Hidden Shoal News
Makee’s Debut Self-Titled EP Out Now
We’re excited to announce the official release of the brilliant debut self-titled EP by Perth-based artist Makee. You can grab the EP on CD and in digital formats here and read more about the artist here.
Makee’s bright-eyed, beat-driven tracks, as danceable as they are atmospheric, build to create a thoroughly rewarding sonic whole. His debut self-titled EP, self-described as “looped samples of atmospheric nostalgia”, stretches luxuriously across seemingly disparate genres. The fog-laden disco of ‘Bail’ is shot through with a beatific vibe; ‘Stez’ surges relentlessly on motorik rhythms; ‘Tone’ burns with ecstatic, sun-blind intensity; ‘Wake’ is infused with Caribou-esque psychedelia; and finale ‘Bord’ takes a leap into the void with the fervour of prime kosmische that’s been mollified by shoegaze.
“For one thing, the detached retro unleashed from the looped up mind of Makee will hypnotise you in double quick time with the post Eurodisco sensibilities of “Bail” easily rendering your ears spellbound even if you’ve never been to Frankfurt. “ – BluesBunny
Markus Mehr + Stefanie Sixt Featured in Venice International Video Art Exhibition
The wonderful experimental video work ‘Duck Became Swan’ by Stefanie Sixt (visuals) and Markus Mehr (sound) has been selected as part of the Venice International video art, experimental dance and performance festival. The work will screen in Venice in the “Hidden Rooms” program in November (19th-21st).
In further Markus Mehr news, the artist has also had a new work selected as part of the David Tudor Memorial 4’33” Competition. His work sits alongside a number of wonderful artists including the inimitable Phil Niblock! The works will be exhibited at Galerie Mario Mazzoli (Berlin – 16+21 November) and the Ear Up! Gallery (New York – 16 November).
Antonymes Featured on Spotify’s “Most Beautiful Songs In The World”
Spotify recently published its official “Most Beautiful Songs In The World” playlist which featured artists such as Camera Obscura, Fennesz, Goldfrapp, Bon Iver, Talk Talk, A Winged Victory For The Sullen and also our very own Antonymes with his gorgeous track ‘301210’. The song, along with the rest of the stunning Antonymes back catalogue was recently added to to the Hidden Shoal publishing and licensing catalogue.
Chloe March’s “Nights Bright Days” + Free EP Now Available
Hidden Shoal’s re-release of the breathtakingly beautiful Nights Bright Days by Chloë March has finally landed. To co-incide with the re-release the companion digital EP Under The Day, which features six previously un-released tracks, is available for free download. Head to Chloë’s Bandcamp to buy the album on CD and digital formats and get your free copy of Under The Day.
Although often compared to singular artists such as Nina Simone, Beth Gibbons and Elizabeth Fraser, Chloë March follows her own unique path, writing, engineering and producing from her studio in south-east England. Inhabiting musical territory somewhere between art song and folk, dream-pop and electronica, the ambient and the cinematic, March embraces all these influences on Nights Bright Days to create poetic, emotionally charged and atmospheric songs and soundworlds.
“a luminous voice, a smoky alto that unfurls like a plume of cigarette smoke, its velvety tone a sensual narcotic… it’s hard not to think of the mythological sirens who used their hypnotic voices to lure sailors ashore” – textura
Four years in the making and originally self-released in 2013, Nights Bright Days is a cycle of songs as dreams, imbued with imagery of darkness and light, night and day. The album embraces elements of jazz, classical, folk and dream-pop, and features guest musicians on bass clarinet, soprano sax, French horn and guitar. Nights Bright Days features single ‘Winter Deep’, a shimmering waltz that opens the album with weightless grace.
Elisa Luu’s “Enchanting Gaze” Mini-Album Out Now!
We’re excited to announce the release of the stunning new mini-album Enchanting Gaze by Italian ambient electronica artist Elisa Luu. The album is available on CD and Digital through La bel netlabel in collaboration with Hidden Shoal via La bel’s Bandcamp. Don’t forget to grab the free download of the first single ‘Shebeen’ here.
