Apollo Junction

Leed’s natives Apollo Junction are set to release their new single Begin on May 18th via self release. The track is a masterful re-working of the original release of Begin five years ago, bringing us a fuller, rounder more radio friendly single that's a guaranteed floor-filler.

The original is on their Bandcamp but you'll be able to hear a pre-release spin of the track on Brian's Radio KC Indie Show of April 1st and that is no joke I promise you.

Apollo Junction write songs that capture the euphoria of electro-dance music mixing with strong indie guitar hooks, driving bass and passionate vocals. From New Order through U2, to The Cure, The Charlatans and Daft Punk, Apollo Junction use their influences to write insanely memorable and uplifting tunes.

With their big-hearted indie pop electronica, they are poised to make a real impact in 2018. Having spent 2017 writing and recording a now completed debut album alongside putting DIY demos and videos out into the web, and in doing so gathered plaudits far and wide.

A recently signed publishing deal with Wipe Out Music (Sleaford Mods/ Coquin Migale /Stone Foundation) has led to Apollo Junction songs featuring on MTV’s U.S. hit reality show Are You The One and in the upcoming movie The Big Promise. They’ve also had plays on Good Morning TV, MTV and BBC Look North.

Consistent gigging by Apollo Junction has led to a strong live following, and the band were described as ‘The best new band we have had in years!’ when they played the Dublin Castle recently.

This fanbase, radio play and critical acclaim also helped them play a series of festivals including the Main Stage at Bingley Music Live, and the Hard Rock stage at the Isle of Wight Festival.

They’ve supported Shed Seven, Cast, James and Sex Pissed Dolls. A recent pre match show at Leeds United Elland Road ground has led to them being invited to play at the Player of The Season Awards as guests of the team.

Granfalloon

Granfalloon is the musical moniker of Richard Lomax and his folktronica group based in Manchester. Folktronica is a mixture of folk and electronica. Instruments include Omnichords, acoustic guitars, Casio keyboards, and 80's drum machines. 






Their new single Ambulance is out on Manchester label The Dogan on 23rd February 2018. Ambulance is a song about those self imposed rituals that we use to keep ourselves mentally healthy. It features the Omnichord (an electronic autoharp) over a loving combination of acoustic guitar, synths, samples, and a four to the floor backbeat verse that melts into a dreamlike chorus. 

The chorus line is inspired by a rhyme uttered by singer Lomax’s grandmother upon seeing an ambulance pass by: “Touch your head and touch your toes/If you don’t want to go in one of those.” Lomax says: “My grandparents write most of my best lyrics.”

Granfalloon uses lo-fi bedroom recording techniques which point to a revelry in beautiful imperfection and a desire to create something very special. There is a real commitment to detail which involved patiently distilling the soundscapes until the elements of electronics, delicate acoustic guitar, and the mixture of lo-fi, folk & psych all fell into place.

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The track was mixed by Sydney based Jack Prest (AKA Future Love Hangover) who has most recently worked on Jonti's 2017 album 'Tokorats'. 

It's a delightfully laid back slice of addictive lo-fi electronic goodness which is lyrically both poignant and amusing. Brian will be spinning Ambulance on the Radio KC Indie Show on Sunday 4th of February so tune in!

Factory Acts

Ralph's long been a fan of Factory Acts who are a Salford post-punk electro duo who live on the edge of the analogue-digital divide, sometimes dreaming, always dancing.

After garnering copious amounts of critical acclaim with their debut EP Thirst in 2014, Salford's underground, post-punk maestros Factory Acts return with their highly anticipated sophomore release Second Amendment which is available on official release April 21st.

It is powerful, haunting electronica awash with synth leads that swirl icily over driving bass lines and looming electronic beats which I'm sure Uncle John Peel would have highly approved of and played repetitively. 







Each of the four tracks are laced with Factory Acts' signature lyrical honesty, integrity and rawness - this is music with a message that is deeply personal:

In their own words...

"Our second 4-track EP has a fuller sound and more up-tempo beats but maintains the dark heart of the first. The songs speak of hope in an increasingly fractured world. Dancing out despair is the desire."




Outside of the studio it's been a busy couple of years for Factory Acts. One of the most prolific live bands in the North West of England; the band have performed alongside the likes of Brix and the Extricated, 1919, Ralph's life favourites Empathy Test and Skeletal Family at live shows and festivals across the UK and Ireland.

Factory Acts are, Susan O'Shea on vocals, synths and analogue digital devices and Matt Davies on bass, beats and 'magical' mixes. Ralph will be spinning the excellent Leave The World To Us on this Sunday's (March 19th) Indie Show on Radio KC.

Living Dead Girl

London duo Living Dead Girl are purveyors of dark poppy electronica conveyed through the musical talents of multi-instrumentalists Jonno Lloyd and Jessica English. 

Their self-styled sound, "combines a distinctive fusion of ethereal vocals, electronic rhythms and unique compelling instrumentation".

Both growing up in a creative atmosphere, Jessica was classically trained in piano and vocals, while Jonno took guitar into industrial rock groups such as Ventenner. 

The two would work together for the first time in 2014, finding common ground somewhere between trip-hop, rock and electronic music. 

This unlikely meeting of styles would lead to the creation of Living Dead Girl's dark yet accessible pop music, delivered with themes that move between fantastical escapism and pained reflection, leaving a classically haunting aftertaste.




