Buscar:the bassist

Das Trio aus Mike Alvord, dem Gitarristen und Mitbegründer der legendären Holy Terror, dem italienischen Schlagzeuger Roby Vitari und Bassist Rick Zaccaro, spielt eine Mischung aus klassischem Thrash mit etlichen Killer-Riffs und inhaltlichem Tiefgang. MindWarsn wurde 2013 gegründet, wobei sich ihr Name natürlich auf das zweite Holy-Terror-Album "Mind Wars" (1988) bezieht, doch das Projekt stellt für den Gitarristen ein neues Kapitel dar. "Ich wollte nicht, dass jemand denkt, dies sei eine Fortsetzung von Holy Terror", stellt er klar. "Ich habe es immer als Anhängsel oder Erweiterung betrachtet, und es ist nur natürlich, dass es in unserer Musik Anklänge an Holy Terror gibt." MindWars haben schon einiges an Aufmerksamkeit mit ihren Shows erregt, darunter Auftritte im Vorprogramm von Raven und Mordred sowie Gigs bei Festivals wie Long Live the Loud (USA), Storm Crusher (Deutschland) oder True Thrash (Japan). Mit "V" blickt die Gruppe zuversichtlich nach vorne. "Ich habe Phasen, in denen mir Riffs und Songs in den Sinn kommen, und arbeite schon an neuen Songs", kündigt Mike an. "Aber jetzt freuen wir uns zunächst einmal, eine neue Label-Partnerschaft eingegangen zu sein, und gehen mit etwas Glück in naher Zukunft auf Tour beziehungsweise spielen auf dem einen oder anderen Festival."

Stockholm, Sweden quintet Sudakistan return with a brand new double A-sided 7" featuring "Automaton" and "Quiero Ser Tu Perro", a Spanish language translation of The Stooges' classic "I Wanna Be Your Dog". The 7" single is released on May 24 with "Quiero Ser Tu Perro" arriving digitally on March 8 ahead of the band's US debut at SXSW 2019. Featuring the band's trademark blend of punk, garage rock, psychedelia and latino rhythms "Quiero Ser Tu Perro" finds bassist Maikel Gonzalez taking on lead vocals.

In der Musik von Chase Petra ging es schon immer um Wachstum: Erwachsen werden, über sich hinauswachsen, die Erwartungen anderer satt haben. Auf ihrem zweiten Album wirft das Trio aus Long Beach, Kalifornien, erneut die existenziellen Fragen auf, die die lange, unvorhersehbare Reise des Lebens durchziehen. "Lullabies For Dogs", der Nachfolger von "Liminal" (2018), wechselt zwischen zeitloser Melodik (wie das düstere "Two Nights In New York" und das hypnotische, akustisch orientierte "Icarus") und unermüdlicher Energie (wie "Centrifugal Force" und "Bread And Circus", die mit der Unberechenbarkeit der frühen Panic! At the Disco kollidieren) – und etabliert Allen, Drummer Evan Schaid und Bassistin Brooke Dickson als einen der geschicktesten Acts der Emo-Szene. Kirschrotes Vinyl.

180G vinyl pressing

After releasing their well-received 7” and 12” singles ‘Night Time’ and ‘Feel It / So Hot’, Isle of Jura is pleased to present Exotic Illusions, the debut album from D.D. Mirage, the Sydney-based duo of Josh Dives and Disky Dee.

Having first played music together during the mid-2010s in the indie-psyche and punky-shoegaze bands King Colour and SCK CHX, the two Australian musicians/DJs came up in the warehouse party scene that fermented in the wake of the Sydney lockout laws. While organising mixed media events under the Yeah Nah Yeah brand, they discovered the joys of disco, dance-punk and the Balearic beat through Pender St Steppers’ DJ mixes and reissue releases and found themselves changing direction in response.

Written and recorded with a range of vintage keyboards and preamps, instruments and digital studio software, Exotic Illusions is a cosmopolitan love letter to the immaculate blend of Italo disco, Neopolitan funk, Nigerian boogie, cosmic house, synth-pop, UK street soul and lovers rock sounds that have inspired D.D. Mirage since they began this iteration of their ever-evolving musical relationship.

