Candid “Tonight”
Emotional vulnerability meets Candid’s restless energy in a blast of sonics. Vivid, flamboyant, unmistakable, and hard-hitting, “Tonight” sees their unfiltered honesty crawls to the messy surface. Bouncing and echoing in ever-evolving sonics and massive volume, the track is as epic as it is cathartic. The wrenching conflicts in “Tonight” reminds you of the Academic and the explosion and intensity reminds you of Inhaler. With “Tonight,” Candid places you in the middle of an escalation of a party.
But they are more sensitive than Inhaler and less nostalgic as the Academic. Instead of lingering in the past, they take the best of the present and brings all they have on the table. Candid take you to where they are and immerse you fully with heart. From party scenes to introspective moments, they don’t have a set preference. Instead, they ride with the tide and dive right into the best and the worst of any given moment with no reservation. Highest high or lowest low, Candid is always real with you. Their honesty, transparency and head-first spirit is why we love them so much.
Originated from Coventry, UK, Candid is a five-piece indie rock outfit consisting of brothers Rob (vocalists/guitarist)and Dan Latimer (lead guitarist) along with drummer Alex Bonsor, bassist Sam Baines, and keyboard player Max Fisher. They are as versatile as they are impressive. With expansive sonics and piercing, hard-hitting vocals, Candid charms you with a very unique sound that separates them from the rest. At the same time, their music has an universal appeal that grabs listeners’ attention and wins them over in an heartbeat.
Canning “Shortline”
Imagine songs have a life, if so, what stories would they tell? While you’re wondering, the eclectic Chicago-based band Canning has all the answers. They have a song that has a life all on its own—“Shortline” enters the stage with Jimi Hendrix-style electric guitar lick; striking, bossy riffs that steal the spotlight. Its electrifying blues twangs charm your ears away, while the groovy, old bone of the track can’t stop grooving from underneath.
At some point, or maybe from the first note, Canning disappears. Instead, it’s all about “Shortline.” And at some point, the listeners disappear too. They have melted into the song, allowing it to take them wherever it desires to go, and as for “Shortline,” it has become the air, the atmosphere, the aroma, and the room. It’s intoxicating as it is unforgivable.
It’s a surreal experience to hear something as refreshing and spirited as the track, but you know it when you hear it. “Shortline” has an old soul, nostalgic, and a little old-fashioned, but also new and exciting because it has so many stories to tell. You could hear it in the sonics, in its energy and soul. And it speaks to the four players of Canning, who are in sync with one another. Something happened there that allowed the song to be so transparently out there for the listeners to feel it too. Collectively, Canning entered a space of conversation, and there seems to be so much left to discuss. The music can go in any direction. It’s stimulating, and it’s organic. They’re just getting started.
Even just from the recording, it’s safe to say that Canning’s live show is going to be hot. They are also working on more singles. Stay tuned! And if you’re in the area, follow them on BandsinTown and Songkick!
Punk Head: I love the bluesy twangs in “Shortline” and your overall authenticity. Where did you find the inspiration for the song?
Canning: Being from Chicago the blues has always seeped into our ears. While being a rock band, blues is closely related so one day the riff just flowed through the fingers. This version of “Shortline” is actually a reincarnation. The chorus remains the same but the blues just naturally evolved the song for the rest of it. Songs really do have a life of their own.
PH: I can hear that you guys have a wide range of sonic palettes. Basically, each song is different from another. Who would you quote as your influence?
Canning: Our influences are all over the map from classical to Bjork and everything in between...
PH: Is there any specific ethos/aesthetic that Canning adheres to?
Canning: Our ethos would be simply to continue...just playing together is all that matters in the end...
PH: Can you tell us more about you guys as a band? How did you all meet?
Canning: We've been playing music for quite a while actually in a few different bands since senior year in high school and just after. This is just something we do in life...being a band.
PH: Any upcoming live shows/releases in the near future?
Canning: We are currently working on the next batch of singles which will hopefully start being released this summer otherwise we do have a catalog of a couple of albums and a bunch of singles currently out. As for shows, follow us on BandsinTown and Songkick!
Anfang “Honey Trudge”
Anfang shows you the beauty of conflicts in music. “Honey Trudge” consists a combination of things that are in their nature contradict with one another, however, together, spark wicked energy. With vocals that remind you of Linkin Park meeting Paramore and riff-heavy groove of angst and nostalgia, they draw a hard-hitting, scenic end-of-the-world epic in in their music. “Honey Trudge” is an eclectic, blood-boiling banger that leaves you a little bit haunted.
