Welsh, Awen Rock band Holy Coves embark on their second UK tour this year after the success of their Spring tour earlier in the year. The Snowdonia Records Independent music pioneers head to Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester and London with an end of year show in the beginning of December, in the Welsh capital, Cardiff with some of independent music’s finest bands as support.
Since the release of the award winning album ‘Druids and Bards’ the band have toured extensively over the last two years building a strong fanbase in all the major cities in England, Scotland and Wales. The band have also appeared at festivals such as Isle Of Wight Festival and Focus Wales, and have recently announced on social media they are currently working on their new record which they plan to record in January after their Autumn tour ends.
Be sure to catch them playing at the following venues before the end of the year. Follow the Link below for tickets.
4th October – Leeds, Santiago’s 5th October – Liverpool, EBGBS 25th October – Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s 26th October – Glasgow, McChuill’s 9th November – Manchester, Deaf Institute 23rd November – London, Water Rat’s 7th December – Cardiff, The Globe
Moonshine Heavies are a six piece Rock n Roll band from London. With their debut release of ‘Automation’ in March 2023, they quickly established themselves as being ones to watch when they went onto head the Iconic Camden Assembly in the capital. They further cemented that status by the release of their two follow up singles in the same year ‘’Droplets’ and ‘Two Fingers’ and by headlining the Camden Rocks All-Dayer and the O2 Academy in Islington.
The band’s first three singles of 2023 were all recorded at Lightship 95 Studio in London and were all received to critical acclaim receiving plays and support from the likes of BBC Introducing and in the press such as Hot Vox and Backseat Mafia.
And the momentum continued to build for the band with the release of their 2024 singles ‘FOMO’ and ‘IDIOT’ playing headline shows at The Workshop and Hoxton Underbelly and having further starring in War Child UK’s national “RISING” campaign alongside bands such as The 1975, The Hunna, and Sea Girls, among others.
The six piece band consisting of Alexander Hunter – Lead singer/songwriter, Kapish Patel – Guitar/songwriter, Johnny Beloe – Guitar/songwriter, Matty Perrin – Drums, Sandeep Ravaliya – Bass and Gavrisha – vocalist are now gearing up for the release of their first EP ‘FALL TO EARTH’ from which the single ‘UNFATHOMABLE’ is taken.
‘Unfathomable’ with its disco beats, ethereal synths and vintage mellotrons coupled with those dark, brooding vocals, perfectly contrasts with the cascading pure pop vibe of the chorus. The track is set to a pleasing pace from the offset and throughout with a unique vocal delivery of gruff vocals harmonising deliciously with a sweet female interject in the chorus lines.
The band have said of the new track:
“This song is an appraisal of the universe and our place in it as humans. It’s classic existential angst, set to fat indie disco drums. Anything is possible in the ‘grand scheme’ of things, yet each and every person is flawed in one way or another. The world is imperfect but there is beauty in that sentiment. Musically, the band are unapologetic in their ode to Phil Spector’s wall of sound!”
The ‘Fall To Earth’ EP was Recorded at Lightship 95 Studios and was Mixed and produced by Giles Barrett / Dave Holmes– whose recent production credits include Ezra Collect, Don’t Problem, Teeth of the Sea, Bess Attwell, Angèle David-Guillou & Johnny Flynn, and engineering credits include Alfa Mist, Nubya Garcia, Joe Armon-Jones, The Ligeti Quartet, Ghostpoet, Moses Boyd, Steam Down & Sampa the Great.
Upcoming Gigs
21st September 2024 – Headline show at the Camden Assembly
Andy J Palmer is a London based singer/songwriter who enchants fans of his music with his unique brand of hazy, sun soaked, feel good music harking back to a golden age.
Andy is joined in his music by a band that consists of himself on lead vocals and guitar, Alex Gold on additional guitar, Steve Greenwood on Drums and Dan Lucas guesting on Piano and Bass Guitar.
Earlier this year in May 2024. Andy released his single ‘Higher Than The Sun’ which was well received across the board. Carrying on with his strong releases, Andy is now back with his latest offering of ‘Mystery To Me’.
‘Mystery To Me’ with its gentle yet crystal clear strumming, echoing guitars and its slow and measured drum beats mixed with those hazy, laid back vocals makes for a truly ethereal and dreamy soundscape in which to lose yourself.
Andy has said of the track:
“Inspiration for this song came from reading about The Beatles trip to India in 1968 Donovan had also been there with them and during their time there his claw hammer finger picking technique had inspired songs like ‘Dear Prudence’ and ‘Blackbird’ which were written in india and which both ended up being on the White Album.
The Beatles never get boring to me and this song came from me attempting to emulate the finger picking style of playing.
