonnen tells us the song “is about our Power coming from the Ancestors––both living and transitioned. The track includes a sample of Hailu Mergia’s debut solo cassette played in reverse on a US Library of Congress Tape Deck. We were influenced by South African gqom music (at least in regards to the sonic reference) and went for a banger EDM dance floor vibe.”

The dragonchild debut comes in two forms: It will be released as a full digital album, and a vinyl 4-LP set, titled BLACK, containing one 20-minute piece of music revealed when the four albums are played simultaneously. The physical release imagines a vinyl record as an art piece, with photography by Ethiopian photographer Michael Tsegaye, depicting an active volcano in Eastern Ethiopia. Each vinyl record is translucent, with music on one side and an engraved topographic map of the lava fields on the reverse.

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[Thanks to Jake at Ramp Global PR.]

Southern Lord to release long lost third and final album by California hardcore legends BL’AST.

Photo credit: Naomi Petersen Photography, courtesy of Chris Petersen Images/Punk Life
Naomi.

Frenetic, coarse and frequently atonal. Nothing is more a distillation of that sound than the mighty BL’AST! ’s final studio album, Take The Manic Ride (1989). Over 30 years later, and the album is getting the reissue treatment on Southern Lord.

In June of 1988 BL’AST! went into the studio with Black Flags’ live sound GOAT: Dave Rat (RATSOUND), and the breakneck Take The Manic Ride was recorded. This version was later destroyed after the band was dissatisfied with the original production. Now, this unmissable piece of hardcore history has been carefully restored under the strict guidance of mastering engineer Brad Boatright (also remastered the other BL’AST! albums re-released by Southern Lord). Manic Ride will be released by Southern Lord on March 10th.

Mike (Neider, guitar) comments on the reissue:

“The release of Manic Ride is essential to finish the history of past BL’AST! releases. It displays how off the beaten path BL’AST! is and always has been. The music and lyrics does not tread lightly. We’re grateful to have Manic Ride’s affiliation w/ Rat Sound/Dave Rat, SSTRecords and Southern Lord and for all of our friends, fans and family, as well as the BL’AST! blood brotherhood. For this to be released in our fortieth year as a band is truly amazing.

Rest In Power to the artist of the Manic cover, Justin Forbes.”

The original line up for Take The Manic Ride:

Dave Cooper – bass

Bill Torgerson – drums

Mike Neider – guitar

Clifford Dinsmore – vocals

Available to order via Bandcamp, and the Southern Lord, and Southern Lord Europe stores.

MANIC RIDE track listing:

Somewhere I’ve Found/Falsehood Claws
Overdrive
Out of Alignment
Start the Machine
Turn and Face the World
Blast it Back
Bones
Powerize
It’s Time
Abraxis
Look Inside

Having formed in 1983, the highly influential Santa Cruz hardcore legend BL’AST! released their first album, The Power of Expression in 1985. This debut album went on to become one of the highly sought after, must-have hardcore albums from the 80s.

BL’AST! were beyond intense, continually pushing the boundaries of hardcore with their advanced musicianship, unstoppable energic delivery and explosive live performances. This overwhelming power caught the attention of SST records, who released the band’s second album, It’s In My Blood in 1987. Their third album, Take The Manic Ride, was then released in 1989.

BL’AST!‘s wide-eyed, ambitious approach and intense perseverance became an influence for many bands to come. Shortly after the release of Take The Manic Ride the band broke up and their story was, for some time, buried by time and dust…

The band reformed in the 2000s, and released the 7” EP, For Those Who Grace The Fire, from 2015, which featured Dave Grohl on drums and Chuck Dukowski on bass. They then released Blood!, an album consisting of then-lost recordings, and remixed by Dave Grohl, in 2013. Later on, they also did a split 7″ with Eyehategod, contributing “Cut Your Teeth” in 2017.

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[Thanks to Stephanie at Another Side.]

Covet get all happy and fun with their new single – “Firebird.”