From the difficulties of a past relationship to the honey bee metaphor to the AI-created music video, “Honey Trudge” has gone through quite a journey. Sonically, the track soaks in the charisma of blues rock, energy of emo, and aesthetic of grunge, then filtered through an atmospheric, mood-filled sonic lens. The track from the Chicago-based band gives you such a high, almost the equivalent of going to a live show. Just think about how marvelous they’ll sound in live performances.
In our interview with the band, we talk about the creative process of “Honey Trudge,” Chicago, and what makes their music so awesome.
Punk Head: I love the conflicts in "Honey Trudge." Can you tell me a little more about this song?
Anfang: Thank you so much! ‘Honey Trudge,’ in a nutshell, is about trying to get to a lover and the consequences felt on both sides when it doesn't happen. The first verse touches on the anticipation, or ‘torrid fever,’ leading up to a rendezvous, while the second verse tackles the disappointment felt on both sides when it doesn't work out; ‘wind blowin’, wintry lover scorn me.’ The song was written at a time when I (Nick / Drums) was dating someone who lived extremely close to me so I'd walk to her place a lot. However, as anyone who is from the American Midwest can attest to, the winters here are unforgiving and make it difficult to find the strength to go outside. There were many nights where I couldn't bring myself to make that walk through all the wind and snow, which inevitably led to some disagreements. The resulting conflict in the relationship made for great songwriting material though!
PH: What did you enjoy most about making ‘Honey Trudge?’
Anfang: ‘Honey Trudge’ is one of our oldest songs in terms of when we started working on it. It has seen many iterations over the past couple of years and never felt quite right. When we finally nailed this structure, we had cut out about half of the original song. It went from being a five and a half minute song down to three and half minutes. We cut out a lot of unnecessary fluff and made it as straightforward as possible, all while keeping the punch that makes the song as hard hitting as it is. We've taken that approach to many of our current songs; cut out irrelevant bits but be sure to keep the parts that smack the listener in the ears and make them want to hear more. Trimming the fat of the original composition was the most enjoyable aspect of making ‘Honey Trudge’ as a song, but the most enjoyable part of working on the release in general was making the lyric video.
We all brainstormed ideas for what we envisioned in a visual representation of the song and Christian, our guitarist, was able to translate those ideas into an insane video with some Adobe and a sprinkle of AI generated art. Think Bladerunner meets Bee Movie but we wrote the soundtrack and it's three and a half minutes on YouTube instead of a couple hours in a theater!
PH: Was there a pivotal moment in your life when you decided to follow your path as a musician?
Anfang: I can't speak for the whole band, but for me personally, the pivotal moment was when I became old enough to play my mom's drum kit. My mom was a drummer but was also protective of her kit. She didn't want us touching it because she didn't want us to damage it (understandable), but after a couple years of nagging I finally managed to break her down. After my first few months of lessons I knew it would become a lifelong hobby. When you start so young it just becomes part of your every day routine. I can't imagine ever not being a musician. I still play my mom's original kit live and it sounds better than ever!
PH: How is the music scene in Chicago?
Anfang: The music scene in Chicago is fantastic. We really couldn't ask for a better place to call home. We each come from different parts of the country and have been in bands all over the States, but it's tough to beat Chicago. Some scenes in other cities are really competitive and there's a sense that the bands and people you're playing with don't want you to succeed because you're their competition. In other places, there just isn't a scene at all! Chicago's scene is the perfect balance. It's large enough where there's a healthy rock community but not so big where we are fighting with other bands to find time to play. Nearly everyone we've played with has been super friendly and we all genuinely want to help each other be the best we can be.
PH: What is the one thing that you’d like your fans to know about you?
Anfang: We're just like you! Too often bands put themselves up on these pedestals and fail to relate to their fans. We all have our shitty day jobs and worry about if we're going to do our taxes right and watch TikTok too much before bed. We just also happen to be passionate about music and were lucky enough to find each other at the right place and time to make some pretty gnarly rock music.
