Category: News

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News

News: Philip Selway

Bella Union, the record company behind the UK release of Philip Selway‘s debut album, Familial, have been kind enough to offer a further three tracks for our listening pleasure prior to the album’s release in two weeks. We featured a stream of the Radiohead drummer’s first single, By Some Miracle, in a previous post and it’s nice to get more of a feel for the new album. Philip is touring through November to promote the new album so look for him in the next instalment of our Gig Rig feature, and check out his website for full details.

The stream is below. Let us know what you think in the comments.
Philip Selway – Familial (Album Sampler) by Bella Union

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News

News: Sufjan Stevens

A favourite at Spotisfaction Towers, Sufjan Stevens has just released his new EP, All Delighted People on the Asthmatic Kitty label. I’ve had it on replay since it’s been released, and would heartily recommend you give it a listen. You can buy it now from Sufjan’s BandCamp website in almost any format you could wish for, and the price is a quite remarkably low $5.

Although it’s an EP, don’t be fooled into thinking this is anything less than a fully featured release. These are 8-tracks that have clearly had a lot of love poured into them, with a runtime longer than a huge number of full-length albums at a whopping 60 minutes. Title song All Delighted People is an 11 minute wonder all on its own. From the description for this opener on BandCamp: All Delighted People is built around two different versions of Sufjan”™s long-form epic ballad “All Delighted People,” a dramatic homage to the Apocalypse, existential ennui, and Paul Simon”™s “Sounds of Silence.” – it might sound completely over the top, but for those unfamiliar with Sufjan this is just the norm, and we completely love him for it.

Anyway, the EP is also available to stream for free so have a gander below:

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News

News: Welcome

Evening all. Couple of quick ones for you this evening.

For those that are new to Spotisfaction since the relaunch, we run playlists on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with news, reviews and features interspersed throughout the week. Check back tomorrow for our next playlist, #101.

We’re currently looking for a few people to join our happy crew and contribute regular pieces of work. To rip off an earlier post of mine:

…If you”™re the kind of person that prioritises buying albums or going to gigs over buying food, then come write a few reviews for us.
…If most of your time is spent in a mammoth Spotify click-through blur, come be one of our playlist crafters.
…If you spend all day on the Internet trawling music sites, then compile that stuff and chuck us some news.
…If you spend more time looking through a camera viewfinder than your own eyeballs, be our lensman/woman.
…If you fancy yourself less grammar Nazi, more grammar Hitler, come help us edit our content.
…If you can view HTML and PHP like Neo views the Matrix, slip in as our resident grouchy coder.

If any of these absurd stereotypes are you, get in touch. If you would rather just submit a one-off playlist, review or article, that’s fine too.

Finally, we’ve started work on a “once every now and again” newsletter, so if you’d like to be kept up-to-date with periodic bulletins, then please do feel free to subscribe.

Love, etc.
The Spotisfaction Team

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News

News: A Genuine Freakshow

One of my musical highlights of the year so far has been the discovery of Reading-based seven piece, A Genuine Freakshow. Having caught their fantastic post-rock inspired live act twice so far this year I am genuninely excited at the prospect of the release of their debut album, Oftentimes, which is due to hit shelves on 4th October. A special edition of the album, which includes a second disc of the band’s previously released material, is now available for pre-order from their website. For lovers of post-rock indie, I would highly recommend checking the band out and picking up a copy of the album (and yes I have ordered mine already).

Look for a review of the album here as soon as it arrives on my doorstep, but in the meantime check them out below (courtesy of SoundCloud):

Selections from ‘Oftentimes’ by A Genuine Freakshow

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News: Website Relaunch

Morning all! It’s my mahoosive pleasure to inform you that our new website is now online! The new site should offer a cleaner, more easily navigated experience, and I really hope you all enjoy using it. We have big plans for future development, and we’re keen to take your ideas on board so please do get in touch with any suggestions or comments.

Massive heartfelt thanks to everyone involved in the redesign – a lot of hard work has gone into the migration, and it’s hugely appreciated.

Some info for you:

  • Our RSS feeds have changed – the new link is http://feeds.feedburner.com/Spotisfaction;
  • Check out our Submission Guide here for details on how to continue submitting your playlists, reviews and features;
  • We’ve created a new Facebook ‘fan’ page to offer us more control over the updates we post there, so please like us and suggest us to your friends!

