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Some people can be a tad mysterious and on that note, there is a new single from Bradford based project Signia Alpha, called “Cascade.” Matt Webster is the musical wizard that pulls the strings, and knows some bloke who knows this other bloke, and pulls it all together. Also appearing on the track is Harris and some fella called Paul, was meant to play the bass, but one Paul Gray of some unknown band called The Damned, though often seen in the vicinity at times, missed out on this beauty.

Extra trivia note is the x-ray does belong to one of the mentioned names as they become Lee Majors (insert Bionic Man noises here).

There is a very quintessential Englishness about “Cascade” and a harkening back to “Scarborough Fair.” Possibly it is the plucked acoustic guitar, or the dual vocals that are reminiscent of Simon & Garfunkel, with those delicate harmonisations. It does poke at the edges of your imagination with that strong chorus, healthy drums and wandering deep bass lines. Oh my heart…”Cascade” pulls at the strings with the not only the beauty of the music, but also lyrics about life and how choices from the past can come back to colour your present, and haunt the future. Tis magic.

Music | Signia Alpha

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Are they noise rock? Experimental rock? Post-punk? All of it? I am talking about London’s test plan, the busy trio, who when they are not writing, are recording and when doing neither of these, they are touring. test plan are releasing their first first four singles, oddly called Four Songs on vinyl, however in the meantime, they have dropped a live video named Live in Darkness One, recorded at the Manor House Studio. A taste of the live experience.

Live In Darkness One | test plan

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If you have not heard of Silver SIrcus yet, then I would implore you to have a listen. The Meanjin/Brisbane based group is headed by the vocal magnificence of Lucinda Shaw (lead/backing vocals) and the ever so talented James Lees (drums, percussion, synths), the progenitors of Silver Sircus in 2008. The band is completed by Mark Angel (guitars), Terry Dixon (bass guitar, backing vocals), Ruth Gardner (guitars, backing vocals), James Halloran (piano, backing vocals) and Wayne Jennings (cello, backing vocals), and they have dropped their new EP, The Bones Of You.

The title track speaks of the past, and people in that past that have influenced where you are now, whether for good or bad. There is an eerie seductiveness in both the vocals and strings, and the arrangement is beautifully done, where every component is heard. No singing or instruments are lost in the mix, making the track sound classic and intimate, with a haunting piano that is enough to give one goose bumps.

The beginning of “Under Your Skin” feels like it is bubbling forth from your stomach, a mixture of tribalistic rhythm and Western drawling guitar, with the mistress of dark temptation, luring into her boudoir, making demons and spiders seem positively what you need in your brain right now. The disjointed piano from Halloran is a sharpness that could warn of danger or mental collapse, however Shaw’s singing eases all, dragging you under her spell yet again.

The Bones Of You, for myself, is a moody cabaret, where the participants have exposed their inner insecurities and cracked open their chests revelling bleeding, beating hearts. It is about finite span of this human coil, yet still finding beauty in that ultimate fragility, known as the human condition. As magical as the music is, there is no denying how electrifying the vocals of Shaw are, and she creates the theatre in each track. The cover photo Silver Sircus have chosen is such a great representation of the EP. A flower that looks as if it made of a skeleton, simultaneously looking both alien and fragile and yet alive. The end comes for everything, but that just should remind us to live and love for today, and The Bones Of You is a graceful expression of mortality.

The Bones Of You | Silver Sircus

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What do you get when you mix two parts Sunshine Blind and one part The Wake? A band named Los Tres Mortales with the debut single called “Bourbon,” boasting vocalists/lyricists Troy Payne (The Wake) and Caroline Blind (Sunshine Blind) with CWHK (Sunshine Blind), master of instruments and music. They are joined by Rich W. (The Wake) lending his mercurial guitar skills to the lead solo for this track.

Do you like your bourbon with rock? Payne and Blind have such distinct voices, which is a joy in itself in an age where auto-tune has reduced many to the bargain bin of indistinguishable, and Caroline’s powerful honey mellow singing is the perfect foil for the low timbre of Payne. The guitars are just beautiful with deep smoky tones that keep the drums company, and the lead guitar spiderwebbing its way as the highlight sweet notes.

The initial gustation of “Bourbon,” is vintage US gothic rock of the late 80s and early 90s, the top shelf stuff that hits you with a warmth that spreads through the chest, in that most delightful way. There is the southern gothic twang mixed with tomorrows buyer’s regret, viewed from the bottom of a bottle. The overall mouth-taste is classic and timeless, which is pretty good for three mortals.

Bourbon | Los Tres Mortales

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Gothenburg, Sweden is possibly one of the best named cities if you are in a darkwave band and admittedly the quality of music from this one place is quite extraordinary. From Gothenburg is Angels In Shade and this is the premier of the single “Out of Time,” on the label BLCK_FLWRS.

A driving dancefloor electronics beat out a sense of urgency, before joined by the lo-fi vocals. The synths are like a racing heartbeat, with rivulets of higher chords highlighting the dark. The lyrics are about how we are running short on time.

As humans, we live a finite life span, just as everything in the natural world, though with global warming, and ergo, increasing natural disasters, putting the Earth on a possible deadline. “Out Of Time” is a great darkwave track from Angels In Shade. Sure, they are a bit mysterious, but man they know how to touch us through the music.

Out Of Time | Angels In Shade

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The lads of Silver Owls are from Cork, Ireland, and the duo have known each other it seems for a lifetime. John Haggis and Eddie Butt lives have been entwined with music, especially with the project Emperor of Ice Cream (1991-1995, 2000-current), and now Silver Owls, spawning the shoegaze single “Blinded by the Darkness” in July.

The beginning is almost diaphanous in its simplicity, with the vocals as the most important point, setting up the narrative and like the video, the singing floats. And like an ocean, things change quickly, where the music swells between the guitar and electronics, creating that front of shoegaze noise, which is glorious, yet ebbs and flows. A shoegazing melting pot of delicate and joy, would be the best description of “Blinded by the Darkness,” and it truly is a joy from Silver Owls.

Blinded by the Darkness | Silver Owls

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Stars and the Underground are a New Zealand shoegaze/darkwave project first created by John Mason, (ex-Winterland) and John McDermott (ex-Headless Chickens), and have been joined by guest vocalist Hannah Berry (Talmar) for the new single “Echolocation.”

Angelic vocals drift up introducing us to Berry, her lilting utterances in complete contrast to the far deeper vocals of Mason. Actually, Mason sounds like he’s channelling Carl McCoy, and the lyrics speaking of second sight due to an all encompassing darkness, could just be the cherry on top. Darkness can feel like torture, yet it cannot stop these hearts from finding each other.

Imagine, if you will, that Fields of the Nephilim had incorporated early Sisters of Mercy, but had become a bit more whimsical, nor did they require the clattering Dr Avalanche (drum machine), as the live drummer (McDermott) is far more nuanced. That somewhat goes towards what “Echolocation” sounds like, but also has this joyful shoegaze sonic wall of sound, which is great if you a post-punk loving human, though possibly bad if you are a bat.

Echolocation Feat Hannah Berry (Talmar) – Single | Stars and the Underground

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Stars and the Underground