Hot Sauce Pony – Burnt Ends

With the debut album from Hot Sauce Pony prowling anticipation, the UK outfit unleash its first lure in the shape of the carnally seductive Burnt Ends. The track is a ravenous teaser of that forthcoming self-titled offering, a song which has calm, beauty, and ruin colluding for a frustratingly but imperiously short one minute plus.

Formed in 201, the London band consists of vocalist Caroline Gilchrist, guitarist Ross Davies, bassist Stephen Gilchrist, and drummer Anna Dodridge. Their sound is a unique fusion of noise and punk rock with grunge, post punk, and hardcore hues. They call it Avant Hard; we call it in regards to the new single feral sensuality. The track and the upcoming Steve Albini (Pixies, Nirvana, PJ Harvey) album follow a first single in Fenced In which aroused rich attention and intrigue. Burnt Ends more than builds on its ear grabbing success and thick potency with a moment where extremes unite to devour the senses with beauty and ruin.

From its first breath Burnt Ends had us licking lips, the charred growl of the bass a bestial temptation matched by the just as roasted snarl of the guitar. Swiftly the melodic siren tempting of Caroline’s vocals drew ears deeper into the cremated offering, the slow manipulative swing of Anna’s beats just as irresistible. Like a fusion of Horse Party, Morass Of Molasses, and Mudhoney with a whiff of Young Marble Giants yet firmly individual, the track just got under the skin and into the psyche as hips continued to sway to its primal groove.

Such the pleasure, it really does frustrate when the track stops suddenly and without warning barely a clutch of seconds past its first minute. It leaves nagging, teasing fingers though as its elements continued to echo in thoughts long after departure.

Leave them wanting more is the key to success some say, and without doubt the hunger for the band’s eponymous debut album is on the point of rabidity thanks to Burnt Ends.

Burnt Ends is released June 22^nd via Brixton Hillbilly. The band also has first single Fenced In available as a free download  @ https://soundcloud.com/brixton-hillbilly/fenced-in-by-hot-sauce-pony

Upcoming Hot Sauce Pony live dates:

23rd June Club 85, HITCHIN

30th June Betsy Trotswood, LONDON

16th August – HY-Brazil, BRISTOL

https://www.facebook.com/hotsaucepony/

Pete RingMaster 20/05/2018

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Hypochristmutreefuzz – Hypopotomonstrosesquipedaiophobia

There is music which is bred out of bedlam, sounds which are seemingly born out of creative psychosis and challenges which are feverishly psychotic; and there is that from Hypochristmutreefuzz. The Belgian noise-rock outfit create a psyche infesting collusion of all that and more; a theatre of fun coming to an insatiable head on their debut album Hypopotomonstrosesquipedaiophobia.

Meaning the phobia of long words, Hypopotomonstrosesquipedaiophobia immediately hints at the mischief and insanity at play with its off-kilter title spelling; traits swiftly infesting body and spirit from its first seconds. Instantly it has the body bouncing and imagination dancing, unpredictability and that creative madness fuelling every fascinating, entrapping second.

Hailing from Ghent and taking their name from an avant-garde jazz piece by Misha Mengelberg, Hypochristmutreefuzz has already teased and lured acclaim through a self-titled EP in 2015 and a host of surrounding singles. Hypopotomonstrosesquipedaiophobia though takes things to a whole new inventive and magnetic level. Drawing on inspirations ranging from The Residents, The Birthday Party, and Sonic Youth to Pere Ubu, Television, PJ Harvey, and The Germans, the quintet instantly traps attention with opener Finger. Teasing tendrils of guitar beckon first, their lures intermittently joined by an electronic throb. It is a lingering enticement with the sonic post punk causticity of Bauhaus and the instinctive though waiting dance antics of an Axis Mundi rising up alongside. The union continues to imposingly quiver as the vocals of guitarist Ramses Van den Eede add their uniqueness, his tones as distinct as the sounds brewing up around them and with all the ingredients in place, the track strolls along with a raw and infectious air; a touch of Asylums and Allusondrugs meets The Residents further colouring the irresistible adventure.