Covet, the Bay area trio fronted by the effervescent, and wholly unique, guitar whiz Yvette Young, return with their third album, catharsis, on April 7 via Triple Crown Records.

“We did a lot of risk-taking on this album,” Yvette explains. “I try to follow what excites me without heeding anybody’s expectations. I’m leaning into melodies, tones, and textures and trying to use them to transport listeners. The whole concept is escaping into a fantasy realm where the songs depict different characters and their own worlds. Each song is like their theme song. It’s mostly instrumental, but when you close your eyes, I hope people will be transported into the character’s story. Music has always been escapism for me and a great source of therapy. My hope for this music is that it will take people somewhere and stir their imaginations, or at the very least, make them feel something. I named this record ‘catharsis’ because the word to me feels like a triumphant exodus. No matter the dire circumstances, music is one of those things that I’ve always needed to create to survive (in all senses of the word), and time and time again, I turn to guitar and songwriting as my outlet to uplift and feel like I have control over something in this chaotic universe.”

A preview of the 8-song, Scott Evans (Thrice, Samiam) produced collection arrives today with the release of “Firebird,” a track Yvette says she hopes will take listeners on a “total melodic joyride.” A Tom Flynn-directed video (https://triplecrown.ffm.to/covet-firebirdmv) debuted this morning, with the clip reflecting the origin of the song, as Yvette adds: “When my mom first emigrated to America, she balled out and got a red Pontiac Firebird. I hope it sounds like cruising down the highway with the wind blowing in your hair. I really wanted to lean into the catchiness of a melody and see how I could push some rock-n-roll tropes until something almost becomes cheesy—but not quite yet. Hopefully, the lighthearted and silly nature of the video reflects that.”

Album pre-orders, which include several limited-edition vinyl variants, CD, and digital pre-saves are available here: https://triplecrown.ffm.to/covet-catharsis.

Covet catharsis tour dates:

April 7 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom

April 8 Vancouver, BC Biltmore Cabaret

April 9 Seattle, WA Neumos

April 11 Salt Lake City, UT Soundwell

April 13 Denver, CO Meow Wolf

April 14 Lawrence, KS The Bottleneck

April 15 St. Louis, MO Delmar Hall

April 17 St. Paul, MN Amsterdam Music Hall

April 18 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon

April 20 Chicago, IL Bottom Lounge

April 21 Ann Arbor, MI Blind Pig

April 22 Toronto, ON Lee’s Palace

April 23 Montreal, QC Café Campus

April 25 Pittsburgh, PA Thunderbird Music Hall

April 26 Brooklyn, NY Brooklyn Bowl

April 27 Boston, MA Royale

April 28 Philadelphia, PA Brooklyn Bowl

April 29 Vienna, VA Jammin’ Java

May 1 Asheville, NC The Grey Eagle

May 2 Nashville, TN Brooklyn Bowl

May 3 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade (Hell)

May 5 Dallas, TX Studio at The Factory

May 6 Austin, TX Scoot Inn

May 8 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad

May 10 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom

May 11 Solana Beach, CA Belly Up

May 12 Los Angeles, CA The Roxy

Tickets for all shows are on-sale now. Scarypoolparty and altopalo open on all dates.

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[Thanks to Monica at Speakeasy PR.]

Sound Cipher release “Grid Incursion” ahead of their debut album due April 21, 2023.

Sound Cipher is the surreal, pulsating audio vision shared by three of modern music’s most uncompromising sound sculptors. It’s the sort of thing that emerges when Tim Alexander (Primus, Puscifer, A Perfect Circle) finds himself inside a thunderous duo improvisation with Skerik (Critters Buggin, Garage A Trois, Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade) during a soundcheck for Primus’ Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory tour in Oakland CA. One person surrounded by a circular percussion station of preposterous proportions, another person hurling psychedelic saxophonic screams into the hellfire of analog and digital circuitry.

