Hidden Shoal News
Boxharp 'The Green' Single Released – Free Download
Hidden Shoal Recordings has announced the release of the single ‘The Green’ by American ambient experimental pop duo Boxharp.
The title track from their stunning forthcoming album, ‘The Green’ sees Boxharp in spacious astral pop mode. The track exudes a kind of earthbound celestialism that makes it at once intimate and expansive. With its chiming pop nous infused with the achingly lovely multi-tracked vocals of Wendy Allen, ‘The Green’ distills Boxharp’s brilliance into four minutes of magic that more than whets the appetite for their full-length.
“shows that experimental pop needn’t sacrifice the pop element to be interesting and original” – Music Musings and Miscellany on the Loam Arcane EP
“sparkling pure, like dancing snowflakes on a beautiful cold and sun-touched winter’s day. Harmonically waving between Allen’s pretty angelic voice, and the delightfully silvery ambient tones” – Luna Kafe on single ‘Rainbirds’
Boxharp recently featured in a January 2010 article in British newspaper The Guardian as one of David Bowie’s current favourite artists, and promptly received a full-page feature on Bowie’s official website.
‘The Green’ is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store until the release of the album The Green on 4th May 2010. Boxharp’s stunning recently released Loam Arcane EP is also available now.
Read a full press release here.
Boxharp – ‘The Green’ Boxharp – ‘The Green’ (Preview Only)
Boxharp Track Featured In ‘Photography Hijacked’ Documentary
The Boxharp track ‘Wooden Music’ from their forthcoming album The Green is to be featured in the wonderful new documentary Photography Hijacked. The documentary, written and directed by Australia’s Jack Pam and out through Valarc Films, is based on the works of photography book “Hijacked – Volume One, Australia and America.” Valarc says “The film will be a journey into the lives, photography style and work of the most impressive and truly revolutionary photographers of our time from two new world countries: Australia and America.”
The film will see its inaugural screenings at the FotoFreo 2010 festival on the 27th and 28th and will then air on Australia’s ABCTV on May 18th.
Markus Mehr Signs to Hidden Shoal
Hidden Shoal Recordings today announced the signing of German experimental ambient artist Markus Mehr to its roster of artists.
Mehr’s musical journey began with the guitar. He grew up listening to bands like Black Sabbath and AC/DC, before turning his ears to darker sounds and the ethereal, experimental pop of David Sylvian. After recording and touring with several bands, he struck out on his own with home studio project Aroma.
Now working under his own name, Mehr wrote and recorded his upcoming debut album Lava at his home studio using guitars and synths, plus any noise-making accoutrements at hand – electric shavers, ventilators, electric tooth brushes and field recordings – all processed and distorted to create a gorgeous wall of sound, akin to the classic ’70s Kosmische music of Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream, but also the contemporary masters of textured luminosity, Fennesz and Tim Hecker.
Lava holds true to its title – it is a dense, steaming surge of glue-thick sound. But, after any destructive force there is new growth. Green shoots of melody arc out of the surface and populate the terrain as new possibilities emerge. A new master of heartbreaking ambient drone has arrived.
Lava is to be released by Hidden Shoal on the 15th of June, preceded by the single ‘Hubble’ on the 9th of April. Read a full press release here.
Wes Willenbring's 'Close, But Not Too Close' Reviewed on Igloo Magazine
Wes Willenbring’s beautiful sophomore album Close, But Not Too Close received a stellar review on Igloo Magazine, his intimate minimalist style deservedly winning over their hearts. Take a read here.
Wes Willenbring – Oh Most Wes Willenbring – Oh Most
The Caribbean To Play South by South West
The Caribbean are set to play at this year’s SXSW with their US label Hometapes. It’s a festival that needs no introduction, so if you’re anywhere nearby, check it out. They have two sets lined up: one at the Mohawk on Thursday 18th March (info here), and the second at the Friend Island on Saturday 20th March (info here).
The Caribbean – Color Television (Scott Solter Remix) The Caribbean – Color Television (Scott Solter Remix)
Hotels' Single and Remixes Released – Free Download!
Hidden Shoal Recordings have announced the release of ‘The Heart That Hears Like A Bat’ by Seattle-based sci-fi pop band Hotels, the second single taken from their acclaimed sophomore album Where Hearts Go Broke.
‘The Heart That Hears Like A Bat’ is a song as wonderful as its title, a gorgeously shadowy piece of film noir Bond pop. Tremolo guitars and vibraphone shimmer over the inimitable Hotels rhythm section like moonlight on a swimming pool, while Blake Madden intones a pulpy tale of “young girls crying” and “young lovers dying”. It’s beautiful, effortlessly cool, and once again proves Hotels as kings of pop melody and mood.
To round out the release come remixes of two more tracks from Where Hearts Go Broke. ‘Leilani’ is remixed by original Hotels keyboard player Rich Spitzer, AKA Nite Club, who pairs the catchy synth line and vocals of the original with a drum ’n’ bass racket. Bizarre, funky and addictive. ‘Near The Desert, Near The City’ is remixed by Perth’s Justin Manzano, AKA tin Man, who has also remixed Hidden Shoal’s Apricot Rail. tin Man foregrounds the aching nuances of the original by stripping it back and laying the bare bones of the song in a shimmering bath of shoegaze drone and dubby throb.
“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
“With angular guitars, sober vocals, omnipresent synths, and a taste for the cinematic, Hotels come off like the ultimate ’80s soundtrack band, something akin to a cross between the dreamy haze of M83 and the angsty garage rock of The Strokes… Where Hearts Go Broke is an exciting, emotional record that showcases a band confident in their ability to express themselves.” – PopMatters
Download the single and remixes for free through the Hidden Shoal Store and read a full press release here.
Boxharp Charting at WNYU
Hot on the heels of Wes Willenbring’s KZSU chart action, yet another Hidden Shoal artist is making waves on the US college radio charts. Boxharp‘s irrepressible magic in the form of the Loam Arcane EP has seen them enter the WNYU chart at number 23 nestled in with the likes of Beach House, Excepter, Joanna Newsom and Richard Skelton to name a few. Check out the chart here and the Loam Arcane EP here.
City Of Satellites Reviewed on Textura
City Of Satellites’ debut album Machine Is My Animal has been reviewed on this month’s Textura, where it is described as a captivating mix of shoegazer and ’80s synth-pop. Pique your interest? Have a listen below, or to stream the album in full, visit here.
City Of Satellites – Stranger Than Fiction City Of Satellites – Stranger Than Fiction
Stray Ghost's 'Each Paradise, Is A Lost Paradise' Reviewed on Textura
Stray Ghost, renowned for the droning ambient demonstrated on stunning new album Nothing, But Death, has received the attention of Textura this month for his recent EP Each Paradise Is A Lost Paradise. Have a read here, or have a listen below.
Stray Ghost – Au Revoir a la Belle Samaine Stray Ghost – Au Revoir a la Belle Samaine
Boxharp's 'Loam Arcane' Reviewed on Luna Kafe
Following up on their review of ‘Rainbirds’ a few months ago, Luna Kafe have again sampled the delights of Boxharp, with a review of their full EP Loam Arcane published this month. Take a moment to have a read here.
Boxharp – Rainbirds Boxharp Rainbirds
Hidden Shoal MixTape
