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.

The Tates

Water is the brand new single by Welsh indie pop 5-piece The Tates and it's been eagerly awaited after the success of their debut release Electric Girl which we played on Ralph's Radio KC Indie Show. It was also supported by Huw Stephens, BBC Intro, Radio 1, playlisted on Amazing Radio and A-listed by BBC Radio Wales.

Ralph will be playing Water on the Radio KC Indie Show next Sunday (26.11.17) so remember to tune in from 5-7pm GMT.

Energised by their summer tour in support of Electric Girl plus feeling confident and inspired they returned to the studio in Cardiff to work with producer Steffan Pringle (Estrons, Himalays and Future Of The Left).

They emerged with a sense of purpose with a song that will redefine The Tates as the torch-bearers of a new sound, a sound that ranges from The Libertines’ poetic raw energy to the death disco of early New Order and the fuzzed dayglow pop melodies of MGMT. Lyrically Water asks a poetic question exploring themes of nature over nurture, as Tom the guitarist explains... 

“Are the flaws that we share with our parents who we are, or have we learnt from them? Are we free to be the people we want to be or are we trapped by our genetic makeup and our immediate environment and society?” 

It's testament to them that with unwavering belief in the pop song they are in full control of their chosen genre, making the pop song theirs. The Tates build from the ground up on their ascendancy to the stars.

Zurich

Oxford based Zurich have just released their eagerly awaited debut EP Small Wars and Ralph was quick to give the single release from it, Alone a spin on his Radio KC Indie Show recently. 

They're described as post-punk with more than a smattering of eighties electro, which I feel they've managed to give a fresh twist.

Zurich is comprised of, Adrian Banks on Bass/Vocals, Chris Gillett on Guitar/Vocals and Leigh Taylor on Drums/Samples

Alone has already drawn Zurich to the attention of Fresh On The Net with Tom Robinson drawing the conclusion that they're the result of Simple Minds having consumed Big Country and Echo and The Bunnymen. 

For my part, I'm getting shades of Depeche Mode overshadowed with New Order and Tears For Fears.

It's a very assured piece of work for a debut EP but hardly surprising as Zurich have had award winning producer Gary Stevenson working with them.




Upcoming gigs:

Aug 29 Woodstock Live Woodstock, United Kingdom  
Aug 30 Vestival Banbury, United Kingdom  
Sep 18 ALSO KNOWN AS Banbury, United Kingdom  
Sep 19 The BullingdonOxford, United Kingdom Tickets
Sep 22 Rye WaxLondon, United Kingdom  
Sep 27 Homegrown Ox And Bucks Festival Oxford, United Kingdom 
Sep 29 Wild Boar Warwick, United Kingdom 
Oct 02 Verve Bar Leeds, United Kingdom  
Oct 05 Bannermans Oxford, United Kingdom  
Oct 07 Lancaster Uni Lancaster, United Kingdom  
Oct 08 Dublin Castle London, United Kingdom  
Oct 10 Dog And Parrot Newcastle, Australia  
Oct 14 White Bear Barnsley, United Kingdom  
Oct 17 South Sea Sheffield, United Kingdom 

Gravity Drive

Since Ralph playlisted the forthcoming single 'Circles' by The Gravity Drive back on the 20th October for his Indie Show with Radio KC he's had numerous requests for more info, so being a Jack Russell and inquisitive by nature, dug deeper. 

The Gravity Drive are husband and wife duo Elijah and Ava Wolf who release their music on their own label, the aptly named Elijah Wolf Music. 

They describe themselves as a harmony driven, him/her, alternative pop duo with a bite. They met, they married, they started making music and their music as the sound of a relationship, questions and drama, lust and fireworks, bittersweet like all good love should be. 








The new single 'Circles' is a melodiously delicious piece of alt/pop, reminiscent of a more laid back New Order or more so their offshoot Rubberbear. Ava's backing is a perfect foil for Elijah's smooth vocal and love certainly isn't tearing them apart!

If this is a taster for the album then I certainly can't wait for the main course and I'll certainly be giving 'Circles' more airtime soon.












Their debut single 'Trick of the Light'/B-side 'Push Your Luck' and album track 'Tear Me Apart' were all made 'Fresh On The Net' fave's and have all been played by Tom Robinson on BBC 6 Music. They're currently finishing their debut album, 'TESTAMENT' (due out early next year), which is being mixed by Peter Schwier (Dexys, Electronic, Pet Shop Boys) and produced by Paul Knight-Malciak and The Gravity Drive.

Track  Notify me when The Gravity Drive comes to town.

	Date	Venue	Location
	Dec 14	The Railway Inn	Winchester, United Kingdom		RSVP	Share

Kidsmoke

Whilst sitting in the kennel, patiently waiting for the latest release by Rubberbear and sulking because they've got their first gig on when I'm off on holiday - a tweet took my eye regarding fellow Manchester band Kidsmoke who've just released their debut EP 'Higher'.  So as a Jack Russel and inquisitive by nature I stuck the headphones on and had a listen in.  Lo and behold they've put together four tracks of quite lovely Indie Pop which even they admit is influenced by the usual Manchester suspects.

