The beautiful new Pascal Pinon video, made by first-time director Alísa Kalyanova, premiered today at Guardian Music. "An album of whispered, close harmonies and hushed melodies... gorgeously intimate songs. For the video – directed by photographer Alísa Kalyanova and premiered here – the sisters are beautifully shot in pastel light." Read the piece here.
Danish gloom-pop band Rough Days For Diamond Trade have announced their first UK dates next week.
May
15th The Black Heart, Camden
16th Symptomatic Presents, The Water Rats
"Like a poppy Joy Division or Bauhaus" says The Guardian. High praise. Check 'em out.
There's a beautiful new Pascal Pinon video premiering on Tuesday, directed by Alísa Kalyanova. Follow us on our Facebook for the link.
DZ Deathrays (AUS), PVT (AUS) & Withered Hand (UK)
join Icelandic stars Oyama, Bloodgroup, Mammút, Boogie Trouble, Sykur
"Amazing bands & incredible venues in a phenomenal city, no messing." - Clash
"A wonderful fixture on the Euro-festival calendar - long may it continue." - The Fly
All The Bands Announced So Far: http://
Tickets: http://midi.is/
Reykjavík Music Mess is an independent music festival in downtown Reykjavík, showcasing a wide range homegrown and international bands under the bright pink skies of Iceland's endless summer nights. The festival's bold, diverse lineups have attracted positive attention from many of Europe's top musicmagazines, including MOJO, Clash, Artrocker and The Fly.
Now in it's third year, Reykjavík Music Mess will this year host sets by antipodean party-rockers DZ Deathrays, Scottish folk star Withered Hand and Australia's PVT alongside the young stars of the thriving Reykjavik scene, including Oyama, Bloodgroup, Mammút, Muck and Sykur. The festival will be housed in two spaces: Volta, a smart new venue & club in the heart of the downtown neighbourhood; and Kex, a strikingly-designed hostel, bistro-bar and live room with a view across the city's spectacular coastline.
Previous festivals have seen guests like Deerhunter (US), Cheek Mountain Thief (IS/UK), Jarse (FI) and Laura J Martin (UK) play alongside Icelandic stars Sin Fang, Borko, Útidúr, Tilbury,
Reykjavík Music Messwill be held from May 24th to 26th, and tickets are on sale now.
DZ Deathrays
"Some bands play hypnotic observational pop, others set about dismantling the cute Björk ambience of the country's cultural past... others wonder if any tourists may prefer some screaming hardcore noise with their hot springs and puffins" - MOJO
2011 Press:
MOJO (lead live review)
The Fly (lead live review)
Clash Magazine
Drowned In Sound
2012 Press:
Artrocker (print & web)
Notion (print & web)
The Line Of Best Fit
Snipe
Reigate "Socialist Rhythm & Blues" band Thee Faction have announced a new single & album.
The single is called "Better Than Wages", and was coincidentally released on the day of Maggie Thatcher's death. Said Billy Brentford, their singer: "This is not a day to celebrate. Thatcher is dead. But Thatcherism lives. The battle continues".
Their next gig, on April 27th, is sold out, but the band will announce a free single release show soon on Twitter.
Read more here.
Slottsfjell is a truly blissful summer festival in Norway, with hilltop stage set against the twilit fjörds of Tønsberg.
The first lineup announcement is out, with an eclectic mix of pop, metal, indie and dance music making it a joyfully and characteristically diverse representation of today's international music scene.
It's also a great place to catch the cream of Norway's emerging bands against a spectacular landscape that never gets dark - when the stages close, it's time to venture out under the pink skies of the 24-hour daytime, into the festival's late-night clubs, bars and warehouse party venue.
Playing in 2013:
Alt-J, Bad Religion, Biffy Clyro, Kaizers Orchestra, Mø, Kendrick Lamar, The Wombats, Converge, Dan Croll, Dan Deacon, Daughter, Hatebreed, Imagine Dragons, Karpe Diem, Kvelertak, Little Green Cars, Razika, Tallest Man On Earth, Tom Odell.
(Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds)
Top French music festival LA ROUTE DU ROCK has announced a vintage lineup for 2013, featuring Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Hot Chip, Godspeed You Black Emperor, Efterklang, Local Natives, !!!, Moon Duo, and Tame Impala.
Set against the glorious green seas of Brittany's "Emerald Coast", and easily accessible from Portsmouth via Brittany Ferries, the festival has becoming a deserving favourite amongst discerning festival goers looking for some sun, sand and late-summer sounds. An easy going atmosphere and a spectacular location that includes beach, theatre and chateau stages, as well as generous headline-length sets for all the performers, make LRDR a European festival event not to be missed.
Previous years have included headline sets by The XX, Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, The Flaming Lips, The Cure, Massive Attack, The National, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, and many more.
La Route Du Rock takes place on the 15-17th August this year in St. Malo, France, and in addition to the bands already announced, the festival's usual cutting-edge new-band lineup will be unveiled over the coming months.
Projekta have announced a collaboration with Soliti Records from Finland on their May 14th 2013 London showcase gig, featuring The New Tigers, Black Twig and Big Wave Riders, in association with Music Finland.
The event is free entry and will be held at infamous party spot The Old Blue Last in London's Shoreditch neighbourhood, from 8pm. John BRNLV (Club NME) and Billy Reeves (BBC London) will DJ.
Details can be found on Facebook here, or on the dedicated Projekta page here.
Danish alt-pop band Rough Days For Diamond Trade have been picking up fans fast in the UK music media. From Guardian journalist and Amazing Radio host Paul Lester to leading lifestyle mag Notion, and from Bella Union boss Simon Raymonde to HypeM-rated UK blog Gold Flake Paint - the video for debut single "Anywhere" has made waves ahead of Monday's EP release.
"Rough Days for Diamond Trade sound like a poppy Joy Division or Bauhaus... like shiny happy pop song playing at the wrong speed. Nice chrous, too." - Paul Lester, The Guardian
"A plaintive and restrained dose of electro-pop that shifts and shimmers its way through low-lying synths, hand-clap percussion and downbeat vocals." - Gold Flake Paint
"Anywhere is a heady mix of lilting pop vocals, brooding synth melodies and hand clap percussion beats... a treat for your ears and your eyes" - Notion
