Sounds of the Shameless Pt 1

By RingMaster Review on September 11, 2022 • ( 0 )

With a bumper crop of creative goodness in tow, our friend Shauna of soundscaping weaving duo UMMAGMA and SHAMELESS PROMOTION PR has brought a stream of revitalising light to an already heavy September with her discovery of some inspiriting new singles. Such the fruitful depth of her selections we have spread our look over two parts so welcome to Part 1…

Recently Seattle indie rockers BLACK NITE CRASH announced the mid-October release date of their new album and if the anticipation of fans was not instantly sparked they have unveiled lead single, The Take, to seriously whet the appetite. The song epitomises the band’s sound, a fuzzy fusion of psychedelic rock, indie rock and shoe gaze which has blossomed over the years, the track a lure of nostalgia and the temptation of new imagination.

BLACK NITE CRASH emerged twenty years ago and has seen plenty of change and evolution in its line-up with vocalist/guitarist Jim Biggs the last original member yet over the years these changes have never diluted or disrupted their inimitable sound, indeed only further defined it as proven by The Take and the forthcoming Neon Sigh released Washed in the Sound with Black Nite Crash scheduled for October 14^th.

It is a truly apt title as The Take reveals; a laving of body and thought by their psych gaze creativity which is like melodic cacophony in emotion and sound as it slowly but firmly sweeps the senses. The track rises on Tony Zuniga’s rhythmic coaxing, the evocative lure of guitar soon enticing before the song’s ethereal yet earthly shimmers break. The guitars of Claire Tucker and Sharim Johnson continue to weave atmospheric and intimation soaked temptation, the sombre yet enflamed atmosphere added to by Biggs contemplation fuelled tones.

With the keys of Matt Brown a dreamy wrap to the melancholic resonance of Jasun Hadaway’s bass, the track swiftly became a fascination of beguiling emotion and encroaching shadows, the vocals of Tucker only adding to the emotive heart and tension of the track. Even so, The Take proved the richest infection of catchiness and inspiriting persuasion with us personally finding and enjoying echoes of bands like Jesus and Mary Chain, The Mighty Lemon Drops and Birdland in varying degrees and in certain aspects; it all a rich reason to keenly await that new BLACK NITE CRASH album.

This coming October also sees post-punk new romantics CANDY COFFINS release their new self-released full-length, Once Do It With Feeling. They too have unveiled a lead single which ignites curiosity and anticipation, theirs in the absorbing shape of Every Day A Fresh Atrocity.

Formed by Columbia, South Carolina based vocalist, guitarist and songwriter James Lathren in 2018 with hometown guitar legend Tom Alewine, CANDY COFFINS has evolved an aural proposal which does not so much embrace the influence of bands such as Joy Division, The Cure, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Spiritualized but recognise their inspirations as of other artists too, weaving it into their own crepuscular and emotionally ill at ease and tense sound.

Every Day A Fresh Atrocity initially breaks like dawn’s transfixing light but openly carries shadowed ruminations and anxiety in its breath as too Lathren’s tone and emotive words. Equally darkness coats Alex Mabrey’s tenebrific basslines but is aligned to the enflamed spirals of guitar and the warm hug Justin Purdy’s keys.

With the thrusts of drummer Jonathan Bradley provocative, Every Day A Fresh Atrocity also has a tumultuous edge and breath to its melodic and sonic radiance, anxiety lined emotions echoed in that tempestuousness as the song simply beguiled.

You better keep some extra free time spare for October as New York art-pop band ELK CITY are also revealing their new album that month, Above the Water its title and with their lead track, That Someone, released just a couple of days ago, another exploration we find ourselves wanting to take.

ELK CITY is a project which revolves around founding members, artist/vocalist Renee LoBue and producer/drummer Ray Ketchem with the band’s line-up on single and their Magic Door Records released album completed by guitarists Sean Eden (Luna) and Chris Robertson (Feed, Punch Havana), and bassist Richard Baluyut (Versus). The band’s sound is indie pop based yet as the flavours it and the single embrace, a proposition which smiles at precise pinning down and shimmers with unpredictable adventure.

That Someone calmly tempts ears but with a firm pull which only escalates as it slips into its lively stride where crystalline shimmers soon light its skies, they falling on the steelier wires of the guitars and LoBue’s magnetic tones. There is also a great indie punk essence to the track, a voice of attitude with essences of Sleater-Kinney and Throwing Muses to it.

Effortlessly infectious and skilfully compelling, That Someone just got under the skin meaning Autumn is going to be a busy time for these ears.

Lastly we offer up the new single from Ukrainian electronic producer 6TH CROWD for definite investigation. Mamenika is a track derived from an old Ukrainian folk song and given new arrangement by 6TH CROWD (a.k.a. Dari Maksymova). It is a proposition which instantly aligns the beauty and heart of tradition and history with modern invention, imagination and hope fuelled support for a country criminally violated an open resonance.

Mesmeric warmth immediately washes over the sense as the track rises up, its theme of “displaced persons and stolen childhood “, if not from its native language for these ears, quickly emotionally provocative and an intimate reaffirming of one’s thoughts to current events.

Mamenika is also simply a piece of electronic beauty, an enlivening and infectious piece of enterprise and past embracing imagination simultaneously lighting up ears and a hope that soon it can be heard in the arms of peace within its creator’s homeland.