Category: Features

Categories
Features

Interview: Captain Horizon

Spotify is, as we”™ve said before, a great tool for sharing music. It”™s affordable, it”™s legal, the artists are recognised, and millions of people all over the world are using it. As a tool to spread music, it”™s unmatched, and up-and-coming artists are recognising it as so. We spoke to Captain Horizon, an unsigned band who are using Spotify and other digital media tools to promote their music, alongside successful festival appearances at Glastonbudget and Sonic Rock Solstice this summer, about their approach to digital promotion.



Spotisfaction: Hey guys, hope you”™re all well. How”™s life?

Captain Horizon: It”™s good thanks, we just won a battle of the bands last night so we”™re all in a pretty good mood today :D – though we”™re also helping Alex move house so we”™re sitting in an empty room, on the floor, huddled round the laptop!

SF: You won! Fantastic. To introduce you guys to the readership, who are you, where are you from, and what are you up to? Tell us about the gigs you”™re doing atm and the competition you won yesterday.

CH: Big question! We”™re Captain Horizon, a four piece alt-rock band from Birmingham consisting of front man Steve “Whitty” Whittington, Guitarist Joshua Watson, Bassist Alex Thomson & Drummer James “Mez” Merrix. We”™re gigging around, just trying to get our songs out there and build up a bit of interest and excitement. At the moment we”™re mainly gigging in the Midlands – Brum, Nottingham etc. We did a couple of festivals this summer, Glastonbudget and Sonic Rock Solstice, both were awesome and we”™ve been having a blast playing to new people.

The competition we won yesterday was the Evesham battle of the bands, it”™s been a really awesome competition because it”™s judged on the music, stage presence and performance rather than how many of your mates you can clobber into coming down to support you. It”™s been really refreshing and the crowd down there are all awesome and really warm and supportive. The prize was £750 quid which really helps us with rehearsal space costs and all that.

SF: Have you been able to use the competition, and your other gigs, to promote your digital space? By that I mean, you have a visible presence on MySpace, Facebook, Bebo, and your EP is on Spotify, so do you find yourself just giving out CDs, or do you make more of an effort to advertise your Spotify/MySpace content? Is there a strategy to combine the two?

CH: Well, [we] try and use a combination of both really. Simply because we don”™t want to alienate the older generation of music lovers who won”™t tend to use these services as much as the younger generation. We have the usual presence on the various social sites, such as MySpace, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. We”™ve found that most of our fans tend to follow us and communicate with us on our Facebook fan page, which we tend to channel more effort into that particular area than some of the other sites.

During gigs we always hand out flyers which always point people to our website, which is the central hub for everything that we have online. We”™ve got plans to extend this further – to integrate the experience of these social sites into ours and to allow us to connect all of our fans together. It will be something which when implemented will be a benchmark for other band websites to follow.

But something to remember is that it”™s not just about promoting the digital space – the web is an awesome tool for promoting our music and gigs, and that”™s the focus!

SF: Well exactly. As mentioned, your EP is on Spotify, which is great tool to get your music heard. How has that been?

CH: It”™s been great to get new people to listen to the music – you can just send them a playlist link or people just using the search often come across us. Oh and the royalties help too!

SF: Could you tell us more about the process? How did you decide Spotify was right for you, how did you go about doing it, and has it proven worth it? Will you be using it for your forthcoming material, and would you recommend other unsigned bands follow your suit?

CH: Well, when the EP was finished, making it available online was going to be an essential part of getting our music out there to anywhere in the world through anyones preferred retailer. We found a digital distribution service called Ditto Music – who were able to help us get our music onto a number of websites (and make it chart elligible!) and fortunately enough, Spotify was one of the places they were able to distribute our music to.

We”™ll definitely be using it for the next EP which should be coming out later in the year if all goes well. And for sure it”™s a great service for unsigned bands, if only because it makes it so easy for new people to hear the music, which is what you want at the end of the day. The other thing is that it”™s extremely affordable for unsigned bands.

SF: Tell us more about your self-titled EP. How long were you working on it?

CH: Well the songs were worked [on] over a few months – when we started the band we only had three or four originals so it was really fun working up the material for a decent EP as quickly as possible. When it came to recording, we decided to use a studio rather than record it ourselves, as we had been for our demos. We wanted to go to a cool place where we could focus on the performances without having to keep our engineer hats on at the same time. The place we chose was Vale Studios in Evesham (we love that place!). It”™s in a big 14th century country mansion which was incredible to stay in, and the studio is all fitted out with vintage gear – old valve equipment and a huge mixing desk.

Once we”™d got the tracks recorded we took it back to our practice studio for mixing and Josh worked on it for about a month while mez designed the artwork and got the website geared up for promoting the finished CD. The finishing touches were added by mastering engineer Andy Jackson, who got a grammy for Pink Floyd”™s “Division Bell” so that was pretty cool!

SF: How did you find working with such an influential engineer? Was he receptive to your vision for the sound of the EP, or did you defer to him a lot (hell, I would have done!)?