It is a compelling, thrilling start causing hips to swerve and appetite to lick its lips, a tempting just as potent in the following Gums Smile Blood. Getting down to even swifter business, the song offers a punk toned, electronically nurtured virility to its mouth-watering creative animation. Like a blend of De Staat, G.R.I.M, and Big Black, the track prowls and swings with the seduction of a rabid pole dancer before Hypochondria invades with the scuzzy antics of guitarists Jesse Maes and Van den Eede courting the jabbing beats of Elias Devoldere. Carrying a more primal edge compared to its predecessors, the song still flirts with a lightness of whimsy through the synth of Thijs Troch; dark and light, heavy and fuzz entangling across its eventful drama.

Chromakalim is a far calmer experience, its minimalistic entrance reeking of deceit and espionage as vocals stalk attention. That imagined tempest does erupt with unbridled rigour before swiftly settling down again waiting for its return in a volcanic chorus. The bass of Sander Verstraete struts with menace throughout, its intensity leaking into the discord of guitars and keys as the track spreads its mercurial heart. Nothing less than captivating it is still eclipsed by the sauntering haunting of Music Of Spheres. A noir lit, jazz cloaked venture to the atmospheric darkside, the track is a maze of sound and evocative incitement taking ears and imagination down shadow cloaked paths.

From there the album hits its pinnacle with a couple of quite manipulative encounters. First up is Elephantiasis, a slice of schizophrenic yet restrained noise rock which has the listener involved from its first trespassing breath and in eager participation by its vocal and musical meander a host of seconds later. A track which haunts the memory after just one listen it too is then overshadowed by a successor in Clammy Hands. The song is an asylum of imagination and enterprise; a fusion of flavours and styles which too needs barely a handful of breaths to seduce and enslave. A patchwork of vocals amidst an equally varied synth palette of enticing steals the passions even before its chorus has vocal chords hollering and limbs punching.

The mellow though no less cracked balladry of Don’t Drown only mesmerises if without the major impact of the previous duo while One Trick Pony simmers then boldly romps in with a rhythmic tenacity as vocals and add their lively smoulder to that of the sounds. The skittishness of the beats and throb of the bass has the body in eager motion whilst ears are drawn to the melodic beauty sharing their moment. Within it all causticity lies in wait, igniting its fuse further down the line for a scuzzy, electrifying and almost terrifying finale.

The album closes with the funky, noise jaunt of Spitter; a breeding of movement which starts in the big toe and has the whole body popping by its first vocal line and feverish by the time brazzy flames course through the tango of sound. Of course there is an acidity and rough play within its dance; textures only adding to the fun and energy of the encounter when spreading their addictive toxicity. Throw The Magic Numbers, Billy Momo, Pere Ubu, and Primus into a pot, stir with psychotic vigour and you have this, one gripping conclusion to one mighty album.

Its title might be impossible to say, still not possible after twenty tries or and indeed spell with ease, but the contents of Hypopotomonstrosesquipedaiophobia are manna to the ears and the loco in us all.

Hypopotomonstrosesquipedaiophobia is out now across most stores an @ https://hypochristmutreefuzz.bandcamp.com/album/hypopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia

 http://www.hypochristmutreefuzz.be/    https://www.facebook.com/Hypochristmutreefuzz/    https://twitter.com/HypoFuzzMusic

Pete RingMaster 15/08/2017

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Little Lapin – Wake Up With The Sun

There are many obvious things which are evidence of being in the throes of a seductive summer, most you will need no reminding of but there is something else which equally has emotions wrapped up in the beauty of its warmth and that is a new release from British singer-songwriter Little Lapin. Just short of two years ago, the Cornwall based songstress entranced and impressed with debut album Remember The Highs, repeating the event a year later with its even more striking successor Holding Out For The Kicks. Their collection of heart bred, spirit stroking songs firmly imprinted their creator on the indie folk/ alt country scene. Now third album, Wake Up With The Sun, is a day or so away from living up to its title and sparking a new melodic summer for the senses and imagination to bask in.

Quite simply Wake Up With The Sun puts its predecessors in the shade; easily eclipsing both impressing releases as Little Lapin’s (Lucy Hill) reveals her most potent, accomplished, and creatively imaginative and elegant songs yet. She is no stranger to acclaim, those releases and surrounding singles as well as her live performances drawing eager praise and attention. From radio shows to the scribbles of music blogs and magazines, plaudits have gathered as too a worldwide fan base through her shows and tours across Britain and New Zealand as well as New York. Wake Up With The Sun is also the call to the rest of the world to take notice with its season of melodic seduction.

