FiXT is proud to announce the signing of alt-cyber-pop-metal artist Izzy Reign. To celebrate FiXT is re-releasing the metalcore industrial single “Broken By Design.”
Bold. Eclectic. Rebellious. Izzy Reign thrives on originality and thinking outside the box. Her music is nothing short of a reflection of this. Her father was an avid drummer and she grew up singing to Alanis Morisette, Jewel, and Madonna with her mother. Inspired by Enter Shikari’s music video “Sorry You Are Not A Winner” and the musical stylings of Imogen Heap, Izzy took the plunge into the industry and played her first live show when she was 15 years old.
Since then she’s taken a deeper dive into production, songwriting and performing, working with a variety of artists that come through the production house she shares with producers Jon Eberhard (I Prevail, Skillet, Sleeping With Sirens) and Nick Matzkows (Wind Walkers, Until I Wake, ENMY, Attack! Attack!). Over the past four years she has released a myriad of covers, originals and music videos on her YouTube channel racking up millions of views. She has received notable attention for her popular The Nightmare Before Christmas cover of “This Is Halloween”, which has over 10 million streams across Spotify and YouTube along with 25,000 videos using the sound on TikTok.
“I wanted to create something that embodied the different styles and backgrounds of multiple genres that’s I’ve grown up with and have recently learn to love in one. Musically inspired by artists like Eiffel 65 and Daft Punk, mixed with artists like Bring Me The Horizon, Poppy, and K/DA. This song to me, is a mental conversation I’ve had with myself about feeling numb to the world on a wider spectrum resulting from a past of growing up thinking the world and intentions of people were one way, and learning later on that it was indeed the opposite.”– Izzy Reign
In 2023 Izzy came to the attention of the US-based record label FiXT, through the discovery of her independent release, “Broken By Design”, which showcased a new edge to Izzy’s sound. Signing on for a multi-album deal, Izzy Reign is now set to release her debut album with FiXT in 2024. “Stoked to be a part of the FiXT family. This is a killer fit and I’m looking forward to these future projects together.” – Izzy Reign
“Broken By Design” is available now on all platforms from FiXT.
Through towers of reverb drenched fuzz and gossamer yearning vocals Virgins bring us their highly anticipated debut album ‘nothing hurt and everything was beautiful’. The album finds the band exploring a wider sonic palette, seamlessly moving between the gaze-pop of ‘s l o w l y, l o n g’ and ‘d i s a p p e a r e r’, to the dance influenced ‘s o f t e r’ and to the ethereal heavy, expansiveness of ‘p a l e f i r e’ and ‘t e n d’. Their captivating sound doesn’t rely on recycling shoegaze tropes but brings a fresh and contemporary approach to the genre.
The album follows the critically acclaimed ‘transmit a little heaven’ EP released in 2022 and singles ‘s l o w l y, l o n g’ and ‘s o f t e r’. Characterised by massive layers of shimmering, starry gaze against dreamy fuzzed out distortion and all given voice to by vocalist Rebecca Dow’s ethereal siren vocals. The songs were recorded over a period of months after having spent the previous two years filling rooms all over Ireland and the UK with their all-enveloping sounds. Taking the tracks from the stage to studio injected a sense of space, purpose and drive into the songs. The size and energy of each room distilled into the sonic make-up of the songs. Thematically the record moves between sex and love, romanticism, the need to escape and loss all draped over an immersive sonic tapestry.
The record opens with the second single to be taken from the album ‘s o f t e r’. A shoegaze tour de force built around a looping lead riff and the ethereal yearning vocals of Rebecca Dow. Gargantuan walls of dense, beautiful reverbs and dreamy fuzz, transport the listener to a world of abstract beauty and bliss. Michael Smyth and David Sloan’s guitar complement each other perfectly, adding layers of shimmering choral accents, glide guitar trem-arm rhythms, reverse reverbs and lush jet plane phaser sounds. All driven by James Foy’s thunderous drums and anchored by gloriously fuzzed out bass of Brendy McCann. While basking in this audio bath, Rebecca’s vocals offer a guide point to navigate through the hazy requiem.
