Son Lux Reveals New Video For Lanterns Lit

Following triumphant sets at both Latitude & Longitude Festivals this month, prompting The Line of Best Fit to declare Son Lux “…one of the most exciting live artists of his generation”, the New York song-smith shares a new video for Lanterns Lit.

The track is taken from last year’s full length album for Joyful Noise Recordings, Lanterns and this new clip was directed and produced by SJ Finlay with visual effects by Nisha Kumkeaw and colouring by David Tomiak (Brass Tacks Films). About the process of creating the video, Finlay said: “This music video was made while shooting promotional materials for Hope for the Nations as well as a short film to help children at risk in South East Asia.” To keep updated about the release of that film, follow #ChildrenofChange.

Son Lux will embark on West Coast US tour starting on September 19. After those shows the live group, which sees Ryan Lott accompanied by Rafiq Bhatia on guitar and Ian Chang on drums, will start a string of European dates, beginning at the Soy Festival in Nantes, France and ending at the Circolo Degli Artisti in Rome, Italy.

The tour follows the May 27 release of the Alternate Worlds EP which featured reimagined versions of the tracks from Lanterns. In addition to Build A Pyre (Begin Again), Alternate Worlds features a collaboration with Lorde on Easy (Switch Screens) which came to be after the New Zealand breakout star began covering the original version live.

Released to much praise late last year, Lanterns sees Son Lux (aka Ryan Lott) at the helm of an impressive ensemble of instrumentalists and singers, including Chris Thile (The Punch Brothers), Peter Silberman (The Antlers), DM Stith, Lily & Madeleine, Darren King (Mutemath), Ieva Berberian (Gem Club) and yMusic (Dirty Projectors, Bon Iver). Meditative but heaving with energy, Lanterns finds a peculiar congruency between futuristic soul and ancient sentiment. Driving orchestral pop (Lost It To Trying, No Crimes) is placed alongside creepy minimalism (Pyre, Enough Of Our Machines), often starkly juxtaposing densely layered arrangements with Lott’s intimate voice.

Beyond releasing Alternate Worlds and worldwide touring, Son Lux released an album with Sisyphus, his collaborative project with Sufjan Stevens and rapper Serengeti, whose self-titled debut was released on March 18 via Joyful Noise/Asthmatic Kitty. Additionally, Lott is a featured songwriter, producer and performer on Troubled World off WinterSpringSummerFall, the new mixtape from Beyonce producer, BOOTS.

Son Lux also recently scored the upcoming film The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, due this September. Lott, equal parts producer and composer, has been delving into further collaborations as Son Lux with more details to be unveiled in the coming months.

Saintseneca Play NPR Tiny Desk Concert

The celebrated young band Saintseneca recently crowded into an office at the headquarters of NPR Music to perform as part of the popular Tiny Desk Concert series. The group, who the Seattle Weekly described as “riding the edge between old weird Appalachian Americana and melodic indie pop,” played an impassioned three song set that included; Happy Alone, Fed Up With Hunger and Blood Bath from their acclaimed new album, Dark Arc.

The band will also be taking their spirited live show on the road for an Autumn tour of North America beginning this September. Additional East Coast shows in November will be announced soon.

You can catch Saintseneca live on the following dates:
Sept 26 WYEP’s Final Fridays, Schenley Plaza, Pittsburgh
Sept 27 Midpoint Music Festival, Cincinnati
Sept 28 The Hi-Fi, Indianapolis
Sept 29 The Bishop, Bloomington IN
Sept 30 Mojo’s, Columbia MO
Oct 1 Slowdown, Omaha
Oct 2 Hi Dive, Denver
Oct 3 Low Spirits, Albuquerque
Oct 4 Orpheum, Flagstaff AZ
Oct 5 Last Exit, Phoenix
Oct 6 Bunkhouse, Las Vegas
Oct 8 Soda Bar, San Diego
Oct 9 Bootleg Theatre, Los Angeles
Oct 10 Constellation Room, Santa Ana
Oct 11 Brick & Mortar, San Francisco
Oct 12 Bunk Bar, Portland
Oct 13 Sunset Tavern, Seattle
Oct 14 The Northern, Olympia
Oct 15 The Bartlett, Spokane
Oct 16 The Crux, Boise
Oct 18 Kilby Court, Salt Lake City

Introducing…Eliot Sumner

Eliot Sumner

Eliot Sumner has revealed the second song entitled Come Friday from her upcoming EP, Information, which will be released August 5.