The Duke of Randwick “I'd Never”
Like a psychedelic, grungy swirl that gets you deep deep inside, The Duke of Randwick brings something extraordinary and horrifying into your ears. “I’d Never…” drips the noisy, darkly transparent aesthetic of grunge, spiraling down a psychedelic techno abyss, in which contemporary sensation and dark pop’s urban coolness lurk with allure. “I’d Never…” is bold and sonically liberating.
Melodies shape through noise, painting a gutting scene of an internal struggle between good and evil. It’s a thrilling gaze into the abyss, and at one point, it glares back at you, eerie, spine-tingling. The three-piece band crafts a blustery hollowness in contrast with noise-infused sharpness, while at the same time, it’s emotionally heightened and gut-wrenching. Like hearing the process of someone tearing the devil from its body and seeing it real for the first time. It’s drastic and stunning.
“I’d Never…” begins with a good amount of horror meeting the mischievous snarl of a bass. The drumming feels like the counting of a clock, an alarming reminder, or the rite of passage. It’s hypnotic and spine-tingling. The lead vocal seems to come from another realm. It’s trapped in a way and it seeks to be freed. The intense, hard-hitting combination of the voice, the bass, the guitar, and the drum forms a turmoil, like swirling along a tornado, surreality in a daze.
Then all of a sudden, the energy changed, the temperature drops. Trembling strings signal the danger and threat of something yet to meet the eyes as it intensifies. From the fierce, grunge hellfire, “I’d Never…” drops straight into the soundtrack of a black-and-white horror film. It’s unexpected. You can feel the back of your head getting numb and all the hairs standing up. It gives you the creeps, and that alone is very rare to experience in a song. With no definitive genre for The Duke of Randwick’s latest release, horror seems very fitting.
AnnaBella “Replaced”
AnnaBella is a Viennese woman duo of vintage doll Anna and professional singer Bella. Controversial and different. AnnaBella is where modern day taboos meets the allure of gothic rock aesthetic. Roughly continues the storyline from AnnaBella’s debut release “Homewrecker,” “Replaced” details a woman’s journey from heartbreak and attachment to independency as the duo gearing up for their upcoming EP 4-Bitten Fruit.
Power and love has a toxic relationship when they’re intertwined together, so is temptation and lust. In a rough-edged distortion, Bella’s self-defining vocal shines uniquely. Her voice isn’t the traditional sweet haze that feels really sticky after a while of listening. Her voice is full of personality, a bit naughty and dark, charismatic and highly addictive. It’s a woman’s voice, and she’s unapologetic and proud. She demands the equal space as any male artist, and she earns it the second you hear her sing.
“Replaced” has a bit of sweet revenge in the sonics, which make the tune even more likable. Like a burning flame that stings a little while giving you great pleasure, it’s a song that speaks about women’s independence with sharp execution. It obviously shakes the traditional value and image of a woman—who is supposedly being very “motherly” and “forgiving”—like a big embrace that will always be the one who’s waiting to give more.
“Replaced” isn’t about that. The song paints a woman who moved on. Maybe a little cold-hearted, self-aware, logical, different and empowered. Not something you’d like to hear, yet she gets you kneeling before her dresses. That’s also the charm of this single: a swirling of black and red, between blood, dirt, and roses. You can’t resists its sonic palette or the stirring imageries of that glamorous, rebellious yet vintage allure.
Koburg “Strike Back”
“Strike Back” is a tune that immediately makes you want to make a deeper emotional connection. Setting its scene in an alternative rock/symphonic metal world, the track radiates an unstoppable energy, revealing the blood and sweat behind all that shining. Inspired by KOBURG’s own struggle with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis and Agoraphobia, “Strike Back” delves into hero’s origin—hard-earned mantle and restless battles.
Epic and full of strength, the latest single from KOBURG is packed with empowerment. Performed and written entirely by the artist, KOBURG is undoubtedly a multi talent who excels at both songwriting, instruments, and vocals. “Strike Back” features a pretty wicked guitar solo that bridges the world of rock and metal with soaring power. Hear it intertwined with her emotive voice—it’s a scene you don’t hear everyday.
“Strike Back” comes in five versions. “Twisted Version” is a grand opening with stadium-filling heat while exposing emotional vulnerability. The version is the most wrenching and epic among all five. It sets your heart on fire while taking you on a journey through darkness. KOBURG reminds you a warrior, who is determined and brave, who will fight her way through even the most dangerous forests.
