Category: UK

“Your Four Limbs” by (Kurran and) the Wolfnotes

“Your Four Limbs” by the Wolfnotes (formerly known as Kurran and the Wolfnotes) is a haunting yet simple track. An old track in the Wolfnotes’ discography, which now contains sad harmonica-laced songs and blues-inspired Fender Telecaster (or maybe a semi-hollow guitar) notes, “Your Four Limbs” began The Wolfnotes’ theme of heartfelt alt-country tracks of longing.

“OPST” by George Maple

I wrote this morning that Dead Times’s “Inner Gold” is seduction in a 3 minute, 19 second track.

I realized this afternoon that “OPST” sounds like George Maple‘s response to a Dead Times sexual encounter. Maple soulfully sighs, “just make a move and let me melt into your frame. I never want to talk about it. Just wrap me up in your gold sheets.”

Tribal Beats – International Roundup

I’ve been really into bands that integrate a “tribal drumming” sound into their music, so here’s a roundup of some bands around the world with tribal beats:

“Big Heat” by THUMPERS (London, England)


THUMPERS considers themselves “co-ed alt. pop” amongst other mashups of music styles. They use their tribal drumming beats to create a very Jamaican-influenced offshoot of dreampop. That combination with quick high-hats make you mistake guitars and synths for steel drums in the background.

“Unconsolable” by X Ambassadors (Brooklyn, NY)


Tape One by Young Fathers (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Young Fathers adds tribal drumming to their hip hop beats to give a fuller background sound complementing their rap.

[VIDEO + ALBUM ALERT]: CHVRCHES – “Gun” / “The Bones Of What You Believe”

This morning, CHVRCHES released the music video for their single “Gun,” and it’s really fucking cool.

They took the kaleidoscope effect and just ran with it while overlaying the triangle and chevron design themes they’ve featured on their EPs. The video even features a dancer who gets multiplied kaleidoscope style.

The news of their video release also came with an update on their upcoming album The Bones of What You Believe which will drop on September 23 in Europe and September 24 in the US.

[INTERVIEW]: CHVRCHES at Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach

I got to hang out with Lauren Mayberry, Martin Doherty, and Iain Cook from CHVRCHES before their show at Solana Beach’s Belly Up Tavern! They even remembered me from their show at Bristol!

Listen to us as we chat about music styles, social media, UK versus US, touring with Passion Pit, and ladies night in San Diego’s Hillcrest.

I’ll update this later to include a transcript.

Main Point: According to Martin, “CHVRCHES will not do EDM.”

P.S. Correction: Everything But the Girl did NOT “basically start trip hop,” but they did release really great trip hop and trip-hop-influenced albums after they decided to shift styles away from jazzy tracks.

[NEW] “Gun” by CHVRCHES

Today, CHVRCHES released their mastered version of their latest single “Gun”:

“Gun” is one of my favorite CHVRCHES tracks, so here is a story of the start of a friendship that coincided with the end of a relationship.

Earlier this year, I ran away to the UK to try to get myself out of my head to stop dwelling on a breakup. I found out that my ex had left me for someone else and – more painful – why and how my ex left me for that person. It just so happened that CHVRCHES had a short tour throughout the UK in late February, so I decided to see them to make myself feel better.
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