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FELIX CARTAL ANNOUNCES: EXPENSIVE SOUNDS FOR NICE PEOPLE LP

May 7, 2021 by admin

Image Credit: Trevor Brady (for Felix Cartal)

Multi-platinum Producer & DJ, Felix Cartal, ANNOUNCES:
Expensive Sounds For Nice People LP

Teams up with UK’s Platinum-selling hit singer-songwriter Karen Harding on ‘Only One’

(Toronto, ON – May 7th, 2021) – Platinum producer Felix Cartal has announced the release of his upcoming album, Expensive Sounds For Nice People on June 25th via Physical Presents. Ahead of the album release, the producer teamed up with pop artist Karen Harding on the stunning single ‘Only One’ out today! Felix Cartal has already released several hit singles from the album, including ‘Mine’ with Sophie Simmons (currently nominated for JUNOS Dance Recording of the Year), and ‘Love Me’ (which are both certified platinum in Canada) with ‘Love Me’ (featuring the singer LIGHTS) also winning the Dance Recording of the Year at the 2020 JUNOS His previous single, ‘Get What You Give’ also reached platinum and Felix’s last single, ‘Happy Hour’ with Kiiara was featured on 32 Spotify New Music Friday playlists as well as Billboard’s Best New Dance Tracks. Along with those already released singles, Felix shares the remaining track listing and reveals the album art below.

UK Hit Singer-Songwriter Karen Harding’s impressive body of work now surpasses 400 million combined Spotify streams. After the worldwide success of her last single ‘Un-Do My Heart’, with Digital Farm Animals now passing 20 million streams, her current UK single with Shift K3Y titled ‘Morning’ is on airwaves across the world. Hailing from Durham County, Karen will next be leading into her first-ever mini-album due in July on Ultra Music.

High energy, high romance and high expectations are carrying us into the summer with Felix Cartal’s latest single, ‘Only One’ featuring the stunning songstress Karen Harding and her unforgettable style. A playful attitude radiates throughout the single as the “give and take” atmosphere harnessed between the unique production style and powerful vocals lead us into a day of flirty fun and nights with blurry memories.

Felix Cartal has collaborated with several major artists such as Kaskade, R3HAB, Gallant has also created official remixes for the likes of Selena Gomez, Zedd, Galantis, Dillon Francis, MØ, Ellie Goulding, Diplo, Anne-Marie & Doja Cat as well as Daya & Shallou’s ‘Older’. Vancouver-based Felix Cartal has been featured by major Youtube channels Trap Nation, MrSuicideSheep, MrRevillz, Chill Nation, The Vibe Guide, Selected, xKito amongst others, and has earned over 360 million plays across platforms. He has also seen support from BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard and Diplo & Friends and SiriusXM Chill has also heavily supported several singles, while his Weekend Workout radio show is also featured on SiriusXM Diplo’s Revolution. His sound can be compared to those of the industry greats of Avicii, Kygo and Calvin Harris.

Felix Cartal tells us about the creation of the single: “I wrote this one with Karen, Chelsea and Nick during a spontaneous session in LA. I feel like I have two modes when I make music, mode 1 would be something with an emotional heaviness and mode 2 would be a response to just break away and make something that’s more of an uplifting escape. It was the summer, and I definitely was in mode 2.”

Karen Harding further elaborates on the single: “I loved this writing session. We were all on such a high and I think it definitely came across in the song. We wanted to write a song about that overwhelming feeling of when you know someone is ‘the one’, we’ve all felt it at some point.”

Expensive Sounds For Nice People LP Tracklisting
Pre-order here

The Life (feat. Fjord)
Over It (feat. Veronica)
Harmony
Layover
Mine (with Sophie Simmons)
500 Days
Old Self (feat. Ofelia K)
We Fall
Only One (with Karen Harding)
My Last Song (feat. Hanne Mjøen)
Love Me (with Lights)
Going Up
Happy Hour (with Kiiara)
Jealous
Hygge
Too Late (feat. Kroy)

“Felix has carved his own path in this crazy dance music world, building a loyal fan base track by track”
– BILLBOARD

[Felix Cartal] “It goes from a cool electro place into some more mellow, halftime vibes during the hook. No earth-shattering drops, no pandering. This is just good music for great people.”
– COMPLEX

“Cartal’s proficiency in the studio shines and seamlessly rises above traditional conventions of genre and format”
– Dancing Astronaut

[Kiiara’s] “chopped and screwed vocals sit so perfectly in the track’s jerky electro that you almost forget they’re there.”
– The Guardian

Kiiara’s lighter-than-air vocals are coupled with a flirtatious beat on “Intention,” which definitely didn’t get as much consideration as Low Kii Savage single “Gold,” but is no less catchy.
– Billboard

[Kiiara’s ‘Gold’s] chorus had a trance-like pull, chopping up vocals and splicing them into an indecipherable hyperpop concoction.
– Pitchfork

Follow Felix Cartal:
Web – Facebook – Twitter – Soundcloud – Instagram – YouTube – Spotify

Follow Karen Harding:
Web – Facebook – Twitter – Soundcloud – Instagram – YouTube – Spotify

