SKREEN B BLOG

From war-torn Ukraine comes an intriguing recording entitled, Leave Me and Go , a recent release by electronic duo THISFAR . The band say that song is a self-reflection of their feelings while living during active war and is about the "overwhelming sense of despair regarding losing control of your life and telling the fate to just "leave me and go". Although that seems like heavy subject matter to put to audio, the track itself is surprisingly deft and delicate, with layers of sounds and vocals combining into a trance-like mantra. The overall impression is an experimental song with shades of sadness, but presented as a collage of reflection and intimacy. A great track, please give it a listen.

Not a lot of drum & bass makes it onto my radar these days, I tend to find that the genre has become really formulaic and uninspired, same old beats, same old sounds, same old drops. However, with her recent single, Got That Blow , DJ Madam Filth has reminded me how much energy and joy can be achieved with a direct to the floor production. There's a certain retro slant with the hybrid of techno and drum & bass, but that just gives the recording enough magic to warrant repeat plays. A foot-tapper which is a crisp and clean delight. DJ MADAM FILTH · DJ MADAM FILTH - GOT THAT BLOW (original mix)

This blog's repeat-offenders, AUS!Funkt , are sometimes at their best when they do less. That's the beauty in the beast of their latest track called  Follow the Impulse to Insanity (Black and White) , which kicks off their new EP. In some ways, the non-snappy title carries more flab than the recording itself. From the very start, the music builds on a compelling groove which simply bounces around the walls like a sonic rubber disco ball lifted from a hot-wired game of Pong. Although, extruded into a post-seven minute rollick, the result is direct and effective - and it really gets under your skin. Another superb track from the Montreal-based outfit. Be sure to give it a spin. Unredacted Correspondence No. 7 from the Büro of the Ministry of Wires: Trash Talks avec Monsieur Plus Gros Bouton & Madame Petits Ciseaux by AUS!Funkt

There is obviously a lot of effort that has gone into producing Mary Middlefield 's latest single Summer Affair and I feel that really needs to be acknowledged and appreciated. Everything about the recording is tight and well-polished, with the sound expertly balanced between voracious energy and a slick pop sentiment. At the heart of song the vocals provide both charisma and drive, with the joyful guitars buzzing around like bees high on sonic nectar. Middlefield explains that "Summer Affair is a celebration of freedom in its rawest, most joyful form. I wanted to capture the feeling of being unapologetically alive; dancing without restraint, laughing too loud, changing your mind just because you can. It’s about giving yourself permission to feel everything - to be messy, expressive, soft, raw, and real. To share that energy with the people you love. In a world that often feels constricted and pre-scripted, this song is my way of breaking the rules, reclaiming spontaneity, an...

London-based Darkwave/Post-Punk combo Death Drive , aka Carine Fierobe (Vocals, FX) and Danny Sanchez (Synths, Drum Machines, FX) have a splendid new single out called Volcano . Once again, the duo have produced a track which builds around some robust electro, pleasing the purists by embracing classic sounds at its core. That precise approach is well augmented with some elegant vocals sung in French and English, providing an enjoyably old school, noir mood. The band say the song "depicts the uncontrollable and unpredictable anger that occurs when your ego is cracked open and dismantled. When you look for protection from the burning desire to destroy everything, including yourself". Volcano is available now via Gasolina Recordings - a terrific release so go give it a blast! Volcano by Death Drive

Bad Flamingo exude a certain surreal, bar-room glamour; the duo are constantly riding that beast which sits between the provocative and the mysterious. Their new single  Hold Up the Lighter once again shows their musical demeanour remains entrenched in a sort of laid-back bluesy, guitar/vocal Americana which equally works within the realms of vampish alt-rock. As usual, the band's lyrics lay on the intrigue with a cinematic inflexion and this recording hits you with "I burn midnight oil parked outside your place. Hold up the lighter. And I tilt my head back and let the dark air hit my face. Still stroking the fire". Proving yet again that, though the words may at times provide clues, but the mask never slips. Bad Flamingo are an entertaining enigma with a unique dress-code, please have a listen to Hold Up the Lighter below:

Watch out, people! That hyper-feisty, electro-industrial, tour de force Staytus has just released the final single from her Twisted Frames Series and it rounds off everything with quite a blast. Opening with the line "tie you to the bed, bash you over the head" ,  How To Be A Serial Killer gives you an immediate jolt of knowledge that this time, for sure, Staytus is not messing around with pleasantries. The song continues with an itinerary of attack plans befitting a mass murderer, all punched through at a thumping tempo with appropriate axe-wielding, guitar mania slicing up the beats. The track was inspired by the cult horror-comedy film with lyrics that confront themes of repression, rage, and fractured identity. As Staytus explains "the song is a metaphor for what happens when pain is left to rot in silence. It’s about the darkest thoughts we never dare to speak, turned into a performance of catharsis. I wanted this final track in the Twisted Frames series to leave ...