CH: Well as the mastering engineer he kind of had to work with the mixes we gave him, which was pretty nerve racking for Josh! But the whole point of a mastering engineer is a fresh set of ears and a fresh room, so you”™ve kinda got to trust their opinions. We did say we didn”™t want it to be too over-compressed and loud because that crushes a lot of the life out of the music, and he was more than happy to listen to that! The recording engineer was called Chris D”™adda, he was really excited about the band from day one – he”™s so into rock music it”™s almost silly, when you start playing and see this big grin from the other side of the glass you know you”™re in good hands, especially when you listen to the playback and know he”™s captured what you wanted to put across as you played the song.

We didn”™t want an overproduced record and there”™s nothing on the EP we can”™t pull off live. We felt that was important for a debut EP – show people what the band is about, rather than how well we can polish ourselves.

SF I think you”™ve done that, the EP sounds earthy and like a band, rather than in-your-face production for the sake of it. And you”™ve hinted at more material later this year, what can we look forward to?

CH: Well we”™ve had more time to refine our sound and explore what we”™re about, so I think the new material is going to be a bit more defining for us – the songs are different but you can hear they”™ve been written by the same four guys. We”™re possibly moving towards something a bit more modern – fast tempos, atmosphere and cool riffs and a little less “classic rock” than the likes of “Fall Like That” from the debut EP. We also think it”™s important to keep evolving. Most of the big name bands that we enjoy have done that, exploring new ground and trying new things. It keeps it interesting and it keeps you on the edge which is where the excitement is! We”™ve got this new song, “Stop”, and it”™s so much fun to play, it”™s a bit like a roller coaster for us. There”™s a slide solo in the middle. Josh loves slide. We”™re also going for more big dynamic changes – the kind of stuff that makes listeners go “what was that!?”

SF: We look forward to that! Where can we see you guys next, and where can our readers find out more about you?

CH: Well, we”™re at a place called the Tap and Tumbler in Nottingham on 23rd July and heading to another venue called the Actress & Bishop in Birmingham on the 20th August. We”™re also going to be doing a couple of charity gigs for ”˜Help for Heroes”™.

People can find us by going to http://www.captainhorizon.co.uk. They can also find us by searching for ”˜captainhorizon”™ / ”˜Captain Horizon”™ on various social networks or other band related websites.

SF: Great stuff, we look forward to hearing the new material and congratulations again on winning the Evesham Battle of the Bands. Thanks for taking the time with us today!

CH: No problem, it”™s been great talking to you! Now we have to go back to helping Alex move house. Save us.

Captain Horizon are available on Spotify, Facebook, Twitter and all the latest information is available on their website. Look out for a review of their EP later this week.

Categories
Features

Love live music? Yep, we do too, so we thought we”™d bring you a selection of the finest musical extravaganzas that will be taking place over the coming months. New gig listings will be posted on a fortnightly basis, or more frequently if there is a need for it. If there are any gigs that have escaped our attention and that you think deserve a mention, then just drop me an e-mail (fozz@spotisfaction.com) and we”™ll get the details posted. Muchos amores [Fozz] [Show all] | [Hide all] [±] Black Mountain
    O2 Academy Oxford, Sat 04/09/10 @ 18:30
[±] Crystal Castles
    Roundhouse, London, Fri 15/10/10 @ 19:00 Anson Rooms, Bristol, Sun 17/10/10 @ 19:00
[±] Doom
    O2 Academy Brixton, London, Thu 14/10/10 @ 19:00 O2 Academy Bristol, Sat 16/10/10 @ 19:00
[±] Eels
    O2 Academy Birmingham, Thu 26/08/10 @ 19:00
[±] Errors, Twilight Sad
    XOYO, London, Thu 07/10/10 @ 20:00 The Fleece, Bristol, Sun 10/10/10 @ 20:00
[±] Groove Aramada
    O2 Academy Bristol, Tue 12/10/10 @ 19:00 O2 Academy Birmingham, Thu 14/10/10 @ 19:00 O2 Academy Brixton, London, Fri 15/10/10 @ 19:00 O2 Academy Brixton, London, Sat 16/10/10 @ 21:00
[±] Los Campesinos!, Frankie & the Heartstrings, Johnny Foreigner, Wichita
    The Relentless Garage, London, Thu 15/07/10 @ 19:00
[±] Maybeshewill
    O2 Academy Birmingham, Thu 26/08/10 @ 19:00
[±] Mr. Scruff
    Koko, London, Sat 23/10/10 @ 21:00 O2 Academy Bristol, Sat 30/10/10 @ 22:00
[±] Ou Est Le Swimming Pool
    The Croft, Bristol, Sun 10/10/10 @ 20:00
[±] School of Seven Bells
    Thekla, Bristol, Sun 18/07/10 @ 19:30 Scala, London, Tue 20/07/10@ 19:30
[±] Sia
    Troxy, London, Wed 06/10/10 @ 19:00
[±] Trentemøller
    Roundhouse, London, Sun 24/10/10 @ 19:00
[±] Two Door Cinema Club
    O2 Academy Oxford, Fri 24/09/10 @ 18:30
[±] Wolf Parade
    Thekla Bristol, Sat 11/09/10 @ 19:00
[±] The xx
    Somerset House, London, Tue 13/07/10 @ 19:30
[±] Yeasayer
    Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, Wed 25/08/10 @ 19:00 Roundhouse, London, Thu 21/10/10 @ 19:30

Love live music? Yep, we do too, so we thought we”™d bring you a selection of the finest musical extravaganzas that will be taking place over the coming months. New gig listings will be posted on a fortnightly basis, or more frequently if there is a need for it. If there are any gigs that have escaped our attention and that you think deserve a mention, then just drop me an e-mail (fozz@spotisfaction.com) and we”™ll get the details posted.

