Hidden Shoal News
Todd Tobias “Tristes Tropiques” Album Now Available
We’ve been itching for this day to come and now we stand within it, bathing in it’s wonder. Of course we’re talking about the release of Tristes Tropiques, the new album by prolific multi-instrumentalist and producer Todd Tobias (Circus Devils, Ricked Wicky, Robert Pollard). Hypnotic and melancholy-soaked, Tristes Tropiques draws comparisons to the eerie, transportive work of The Fun Years, The Gentleman Losers and Ian William Craig. Within his consistently excellent solo discography, Tristes Tropiques may prove to be Todd Tobias’s best work to date, sustaining its immersive atmosphere throughout its 45-minute run-time.
The album takes its title from the book by French anthropologist Claude Levi Strauss, which literally translates as “sad tropics”. Tobias sought to evoke far-flung places where indigenous cultures have either vanished or are in the process of being swallowed up by an ever-expanding global civilization. Sinister yet alluring, these musical environments throb with sensuality, danger and promise.
Tristes Tropiques is available now through Hidden Shoal and Tiny Room Records and comes bundled with the gorgeous companion EP Moorea. Head to Todd Tobias’s BandCamp to buy on CD and digital or check out your favourite online music store to nab yourself a copy.
Erik Nilsson Signs to Hidden Shoal
Hidden Shoal is excited to welcome Swedish soundscaper Erik Nilsson to its roster of artists. Drawing on folk, classical and electronica, Erik Nilsson blends acoustic instruments with field recordings and computer-generated sounds, crafting music akin to early Four Tet, Tortoise at their most minimal, and fellow Scandinavians The Gentleman Losers. His forthcoming Hidden Shoal debut Hearing Things advances the compositional strategy Nilsson first explored on his acclaimed debut Recollage: simple rhythmic and melodic elements are manipulated and recontextualised into richly textured, emotive pieces.
Hearing Things will see release on 30th July with the first cut from the album out mid-June. Nilsson’s music is now available for licensing (master & sync cleared) for film, tv, web, games, compilations and more. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any licensing enquiries. Read more about Erik Nilsson here.
New Todd Tobias Album Pre-Release Stream at 3Voor12
Ahead of its official release next week, Todd Tobias‘s new album Tristes Tropiques is streaming in full at 3Voor12’s Luisterpaal. For our non-Dutch fans, Luisterpaal is the primary place for Dutch and Belgium music lovers to discover and stream the best new music as curated by the 3Voor12 team. This is the perfect opportunity to hear why we think this is Todd’s best work to date and such a wonderful and engaging album. Amazing stuff.
Kramies Interview and Live Songs on France Inter
Photo by Jérôme Sevrette
Before Kramies left France in his wake, following his whirlwind tour, he slipped in an interview with the big French radio station France Inter. Even better the piece features three live tracks from his performance at the Grand Theatre in Angers supporting the wonderful French outfit A Singer Must Die.
Stream the interview here and check out more music from Kramies here.
Brilliant New Music Video and Single from REW<<
Time to indulge in the wonderful new single and wildly psychedelic music video from REW<<. ‘To Come Unglued’ is the second track to be lifted from REW<<‘s forthcoming second album Olive Skinned, Silver Tongued Sirens Sing Swan Songs, released on Hidden Shoal on 16th July 2015.
On ‘To Come Unglued’, Ryan E. Weber stirs in some of the rhythmic influences absorbed from his international travels, creating a sensual sonic bath infused with psychedelic dream-blues. Its accompanying video features Weber himself, rendered amid a fantastical animation in which he is alternately visited by and transmuted into animal forms that swirl and dance around him. The video’s heady cut-and-paste dreamworld is the perfect mirror to its sonic counterpart.
“has a feel all its own… These concise little songs are continually expanding and contracting, demonstrating how even seemingly minor mixing changes can stir a big emotional impact” – Express Milwaukee
Download the song here, stream it here and watch there video here.