LIDO PIMIENTA SHARES NEW VIDEO FOR “COMING THRU”

March 9, 2021 by admin

News

Photo Credit: Andres Navarro

LIDO PIMIENTA SHARES NEW VIDEO FOR “COMING THRU” FROM HER ACCLAIMED ALBUM MISS COLOMBIA – WATCH HERE

MISS COLOMBIA NOMINATED FOR 2021 GRAMMY®: BEST LATIN ROCK OR ALTERNATIVE ALBUM

PIMIENTA TO PERFORM IN GRAMMY AWARDS PREMIERE CEREMONY® THIS SUNDAY AT 12:00 PM PT / 3 PM ET

MISS COLOMBIA NOMINATED FOR 2021 JUNO AWARD: ALBUM ARTWORK OF THE YEAR

(March 9, 2021 – Toronto, ON) – Lido Pimienta has shared a new video for “Coming Thru” today, a track featured on Miss Colombia, one of the most celebrated album releases of 2020. Watch the video HERE.

“The song is about surviving, deciding when to share and when to stop sharing, and understanding when one is being used,” Pimienta said of “Coming Thru.” “The characters could be your own conscience, anxieties or fears.” Of the new video, she added, “This is a third installment between Orly Anan and I, and with the support of our director, cinematographer and amazing crew, we made it happen in the safest way during the pandemic in Mexico City. The creatures next to me are acting as my conscience but most importantly, my sense of power, surrounded by the abundance of colorful fruits and foods that are to be shared ONLY by the ones who want to protect us.”

This Sunday at Noon PT / 3:00 PM ET, Pimienta will perform at the 2021 Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremony which will stream live at Grammy.com. Pimienta’s first-ever Grammy nomination, Miss Colombia is nominated in the ‘Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album’ category. Pimienta recently spoke with Grammy.com about being a first-time nominee and her inspirations behind the album – read that conversation HERE.

Upon its release in April 2020, Miss Colombia was met with an 8.0 from Pitchfork, 4 out of 5 stars from Rolling Stone, Album of the Week by Stereogum and named one of the best albums of the year (so far) by Billboard. In an interview with i-D, Pimienta described Miss Colombia as “a cynical love letter” to the country. Key appearances include a release day performance with Pitchfork via Instagram, a live discussion with Chicano Batman hosted by The Talkhouse, and her performance of “Nada” for COLORS has over 1 million views.

The album fuses electro-cumbia with pop, resulting in an album that is as fascinating as it is powerful. Its title was in-part inspired by the 2015 Miss Universe mishap in which Steve Harvey mistakenly crowned Miss Colombia, instead of Miss Philippines. It caused Lido to reflect on the anti-blackness she’s experienced. In a review broadcast on All Things Considered, NPR described the album as “a complicated ode to a country and a culture that still struggles to celebrate its black and Indigenous women.”

Listen to ‘Miss Colombia’

https://www.lidopimienta.com/

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WE WERE SHARKS ANNOUNCE ‘NEW LOW’ OUT MAY 21

March 4, 2021 by admin

News

OTTAWA’S WE WERE SHARKS RELEASE NEW VIDEO FOR “PROBLEMS”

ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUM NEW LOW OUT MAY 21, 2021

(March 04, 2021 – Toronto, ON) – Ottawa pop-punk group We Were Sharks, have released a brand new single and video “Problems” – check it out here.

“Problems,” as well as previously released singles “Shameless” and “Bring Me Down” all come off of the band’s forthcoming album New Low, due out May 21, 2021 via Known Accomplice. Fans can pre-order the record here.

On New Low, lead vocalist Randy Frobel shares, “New Low is a collection of songs that we created that focuses on being down but not out. Since the release of Lost Touch, we’ve experienced many of life’s ups and downs. We’ve lost relationships, friends and family, and have gone through a lot of unexpected challenges that life has a tendency to throw at you when you least expect it. However, no matter what may have tried to keep us down or hold us back, we always take the hit and keep pushing forward.”

He continues on the new single, “‘Problems’ could be considered a typical song about a relationship. It’s about being with someone and passionately loving one another, being angry with one another, and overall, being stubborn. In the heat of the moment, we find ourselves saying things we never genuinely mean, and that’s where ‘problems’ can usually start. It’s not that the love between one another is gone, even when it sometimes feels like it; instead, it’s about needing to be heard.”

We Were Sharks’ flippancy is a breath of fresh air in the face of a pop-punk scene that’s very self-serious (and seriously lacking self). While many of their peers wax poetic about wearing their hearts on their sleeves, this Ottawa band wears their wit in their moniker; they literally were a band called Sharks until legalities threatened to stop the party.

But the party didn’t stop, as the band cheekily updated their name and carried on, and it continues on sophomore LP New Low. Irreverence inspires the lyrics, more a means to an end than some meaningful and profound proclamation that would position We Were Sharks as pop-punk philosophers.