The gaze-pop of ‘s l o w l y, l o n g’ follows and finds the band embracing pop-centric melodic influences as much as the multitude of fuzz and reverb pedals that smatter their pedalboards. The track is the sound of a band leaning into their strengths, fusing elements from different genres to bring a fresh, contemporary and exciting sound to the genre.
‘c l o s e’ embraces the band’s alt-rock leanings, pushing the pace up for any shoegaze record. David Sloan’s walls of fuzzarocious guitars combined with Michael’s whirring starry guitar and propulsive drums provide a backdrop for aural manipulations by way of Rebeccas ghostly sweet vocals, as delays and reverbs rise up out of the serene reverie like whispers in a half-forgotten dream.
The halfway point of the record is marked by the biggest departure from anything on ‘transmit a little heaven’ as the band explore the more expansive side of their nature. ‘p a l e f i r e’ is equal parts luxuriously heavy and blissfully ethereal, and as the track progresses it lulls you further and further into the dream. Beginning with an extended build as each musician pulls each note out of their respective instruments causing an avalanche of drums and choruses of shimmering guitars. When it finally breaks it erupts into spine tingling euphoria. Dense with layers of vocals and harmonises on harmonies, Rebecca’s vocals are incredibly expressive and emotionally provocative, beckoning and inviting they still feel like a warning. All while juxtaposed against glimmering effervescent guitars, wailing in the background, warped by reverse reverbs as notes reflect around the cavernous track.
Side B begins as the melloncollie chords of ‘a d o r e’ ring out before giving way to the driving rhythm of the drums and oceanic lead guitar. The song balances melodic beauty with abrasive fuzz and rumbling bass, slowly revealing its subtleties as glimmers of tranquillity in the verses before the heavy tsunami of the chorus comes crashing through. The dreamy half-asleep mood sweeps you along before the flurry of notes in the middle serves as a wake up call. The blatant romanticism of the song aims to capture the daze of falling in love through hazy memories of days with no end.
If ‘a d o r e’ is the weight in the air before a storm, ‘d i s a p p e a r e r’ is the transcendent bliss as the sun breaks. The low buzz guitar that starts the song opens up into a track that aches from the beauty found in slacker ennui as Rebecca intones ‘stinging open wounds that come from stars’ and ‘zero minus zero is’ before trailing off and leaving the equation sum unresolved. Spectral guitars and machine gun drum fills take us into the middle of the track. It feels like the eye of the storm, a moment of angelic clarity underpinned by imminent tension, before the world comes crashing again. Effortlessly melding pop melody, shoegaze fuzzed out rhythm guitars and oceanic leads, ‘d i s a p p e a r e r’ again finds Virgins leaning into gaze-pop territory.
Penultimate track ‘s u n s p o t s’ sounds exactly like its namesake, as David Sloan’s rhythm guitar explodes out of the speakers alternating between raw power fuzz and delicate melodic picking in the verses, creating space for the saccharine vocals of Rebecca Dow. Gnarly fuzz bass and driving drums propel the track throughout, punctuated by interstellar lead guitar in the chorus or jet plane phaser as we take off in the middle of the track. It’s go for the throat shoegaze with no pedal left un-stomped, the refrain of ‘I hear voices on the radio’ still ringing as the final track begins.
The sister song of ‘p a l e f i r e’, ‘t e n d’ was the final song written for the album, an exploratory opus that illustrates the evolution of Virgins sound. The Long-tailed reverbs of Michael’s fuzzed out guitar wail into the void, paired with David’s delicate picking creates a 3D sound in the verses that feels infinite. Rebecca’s fragile vocals ripple out before becoming a mantra in the chorus. The song is unhurried in its exploration of sound and emotion, the ebb and flow building to a vast middle section, that through its start stop passages feels like the answer to a question that never came, and as we reach the final section feels as though its drifting further and further out of reach.