Information, the first taste of the full length album that’s due out next year, comes from a renewed sense of focus and clarity and bears electronic hallmarks with some surprising influences including Sumner’s favourite band as a teenager, The Bad Seeds.

After releasing The Constant in 2010 under the moniker I Blame Coco, Eliot toured for two years, playing headlining shows and festivals all over the world. Since then, she’s experimented with different writing methods – and even spent time working with Clint Mansell on a film score – and took time to simply grow. She says: “It’s now or never. I’m proud of the music I’m making and it’s time to take ownership by putting my real name on it.”

Random Order – Black Lipstick Kiss Album Review

Taking cues from Twin Peaks, James Bond and Quentin Tarantino films, Toronto based collective Random Order’s spine tingling swamp rock reggae attracts a diverse cultural audience. Their newest offering, Black Lipstick Kiss, which was released 29 July, injects their signature subversive rock into the sexy soundscapes of dangerous spy movies.

Since their inception in 1995, Random Order have consistently released great material, toured Canada, the East Coast and Japan, played Festivals, charted on Canadian Top 30 and opened for artists as diverse as Joan Osborne and Salt-n-Pepa.

Black Lipstick Kiss starts with The Morning After Kill which showcases Random Order’s strange combination of reggae, soul and rock with influences from Imelda May and Diana Ross being heard in the vocals. It’s a punchy yet seductive song which makes it an instantly great opening track.

The title track, Black Lipstick Kiss, appears next on the record. Black Lipstick Kiss is a soulful song where the seductive guitar riff and jazz drum beat compliment those sexy and gorgeous vocals.

The next track, Do It Quattro, is a great jam track where the vocals are suspended entirely; this track is solely about Random Order’s rock/reggae style – it’s totally all about the music. Do It Quattro has a distinct live sound – it’s raw giving it that automatic enthusiasm.

Spoiled is a silky track; the guitar is summery and soft while the vocals are airy and bright sounding. If you’ve ever seen Ten Things I Hate About You then Spoiled has a similar sound to the band, Save Ferris, who perform I Know at the school ball. Spoiled is reminiscent of No Doubt with its swing and reggae influences. It’s a brilliant upbeat song to get you moving.

Trans Mission on the other hand lends itself to sound a little bit like Patti Smith especially on the vocals. The track is much darker than those heard previously on Black Lipstick Kiss. The notes held resemble Patti’s deeper vocals and there’s also a bit of spoken word with that angst and punk attitude that Patti has.

Pink Cloud closes the record on an upbeat, pop and totally absorbed reggae beat. This song will instantly lift your mood despite the lyrics, “I want to ride on your pink cloud/Even though I know it’s going nowhere/And I know it’s going to break…” Pink Cloud sings about being totally in love with someone or something and not caring about the consequences or worrying that the cloud could fall apart, “I know I’m going to be the one to fall…You don’t even know you gave up the fight to trust/In anyone a long time ago”. It’s about the danger and the passion behind our human reactions.

Random Order’s Black Lipstick Kiss is a brilliant reggae/rock/ska album that will make you fall in love with this band’s sound.

The Minx Release New Video For Unheard B-Side, Jesus And The Mary Chain

The Minx are gearing up to release their next single, No Friends, at the start of September but first they’ve just put out this little studio video of the B-side: a previously unheard track, Jesus and The Mary Chain.

You can also catch The Minx live on the following dates:

22 August – Brixton Windmill, London (Headline Show)
Saturday 23 August – Manchester’s Ruby Lounge
30 August – The Rocking Chair, Sheffield (Headline Show)
19 September – Ramsbottom Festival (Headlining second stage)
20 September – The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge (Headline Show)