Muchos amores
[Fozz]

[Show all] | [Hide all]

[±] Black Mountain

    O2 Academy Oxford, Sat 04/09/10 @ 18:30

[±] Crystal Castles

    Roundhouse, London, Fri 15/10/10 @ 19:00

    Anson Rooms, Bristol, Sun 17/10/10 @ 19:00

[±] Doom

    O2 Academy Brixton, London, Thu 14/10/10 @ 19:00

    O2 Academy Bristol, Sat 16/10/10 @ 19:00

[±] Eels

    O2 Academy Birmingham, Thu 26/08/10 @ 19:00

[±] Errors, Twilight Sad

    XOYO, London, Thu 07/10/10 @ 20:00

    The Fleece, Bristol, Sun 10/10/10 @ 20:00

[±] Groove Aramada

    O2 Academy Bristol, Tue 12/10/10 @ 19:00

    O2 Academy Birmingham, Thu 14/10/10 @ 19:00

    O2 Academy Brixton, London, Fri 15/10/10 @ 19:00

    O2 Academy Brixton, London, Sat 16/10/10 @ 21:00

[±] Los Campesinos!, Frankie & the Heartstrings, Johnny Foreigner, Wichita

    The Relentless Garage, London, Thu 15/07/10 @ 19:00

[±] Maybeshewill

    O2 Academy Birmingham, Thu 26/08/10 @ 19:00

[±] Mr. Scruff

    Koko, London, Sat 23/10/10 @ 21:00

    O2 Academy Bristol, Sat 30/10/10 @ 22:00

[±] Ou Est Le Swimming Pool

    The Croft, Bristol, Sun 10/10/10 @ 20:00

[±] School of Seven Bells

    Thekla, Bristol, Sun 18/07/10 @ 19:30

    Scala, London, Tue 20/07/10@ 19:30

[±] Sia

    Troxy, London, Wed 06/10/10 @ 19:00

[±] Trentemøller

    Roundhouse, London, Sun 24/10/10 @ 19:00

[±] Two Door Cinema Club

    O2 Academy Oxford, Fri 24/09/10 @ 18:30

[±] Wolf Parade

    Thekla Bristol, Sat 11/09/10 @ 19:00

[±] The xx

    Somerset House, London, Tue 13/07/10 @ 19:30

[±] Yeasayer

    Slade Rooms, Wolverhampton, Wed 25/08/10 @ 19:00

    Roundhouse, London, Thu 21/10/10 @ 19:30

Categories
Features Reviews

Not sure what this VFTA malarkey is all about? See here. To listen along with Ben, BSS”™ “Broken Social Scene” is on Spotify. Click the album art below to purchase a copy of the album from Amazon. As the new millennium surged on and the decade reached it”™s dizzy midpoint, the now infamous Broken Social Scene continued to evolve, shifting the perspectives of the followers that they had gathered up to now. This time, the boundaries were to be pushed further and wider as the band set about crafting what was to become their most varied, ambitious and commercially accessible album to date. They were to create a new way of dreaming. Following the three year gap since their previous sound exploration, “You Forgot It In People”, the band had been hard at work writing new, ambitious material. “Broken Social Scene” saw more collaborators than their previous efforts and included artists such as The Dears”™ Murry Lightburn and Jason Tait of The Weakerthans. The new ideas that formed from these collaborations, coupled with the already vast scope of the existing collective, serve to add a world of colour to the third album. From the opening track ”˜Our Faces Split The Coast In Half”™ and the tune”™s rays of yellow sunshine, it is clear that this new album will not only provide a more coherent picture of what the band are about but also an illustrated soundtrack to the listener”™s life. The use of driving rhythms, and the cacophony of instruments that drift in and out of the introductory track alone clearly show this quality. One significant element to the band”™s sound on this collection is the sense of experimentation. This can be heard throughout the album but most notably in the dabbling of different time signatures and effects, prominent in ”˜7/4 (Shoreline)”™. The experimentation also creeps into existence around the end of some of the tracks, where various members of the collective sample techniques and potential song directions. The colours of the album tend to get brighter around tracks such as ”˜Swimmers”™ and ”˜Superconnected”™, both offering meaty drum beats dripped in a shoe gaze mentality and melody. However, the band do revert back to their previous, darker territory as the album reaches it”™s climatic end in ”˜It”™s All Gonna Break”™. In this shady closing track the harsh lyrics “When I was a kid, you fucked me in the ass, but I took my pen to my paper, and I passed you. You know I love the shit, ”˜Cause the shit tastes so good, I”™ve got pastures waiting in the woods” leek from the otherwise optimistic album, and remind the listener that emotions themselves are, in fact, colourless. “Broken Social Scene” marked the peak of the bands musical exploration, and in a way reveals the true “broken” element to the vision that the ever expanding collective have built. The break doesn”™t necessarily come in the disjointed nature of the song writing but more in the way that every track, each representing a different emotion, appear to be scattered around perhaps replicating real life. The self-titled effort also symbolises how Broken Social Scene have the unique ability, yet again to set their music and song to dream like imagery, but this time in full technicolour! Ben Hawling

