The Lazlo Device – Looking Glass

It is fair to say that UK quartet The Lazlo Device, have laid down an inescapably immersive adventure with new single Looking Glass to offer a fascinating invitation and teaser to their upcoming debut album. A majestic serenade of sultry melodies and elegant charm bound in an evocative ambience, the song glides through ears and into the imagination. It is in a way aurally erotic such its suggestiveness yet equally has a rousing prowess of energy and subtle crescendos to seduce the body’s instincts and leave a quickly keen appetite lustfully greedy by its close.

The band is a quartet from London which formed towards the rear of 2010. Drawing on inspirations from the likes of Mogwai, Wild Beasts, Grizzly Bear, Stateless, Four Tet, The Beta Band, and Elbow, the foursome of bassist/vocalist Dan Murdoch, guitarists/keyboardists Mark Litobarski and Ross Saunders, and drummer Leo Fenn soon began earning a growing reputation for “their unique blend of delicate soundscapes, thumping riffs and epic climaxes.” It is a quality openly evident in their latest single, it impressively building upon the invention and success which fuelled the band’s 2014 released trio of EPs, Unlucky 13, Gunslinger, and Lazlodia (Tokyo High St EP).

Taken from impending full-length Duelism, the swiftly seductive Looking Glass first caresses ears with a sombre yet welcoming bass. Within a few breaths more keys and guitar strings within floating harmonies lay poetic fingers upon the senses and imagination, they orchestrated by the engaging vocal charm of Murdoch. The song’s atmosphere is warm whilst its scenery is a mellow yet flirtatious festivity involving jazzy textures and evocative melodies amongst many more spices which simply romances ears.

There is an underlying catchiness to the proposition too, one lurking in the magnetic rhythms and the swing of the vocals. It is an infectiousness which builds to controlled but anthemic expulsions that only reinforce the track’s grip on the listener before allowing them to fall back into the seductive arms of the Muse scented encounter. A smooch on the senses, Looking Glass is further enhanced by the irresistible flames of guest and alto saxophonist Dennis McDonagh, they another hue to a lingering treat which by its end has incited the beginning of impatience for the album ahead.

There is/was a Japanese band called Tokyo Chaos City which created a similar alchemy of emotion flooded ambiences around fiercely provocative textures and sonic experiences, they the only real references we can offer to the uniqueness of The Lazlo Device sound. Expectations are that Duelism will follow-up and push on the beauty and invention of Looking Glass whilst The Lazlo Device will go on to be a potent part of the rock landscape at home and most likely further afield.

Looking Glass is out now @ https://thelazlodevice.bandcamp.com/ with Duelism to be released 11^th March with its launch show on March 12^th at the Camden Barfly.

https://www.facebook.com/thelazlodevice  http://www.thelazlodevice.com   https://twitter.com/THELAZLODEVICE

Pete RingMaster 17/02/2016

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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Japanese Fighting Fish – U Ain’t Gonna Win This

It has been a long two years since UK psyche twisters Japanese Fighting Fish set ears and passions ablaze with their album Day Bombs; a time where the band has never been far away from ears at The RR to be fair but too long to wait for something new from a band who to that point had only brought something unique and invigorating to the British music scene. Finally the wait is over though with the extremely anticipated single U Ain’t Gonna Win This about to uncage its devilry, and guess what… Japanese Fighting Fish are still amongst the most imaginative, inspiring, and yes warped bands around today.

Really that is no surprise as their 2011 debut album Just Before We Go MAD was a bold and virulent escapade of creative devilment and sonic psychosis too; rich enslaving qualities taken to another level by Day Bombs two years later. It is a surprise that they alone have not made the Leeds-born, London-based outfit a house hold name and passion, and if you add an impressive live presence which has seen them play with the likes of Space Hog, Wild Beasts, The Stranglers, De La Soul, and UB40, as well as ignite venues in their own name and right, it is a mystery. Now with the exotic spicery and revelry of U Ain’t Gonna Win This things might and should be about to change.