Initially and no doubt continued to be inspired by the likes of Regina Spektor, The Cranberries, Florence & The Machine, Laura Marling, PJ Harvey, The Cure, and The Pixies, Little Lapin has persistently nurtured her own character of sound and songwriting; its current pinnacle and uniqueness coming within Wake Up With The Sun. From its first breath, the album smiles and kisses ears; opener and album title track stroking ears with the tender touch of acoustic guitar. That in turn sparks a skip of eager guitar and bass, their perky stroll wrapped in the warm caress of LL’s ever captivating voice.  A slice of pop folk, the song proceeds to radiate like its namesake; rays of energy and senses inciting warmth infusing body and spirit.

My Complexion follows, swiftly sharing its own infectious gait and nature as LL courts ears and thoughts with her evocative words and enticing voice. Its unique spice adds a delicious tang to her melodic prowess, essences emulated in the blend of jaunty guitar and jazzy bass alongside.  An eruption of fiercely fragrant guitar only adds to the temptation, a one off moment not to be repeated but lingering as long as the song’s general spring and beam.

Just as potent in its reluctance to leave ears and thoughts is the delicious animated serenade of Isn’t Life for Living, a blossom of beauty simultaneously sharing a smouldering flame and frisky waltz as it ignites feet and hips as easily as a lustful appetite for its virulent pop.  As throughout the album, there is a sixties/seventies scent, a whisper but giving the song another endearing hue to get hooked on as it sublimely captivates with its keen and poetic vivacity before latest single Narrabeen adds its own catchy enterprise and bold imagination to the release. With the haze of harmonica and a suggestive rumble interrupting its tenacious country spiced swing, the track is a sultry and dusty Kiwi hued adventure and, as its predecessor, just riveting.

Through the delicate melancholy lit Luna and the reflective hug of A Song for Alex, the album lures the listener deeper into its majestic yet intimate arms while Need a Change of Scene has the body on its feet again shuffling round with tenacious versatility to the song’s wonderfully unpredictable invention and evolving landscape. Like a mix of Laura Marling and Imelda May, LL has ears and imagination enslaved whilst revealing another aspect to the diversity shaping Wake Up With The Sun.

LL simply bewitches once more within Radio Nocebo, her tang lined voice an appetite inflaming siren and storyteller within the sparkle of hearty and innocence spun melodies. Captivation is swift and inescapable as the song provides another peak to the loft range of the album; its triumph followed by the final wash of warmth and melodic intimacy provided by closing song I Told You So. It is a last kiss on the lips of pleasure as Wake Up With The Sun leaves the listener wistfully bound in the hug of creative grace.

It is probably fair to say that Little Lapin has yet to ignite the biggest spotlights so far but it is easy to suspect that global attention will be stirred, as the sun, by her new and quite simply gorgeous album.

Wake Up With The Sun is released April 14^th across most online stores.

http://www.littlelapinmusic.com/    https://www.facebook.com/littlelapin/    https://twitter.com/1littlelapin   https://littlelapin.bandcamp.com

Pete RingMaster 13/04/2017

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Victoria+Jean – Divine Love

From the gorgeous artwork by Russian artist Oleg Dou through to the cinematic seducing which escapes each and every song, Divine Love is creative beauty involved with an imagination which simple leaves the listener lost in fascination. The imagination comes from Victoria+Jean, the episodes of aural drama from their debut album, and the brooding romance between listener and artist from instincts that just know when something transcends just ear food.

The band is the artistic and romantic union of Swedish born vocalist Victoria and Belgian guitarist Jean. Brought up in London and moving to Paris where she began her first career as a model, Victoria was a musician at heart and was signed as a solo artist aged 16 by a French major label, though she broke her four-album deal before releasing her debut, unable to make the compromises demanded upon her by the label. Moving to Belgium she met Jean and the couple began a career “motivated by encounters, travels and sound.” We have simplified the background for and leading to the project and union of the pair, with not for the first or indeed last time, Divine Love demanding to be the focus of attention.

In creating the album, the duo sent their 12 tracks to their favourite producers with the request of collaboration for the release. The list included the likes of John Parish (PJ Harvey, Goldfrapp), Rob Kirwan (The Horrors, Depeche Mode), Christopher Berg (The Knife), Ian Caple (Tricky, Kate Bush), Joe Hirst (Stone Roses), Alistair Chant (PJ Harvey & John Parish), and Lucas Chauvière (De La Soul). As evidence of things being meant to be, each freely chose the same track Victoria+Jean had intended and hoped for them; a move and success which only adds to the album’s vastly diverse and eclectic character.