Skerik and Tim Alexander knew they were onto something. The first official Sound Cipher excursion was scheduled for January 2, 2017 at Studio Litho in Seattle WA with Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Six Organs of Admittance, Akron/Family) at the production helm. He would bring aboard Timm Mason (Master Musicians Of Bukkake, Wolves In The Throne Room, Eyvind Kang & Jessica Kenney, Jóhann Jóhannsson) to assist with modular synth processing during this first session, generally a technical advisory role involving lab coats and clipboards and chin-scratching. The participants arrived and were surprised to find Mason setting up in the live room instead of the control room. As the recording unfolded, Mason’s direct in-the-moment sonic manipulation of the proceedings made it clear that he belonged at the creative core of the project where he remains today.

Listeners and innocent bystanders have reported spiritual resemblances to the experimental German scene of the ’70s with traces of Can, Faust, Neu and early Kraftwerk, the dark manic rumble of Peter Gabriel‘s early work and the complex digital hardcore first birthed by Aphex Twin and Squarepusher, all of it wrapped in an unsettling atmosphere that verily reeks of familiar ingredients: a tumbling machine-tight groove, a wash of analog synths direct from your midnight movie memories, a snippet from your grandpa’s old Louis Armstrong records stretched across miles of fizzling voltage and contorted into barely recognizable and altogether quite mind-altering new shapes.

Initial plans to release the 2017 session as Sound Cipher’s unveiling were revised when the trio found a new level of clarity in shaping their ideas following a series of live performances in 2018. Further recording and mixing took place in 2018 at Avast Studios, also in Seattle. Now, six years after that initial studio date, the finest flowers from those multiple sessions are available to adventurous listeners everywhere in the form of Sound Cipher’s debut LP, All That Syncs Must Diverge, to be released April 21, 2023 on vinyl and digital formats via Royal Potato Family. The opening track “Grid Incursion” (listen/share) is out today on all streaming platforms. In addition, Sound Cipher will reconvene for three live sonic adventures in accordance with the album’s release.

SOUND CIPHER
All That Syncs Must Diverge

Track Listing:
1. Grid Incursion
2. Ransomwar
3. Church Turing
4. Permissive Action Link
5. God Mode
6. Entropy Pool

Out April 21 On Vinyl & Digital Music Platforms
Pre-Order / Pre-Save Here

Album Release Shows

April 21 – Seattle WA – Clock-Out Lounge
April 22 – Portland OR – Star Theater
April 24 – Livestream – Nugs.net

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[Thanks to Kevin at Royal Potato Family.]

“Believe” in Jacques Greene’s new single.

Canadian-based electronic musician Jacques Greene unveils “Believe,” his first new single/video of 2023, out today via LuckyMe. Wasting no time, “Believe” sets the pace immediately. With an urgent vocal refrain and a driving beat, “Believe” is one of Greene’s most direct tracks of his career thus far. The accompanying video, directed by Cameron Morse, harnesses the frenetic energy of a Jacques Greene set, with the underlying track displaying all the familiar JG hallmarks. “Believe” marks Greene’s first new solo music since the release of 2022’s Fantasy EP, and follows the success of Greene’s collaborative single with Bonobo, “Fold.” Of “Believe,” Greene adds: “Channeling the feeling of a year spent back in the real world. Fresh energy and bright colors. Fun for the sake of it.”

Watch Jacques Greene’s “Believe” Video

Greene has been making music “about the club” for over a decade. Over the course of multiple EPs, singles, and two full-length albums — 2017’s Feel Infinite and 2019’s Dawn Chorus — his sound has developed into an emotional haze. In 2020, Greene made headlines for creating “Promise,” the first single released with associated NFT that staked the owner to music publishing, and the following year released ANTH01, a collection of unearthed tracks spanning the earliest years of his career alongside previously unreleased tracks. Outside of his own releases, Greene has explored his relationship with the club in a variety of contexts, from remixing Radiohead to producing for Katy B, Tinashe and touring with The xx.

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