“The name Exotic Illusions refers to our fascination with all of this music made in other parts of the world,” they explain. “During lockdown and thereafter, we indulged in these exotic sounds as an antidote to our lack of travel. This fascination continued as the world opened up again, and we started working on tunes together. It’s also a way of acknowledging that we feel like tourists partaking in these styles and established sounds. They aren’t ours and weren’t born out of the place we’re from, but we hope we’ve been able to add something unique to them.”

In recognition of this, rather than just reinterpreting genre motifs through an antipodean lens, D.D. Mirage opened up lines of communication with some of their favourite musicians from the Neapolitan scene, bassist Daniel Monaco (Rush Hour, Periodica Records) and drummer Andrea De Fazio (Parbleu/ Nu Genea), who recorded the rhythm section for ‘So Hot’. They also wrote to the Manchester-based singer/producer Private Joy, who graced ‘Night Time’ with a smoother-than-silk street soul vocal that helped the single secure crucial plays on NTS and BBC Radio 6.

Opening with the tropical melodies, post-disco machine beats and jilted art-punk singalong chants of the title track, Exotic Illusions unfolds as a series of sturdy, internationally-minded dancefloor excursions. ‘Piranesi’ is boogie with a South American shuffle. ‘So Hot’ is Neapolitan funk with a Leichhardt strut, and ‘Antenna’ (featuring Jofi) is D.D. Mirage’s love letter to ‘80s drum machine bossa nova from Brussels.

On ‘Feel It’, the duo hit a sparking groove that reaches into an eternal sunset of the mind before throwing out a bubbly disco-not disco spoken word bounce on ‘Cat’s Cradle’, featuring psychedelic-pop singer Jermango Dreaming. From there, D.D. Mirage bring it home with a cheeky Aussie drawl on ‘Living Upside Down’ and the nocturnal excellence of ‘Night Time’, making a case for themselves as a significant new force from Australian music to the world.
full sleeve artwork from Bradley Pinkerton.

In late 2023, Tokyo-based musician, Daigo Sakuragi, temporarily relocated to London, where he revisited material recorded with fellow Japanese musicians in Tokyo, drawing inspiration from the city’s energy, music, and atmosphere. This new perspective culminated in Togenkyo, a 28-minute work blending early 2000s folktronica and contemporary ambient styles. Sakuragi crafts immersive sonic textures with synthesisers and spatial production, while the organic groove of drums and bass anchors the piece, subtly inviting physical movement. Floating above this foundation, the saxophone weaves through the soundscape, leading the music with an elegant yet exploratory presence.

The session took place at aLive recording studio in Tokyo, with the following personnel:

Daigo Sakuragi: synthesiser, guitar, post-production
Jinya Ichikawa: bass
Shoei Ikeda: saxophone
Kazuya Ooi: drums

The lineup reflects a network of notable Japanese artists: Ichikawa, Sakuragi’s longtime collaborator in D.A.N.; Ikeda, known for his work with Maya Ongaku; and Ooi, a drummer for yahyel.

Sakuragi is best known for his band project D.A.N., where he contributes vocals, guitar, and production alongside bassist Jinya Ichikawa and drummer Teru Kawakami. Since its formation in 2014, D.A.N. has gained recognition for their unique fusion of indie rock/pop, dub, and electronic music. Under his solo moniker Daigos, Sakuragi explores electronic dance music through DJing and production, experimenting with Eurorack modules and samples in a refined, microscopic aesthetic. Recently, his creative output has expanded into diverse fields, including advertisements, artist collaborations, and films.

The term Togenkyo resonates with the concept of utopia, yet it diverges—it does not symbolise a flawless paradise but rather an attainable state of peace within oneself. Sakuragi reflects on finding his own Togenkyo in London, far from his hometown of Tokyo. The EP brings a sense of comfort and calm, reminding listeners that such a space exists not far from reach.