Divine Love opens with its title track and the duo’s new single. Within seconds the electronic mystique and ambience of the track has ears and imagination enthralled, the sixties cinematic drama in tone and air providing a great sense of mystery reinforced by the celestial caresses of Victoria’s mesmeric vocals. The gentle and elegant jangle of guitar equally brings rich suggestiveness to the enveloping theatre of dark charm and atmospheric tempting. There is no escaping a Portishead like essence to the bewitching encounter though equally artists like Propaganda and in a small way The Sugarcubes also offer their scent to its evocation.

It is a glorious start followed by the ridiculously irresistible Holly. From an initial lure of fuzzy guitar and mischievous beats, the song soon swings along with a virulent infectiousness which barely needs a handful of seconds to have hips swaying and spirit smiling. Victoria’s voice dances upon the compelling strands of sound, mixing composed moments with soaring harmonics as rhythms dance with addictive tenacity. As provocative in word as it is in sound, the track is sensational; growing with each twist of its musical theatre and lust inspiring alchemy.

Big Billie comes next, coaxing ears with raw blues guitar before thumping rhythms surround the tangy expressive tones of Victoria. Jean’s imagination continues to weave a sultry web of sound and enterprise to surround the tribal beats and descriptive vocals; a provocative blend playing like a mix of The Creatures and My Baby. Enthralling and igniting the senses it makes way for Until It Breaks and its brooding climate of sinister shadows and electronic espionage. As all songs, it has the imagination casting its own adventures to align with that of the song itself, sparking closer involvement between ears and song which is echoed again by Why Won’t You and its delta blues laced tango.

Across the fiery sonic and rhythmic trespass of Your Baby Don’t Know Me and Firecracker, things only get more boldly flirtatious and grouchily confrontational. The first is a prowling beast of a track with a touch of De Staat to its predacious noise rock infested waltz whilst its successor, while employing a similar dark rhythmic throb, courts techno fuelled ingenuity. It is a collusion which just gets more dynamic, agitated, and schizophrenic across its three body involving minutes, like its predecessor inciting a greedier appetite for Divine Love before a haunting beauty cast with a vibrant calm hugs ears through Härligt Sverige. Tantalising harmonies float around the poetic tones of Victoria, they skirted by resonating beats and the low key repetitive niggle of guitars. Winy tendrils vein the piece too; Jean creating an increasingly climactic drama matched by the vocal emotion equally gripping attention.

Ears and pleasure become engrossed in more blues bred invention through Takes You Like A Rose and Where We Belong next, the latter tempering the flavour with a bewitching folk seeded hug of melody and harmony before creating a tempestuous showdown of sound and emotive theatre. It is a glorious slice of aural cinema, again visual interpretation quickly inspired by the song and indeed Pull The Trigger which follows. Rhythms and percussive enterprise tease and play with ears before hitting an imposing stride entangled in sonic and vocal imagination. Anthemic and intimate within every writhing twist and turn of its excellent proposal, the track is like a hex on body and thought.

Closing with the epic spatial and atmospheric romancing of Define Love, an immersion into electronic and vocally harmonic reflection, Divine Love is one of the most enthralling and in turn invigorating releases heard in a long time. Every song provides an individual and compelling exploration still revealing fresh rewards after numerous listens. The album has plenty for fans of blues and rock ‘n’ roll, ambience and electronica, pop and dance and with a host of videos also accompanying each song, Divine Love is nothing less than essential listening and viewing.

Divine Love is released April 29^th via FY Records at https://itunes.apple.com/be/album/divine-love/id1089239770?app=itune and across most online stores.

http://www.victoriaplusjean.com   https://www.facebook.com/victoriaplusjean

Pete RingMaster 26/04/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com

Little Lapin – Californian Sun

It was almost a year ago that Devon bred songstress Little Lapin seduced ears and attention with her seriously well-received album Remember the Highs and its lead self-titled single. To build on their success, this July sees the release of the already eagerly awaited Holding Out For The Kicks and before it the captivating single Californian Sun. The lead track from the upcoming release, the single is a bewitching and melodically sultry teaser which easily ignites all the warm emotions and eager appetite experienced with Little Lapin’s music before as well as a very keen anticipation for what is on the near horizon.