Major thanks from myself and the whole team for your continued support. We created this website and continue to update it because we really love what we do, but there’d be no point in doing it if none of you guys visited.

Love, etc.
Dave and The Spotisfaction Team.

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News

News: Stressechoes

Spotisfaction writer Ben Hawling is not one to blow his own trumpet (and believe me he has tried) but he does have other talents. When not spewing forth intriguing and in-depth prose that stimulates intellectual debate, our Ben creates culinary masterpieces such as chocolate pizza and has also been known to occasionally hit things with sticks.

Luckily the things he hits are drums, and in a random set of circumstances that I am led to believe involved baked beans, a deer, some sellotape, the complete written works of Enid Blyton and a Commonwealth Games silver medal, Ben has recently ended up as the drummer for Cheltenham-based band Stressechoes.

After a successful appearance at Cheltenham Underground”™s Decent Days and Nights weekender, Stressechoes, complete with new drummer, have gone on to play at other events in Cheltenham to such crowd approval that they decided to record a few tracks for a demo.

And so it was that last week the four Stressechoes found themselves in a recording studio for a day and out of this session a four track demo was created. Visitors to the band”™s MySpace site can now check out the tracks and I would highly recommend that you do so now so that in future you can claim to all your friends that you knew about them before they became popular.

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News: Celebration of Curation


31 days, 31 curators, 31 exclusive Cloudcasts.

As they approach their first birthday, our friends over at Mixcloud will be showcasing some of the biggest editorial voices around, who they have been proud and honoured to have worked alongside in the last 12 months.

Everyday throughout August an exclusive Cloudcast from their pick of the best curators will be available to listen to exclusively on Mixcloud.  The line up has been announced and includes the likes of Vice, Mixmag, BBC 1Xtra, RedBull Music Academy, Fabric, Don”™t Stay In and many more.

Highlights so far include Day 2”™s cloudcast from the mighty Knowledge Magazine which features some big tunes from the likes of Alix Perez, Noisia and The Upbeats, and yesterday”™s hip hop history lesson from WhoSampled.com. Check it!

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News

News: Richard Russell of XL Recordings

Photo courtesy of the Telegraph.co.uk

We thoroughly encourage you to read the interview with Richard Russell of XL Recordings in today”™s Telegraph. The article provides a revealing insight into the history and ethos of Britain”™s most influential label.

XL Recordings have gone from strength to strength since the label”™s inception in the late 80s to release dance and rave music. Now they are home to Dizzee Rascal, Thom Yorke and Gil Scott-Heron, and in the wake of The xx”™s recent Mercury Prize nomination, the Telegraph have featured an interview with the XL founder.

Read the interview here.

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News: Cage Against The Machine

Last year, a Facebook group got Rage Against The Machine to Christmas UK number 1. It even got Rage themselves to put on a free gig for us all.

This year, it’s Cage Against The Machine. A new Facebook campaign has been started to get John Cage’s famous avant-garde work 4’33” – notable for it’s 4-and-a-half minutes of pure silence – to Christmas number one this year.

Feel free to make as many ”˜Silent Night” puns as you see fit, and make sure you sign up for your email reminder to buy the single in 6 months time!

We like this one; lets hear silence at the top spot this Christmas.

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News Reviews

News: Foals


Image courtesy of Amazon.co.uk
Following their Mercury Prize Nomination, Foals”™ Total Life Forever is now available to listen to on Spotify.

The Spotify release includes a 23 minute interview with Yannis, speaking about the new album, his childhood, his growing interest in subversive culture and music, and a revealing commentary on the growth of the band since the first album. Listen to this, now!

Taken from my Foals Glastonbury review:

“The new album, Total Life Forever (Transgressive, 2010), was a realisation of the growing maturity in the band. The songs are louder, deeper (take a bow, Mr Sitek), more balanced, more energetic. It”™s still definitely downtempo, but you sense, when you see Foals live, that they”™ve got their craft exactly right now – explore songs and dynamics on record, but see them live to truly understand the band.”