New Single from The Star Department – ‘Stitches and Sleeves’
Hidden Shoal is proud to announce the release of ‘Stitches and Sleeves’ by atmospheric indie-pop duo The Star Department, the second single from their debut album The Pea Green Boat, released on 7th July 2015.
‘Stitches and Sleeves’ is bound together by a heartbreaking guitar line, a silvery waltz-time figure that sends shivers up the spine. Combined with shuffling drums, a muted yet ominous horn section, and Justin Commins’ vulnerable, almost defeated vocal, the song radiates melancholic pop magic.
The Star Department – multi-instrumentalists Justin Commins (Kill Krinkle Club) and Michael Orange (Feather Beds, Soft Bones) – formed in Dublin in 2006. ‘Stitches and Sleeves’ is taken from The Star Department’s forthcoming debut album The Pea Green Boat (7th July 2015) which charts a beguiling journey through gently psychedelic waters. Production credits for the album include David Brewis of Field Music, and Tom McFall (Bloc Party, REM, Stars, Weezer).
Download ‘Stitches and Sleeves” at BandCamp and stream the track at SoundCloud.
Epic New Track from Italy’s HC-B, Album Coming!
Six years on from their their brilliant 2009 release Soundcheck for a Missing Movie, Italys serpentine instrumental rock outfit HC-B have once again delivered the goods. ‘Deux’ is their new single taken from their forthcoming third album Rough. The track is a masterclass in slow-burning restraint, its guitar and bass melodies weaving around each other in dizzying patterns. The song’s cumulative power comes from the tenacity with which the band explore each facet of the main theme’s melodic colours before erupting into fuzzed-out power chords at the song’s climax. What’s even more impressive is hearing ‘Deux’ within the context of the album, as each of the five long pieces complement and play off each other, creating a satisfying whole that evolves kaleidoscopically with repeat listens.
Download ‘Deux’ via Bandcamp and stream via Soundcloud. Rough drops on the 25th of June.
Sneak Peeks of New Video from The October Solution!
We’re excited to share some production stills from the forthcoming music video for The October Solution track ‘Lost’. The video is being produced by the wonderful Studio Sunkie team who also made the brilliant clip for City of Satellites’ ‘Machine Is My Animal (Tin Manzano Remix)‘. ‘Lost’ is taken from The October Solution’s recently released debut album Axis Swim Scar.
Let’s add some context to those beautiful stills – “the video tells the tale of a sea monster’s doomed love affair with a woman who abruptly disappears. During his obsession driven search for her he not only comes to re-examine the darker aspects of their relationship, but also to question the very nature of everything he believes in.” Now that is our kind of story!
Click to enlarge.
Hotels’ Full Discography Joins The Hidden Shoal Catalogue
We’re very excited to announce that the full Hotels‘ discography has now joined the Hidden Shoal Publishing catalogue. From the band’s utterly brilliant debut Thank You For Choosing through to their most recent series of Cinemascope EPs, Hotels create a bewitching brew of dark post-punk and upbeat new wave pop. Driving basslines, Swedish pop melodies, cavernous surf guitar and washes of sad movie strings wind their way around Blake Madden’s unmistakable baritone vocals.
The tracks from all six Hotels releases along with a number of remixes are now available for licensing (master & sync cleared) for film, tv, web, games, compilations and more. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any licensing enquiries. Read more about Hotels and stream their music here.
Todd Tobias ‘Malayakolam (Rising Sun)’
We have another delicious cut from the forthcoming Todd Tobias album Tristes Tropiques for you. Opening track ‘Malayakoam (Rising Sun)‘, along with accompanying video, is a brooding, writhing, atmospheric “otherworld” and expertly sets the tone for the album.
Tristes Tropiques drops on the 9th of June 2015 through Hidden Shoal and Tiny Room Records and comes bundled with the gorgeous companion EP Moorea. Don’t forget to check out the first offering from the album, ‘Suvarnabhumi‘.