Kathmandu is an alternative four-piece band led by songwriter and lyricist Donna Marie. Their catchy, dreamy songs thrive on the tension between light and dark, exploring the spaces where the two meet. Drawing from the vast realms of alternative music, the band blends introspective reflection with the playfulness of indie pop. Yet, at their most ambitious, their songs will draw you in, leading the way to climaxes of a cinematic grandeur. Kathmandu is perhaps best compared to incense smoke. Hazy, but uplifting with an intense melancholy air that lingers.
Donna Marie says of the song:
“This song lyrically focuses on my desire for change and the feeling of being stuck in my (then-current) situation. It’s an introspective track about wanting to ‘escape’ and create a fresh start for myself, while seeking space for my own needs and passions. Interestingly, the song’s bright, summery vibe contrasts with the underlying emotions. However, these emotions aren’t necessarily negative—they were more of a wake-up call for me. The message I want to convey with this song is that it’s never too late to start over. But you have to initiate it yourself, because no one else will do it for you.”
Different Life is out now and is to be followed by three more singles and an EP!
Italian shoegaze band Mondaze has today released their second album ‘Linger‘ via Bronson Recordings.
A message on the wall reads, “We don’t want to return to normal because normal was the problem.” filled with disruptive alarms, isolating commutes, an increasingly demanding work schedule, and manufactured desires urging us to buy things we don’t need. Dull, unhealthy meals and a self-imposed detachment as we watch endless streaming content, sacrificing sleep until the brink of dawn. Then, the alarm rings again, perpetuating the cycle with heightened exhaustion and diminished concentration.
This is exactly what Mondaze touch on in their latest album ‘Linger’, a follow-up to their 2021 debut ‘Late Bloom’. “The album arose from a sense of alienation from a world devoid of contemplation,” the band explains. “A world where finding moments of stillness in everyday life has become rare’. Life has become an experience of watching from the sidelines, distracted and unaware of what’s right in front of us.
The album delves deep into themes of memory and loss, resistance and rebirth. It presents a dualism, balancing the delicate beauty of ethereal melodies with the intense power of a wall of sound. This back-and-forth builds and tears down emotional landscapes and mindscapes alike. If shoegaze stands for anything in the annals of indie music, it’s the sonic expression of a state of “uncomfortable numbness”—a form of escape from reality, hidden beneath layers of distorted guitars and distant vocals. It’s a sound that more effectively encapsulates the discomforts of ultramodern life than any statement could. While mainstream music moves towards hyper-produced pop and ever-grander spectacles, shoegaze has become the preferred voice for younger generations who feel adrift, with few points of reference.
In this context, Mondaze’s sound stands out with its originality. Their music is the result of a synthesis of various influences—from punk and hardcore to metal—forming a voice that uniquely captures the anxieties of today’s world.
Since forming in 2018, Mondaze have defined themselves as “heavy shoegaze,” taking inspiration from bands like genre-giants Swervedriver and Ride, but also contemporary bands that are pushing shoegaze through the limits like Nothing and Ringo Deathstarr. With ‘Linger’, they aim to amplify the melancholic tones of their frustration and rage. These sonic characteristics drove them to work with Chris Fullard (who’s collaborated with Idles and Boris) on mixing, and Maurizio Baggio (The Soft Moon, Boy Harsher) for mastering. The result is an album with roots, yet distinctly modern in its direction and sound with arrangements able to perfectly synthesize a modern approach to dreamy-eerie landscapes. Guitars in Linger are back as a centre for world-making as they foster sensations through music with refined overlaps where influences merge expressing modern sensibility.
“We often strive to act as rationally as possible, but inevitably end up feeling empty and numb,” the band reflects on the broader implications of their work, “This album is about contemplation,” they continue, “but there’s also an element of action, a kind of non-action that comes from the awareness gained through reflection.”
With ‘Linger’, Mondaze return with a sound that is as powerful as it is necessary in the times we live in. There’s a strength that stems from reflection and observation. Their music taps into the deep emotions of generations unwilling to return to the “normal” of the past.
Welsh Alternative Psych Rock band ‘Holy Coves’ have released their brand new music video for single ‘Grey’ via their ever growing new YouTube channel. ‘Grey’ is the third in a series of five music videos created by award winning Ukrainian Filmmaker ‘Taras Merenkov’. Merenkov’s hazy cinematic style of direction really emphasizes the music and makes a formidable visual. ‘Grey’ is taken from the bands acclaimed new album ‘Druids and Bards’ which is out now via Welsh label ‘Yr Wyddfa Records’.
I first stumbled on The Pastimes when they supported my band Holy Coves at Front Room in Rhyl earlier this year, they came highly recommended from the venue promoter Steve Rastin. From the very first note they blew me away, they are definitely my new favourite band. A band with so much potential with the right support. Young enough to develop their sound, phenomenal live performers and if their first recording ‘Tide’ is anything to go by then they have bags of potential in the studio too. It wont be long until this band graces us with their debut album and the thought of this really excites me.
From melodic shoegaze sounds to a twist of heavy grunge this song captures me instantly. The Pastimes are a band to watch out for. Their fantastic single ‘Tide’ lures you in with its seascape vibes of the rising and falling of the sea, dreamy vocals, dark lyrics and that heavy kick of distortion is when I instantly know I’ve fallen in love.
“I’ll be the one to save you when you’re high I’ll try The moon couldn’t even pull your tide”
‘Tide’ was recorded at The Motor Museum Studio in Liverpool, Ben Harper produced and mixed the track, Graeme Lynch at Two Zero Nine mastered the track. The band have returned to the studio to record their Debut EP.
Scott Marsden #MusicSceneWales @MusicSceneWales musicscenewalescymru@gmail.com
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