Surprisingly, for a Bank Holiday Monday, the sun is shining today in Blighty (that's 'England' for those not familiar with the terminology). OK, there are big, black clouds rolling around and the breeze is strong enough to up-end the nation's garden parasols, but the general view (from behind double-glazed glass) is almost summery. So, what better way to pass the time than to listen to an act called Sungaze and their latest release Shadows ?  At the core of the Cincinnati-based band are Ivory Snow and Ian Hilvert and they term their musical style as "American Dreamgaze". In some ways, that could be a bit limiting in demographic terms, but I suspect that's just a convenient shop-window from which they can present their splendid wares. To my ears, the band draw upon very British influences, such as The Cure (check out the intro) and the more obvious pillars of shoegaze, Slowdive. The song itself is a glistening pool of ethereal splendour, an elixir of joy w...

On this Eurovision night it seems appropriate to be highlighting some music from Sweden. Thankfully, there is no sign of the modern-day Eurovision-type reliance on staging over song with Repeat ; their new single Celebrate is as far removed from that gaud-fest as possible. The track is a direct, cut-to-the-bone punk rock romp with a gobbing vocal and feisty accompaniment. The band say the song is "about letting go and being present in the moment, with lyrics shifting between euphoria and desperation". Somehow, tonight, that perfectly matches my mood after watching the first ten acts at the Eurovision final (in reality, minus the euphoria). I am just glad that Repeat were here for me to listen to and they have certainly helped me clear out my ears from all that televisual dross.  Repeat release the full 'Celebrate' EP in September, promising "no frills" - that for me is a reason to celebrate, but for the time being play this on repeat (see what I did there?)...

Cologne-based singer/songwriter, JEWLS , has just released an absorbing new track called We've Invented Speed . The recording is quite short, coming in at just over two and a half minutes, but within that concise timeframe JEWLS really manages to capture the ear. That reaction arises from some intriguing lyrics, such as "I’ve been crystallizing for a while now, abandoning my closest friends" - quite a brutal but honest admission. Indeed, the open gambit, "I’ve been banging my head on repeat, against the rose carved in your wall, silk grey asylum mhm, fish eye lens, my feelings dull" really sets the tone, somehow poetic yet disturbing. Proving there is substance and thought behind the voice, an element to the production which is too often neglected by many other acts. The instrumentation is deftly constructed, the minimal start slowly building towards a pleasingly smoky guitar crescendo, but with JEWLS still holding centre-stage, her expressive vocals in complete...

I am not good at small talk, that's why spending more than twenty minutes at the hairdressers or standing in a queue at a bus stop, is my idea of hell. You know the type of stuff: "got any plans for the weekend?" or "oh, the sky looks a bit grey today and it looks like there's going to be a nuclear war next week". No, that's not for me, so if you see some chap, with a shaved-head, walking the streets in the rain, it could be me. However, I am more than willing to let KAPUT enter the conversation. They have just released a new album and one of the feature tracks, Small Talk , is well worth talking about. The Chicago-based band, made up of Brian Fox, Nadia Garofalo and M. Sord, have produced a vibrant recording which is a great mouthpiece for their project. Fuelled by scuzzy guitars, the song absolutely chugs along at pace with a robust Post Punk sentiment; Nadia expressively calling out "Break your neck to look away", somewhere between a warnin...

Somehow it feels like Sunday night in the household, as there is yet another act with a video showing someone taking a dip in a bath (see my previous review). It is quite refreshing to see all these bands taking time out to stay clean for their audience. Having said that, with their latest track, Hypnotized , the French girl duo Code 150 present a tune reeking of dirty electro. The recording is a crunching, tub-thumper with sublime synths and some wonderfully anguished vocals. It has been a while since their last release, but it is good to have them back and this one should certainly have the darkwave fans tapping along. Be sure to take the plunge. Hot!

Glazyhaze , the terrific Italian post-punk outfit and a favourite of this blog, have just released their much anticipated second album, Sonic . The focus track from the release is called Slap and I am delighted to report that it provides an intoxicating preview as to what treasures might await the listener. Once again, the band have perfectly captured that joyous blend of exhilaration and anguish that great shoegaze material evokes. Slap is all rumbling bass, soaring guitars and Irene's heartfelt vocals - sounding like honeyed sunshine under headphones. Furthermore, there's a splendid video, which includes quite a lot of fire and also some chap in a bath (check out my next review).  Slap is a quality tune which should make you eager to check out the full album. Glazyhaze have a few gigs in Germany lined up, as follows: Thu 24 April - Tommyhaus - Berlin Fri 25 April - Scheune - Dresden Sat 26 April - Glashaus - Bayreuth

Lifted from Plaatwerk 's recently released album, II, this is Winterdip . A gentle, gliding piece with a relaxing and thoughtful tone. The instrumental wins with its simple melodic appeal, reminding me of the Japan classic The Experience Of Swimming. Maybe that's just me putting a couple of fine strokes together to make a pleasurable pool of sound? Whatever the reason, this is certainly worth a plunge. Plaatwerk's album is available from the Geertruida record label. II by Plaatwerk

Hot on the heels of her previous release, Meine Tarar, comes SWOOSH the new recording from Swedish enigma  Desideria . This time the feeling is extremely textural and placid, with layers of vocals and minimal instrumentation conveying words of intrigue such as "My spine is a hundred feet over the ocean. The pain is teaching me about the pleasurable things. The love is constantly expanding I am open. You are right underneath me flying". The song is conveying "the sensation of falling in love, being suspended in the air, a hundred feet above the ground". Interestingly, the backing is, at times, quite brooding; this feeling of love comes with a caveat, there seem to be some black clouds rumbling over the horizon to disrupt those blue, halcyon skies. Another top experimental tune, well worth a listen.