It’s that energy that’s really liberating and moving. Every time you hear her sing, she lights a fire inside you. No, she’s not your white knight riding a horse to steal your thunder. She shows you that you are capable of greatness. “Strike Back” is the kind of song that inspires you to take control and strike back, not letting the obstacles to determine where your life is going to be. Everyone has the strength to be a warrior and savior.
The different versions of “Strike Back” highlights a unique aspect of the song. It really showcases the nuance and broad imagination of KOBURG’s songwriting. “Instrumental Version” gives you a “behind the scene” revelation, a closer look at the intricate orchestration of KOBURG’s sonic design. “Demo version” is punchy, drastic, and full of contrast, while “Fables Version” gives you an ethereal otherworldliness with epic strings and harmonies.
Magna Zero ‘All Must Go’
Chaos, beauty, life, and death forms a constant turmoil, in which all is none and none is all, balance remained. Magna Zero’s debut EP All Must Go taps into a progressive sonic landscape, in which earth-bond instruments filtered through a noise-infused chatter, painting a conceptual “black hole.” They call for love and unity, tackling philanthropical themes like morality, grief, existentialism, selflessness, rebirth and transcendence.
“All Must Go” depicts the struggle one undergo to detox itself from attachment. Pain and transcendence flickers in the recurrence of minimalistic melody work. The hauntingly hypnotic single bathed in a zen-like aura, while its darker theme sonically resembles the push and pull as if battling a demon. The vibe and sound here resembles an overlap of early John Frusciante’s solo work and his mellower melodic pursuit in Californication era.
The disobedient, hard-hitting “Walking to Nowhere” takes a sharp turn heading down the odyssey of death. For one must see death to live. In the endless howling of hundred souls and the wicked wind blown from the abyss where scratches and frizziness channeling a sprawling psychedelic vision. Noisy, drastic, and haunting, “Walking to Nowhere” is a magnificent sonic experience where the mystic meets the ancient. At times, you even could mishear the guitar and bass in there for ancient chants, dooblidoo and tuvan throat singing and sounds alike, though they are not really in the music.
“Endure” is an anthem with strength and rawness. Explosive solos and unpredictable bridge echo through the reverberant ambience. Edgy, glitchy, grand and even slightly gothic, like sailing through a storm at sea. Eventually, love and light prevails.
“We Are All” transforms guitar and bass to a more metallic texture, resembling instruments from Eastern Asia (possibly gamelan). It’s a beautiful peace that interweaves continents and cultures together, sending a message that we are all connected. The piece has a slight exotic flavor, though an impression of everywhere and nowhere.
Burton Badman “Fields of Confusion”
Tel Aviv-based alt-rock band Burton Badman returns with their fourth single from upcoming debut album The Opposite Way. Hard-hitting, addictive and disruptive, ”Fields of Confusions” journeys through the darkest and the deepest trauma that haunt us in life like a hundred ghosts. In the track, Burton Badman sonically depicts the intense confrontation, setting its scene in a darkly fierce inner battlefield, casting out the ghosts, leading to a final salvation.
Between the smooth, charming vocals that coil up the lyrics like a candy-infused hallucinative drug and the warm-toned guitar riff that teases you with its magic, the flickering, distorted lead guitar dives much deeper under the surface. The in-between, the bridges, and the solos are swelling up, lurking, uncontrollably.
It’s really fascinating how Burton Badman channels this sort of a big, badass, distorted personality sonically while exploring the fragility of it being untamed and tamed. There’s a lot of power in the art of giving up power, which makes “Fields of Confusion” quite a magnificent track.
Through the constant darkly guitar sonics, “Fields of Confusion” tackles the haunting, disruptive nature of trauma. It shatters you like a stream of electricity (the guitar literally churns in your ears that way). While on the surface, the melody, the center riff, and the lead vocal poses a lullaby-like quality as illusive as it is charming. The soaring never really stops.
“Fields of Construction” gives a very powerful, almost palpable portrayal, channeling the ugliness and the darkness that trauma could carry and destroy. Near the end, the guitar solo wails in a ghostly horror, creating a visual image of a hundred ghosts fleeing.
“Born Out of Winter, Dreaming Summer” North Lakes on ‘Black Cat Music Volume 1’
Born out of the frigid winter, North Lakes bring back the vibrant summer, brewing the wonderful mix of power pop, proto-punk, and garage rock.