After his father and other close relatives died in a short period, singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist Asa Horvitz wanted a musical language to evoke our metaphysical and tangible experiences with loss. Horvitz and a team of friends assembled a dataset of over 150 texts from throughout history that dealt with grief and fed them through a custom Natural Language Processing AI system. Based on the cryptic text that resulted, they created a music-theatre production which toured in Europe and is presented here as a series of standout recordings from the project’s long genesis. GHOST’s compositions started as vocal improvisations led by Horvitz and bassist/singer-songwriter Carmen Quill, accompanied by Ariadne Randall and Bryan West (processing, synths, viola da gamba, etc). Later, Horvitz’s uncle—esteemed pianist and composer Wayne Horvitz—interpolated additional passages. Recalling (at turns) Robert Ashley’s spoken-word operas, Arthur Russell’s vaporous pop song, medieval music, outre hip-hop, and the undulations of Einstein on the Beach, the music remains soulful despite its partially systematized means of production. GHOST derives its strength from its empathetic perspective, tracking the tidal patterns that underpin our grief without attempting to fabricate their logic.

– Winston Cook Wilson

DeepMatter Records is thrilled to reintroduce ‘Daughter of the Sun’, the groundbreaking album from Canadian bassist and producer vbnd. Originally released in July 2018, this neo-soul masterpiece has captivated listeners worldwide, racking up over 68 million streams and selling out two previous limited vinyl pressings in the process.

Blending jazz influences with soulful grooves, this album is a true gem for any lover of neo-soul. Featuring collaborations with fellow Saskatoon artists — including the ethereal vocals of Katie Tupper, the masterful guitar work of Justice Der, the sultry sax of Connor Newton, and the artistry of Simon Jasieniuk — the project is a lush and unforgettable listening experience. Standout tracks like “Smoke” and the titular “Daughter of the Sun” highlight Tupper’s smoky, enchanting voice, perfectly paired with vbnd’s lush, soul-infused production.

Since its release, ‘Daughter of the Sun’ has become a cornerstone of Saskatoon’s blossoming jazz and soul scene, with vbnd drawing inspiration from icons like D’Angelo, Jaco Pastorius, and Snarky Puppy.

In 2016 an internet user discovered Panchiko’s discarded 2000 demo CD, D>E>A>T>H>M>E>T>A>L, in a Nottingham charity shop and posted it to 4chan to intrigue and fanfare. It took four years for Panchiko’s legions of dedicated fans to find the people behind the music as millions of curious listeners were swaying to the band’s adolescent creations. Upon discovering their own virality, the band reformed with original members Andy Wright (keyboardist and producer), Owain Davies (vocalist and guitarist), and Shaun Ferreday (bassist) alongside new members Robert Harris (guitarist) and John Schofield (drummer), toured the world and wrote, recorded, and released their first album in 20+ years, 2023’s Failed At Maths. But after the thrill of the whirlwind came a new question. What comes next when your dreams come true? The answer is Ginkgo, a 13-track project that finds the band making some of their most introspective, cinematic, and moving music yet. “The whole production has gone up ten-fold,” says Wright of the new album.“ Standout track "Shandy in the Graveyard" feat. rapper billy woods sees the band channeling their youth and tapping into the typical audience at Panchiko shows. That youthful spirit can be felt in the song’s sonic world, as its production genre-shifts between trip hop and orchestral folk, creating a fresh juxtaposition of soundscapes. The same wrenching honesty that attracted legions of fans to their teenage demos is the same truthful ethos that keeps them listening to new material like title track, “Ginkgo.” On it, Davies sings “You command the leaves to fall/The Ginkgo bends at will.” A rumination on the limits of control, collaboration, and fate, the song is an apt meditation for a band whose resurgence came about through a mix of luck, artistry, and then clear-eyed energy.

1969 was the year of release of this one and only album by Japanese jazz pianist Hideo Ichikawa, vibraphonist Hiroshi Matsumoto, bassist Kunimitsu Inaba and drummer Motohiko Hino, all in collaboration. A one-off coming-together, it centred on the valerian vibes of Matsumoto, whose star instrument, the vibraphone, was bound to take centre stage for its comparative novelty, not to mention the fact that Matsumoto himself had been practicing before the others. An honorary work, this urbane masterpiece hears tasteful vibraphonic panning in full stereo, as blue passing notes collide with expert steel brushings and untied chord playing, resulting in a unique but salubrious listen.