By swinging to both sides of pop-punk, both the pop and rock edges, the band expanded their sound while shrinking from three guitars to two. It’s the kind of thing that will make the van a little roomier when touring returns. Similar to their sonic gains made since the release of Lost Touch, We Were Sharks were growing their draw with their first proper US experiences. That included a slot at punk rock mainstay The Fest and tours alongside fellow pop punk satellite acts like A Wilhelm Scream, Such Gold, Youth Fountain, Assuming We Survive, Boys of Fall.

Not like the added space would be a huge worry. With an album like New Low, We Were Sharks are ready to reach a new high — and that could include a Bandwagon, or even bus. The only thing holding them back is the reality of the world they’re rearing to take over.

New Low will be released May 21, 2021. For more information, please visit http://www.weweresharks.com/.

New Low Tracklisting

Shameless
Bring Me Down
Problems
Over This
New Low
Burning House
Ashley (Pt. 2)
Golden
Omens
Ready To Go

For press photos, please see here.
For high-res album art, please see here.
For official bio, please see here

We Were Sharks is Randy Frobel (vocals), Jason Mooney (guitar), Colin Jacques (guitar), Matthew Sears (bass) and Will Plummer (drums).

Follow We Were Sharks:

https://www.instagram.com/weweresharksband/
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https://twitter.com/weweresharks

BLXCK CXSPER SHARES NEW TRACK AND VIDEO FOR “SELF MEDICATING”

February 26, 2021 by admin

News

Photo Credit: Pooja Sethi

HONORED ON FIRST BILLBOARD AGENTS OF CHANGE LIST AND FEATURED AS ONE OF CBC QUEBEC’S BLACK CHANGEMAKERS

(Toronto, ON – February 26, 2021) – Montreal artist and Trans Trenderz label founder, Blxck Cxsper, returns with their latest single and video for “Self Medicating.” A very vulnerable track for Cxsper has them opening up about their struggles with suicide, depression, and their recent diagnosis of autism.

Watch the video below…

In their own words, Blxck Cxsper digs into the track, saying:

“My whole life I’ve been feeling extremely lonely. No matter how many friends I thought I had, how many girls were into me or how much visibility I received with my work, I’ve always felt misunderstood. Unable to cry for help because I simply had no idea what type of help I needed.

And that’s been a very recurring theme in my music, to the point where my stage name reflects that: if you think about who Casper is, he’s this ghost who is overly empathetic and desperately wants to connect with people, yet is unable to express it, and is therefore seen as terrifying. All I’ve ever wanted was to connect with people but besides making music, I never knew how.

And then a few weeks ago, after ‘Self Medicating’ was done and set to release, I found out that I am autistic. And now everything makes sense.

‘Self Medicating’ is a song about me, an autistic person who is going through life masking as neurotypical, not knowing that that’s what they’re doing and that that’s why they feel so lonely and so hopeless. And the same way this song helped me find the words to finally learn about myself, I’m hoping it will help others the same way.”

Earlier this year, Cspxer was named one of Billboard’s first Change Agents: Leaders Stepping Up In A Year of Turmoil, highlighting their efforts to boost up-and-coming Black trans artists. “Music has the power to humanize trans people in the eyes of society,” Cxsper told the magazine. “Building a platform to elevate Black trans voices into the mainstream music industry is the way that I’m contributing my skills to help.” Read more HERE. They were also featured in CBC Quebec’s Black Changemaker series, highlighting people from the province’s Black communities who are giving back, inspiring others, and helping to shape our future. More here.

With a voice reminiscent of The Weeknd accompanied by the afro-trap rhythms of MHD, Blxck Cxsper’s music is inspired by all the different countries that witnessed their growth. They mix softness with confidence and give raw sensuality and intimacy to hard-hitting trap beats, a contradiction that manages to feel very natural. On “Self Medicating”, Casper shows a softer side and really shows their versatility! Despite the odds stacked against them, Blxck Cxsper’s music is a force to be reckoned with.

About Trans Trenderz

Trans Trenderz was launched in 2016 when Cxsper curated and produced a mixtape of the same name, featuring 14 Trans artists. The feeling at the release party was unlike anything they had experienced before. “You could feel how excited people were to finally see Trans folks on stage. It didn’t feel like a show, more like a family reunion,” they explain. “There was no hierarchy between the artist and the audience, everybody was contributing to the love in that room in their own way.” Wanting to continue to provide that space for themselves and other like-minded artists, Trans Trenderz officially evolved into a record label, signing Transgender and gender non-conforming acts.

In June of 2020, when the Black Lives Matter movement regained traction, Cxsper offered to make beats for other Black Trans artists. Within days, 30 artists reached out to them to collaborate. Around the same time, Myla, a Black Trans woman from Dallas, TX, contacted Cxsper wanting to donate some of her PUA money to help Black Trans people. They decided to use the funds to cover release costs for Black Trans musicians, and a new endeavor, The Ghostly Beats Project, was born. As soon as it was announced, Black Trans artists and allies alike began to get in touch to become involved, and it has continued to grow from there. More than a label, Trans Trenderz is a movement, uplifting Black Trans Voices through creative collaboration and supporting each other as a family.