‘nothing hurt and everything was beautiful’ is an immense sound, one that showcases the band taking a further step forward in their evolution. Exploratory and emotionally provocative, the subject matter and music on the album delve deep in mining personal experience and bringing that the fore in the music. Tracks that blur nostalgia with future contemporary sounds bring a fresh approach to a genre that the band fully embrace but stretch into new areas.
South London-based indie artist Oli Barton continues to exhilarate audiences with his electrifying live performances and is “poised to take his place among the indie elite” (Reyt Good Magazine). Following the success of his debut solo single ‘It’s Over Now’, Oli is set to release his follow-up single, ‘The Light’, produced by Alex Quinn (The Royston Club) and mixed by Tom Longworth (Red Rum Club).
As a teenager, Oli would busk on his local high street, honing an animated performing style that perfectly encapsulates his energetic, cheeky personality. As Oli describes, “when singing on the street, you certainly find out what people like and especially what they dislike. You’re going to sink pretty fast without a decent tune.”
“The Light” blends a dizzying mix of suave and moody verses and explosive heavy choruses. Always intimate, Oli’s vocal is able to bring listeners in close before propelling them into a powerhouse of a chorus that is sure to stick in their head for days.
Bringing a darker, moodier sonic palette; ‘The Light’ explores the hedonistic world of online dating and one night stands. Intricately balancing the alluring and sensual atmosphere of its verses with crashing, heavy guitars in the chorus, the track unfolds like a cinematic journey into the depths of a seedy night out. As always, Oli infuses the track with his trademark dark sense of humour and cheeky lyrical observations. “The Light” is an exciting and alluring next step for Oli Barton.
In the years of releasing music independently through his own label Coke & Dagger Records, Oli has been featured multiple times on BBC Radio nationwide whilst also getting noticed by large festivals up and down the UK, supporting artists such as Starsailor, Kid Kapichi and Baxter Dury. This journey has culminated in the release of this single which is a tight consolidation of all of Oli’s strengths as an artist.
“For years I’ve been experimenting and messing around with sounds. I’ve loved different songwriting approaches and production techniques designed to create exciting experiences for listeners. Now to put it simply, I want to give the people what they want. I want to give them the sweaty, euphoric experience they get at our gigs and put it on record.”
Oli comments on the new track:
“I think the clear difference here is the added sense of rhythm. Before we were making rock songs with big dynamics, but now we’ve made a focus on getting people on their feet and moving. It’s what people need right now. I want to combine the rhythmic elements that I love in funk, indie and new wave and combine it with a dark almost hip-hop energy”
However, this is by no means a formulaic indie song; it’s a grooving, pulsing anthem with furiously punchy, chopping guitars and a bold, youthful vocal. This track has the pungent smell of clubs and pubs found round the backside of any English town but with an added indie-pop twist. This is the sound of the cheeky provocateur, the observant wallflower and the hopeless romantic all rolled into one and that’s the unmistakable sound of Oli Barton.
‘The Light’ stands as a testament to his bold, daring artistic vision that is sure to solidify his reputation further as an artist determined to leave his mark on the indie music landscape.
Upcoming live dates
Friday 19th April – Notting Hill Arts Club, London
Laurie Wright is nothing less than a force of nature possessing a raw and genuine talent that many can only dream of. Having graced the stages of the famous Glastonbury Festival aged just a mere 16, you can start to gauge the level of talent that he possesses.
While the global pandemic and various lockdowns saw many struggling, it was during this time that Laurie really turned his life around once and for all. He cleaned up his act, and began to seriously focus once more on his music. Starting off with him winning The Libertines‘Talented Fans’ Competition and being called the ‘next big thing’ by Carl Barat. Liam Gallagher also proclaimed himself a fan by tweeting ‘I’ve heard him, I like him.’
Other accomplishments for Laurie Wright also include having recorded music at the world famous Abbey Road Studios, playing festivals such as Glastonbury, The Isle Of Wight, Lakefest and Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg as well as touring and supporting the likes of The Skinners Brothers and The Cribs and more recently Laurie and his band played a sold out gig at the world famous Koko in London supporting the legendary Rifles band. The band were so impressed by Laurie that they ended up inviting him on stage to perform with them as part of their set! Not too shabby for a lad who by day can be seen busking the streets in London huh!