Coming from Scandinavia you would expect something serene and polite, but Swedish noise-act, Strålskyddsinstitutet , throw all those stereotypes into the dumper and then seemingly gob on them (and that's me choosing the polite option). With their new track, Wasteland , it is as if the forests have been cleared and the brutalists have moved in. High-octane and frenzied, the band attack your ears with jack-hammers rather than feathers, only pausing momentarily to offer you some "radiation-free reindeer steaks". This is wonderful music vandalism with a cockeyed laugh. Great fun.

Blog favourite Staytus has just released a new single called Suburban Gothic , a track "inspired by the movie of the same name and its dark, surreal humor". The song is a twisted electro-gothic recording full of potency and barbs with words that "reflect themes of paranoia, fear, and confronting the things that haunt us—whether they’re real or in our heads. It’s about finding the strength to move forward, even when the past tries to pull you back". To learn more about Staytus you can read an interview I did with her here , you can also watch the video for the single below. Enjoy! 

Time to move back into the musical darkness with  Celestial Hex , their latest single The Hunger bites from the very beginning with a killer synth line which really pulses through your veins. Just that element is infectious enough, but then the sensual vocals acts like a silver bullet aimed straight at your heart. The recording is a superb mix of electro, roaming guitars and lusty vampires. The band say they are "Always looking for love and blood", let's just say, on this evidence, they should get a lot of love from the darkwave fans out there. Taken from their forthcoming album, Nightshades, this single should give you an appetite to hear more.

Martin Martyn is a new project comprising of Hideyuki Hashimoto and Yuri Kawai. As can be heard on oden from their new EP 'X', the duo mix electronic sounds with piano, using muted beats to create a warmer, immersive approach. The gentle and delicate production provides an enjoyable, stress-free experience which washes over the listener rather than punching too hard. The video for the instrumental shows the band playing their synths on a rocky hill-top; that, quite literally, seems to represent the balance between technology and nature in their recordings. Be sure to check them out.

Prey is the latest single from Ceremony Shadows and for me it is a real return to form as they have really harnessed their darkwave, electronic roots with a simpler, more ear-catching arrangement. Sitting somewhere between Propaganda and SPK, the song uses the best elements of the band's sound, providing a stronger structure for them to interplay with their vocals. Much like the cover artwork, there's plenty of flesh to the bones. Put your hands together for Prey.

Liminal Shade are back with a new single called Fruta Prohibida , a song which simply oozes with style. At the core lies Mar Boreal's succulent vocals, switching between Spanish and English, the approach provides an exotic flavour to accompany the darker, gothic textures of the instrumentation. Fruta Prohibida is an alluring track with a cinematic elegance, scrumptious but with a slightly sinister after-taste. Yum!

From the act with the most shoegaze-worthy band name ever, this is Glazyhaze and their new single Nirvana . Like their last single, Forgive Me , there is real quality in the songwriting and production. The song title suggests it might be a high-powered romp into grunge territory, but quite the opposite is true. Nirvana is a breezy, floaty tune with more than a touch of the Sundays in the guitars. When the band are making music like this, as in their own words: "It is so hard to walk away". Top tune, watch the super video below.

I like cats. I like electronic music to sound electronic. I like oddness.  Toubourra 's latest release, Bitch , ticks all the boxes. Direct and lyrically to the point, the DIY electro sound with a trance-like, one-word mantra won me over. Then there's the video, an off-kilter homemade, documentary movie with a foot-stomping end. A real head-scratcher. Job done. Purr-fect.

Released on Valentine's Day, Beacon is the new track by Austin's  The Unlimited Stars . Quite fitting, as I tend to love the band's material and, with this, the flame in our relationship continues to burn strong. The song is a brooding and expansive piece about "being mentally ill but having a friend /lover (beacon/light) to talk you through the bad times". Musically, the feel is quite subdued but captivating, with a tremendous bassline rumbling elastically beneath Bre MacKenzie's expressive vocals. With great lyrics throughout, the push towards the end is a joyous burst of guitar which touches on shoegaze territory. So, yes, take this as a glowing review for another terrific recording.

With Desideria 's latest release, Meine Tarar , there is something wonderfully charismatic to carry you through the stark, experimental nature of the piece. The synths might bubble and pulse like the sounds of apparatus in a dysfunctional laboratory, but Desideria's vocals provide a reassuring presence with the  intimate and emotive chant of "meine tarar" (my tears). Singing in the near-forgotten language of Guthnic, which originates from her Gotlandic island home, the vocalisation provides the colour and warmth to the sparse and abstract instrumentation. A cool single - give it a listen.