STREAM “SELF MEDICATING” HERE

BLXCK CXSPER ONLINE

TWITTER | FACEBOOK| INSTAGRAM

TRANS TRENDERZ ONLINE

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RODRIGO Y GABRIELA UNVEIL THE JAZZ EP

February 18, 2021 by admin

News

Photo Credit: Ebru Yildiz

GROOVE-POWERED COVER OF KAMASI WASHINGTON’S “STREET FIGHTER MAS” PREMIERED ON KCRW’S MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC TODAY

NEW VIDEO AVAILABLE TODAY

3-TRACK EP ALSO INCLUDES DISTINCTIVE VERSIONS OF MUSIC BY SNARKY PUPPY AND ASTOR PIAZZOLLA

THE JAZZ EP ARRIVES VIA RUBYWORKS/ATO ON FRIDAY, MAY 14

(Toronto, ON – February 18, 2021) – GRAMMY® Award-winning guitar virtuosos Rodrigo y Gabriela have announced their first release of the new decade. The JAZZ EP will be available via Rubyworks/ATO beginning Friday, February 18 with an exclusive vinyl release, limited to just 3,000 copies worldwide, pressed on cloudy orange vinyl and individually numbered. Pre-orders are available now. The JAZZ EP will arrive on standard vinyl and at all DSPs and streaming services on Friday, May 14.

The JAZZ EP is heralded by the release of “Street Fighter Mas,” composed and originally performed by Kamasi Washington and available today – coincidentally, Washington’s 40^th birthday – at all DSPs and streaming services. The song was premiered earlier today on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic. The song is accompanied by a celestial performance video available now.

WATCH “STREET FIGHTER MAS”

PRE-ORDER JAZZ EP

“It was a no-brainer for us,” says Rodrigo. “Kamasi is one of the most exciting jazz musicians out there and ‘Street Fighter Mas’ has such a good groove.”

“It was a challenge for us,” adds Gabriela, “recreating the instruments with just two guitars, so it became a kind of game. We had to change a few bits and pieces, especially in how I interpreted the drum parts on my guitar.”

In addition to “Street Fighter Mas,” the JAZZ EP further includes distinctive covers of Snarky Puppy’s “Lingus” and Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion,” the latter highlighted by a guest appearance from flamenco-guitar legend Vicente Amigo.

“When you play someone else’s music,” says Rodrigo, “you need to get outside your own headspace, and learn from scratch, it’s a real challenge. We had great fun, we hope you like it too.”

The JAZZ EP continues a deeply creative period for Rodrigo y Gabriela, even as the COVID pandemic keeps them working from their home in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. The EP follows last fall’s release of METTAVOLUTION LIVE, an all-new double album recorded during Rodrigo y Gabriela’s sold-out 2019 METTAVOLUTION World Tour. METTAVOLUTION LIVE is available now via Rubyworks/ATO as 2LP, 2CD, and digital download.

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA
THE JAZZ EP
(Rubyworks/ATO)
Release Date: May 14, 2021

Track List:
Street Fighter Mas
Lingus
Oblivion (Feat. Vicente Amigo)

CONNECT WITH RODRIGO Y GABRIELA:

OFFICIAL | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

FELIX CARTAL AND KIIARA SHARE NEW SINGLE “HAPPY HOUR”

February 5, 2021 by admin

News

Image Credits: Kiiara by Dennis Leupold; Felix Cartal by Trevor Brady

LISTEN HERE

(Toronto, ON – February 05, 2021) – Platinum producer / DJ Taelor Deitcher aka Felix Cartal has teamed up with pop sensation Kiiara on his latest single, “Happy Hour” out today via Physical Presents. Stream it here

Felix Cartal’s singles”Get What You Give” and “Love Me” are certified platinum in Canada with “Love Me” (with celebrated songstress LIGHTS) also winning the Dance Recording of the Year at the 2020 JUNO’s. Kiiara’s breakout single “Gold” reached no. 5 on Billboard’s US Top 40 charts and over 675 million streams alone. In total, she’s amassed over 2 billion streams across platforms. The singer has been featured by several industry mammoths including David Guetta, Linkin Park, and Cheat Codes. Kiiara has also collaborated with Blackbear on the single, “So Sick” which was recently remixed by Martin Jensen. “Happy Hour” is the first release since her debut album, Lil Kiiwi (October 2020).

Kiiara tells us about the collaboration: “Felix and I have been meaning to work together on an original song of our own for years. I’ve always been a fan of his work. I remember him sending me a remix of my song “Feels” a few years back and I was blown away. I’m really excited about our new song ‘Happy Hour’. It’s a melodramatic emo anthem (lol that’s both of our specialties)”.

Felix Cartal has collaborated with several major artists such as Kaskade, R3HAB, and Gallant. He has created official remixes for the likes of Selena Gomez, Zedd, Galantis, Dillon Francis, MØ, Ellie Goulding, Diplo and more recently, Anne-Marie & Doja Cat as well as Daya & Shallou’s ‘Older’.

