Hidden Shoal News
Hotels "On The Casino Floor" CD Launch 26th Feb
Hotels’ “On The Casino Floor” cd release show is fast approaching and things are hotting up! Lets hear from the band themselves why you are nowhere if you aren’t at Columbia City Theater in Seattle on the 26th of Feb:
“Joining the show is the velvety voice of Kim Miller (Mono in VCF), gorgeous burlesque dancers, a special appearance by Hotels’ drummer emeritus Max Wood, and a cameo appearance by the handsome Josh Monuteaux. Oh yes, and deadly ninjas!! The masterful DJ Marco Collins won’t even tell us what he has planned for the evening. We only know he’s been spending time in his basement working on the dance party day and night, night and day. We can’t wait!!”
If you haven’t already purchased your tickets, you still can still do so at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/153571, but you’d better hurry!
Hotels – ‘The Bat Watusi’
Hotels "On The Casino Floor" Out Now!
Seattle-based sci-fi pop band Hotels, one of KEXP’s ‘top discoveries’ of recent years, are back with their latest opus. Hotels’ third album sees the much-loved band build on the strengths of their acclaimed sophomore album Where Hearts Go Broke, taking their addictive and singular meld of post-punk, shoegaze rock and cinematic pop and launching it into outer space. On The Casino Floor is a dizzying concept album, its seven masterful cuts telling the story of a secret agent, his former mentor and current arch-nemesis, and a nefarious prince’s plan to destroy Earth during the grand opening of the universe’s only outer space casino complex…
The album features the Brian-Wilson-meets-Mercury-Rev melancholy of ‘Lonely Islands’, the majestic astral pop of the title track, the noir surf punk of single ‘The Bat Watusi’, and the John Barry-inspired dream rock that is finale ‘Sleep In Fame’.
“Hotels fuse elements of new wave, goth, and surf so seamlessly that genre tags will be the last thing on your mind when you hear their bittersweet, atmospheric pop songs” – Time Out New York
“…a tightly nuanced and ominous track filled with homage to the drive-in horror B-flicks of yesteryear. Not to mention the ghosts of Link Wray and Dick Dale lurking in the shadows. Though cinematic in scope, ‘The Bat Watusi’ is frantic, sinister garage rock at its ass-shaking core.” – My Old Kentucky Blog
Release Date and Availability
On The Casino Floor is out now through Hidden Shoal Recordings and distributed via n5Mailorder. The CD version of the album features stunning artwork including a fold out poster, all designed by the wonderful Stuart Medley. Head to the Hidden Shoal Store for all availability info and to stream the album in full. The spectacular album launch (burlesque dancers and ninjas!) takes place in Seattle on 26 February 2011 at the Columbia City Theater. Check the Hotels’ website for full details.
Hotels – ‘Lonely Islands’
City of Satellites ‘BMX’ Music Video at Byron Bay Film Festival
The Dael Oates directed music video masterpiece for the City of Satellites track “BMX” has been selected as part of the Experimental Showcase Programme at the Byron Bay International Film Festival.
The festival is held from the 4th to the 13th of March in beautiful Byron Bay in New South Wales, Australia. Check out the full programme here and view the video here.
Hotels Charting at 3WK
In its first week in rotation (and a week before its official release) Hotels incredible new album On The Casino Floor has charted at number 16 in the 3WK Top 30. Pre-order your copy of the CD now ahead of its release on the 23rd of Feb. The CD version of the album comes with a stunning fold out poster designed by ever brilliant Stuart Medley.
Hotels – The Bat Watusi Hotels – The Bat Watusi
Hidden Shoal Minimalism Mix Tape
We’ve just started playing with 8tracks in the hope of getting regular mixes published for your listening pleasure. We’ll test the platform out a little more and if it feels good then expect more of these to come. Here’s something gentle and exploratory to start the show.
Jumpel's "Europa" Charting at KBOO
Jumpel’s gorgeous new full length continues to chart in the US. This time Hotels "On The Casino Floor" Available for Pre-Order
The wait for Hotels epic new album is nearly over and to help bridge the final gap the wonderful folk at n5mailorder now have On The Casino Floor available for CD pre-order. The beautifully designed CD package comes with a limited edition fold out poster, lovingly illustrated by our very own internationally exhibited designer Stuart Medley (Dr Stuart Medley if we were to be formal!). As a bonus all CD orders (including pre-orders) come bundled with an immediate mp3 download of the album.
On The Casino Floor is officially released on the 23rd of February and will be available in all good digital stores and distributed on CD through n5Mailorder. So head to n5mailorder now to make sure you don’t miss out and also if you haven’t already partaken, grab the first single off the album for free here.
Hotels – The Bat Watusi Hotels – The Bat Watusi
Antonymes Signs to Hidden Shoal
Hidden Shoal Recordings is proud to announce the signing of neo-classical/minimal ambient artist Antonymes to its roster of artists. The label will release the new Antonymes album The Licence To Interpret Dreams on April 21st preceded by the track ‘Endlessly’ along with its stunning video accompaniment on March 10th.
The music of Antonymes emerges from the adjustments and erasures of ambient and the pace and persistence of minimalism; from the serenity and austerity of Morton Feldman and the profound prettiness of Harold Budd; from the relationship between continuity and repetition; from secrecy, quietness and pause; from thought, from emptiness; from where it is set and where it is setting off to. At the same time definite and a ghostly impression, Antonymes floats free of fixed points while anxiously staying in sight of genres, movements, scenes, connections, contexts and innovations that have piled up and broken down around it.
“sound sketches of enormous, if fragile, beauty” – The Silent Ballet
Antonymes is designer, photographer, conceptualist and musician Ian M. Hazeldine, making music from the wilds of North Wales, a very strange, fantastic, ultimately unreal place of mountains, streams, woods, villages and obscure wilderness. To quote North Welsh poet R. S. Thomas, “to live in Wales is to be conscious at dusk of the spilled blood that went into the making of the wild sky, dyeing the wild rivers in all their courses.” His music begins at the piano, where notes, space and intention combine over time, until a shape appears. This shape is taken into the computer, where it is twisted, gently, and given more detail, until it is fully formed. Composition takes form through patience, probing, occasional accidents, spontaneity and a form of focused daydreaming. Antonymes previous work has seen release on labels such as Cathedral Transmissions, Soundcolours, Dezordr, and Audio Gourmet.
Read a full press release here and head to the Antonymes website for more info.
Jumpel's Europa In Echoes Top 10
Jumpel‘s sumptious new album Europa continues to impress. The album has been scooping wonderful reviews, radio features and has been charting at college stations in the US as well as stations here in Australia. The latest adulation is in the form of the number 9 spot in the coveted Echoes Chart for January.
If you’ve heard the album you’ll understand the attention, if not then find out what all the fuss is bout here.
Jumpel – Arles Jumpel – Arles
Markus Mehr and Wes Willenbring on Headphone Commute's 'Best of' Lists
We’re thrilled to see Markus Mehr‘s Lava featured on Headphone Commute‘s ‘best of 2010‘, and also pleasantly surprised to see Wes Willenbring‘s album from 2009, Close, But Not Too Close, featured on their round-up as part of ‘2009’s 20 Overlooked Albums‘ list. Great to see Wes and Markus rubbing shoulders with some really great artists and labels two years in a row! Thanks to the marvellous Headphone Commute site for the inclusions.
Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr – Hubble
Hidden Shoal MixTape