Nach fast zwei Jahren meldet sich Okonski mit „Entrance Music“ zurück - ein Album, auf dem sich das Trio auf dem Höhepunkt seines improvisatorischen Könnens befindet und das Spontane und Meditative zelebriert. Nach dem Debüt „Magnolia“ von 2023 hat der Pianist und Bandleader Steve Okonski seine langjährigen musikalischen Mitstreiter (Durand Jones & The Indications-Bandkollege Aaron Frazer am Schlagzeug und Bassist Michael Isvara „Ish“ Montgomery) für eine weitere Session im Geiste von Künstlern wie The Bad Plus, Gerald Clayton und The Breathing Effect wieder zusammengebracht. Letztendlich ist „Entrance Music“ eine Einladung zu frühen Stunden, in denen die Songs in der Tür verweilen und ihre Anwesenheit ankündigen, bevor sie in die Luft zurückkehren, um sorgfältig in die nächste Runde zu treiben. „Entrance Music“ wurde in einer fünftägigen Session aufgenommen und war eines der ersten Alben, die in Portage Lounge, dem Studio von Terry Cole in Loveland, OH, auf Band gebannt wurden. „Es war ein neues Setup, aber mit Terry hinter den Reglern war es sehr vertraut“, sagt Okonski. „Ich kann nicht genug betonen, wie sehr sich Terry wie ein viertes Mitglied der Band fühlt, wegen des Raums, den er kuratiert, der Energie, die er einbringt, und den Produktionsideen.“ Die Energie und der Sound, die mit dem Colemine-Labelchef am Ruder entstanden sind, sorgen für ein Hörerlebnis, das sich mit den Katalogen von ECM oder Stones Throw messen kann. Während ein Großteil des Debüts auf seine Zeit in New York zurückgeht, fühlt sich „Entrance Music“ „ein bisschen weniger wie ‚auf den Straßen um 2 Uhr morgens‘ und ein bisschen mehr auf der Natur basierend an - ein bisschen mehr ätherisch“, sagt Okonski. „Es ist definitiv das Alter, die Umgebung und die Familie - all das kommt in der Musik durch.“

The Standard School Broadcast Recordings, einst als lange verschollene (und in den meisten Fällen völlig
unbekannte) Studioaufnahme von John Lee Hooker angesehen, ist die erste kommerzielle Veröffentlichung
einer seltenen, vollständig elektrischen Bluesband-Aufnahme aus dem Jahr 1973. Die Session wurde bei
Coast Recorders in San Francisco direkt auf Band aufgenommen und fängt Hooker in einer turbulenten
und zutiefst transformierenden Zeit seiner Karriere ein, begleitet von seiner zuverlässigen Rhythmusgruppe
aus Bassist Gino Skaggs und Schlagzeuger Ken Swank sowie Hookers Sohn Robert, dem Pianisten.
The Standard School Broadcast, 1928 ins Leben gerufen, war eine mehrfach preisgekrönte Bildungsradioserie, die von Standard Oil (auch bekannt als Esso, später Exxon) gesponsert wurde. Die in San Francisco ansässige Sammlung war auf Musikverständnis und amerikanische Geschichte spezialisiert. Kopien
einiger ihrer Shows wurden auch auf Vinyl-LPs an Schulen verteilt. Ein solches Set mit zehn Alben war
Musikinstrumenten gewidmet, darunter auch der Gitarre. Während andere legendäre Gitarristen dabei
waren: der klassische Virtuose George Sakellariou, die Jazzgiganten Herb Ellis und Joe Pass sowie der
Session-Geselle Chuck Day, war ihre endgültige Auswahl die reine Verkörperung des Herzens und der Seele
der Bluesgitarre: John Lee Hooker.
Die CD enthält außerdem zwei Bonustitel – „Sallie Mae“ und „Instrumental“

