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Gruff Rhys releases 'Loan Your Loneliness' from forthcoming album 'Seeking New Gods'
Gruff Rhys is releasing his seventh solo album Seeking New Gods through Rough Trade Records on May 21st. First single Loan Your Loneliness is out today.
The album concept was originally driven to be the biography of a mountain, Mount Paektu (an East Asian active volcano). However, as Gruff’s writing began to reflect on the inhuman timescale of a peak’s existence and the intimate features that bring it to mythological life, both the songs and the mountain became more and more personal.
Gruff on the album “The album is about people and the civilizations, and the spaces people inhabit over periods of time. How people come and go but the geology sticks around and changes more slowly. I think it’s about memory and time,” he suggests of Seeking New Gods’ meaning. “It’s still a biography of a mountain, but now it’s a Mount Paektu of the mind. You won’t learn much about the real mountain from listening to this record but you will feel something, hopefully.”
Gruff on the video “The monochrome has made it look much sharper and stylish (for want of a better word – I don’t think I know what style is!!) like a Japanese 60’s pop show or something!
We added a layer of cloud to add some spot colour and to integrate the album sleeve aesthetic to the video. The colour was always stronger at the very end – I don’t particularly like the brown slippery dinosaurs but love the mammoths and northern lights…. so we bought it back to colour by the end – the narrative being that a soloing guitarist accidentally invented colour TV with sheer exuberance! “
STEPHEN MALKMUS’ COVER OF CAN’S ALBUM “EGE BAMYASI” NOW AVAILABLE TO STREAM
In 2012, Stephen Malkmus and the Cologne-based band Von Spar performed Can’s album Ege Bamyasi in its entirety at Week-End Fest to celebrate the record’s 40th anniversary. Matador Records (US) and Domino Records (UK) later released the recording in a limited vinyl pressing of 3,500 copies for Record Store Day.
And now – eight years later – we’ve finally gotten around to putting it on the internet. As of today, the performance is available across DSPs.
One year ago, Malkmus released his third solo LP without the Jicks, Traditional Techniques. Informed by a half-century of folk-rock reference points, the album draws from a whole new musical palette – including a variety of Afghani instruments – to support an ache both quizzical and contemporary.
Track List
I’m So Green
Sing Swan Song
Pinch / Soup
Spoon
One More Night
Vitamin C
Bills & Aches & Blues
In 2020, 4AD turned 40. Never one to be on time for a party, the label is commemorating that landmark this year with the release of Bills & Aches & Blues.
Bills & Aches & Blues is a compilation which features 18 of its current artists covering a song of their choosing from 4AD’s past: a creative experiment rooted in the spirit of collaboration and a snapshot of 4AD, 41 years after its inception.
Bills & Aches & Blues will be released on 2 April digitally, with standard vinyl and CD editions following on 23 July and a deluxe vinyl boxset later this year.
The first 12 months’ profits from Bills & Aches & Blues will be donated to The Harmony Project, a Los Angeles-based after-school programme for children from communities and schools that lack equitable access to studying the arts or music.
Available today are the first five songs from Bills & Aches & Blues (‘Side 1’), with Tkay Maidza, U.S. Girls, Aldous Harding, The Breeders & new signing Maria Somerville reworking Pixies, The Birthday Party, Deerhunter, His Name Is Alive and Air Miami respectively.
Bills & Aches & Blues’ 18 recordings contain fascinating connections between artist and track. The earliest song chosen (by U.S. Girls) is The Birthday Party’s ‘Junkyard’, from 1981; the most recent are the two Grimes covers (‘Genesis’ and ‘Oblivion’, respectively by Spencer. and Dry Cleaning) from 2012. Suitably, for the one band that bridges 4AD past and present, The Breeders are all over Bills And Aches And Blues. They’re covered three times – ‘Cannonball’ by Tune-Yards, ‘Mountain Battles’ by Bradford Cox of Deerhunter and ‘Off You’ by Big Thief, whilst The Breeders cover ‘The Dirt Eaters’ by their ‘90s contemporaries His Name Is Alive.
Landmark songs such as ‘Cannonball’, ‘Song To The Siren’ and Pixies’ ‘Where is My Mind?’, will feel comfortable to casual fans, however by contrast, much joy can be found in the album’s surprise choices, such as Air Miami’s ‘Seabird’ and the Lush B-side ‘Sunbathing’, covered respectively by new signings Maria Somerville and Jenny Hval.
Bills & Aches & Blues is named, arguably (as Elizabeth Fraser never published the lyrics) after the opening line of Cocteau Twins ‘Cherry-Coloured Funk’. Perhaps too unique and uncoverable in their own right, their legendary take on Tim Buckley’s ‘Song To The Siren’, under the name This Mortal Coil (along with Buckley’s pre-Starsailor acoustic version) informs SOHN’s cover.