With over 270 Million Spotify plays and counting, Vancouver based Felix Cartal has been featured by major Youtube channels Trap Nation, MrSuicideSheep, MrRevillz, Chill Nation, Selected, xKito amongst, others accumulating over 90 Million views. He has also seen support from BBC Radio 1’s Danny Howard and Diplo & Friends and SiriusXM Chill has also heavily supported several singles, while his Weekend Workout radio show is also featured on SiriusXM Diplo’s Revolution. His sound can be compared to those of the industry greats of Avicii, Kygo and Calvin Harris.

Returning in a sparkling pop creation via a proven collaboration, we see Felix Cartal and Kiiara defy the usual industry standards and allow their creativity to guide them on their latest single. “Happy Hour” is an uplifting tune paired with wry, personal lyrics that will provide the next anthem for 2021. Who needs romantic perfection when you have radiant happiness and a drink in your hand?

Felix Cartal says about the song: “The idea and lyrics for this song were created during a writing session in Norway. I think my time in Scandinavia was really beneficial to my songwriting process because they have this effortless approach to pop writing. We had a breakthrough when we started thinking of juxtaposing ‘Happy Hour’ with darker lyrics. It kind of all fell together once we figured out how to attack it, and I dub it my “uplifting loser anthem.” It felt sort of pop, but sort of unconventional, and to have Kiiara feature on it was unreal because I felt that her pop music has that same unpredictable quality.”

“Felix has carved his own path in this crazy dance music world, building a loyal fan base track by track”
– Billboard

[Felix Cartal] “It goes from a cool electro place into some more mellow, halftime vibes during the hook. No earth-shattering drops, no pandering. This is just good music for great people.”
– Complex

“Cartal’s proficiency in the studio shines and seamlessly rises above traditional conventions of genre and format”
– Dancing Astronaut

[Kiiara’s] “chopped and screwed vocals sit so perfectly in the track’s jerky electro that you almost forget they’re there.”
– The Guardian

[Kiiara’s ‘Gold’s] chorus had a trance-like pull, chopping up vocals and splicing them into an indecipherable hyperpop concoction.
– Pitchfork

Follow Felix Cartal:

Follow Kiiara:

Thad Cockrell’s “Swingin’” Hits #1 on iTunes Following His Viral Appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and TODAY

February 2, 2021 by admin

News

“It went to No. 1. I almost started crying. This is the coolest thing.” – Jimmy Fallon

Watch Thad’s New Live Video for “Slow & Steady” HERE

“This is my anthem, I love this song… When you want to give up, don’t give up! If you’re going to go down, you go down swingin’!” – Jimmy Fallon

(Toronto, ON – February 02, 2021) – Nashville’s Thad Cockrell had the biggest week of his two decade career last week following his viral appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and TODAY. Cockrell performed his single “Swingin’” on The Tonight Show with the Roots at the special request of Fallon, who fell in love with the song after Shazaming it at a hardware store, a story he related on the show. “It became my anthem,” Fallon said. “Because I’m like, when you want to give up, don’t give up! If you’re going to go down, you go down swingin’! This is my anthem, I love this song.”

Cockrell’s story moved the team at TODAY, who invited him on the show, where he was interviewed by Carson Daly, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Hoda Kotb, and Craig Melvin, who called him “a bonafide star.” Cockrell talked about the pandemic squashing his 2020 touring plans and considering giving up on music and bottling and selling hot sauce before getting the call about The Tonight Show. “It was absolutely incredible,” he said.

Cockrell’s moving TODAY interview made a huge and immediate impact – “Swingin’” leapt to the top of iTunes’ Songs chart that morning, staying at #1 for two days. Fallon raved about the song taking off on the show and on social media and even gave an interview with People about it, saying, “I freaked out… it went to No. 1. I almost started crying. This is the coolest thing. Everyone is so elated here at the show. Everyone’s dancing around like, ‘Wow. This is so awesome.’”

READ: Rolling Stone : Jimmy Fallon Went to a Hardware Store. Now Thad Cockrell’s Playing ‘The Tonight Show’

READ: People : Jimmy Fallon ‘Almost Started Crying’ After Seeing Thad Cockrell’s ‘Swingin”‘ Go No. 1

Today Cockrell gives fans a performance of another track off his latest album If In Case You Feel The Same, premiering the live video of “Slow & Steady” via Paste.

Thad Cockrell has been releasing music both under his own name and with his band Leagues for two decades; he is also a collaborative songwriter who has written with Joy Williams (on her GRAMMY-nominated 2019 album Front Porch), Devon Gilfillian, Joseph and Mathew Caws of Nada Surf. “Swingin’” appears on Cockrell’s 2020 solo album If In Case You Feel The Same, which was produced mainly by Tony Berg (an industry veteran who’s worked with everyone from Phoebe Bridgers to the Replacements) and mixed and engineered by Shawn Everett (Vampire Weekend, Beck, The War on Drugs) and features an all-star backing band throughout – ATO labelmate Brittany Howard (backing vocals on album standout “Higher”), Blake Mills (guitar), Chris Dave (drums), Matt Chamberlain (drums), Ethan Gruska (piano, synths), Ian Fitchuk (multiple instruments). Buoyed by the support of Brittany Howard, whom he first met over a 4 a.m. pitcher of homemade margaritas, Cockrell set to work on his first solo effort in over a decade: an album that exposes his deepest insecurities and weaknesses, all for the sake of creating a transcendent connection with the audience. The album earned praise from outlets including NPR Music, the New York Times, American Songwriter, and No Depression. If In Case You Feel The Same is available to stream and purchase HERE.