On Enchanting Gaze, Elisa Luu’s shimmering tones and deftly handled rhythms are manipulated into breathtaking new shapes. On tracks such as ‘Bro’, expansive synths paint wondrous starscapes, while the gritty ‘B.P.M.’ chases beats and growing drones through dark city streets. Enchanting Gaze manages to beautifully balance its cosmic/terrestrial duality throughout its six tracks, making it a wonderful progression in the Elisa Luu discography.
“You could make a film or a slideshow of your life or your art to go with it and no matter what, this soundscape would pull your story toward cool, disciplined discoveries. 9/10” – SSG
Chloe March Featured on BBC6
The stunning single, ‘Winter Deep‘, from the forthcoming re-release of Chloë March‘s Nights Bright Days has just been featured on the BBC6 radio show Tom Robinson Introducing. The episode is available for download for the next 30 days from the BBC6 website plus you can read more about Chloë’s track along with the other featured artists at Tom Robinsons blog.
Nights Bright Days and it’s companion bonus EP drops next week on the 4th of November so be sure to keep your ears and eyes out!
Todd Tobias “Impossible Cities” Out Now!
Good times for lovers of dark, psychedelic instrumental rock – Todd Tobias‘s new album Impossible Cities, and it’s free companion EP Impossible Cities 2, is now available. The album is available digitally and on CD in USA and Canada through Hidden Shoal and Todd Tobias. The CD is also available in Europe and all other territories via the wonderful Tiny Room Records.
“Notably on Smazbaal, the notion of these corrupted hallucinations is inescapable. Paranoia becomes deeply settled, as this near five-minute track creates an uncomfortable nostalgia to classic horror, where nothing is over-processed, and each moment of terror is carefully planned rather than regularly followed. It’s an uncomfortable, sadistic piece, but equally intoxicating at the same time.” – Velvet Independent
Impossible Cities is the latest visionary chapter in Todd Tobias’s ongoing exploration of rock’s darkest and most hypnotic realms. Inspired by the Ital Calvino book Invisible Cities, each track is named after an imaginary city, from the glistening exoticism of ‘Lamura’ via the seething murk of ‘Gorgum Reeth’ and ‘Smazbaal’ to the eerie, shimmering grandeur of ‘Akrova’, Tobias’s latest musical universe is vividly rendered, scary, beautiful and utterly immersive. The album comes with the companion mini-album Impossible Cities 2, which comprises 10 haunting vignettes.
Makee Scoops Featured Track at RTR, Kramies at Froggy Delight
Quick double barreled news blast for you. Kramies‘ campaign to free The Wooden Heart EP continues. Along with being available via Kramies Bandcamp for free download the EP is now also directly downloadable from the lovely French zine Froggy’s Delights.
Now onto some news for Perth-based Makee – his new single has just been chosen as one of RTRFM’s tracks of the week via their Sound Selection feature. Be sure to grab the track, watch the music video and wait for his self-title debut EP to drop on the 19th of November.
Makee ‘bail’ Single and Music Video
We have some sonic and visual delights for you today in the form of the beautiful debut single from Makee and its luscious accompanying music video. ‘bail’ is the first track from Perth-based Makee’s forthcoming self-titled debut EP, out November 19th. Grab the single at Bandcamp, stream it at Soundcloud and check out the video at YouTube and Vimeo.
Makee’s bright-eyed, beat-driven tracks are as danceable as they are atmospheric and build to create a thoroughly rewarding sonic whole. His debut self-titled EP, self-described as “looped samples of atmospheric nostalgia”, stretches luxuriously across seemingly disparate genres. The fog-laden disco of ‘Bail’ is shot through with a beatific vibe; ‘Stez’ surges relentlessly on motorik rhythms; ‘Tone’ burns with ecstatic, sun-blind intensity; ‘Wake’ is infused with Caribou-esque psychedelia; and finale ‘Bord’ takes a leap into the void with the fervour of prime kosmische that’s been mollified by shoegaze.
Enjoy the single and video and keep your ears peeled for the EP in November!
Kramies Interviewed at Pop, Cultures & Co.
Check out this wonderful interview with Kramies at the French mag Pop, Cultures & Co. The interview comes just after the announcement of Kramies’ The Wooden Heart being made available as a free download. Read, listen and enjoy!
Hidden Shoal MixTape