Kidsmoke are Lance Williams, James Stickels, Tomas Hassall and Chris Trow and despite being long time friends they've only formed as a unit in early 2013.  That being said they've come up with a solid, eminently listenable debut EP.  The lead track 'Higher' kicks off with an almost psychedelic/60's California vocal and guitar which goes into shades of Prefab Sprout  and I'm hooked. 

Second track 'Take Me To The River' seems to have it's foundations in a slightly Americanised version of The Cure or New Order 'a la' Wild Nothing.  It's a bouncier track that I can see becoming a fans favourite.  'Tired City Love' on the other hand is a lighter, poppier sound.  It's catchy and for me, a possible single release.  Final track, the aptly named 'Conclusion' has Pete Hook-esque bass-line with Roddy Frame guitar overlaid and a soft vocal that might just be my favourite track.

Let's hope we hear more from these shiny bright young things soon...Kidsmoke are very much on the right track, take a chance and go see them if you can on 10th September in Manchester's Deaf Institute supporting Cayucas or 19th October in Kraak.

The Mutineers

Ralph briefly had a look at The Mutineers back in May of last year, but after their first album things went fairly quiet due to personal projects (bassist Iwan Gronow playing for Johnny Marr for instance) and a self imposed 'hiatus'.  The good news is, they're back with a vengeance.

With the release of the new single 'Tell Me Why' and a mini-tour planned for October/November, The Mutineers mighty music machine is back on the road.

Ta to TDM Photography

The single stays true to The Mutineers strong lyric writing ability and with a haunting vocal and musicality it's guaranteed to be a 'Muts' favourite as well as garnering them popularity with the wider Indie world. Let's hope this sees them focus on the band as a unit and with stability find a greater degree of success.  Current line up of the band is Nicholas James Mallins, Michael Reed, Iwan Gronow, Charles Salt and Thomas Twemlow.

Ta to TDM Photography

They've an impressive back catalogue of support appearances with the likes of The View, New Order and Pete Doherty.  Whilst having a reputation for selling out their own home ground gigs it's good to see the mini-tour taking in four major cities country-wide, The Mutineers are taking their music to the masses and they'll be playing tracks from the critically acclaimed 'Friends, Lovers, Rivals' album alongside new tracks including the single 'Tell Me Why'.

Tell Me Why mini-tour dates.....

Warrington - Friars Court - 12th October

Manchester - Sound Control - 17th October

London - Rattlesnake - 18th October

Glasgow - Pivo Pivo - 2nd November

Leeds -  Cockpit - 16th November

Ticket booking info at http://www.mutineersofficial.tumblr.com/live

Release date - Monday 23rd September - available via itunes - on mobile phones by texting "track TELLMEWHY" (mp3 link) or "track TELLMEWHY m" (direct to phone download) to 80818. 

Rubberbear

So what do you get when you take an ex-The Fall guitarist, a current bass player with New Order and a top electronic producer?  Rubberbear of course...it's the current side-project by Steve Trafford, Tom Chapman and Phil Birchenall.  Now given that Ralph only has a 20 second attention span let's not dwell overly on past and current careers elsewhere as Rubberbear are releasing an EP on April 1st and it's no joke!






The EP is comprised of three tracks and they describe them as being  meticulously crafted songs realised through lush, multi-layered pop arrangements.  Kraftwerk electronics collide with baroque orchestral parts, whilst pulsing dance beats melt seamlessly into rock’n'roll guitar riffs.

  

John Robb of Louder Than War commented - "They have that northern ice cool and a ghost like presence and an attractive strangeness which flavours their highly intelligent pop.  There is a  dark humour here but also a romantic pop smartness that flavours these songs with a human warmth amongst the digital melodies."    
I have no idea what either of those statements mean...I do know I like the tracks.  They're catchy, addictive electro-pop tunes at their very best.



They've a whole catalogue of tracks under their collective belt and we can expect an album and tour in the summer.  Ideal as their light brand of music is suited for the sunnier days which are hopefully on the way!  'Steamroller' is just such a track with a hint of the Pet Shop Boys making it ideal radio play material.








'World Of Moderninity' is a moodier, more reflective track with Phill Birchenall's Tribeca electro-beats influence shining through.








Star of the show though is the lead track 'Let's Move Somewhere Else'.  It's a quality pop toon that has summer hit written all over it.  Smooth vocals, smooth synths and an addictive beat makes it shine over the other tracks.  You'll be hearing it on a mainstream radio station near you very soon.  Ralph was fortunate enough to have played it on his internet radio show on Radio KC last week and it's had some of the best feedback of all the tracks played over the last eight weeks.








Lead track ‘Let’s Move Somewhere Else’ will be accompanied by a short-film – produced by Manchester based videographers Jan Dixon and Emily Dixon of WeAreTape and starring the well-respected actor Maxine Peake who is currently starring in the BBC1 costume drama 'The Village'.  The video will be available online, via Rubberbear’s Facebook Page shortly before the release.




What has been refreshing is their use of Facebook and Twitter to promote themselves and the EP, eschewing the mainstream media (they'll catch on eventually) in a manner fashionable with the majority of unsigned Indie artists that Ralph loves so much.  Here's hoping they maintain that homeliness with their gigs too!  Their style is suited to the more intimate venue despite their musical pedigree.

Live from BBC Radio Manchester