Photo credit: Andrew Cairns
“Winters in Atlantic Canada can be pretty miserable. It gets pretty easy to choose to stay at home and essentially hibernate for a lot of the year, so the songs tend to be from the perspective of someone who is reluctant to engage with people, places, and environments of that season,” said Nathan from North Lakes, “but the point is that you can find a lot of beauty if you get outside of your shelter.”
Born out of the frigid winter, North Lakes bring back the vibrant summer, brewing the wonderful mix of power pop, proto-punk, and garage rock. Featuring four high-energy, unique yet timeless tracks, Black Cat Music Volume 1 marks the beginning of a creative journey. A pinch of nostalgia recalling the classic modern rock sound mixed in with North Lakes’s intuitive visual sensitivity, Black Cat Music Volume 1 puts you in the scene while entrancing your ears. “Good for driving, good for dancing, good for daring to reach a little farther. We’re genuinely proud of these songs,” Nathan reassured us.
The journey of waking up and getting out of one’s own cave starts with “After The Drifts,” filled with mixed feelings and overthinking that gives the song a dangerous edge while contrasting the sonics. “Noise on the Anvil” lifts up the curtain and sees the ocean from the window, where the chill, surfacing soundscapes slowly melt the edge. “I like the invitation to ‘Meet me down at the concert hall with the night owls under the mirror ball, I wanna dance in a tape delay.’ That sounds like a pretty good night to me,” Nathan commented. “Jasmine the Flower” takes a dreamful retro down memory lane, while “Feel Nothing” steps boldly outside the door.
The creative process behind the band comes collaborative and interactive. “Typically, I write and record a bunch of demos. As a band, we choose our favorites and hammer out an arrangement or part ideas that would build upon what we already have. We mostly just stab in the dark until the light tears through,” said Nathan.
Interview & written by Katrina Yang
FOLLOW NORTH LAKES
Seeg Showcase Sonic Versatility in “Echoes”
Discovery
Album Art: Echos
Seeg explores a wide range of sonic palettes in Echoes. From lucid, evocative dreamscapes to cathartic, electrified flames to cinematic lullabies, Seeg continues the sonic conversation with his listeners. Beauty storms out of chaos, the harmonious, sensuous touch of light gives the album a soft gaze that transcends the mood.
“Echelon” gives out a strong opening statement that storms into your ear with its edgy, contrasting soundscapes. Towards the end, it slowly lightens and transforms into a luscious, dreamful texture that paves the way for the further exploration of the meditative, peaceful, and introspective theme.
From “Hollow Light” to “Your Voice,” Seeg makes an elegant transition that gradually shifts the lightning, colors, and mood in each song, stripping through the heaviness in production but spiraling deep to the core. “Heart Don’t” is where the rhythm and energy rise up again with a vibrant, swirling, fuller sound that feels like a rebirth and celebration. “Lately I” drifts into a nostalgic, cinematic slow dance that continues through “Shadow.” “Rift” concludes the album with free-form improvisation that seems like a poetic end to a new beginning.
SINGLE REVIEW: MYSTIK FOOL “I’M ON MY WAY”
Feature
Photo credit: JC McKearnin
Healing harmonies and untamed melodies weave into the salty coastal taste of adventure, sunshine, and excitement. Ukulele meets swooping bass while the dreamful sound design and electrified soundscape blossom into new visions, “I’m On My Way” takes you on a sonic rollercoaster.
“I’m On My Way” has a laid-back vibe mended into its positive energy that recharges and renews your energy like a road trip down the coastline. Born out of the contrasting feeling of wanting to further the wild adventure while longing for the tenderness and comfort of home, the song is highly relatable and tunes into the rumbling bones we all share.
Like sponges that have absorbed all shades of influences, experiences, and genres, Mystik Fool brings out a sophisticated, vibrant combination of sonics that reveal the rich history of the band. Formed in 2016 by brothers Galen (lead vocal) and Simon Deery (Bass), and later joined drummer Michael Lear and guitarist Will Coccia in 2018, the four-piece band is heading towards the direction of a beautiful, wild, inspired brand new sonic world.
EP REVIEW: WEEKEND PUNKS “WEEKEND PUNKS”
Staff Pick
Weekend Punks give you a different surf punk experience. Blending the nostalgic fuzziness from the 90s rock with vulnerable, ethereal vocal, and swirling dream-pop, Weekend Punks EP consists of three vibrant tracks that challenge your senses with fresh, new feelings.