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THE LATEST FROM THE TRANS TRENDERZ

February 1, 2021 by admin

News

FOUNDER BLXCK CXSPER HONORED ON FIRST BILLBOARD AGENTS OF CHANGE LIST

NEW SINGLE FROM JUPITER GRAY, “GODIVA DIVA” SUCCESS HAS NEVER TASTED SWEETER

WATCH VIDEO”GODIVA DIVA” HERE

LISTEN HERE: https://transtrenderz.lnk.to/godivadivaPR

(Toronto, ON – February 01, 2021) – Today finds us all more than proud to be part of the Trans Trenderz family. Artist and label founder, Blxck Cxsper, has been named as one of Billboard’s first Change Agents: Leaders Stepping Up In A Year of Turmoil, highlighting their efforts to boost up-and-coming Black trans artists. “Music has the power to humanize trans people in the eyes of society,” Cxsper told the magazine. “Building a platform to elevate Black trans voices into the mainstream music industry is the way that I’m contributing my skills to help.” Read more HERE.

Also on this day, a worthy and passionate artist who has spent the better part of the past several years suffering for her art releases a new single, “Godiva Diva.” The artist is Jupiter Gray, and if her track doesn’t stand from this moment as a formidable anthem to Trans empowerment, we shall be very surprised. Listen HERE.

“Godiva Diva” is exclusively a Trans journey- a sinewy, artful and electric embellishment of nights filled with fast talking trash talking, seize-the-day provocative proclamations of power and resonate declarations of independence. A level of sensuousness and self worth not born of privilege, but of true inner strength, realized. This is what you are hearing. This is Jupiter’s story.

Music found her as a young kid growing up in Columbus, Ohio. Playing a handful of instruments, she ultimately settled for the most mellifluous: her voice, with which she would soon go from the choirs to the clubs with ease and fluidity. An opportunity to be interviewed on a local radio station led to her first Pride show in her hometown, which then opened the door for her to speak at Governor’s Ball, rallying for LGBTQ rights.

It wasn’t until 2017 that Jupiter released her first single, a track called “Lil Loco Coco,” pricking the ears of many, including a major record label. Enthusiasm ran high enough to warrant the sort of conversations that spearhead careers, only to flatline soon after Jupiter’s announcement of her transition. In true form, that did not stop her. Jupiter would drop her first EP, Flowasis, on her own.

The release spawned coverage in True Q Magazine as the face of Trans Awareness Month in November 2018 and she would go on to perform at World Pride for the 50th anniversary of Pride in NYC.

Jupiter’s subsequent single “Villain” inspired her signing with Trans Trenderz in 2020. She has since been featured in publications including Grammy.com, Them, NewNowNext, and Paper Magazine.

Listening to Jupiter Gray’s “Godiva Diva,” you will find yourself privy to the culmination of a success story full of triumphs over adversity that most cannot relate to, which makes it all so much sweeter. Doesn’t it?

TRANS TRENDERZ ONLINE

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | SPOTIFY

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Inquiries:

Jillian Santella, One in a Million Media
jillian@oneinamillionmedia.com
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Perry Serpa, Vicious Kid PR
perry@viciouskidpr.com
917.660.4137

Canada

Erin Carroll, Cadence Music
erin.carroll@cadencemusicgroup.com
647.448.8294

Squid Announce Debut Album “Bright Green Field” Out 7th May via Warp Records

January 29, 2021 by admin

News

Photo Credit: Holly Whitaker

Release First Single and Accompanying Video
‘Narrator’ feat. Martha Skye Murphy

(Toronto, ON – January 29, 2021) – Squid are thrilled to announce their debut album, Bright Green Field, already one of 2021’s most highly anticipated albums. Bright Green Field, produced by Dan Carey, will be released 7th May via Warp Records. Alongside this news, the band release the first single lifted from the album, ‘Narrator’, which ricochets from funk strut to screeching chaos via the melodic touch of guest vocalist Martha Skye Murphy. Watch Squid’s first-ever official video for ‘Narrator’, directed by Felix Geen.

Squid on the single “Narrator was inspired by the 2019 film A Long Day’s Journey Into Night, the song follows a man who is losing the distinction between memory, dream and reality and how you can often mould your memories of people to fit a narrative that benefits your ego. Martha Skye Murphy, the track’s guest vocalist, made the point that the unreliable narrator is, more often than not, a male who wishes to portray women as submissive characters in their story. After some discussions with Martha she thought it’d be a good idea that she play the part of the woman wanting to break free from the dominating story the male has set.”

