Hidden Shoal News
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
Liam Singer on the Underground
Liam Singer, our enigmatic chamber-pop composer, is still turning heads with another great review on Underground of Happiness last week . If you haven’t already, you can pick up a copy of his debut release Dislocatia at our lovely little store here.
Liam Singer – Winter Weeds Liam Singer – Winter Weeds
Slow Dancing Society Tops the KZSU Charts!!!
Slow Dancing Society’s latest opus Under The Sodium Lights has weaved its spell at the always excellent KZSU by grabbing the number one spot on last weeks airplay charts. Kudos to KZSU for its brilliant music programming – this week’s number two spot belongs to Tim Hecker.
Check out Slow Dancing Society releases at the Hidden Shoal Store including Under The Sodium Lights as well as free downloads and full album streams. Stay tuned for more exciting SDS news coming soon!
Slow Dancing Society – ‘Laura’s Dream’
Hotels – RTRFM Feature Album
We’ve all patiently waited to hear more from the majestic Hotels and our patience has been rewarded thricefold with On the Casino Floor. The epic concept album has already received rave reviews and you can be sure there are more on the way. Amongst those singing the albums praises are Perth’s ever wonderful RTRFM who have selected it as this week’s Drivetime Feature Album. The album will be featured all week on the station and Perth folks can win themselves a copy each day on the Drivetime show.
Hotels – ‘Trouble at the Consulate’
Antonymes 'Endlessly' – Single and Video
Hidden Shoal Recordings is proud to announce the release of the new single ‘Endlessly’ by neo-classical/minimal ambient artist Antonymes, along with its accompanying video, taken from the forthcoming album The Licence To Interpret Dreams.
In its opening moments, ‘Endlessly’ patiently weaves traces of nature with unearthly, oscillating tones, creating a delicate, pensive atmosphere. Its apex comes halfway through as the gentle tones give way to a strident, emotive piano theme. The accompanying video is a continuation of Antonymes’ stunning explorations into the still and moving image. Hypnotic, minimal and expertly crafted, it is the perfect visual echo of the music.
The Licence To Interpret Dreams is an album of resonant beauty, it 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.
“sound sketches of enormous, if fragile, beauty” – The Silent Ballet on Beauty Becomes the Enemy of the Future
“… ‘Beauty Becomes The Enemy Of The Future’ is without doubt an exceptional release that manages to capture everything that is so special about experimental music, and is up there with the likes of Skelton for the message that the music conveys through both sound and design.” – Fluid Radio on Beauty Becomes the Enemy of the Future
‘Endlessly’ is available for free download from the HSR Store, and the accompanying video can be streamed on Hidden Shoal’s channel at Vimeo and YouTube. The Licence To Interpret Dreams is released on 21 April, distributed via n5Mailorder, and will be available for pre-order from 1 April.
Hidden Shoal MixTape