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Photo courtesy of The Ocelot Big up The Prodigy, who have been voted the most influential dance act of all time in a recent poll by GlobalGathering. With 29% of the votes they stormed ahead of Daft Punk (13%) and the likes of Faithless (11%), Kraftwerk (5%) and the Chemical Brothers (3%). It seems only befitting of a band that created a truly unique sound, morphing drum & bass, techno and rock into a menacing beast that would draw a new generation into electronic music, sell more than 20 million records over 20 years and pave the way for the live dance acts of today. The Top 10: 1. Prodigy (29%) 2. Daft Punk (13%) 3. Faithless (11%) 4. New Order (9%) 5. Orbital (7%) 6. Kraftwerk (5%) 7. Paul Oakenfold (4%) 8. Carl Cox (4%) 9. Fatboy Slim (3%) 10. Chemical Brothers (2%)

Photo courtesy of The Ocelot

Big up The Prodigy, who have been voted the most influential dance act of all time in a recent poll by GlobalGathering. With 29% of the votes they stormed ahead of Daft Punk (13%) and the likes of Faithless (11%), Kraftwerk (5%) and the Chemical Brothers (3%).

It seems only befitting of a band that created a truly unique sound, morphing drum & bass, techno and rock into a menacing beast that would draw a new generation into electronic music, sell more than 20 million records over 20 years and pave the way for the live dance acts of today.

The Top 10:

1. Prodigy (29%)
2. Daft Punk (13%)
3. Faithless (11%)
4. New Order (9%)
5. Orbital (7%)
6. Kraftwerk (5%)
7. Paul Oakenfold (4%)
8. Carl Cox (4%)
9. Fatboy Slim (3%)
10. Chemical Brothers (2%)

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News Playlists

2000 Trees

Ok, so it”™s not Glastonbury, but over the last three years 2000 Trees has grown to become quite a well respected little festival. It”™s fourth outing kicks off tomorrow, with early entry for some lucky ticket-holders today. Held every year at Upcote Farm near Cheltenham, 2000 Trees was started by a group of friends as a reaction to the spiralling costs of the mainstream festivals and the desire to create a more ethical alternative. 2000 Trees is one of the more environmentally-friendly festivals, winning a ”˜Greener Festival Award”™ for its efforts. Electricity is produced from locally sourced bio-fuel, there is onsite recycling, food and drink is locally sourced where possible and there are travel incentives for car sharing and using local transport. Musically the festival has no restrictions, offering music from various genres including rock, metal, indie, folk and pop, but with an emphasis on promoting home grown talent. The organizers even hold a Battle of the Bands each year to give local bands a chance to win a slot on the main stage. This year”™s line-up is headlined by Frank Turner, Metronomy, The Subways and Bombay Bicycle Club with other acts including Kill It Kid, 65Daysofstatic, Maybeshewill, Tubelord, And So I Watch You From Afar, David Goo, Jim Lockey & the Solemn Sun, and Spotisfaction favourite Men Diamler. Following a successful day at the festival last year, where we discovered the awesomeness that is Imperial Leisure, Thom and myself are heading there for the entire weekend this year so look for some reviews from us next week (or whenever we recover).

[Kevin]

2000 Trees

Ok, so it”™s not Glastonbury, but over the last three years 2000 Trees has grown to become quite a well respected little festival. It”™s fourth outing kicks off tomorrow, with early entry for some lucky ticket-holders today.

Held every year at Upcote Farm near Cheltenham, 2000 Trees was started by a group of friends as a reaction to the spiralling costs of the mainstream festivals and the desire to create a more ethical alternative.

2000 Trees is one of the more environmentally-friendly festivals, winning a ”˜Greener Festival Award”™ for its efforts. Electricity is produced from locally sourced bio-fuel, there is onsite recycling, food and drink is locally sourced where possible and there are travel incentives for car sharing and using local transport.

Musically the festival has no restrictions, offering music from various genres including rock, metal, indie, folk and pop, but with an emphasis on promoting home grown talent. The organizers even hold a Battle of the Bands each year to give local bands a chance to win a slot on the main stage.

This year”™s line-up is headlined by Frank Turner, Metronomy, The Subways and Bombay Bicycle Club with other acts including Kill It Kid, 65Daysofstatic, Maybeshewill, Tubelord, And So I Watch You From Afar, David Goo, Jim Lockey & the Solemn Sun, and Spotisfaction favourite Men Diamler.