I love the drums on this track as well which were recorded in my kitchen ( the song started out being recorded live using my beloved but out of tune upright piano which sounded great – we de tuned the other instruments to be in with the piano and had the drum kit isolated in the kitchen – although it had a vibe when I got in the studio to record the vocals we had to re do everything but we did keep the drums which for me was worth it in itself …the piano on the record sounds even better and overall worked out a better tune.”
‘Mystery to Me’ is also being released with an accompanying music video which is a cinematic showreel with a real old school, hand held home video recorder vibe to it adding to the overall rose tinted glasses, nostalgic feel of the track.
‘Mystery To Me’ was Recorded, Mixed and Mastered at The Joplin House Recording Studios in Kent by Andy J Palmer and Dan Lucas.
‘Sentimental Guy’ is the sixth single from quirky indie-popster from London, Garlen Lo. It’s his midlife reflection song: remembering the past, embracing the present and hopeful for the future. The song comes with lush dreampop soundscape and fitting photobook music video.
Quirky indie-popster from London. Likes singalongs and wordplay. AKA Hong Kong Cockney*
Garlen Lo is a born-and-bred Londoner of Hong Kong-Chinese origin. Aged 8 he was raised by a wine-guzzling auntie who played country music at max volume. One Christmas, he got a guitar and took naturally to writing drunken singalongs with twee wordplay.
He formed an unruly, skinny-jeaned indie band in the mid-2000s, but after that imploded, tried to become a respectable member of society. Not quite succeeding at that either, he resumed his love for songwriting during the pandemic. And he is super chuffed that his first five singles have all been someone’s ‘track of the week’.
He is a one-man band: playing all the instruments, singing, producing, and making the music videos. He’d like to give gigging a go again but can’t face the stress of forming a band.
Songs about unrequited/nostalgic love seems to be his thing. Just because. His Mastermind subject would be The Beatles and Chelsea FC.
*For a short time, he went by the artist name Hong Kong Cockney but lacked the confidence to see it through. He likes it as a nickname though, like Springsteen’s The Boss.
Moonshine Heavies are a six piece Rock n Roll band from London. With their debut release of ‘Automation’ in March 2023, they quickly established themselves as being ones to watch when they went onto head the Iconic Camden Assembly in the capital. They further cemented that status by the release of their two follow up singles in the same year ‘’Droplets’ and ‘Two Fingers’ and by headlining the Camden Rocks All-Dayer and the O2 Academy in Islington.
The band’s first three singles of 2023 were all recorded at Lightship 95 Studio in London and were all received to critical acclaim receiving plays and support from the likes of BBC Introducing and in the press such as Hot Vox, Backseat Mafia and Music Crowns.
And the momentum continues to build for the band with the release of their 2024 single ‘FOMO’ and having already played headline shows at The Workshop and Hoxton Underbelly and having further starred in War Child UK’s national “RISING” campaign alongside bands such as The 1975, The Hunna, and Sea Girls, among others.
The six piece band consisting of Alexander Hunter – Lead singer/songwriter, Kapish Patel – Guitar/songwriter, Johnny Beloe – Guitar/songwriter, Matty Perrin – Drums, Sandeep Ravaliya – Bass and Gavrisha – vocalist are now gearing up for the release of their latest track ‘Idiot’.
‘Idiot’ at first listen is a ska infused melody with twanging guitars and pleasingly retro-esque vocals delivered with an assertive chanting chorus hook line. The track is fast paced throughout until there’s a change in rhythm in the mid section which then sees the track building into a decidedly punk inspired crescendo that’ll leave you breathless and full of excitement!
The band have said of the new track:
“Sometimes people look you straight in the eye and believe their own web of lies. All you want to do is shout, “Shut your mouth Idiot!”. Alas… it’s not socially acceptable, so best avoided. Here’s a song where you can picture the idiots in your life and debase them to your heart’s content. Despite the fury within it, the song is a perfect summer skank culminating in a fast punky ending. What more could you want?”
‘Idiot’ was written and composed by Moonshine Heavies and was recorded at Lightship 95 Studios in London.
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
Originally from Bridgend, Welsh female songwriter, producer and Drum and Bass DJ Gemma Rose releases the exceptional ‘Tempted’ along with Natty Lou. Gemma is now based in London.
Voted ‘Best Vocalist’ at the DNB Arena awards, and alongside Natty, recognized as ‘Best Newcomer’, these women are making waves on the DNB scene. She writes all her original music at the piano.
Gemma has new music forthcoming on Liquicity so expect to hear alot more of her soulful vocals and melodies as she continues to deliver her passion through her music!
Music Scene Wales’ Single Of The Week, chosen by the Indie Revolution Team is the fantastic new single ‘Actions’ by London’s very own Maze. This is their first single since 2022’s debut album ‘Chaos Interrupted’, and it’s a great return.