Neuauflage 2024, Purple Vinyl! Die Destroy Boys aus Sacramento kombinieren Garage-Punk, Pop, Hardcore und Indie-Rock zu einem rohen, zukunftsweisenden kalifornischen Punk-Sound auf ihrem 2021er Album! Die Band wurde 2015 als Akustik-Duo von Alexia Roditis (Gitarre/Gesang) und Violet Mayugba (Gitarre/Gesang) gegründet, die eine breite Palette von Einflüssen anführen, darunter Misfits, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Dog Party, The Who, Lady Gaga und Bikini Kill. Nach der Veröffentlichung ihrer Debüt-EP Mom Jeans wurden die beiden von Schlagzeuger Ethan Knight kontaktiert, der sich der Band anschloss, bevor 2016 die Grimester-EP und das Album Sorry, Mom veröffentlicht wurden. Die Band erhielt mehrere Nominierungen bei den Sacramento Area Music Awards 2017. Sie nutzten diesen Schwung für eien ganze Reihe an energiegeladenen Singles und Auftritten mit wechselnden Bandmitgliedern, immer voran Roditis und Mayugba. Schon bald teilten sich Destroy Boys die Bühnen mit Bands wie Mannequin Pussy, Face to Face und Lagwagon und tourten durch UK. 2018 wurde Hopeless Records auf ihren zweiten Longplayer Make Room aufmerksam und nahm die vielbeachtete Band in ihr Roster auf. Mit Open Mouth, Open Heart, das ursprünglich 2021 veröffentlicht wurde, lieferte die Gruppe eine Reihe aggressiver und selbstbewusster Songs, die sich den Themen emotionalem und physischem Missbrauchs, Mobbing und Sucht annehmen. Die Band besteht aktuell als Quartett mit Roditis und Mayugba sowie dem Schlagzeuger Narsai Malik und dem Bassisten David Orozco.

More straightforward than À la Ô Terre, its predecessor released on Castle Face Records back in 2020, Électrons libres du québec is Population II’s sophomore album. On this LP, produced by Emmanuel Éthier, the three-piece band - made up of singer/drummer Pierre-Luc Gratton, guitarist/keyboardist Tristan Lacombe and bassist Sébastien Provençal - delivers a heavy, psychedelic rock infused with feverish funk rhythms, a hint of jazz philosophy, a burst of early punk energy, and a love of minor scales that harkens back to the roots of heavy metal. With Électrons libres du québec, Population II showcases once again their sharp sense of songcraft and an undeniable expertise in their instruments. This is an album that effortlessly maintains a balance between challenging compositions and instantly memorable melodies.

Nach ihrem zweiten Sieg in Folge als ”Jazz Group of the Year” bei der DownBeat-Leserumfrage kehren
ARTEMIS mit ihrem dritten Blue-Note-Album zurück, als Quintett-Besetzung unter Leitung der Pianistin
und musikalischen Leiterin Renee Rosnes. NPR Music bezeichnete die Band als ”Femme Fatale Supergroup”, was nicht verwundert bei der herausragenden Besetzung mit Trompeterin Ingrid Jensen, Saxophonistin Nicole Glover, Bassistin Noriko Ueda und Schlagzeugerin Allison Miller.
Als Inspiration für Klang und Repertoire von ”ARBORESQUE” nennt die Band diesmal die Natur und
ihre Wirkung auf uns Menschen. Die acht Tracks des Albums, bestehend aus je einer Originalkomposition der Bandmitglieder sowie neuen Arrangements von Stücken von Wayne Shorter, Burt Bacharach und
Donald Brown, klingend dementsprechend harmonisch und organisch, geben den fünf Musikerinnen viel
Spielraum für ebenso elegante wie herausfordernde Improvisationen

On October 15th & 16th 2020, drummed Daniel Villarreal was joined by guitarist Jeff Parker and bassist Anna Butterss for two afternoons of recording in the backyard of Chicali Outpost in Los Angeles. For all three musicians, it was the first ensemble recording session they"d done in-person since the pandemic locked the world down just seven months prior. Some choice moments from the sessions made it onto Villarreal"s critically-acclaimed 2022 album Panamá 77, bust most of the music remained unreleased. Lados B is a deep dive into the high-level spontaneous music made by Villarreal, Parker and Butterss across those two days in 2020. Villarreal is heard leading the group through various rhythmic modes and structures for improvisation - flow as informed by the Latin soul of Fania Records as it is by the otherworldly trance of Brain Records - while Parker and Butterss draw on their extensive experience playing free together (as heard on Parker"s recently-released Mondays at the Enfield Tennis Academy, and the LA side of Makaya McCraven"s 2018 LP Universal Beings) to build harmonic buoys for their spontaneous melodicism. The result is a beautifully vivid illustration of context, creativity, and collective composition from a particularly rich moment in history.

