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Scruff Of The Neck Presents ... - 20160711

  • Published in Columns

 

For your entertainment during another working week here's five more hand-picked delights from the Scruff Of The Neck stable.

Semantics – 'Ocean'

Kicking things off this week are Birmingham-based post-punks Semantics.Taken from the band's recent debut EP, 'Ocean' throbs with an understated menace typical of the genre; a rumbling bass and baritone vocal only adding to the track's ever-increasing sense of menace. Darkness never sounded so good.

 

Aurora Macabre – 'Anchor'

“It seems like everyone is more and more intent on skipping stones, but I'm making waves” croons Aurora Macabre vocalist Nick Hibbert on 'Anchor'. It's a telling lyric. Hailing from Sheffield the band are immersed in a scene that largely rests on its laurels, yet Aurora Macabre instead create a brand of hazy and wistful indie-pop that sets them apart from their contemporaries.

 

Cessna Deathwish – 'The Bends'

Arguably Brighton's answer to Death Cab For Cutie, Cessna Deathwish subscribe to a brand of transatlantic indie that's a far cry from the working-class colloquialism of the distinctly more British equivalent. 'The Bends' is both self-deprecating and simultaneously uplifting while bringing to mind the likes of Manchester Orchestra in its use of dynamics and melodic meandering. Exquisite.

 

We Came From Wolves – 'Cope'

It wouldn't be a Top 5 of late without the inclusion of a Scottish band, but Perth's We Came From Wolves are far from a token inclusion. 'Cope' is the title-track from the band's latest EP, and is nearly six minutes of anthemic alt-rock. Staggering in its ambition and surprisingly tender despite a tour de force delivery, 'Cope' is just one example of why We Came From Wolves are going places.

 

The Society – 'Begging'

Arguably the poppiest track featured this week, 'Begging' comes from Manchester four piece The Society. Tropi-pop guitars run riot while an almost club-like synth and bass drum provide a frenetic and upbeat melody. Though little else is available online currently, one track's all it needed for a buzz to mount.

 

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Scruff Of The Neck Presents ... - 20160704

  • Published in Columns

 

For your entertainment during another working week here's five more hand-picked delights from the Scruff Of The Neck stable.

Tourist Attractions – 'Million Miles Away'

Kicking things off this week is the latest single from Manchester four-piece Tourist Attractions. From it's Velvet Underground-esque introduction, right up to its explosively frenetic conclusion, 'Million Miles Away' asserts itself as one of the strongest tracks to come out of the city's scene this year and marks the beginning of Tourist Attractions steady ascent to the top of their game.

 

Shallows – 'Pale'

Though very little is known about Liverpool trio Shallows, their debut single 'Pale' speaks volumes. Rich in melody and ambition both it's a bold first statement and one which has already seen the buzz mount, all without playing a gig...yet.

 

Wyldest – 'Wanders'

Falling somewhere in between electro-pop and shoegaze, North London trio Wyldest create staggeringly pretty pop music that succeeds in being both ethereal and entrenched in its own pop sensibility. 'Wanders' is four minutes of understated electronics and throbbing bass; the hazy production the perfect accompaniment to the wistful vocals.

 

Young Monarch – 'Caught On You'

A blissful combination of classical instruments and silky smooth vocal melody, Manchester's Young Monarch peddle a kind of post-pop that's as confident as it is delicate. 'Caught On You' is built around a subtle bass and exquisite strings, a percussive throb and clap providing a texturous backbone to the otherwise silk-like instrumentation and vocal.

 

Bishop – 'Sea Eyes'

Hailing from Glasgow, Bishop are a band whose music is somewhat difficult to describe. Providing the more familiar Scottish genres of folk and post-rock with a heavy electronic twist, the four piece operate in a genreless bubble of their own. 'Sea Eyes' at its root, is lilting folk number, quiet and intelligent yet layered in a woozy and narcotic haze, making it quite unlike any sort of folk music we've heard before. Fantastic.

 

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