With several releases under his belt already including the single releases of 2022 ‘West End Lover’ and ‘The Rockstar andThe Fan’ (which received its worldwide exclusive first spin on Radio X by John Kennedy on his X-Posure show where he hailed the track and band as “very exciting”) This was followed up in early 2023 by the highly charged stadium sized banger of ‘Rock n Roll Ain’t Dead While We’re Living’ and ‘Butter Side Up Boy’, which was showcased by the world renowned Rodney Bingemheimer on his SiriusXM radio show in America.
Following his electrifying set at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival Laurie sprung a surprise release on fans of ‘Wings of Gold and Platinum’ which together with the accompanying music video was released on 23rd June 2023. The video was filmed during his KOKO performance in London with RIFLES and The Skinner Brothers.
Whilst performing at last year’s Isle Of Wight Festival for The Songbird, Laurie came across and met for the first time an exciting young band going by the name of The Molotovs.
The two bands hit it off immediately and began working and touring together which has seen them play and tour extensively all over the UK in 2023 and into 2024 with their double headline ‘Get On The End Of It’ Tour.
The Molotovs are an exciting young trio featuring brother and sister, Matthew and Issey Cartlidge co-fronting the band while playing lead guitar and bass respectively and Will Fooks on drums. The band have gone from strength to strength in recent years seeing them on main stages supporting the likes of Blondie and The Libertines and they have just announced a tour in Europe as well as a headline slot at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival.
Whilst touring the bands often intertwine and Laurie can be found playing on a Molotovs set and vice-versa. Excitingly, the two bands have now officially joined forces to bring to us their first recorded release in the form of the brand new single – ‘It Was All Part Of The Plan’.
The new single is an unmistakable Laurie Wright track featuring his distinctive vocals and melodic harmonies building up into a crescendo with those trademark heavy explosive chorus hooks featuring thrashing, pounding drums, jazzy harmonica and funky bass notes… The track is a hedonistic soundscape layering music and elements like textures in a woven, elaborate tapestry. The addition of the Molotovs on the track adds in some seriously juicy guitar riffs and a new element for Laurie’s music with the addition of female vocals courtesy of Issey.
It was envisioned the the collaborative track was going to be unleashed at the end of March, but then there were issues with the artwork and not being able to upload the tracks to digital streaming platforms at the 11th hour, so you could say ‘It Was All Part Of The Plan’ didn’t exactly go according to plan or did it!? You decide!
Danish indie band Mansfield invites the listener on a joyride with their new single ‘Dreams of Desire’ with its catchy chorus and guitar-driven sound, the song is energetic and uplifting from start to finish.
‘Dreams of Desire’ boldly indicates what is to be expected from Mansfield’s forthcoming album ‘For All the Right Reasons’ set for release in May 2024.
Since their debut album ‘Star-Crossed Lovers’ in 2020, Mansfield has made a name for themselves by doing live shows in Denmark, England and Germany. Performing with artists such as Atomic Swing, The Peawees, All The Young and Marseille has helped Mansfield solidify their presence on the music scene and bring in new influences. With a clear nod to British indie rock tradition, Mansfield has developed their own distinct sound showing a high level of songwriting.
Radio stations around the world continue to play their singles from ‘Star-Crossed Lovers’ and the EP ‘Come Rain or Shine’ released in 2023.
‘Dreams of Desire’ reveals a new side to Mansfield’s musical journey. The idea for the song came about after a memorable performance together with John Hassell, the bassist of The Libertines and the lead vocalist of The April Rainers, based in Denmark. Mansfield’s lead singer and songwriter Christian Stage reflects:
“I wanted to write a song inspired by the grittiness of The Libertines with distorted guitars that blend in with pounding drums and groovy bass lines. When I came up with a resonant lead guitar riff for the song, it took on a different shape making the music sound a bit like U2. The delay guitar sound lends the song an element of pop coinciding well with the emotional lyrics that express a yearning for intimacy.”