ELEKTROKOHLE’s debut album has instantly become a legendary record due to the tragic loss of their incredible bassist just hours after its release. This album is a masterclass in future punk sound; it couldn’t be more powerful or punchy, being a great legacy to actual and future generations interested in furious music. Presented in a ONE-OFF truly limited edition of 300 copies lacquered pressed on 180 gr. high quality solid BLACK vinyl. All tracks have been specially mastered for vinyl by Daniel Hallhuber at Young and Cold Studios (Germany).

After appearing with Archie Shepp at the landmark Pan-African Cultural festival in Algiers in 1969, African-American trumpeter-cornetist Clifford Thornton recorded a set of his own compositions in Paris later that year. The result was Ketchaoua, an important political and spiritual as well as musical statement that reflected the inspiration that he took from Islam. Indeed, the title of the album refers to the awe-inspiring mosque in Algiers.
Clifford Thornton’s superb band comprised his compatriots, saxophonists Archie Shepp and Arthur Jones, drummer Sunny Murray, trombonist Grachan Moncur III, pianist Dave Burrell, and bassist Earl Freeman, as well as French bassist Beb Guérin. Together they brought energy and ingenuity to the leader’s compositions, which were characterized by vivid atmospheres, exploratory, mysterious sounds and haunting themes. And the song titles conveyed an important social and cultural message. Pieces such as ‘Brotherhood’ pointed to the sense of unity and kinship that African-American artists felt with the citizens they encountered on their journey to North Africa and Europe.
This newly remastered deluxe edition of Ketchaoua provides an opportunity to hear one of the major entries in Clifford Thornton’s relatively small yet nonetheless highly impressive discography. It is an album that marks him out as a figure in the avant- garde movement of the late 60s and early 70s who deserves far wider recognition.

Being Dead knows how to make an entrance - within the first several seconds of EELS, the duo's new record, the bright, hard-strummed guitar line on "Godzilla Rises" conjures cinematic immediacy, a creature emerging from the depths of the ocean in campy, freaky stop motion, fittingly so. Being Dead's records are mosaics, technicolor incantations, each song its own self-contained little universe. And while the dreamlike EELS probes further into the depths of the duo Being Dead's psyche, it is, most importantly, in the year of our lord 2024, a 16-track record that is genuinely unpredictable from one track to the next: a joyous and unexpected trip helmed by two true-blue freak bitch besties holed up in a lil' house in the heart of Austin, Texas. They decamped to Los Angeles for two weeks to record with GRAMMY-winning producer John Congleton, writing songs for the record until days before they left. The radical shift in process was welcome - a good balance and a challenge, Congleton helping them find new ways to work and helping peel back the layers on the core of their songwriting. Being Dead has grown from a duo to a trio live, including bassist Ricky Motto (who is immortalized finally on record here, particularly in the giggles on "Rock n' Roll Hurts") The resulting EELS is a darker record, tapped more into the devilishness within, but it's also a more raucous, rougher ride sonically. There's heartbreak, excitement, enchantment, dancing - we move through it all at a high-octane pace. Falcon Bitch and Smoofy never want to do the same thing twice on any song, and they don't. From the pummeling garage rock distortion of "Firefighters" to "Dragons II," which appears in its demo form taped on a hand recorder, it's unexpected but intuitive, and, most importantly, singularly Being Dead. Like its animal namesake suggests, the songs on EELS are malleable, the record like slithering through murky waters or strange half dreams, mysterious and beautiful in how it moves, reflective in a wavering sheen. Dipping into each song feels like uncovering a new cavern, plunging into depths unknown but fully open to what will be revealed. On the album artwork, an illustration by the artist Julia Soboleva, there are some weird disparate spectral creatures, a stark glimmer against a cloudy darkness. It's a fitting encapsulation of Being Dead, exuding a welcoming, playful energy even if something foreboding lurks just beyond the pale - more out of frame that's left to uncover, no path unexplored, strange and beautiful in the light.