Following a successful day at the festival last year, where we discovered the awesomeness that is Imperial Leisure, Thom and myself are heading there for the entire weekend this year so look for some reviews from us next week (or whenever we recover).

[Kevin]

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News

Last week, Thom and I spoke to Amazing Radio about Spotisfaction, our thoughts about Spotify, new music and life in general. Today, we”™ve been featured on their blog and will be on the Afternoon Show before 4pm! http://amazingradio.co.uk/uncategorized/the-afternoon-show-its-blog-of-the-week-day You can listen here: http://amazingradio.co.uk/ [David]

Last week, Thom and I spoke to Amazing Radio about Spotisfaction, our thoughts about Spotify, new music and life in general. Today, we”™ve been featured on their blog and will be on the Afternoon Show before 4pm!

http://amazingradio.co.uk/uncategorized/the-afternoon-show-its-blog-of-the-week-day

You can listen here: http://amazingradio.co.uk/

[David]

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News

It would appear that Caribou, Owen Pallet and Broken Social Scene are all shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. The Polaris Music Prize is similar to similar to the UK”™s Mercury Music Prize. It is given each year by Canadian music business insiders, including of journalists, bloggers and broadcasters, to the Canadian album they believe has the highest artistic merit regardless of the style of music or the number of records sold.

Criteria for consideration requires the artist to be Canadian and for the album to be at least 30 minutes/8 tracks long and truth be told the Canadians are currently producing a large amount of very good music as can be seen from this years long list of nominees which included The New Pornographers, Basia Bulat and Young Galaxy. Those that have made it into the shortlist announced today include previous winners Caribou and Owen Pallett, as well as the mighty Broken Social Scene and The Besnard Lakes. Check out the albums up for the award below, and click the links to hear them on Spotify.

The award ceremony takes place on September 20th when the winner will be able to walk off with head held high and $20,000 in their pocket. We pity the judges, as it”™s going to be a very close call this year”¦

It would appear that Caribou, Owen Pallet and Broken Social Scene are all shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize.

The Polaris Music Prize is similar to similar to the UK”™s Mercury Music Prize. It is given each year by Canadian music business insiders, including of journalists, bloggers and broadcasters, to the Canadian album they believe has the highest artistic merit regardless of the style of music or the number of records sold.

Criteria for consideration requires the artist to be Canadian and for the album to be at least 30 minutes/8 tracks long and truth be told the Canadians are currently producing a large amount of very good music as can be seen from this years long list of nominees which included The New Pornographers, Basia Bulat and Young Galaxy.

Those that have made it into the shortlist announced today include previous winners Caribou and Owen Pallett, as well as the mighty Broken Social Scene and The Besnard Lakes. Check out the albums up for the award below, and click the links to hear them on Spotify.

The award ceremony takes place on September 20th when the winner will be able to walk off with head held high and $20,000 in their pocket. We pity the judges, as it”™s going to be a very close call this year”¦

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News

Looks like we have a bit of a fight brewing between Welsh rockers LostProphets and indie starlets Foals, which seems to have started on Twitter. 

After the LostProphets posted a message recently saying “I”™ve got some news. Foals are fucking shit.” Lead singer of Foals, Yannis Philippakis, responded via Twitter with “Lostprophets. LOL!” Later expanding on this with “Being insulted by the Lostprophets is a bit like watching a yapping, boney old chihuahua piss on its own leg.” It”™s not clear what initially sparked the argument but with banter like that I think it”™s one to keep an eye on. Remember kids, arguing on the Internet is like competing in the special Olympics. Even if you win, you”™re still retarded.

Looks like we have a bit of a fight brewing between Welsh rockers LostProphets and indie starlets Foals, which seems to have started on Twitter. 

After the LostProphets posted a message recently saying “I”™ve got some news. Foals are fucking shit.” Lead singer of Foals, Yannis Philippakis, responded via Twitter with “Lostprophets. LOL!” Later expanding on this with “Being insulted by the Lostprophets is a bit like watching a yapping, boney old chihuahua piss on its own leg.”

It”™s not clear what initially sparked the argument but with banter like that I think it”™s one to keep an eye on. Remember kids, arguing on the Internet is like competing in the special Olympics. Even if you win, you”™re still retarded.