‘Skint Kids Disco’ is the latest tune to emerge from the rapidly rising outfit’s upcoming EP of the same name, set for release via the Modern Sky label on March 30. Picking up where effervescent former single ‘Eight Till Late’ left off, ‘Skint Kids Disco’ is an anthem custom-made to power the listener on into the early hours. Flaunting the band’s mutual love of ‘70s and ‘80s funk & disco records, ‘Skint Kids Disco’ is a complex concoction of pepped-up percussion, catch-fire chord changes and booty-shaking basslines.

Speaking about the track, frontman Isaac Taylor says:"We wrote this song with every intention of writing an outright disco-pop anthem. ‘Skint Kids Disco’ incorporates a multitude of sounds and elements that are reminiscent of the music styles we love as individual musicians. Sleazy guitar tones, fat funk bass lines and big disco beats.”

As with the rest of the EP, ‘Skint Kids Disco’ was recorded and mixed at the new Magic Garden studios in Wolverhampton with help from producer and sonic wizard, Gavin Monaghan (The Sherlocks, Jaws, Robert Plant). A tried and tested relationship that clearly works creatively and mutually for both band and producer, No Hot Ashes found themselves bouncing ideas off one another more so than ever in the recording of this particular track. As Taylor explains: “We've always recorded with Gavin, but never felt we had enough time to experiment with sounds. With this song and the EP generally, we found that both us and Gavin had lots of time to really work at every nitty element of the song and you can hear the difference that's made.”

Another formidable talent to emerge from Stockport, Greater Manchester in recent times, No Hot Ashes already have a string of infectious singles in their repertoire including ‘Easy Peeler’, ‘Cool Cat’, and ‘Eight Till Late’. Major support slots with Blossoms, Spring King, The Amazons and Prides around the UK, and major festival appearances at the likes of Reading, Y NOT and Kendal Calling have seen the band already amass over a million plays on Spotify.

TOUR DATES 2017

JANUARY

6th January / Derby / DPP Festival

MARCH

1st March / Leeds / Lending Room

9th March / Cardiff / Clwb Ifor Bach

10th March / Bristol / Mr Wolf

25th March / Sound & Stage / Manchester Acoustic

31st March / Academy 2 / Manchester

+ More to be added soon.

It’s Re-TROS’ first foray into Ireland, and here they are in Dublin’s biggest arena opening for Depeche Mode. The venue isn’t full when they come on, so they’ve only about 5000 people to impress then: no pressure. The Beijing trio are huge in their home country but not very well known in these parts yet. They recently signed with Modern Sky UK and released their first album for the label. Before The Applause is an awesome collection of dystopian epics. Far from being commercial, they sound like Underworld playing with !!! and Alt-J.

The twin synths stand either side of the drum kit but the three musicians trade out instruments for fun. Dropping the guitars or stepping away from their synths, they might pick up a percussion instrument as the beat goes on. A brief greeting and an explosion of white light introduce the thundering ‘Hailing Drums’. The crowd’s reaction is nearly as entertaining as the band. Standing stock still throughout as if hypnotised, there is little in the way of cheering or clapping. Mostly it’s a kind of stunned silence; which is the appropriate response to hearing Re-TROS for the first time.

The ominous bass tones of ‘Pigs In The River’ follow. The organ stabs and gravelly vocals are immediately redolent of Nick Cave’s ‘Red Right Hand’. Crimson spotlights flicker in time with the Joey Santiago guitars of the chorus. They play with the structure of the song and even play up the Bad Seeds resemblance by dropping a line from it into one of the verses.

The 30 minute set only gives them time for three songs and the realisation that their set is over is physically and emotionally painful. Like a sudden blackout that brings an engrossing film to a premature end. It’s a performance of mastery and intensity so compelling that a number of times I have to remind myself to breathe. The narcotic rush of Re-TROS is addictive. Hopefully they will be back soon. This music is a smaller venue would be overwhelming. In a Stendhal kind of way.