Know to her parents as Lucy Hill, the Devon hailing Little Lapin is no stranger to luring eager ears and praise. Emerging in 2012, she has enticed and transfixed UK audiences and equally those over in New Zealand and across in the US on stage and through her previous singles and a self-titled EP, before stirring greater success up last year with Remember the Highs. Inspired by the likes of Regina Spektor, The Cranberries, Florence & The Machine, Laura Marling, PJ Harvey, The Cure, and The Pixies, the Falmouth residing singer songwriter creates songs and sounds which certainly embraces those spices but, as proven yet again with Californian Sun, she weaves all flavours into a vocal and melodic adventure which is uniquely Little Lapin.

Little Lapin invites ears to Californian Sun with a gentle acoustic caress before slipping into the pool of sultry melodic suggestiveness and rhythmic vivacity woven around her voice and strings by lead guitarist Alex Hill and drummer Harry Harding. In no time the song has the imagination involved, its emotive smoulder and dark rock ‘n’ roll merging with a sixties psych rock twang as Little Lapin’s distinctive tones provide their own evocative texture and expression to the almost cinematic poetry of the song.

Bordering on bewitchment, the warmly glowing Californian Sun has ears basking and the imagination conjuring in its arms, with anticipation for Holding Out For The Kicks quickly following the last smouldering note.

Californian Sun is released April 14^th with Holding Out For The Kicks following on July 16^th @ https://littlelapin.bandcamp.com

http://www.littlelapinmusic.com/   https://www.facebook.com/littlelapin/   https://twitter.com/1littlelapin

Upcoming live dates:

Apr 16 The Stable, Newquay, UK

Apr 17 Ben Tunnicliffe, Penzance, UK

Apr 22 Bar 35, Bude, UK

Apr 23 Ben Tunnicliffe, Penzance, UK

Apr 29 The Stable Plymouth, Plymouth, UK

Apr 30 The Drewe Arms, Exeter, UK

May 05 Ben Tunnicliffe, Penzance, UK

May 06 Rick Steins Fistral, Newquay, UK

May 07 Bystro at the Bank, St. Austell, UK

May 08 The Rock Inn, Devon, UK

May 11 George Inn Brailes, Banbury, UK

May 14 Rough Trade Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

May 15 Lamplighter, Northampton, UK

May 20 Pakhuis De Zwijger, Amsterdam, Netherlands

May 27, Mobile Blues Club, Hamburg, Germany

Pete RingMaster 04/04/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Le Butcherettes – A Raw Youth

photo credit- Monica Lozano

Contagious and fierce, diversely imaginative and aggressively bold, A Raw Youth is punk rock at its best. In sound it might not always seem so but in attitude and uncompromising nature it is a rebel, a confrontation to match its theme, which is best described by the words of Teri Gender Bender, “The focus of the album is the recurring conflict between minorities (the raw youths) and society: The oppressor and the oppressed,” the vocalist adding “Each song is a different story of a youth from a different time era. Some of them want to die because their faith in humanity has ended, some want to fight the authority, think outside themselves.”

The new album from Mexico based Le Butcherettes also roars with a celebratory air and rousing enterprise, a quality ensuring each track not only hits the spot musically and lyrically but leaves a lingering web of temptation for body and emotions. That will not really be a major surprise to fans of the band, their previous albums Sin Sin Sin of 2011 and last year’s Cry Is For The Flies especially, bulging riots of gripping sound and middle finger combat, but fair to say the trio of Gender Bender, drummer Chris Common (These Arms Are Snakes) and bassist Jamie Aaron Aux have pushed the creative intensity and adventure on again with A Raw Youth. The band’s third, and as its predecessors, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez produced, the album is their finest incitement yet, a rebel rousing slice of primal, thought provoking rock ‘n’ roll.

It all begins with Shave The Pride, a growling punk bred encounter quickly availing ears of grouchy riffs and the ever appealing tones of Gender Bender. Common’s beats frame the union with zest whilst Aux’s bass just snarls its way into the passions. The song itself never meanders from a cantankerous tone and infectious stride through ears, leaving greater adventure to those to come but easily makes for a stirring and anthemic start which has ears and appetite wide awake and ready for tracks like My Mallely which follows. Discord kissed melodies from keys opens up the swift attention grabber, bass and guitars again adding their irritable bait before the compelling and ever distinct tones of Gender Bender enrich ears. The infectious swagger of the song, driven by the excellent addictive nature of Common’s rhythms, has a 4 Non Blondes feel to it backed by warm keys which just slip over the senses with emotive temptation.