Albion are the London based six-piece band composed of members Ben on Lead Vocals, Guitar and Harmonica, Bidz on Vocals and Lead Guitar, Hunter on Bass, Jack on Drums, Jake on Vocals and Guitar and Sophie on Keys.
With influences ranging from The Beatles to Red Hot Chilli Peppers, from The Rolling Stones to Ludovico Einaudi, each set list and live show from this band is always an eclectic mix of music. They cite themselves as sounding like The Pogues shaken up with a bit of Oasis, with a side of The Velvet Underground!
Formed in 2021 and having released a string of singles to date to include ‘Millenial Me’ and ‘Capital’, in 2021 ‘No One Said’, ‘I Who Never Turned Back’, ‘Everything As Easy’, ‘Roundabout Ruse’ and ‘Silhouette Of Me’ in 2022 and the 2023 releases of ‘Nothing Matters’ (April), ‘Wonderfully Human’ (May) and ‘Nothing New Under The Sun’ (June) and‘Amy’ on the 8th September, the band are now gearing up for the release of their debut EP – ‘The Rooms Where Songs Are Made’.
‘The Rooms Where Songs Are Made’ is out now and comprises four original tracks, 3 previously unheard plus the recently released track of ‘Amy’.
First up ‘Amy’ is a song about love and loss, unrequited feelings and regret. The title refers to Amy Winehouse and the beauty of her music whilst also detailing the story of a love that never reached its full potential..It’s a bouncy ballad packed with instruments from guitars and keys, to harmonica and mandolin that layer with the harmonious vocals and poignant lyrics making for a rich tapestry of sound.
Following this is ‘Tetrachromacy’ – A song about friendship, rebirth and a specific condition of the eye that allows people to see millions of extra shades and colours. Musically, it’s a carousel of layered sounds adding to the depth of the subject muse.
Next up is ‘Lions’ – A song that tells a story and details a meeting point for two lovers, destined to reunite (the place in this story being the Lions in Nottingham’s Market Square). It’s a pure love song filled with melodic and harmonious instrumentals and vocals.
To finish, ‘Taxidermy Love’ – details the end of an indulgent, pompous relationship – the glorification of love and its inevitable downfall.
The title for the EP; ‘The Rooms Where Songs Are Made’ is actually a lyric from the lead track on the EP ‘Amy’;‘It’s so fitting as you’re writing in the rooms where songs are made’, and it quite simply refers to a flat on the 13th floor of a tower block in Camden. This is where (in 2015) Albion was formed and where a lot of the initial concepts for the tracks on the EP were conceived. It’s a place very dear to the band’s hearts and so felt like the perfect name for this collection of songs.
The EP was recorded at The Libertines HQ – The Albion Rooms in Margate, with award winning sound engineer Jason Stafford(The Libertines/Trampolene/Jamie T) and was mastered by Graham Waller.
Albion are the London based six-piece band composed of members Ben on Lead Vocals, Guitar and Harmonica, Bidz on Vocals and Lead Guitar, Hunter on Bass, Jack on Drums, Jake on Vocals and Guitar and Sophie on Keys.
With influences ranging from The Beatles to Red Hot Chilli Peppers, from The Rolling Stones to Ludovico Einaudi, each set list and live show from this band is always an eclectic mix of music. They cite themselves as sounding like The Pogues shaken up with a bit of Oasis, with a side of The Velvet Underground!
Formed in 2021 and having released a string of singles to date to include ‘Millenial Me’ and ‘Capital’, in 2021 ‘No One Said’, ‘I Who Never Turned Back’, ‘Everything As Easy’, ‘Roundabout Ruse’ and ‘Silhouette Of Me’ in 2022 and the 2023 releases of ‘Nothing Matters’ (April), ‘Wonderfully Human’ (May) and ‘Nothing New Under The Sun’ (June), the band are now gearing up for their fourth single release of the year the poignant, delicate offering in dedication to the late great Amy Winehouse simply named ‘Amy’.
‘Amy’ is a song about love and loss, unrequited feelings and regret. The title refers to Amy Winehouse and the beauty of her music whilst also detailing the story of a love that never reached its full potential..It’s a bouncy ballad packed with instruments from guitars and keys, to harmonica and mandolin that layer with the harmonious vocals and poignant lyrics making for a rich tapestry of sound.
The track was written by the band in their formative months of first forming, with the track originally titled ‘Burning Holes’ and it is the first complete track that the band ever wrote.
‘Amy’ is the first song to be released from Albion’s forthcoming E.P, ‘The Rooms Where Songs are Made’ which is due for release on the 29th September 2023.
‘Amy’ was recorded at The Libertines HQ The Albion Rooms in Margate and was mixed by award winning in -house sound engineer Jason Stafford and mastered by Graham Waller.
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