Singles of the Week (31//23)

1) Surf Friends — Times What We Want

 
New video from Auckland, New Zealand dreamy - indie - surf rock band... 

'Times What We Want' from Surf Friends 2023 album, 'Sonic Waves'. 

Footage taken at the Sonic Waves album release show at The Thirsty Dog, Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland. Filmed and editing by Mark Howden. 'Times What We Want' written and performed by Surf Friends. Mixed and mastered by  Mark Howden.

(video - Flying Nun)

2) heav​ë​ner - heav​ë​ner

 
Debut from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia dreampop / shoegaze band... 

Delve into of love, loss, introspection, and existential musings. Explore feelings of melancholy and longing. 

 credits released August 1, 2023 Recorded live at Iseekmusic Mixed and mastered by Mokhtarizal Artwork picture by Haziq Zulkifli Layout by Izz Zikry

(EP - Iseekmusic)

3) Candy Claws - Distortion Spear

 
News from New York dreampop / shoegaze band... 

 Candy Claws unveil “Distortion Spear,” their first new music in a decade. Featuring the original Ceres & Calypso In The Deep Time lineup of Ryan Hover, K Hover, and Hank Bertholf, “Distortion Spear” crashes in with whirling synths before exploding into a reverb drenched euphoria: “Feel the rising mountain grow // Hear the minds of animals,” the band sings, “Follow streams deep in the vale // Leave the future far behind.” The track appears on a bonus CD that accompanies the 10th anniversary vinyl reissue of their beloved album, Ceres & Calypso In The Deep Time. Of “Distortion Spear,” Ryan explains: “After spending most of the decade on opposite coasts (K and I in New York and Hank in Washington) we reunited at our friend Riley's wedding in Portland last summer of. It was great and surreal to hang out again, and we had the idea of making a new song for the 10th anniversary of Ceres & Calypso. Back home on our respective coasts, we collaborated long-distance during the following winter. Lyrically, it’s about how a decade can simultaneously feel like a lifetime and no time at all. Nature, memory, anticipation.”

Members: Ryan Hover (synthesizer, vocals), Hank Bertholf (guitar, vocals), Karen McCormick [Karen Hover] (vocals, percussion, keyboards) 

 released July 31, 2023

(digital, video - Twosyllable)

4) Deafcult - The Sign

 
News from Brisbane, Australia noise-rock / shoegaze band...

 Album “Future Of Illusion” takes an unexpected and important left turn. The second full-length record from Brisbane outliers DEAFCULT examines mans intervention in nature and the irreparable disconnection it causes. The more we intervene the further away we get. If “Auras” was the dream, born in what you can look back at as a simpler world, Illusion is the nightmare. The record features 15 tracks in a rage and introspectively-filled capsule. The soundtrack to now, existing within a ripped hole in space and time which has led to absolute despair. 

Deafcult on this recording is: Stevie Scott, Kellie Llyod, Matt Bach, Kelly Hanlon, Nathan Crust Sound Recording: Mark Perry and Deafcult Mixing Engineer: Mark Perry Mastering Engineer: Matthew Barnhart Artwork and graphic design: Stevie Scott

(digital - Hobbledehoy)

5) Drop Nineteens - Scapa Flow

 
News from Boston, Massachusetts shoegaze band...

 

Hard Light is every bit the ride that Delaware was, diverse in its sounds, with surprises at every turn. Drop Nineteens have brought clarity and cool in 2023 to the genre they helped create. A portrait of a band 30 years later, as talented and dedicated to their craft as ever. To put it more bluntly, they’re at the top of their game. 

Official music video for "Scapa Flow," the lead single from Drop Nineteens’ new album 'Hard Light,' out November 3rd via Wharf Cat Records. 

After disbanding in the mid-90s, singer Greg Ackell decided he would never make music again. They’d had a great run. They’d shared stages with Radiohead, Hole, Blur, PJ Harvey, and Smashing Pumpkins. They went from being teenagers in Boston to mid-twenty-somethings with a few MTV videos, a couple BBC sessions, and numerous festival appearances under their belt. So when Drop Nineteens ceased to be, Ackell felt content. He had the rest of his life in front of him to figure out what he wanted to do. Music was a closed chapter. That was until 2021, Ackell for the first time after nearly 30 years decided to pick up the guitar with intent. Shortly after this, he immediately called Steve Zimmerman, the band's bassist and fellow guitarist, and got writing. It felt effortless for Ackell like he never stopped writing music. The first task of making 'Hard Light' was getting the rest of the band back together (Zimmerman, Paula Kelley, Motohiro Yasue, and Peter Koeplin). The record came together over the course of a year, recording at a patchwork of studios all around the country: Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles. Making music together felt natural, fluid, and exciting. The result was a modern Drop Nineteens record that is completely singular in its sound and vision. Drop Nineteens have brought clarity and cool in 2023 to the genre they helped create. A portrait of a band 30 years later, as talented and dedicated to their craft as ever.

(digital, video - Wharf Cat)

vinyl:
Water Machine - Raw Liquid Power (7")
EPs:
kafka. - Na rozhraní z​á​bavy a života /EP/
Desire Lines - Everything Is Fine /EP/
Overhang - Overhang /EP/
digi single, video:
Žanet. - Puzzle
Badvril - Demolition
Zilched - Earthly Delights
Perpetual Void - Tree House
w. summers - Bloom
Sun Run - Leech
Soft Science - Kerosene
Georgia Gets By - Happiness Is An 8 Ball
White Poppy - Apathy
Bleach Lab - Nothing Left To Lose
Corker - Edge Of Teeth
Final Gasp - Climax Infinity
A Days Wait - Eyes On The Road
M​!​R​!​M vs Fearing - split
Sigur Rós - Gold