Not sure what this VFTA malarkey is all about? See here.
To listen along with Ben, BSS”™ “Broken Social Scene” is on Spotify.
Click the album art below to purchase a copy of the album from Amazon.

As the new millennium surged on and the decade reached it”™s dizzy midpoint, the now infamous Broken Social Scene continued to evolve, shifting the perspectives of the followers that they had gathered up to now.

This time, the boundaries were to be pushed further and wider as the band set about crafting what was to become their most varied, ambitious and commercially accessible album to date. They were to create a new way of dreaming. Following the three year gap since their previous sound exploration, “You Forgot It In People”, the band had been hard at work writing new, ambitious material. “Broken Social Scene” saw more collaborators than their previous efforts and included artists such as The Dears”™ Murry Lightburn and Jason Tait of The Weakerthans. The new ideas that formed from these collaborations, coupled with the already vast scope of the existing collective, serve to add a world of colour to the third album.

From the opening track ”˜Our Faces Split The Coast In Half”™ and the tune”™s rays of yellow sunshine, it is clear that this new album will not only provide a more coherent picture of what the band are about but also an illustrated soundtrack to the listener”™s life. The use of driving rhythms, and the cacophony of instruments that drift in and out of the introductory track alone clearly show this quality.

One significant element to the band”™s sound on this collection is the sense of experimentation. This can be heard throughout the album but most notably in the dabbling of different time signatures and effects, prominent in ”˜7/4 (Shoreline)”™. The experimentation also creeps into existence around the end of some of the tracks, where various members of the collective sample techniques and potential song directions.

The colours of the album tend to get brighter around tracks such as ”˜Swimmers”™ and ”˜Superconnected”™, both offering meaty drum beats dripped in a shoe gaze mentality and melody. However, the band do revert back to their previous, darker territory as the album reaches it”™s climatic end in ”˜It”™s All Gonna Break”™. In this shady closing track the harsh lyrics “When I was a kid, you fucked me in the ass, but I took my pen to my paper, and I passed you. You know I love the shit, ”˜Cause the shit tastes so good, I”™ve got pastures waiting in the woods” leek from the otherwise optimistic album, and remind the listener that emotions themselves are, in fact, colourless.

“Broken Social Scene” marked the peak of the bands musical exploration, and in a way reveals the true “broken” element to the vision that the ever expanding collective have built. The break doesn”™t necessarily come in the disjointed nature of the song writing but more in the way that every track, each representing a different emotion, appear to be scattered around perhaps replicating real life. The self-titled effort also symbolises how Broken Social Scene have the unique ability, yet again to set their music and song to dream like imagery, but this time in full technicolour!

Ben Hawling

Categories
Features Reviews

Not sure what this VFTA malarkey is all about? See here. To listen along with Ben, BSS”™ “You Forgot It In People” is on Spotify. Following a brief hiatus in the first half of the decade, the Canadian musician ensemble, Broken Social Scene released their second album, “You Forgot It In People”; an album that was sure to carry more weight to it due to the further addition of artists to the already heavily populated group. With the surplus members and ideas, the band, namely core founders Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew, expanded their sound and embraced new moods still allowing the listener to escape real life, but this time without the dreaming. “You Forgot It In People” offers a more accessable selection of ”˜indie-rock”™ gems then previous album “Feel Good Lost”, in the sense that the intimate ambiance has been replaced with vocals and stronger melodic hooks. The band have not however abandoned their initial dream state sound completely. Essences of ethereal lifts and heavy orchestral tones are still present throughout, but are now supported by poetic lyrics, attempting to make sense of the real life one had left behind. A track that perhaps breaks this rule, ”˜Cause = Time”™, strikes hard at the album”™s heart and tells of the how society resorts to sex and selling its body, in an attempt to find meaning in life. ”And they all want to love the cause, ”˜cause they all need to be the cause, they all want to fuck the cause”. Yet, such a dark message is still accompanied by melodic guitars and a pulsing tempo, making it almost anthemic and full of emotion. Another significant track here is ”˜Looks Just Like The Sun”™; a chilled and relaxed refrain that doesn”™t just look, but also feels like the sun, as the lyrics describe someone whose presence radiates on the listener. Both tracks giving justified backing to the album”™s title, suggesting that such individual florishes, and human error, has been taken for granted in society as a whole. As with their debut, the band take the listener on an exploration through a series of ideas and visions, and peaks and troughs, but overall have managed to create a fine fusion of dark imagery with their trademark escapist tone, culminating in a very strong follow up album. At the time, this quality was recognised as the band recieved awards and accolades from right across the board; a just victory deserved for a group with such a unique vision and sound. From here, it is possible for Broken Social Scene to go anywhere, having both existed in beautiful dreams, and now harsh, yet lucid realities. Ben Hawling

Not sure what this VFTA malarkey is all about? See here.
To listen along with Ben, BSS”™ “You Forgot It In People” is on Spotify.