Purple Tree Fog Vinyl. Being Dead knows how to make an entrance - within the first several seconds of EELS, the duo's new record, the bright, hard-strummed guitar line on "Godzilla Rises" conjures cinematic immediacy, a creature emerging from the depths of the ocean in campy, freaky stop motion, fittingly so. Being Dead's records are mosaics, technicolor incantations, each song its own self-contained little universe. And while the dreamlike EELS probes further into the depths of the duo Being Dead's psyche, it is, most importantly, in the year of our lord 2024, a 16-track record that is genuinely unpredictable from one track to the next: a joyous and unexpected trip helmed by two true-blue freak bitch besties holed up in a lil' house in the heart of Austin, Texas. They decamped to Los Angeles for two weeks to record with GRAMMY-winning producer John Congleton, writing songs for the record until days before they left. The radical shift in process was welcome - a good balance and a challenge, Congleton helping them find new ways to work and helping peel back the layers on the core of their songwriting. Being Dead has grown from a duo to a trio live, including bassist Ricky Motto (who is immortalized finally on record here, particularly in the giggles on "Rock n' Roll Hurts") The resulting EELS is a darker record, tapped more into the devilishness within, but it's also a more raucous, rougher ride sonically. There's heartbreak, excitement, enchantment, dancing - we move through it all at a high-octane pace. Falcon Bitch and Smoofy never want to do the same thing twice on any song, and they don't. From the pummeling garage rock distortion of "Firefighters" to "Dragons II," which appears in its demo form taped on a hand recorder, it's unexpected but intuitive, and, most importantly, singularly Being Dead. Like its animal namesake suggests, the songs on EELS are malleable, the record like slithering through murky waters or strange half dreams, mysterious and beautiful in how it moves, reflective in a wavering sheen. Dipping into each song feels like uncovering a new cavern, plunging into depths unknown but fully open to what will be revealed. On the album artwork, an illustration by the artist Julia Soboleva, there are some weird disparate spectral creatures, a stark glimmer against a cloudy darkness. It's a fitting encapsulation of Being Dead, exuding a welcoming, playful energy even if something foreboding lurks just beyond the pale - more out of frame that's left to uncover, no path unexplored, strange and beautiful in the light.

Seit sie 2007 mit ihrem Debütalbum A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation zu den Vorreitern der späten 00er-Jahre in der Indie-Rock-Szene gehörten,
haben The Wombats aus Liverpool - Matthew „Murph“ Murphy, Bassist Tord Øverland Knudsen und Schlagzeuger Dan Haggis - einen unglaublichen
Aufwärtstrend hingelegt und 2,5 Milliarden Streams angehäuft. Mit ihrem elektrolastigen zweiten Album The Modern Glitch aus dem Jahr 2011
landeten sie regelmäßig in den Top Ten; mit ihrem dritten Album Glitterbug aus dem Jahr 2015 wurden sie Jahre später von der TikTok-Generation
umarmt, wobei „Greek Tragedy“ ein mehrfacher viraler Hit wurde. Mit „Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life“ von 2018 traten sie in Arenen auf der
ganzen Welt auf, und „Fix Yourself, Not the World“ von 2022 war das erste #1-Album der Band in Großbritannien.
Nun beginnt die neue Ära von The Wombats sechstem Album Oh! The Ocean, einem Projekt, das von sozialen Ängsten, innerer Zerrissenheit,
zwanghaftem Verhalten und den Dilemmata und Schwierigkeiten des Lebens in Los Angeles handelt, wo Murph und seine Familie leben. Hinter der
täuschend kuscheligen Fassade der Band hat Murph schon immer offen über seine Ängste, Depressionen und Süchte geschrieben (er ist jetzt
„stocknüchtern“), aber mit dieser Sammlung gibt es ein Gefühl des Fortschritts in Richtung Konfrontation, Akzeptanz und Bewältigung seiner
Probleme. Neben vertrauten Klängen erkunden sie neue Genres, von glitzerndem Tech-Rock über Sci-Fi-Pop, futuristischen Fuzz-Rock bis hin zu
bluesigem Rock'n'Roll, mit einem Hauch von Disco und Hip-Hop-Einflüssen.