Felix Geen on the video “I had wanted to make a video about the virtual creation process for some time. For example, showing the components and processes behind virtual environment construction and looking closely at those small rocks, pieces of terrain and chunks of regolith that slot together to build something bigger. I often think this “behind the digital curtain” part of 3D design looks more interesting than the final finished product since it conveys a process and an authorship. When I was approached to pitch on Squid’s single Narrator i immediately thought it could be the perfect match for this very visual idea. After talking with the band it became clear we were on similar wavelengths creatively and aesthetically and the whole creative process flowed very smoothly from start to finish”

Bright Green Field is an album of towering scope and ambition, it is deeply considered, paced and intricately constructed. With all band members playing such a vital and equal role, this album is very much the product of five heads operating as one.

Some bands might be tempted to include previous singles on their debut – and the band already released two more in 2020 via ‘Sludge’ and ‘Broadcaster’ – but instead Bright Green Field is completely new. This sense of limitlessness and perpetual forward motion is one of the the key ingredients that makes Squid so loved by fans and critics alike, from BBC Radio 6 Music who have A-Listed previous singles, ‘Houseplants’, ‘The Cleaner’ and ‘Match Bet’ to publications such as, The Guardian, NME, The Face, The Quietus and countless others. The band was also on the longlist for the BBC Music Sound of 2020 poll.

Bright Green Field features field recordings of ringing church bells, tooting bees, microphones swinging from the ceiling orbiting a room of guitar amps, a distorted choir of 30 voices as well as a horn and string ensemble featuring the likes of, Emma-Jean Thackray and Lewis Evans from Black Country, New Road.

Whilst the album title conjures up imagery of pastoral England, in reality, it’s something of a decoy that captures the band’s fondness for paradox and juxtaposition. Within the geography of Bright Green Field lies monolithic concrete buildings and dystopian visions plucked from imagined cities.

Squid’s music – be it agitated and discordant or groove-locked and flowing – has often been a reflection of the tumultuous world we live in and this continues that to some extent. “This album has created an imaginary cityscape,” says Ollie Judge, who writes the majority of the lyrics and plays drums. “The tracks illustrate the places, events and architecture that exist within it. Previous projects were playful and concerned with characters, whereas this project is darker and more concerned with place – the emotional depth of the music has deepened.”

These themes were further embedded and emphasised, almost serendipitously, as Judge began to read more. “Reading Douglas Coupland’s view that we’re living in the “Extreme Present” as well as Mark Fisher and Merlin Coverley’s writings on Hauntology and the slow cancellation of the future made me realise we’ve been living in a dystopian and futurist landscape for a long time.”

However, for all the innovative recording techniques, evolutionary leaps, lyrical themes, ideas and narratives that underpin the album, it’s also a joyous and emphatic record. One, that marries the uncertainties of the world with a curious sense of exploration, as it endlessly twists and turns down unpredictable avenues.

Formed in Brighton, Squid is the brainchild of Louis Borlase (Guitars & Vocals), Ollie Judge (Drums & Lead Vocals), Arthur Leadbetter (Keyboards, Strings, Percussion), Laurie Nankivell (Bass & Brass) and Anton Pearson (Guitars & Vocals).

Tracklist

Resolution Square
G.S.K
Narrator feat Martha Skye Murphy
Boy Racers
Paddling
Documentary Filmmaker
2010
The Flyover
Peel St
Global Groove
Pamphlets

Live Dates

07.09.21 – Concorde 2, Brighton, UK
09.09.21 – Marble Factory, Bristol, UK
10.09.21 – Albert Hall, Manchester, UK
23.09.21 – Printworks, London, UK
24.09.21 – The Crossing, Birmingham
25.09.21 – Rock City, Nottingham, UK
27.09.21 – NUSU, Newcastle, UK
28.09.21 – SW3, Glasgow, UK
29.09.21 – Empire, Belfast, UK
30.09.21 – Button Factory, Dublin, Ireland
03.10.21 – Tramshed, Cardiff, UK
04.10.21 – 1865, Southampton, UK
05.10.21 – The Phoenix, Exeter, UK
07.10.21 – Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands
08.10.21 – Botanique, Brussels, Belgium
09.10.21 – Trabendo, Paris, France
11.10.21 – Bumann & Sohn, Cologne, Germany
12.10.21 – Molotow Skybar, Hamburg, Germany
15.10.21 – Plan B, Malmo, Sweden
16.10.21 – Melodybox, Stockholm, Sweden
18.10.21 – Berghain Kantine, Berlin, Germany
19.10.21 – Underdogs’, Prague, Czechia
21.10.21 – Heppel & Ettlich, Munich, Germany
23.10.21 – Bogen F, Zurich, Switzerland
24.10.21 – Bad Bonn, Düdingen, Switzerland
25.10.21 – Magnolia, Milan, Italy
26.10.21 – Locomotiv, Bologna, Italy
28.10.21 – Upload, Barcelona, Spain
29.10.21 – Independence. Madrid, Spain
30.10.21 – Masterclub, Vigo, Spain

https://squidband.uk/

MOIST RETURN WITH NEW SINGLE AND VIDEO “TARANTINO”

January 29, 2021 by admin

News

Photo Credit: Tania Lily / Jerry Abramowicz / Ryan L. Johnson

VISUALS ADAPTED FROM NATIONAL FILM BOARD OF CANADA ANIMATED SHORT CATERPILLARPLASTY DIRECTED BY DAVID BARLOW-KRELINA

WATCH “TARANTINO” HERE

(Toronto, ON – January 29, 2021) – Recorded remotely in lockdown by band members in their homes in Toronto and Montreal, and produced by Moist guitarist and producer, Mark Makoway, “Tarantino” is Moist’s first new release since their 2014 album, Glory Under Dangerous Skies.