Following a brief hiatus in the first half of the decade, the Canadian musician ensemble, Broken Social Scene released their second album, “You Forgot It In People”; an album that was sure to carry more weight to it due to the further addition of artists to the already heavily populated group.

With the surplus members and ideas, the band, namely core founders Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew, expanded their sound and embraced new moods still allowing the listener to escape real life, but this time without the dreaming.

“You Forgot It In People” offers a more accessable selection of ”˜indie-rock”™ gems then previous album “Feel Good Lost”, in the sense that the intimate ambiance has been replaced with vocals and stronger melodic hooks. The band have not however abandoned their initial dream state sound completely. Essences of ethereal lifts and heavy orchestral tones are still present throughout, but are now supported by poetic lyrics, attempting to make sense of the real life one had left behind.

A track that perhaps breaks this rule, ”˜Cause = Time”™, strikes hard at the album”™s heart and tells of the how society resorts to sex and selling its body, in an attempt to find meaning in life. ”And they all want to love the cause, ”˜cause they all need to be the cause, they all want to fuck the cause”. Yet, such a dark message is still accompanied by melodic guitars and a pulsing tempo, making it almost anthemic and full of emotion. Another significant track here is ”˜Looks Just Like The Sun”™; a chilled and relaxed refrain that doesn”™t just look, but also feels like the sun, as the lyrics describe someone whose presence radiates on the listener. Both tracks giving justified backing to the album”™s title, suggesting that such individual florishes, and human error, has been taken for granted in society as a whole.

As with their debut, the band take the listener on an exploration through a series of ideas and visions, and peaks and troughs, but overall have managed to create a fine fusion of dark imagery with their trademark escapist tone, culminating in a very strong follow up album. At the time, this quality was recognised as the band recieved awards and accolades from right across the board; a just victory deserved for a group with such a unique vision and sound. From here, it is possible for Broken Social Scene to go anywhere, having both existed in beautiful dreams, and now harsh, yet lucid realities.

Ben Hawling

Categories
Features Reviews

A new feature on Spotisfaction. Every now and again one of us will cobble together some rare (read: probably not on Spotisfaction) tracks that have made their way into our playlists for you to download. Yes, music to download. This week, I have:
  1. The Shins – Strange Powers (Magnetic Fields Cover)
  2. Phoenix – Lisztomania (Acoustic Spin Session)
  3. Florence + The Machine – You”™ve Got The Love (The XX Remix)
  4. Four Tet – Angel Echoes (Caribou Remix)
  5. Hot Chip – Transmission (Joy Division Cover)
The Shins – Strange Powers (Magnetic Fields Cover) Between The Shins and Broken Bells, I would almost forgive you if you”™d had enough of James Mercer”™s fantastic and distinct voice by now. Almost, but not quite. Perhaps this cover is just what The Magnetic Fields need to open up their music to a wider fanbase. Phoenix – Lisztomania (Acoustic Spin Session) Lisztomania (or Wrestlemania, as it has become known as in Spotisfaction Towers) is a fantasic song, and hearing it live and acoustic just reinforces the fact that France”™s hottest export Phoenix write beautiful songs. Florence + The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (The xx Remix) I”™m not the greatest fan of Florence + The Machine, truth be told. But this reworking by The XX really hits the spot for me. Four Tet – Angel Echoes (Caribou Remix) I recently introduced my Fiancée to Four Tet. I think it was Angel Echoes that really grabbed her. It is a pretty classic track. I implore you to check out Caribou”™s take on it. Hot Chip – Transmission (Joy Division Cover) This is one of my favourite Joy Division tracks. I can”™t imagine how this cover actually came about. Prepare yourself for something a bit different. Tune in next time for MOAR of what is on my radar. [Thom]

A new feature on Spotisfaction. Every now and again one of us will cobble together some rare (read: probably not on Spotisfaction) tracks that have made their way into our playlists for you to download. Yes, music to download. This week, I have:

  1. The Shins – Strange Powers (Magnetic Fields Cover)
  2. Phoenix – Lisztomania (Acoustic Spin Session)
  3. Florence + The Machine – You”™ve Got The Love (The XX Remix)
  4. Four Tet – Angel Echoes (Caribou Remix)
  5. Hot Chip – Transmission (Joy Division Cover)

The Shins – Strange Powers (Magnetic Fields Cover)
Between The Shins and Broken Bells, I would almost forgive you if you”™d had enough of James Mercer”™s fantastic and distinct voice by now. Almost, but not quite. Perhaps this cover is just what The Magnetic Fields need to open up their music to a wider fanbase.

Phoenix – Lisztomania (Acoustic Spin Session)
Lisztomania (or Wrestlemania, as it has become known as in Spotisfaction Towers) is a fantasic song, and hearing it live and acoustic just reinforces the fact that France”™s hottest export Phoenix write beautiful songs.

