SKREEN B BLOG

This is certainly the first time I have featured a track from Yemen, but there is a spirited oddness in the combination of Krautrock and Arabic influences in Miss Ballad by Yemen Blues . That is further helped by the wonderfully quirky video which accompanies the release. Once again, due to my ignorance, I have no idea what lyrics are being sung, but the band have created a bright and interesting recording with universal hooks. Watch the video and enjoy something just a little different from the norm. Let me know, if you can unlock the meaning to it all!

One of my old goth compilation series was called Into The Dark, so this debut release by German act EKLAT would have been a perfect fit. There is no denying that the track is heavily influenced by the Cure's early works, but EKLAT have created a song which underpins that legacy at a time when Robert Smith et al are truly back on the radar. As a whole, Into The Dark gets the balance right, the sound is retro but the band remember that the tune is as important as the styling, making this release a pleasing listen. Certainly one for the gloomy goths out there...in the dark. 

The London-based outfit ZELT have a great new track out called  Ayva Çiçek Açmış and probably, like me, the title means nothing to you. Resisting temptation, I am not going to attempt a translation until the end of this review (building the jeopardy!). The song is a re-working of a traditional Turkish tune, using a hybrid of electro, rock and Turkish vocals. That would usually result in a cheesy Eurovision vibe, but thankfully ZELT have attacked the piece with subtlety and finesse, making this more of a leftfield ear-worm, something more indie than pop. Good job. Now for the title reveal.... Quince in Flower. Pretty and good!

Hello1103 are a Tokyo-based electronic music duo consisting of a Katsuhiro Hitomi (Trackmaster / Engineer) and Yukako (Vocals/VJ). Their latest release  Billion Balances provides an interesting listen with a combination of ethereal vocals, grinding rhythms and pseudo-industrial flourishes. The whole piece has more of a live performance art feel to it and that is reflected in the band's approach of presenting their recordings "with visuals that depict subconscious imagery, creating an extraordinary space". If you are into experimental electronica it is well worth a listen, the track is taken from Hello1103's new album, also called Billion Balances . Watch the video below for an insight.

There's no disputing that the delightfully titled So Fucked by Brooklyn-based band Stripes harks back to the golden era of indie rock. The song incorporates that enjoyable feeling of energy and lethargy, nailing the driving guitar and percussive parts onto the backboard of Izzy MK's exhorting vocals. Stripes say the song is "all about laughing through the pain. When things go wrong, I can't help but find it funny even when you feel like the situation is 'so fucked'. When you embrace the feeling that nothing is going to go the way you planned, you're free". A good track for the car stereo, well worth a listen and nothing as vulgar as the title might suggest.

As the 20th anniversary of DJ, John Peel's death passes, I thought that Prison 2024 , the latest track by high-octane, tongue-in-cheek, agitators Gender Reveal Atomic Bomb , would be a worthy flag-waver to carry his legacy on for another year. The recording is a full-on attack on a certain American ex-President (let's hope it stays that way) and with the subtlety of someone hammering nails into your skull with a piledriver, the band have once again accomplished their goal and some. If John was still around, he'd be 85 now and I'm sure you would be hearing this track drifting across the fields from his Suffolk home. Feisty, fierce and also wonderfully off-the-wall. Go grab 'em!

Doyen of indie electro, Adam Cresswell (aka Rodney Cromwell), has surprised us all by turning back the clock and slowdiving into the realms of purist indie with a new project, Cloud Studies . Joining him in the band are Martin J Langthorne (guitar) and Nat Guest (drums) and they have just released their debut single, Ghosts . Thankfully, they have not tried to re-invent the classic track by Japan (wipes brow - that's in my untouchable pile), but the recording is their own take on Gothgaze (or "Blackshoegaze" as some call it). Obviously, the genre mixes the downbeat mood of goth with the layered textures of shoegaze; two styles which I generally enjoy - making Ghosts an appealing listen for my (sometimes) grumpy old ears. I did wonder if the lyrics "You’re the ghost, of my past. The ghost, I take everywhere" was a reference to Adam's old band, Saloon, but apparently not. The band explain "Despite being influenced initially by the Usbourne book, ‘World of...

Adding further weight to the all-female, all-queer punk scene, Hull's  WENCH! have just released a cracking new single called Shreds . Thankfully, it is not one of those typical, shouty, kick you in the nuggets sort of tunes; though, admittedly, it does get a little bit riotous at the end. The recording sits above the rest by providing eloquence with a terrific guitar line which pulls you in within the first few seconds and then keeps hanging around as the vocals and other elements take hold. A very entertaining angle on angsty queer riot grrrl punk, dare I say: highly listenable and a much more progressive way of getting your message out there.

