Hidden Shoal News
Umpire Sign to Hidden Shoal, New Single Next Week!
Hidden Shoal Recordings is proud to announce the signing of Perth’s widescreen indie-rock craftsmen Umpire to its roster of artists. Umpire combine sprawling indie-rock sounds with reflective melancholy, expertly wielding massive sun-drenched melodies, serpentine guitar parts and soaring vocals to spectacular effect. Australian audiences will be familiar with their debut single ‘Streamers’, which achieved widespread critical acclaim, national airplay and won WAM Song of the Year in 2009.
The founding members of Umpire (Geoff Symons, Simon Struthers and Michael Lake) have a long history in the Perth music scene, playing in many seminal progressive indie-rock bands, including Adam Said Galore, O and Hidden Shoal’s very own Mukaizake, so it was a natural progression for the band to develop their live show by adding drummer, Josh Watkins. Performing the songs live has allowed the band to tour Australia and play with many of their musical heroes, including Stephen Malkmus, Built to Spill, Paul Dempsey, The Jezebels, Sugar Army, Jebediah, Love Of Diagrams, Dan Kelly, Bob Log III and Tame Impala.
Umpire’s debut Hidden Shoal release is single ‘Green Light District’, available as a free download on 19 April and launched in Perth on 23 April at Amplifier Bar. Umpire’s debut full-length album, Now We’re Active, is due for its Australian release on 2 June and worldwide release on 14 July. The Australian album launch will take place in Perth at the Rosemount on the 4th of June.
On The Casino Floor Press
Hotels latest On The Casino Floor has been receiving more well deserved praise last week being reviewed by such illustrious titles as Beat Magazine, Tip Top Music, Rave Magazine, Bluesbunny, and our old friends at Underground of Happiness. How’s that for a list? Happy reading!
Hotels – The Bat Watusi Hotels– The Bat Watusi
Antonymes Interview At Fluid Radio
Ian Hazeldine (aka Antonymes) has been interviewed over at the always excellent Fluid Radio. Its a fantastic read as Ian talks about his stunning new album The Licence To Interprest Dreams amongst other things. Check it out here.
Antonynmes ‘A Light From The Heavens’
Antonymes Top Track at RTRFM
Antonymes stunning track ‘The Siren, Hopelessly Lost’ has scooped Top Track status on Perths uber radio station RTRFM by the ever wonderful Gemma Pike. The track is lifted from The Licence To Interpret Dreams which is now available for pre-order ahead of its 21st April release.
Antonymes "The Licence To Interpret Dreams" Available for Pre-Order!
The stunning new album The Licence To Interpret Dreams by neo-classical/minimal ambient artist Antonymes is now available for CD pre-order via our distributor n5Mailorder ahead of its official release on the 21st of April. Be sure to get your order in quick as this album is going to popular we can assure you. CD pre-orders also come with a digital download so no need to wait to until the 21st to be absorbed in this albums resonant beauty.
The Licence To Interpret Dreams is as expansive as the wilds of North Wales from which it came, yet as delicate and intimate as a loved one’s breath upon your skin. Each song deploys a modest array of instruments and textures, giving them ample space to breathe and glow. The album’s scope is immediately apparent on breathtaking opener ‘The Slow Beginnings of a ‘A Fragile Acceptance’, where faint piano notes are overwhelmed by an aching surge of cellos, and the timeless, lingering chord progression of ‘The Siren, Hopelessly Lost’.
Single ‘Endlessly’ weaves traces of nature with unearthly, oscillating tones before giving way to a strident piano theme. On ‘Doubt’, Jan Van Den Broek delivers the words of Paul Morley, cradled against a bed of melancholic piano, violin and cello, leaving an indelible emotional mark. ‘A Light From The Heavens’ almost feels like a natural conclusion to the album, with its sense of reflective yearning, but it is followed by the devastating metaphysical breakdown of ‘On Arrival at the Strange Museum’, a cavernous piece that calls out like some giant magnetic spirit.
“At a time when mainstream music has lost much of its value with the average consumer, a work such as The Licence To Interpret Dreams reminds us yet again that while music created solely for commercial means may suffer, while there are artists such as Antonymes performing and recording, music as an art-form is alive and kicking.” – FutureSequence
The first track lifted from the album ‘Endlessly’ is also available as a free download. Check it out here and also its accompanying video here.
Hotels – Press from the Casino Floor
Hotels‘ new concept album On The Casino Floor has been receiving tasty reviews left, right and centre, most notably from [sic] Magazine, PopMatters and Tastyfanzine.
Hotels – The Bat Watusi Hotels – The Bat Watusi
Jumpel's Europa Reviewed
Jumpel’s superb new album Europa has gained the attention of some heavy hitters in the blogosphere this week with reviews from Igloo Magazine and Textura.
Jumpel – Edinburgh Jumpel – Edinburgh
Hotels Featured at Radio K
Hotel’s awesome single ‘The Bat Watusi’ has been chosen as Radio K’s Track of the Day! Head over to the Radio K website, read the write up and download the track.
Hotels Chosen by Billboard for Battle of the Bands – Vote NOW!!!
The mighty Hotels have been chosen by Billboard as one of 18 bands to contend for their 2011 Battle of the Bands. With your help we can make sure they wipe the stage clean in vegas in their inimitable style.
For the full picture we shall now hand you over to the band,
“Everyone loves a good underdog story. This is your chance to be a part of one.
For as winter at long last turns to spring here in the sleepy Northwest, Hotels finds itself as 1 of 18 bands included in Billboard.com’s (yes, THAT Billboard.com) Battle of the Bands. Our 18 will be narrowed down to 6 finalists (each from a different region of the country) via fan vote on the Billboard.com Battle of the Bands site. The 6 finalists will road-trip down to Las Vegas- gigging and documenting their trip along the way- for a shot at the grand prize: a live performance slot during this year’s Billboard Music Awards Show.
Take a minute with all that if you need to. We took several.
We need your help to be the Cinderella story to come out of our Northwest bracket. Our competition: the mighty Champagne Champagne and Grynch. Your votes over the next few weeks will determine who goes to Vegas, and who stays home doing their best Brando ‘I coulda been a contenda’ in the mirror.
We need you, travelers. Now more than ever.”
VOTE NOW:
Antonymes on Losing Today and The Silent Ballet
Antonymes‘ ethereal debut single ‘Endlessly‘, released early this month, has already been receiving some well-deserved attention from Losing Today and The Silent Ballet. Do yourself a favour and take a listen below…
Antonymes – Endlessly Antonymes – Endlessly