Tag: New wave

Song of the Day: Foolish – Rogues

A warm glow of the eighties-style synth, introduces Australian indie pop/new wave duo ROGUES‘ latest single, ‘Foolish’ which is, perfectly complimented by a vocal performance that’s reminiscent of Clark Datchler from eighties pop/new wave group, Johnny Hates Jazz.

Perth act Rogues have hit the ground running on the Australian music scene and are promising bigger and better things going forward, as they take their craft to new and exciting heights. After meeting in high-school, the duo joined forces in 2016 with their collective vision of redefining the modular sounds of eighties synth for a new age more fragmented and discerning than ever before. It was a union as unholy as it was unlikely, aligning two creative minds from distant cultures and musical backgrounds far beyond the Perth city-limits. For two Perth grown mates, born in Colombia (drummer / keyboardist Cristian Galindo) and Scotland (guitarist / vocalist Graeme White), there was never a clear prototype to emulate, which ushered the band in a direction they could only carve out for themselves.

The band’s 2017 debut effort (Double Vision EP) saw them establish a synth-laden indie take on arena rock, reimagining the approaches from spearheads like Tears for Fears and The Killers. 2023 takes a more contemporary turn for Rogues, with the band trading their 80s aesthetic for a slicker indie pop sound in their upcoming debut album, ‘Home In The Abyss’. Their latest vision abounds with memorable hooks in the vein of Dua Lipa, the lyrical strangeness and slight dissonance of Gorillaz, moody textures of Joji, and cohabited synth and guitar space expected from the likes of Phoenix. The upcoming 12-track album was fully self-produced and engineered, allowing meticulous attention to detail and full artistic control by the duo. The release, which is
set for the first half of 2023, will be preceded by a string of singles, each showcasing versatility and exemplifying the band’s undeniable ability for delivering epic soundscapes and anthemic vocals.

Rogues are a band to watch out for this year. Keep up to date with their upcoming releases, shows and news by following them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. Check out their latest single, ‘Foolish’ below’…

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Upcoming Release: Smokestack City – Billow Cloud

Billy Lash – aka BILLOW CLOUD – has a touch of nostalgia, packaged in a spine-tingling new wave pop/rock single entitled ‘Smokestack City’.

Reminiscing on Summer holidays in the midWest of the United States as a child, the Londoner penned the single at his Streatham home, paying homage to the industrial city of Gray, Indiana. The accompanied visuals show the footage of the city and Warren Dunes in Michigan, taken on a family vacation.

Over the last year, BILLOW CLOUD has been a regular on London’s gig scene, and is set to perform this Saturday at Kensington’s Finborough Arms in London .

Here’s your chance to taste his brand…have a listen to ‘Smokestack City,’ out tomorrow on all digital download platforms.

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Album Review: Meesh – Tunnel Traffic

It’s been some time (I think roughly a year and a half) since Adam Hachey, the brainchild of TUNNEL TRAFFIC, appeared on NEW LEASE MUSIC with his 2015 album, ‘Absolute Dreams’. Out of nowhere, this alternative folk-rocker recently emailed his new album, ‘Meesh, in which he produced while making his big shift to the City of Brotherly Love.

Unlike his previous collection, which was an atmospherically intense affair, ‘Meesh’ gets right down to it with bursts of zesty guitar licks through the first few tracks, ‘Lesson Learned’, ‘Pockets’ and ‘Anew’.

The psychedelic ride passes and makes way for a softer journey of lo-fi/new wave(ish) arrangements and the rich influence of that  70s inspired soulful rock, before turning up the tempo through efforts, ‘Maxwell’ and ‘All Day, Err Day.’

The latter part of the album is what I personally think is classic TRAFFIC TUNNEL. With the return of the zesty guitar plucks, the almost stripped back pieces becomes intense and personal, where you can not only hear, but FEEL every word uttered.

‘Meesh’ sees Adam comes out of his comfort zone and go down the experimentation route, which is great – but personally, he’s at his best when he perform songs that hone right into the soul.

Must Listens: Familiar, Slope Day, Mitch, Memorial

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Song of the Day: Wing and a Prayer – Southway

Southway

Today’s song is Wing and a Prayer from British new wave electro rock band SOUTHWAY. The single is coming from their album, The Outside World, due for release in early 2014.

SOUTHWAY was initially a solo project set up by Shaun Jason after emigrating to the US from his home town in Bristol. He released two full-length albums, Electroganic (2004) and Somapop (2007). Jason then moved to Seoul, which led to the completion of his third album, Suitcase (2008).

 SOUTHWAY was no longer a solo project after Jason met Shiun Kim in a club on Christmas eve in 2008. After two years of touring together in Asia and UK, the duo relocated in the UK, where they worked on the fourth album (and the first as a duo), reinventing their new wave/electronic rock sound, which can easily compared to NEW ORDER, THE KILLERS and MUSE.

In early 2013, they release the EP Changing World, which earned them a deal with Seoul-based SundayDisco Records in the spring. Since then it’s been full-steam ahead for the duo, as they performed live at festivals and clubs throughout the summer. They shared the stage with MUSE, METALLICA and IGGY POP at the Hyundai Card Super Concert in August. There’s no rest for these guys – they will be playing at a Christmas concert in Seoul and begin their UK tour in February.

Take time out and listen to Wing and a Prayer – this track is too good to miss, as they really put their stamp on that 80’s racy new wave/punk sound. If you seriously into this sound, it is REALLY worth visiting their SoundCloud page and checking out their other tracks – enjoy (I know you will!)

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