Klô Pelgag 's latest release Le goût des mangues is a superbly crafted recording with some exquisite orchestral and electronic layers combining with a charming and emotive French vocal. The meaning behind the song is somewhat intriguing (the title translates as 'The Taste Of Mangoes'), but whatever the backstory, the track is delicate and thoughtful, working so much the better for being sung in French. Like a lot of 60s French Pop, there's a certain timeless quality to everything. A great taster for the new album, Abracadabra. I suppose one could call this a magical track? Be sure to check out the video.

The nightmare season is almost upon us, no, not Christmas, the other one: Halloween! I always like to highlight something to get you in the mood and this time I have a real gem in the form of love is scary by New Yorker,  Gina Cimmelli . In some ways the recording is a sweet and charming love song, but there again the words are amusingly gruesome. For example, not many romantic ditties have lines like "my mouth wants your mouth, after all our teeth fall out, i’ll still search for your kiss". The instrumentation has some spooky elements, but they are quite subtle and work perfectly beneath the delectably dark vocal, which is wonderfully performed. It is refreshing to hear a Halloween song approached with such originality and humour - as such, it comes highly recommended by me.

On paper,  Blisspoint 's new release Insanification should not work on any level, it being a sort of madcap amalgam of rave and shoegaze. Luckily, audio is not written on paper and the track provides some much needed relief from all those hyper-predictable recordings that are submitted to me. Sonically the single is a smorgasbord of noise elements, each pumped to the max and bouncing between the walls without ever quite settling on a core thread. Somehow amongst all that anarchy, there's a certain beauty in Claire Joko-Fujimoto's vocals, making this a vibrant and intoxicating release.

The weather over the last couple of weeks in Blighty has had a definite end of summer feel about it, but the season is clinging on gamely. It feels apt to round off the summertime with a shimmering pop song and there's no better one than  zinha 's focus single so blue , which is taken from her debut ep, sad/happy . The recording was done in quite a DIY environment, but the result is a slick and soulful track with a strong commercial appeal. She says of the song "’so blue’ is an ode to the end of something, the empowerment stage of accepting and moving forward, no matter how colourful the ending looks". That fits nicely into my thoughts about the weather; but before the sunshine drifts away, please take time to bask in the sound of zinha. You can watch the video below.

Jenna Fournier, front-woman of the shoegaze hybrid Niights, has a new solo project under the moniker Kid Tigrrr and the track  Shapes of Sky rounds off her debut album Stoned + Animald. The song is a luscious recording which showcases the visual artist's deft approach as a singer-songwriter, transporting the listener to a floating world of exotic tones. On the piece, Kid Tigrrr touches on the dreamy vocal delivery once perfected by Julee Cruise. That blended with the intricate and rich production provides an intriguing listen and is well worth a spin. Stoned + Animald by Kid Tigrrr

Bohdan Stupak 's composition  air raid siren is over is a thought-provoking piece, although experimental and sparse, it somehow perfectly summarises the bleakness of the subject matter. Containing field recordings relating to the Ukrainian war, including fragments of conversations with the artist's son and colleagues discussing air raids, the soundscape presents the listener with an insight into the reality and human consequence of the situation. The skeletal piano augments that feeling with a sense of sadness and disquiet. The piece was created for the Stop All Wars  compilation, which is available from the  attenuation circuit  netlabel. Let us all hope that one day those air raid sirens fall silent and remain silent. air raid siren is over by Bohdan Stupak

I was really impressed by the thumping new single by Ara One and invited her to answer a few questions for my blog; here they are : Please give us a brief background about yourself? Well I released my first track as Ara One called “Through Space and Time “ in my last year of high school in 2021 as a final project for my audiovisual class. It was independently released through Distrokid, though I recently was lucky enough and switched to being distributed by AWAL. How did you get your name? Were there any names you rejected? The name “Ara One” comes from the Greek constellation “Ara“ which was an altar where Zeus and other greek gods made an alliance before defeating the titans. I was looking for a space themed name and this one was short, simple and beautiful, so I went with it. Now I must admit The “One” part was added purely because I thought It sounded like a serial number that a cyborg would have, so the whole name Ara One to me sounds like a very cool cyborg model haha. I did con...

Montreal outfit PyPy  ("pronounced like 'π π'...with a long 'i' rather than long 'e', thank you very much" - their words, not mine) have just released a new track called Lonely Striped Sock . As the title implies, it fits in a slightly offbeat world, where funky and angular collide in a sort of charm-a-long freefall. For most of the time, the single has the sort of groove that non-dancers can strut around to with carefree abandon, before a frenetic guitar romp kicks a few tables and chairs over. Charismatic vocals, catchy hooks and a sense of getting down on the dancefloor with two left-feet make this a highly enjoyable release.