   From one major highlight to another pair in Reason to Die Young and La Uva. The first seduces and bellows like a blend of PJ Harvey and a restrained Lene Lovich, voice and sound effortlessly inciting body and emotions with its tempestuous yet wholly virulent, slightly No Doubt like, blaze. Within it that an off kilter enticing adds a great unpredictability which is fully explored more in its successor. The fourth track on the album is a maze of textures and inventive sound entwining with and bouncing off the superb vocal union between the siren-esque harmonics of Gender Bender and the dark, lordly tones of guest Iggy Pop. Like De Staat meets Bauhaus with the devilment of a 6:33 infused, the track is a gloriously sinister and gripping fascination; a union of dark and light, warped power and innocence.

The outstanding Sold Less Than Gold keeps the lusty emotions inflamed again with its sixties pop meets indie revelry. A song looking on women who are sold into marriages or sex slavery, it is an invigorating flame of catchy rhythms, warm vocals, and bracing horns within a bouncy canter and energy in which potently reflects the resilience in the spirits of those enslaved.

Tantalising tones over a fuzzy landscape provides the next recruitment of feet and imagination in the shape of Stab My Back, its punchy touch and defiant nature ebbing and flowing with greater voracity across its four minutes before the aggression of They Fuck You Over ensures things get even scuzzier and antagonistically fiercer. A storm of punk and garage rock, it brawls with the listener yet has them on the dance-floor too. It with raw zeal uncages a contagion of addiction which in its own distinct way is matched by Witchless C Spot. Atmospherically immersive and haunting, the track wraps the senses like a dry mist initially, the voice of Gender Bender hypnotic in presence and word, before stalking textures and suggestiveness boil over in a fiery but controlled crescendo. It is a tempting repeating again, with the calm after holding more spicy additives second time around.

The Hitch Hiker is a riveting duet between the two protagonists within the narrative of the excellent encounter, Gender Bender taking both sides against saucy keys with an Oingo Boingo essence to them, and the ever welcome trespass of bass and swinging beats. Again the band has bodies out of their seats with ease whilst inciting thought, the lyrical writing and prowess of the vocalist as cutting and potent as the sounds relishing their input. It is a quality of course shown again in the transfixing Lonely & Drunk, a song far more hard hitting than on first appearances and increasingly magnetic with its golden melodies and predatory rhythms.

A favourite moment of the album comes with Oil The Shoe If The Critter Knew Any Better, a funk punk stroll of garage rock tenacity and psych rock hues which is as masterful prowling the imagination as it is venting its full energy and rapacious intent. The track just hits the spot leaving closing song My Half a tough job to match. Fair to say it does not quite find that success yet with the featured John Frusciante bringing his majestic fingers on steely strings to the bluesy/psyche mix, the album is provided with a thoroughly enjoyable and impressive end.

Le Butcherettes continue to burn the imagination and the issues of the world with their ravenous maelstrom of rock ‘n’ roll and A Raw Youth is their latest plateau of craft and imagination. There is always a smile when something new from the band arrives and their new album shows exactly why; one highly recommended proposal for you all.

A Raw Youth is available via Ipecac Recordings from September 18^th via through all digital platforms.

Pete RingMaster 18/09/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

For more exploration of the independent and promotional services check out http://www.zykotika.com/

Little Lapin – Remember The Highs

It was only a couple of months ago when Little Lapin seduced and enthralled with the single Remember The Highs, its masterful coaxing of ears and imagination the wake-up call to the mesmeric sound and voice of the UK singer-songwriter for a great many. The acclaimed track also revealed inventive and bold songwriting, something her fans were already vocal about and now impressively confirmed by the artist’s debut album also called Remember The Highs. It is a fascinating and captivating collection of songs which with diversity and melodic resourcefulness simply leave thoughts and emotions spellbound.

Little Lapin is Lucy Hill, a Devon bred songstress now based in Bristol who has been entrancing audiences from the UK to New Zealand and New York since emerging round 2012. Musically her inspirations include the likes of Regina Spektor, The Cranberries, Florence & The Machine, Laura Marling, PJ Harvey, The Cure, and The Pixies, many providing creative whispers in what is a sound and songs which are openly distinctive to Hill. The swift proof comes with the last single, though before that she had bred a strong and loyal fan base through a tantalising live presence and releases such as earlier tracks Sound of Summer and Winning Is Losing, and more so a self-titled EP last year which sparked attention from the likes of Tom Robinson on BBC Radio 6 and regular online radio play. It is easy to assume though this was just the appetiser to more fevered responses and acclaim destined to be earned by Remember The Highs, the album a beacon of melodies and harmonies set to draw greedy appetites like moths to a flame.