The song tells a story of a life of meaningless excess. Singer David Usher explains “The first lockdown sent me on a Quentin Tarantino binge and the song came out of a dream sparked by those images where we have lost all sense of ourselves – where there are no limits on our consumption and all we want is more. We deconstruct and reconstruct ourselves to fill an unfillable void and we just eat ourselves alive, and somehow, we still can’t wake up.”

The accompanying visual, adapted from the National Film Board of Canada short, Caterpillarplasty, is a grotesque sci-fi satire that lifts plastic surgery and trans-species body dysmorphia to another level. Re-edited for “Tarantino” by acclaimed director David Barlow-Krelina, the short film is a powerful and sardonic take on how society’s unrelenting obsession with beauty has spiraled out of control. This video will get under your skin.

Usher discovered the short film while perusing the internet after “Tarantino” was completed: “When I saw the long version of Caterpillarplasty it fit perfectly with the vision for the song. The endless desire to remodel and upgrade ourselves, hoping the remaking of our appearance will somehow solve our existential turmoil.”

“When David Usher first got in touch with me about making a Moist music video using footage from Caterpillarplasty, we started making connections between the film and his work in AI and with digital humans. I had initially conceived of the film in a way that relied heavily on music to set the emotional tone of the piece, so it was a great pleasure for me to reimagine the timing and the flow to an entirely different vibe.” – David Barlow-Krelina

Founded in 1993, Moist’s debut album, Silver, propelled the band to prominence with the uniquely powerful alt-rock anthems “Push”,” “Silver”, and “Believe Me”. Like Silver, Moist’s follow up records, – Creature (1996) and Mercedes Five and Dime (1999) – went on to achieve multi-platinum sales (over 1.3 million albums worldwide) and yielded more chart-topping hits including “Resurrection”, “Tangerine”, “Gasoline”, “Breathe”, and “Underground”. Moist also made its mark internationally: touring extensively throughout the U.S., Europe, and parts of Asia; appearing on the Top of The Pops in the UK; as musical guests on a pilot for a new show out of NYC called The Jon Stewart Show; and even being lampooned by Beavis and Butthead on MTV. The two-time JUNO Award winners also received numerous accolades for their music and their no-holds-barred approach to touring; and shared stages with international superstars such as Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hole, Green Day, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, as well as virtually all their Canadian contemporaries.

Catch Moist live November 2021 as part of the Saints and Sinners Tour – featuring alt-rock contemporaries The Tea Party, Headstones and Sloan. More details here.

STREAM “TARANTINO” HERE

Moist acknowledge and thank the National Film Board of Canada and David Barlow-Krelina for the exceptional use of Caterpillarplasty.

More about David Barlow-Krelina:

Born in 1988 in Ottawa, David Barlow-Krelina graduated from Concordia University in film animation and computation arts. His first independent film Bless You (2013) was an online hit and screened at the OIAF, The Animation Show of Shows etc. Mixing classical animation and modern CGI to tell experimental narratives, David’s joy of animating is in the ability to create glimpses into new and unusual universes that function by their own unique logic.

For more about David Barlow-Krelina, please visit:

http://www.davidbk.com/
https://www.instagram.com/davidbarlowkrelina/

Caterpillarplasty

Written and Directed by David Barlow-Krelina
Produced at the NFB by Jelena Popović. NFB Executive producer: Michael Fukushima
Fusing elements of Kafka and Kubrick, Caterpillarplasty is a prescient, grotesque sci-fi satire that lifts plastic surgery to another level.

EPK – https://mediaspace.nfb.ca/epk/caterpillarplasty/
YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlseTkThRfY
Vimeo – https://vimeo.com/362160902
NFB – https://www.nfb.ca/film/caterpillarplasty/

More About National Film Board of Canada:

The National Film Board of Canada (NFB) produces groundbreaking animation at its studios in Montreal and at NFB centres across Canada, as well as via international co-productions with many of the world’s leading auteur animators. The NFB is a leader in developing new approaches to stereoscopic 3D animation and animated content for new platforms. The NFB has created over 13,000 productions and won over 7,000 awards, with NFB animation accounting for 7 of the NFB’s 12 Oscars, as well as 6 grand prizes at France’s Annecy International Animated Film Festival, 4 Palmes d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and 2 Golden Bears at Berlinale. To access this award-winning content and discover the work of NFB animators, visit NFB.ca, download its apps for mobile devices or visit NFB Pause.

More info: https://www.nfb.ca

Follow Moist:

https://moistonline.com/
https://www.facebook.com/moistonline/
https://www.instagram.com/moisttheband/

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