Florence + The Machine – You’ve Got The Love (The xx Remix)
I”™m not the greatest fan of Florence + The Machine, truth be told. But this reworking by The XX really hits the spot for me.

Four Tet – Angel Echoes (Caribou Remix)
I recently introduced my Fianc̩e to Four Tet. I think it was Angel Echoes that really grabbed her. It is a pretty classic track. I implore you to check out CaribouӪs take on it.

Hot Chip – Transmission (Joy Division Cover)
This is one of my favourite Joy Division tracks. I can”™t imagine how this cover actually came about. Prepare yourself for something a bit different.

Tune in next time for MOAR of what is on my radar.

[Thom]

Categories
Features Reviews

Not sure what this VFTA malarkey is all about? See here. To listen along with Ben, BSS”™ “Feel Good Lost” is on Spotify. The year 2000; the start of the new millennium, but more importantly the birth of new ideas, perspectives and emotions. Around the same time as the world welcomed in this new decade, a fresh sound was growing from the suburban basements, and urban meadows of America and Canada. A sound that projected pure poetry and delicate lyrical narratives, set to beautifully crafted instrumental dream states. Circa 2000, the pioneers of this ”˜post-rockesque”™ styling included bands such as Bright Eyes, The Shins and Death Cab For Cutie, all of which continue to evolve and develop this glorious sound 10 years on. But one group who appear to have nurtured the genre throughout the decade, and are still exploring it to this day, are Broken Social Scene. Formed in Canada in 1999, Broken Social Scene originally existed as a mix of collaborators, musicians and friends who blended an array of musical projects and ideas together. After two years of fine tuning, founding members Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew wrote the band”™s debut album “Feel Good Lost”; a myriad of moods and tones that truly paints a picture of the mass artist collective present and the new millennium perspective. “Feel Good Lost” is apt as a debut as it consists mostly of instrumental stylings, and in many ways acts as introduction to the band”™s avant-garde direction. The moods contained in the album rise and fall and a series of emotions, and dreams are explored in intimate detail. ”˜Alive In 85”™ capturing a rather more jovial mood setting with muffled yet busy tempo, and gently wafting guitar melodies. Whereas, ”˜Stomach Song”™ represents a more claustrophobic, enclosed atmosphere, with its murky orchestration and eerie collection of vocal clips looped over and over throughout. The collection of work here tends to float along sweetly, culminating in the heavy ”˜Last Place”™, that acts as the awakening from the troubled, yet peaceful dream of the album. As “Feel Good Lost” reaches it”™s optimistic closing track ”˜Cranley”™s Gonna Make It”™, one can”™t help but agree with the album”™s title; that it has felt good being lifted out of the harshness of real life, and left alone to wonder in this pure dream state. Admittedly, Broken Social Scene”™s debut isn”™t one of strength or power. But what it does hold is potential, promise and the odd sense of escapism that exists so beautifully in the music of all those visionary band”™s way back in 2000. The Year 2000: That start of the great escape! Ben Hawling


Not sure what this VFTA malarkey is all about? See here.
To listen along with Ben, BSS”™ “Feel Good Lost” is on Spotify.

The year 2000; the start of the new millennium, but more importantly the birth of new ideas, perspectives and emotions.

Around the same time as the world welcomed in this new decade, a fresh sound was growing from the suburban basements, and urban meadows of America and Canada. A sound that projected pure poetry and delicate lyrical narratives, set to beautifully crafted instrumental dream states. Circa 2000, the pioneers of this ”˜post-rockesque”™ styling included bands such as Bright Eyes, The Shins and Death Cab For Cutie, all of which continue to evolve and develop this glorious sound 10 years on. But one group who appear to have nurtured the genre throughout the decade, and are still exploring it to this day, are Broken Social Scene.

Formed in Canada in 1999, Broken Social Scene originally existed as a mix of collaborators, musicians and friends who blended an array of musical projects and ideas together. After two years of fine tuning, founding members Brendan Canning and Kevin Drew wrote the band”™s debut album “Feel Good Lost”; a myriad of moods and tones that truly paints a picture of the mass artist collective present and the new millennium perspective.

“Feel Good Lost” is apt as a debut as it consists mostly of instrumental stylings, and in many ways acts as introduction to the band”™s avant-garde direction. The moods contained in the album rise and fall and a series of emotions, and dreams are explored in intimate detail. ”˜Alive In 85”™ capturing a rather more jovial mood setting with muffled yet busy tempo, and gently wafting guitar melodies. Whereas, ”˜Stomach Song”™ represents a more claustrophobic, enclosed atmosphere, with its murky orchestration and eerie collection of vocal clips looped over and over throughout. The collection of work here tends to float along sweetly, culminating in the heavy ”˜Last Place”™, that acts as the awakening from the troubled, yet peaceful dream of the album.