   The album opens with Magnet Eyes and an immediate inescapable tempting of warm guitar and keys taken to another enslaving level by the unique tones of Hill. Her voice has a quality of sounding familiar as well as freshly bewitching, but from person to person it seems we hear someone different as a reference, the likes of Laura Marling, Regina Spektor, Sinead O’Connor, and Chrissie Hynde just some references used, with the latter the closest for us as a descriptive hint. As the song stretches its melodic nature and evocative air, a shadow of darker resonance comes into play to catch the imagination all over again, whilst voice and keys especially almost flirt with rich expression and emotive radiance.

It is a captivating start, but also a potent teaser to the glories of the following Over The Draft and the album’s title track. The first of the two songs creases ears with an initial persuasion of guitar again quickly enhanced by the sultry tones of Hill. Eager rhythms then gently and enticingly march into the exotic landscape now being cast by keys, everything settling into a scenic lure of melodic mystique and catchy hooks with the voice of Hill one giant romance of a snare. Its successor remains as potent as the first time heard, and if there is an air of Chrisse Hynde in the second track, Remember The Highs wonderfully reeks of The Pretenders in its sonic groove and provocative melodic hooks. Vocally too Hill brings her spiciest tang to syllables and a slightly nasal croon reminiscent of the Ohio musician. The darker bred bass groove alongside the irresistible winy flames of guitar is equally as compelling, the song providing one delicious embrace of tenacious enterprise and beauty.

The acoustic opening to Go!Stop!Go! has ears lit and body swaying instantly but it is the brooding air of drama cast through keys and an orchestral breath which ebbs and flows across the track, that turns a potent encounter into a spellbinding one. It is a serenade with haunting shadows and dark aural reflections which offer a melancholic temper to the invigorating partnership and narrative of voice and melody. The song just blossoms with every listen, its slower initial smoulder, compared to the previous songs, soon as engrossing and seductive as anything upon the album.

Sound Of Summer rolls in next on a rumble of rhythms which quickly evolves into an embrace of seventies seeded Beatle-esque keys and the ever inviting vocals. Occasional crescendos of drums add to the expanding and again sultry canvas of the song, guitars and keys colouring its scenery with alluring and imagination inciting enterprise to which bass adds swarthy lines of juicy shadows. Once more there is no option but to sink into the depths of a song before being left face to face with the rockier acoustic persuasion of In My Mind. The song is barely a stroll across the senses but even in its low key gait reveals a tenacious and sturdier character in its absorbing balladry compared to its predecessor.

Both songs though get over shadowed by the outstanding Colour Blind, a track emerging as a definite favourite. It starts on a thoughtful and evocative persuasion of guitar, Hill in moments adding her reflective vocal spice for an engaging start. Soon though, everything erupts into a gently concussive belt of emotional and creative turmoil, agitated rhythms and clanging riffs consorting with fiery keys in a bedlamic expulsion. It is a striking and thrilling twist to an already highly persuasive proposition providing yet another major highlight in Remember The Highs.

The album finishes with firstly the melancholic but again vibrantly arresting Panic, a song which has an essence of the drama found within The Smiths songwriting to it, and finally the closing warm smile of A Nice Coincidence. Contrasting textures flirt from within the encounter, sombre strings find themselves courted by skittish rhythms and another seduction of voice and melodies. The lyrical side of songs, as once more shown here, is just as intriguing and enticing, Hill able to cast hope in dark experiences and show the shadows within the brightest adventures.

Remember The Highs is a musical love affair for the senses from an artist in Little Lapin, who has the potential to become one of Britain’s most exciting and innovative singer songwriters. Thinking about it as her album seduces once again, she already is.

Remember The Highs is released on May 15^th @ http://littlelapin.bandcamp.com/album/remember-the-highs-2

http://www.littlelapinmusic.com/   https://www.facebook.com/littlelapin

RingMaster 14/05/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

Listen to the best independent music and artists on The RingMaster Review Radio Show and The Bone Orchard on Reputation Radio @ http://www.reputationradio.net