The Living Dead Girl debut single Skylines is haunting, almost chilling with Jessica's other-worldly vocal a delight overlaid on off-world, doom-laden synths and percussion, similar in style to long-time Ralph's Life favourite Fiona Soe Paing.

Skylines dystopian soundscape enthrals the listener with its eerieness and it's accompanied by a similarly dark and almost disturbing video. Seek out Living Dead Girl if you dare...Ralph will be spinning them on his Radio KC Indie Show again very soon.

Fiona Soe Paing

Ralph's long been a fan of the immaculate electronica produced by Fiona Soe Paing and is delighted that she's now developed a new multi-media experience that she's taking to the Edinburgh Fringe in a series of shows in The Capital's Summerhall venue. 

She's combined her stunning live vocals and electro soundtracks with animation from New Zealand artist Zennor Alexander to create a unique and surreal live performance called Alien Lullabies - Songs From A Decaying Future, which will both surprise and delight the Fringe audiences.

Portrait by Daniel Burman

Living in rural Aberdeenshire, Fiona Soe Paing has been crafting her sound since 2005. She has been collaborating on visuals for her live shows with Zennor Alexander since 2007. She has previously worked with singer/songwriter Beth Orton and was featured in the 2014 Noise Festival Showcase curated by Brian Eno, where her work was rated as “outstanding.” Following the release of her debut EP Tower of Babel she signed with Glasgow’s Hotgem, home to Machines In Heaven. 





Developed with a Creative Scotland Quality Production Award, Alien Lullabies will be performed at the Fringe as part of their prestigeous Made In Scotland programme, showcasing the best in Scottish performance to international audiences and promoters.

The show features tracks from the forthcoming Fiona Soe Paing album, including the recently released track Heartbeat which was praised by music blogger David McElroy of XSNoize as - "a wonderful, wonderful thing...electronic music as it should be" - The single was released on Hotgem in June alongside a video premiere via The 405.

Alien Lullabies – Songs from a Decaying Future

Fiona Soe Paing Live at Summerhall, Edinburgh

Video by Rising Edge TV

The Black Lamps

Whilst the barrage of music from the 'bright young things' is endless it's always nice when some grown-up music drops into the kennel. So Ralph was delighted when the postman dropped off a copy of the newly released album by The Black Lamps eponymous debut in all its shiny, translucent red vinyl glory before making a quick exit past the 'Beware Of The Dog' sign.








If you're a fan of anyone from Joy Division to Public Image Ltd, The Fall to The Cure then these Barnsley musical luminaries tick all the boxes. 

Describing themselves as a post-rock ambient guitar band, The Black Lamps have created a stunning selection of melodiously crafted 'shuffle and repeat' tracks that John Peel would have been happy to feature on his shows.











Collectively the musical pedigree of band members Liam Stewart (vocal & guitar), Dean Ormston (drums), Greg Firth (bass) and Lyndon Scarfe (guitar & keyboards) is almost as wide ranging as their musical influences.

The Black Lamps have a shared love of The Cure, David Bowie, The Pixies, The Ramones and The Bad Seeds however individualy it's an eclectic mix.

Greg has a penchant for post-punk and the heady days of C86 although more recent leanings are the likes of Mogwai, Sigur Ros and British Sea Power. 

Dean on the other hand has souled out (he regularly DJ's at local Northern Soul Nights) and his particular love is Curtis Mayfield. No bad thing says I.

Liam is very much the wordsmith favouring songwriters such as Nick Drake, Bowie, Nick Cave and Ralph's current favourite John Grant. 





Lyndon however professes an obsession with a multitude of musical delights ranging from elecronica and drone to post-rock and classical. 




The Black Lamps, having drawn on a lifetime of musical experience have created a must have album for any serious music collector. It looks good, it feels good, it sounds good...and by God it does you good! 

Stand out tracks for me are lead track The Archivist and Scissors, Paper, Stone which I've had on repeat all week and playlisted on Ralph's Radio KC Indie Show.

The cover artwork was created by Jamie Briggs from a painting by drummer Dean who is also a noted comic book artist who's work includes 2000AD and DC Comics.

Apple Rabbits

Ralph's played Apple Rabbits a couple of times now on his Radio KC Show and; inquisitive as ever, decided to dig further. It's the alter ego of London musician Jay Fisher whose musical pedigree can be traced back to the mid 80's, moving from electronic music to singer songwriter and releasing his first album back in 1990.

Following that he formed Canteen with Paul Castle and Doug Wolfsohn in '95, releasing a number of singles before parting ways. 2002 saw the birth of Apple Rabbits and Jay wrote two albums; King Of Anglia in 2008 and Kilburn State in 2009, both of which have been re-released.










Whilst Apple Rabbits could be referred to as a solo project, over the years a variety of fellow musicians have come and gone, all helping to create a more rounded soundscape.

The largely instrumental; some would say experimental, Kilburn State ranges from the haunting electronica of Aeroplane to the soul searching songwriting of I Could Not Care Less.









Next year will see the release of a new; and as yet untitled, Apple Rabbits vinyl EP collection in May and I wait with much anticipation to see which direction it will take. 

One thing I do know, it will include the excellent collaboration with Kate Dimbleby on the moody You've Got To be Joking.

Kilburn State is currently available on free download and you can scan the code to gain access to the download site. Something I'd recommend you do immediately and without fear or hesitation!