Hidden Shoal News
Markus Mehr Magic
Our ruminative ambient composer Markus Mehr has been gaining some serious attention being reviewed by two of the bigger taste makers on the blogosphere Ondarock and Textura, with his debut album here Lava. Not to mention he’s recently been announced to be playing at Madeira Digital Music and Arts Festival 2010! Madeira, for who aren’t aware, is a small garden island off the coast of Portugal, being transformed into a festival paradise for anyone who’s music taste lies slightly left of field for four days over December.
Markus Mehr – Hubble Markus Mehr – Hubble
Toby Richardson Features and Reviews
Our home grown ‘lo-fi rocker’ Toby Richardson hasn’t been sitting on his hands these last few years. He’s been busy creating a new record for his waiting fans, to be released December this year. Toby’s first single King of all the Moves (available here) has been receiving some fine attention all over the interweb, from the likes of Song by Toad, Faronheit, Heave Media, Wireless Bollinger and Parasites and Sycophants. We’ve all been eagerly awaiting new music from this man. Very excited!
Toby Richardson – King of all the Moves Toby Richardson – King of all the Moves
New Single by German Ambient Electronica Maestro Jumpel
Hidden Shoal Recordings today announced the release of ‘Edinburgh’ by German ambient pop maestro Jumpel, the first single to be taken from his forthcoming third album Europa.
With ‘Edinburgh’, Jo Dürbeck introduces a bewitching new ingredient to the Jumpel sound – the luscious vocals of Chloë March. Beautifully evoking the rain-soaked streets of the Scottish capital, refracted through a personal lens, ‘Edinburgh’ is an exercise in elegance and restraint, filling out the shadows and backstreets with ennui. Melancholic piano chords carry the track forward while electronic texture’s weave amid March’s luminous lyrical play. A departure – yet also an arrival.
‘Edinburgh’ is taken from the forthcoming Jumpel album Europa (out November 25th). Inspired by Jo Dürbeck’s travels around Europe, the album transforms Dürbeck’s personal memories of 11 different European locations into minimal ambient electronica. The album acts as a kind of abstracted sonic diary, painting the intangibilities and romanticism of memory and travel using sparse yet resonant sound. A simple idea – and one that has produced Jumpel’s most restrained and unified effort to date.
“ambient-dub set-pieces of understated yet still resplendent colour… an album of many moods, with dub, dub-techno, ambient, electro-pop, and funk all making appearances… A spirit of languor and ease pervades the album as a whole, rendering it a scenic yet still relaxing travelogue.” – Textura on sophomore album Deuxieme Bureau
“A beautiful, minimal electronic record for the heads… enthusiasts of minimal electronic music will find much to enjoy with Jumpel’s new album and its wide sound palate” – Sonic Frontiers on debut album Samuel Jason Lies On The Beach
The ‘Edinburgh’ single is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store and the music video can be streamed and embedded via Youtube or Vimeo. Read a full press release here and head to the Hidden Shoal Store to check out Jumpel’s previous releases.
Jumpel – Edinburgh Jumpel – Edinburgh
Boxharp Interview on Echoes
Be sure to tune in to the ever wonderful Echoes this Tuesday night (26th of October) for an interview with Soctt Solter and Wendy Allen of Boxharp. If you’ve heard Boxharp’s EP Loam Arcane or their full length The Green you’ll know why you have to listen. Shame on those who haven’t but alas redemption is available!
Speaking of Loam Arcane the beautiful new music video (produced by Mark Solter) for the track ‘Rainbirds’ is up at Youtube and Vimeo – soak it in!
Boxharp – Cloy Boxharp – Cloy
Boxharp – 'Rainbirds' Music Video
Thanks to the ridiculously talented Solter family Hidden Shoal is pleased to present the gorgeous new music video for the Boxharp track ‘Rainbirds’. Mark Solter (brother of Boxharp’s Scott Solter) laid his inimitable talents across the direction, cinematography and editing of this video along with the upcoming music video for Boxharp’s ‘FanFin’. Just to add to the familial talent pool, besides Scott’s duties with Boxharp he has also recently been busy producing the much lauded Majesty Shredding by Superchunk as well as Liam Singer’s latest opus Dislocatia and even slipping in a Neon Indian remix amongst other things.