The band has an identical sound that could easily stand out in any crowd. They remind you of many things but at the same time offer you something brand new. The reverberant, amp-filled space immerses you with that rock n roll landscape, yet at the same time, instead of filling their music with screams, energetic punk vocals, they turn the camera towards the sensitive and imaginative side which opens up new possibilities.
The dreamful vocal brings a uniquely fresh, luscious texture into the sound that contrasts with the loud, electrified ambiance. Storming with a coming-of-age edge, Weekend Punks pluck your heartstring with three tracks that tune into those feelings through slightly different angles.
ALBUM REVIEW: EDDIE COHN “DYSTOPIAN DAYS”
Album of the Month
Dystopian Days is a record you simply can’t get enough of after the first spin. From the album opener “Broken Pieces” to “Kill Silently",” it fills the room with intense, psychedelic visions that make you stay alert and engaged at all times. Eddie Cohen is a perfectionist that manages to fulfill and extends your expectation of a record to every detail, ebbs and flows.
Written during a time of madness in Los Angeles when the world seemed to have gone crazy. Exploring anxiety, raw emotions, and our animalistic nature, the earthy percussion echoes in the background in relation to a dissonant resonance soundscape in the air that fills the space with entrancing, untamed energy that put you in a trance. Dystopian Days is a record that makes you want to turn the volume of your subwoofer all the way up and dance to its monstrous, immersive power.
“I live about 1 half a mile away from where a lot of the rioting took place in LA and it was a really unsettling time,” said Cohn, “When the lockdown happened and the riots and protests happened, all these cultural events brought up some raw emotions. I felt a level of anxiety in the air that I had never felt before. Or maybe the last time I felt this energy in the air was during the Rodney Kind trial or the earthquake in 93. It was a scary time and I felt the only way to get through this emotional roller coaster was to sing and write songs,” said the artist.
Eddie Cohn’s rock-fused vocal gives it an immediate angst-filled, isolated, yet vulnerable vibe to his mesmerizing melodies. From “Freedom” to “Animal,” the three songs serve an intensified sequence that kept you in the groove while introducing more interesting variations. “Freedom” has a folk-rock undertone that sets the mood and prepares you for further development. “Underwater” gives it a slightly eerie vibe with a straightforward head-hitting drumbeat that reminds you of an early PJ Harvey soundscape. “Animal” pushes the atmosphere to the climax with chant-like vocals and layers of strings, and then Cohn regroups and shakes things up with “What Do You Want From Me.”
“I found myself asking some deeper questions and wondered if human beings are not much different than animals. And as hard as we try to control ourselves, to tame ourselves to behave as civilized creatures, is that really even possible? There was a certain level of chaos in the air that was so thick and real, I wondered if we were going to be okay. It's scary to think how quickly human beings can turn into vicious animals and often, this strange world doesn't make much sense. This song tries to capture some of the fear and confusion I felt earlier in the air during the lockdowns and the protests and rioting that took place,” the artist commented on “Animal”
The second half of the album derives into even more fascinating territory. An unevenly grouped syncopation along with the chordal passages reminds you of a natural, unornamented Rite of Spring energy that weaves into chaotic, epic poetry with shimmering strings and choirs. Eddie Cohn concludes Dystopian Days with “Kill Silently,” which seizes you fully, but there’s an urgent desire for the music to keep going.
Written by Katrina Yang
FOLLOW EDDIE COHN
“Born Out of Winter, Dreaming Summer” North Lakes on ‘Black Cat Music Volume 1’ (Copy)
Born out of the frigid winter, North Lakes bring back the vibrant summer, brewing the wonderful mix of power pop, proto-punk, and garage rock.
Photo credit: Andrew Cairns
“Winters in Atlantic Canada can be pretty miserable. It gets pretty easy to choose to stay at home and essentially hibernate for a lot of the year, so the songs tend to be from the perspective of someone who is reluctant to engage with people, places, and environments of that season,” said Nathan from North Lakes, “but the point is that you can find a lot of beauty if you get outside of your shelter.”
Born out of the frigid winter, North Lakes bring back the vibrant summer, brewing the wonderful mix of power pop, proto-punk, and garage rock. Featuring four high-energy, unique yet timeless tracks, Black Cat Music Volume 1 marks the beginning of a creative journey. A pinch of nostalgia recalling the classic modern rock sound mixed in with North Lakes’s intuitive visual sensitivity, Black Cat Music Volume 1 puts you in the scene while entrancing your ears. “Good for driving, good for dancing, good for daring to reach a little farther. We’re genuinely proud of these songs,” Nathan reassured us.