Bide My Time by Backyard Ritual is one of those songs which has a few flaws, but you can ignore them because it is has an honest charm and you really get a sense that it was written by an act with a passion for music. The style is definitely post-punk, having that classic drum machine / analogue synth / guitar combination backing the slightly robotic vocal. There's a feeling that it could have been plucked from the archive of a band from the early 80s. From my perspective, that's all positive and beneath that simplicity there are details in the instrumentation which show that Backyard Ritual have worked at creating a thoughtful arrangement. The tune itself stands up to repeat plays and that's the real triumph here. Taken from the Small World EP , you can grab it as a download or limited edition cassette. Small World by Backyard Ritual

Elle Chante 's recent release, End Me , is a cold, shivering track with a grand, dramatic feel, her fragile vocals expressively drifting through the sonic darkness. Evocative and mysterious, the opening line "We hide, Tonight is the night, When everything golden, Is stolen" offers a troubled context. After treatment for thyroid cancer and procedures which could have caused permanent vocal paralysis, Elle has written the song "about ethics under continuous and strenuous hardship" conveying "a cryptic message that their ideals will not be broken. This track is a defiant ode to struggle and integrity". The production is supremely dark with spooky piano, clattering percussion and ominous synths intertwining throughout, but with Elle's haunting vocal always at the forefront. An excellent recording. End Me is taken from the EP  Penumbra .

Blog favourites Melt Motif have just released a new single, called Possessed , it is a typically dark and brooding song mixing their customary elements of jagged guitar and weighty synths. Once again Rakel's expressive vocals provide a classy reference point for this stylish release. If you like your electronic music with a gothic sensibility, this single should definitely be in your possession. Possessed by Melt Motif

Atlantic is the new single from sixten , a duo from Sweden. The song is deliciously performed by siblings Tova and Sigge Strandell, who provide an emotive and thoughtful listen, primarily through the touching vocals. Within the lyrics, the band paint a picture about "a sense of longing and loss" and "an intense feeling of distance and reflection" allowing the listeners "a glimpse into the inner thoughts of someone struggling with unresolved emotions and unrequited love". The production quality is top-notch, with a breezy, pop arrangement making this tune worth hearing and celebrating. Atlantic is taken from the band's second EP "Misemotional", which is available from TEN Records.

Kaleidokitty has created an intriguing track with IT IS THAT DEEP . Released last year as part of a Harmony Haven compilation called Healing Visions , the track is a captivating hybrid of tribal rhythms and cosmic synths; something that would easily fit within the soundtrack of a sci-fi tv programme or fantasy space movie. Play this whilst driving a car and you would almost feel like you are piloting a transporter craft around the milky way. Concise, but super-cool. Healing Visions by Kaleidokitty

Cherub Dream Records are doing a grand job of digging around to find some often spectacular noise recordings by fairly unknown acts. That's certainly the case with  Jock's Labyrinth , the delightful new track by San Francisco's loudest band, JOCK . When I say "delightful", I mean that with a certain amount of humour, the song is not some summery sing-a-long to be enjoyed at a picnic. Jock's Labyrinth is at times a screeching, air-splitting festival of distraught guitars. However, it does include a strangely alluring vocal motif which, although jagged and rusty, shines like polished chrome. Oddly sublime.   Labyrinth by JOCK

At times, the music industry can be a funny beast, not too unlike watching the lifecycle of some exotic arthropod. Once again, we seem to be witnessing an abundance of angry queer punks, in this case "queer" being used in the sense of sexuality, rather than the yesteryear meaning of "unusual" or "unconventional". That's not such a bad position to be in, the punk approach is much more fun than the kitsch dance-pop glitterising the mainstream. The Daffodildos add an extra layer to their queer leanings by waving a vegan flag over their punk repertoire, meaning that their niche might become even more laser-point. Admirably grabbing the bull by the horns, with their latest single, What's Your Excuse? , the band tackle the subject with a confrontational poke in the ears. As singer and guitarist Emily Flea says about the track, “It makes you question your motives for eating meat and dairy. It challenges all the reasons people give for not going vegan.” W...

Here's a track from Japanese singer-songwriter issey , a rising Gen-Z composer specialising in new J-Pop material based around the sounds from a couple of decades ago. Taken from the urban fantasy RPG 'Zenless Zero' game, Moechakkafire is a character song presented as a light-hearted romp with a lot of the fun traits associated with anime style soundtracks. As with a lot of Japanese culture, the context is slightly bemusing to me, but in the video the character seems to be a maid with a sharks tale? That's not something you often hear conveyed in music, making this an ideal selection for me.