‘Rainbirds’ is a cascading, enrapturing, bejewelled feast of a song that displays the full bloom of Boxharp’s talents. Chiming melodies interweave beautifully with ambient textures and Wendy Allen’s pure vocals, giving way to a transcendent harmonised middle eight. The melodies return, crested by sparkling, wavering tones – and then, as if the door to the most intricate Cornell shadow box closes in front of you, it’s all over.
View and embed the video via YouTube or Vimeo. ‘Rainbirds’ is taken from the Loam Arcane EP available now through Hidden Shoal along with Boxharp’s latest full length, The Green. The track is also available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store.
City of Satellites BMX Video Lift Off!
Our collaborative dream-pop duo City of Satellites recently released their first video, BMX from their stellar debut album Machine Is My Animal. Directed by Dael Oates and starring champion German BMX wizard Michael Steingraeber, it’s no wonder it’s getting picked up all across the blogosphere. Check out reviews by the likes of Purple Revolver, I Am the Crime and The Frontloader. It truly is a work of art to behold, honestly capturing the energy and and concept that drives their music. But don’t take my word for it, check it out here.
City of Satellites – BMX City of Satellites – BMX
Slow Dancing Society Feature and Full Album Stream at AbsolutePunk
The wonderful folks over at the excellent AbsolutePunk are currently featuring Slow Dancing Society’s latest ambient-gaze masterpiece Under The Sodium Lights. The album is currently available as a full album stream at AbsolutePunk so head over to the site and join in the listening party.
The album and the entire Slow Dancing Society back catalogue is available now through Hidden Shoal. Check here for all the details.
New Toby Richardson Single – Free Download!
Hidden Shoal Recordings today announced the release of new single ‘King Of All The Moves’ by Australian lo-fi rock magician Toby Richardson.
In his inimitable bent rock stylings Richardson has produced another irreverent indie rock ‘n’ roll gem. ‘King Of All The Moves’ is like a garage band falling endlessly down a cartoon staircase. The track pays homage to dirty rock while turning it inside out and painting it with jelly. The songs skewed melodicism, married with Richardson’s innate sense of songcraft, creates a soundtrack to some unimaginable ‘70s cop show filled with sequins, half-naked dancers and possibly a dolphin. ‘King Of All The Moves’ is irrepressible dance music for the PCP crowd.
“psychedelic, lo-fi, indie-rock, with a touch of late 1960s/early 1970s fuzzed and dirty psychedelic blues-rock… a schizophrenic mixture… an exciting blend.” – Luna Kafe on debut album Evergreen
‘King Of All The Moves’ is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store. The track is lifted from the upcoming 5 track EP The Stones and the Rabbits out on 2nd December 2010. Richardson’s debut EP Golden Days and album Evergreen are also available from the Hidden Shoal Store. Read a full press release here.
Toby Richardson – King Of All The Moves Toby Richardson – King Of All The Moves
2ser Subscriber Drive
Hidden Shoal continues its love for community radio, this time for the beautiful thing that is 2ser. The Sydney station needs your help to continue broadcasting its awesome set of programs and we are pleased once again to be able to sponsor the station’s membership drive with some delicious prizes. Head here for all the info and help keep 2ser blasting goodness into the airwaves.
My Majestic Star Live This Saturday
Catch the spacious newgazey sounds of My Majestic Star this Saturday at the Den (in the Civic Hotel, Inglewood – Western Australia for you international types). Also playing on the night are Moonlight Wranglers, The Imps, Ron Pollard Quintet. Good times all round! Doors open 8pm, entry is $10.
My Majestic Star – Like Cracked Glass My Majestic Star – Like Cracked Glass
Hidden Shoal MixTape