Some tracks unearth hitherto hidden shared DNA, such as Future Islands’ and Colourbox’s ‘The Moon Is Blue’; other tracks are more akin to reinvention. Aldous Harding distils the melodic essence of Deerhunter’s ‘Revival’ and recasts it in her own uncanny image. U.S. Girls’ future-disco ‘Junkyard’ and Bing & Ruth’s neo-classical instrumental ‘Gigantic’ are even more radical interpretations. Leading off the album, Tkay Maidza brings both her Art Rap and R&B game, but also an unexpected ‘80s synth pop template, to Pixies’ ‘Where Is My Mind?’, a perfect title for these chaotic times.
Bills & Aches & Blues
TRACKLISTING
Side 1:
01 Tkay Maidza Where Is My Mind? ( Pixies )
02 U.S. Girls Junkyard ( The Birthday Party )
03 Aldous Harding Revival ( Deerhunter )
04 The Breeders Dirt Eaters ( His Name Is Alive )
05 Maria Somerville Seabird ( Air Miami )
Side 2:
06 Tune-Yards Cannonball ( The Breeders )
07 Spencer. Genesis ( Grimes )
08 Helado Negro Futurism ( Deerhunter )
09 Efterklang Postal ( Piano Magic )
10 Bing and Ruth Gigantic ( Pixies )
Side 3:
11 Future Islands The Moon Is Blue ( Colourbox )
12 Jenny Hval Sunbathing ( Lush )
13 Dry Cleaning Oblivion ( Grimes )
14 Bradford Cox Mountain Battles ( Breeders )
Side 4:
15 SOHN Song To The Siren ( Tim Buckley )
16 Becky and The Birds The Wolves Act I and II ( Bon Iver )
17 Ex:Re Misery Is a Butterfly ( Blonde Redhead )
18 Big Thief Off You ( The Breeders )
Perfume Genius releases A.G. Cook remix and video for 'Describe'
Today, Perfume Genius reveals A. G. Cook’s remix of his single ‘Describe’. The track is taken off the forthcoming IMMEDIATELY Remixes album which is set for release digitally on March 12th and physically on June 12 (Record Store Day).
Today’s remix follows last month’s Boy Harsher remix of Your Body Changes Everything. Read a conversation between Perfume Genius and Boy Harsher for Paper HERE.
IMMEDIATELY Remixes sees every song on Perfume Genius’ critically acclaimed album Set My Heart On Fire Immediately remixed in the original running sequence by an all-star cast. In addition to Boy Harsher and A. G. Cook, the lineup includes Jaakko Eino Kaleivi, Jim-E Stack, Planningtorock, Jenny Hval, Initial Talk, Boy Harsher, Nídia, Danny L Harle, Westerman, Actress, Koreless and Katie Dey. Hadreas has said, “I’m very honored to have all these incredible musicians rework these songs. I felt personally remixed listening to their versions, hearing the spirit of my song completely transformed was very magical. Each one feels like a little portal to a fucked up shared world.”
From operatic acid-rave (‘Just A Touch’) to opulent 80’s synth-funk (‘On The Floor’), ambient club polyrhythms (‘Moonbend’) to breakbeat-addled electronic pop (‘Describe’), tech-damaged tremolo waltz (‘One More Try’) to a mid-song running artist commentary on the remix itself (‘Leave’), IMMEDIATELY Remixes is an endlessly surprising, imaginative and replayable set to match its source material.
Set My Heart On Fire Immediately has appeared on 2020 end of year lists by The Guardian, TIME Magazine, New York Times, The Independent, Pitchfork, Esquire, The Quietus, Clash, Crack, DIY, NPR, Stereogum, Time Out, Noisey, Uncut and many others. The album was produced by GRAMMY-winning producer Blake Mills and features contributions from musicians Jim Keltner, Pino Palladino, Matt Chamberlin and Rob Moose. It was recorded in Los Angeles, where Perfume Genius settled in 2017 with longtime partner and musical collaborator Alan Wyffels. The album explores and subverts concepts of masculinity and traditional roles, and introduces decidedly American musical influences.
In the last few months, Hadreas has appeared on JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!, played a global live stream from The Palace Theater in downtown Los Angeles and announced the publication of Immediately, the book companion to the new album featuring iconic portraits of Perfume Genius by celebrated French photographer Camille Vivier. Perfume Genius has also appeared on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert performing Whole Life for their #PlayAtHome series and on Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon where he performed On The Floor and Jason.
Mdou Moctar announces 'Afrique Victime' and new song 'Tala Tannam
On May 21, Matador Records will release Afrique Victime, the long-awaited new album by Mdou Moctar.
With Afrique Victime the prodigious Tuareg guitarist and songwriter rips a new hole in the sky – boldly reforging contemporary Saharan music and “rock music” by melding guitar pyrotechnics, full-blast noise, and field recordings with poetic meditations on love, religion, women’s rights, inequality, and Western Africa’s exploitation at the hands of colonial powers.
Today, watch a video for the new song Tala Tannam
While Mdou and his band are renowned for their volume and energy (see album opener Chismiten), this song is largely unplugged – tracking a simple melody and a mellow, hypnotic beauty.
“Tala Tannam means your tears,” says Mdou. “It is another love song of which I’m very fond.”