Lead guitarist Mathias Havelund adds;
“’Dreams of Desire’ was the final song that Christian wrote and brought to the studio during our recording sessions. We only recorded it a few times to capture its spontaneous vibe, and we can’t wait to share the energy with our listeners.”
Following the completion of ‘Dreams of Desire’, Mansfield performed at iconic London venue The Water Rats, known for hosting Bob Dylan‘s first UK concert and Oasis‘ London debut. The concert was a pivotal moment as the band’s first live performance of ‘Dreams of Desire’ was met with enthusiastic applause from both the audience and their British promoter.
Mansfield then decided to release the track as a single. Inspiration from the band’s London experience is seen in the music video featuring live footage from their recent show supporting British band All The Young in Copenhagen. The video encapsulates the electrifying ambiance of live performance, perfectly illustrating the single’s dynamic energy.
As with the band’s previous single ‘Someone Else’, this music video was produced by Andreas Valdemar.
‘Dreams of Desire’ was recorded at Black Tornado Studio in Copenhagen with producer Morten Bue overseeing production, mixing and mastering. The single is on all streaming platforms now via record label DME, paving the way for the album ‘For All the Right Reasons’ to hit both the digital and vinyl markets on May 17, 2024.
In a brand new weekly piece Indie Revolution will be featuring a new single chosen from the best on the independent music scene.
Single Of The Week is the very talented, Scottish singer-songwriter Megan Black with her brand new single ‘Funk For Introverts’.
Megan’s music combines 70’s blues rock with queer feminist pop, she uses her powerful voice to express her own personal experiences and makes them relatable to all through her infectious music, with focus on themes such as feminism, LGBTQ+, mental health, addiction and community, she is a diverse woman. Megan has been tipped as one of Youth Music’s ‘One To Watch’ for 2024, she is most definitely one to watch!
In a brand new monthly piece, Indie Revolution will feature a fresh new album from the best on the independent scene.
First in our feature for the month of April is Glaswegian band Arcade State with their fantastic album ‘Life Is Not Linear’. Despite many personal challenges in 2023 the band decided to plough ahead and record their highly anticipated debut album. The album is hugely personal to the band and is dedicated to Ciaran and Jordan, the founder members sister, Chelsea, who very tragically passed away last summer. The album is highly emotive and passionate, beautiful throughout.
Already boasting a formidable live reputation and dedicated following from all over the UK and Ireland the band have gone from strength to strength and are on their way to selling out headline shows at synonymous venues. The band plan to play festivals and city venues within the UK throughout 2024.
From the Ritz to the rubble back to the Ritz and beyond…It’s true Kyle Falconer has experienced quite the ride in his illustrious 36 years on earth.
Having signed his first record deal back in 2005 under the tutelage & watchful eye of James Endicott, Kyle has subsequently continued to produce a breath taking six studio albums as lead singer and chief song writer fronting his band ‘The View’ and a further two critically acclaimed solo albums ‘No, Thank you’ & ‘No love songs for Laura’.
Kyle’s ‘Bad Choices’ have been well documented over the 20-year span there’s been a microscope on his every move. Since finding his soul mate ‘Laura’ & having three beautiful young children he has since been able to turn a corner in his home & professional life. He now works on more wholesome pursuits, including being a father & giving back to a new crop of musicians hoping to build on the foundations built by him and other rock ‘n’ roll architects like him.
A short two years ago Kyle and long term friend, professional collaborator & powerhouse Scottish promoter Micheal Ward, made the decision to take the time, efforts and finance to build a songwriting retreat in Alicante situated in the south east of Spain called ‘La Sierra Casa’ translated as The Mountain House. The song writing camp has played host to respected & accomplished high profile acts including John McClure (Reverend & The Makers), Callum Beattie, Martin Glover (YOUTH), Blaine Harrison (The Mystery Jets) & Carl Barat (The Libertines) whilst also nurturing a new crop of talent including Ben Walker, Neeve Zahra, The Shambolics, Dennis Kennedy, Cal Roberts, Tom Collins, Prose, Frankie Dobson, Some of which will be supporting Kyle in their respected home cities on this tour.