The journey of waking up and getting out of one’s own cave starts with “After The Drifts,” filled with mixed feelings and overthinking that gives the song a dangerous edge while contrasting the sonics. “Noise on the Anvil” lifts up the curtain and sees the ocean from the window, where the chill, surfacing soundscapes slowly melt the edge. “I like the invitation to ‘Meet me down at the concert hall with the night owls under the mirror ball, I wanna dance in a tape delay.’ That sounds like a pretty good night to me,” Nathan commented. “Jasmine the Flower” takes a dreamful retro down memory lane, while “Feel Nothing” steps boldly outside the door.
The creative process behind the band comes collaborative and interactive. “Typically, I write and record a bunch of demos. As a band, we choose our favorites and hammer out an arrangement or part ideas that would build upon what we already have. We mostly just stab in the dark until the light tears through,” said Nathan.
Interview & written by Katrina Yang
FOLLOW NORTH LAKES
ALBUM REVIEW: MIND THE GAP “DROWNING IN MY MIND”
Album of the Week
Photo credit: Davide Minoja
As an album opener, “Wake Again” makes a strong statement introducing us to Mind The Gap’s sound - an immense, unique, highly relatable, well-absorbed, and immersive sonic world that is hyperconnected to the one we live in. Drowning In My Mind, the concept debut album of Mind The Gap, revolves around two parts of interconnected dreams, which were presented in song form. From the hypocritic world, we live in, war, loneliness, to the waking up and becoming of oneself, Drowning In My Mind is an album you can’t stop listening to from top to end with its introspective lyricism, fascinating storytelling, and kaleidoscopic soundscapes that you could never get tired of.
The lead singer, Valerio Villani has stories in his voice which intrigue you to hear the words he says. The lead guitarist, Giorgio Minoja, weaves his nostalgic, immersive dreamscape into the storytelling and completes the vision. His soaring solo on “Awake” is both a surprise and a highlight in the album. In addition, the interplay between guitar and vocal is one to savor. Luca Bellani’s bass guitar is the subwoofer in the band that adds another layer of subtle rhythm into the groove, and in addition to Raffaella Cipolla’s solid drum that creates a tasteful foundation — Mind The Gap has youthful, inspired sound with matured, a well-balanced vision that dips its feet in different forms of art without losing its direction, and Drowning In My Mind is the sonic realization of that dream.
Setting its scene in an indie rock-pop soundscape with a speck of youthful yet feeling-infused energy, “Nobody is Crying” is the half-time peak of this album, in which an anthemic choir with layers of harmony comes into an epic scene.
From “Get Away,” the album enters a different dimension and added in more characteristic, new sounds, which are really exciting to hear. “Awake” captures the shocking heaviness and complex emotions the moment you wake up from those dreams into reality (think about the moment when Neo woke up in reality in The Matrix), a very emotional moment when you can’t fully accept the truth yet can’t undo the awakening process. Mind The Gap concluded with “Now,” the rebirth after rebirth, that storms with a new high in the maturing and becoming of one’s true self.
SINGLE REVIEW: GILAN “SCREAMING”
Discovery
Gilan’s voice has the texture of poetry that glazes in a natural richness that compresses layers of feelings in brutal honesty. Inspired by early PJ Harvey’s musical style and Fiona Apple, “Screaming” creates a world of true freedom where darkness and the real feeling can be explored and expressed.
Unlike most songs that cling onto certain textures or sounds, “Screaming” shifts between shapes and tastes in the vibrating reverberant electrified, glaring soundscapes that stimulate and communicate different stages/phases of the struggle with one’s demons.
Western grunge influences and Middle Eastern’s sophisticated, historical flavors meet at a crossroad of introspection where they weave into a unique yet personal expression of the UK-based artist Gilan’s music. “Screaming” is hauntingly mesmerizing and it gets under your skin.
As an LGBTQ+ person growing up in the Middle East where the discussion of many topics like darkness, mental health, or one’s true feeling is suppressed, music is where Gilan finds freedom where she can explore herself freely and truly and become who she wants to be.
Written by Katrina Yang
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