Given the current state of the world, anybody would be forgiven for being in a perpetual state of loss. There’s a tangible feeling of confusion, dismay and fracture on any street that leads to a preference for isolation or staring at our own private screens over physical interactions. However, what this often breeds is communities ready to ignite people with an energy to fight the malaise bred by injustice. Enter: Riskee and The Ridicule. A tour-de-force band of politics, protest and punk that practices what they preach and are spearheading such a charge.

Growing up in Kent, the group had always been a staple of the UK DIY scene, but their fervent attitude and unique grime-punk rallied troops of dedicated fans across the world. This die-hard community, the seamless relationship between artist and crowd, is ever-expanding and the reason Riskee and The Ridicule have toured ruthlessly nationwide, across Europe, the USA and are now readying their third studio album, Body Bag Your Scene.

Following the release of explosive first single ‘Kaboom!’ earlier this month, where listeners got their first taste of the forthcoming album’s aural feast, this week finds the band in a more reflective mood with the release of new single ‘In The Dark We Dwell’.

The video directed by the band, is a respectful nod to Keith Flint and anyone suffering from their own internal darkness. “In The Dark We Dwell” is about gravitating towards self destruction,” explains frontman Scott Picking. “It’s an insight in to the past. It’s about who we used to be and who we are now.”

Catch the band live at Rebellion Festival this August.

Nashville based singer/songwriter Andrew Combs has announced his new album, Ideal Man, to be released on September 20 via New West Records and has shared ‘Stars Of Longing’, the first track to be taken from the album.An insightful, questioning gem, ‘Stars Of Longing’ opens the album with a snare drum cracking like a gunshot, before launching into a flowing blend of fuzzy guitar lines and reverb-drenched vocals.

Ideal Man was produced by Sam Cohen (Kevin Morby, Benjamin Booker) and follows Combs’ critically acclaimed 5 Covers & A Song EP, which featured his interpretations of songs by The Strokes, Radiohead, Blake Mills, Lucinda Williams, and Loudon Wainwright III.

While Combs may be best known as a singer/songwriter in the classic 1970s Laurel Canyon sense of the term, he proves the true versatility of his work here, often setting his acoustic aside in favour of atmospheric synthesizers and distorted electric guitars. Captured live in Cohen’s Brooklyn studio, Ideal Man also features Combs’ longtime collaborators, drummer Dom Billet and guitarist/keyboardist/bassist Jerry Bernhardt.

 “In the past, I’ve tended to pursue a studio sound that was really polished and clean, but I wanted to do something different this time, and I knew that working with Sam would lead to more of a loose, psychedelic, spaced-out vibe. We did everything live in the studio, even my vocals, and there’s a sense of immediacy and discovery in those early takes that you can’t recreate.”

Combs will be touring Europe in support of Ideal Man in November and December, including dates in Bristol, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, and a show at London’s The Lexington on December 10. Tickets are on sale now.

EUROPEAN TOUR 2019

04/12 – St Lawrence’s Church, Biddulph, UK

05/12 – Pleasance Cabaret Bar, Edinburgh, UK

06/12 – CCA, Glasgow, UK

07/12 – Cleeres, Kilkenny, IE

08/12 – Lost Lane, Dublin, IE

09/12 – Louisiana, Bristol, UK

10/12 – The Lexington, London, UK