This intimate venue tour during record store week will highlight the ‘Good Choices’ and steps Kyle has and continues to take. Live in conversation events will take place over the 5 dates in select cities where dedicated fans will get an insight into Kyle’s thoughts and acerbic wit. Meet and greet & signing sessions will be a further occasion to get close to what is the epitome of an iconic British rock ‘n’ roll story. Each event culminating in a classic acoustic set from Kyle’s extensive repertoire”
18th April – The Parish – Wrexham 19th April – Neuadd Dwyfor – Pwllheli 20th April – Jacaranda Baltic – Liverpool 21st April – AMP – Stockport 22nd April – The Grove – Newcastle
By arrangement of ChoiceDNA in association with La Sierra Casa & Big Red Beard.
Holy Coves have just announced the support bands for their spring tour. Joining them to kick start their tour this weekend at Head of Steam in Newcastle is Bosola and Primaveras, at Tunnels in Aberdeen it’s Pitnamoon and Monza Express, Chester Live Rooms it’s Muddy Elephant and Sister Envy, Record Junkee in Sheffield it’s Marseille and Marples, at The Bunkhouse in Swansea it’s The Rivers and The Secret Faces and at Dead Wax in Birmingham, The Institutes and Siracuse.
Friday 5th April – Head of Steam – Newcastle Saturday 6th April – Tunnels – Aberdeen Friday 19th April – Live Rooms – Chester Saturday 20th April – Record Junkee – Sheffield Friday 10th May – The Bunkhouse – Swansea Saturday 1st June – Dead Wax – Birmingham
Northern Irish hard rock legends The Answer have announced the release of a brand new stomping rocker track titled ‘Put Your Money On Me’, ahead of a set of European dates and a very special one-off London show at London Dingwalls.
A fuzzed-up rocker with a filthy groove, ‘Put Your Money On Me’ is a standalone track not included on the band’s last album ‘Sundowners’, and continues to uphold the band’s unique sound, picking up from where ‘Sundowners’ and last non-album single ‘Wild Heart’ left off – soulful, ballsy blues rock underpinned by an outstanding vocal performance from lead vocalist, Cormac Neeson.
Neeson says of the new track, produced by Dan Weller (Enter Shikari, Bury Tomorrow); “This song is a dirty, groovy, feel-good slice of rock n’ soul straight from heart of The Answer. Can’t wait to play this one on the road across Europe this spring. Let’s do this.”
The April European dates will see The Answer perform in Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic and France. A following set of shows in May will take them through Spain, before they return to the UK to play a very special one-off at Dingwalls in Camden on 20th June, their only UK domestic show scheduled so far this year.
The latest album ‘Sundowners’ was released in 2023 and achieved Top 40 National Album Chart positions in UK, Germany and Switzerland, including # 1 in the UK National Rock Album Chart. Produced by rising British producer Dan Weller, the album received rave reviews across the board.
“A serious challenger for album of the year” (Get Ready To Rock) *****
“Don’t accept imitations, The Answer are truly showing everybody how this s**t is done. The kind of album truly great bands make” (Blabbermouth) ****
“This album is the sound of a band with nothing to prove to themselves or anyone else. They slot so neatly alongside the blues-rock giants that came before them.” (Classic Rock Magazine UK) ****
Tour Dates: 4th April, Kavka, Antwerp, BE 5th April, Turock, Essen, DE 6th April, De Pul, Uden, NL 7th April, Knust, Hamburg, DE 9th April, 2Progi, Poznan, PL 10th April, Storm, Prague, CZ 11th April, Hirsch, Nurnberg, DE 12th April, Roxy, Ulm, DE 13th April, Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg, DE 14th April, Betit Bain, Paris, FR 9th May, Razzmatazz 2, Barcelona, ES 10th May, Mon, Madrid, ES 11th May, Stage Live, Bilbao, ES
20th June, Dingwalls, London, support from These Wicked Rivers Get tickets HERE
Indie Revolution 