   A teaser for their next album Swimming with Piranhas which is scheduled for release at the end of March 2016, U Ain’t Gonna Win This takes all the prize elements of those previous albums and their hosts of singles, and twists and hones them into a new kind of JJF temptation. From its first step of its erotic prowl, the bass is sonically gurning and guitars splattering spots of sonic tempting on the senses and imagination. The distinctive inviting growl of Karlost is just as swiftly to the compelling mix; his unique tones courting sound and ears as beats from Al jab and probe the same. The virulent bounce to the track’s carnival-esque stalking has feet and hips involved from the off; its funk spawned gait and noir jazz air simply chains of seduction, whilst slithers of noise rock, alternative pop, and psych punk only thrill as they entangle the maelstrom of imagination and enterprise to matching success.

An exploration of split personalities whilst also making a “homage to boxing greats like Ali, and Rocky “, the song is an alchemy of devilment, an infestation of crazed ingenuity that creeps into and manipulates every pore and brain cell. The same applies in a different way to its companion on the single Queen Marilyn, the song a dirty grunge seeded blaze of desert rock with more than a scent of Queens Of The Stone Age to it, if a psychotic and bedlamic version. The track rumbles along, throwing out increasingly gripping hooks like sonic confetti, rhythms barging away within the mix too as Karlost spreads his sandy tones.

As in U Ain’t Gonna Win This, the guitars of Gareth Mochizuki Ellmer and Karlost captivate and provocatively suggest whilst the bass of Matt creeps with salacious intent through the swinging raps of Al. It is a combination united by the band’s off-kilter imagination and craft into creating arguably the best single of 2015 and an already impatient anticipation for Swimming with Piranhas.

The Japanese Fighting Fish are back and irrepressibly better than ever, and even more inventively deranged.

U Ain’t Gonna Win This is released November 13^th via CDbaby @ http://bit.ly/1SNr0wL

http://www.japanesefightingfish.co.uk/   https://www.facebook.com/Japanesefightingfishuk  https://twitter.com/jffuk

Pete RingMaster 13/11/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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

Sugarmen – Dirt

With a sound which has a healthy eighties feel to it as well as a modern tenacity and enterprise, UK indie band Sugarmen unveil a rather enjoyable and infectious introduction to themselves via debut single Dirt. It is a rousing and feisty slice of pop rock but equally has a calming melodic tempting to create a nicely rounded and memorable first meeting between ears and the Liverpool quartet.

Sugarmen was formed by songwriters/guitarist Luke Fenlon and Chay Heney, soon concluding their openly creative line-up with bassist Tom Sheilds and drummer Sam McVann. Their inspirations are reflected in their record collections according to their bio and includes flavouring from the likes of Hooton Tennis Club to Peace, Parquet Courts to Alvvays, The Velvet Underground to Wild Beasts, and The Clash to Orange Juice, and it is this latter band which sprung to mind listening to Dirt, they and others like Josef K, The Farmers Boys, and The Bluebells. They were all bands capable of writing and creating the most contagious and blemish free pop songs and though it is only one song, Sugarmen suggest they have that quality too.

   Since forming, the band has played with the likes of Sleaford Mods and Paul Weller whilst this coming June will see them supporting both Blur and The Who in Hyde Park as well as playing the Dot To Dot Festival in May. The Sugarmen sound has also caught the ears and attention of Mick Jones (The Clash / BAD) who after hearing the band’s demo tracks, produced ten songs including the single with them; it all occurring in Paul Weller’s studio which he donated for the recordings. It is fair to say that the band is standing at the point of real attention and potent spotlights, a door Dirt makes the ideal key for.

The song opens on a strum and the vocal prowess of Fenlon, a gentle but potent coaxing which teases for a short while before a stab of sonic tenacity sparks the band into a lively and magnetic stroll. The bass of Sheilds is instant flavoursome bait with its throaty lure matching the striking appeal of the guitars in its own individual way. Hooks and chords, sonic colours and rhythmic jabs all converge on ears with captivating enterprise and contagious endeavour, ridden by the harmonic roar of Fenlon’s vocals and the backing of the band. A sniff of Arctic Monkeys makes a hint to join essences of those mentioned previously but the truth is that Dirt has a voice and character which is primarily Sugarmen and, as their live presence, increasingly persuasive.

Expect to hear more of and from the band ahead, and we suspect in increasingly potent doses.

Dirt is available now via Poor Old Soul Records @ https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/dirt-single/id978569563

https://www.facebook.com/sugarmenuk   https://twitter.com/Sugarmenuk

RingMaster 19/04/2015

Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright

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