The clip was filmed in Niamey, Niger last year when bassist Mikey Coltun made the long journey to meet his bandmates and begin prep for the album’s release. “While the song talks about love, we wanted to show the love between friendships and the love of Niger,” says Coltun. “The video includes friends and family –in the Tuareg community in villages around Niamey as well as Hausa people from villages in the Dosso region.”
Mdou recently appeared on Off White’s “Imaginary TV” channel, with designer Virgil Abloh “calling the guitarist, one of my favorite musicians Rn.
Mdou’s home is Agadez, a desert village in rural Niger. Inspired by traditional Tuareg melodies and YouTube videos of Eddie Van Halen’s six string techniques, he mastered the guitar and created his own burning style. A born charismatic, Mdou went on to tell his story as an aspiring artist by writing, producing, and starring in the first Tuareg language film: a remake of Purple Rain called Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai – which translates to “Rain The Color Of Blue With A Little Red In It” – winning the approval of his family and his community. The word and the sound travelled across West Africa via mobile phone data cards, a popular form of local music distribution. Grueling DIY world tours and albums on the independent US label Sahel Sounds followed, including 2019’s landmark Ilana: The Creator, which earned Mdou an ecstatic international audience.
Afrique Victime is the result of the combined efforts of Mdou and the members of the band that shares his name. His crucial collaborator is Ahmoudou Madassane, who’s been his rhythm guitarist since 2008. Their two guitars are an alchemical combination. As a songwriter, producer, and recording artist Ahmoudou is the premier musical ambassador to Tuaregs in Niger – empowering young musicians with instruments, recording opportunities, and visas. Masassane helped form the revolutionary first woman-fronted Tuareg guitar band Les Filles De Illighadad, whose debut album and tours caused an international sensation in 2019.
The band’s youngest member is prodigal drummer Souleymane Ibrahim, also a member of both the well-known Niger band, Sultanat Star De L’air, and the longest running wedding band in Agadez, Etran De L’air. Souleymane’s playing on this album ferociously sets a new standard for the “rock” drum set.
Producer and bassist Mikey Coltun flies 20 hours from Brooklyn, NYC, then takes a 28-hour bus ride to reach Agadez so the band can practice and record. With no support from a major label or a manager, they made this journey out of Niger every time they toured. In the past three years, Mikey’s played over 500 shows on three continents as Mdou Moctar’s bassist, road manager, producer/recording engineer, and friend. Coltun recorded and produced Afrique Victime around the band’s travels in 2019 – working in studios, apartments, hotel rooms, venue backstages, and in field recordings in Niger.
Recording and honing songs as a touring outfit forged a live wire new sound. If Ilana was a late ’60s early ’70s ZZ Top and Black Sabbath record – Afrique Victime is mid-’70s to early ’80s Van Halen meets Black Flag meets Black Uhuru. The ferocity of Moctar’s electric guitar and the band’s hypnotic rhythm section are on awe-inspiring display “Chismiten” and the mournful yet incandescent title track. Elsewhere, Moctar finds inspiration in highlighting lesser-known facets of the group: “While people have gotten to know Mdou Moctar as a rock band, there is a whole different set of music with this band done on acoustic guitars, which we wanted to incorporate into this album in order to go through a sonic journey,” he says. Mdou pays homage to one of his heroes Abdallah Ag Oumbadagou, the legendary Niger musician and political revolutionary, on songs “Habibti” and “Layla”. “Abdallah was a contemporary of Tinariwen and helped to pioneer the sound of Tuareg guitar music blended with drum machines and electronic sounds”.
“From prison to Nobel prize. They ceded to Mandela / Africa is a victim of so many crimes / If we stay silent it will be the end of us / Why is this happening? “Moctar asks on the title track. “I want the world to know that we are making music to promote world peace and be with everyone on the same level, fighting against racism”, he says. “All colors and genders are equal. Women, men and children all suffer in the desert due to the colonization by France and therefore there is a lack of the basics – hospitals, drinking water, schools.”
The needs of Agadez are a major part of what drives Moctar as an artist and promoting the region’s youth through music is an especially personal cause. “I know what it’s like to have been in that position,” he says, “to not have the support of your family, or the money for guitars or strings, it’s really hard. I have a lot of support from the younger generation, because I help them out a lot. When I get back from tour, I give them gear that I bought while I was away so they can go out and form their own bands.”
Says Coltun: “In Agadez the music and feeling at Tuareg weddings is exactly like the best of Western DIY/Punk shows. It’s loud, energetic and powerful. There is a sense of everyone helping out. Tuaregs are a tight community. If you’re Tuareg you’re considered family.”
The music listeners are the beneficiaries of the staggeringly powerful do-it-yourself musical ethic of Mdou Moctar – the man and the band – who’ve worked so hard to bring the spirits of families and communities in Niger to the West. Afrique Victime sounds and feels like a Tuareg hand reaching down from the sky, and we are very lucky for this chance to get lifted.
Afrique Victime is now available for pre-order on LP, CD, and also on a limited-edition cell phone that arrives pre-loaded with the record.