As “Feel Good Lost” reaches it”™s optimistic closing track ”˜Cranley”™s Gonna Make It”™, one can”™t help but agree with the album”™s title; that it has felt good being lifted out of the harshness of real life, and left alone to wonder in this pure dream state. Admittedly, Broken Social Scene”™s debut isn”™t one of strength or power. But what it does hold is potential, promise and the odd sense of escapism that exists so beautifully in the music of all those visionary band”™s way back in 2000.

The Year 2000: That start of the great escape!

Ben Hawling

Categories
Features

It”™s time to announce our competition winner! It was a close-run thing, with a large selection of utterly awesome feel-good songs being sent our way. However, as with all these things, there can be only one winner (no matter how much we wish we had a decently sized prize fund). Our top three are as follows: 3rd Place: Tom Mitchell, with “Hair” by The Cowsills 2nd Place: Adam Ashby, with “When I Grow Up” by Fever Ray ”¦and our winner is: 1st Place: Rhys Howell, with “Mr Blue Sky” by ELO Congrats, Rhys – we”™ll be in touch with details of how to collect the ticket. Bring your best beer drinking face. Thanks to everyone who entered – we”™ve collated your entries in the following playlist – please listen and enjoy! 01 Compisfaction – Let”™s Make Happy We definitely hope to run more competitions like this, so if you have any ideas do get in touch. Spotisfaction Crew. PS. A massive honorable mention to Rob Morgan, who would have won with his entry: “Wouldn”™t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys – however, he couldn”™t make it (and indeed was the person who kindly donated his ticket!). Cheers, bro.


It”™s time to announce our competition winner! It was a close-run thing, with a large selection of utterly awesome feel-good songs being sent our way. However, as with all these things, there can be only one winner (no matter how much we wish we had a decently sized prize fund). Our top three are as follows:

3rd Place: Tom Mitchell, with “Hair” by The Cowsills
2nd Place: Adam Ashby, with “When I Grow Up” by Fever Ray

”¦and our winner is:

1st Place: Rhys Howell, with “Mr Blue Sky” by ELO

Congrats, Rhys – we”™ll be in touch with details of how to collect the ticket. Bring your best beer drinking face.

Thanks to everyone who entered – we”™ve collated your entries in the following playlist – please listen and enjoy!

01 Compisfaction – Let”™s Make Happy

We definitely hope to run more competitions like this, so if you have any ideas do get in touch.

Spotisfaction Crew.

PS. A massive honorable mention to Rob Morgan, who would have won with his entry: “Wouldn”™t It Be Nice” by The Beach Boys – however, he couldn”™t make it (and indeed was the person who kindly donated his ticket!). Cheers, bro.

Categories
Features Reviews

Sometimes, when a band release a new album, the very fabric of your passion for them is tested. Do you like their new material? Have they lost their way? I don”™t know about you, but I do this all the time. I find that listening back over the entire back catalogue of the band doesn”™t just refresh and rekindle the appreciation that you initially built for them, but also allows you to track the band, or artists growth as they evolve through the music industry, and find their ”˜sound”™. And, if you”™re lucky, you may even discover little treats in the albums that you didn”™t hear before, woop! Every week at Spotisfaction towers, I will atempt to rummage through an artist”™s past albums and explore exactly where they”™ve come from, and where they are heading, in a feature we”™re calling ”˜View From The Afternoon”™. This will be fun, honest! The name? After much deliberation and indecision over what such a feature could be called, View From The Afternoon was chosen. The title refers to the Arctic Monkeys track; the lyrics of which describe how perspectives of past events change in time, and alter with the benefit of hindsight. This is kind of what we are doing when we look back over a band”™s past albums. We are judging their current musical state on the twists and turns that have taken place before, and can only now hold a true picture of their work as a whole. Ok, so its a weak title, but until we think of something better, it stays, so there! To kick off this glorious feature, we are dedicating a week to those quirky Canadian shoe gazers, Broken Social Scene, in honour of their upcoming live gig at Birmingham Academy on Saturday [Editor”™s note: if you”™re coming, let us know!]. I for one have never actually listened to the band before, or any of their work, so this week”™s trawl through their back catalogue will be hugely beneficial for me. If you are already a fan, I hope the following reviews and opinions appear just, and that they help you fall in love with the band all over again, just in time for the gig. We hope you enjoy these weekly journeys, and that they shine a light on your life somehow. Enjoy Broken Social Scene, and we”™ll see you down the front! Nuff said! [Ben]

Sometimes, when a band release a new album, the very fabric of your passion for them is tested. Do you like their new material? Have they lost their way?

I don”™t know about you, but I do this all the time. I find that listening back over the entire back catalogue of the band doesn”™t just refresh and rekindle the appreciation that you initially built for them, but also allows you to track the band, or artists growth as they evolve through the music industry, and find their ”˜sound”™. And, if you”™re lucky, you may even discover little treats in the albums that you didn”™t hear before, woop!

Every week at Spotisfaction towers, I will atempt to rummage through an artist”™s past albums and explore exactly where they”™ve come from, and where they are heading, in a feature we”™re calling ”˜View From The Afternoon”™. This will be fun, honest!

The name? After much deliberation and indecision over what such a feature could be called, View From The Afternoon was chosen. The title refers to the Arctic Monkeys track; the lyrics of which describe how perspectives of past events change in time, and alter with the benefit of hindsight. This is kind of what we are doing when we look back over a band”™s past albums. We are judging their current musical state on the twists and turns that have taken place before, and can only now hold a true picture of their work as a whole.

Ok, so its a weak title, but until we think of something better, it stays, so there!

To kick off this glorious feature, we are dedicating a week to those quirky Canadian shoe gazers, Broken Social Scene, in honour of their upcoming live gig at Birmingham Academy on Saturday [Editor”™s note: if you”™re coming, let us know!].

I for one have never actually listened to the band before, or any of their work, so this week”™s trawl through their back catalogue will be hugely beneficial for me. If you are already a fan, I hope the following reviews and opinions appear just, and that they help you fall in love with the band all over again, just in time for the gig.

We hope you enjoy these weekly journeys, and that they shine a light on your life somehow. Enjoy Broken Social Scene, and we”™ll see you down the front!

Nuff said!
[Ben]

Categories
Features

Broken Social Scene Hey folks. Quick reminder that Saturday 26th June is the very first Spotisfaction Meetup, and it”™s taking place at Birmingham O2 Academy where we”™ll be watching the fantabulous Broken Social Scene. If you”™ve not got a ticket, fret ye not! We”™ve got 1 ticket up for grabs in our competition. Come watch the show, meet the Spotisfaction crew, drink beer with us and generally have a lovely time. Find out how after the break”¦ To be in with a chance of winning this, frankly, priceless wonder of a prize:
  1. Follow our Twitter feed – http://www.twitter.com/Spotisfaction
  2. Tweet us your best feel-good song, using the #compisfaction hashtag
The winner will be decided based on which song makes us “awwwww yeah” the hardest. Best of luck everyone, and happy hunting”¦ HEARTS [David] PS. you can hear Broken Social Scene”™s latest full-length, “Forgiveness Rock Record” (2010, Arts & Crafts) right here: Broken Social Scene ”“ Forgiveness Rock Record Ticket graciously donated by our friend, Rob Morgan. Rules:
  • The song *must* be available on Spotify.
  • Only 1 entry per person – we want your best choice, not 20 alternatives.
  • You must be able to collect the ticket from us at the venue (if you live in the Gloucester area we may be able to sort you out with a lift to and fro, but no guarantees).
  • You must be over 18, otherwise we can”™t buy you a beer.

Broken Social Scene

Hey folks. Quick reminder that Saturday 26th June is the very first Spotisfaction Meetup, and it”™s taking place at Birmingham O2 Academy where we”™ll be watching the fantabulous Broken Social Scene.

If you”™ve not got a ticket, fret ye not!

We”™ve got 1 ticket up for grabs in our competition. Come watch the show, meet the Spotisfaction crew, drink beer with us and generally have a lovely time. Find out how after the break”¦

To be in with a chance of winning this, frankly, priceless wonder of a prize:

  1. Follow our Twitter feed – http://www.twitter.com/Spotisfaction
  2. Tweet us your best feel-good song, using the #compisfaction hashtag

The winner will be decided based on which song makes us “awwwww yeah” the hardest.

Best of luck everyone, and happy hunting”¦

HEARTS
[David]

PS. you can hear Broken Social Scene”™s latest full-length, “Forgiveness Rock Record” (2010, Arts & Crafts) right here: Broken Social Scene ”“ Forgiveness Rock Record

Ticket graciously donated by our friend, Rob Morgan.
Rules:

  • The song *must* be available on Spotify.
  • Only 1 entry per person – we want your best choice, not 20 alternatives.
  • You must be able to collect the ticket from us at the venue (if you live in the Gloucester area we may be able to sort you out with a lift to and fro, but no guarantees).
  • You must be over 18, otherwise we can”™t buy you a beer.
Categories
Features

Link: Mukinabaht: Feature: What Is The Cheltenham Underground? It would appear that for some unknown reason, Thom decided to write an article about the Cheltenham Underground on his day off from Spotisfaction. In the absence of a playlist today, head on over to his blog and have a good ol”™ fashioned read.

Link: Mukinabaht: Feature: What Is The Cheltenham Underground?
It would appear that for some unknown reason, Thom decided to write an article about the Cheltenham Underground on his day off from Spotisfaction. In the absence of a playlist today, head on over to his blog and have a good ol”™ fashioned read.

Categories
Features News

Yo! So, one of my all-time favourite bands are playing in Birmingham on Saturday 26th June. The Spotisfaction crew are going, and we”™d like you guys to come too. I”™ve set up a Facebook event with further details, including where to buy the tickets from and a rough idea of what the plan will be. Give us a shout if you”™d like to come with us, and we”™ll send you an invite! You can find me on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/SpotisfactionDavid Woop! David

Yo! So, one of my all-time favourite bands are playing in Birmingham on Saturday 26th June. The Spotisfaction crew are going, and we”™d like you guys to come too.

I”™ve set up a Facebook event with further details, including where to buy the tickets from and a rough idea of what the plan will be.

Give us a shout if you”™d like to come with us, and we”™ll send you an invite! You can find me on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/SpotisfactionDavid

Woop!
David