Cornwall Music Seen

Cornwall Music Seen is a blog dedicated to showcasing the music currently in the area. Cornwall Music Seen is a series of reviews, interviews, and portraits. [email protected]

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The F Word - Stealing Sheep, Annie EEL + Staz and Olive Haigh 24/03/17 (Live Review)

On March 24th, “The F Word” celebrated women in the music industry with a gig organised, managed, engineered and performed by female students, artists and technicians. Its statement about gender inequality in the music industry was delivered with passion, positivity and an impressive line-up ideally headlined by Liverpool’s “Stealing Sheep”.

While Stealing Sheep provided huge appeal and audience enjoyment for the show, the most important part for me was seeing some of Cornwall’s talented female individuals working together, both in technical and on the stage. And the music couldn’t have been in better hands than with the much-loved Sans Paddle duo, who returned to the sound desk especially for The F Word.

The local support was chosen perfectly to reflect the diverse range of musical talent in Cornwall. Olive Haigh, with her Gothic demeanour and enchanting autoharp, has never failed to stand out since her emergence on the music scene a few years ago; this time treating longtime fans with unreleased material that shows a real dynamic progression in her unique dark-folk songwriting.

Olive’s performance was followed by the big and bold sound of “Annie EEL + Staz”, a newly-launched project from one half of Cornwall’s well-respected electronic duo Hockeysmith. Annie and Staz’s set is a carefully constructed journey into electronic soundscapes, with live vocal and track mixing, triggers and strobe lighting coalescing. Annie’s sweetly soft vocals are layered and delayed to great effect, sweeping in and out of heavy dance beats from Staz’s cutting edge DJ manipulation of the tracks. And the wonderful part about the performance is that Annie herself always looks like she’s having as much fun as the audience; at one point even getting into the crowd to encourage dancing amidst the strobe effect. The enthusiasm that radiates from her makes it difficult not to get swept up in the excitement of the music, leaving the audience in the perfect frame of mind to round off the evening with Stealing Sheep’s uplifting indie-pop.

With an event like The F Word opening important dialogue about representation in the music scene, it’s vital we don’t let it end there. It’s easy to find yourself at an all-male gig, but that doesn’t mean that’s the way things should be. Whenever you can, support the amazing female musicians in Cornwall - and with artists like Olive Haigh and Annie EEL + Staz, it’s hard not to.

By Nicholas Heartland

[cornwallmusicseen]

Amos Jacob (New Pantheon Club) Interview

On Wednesday 2 November, New Pantheon Club comes to MONO for their first show outside of its DIY birthplace at the Warehouse. Nicholas Heartland spoke to organiser Amos Jacob about the group, the upcoming gig and the ongoing student community arts scene of Falmouth.

NH: Let’s talk about New Pantheon Club. How did it come about?

AJ: Ultimately it grew out of space and the opportunity that having space to play allows people. Last year I was living in this block which was a converted warehouse, and there were 20 people living in 7 flats. We were so lucky because we had living rooms that were 7m+ square to play with. There was a time, around November, when about 7 people ended up there and we just had a little jam, cooked dinner and were there until really late. This ability to invite people back to our own space, it allowed people not to worry about other spaces. So suddenly people were relaxed and chatty and it was just how you would want it to be, and it felt organic. So without there being a plan to make it bigger particularly, I invited about 20/30 people - I say “I”, there were two flats side by side and we shared the responsibility - to come round, watch a film and play some music. Eventually there was a life drawing lesson because a lot of people were fine artists. Then that became more formalised again, we put on a programme of play where we did more drawing, some sound improvisation, we went to go see a dance show at AMATA, and we had a massive curry that I cooked that morning.

That carried on a few iterations and then people who were going to that were also in bands, their bands were at a stage where I thought, you’ve got songs, you’ve got friends who want to share each other’s practice, but there’s no obvious place for gigs. Although the open mic nights are great in Falmouth, they have such a locked culture, and it’s not that difficult to get a gig in the established venues but then you’re immediately locked to that space and the commercial culture of that space or the audience of that space, so it’s out of our control. My worry is that it’s so easy to slip into the standard industry model, which I don’t think works and I don’t think it’s what we want. I think it’s become so industrial and capitalist and that’s not what the arts are for really. So it made complete sense, as we have a massive front room, and we can hire all the tech equipment from the university (because that’s what we’re paying for), to put on a night there with three friends’ bands and we had about 40 people and it was amazing; the bands had a great time, the audience had a great time, and it felt so communal. There wasn’t a boundary between the audience and the band, it was people playing for their friends and friends appreciating them, and again it just felt so organic.

To finish off the year we did another one, which for whatever reason became my project - some people who were there at the start stepped back a bit and other people went off to do other projects - and this was the first time it was justifiably called New Pantheon Club. We had a band who are now called The Empty Threats and Luna Plexus also played. Security came, and rightly so, we had 80 people and the floor was bowing, and I was aware this wasn’t the best location to do it but it was the only one we had, and that wasn’t a reason not to do it. Some people are lucky enough to be able to articulate to themselves what choices are generally sustainable and what choices are just bad ideas. It felt like there were was a lot of energy and a lot of talk around community and all this left-wing, artistic, we-can-do-it mentality, which exists quite a lot in Falmouth and at the university and in Cornwall largely. New Pantheon Club had manifested in something that was real and it wasn’t just talk, it was like we had actually done something that exists.

NH: How do you feel that the New Pantheon Club fits into the wider music scene? Do you feel it can only exist because of the communities that come out of the uni?

I don’t for a second think that it is owned by the university, and one of the reasons for not having any branding ties or asking them for support (beyond what I happened to be entitled to as a student, in terms of getting kit out) is because I don’t think that it’s a very healthy way of approaching life. The university is great for what it does and academia is fascinating but the wider community that we actually live in is worth so much more. I was lucky enough last year to get involved with the Penryn community and felt very welcomed there - trying to build a proper new park sort of level of community engagement. When you have that sort of foundation, everything else becomes real, because you do see people in the street that you recognise - multigenerational and multicultural stuff. I realised recently that idea of diversity, it’s not a cute liberal ideal. If you believe in the mythology of science then the planet has spent around 400 million years figuring out what works, and it turns out diversity works. If you have lots of different things going on that are all integrated and all bouncing off each other then you have sustainable life. For myself, there are a lot of people that the world makes important and I love them to pieces, and the danger is that in a year and a half, on something like May 28th, no-one has anywhere to live, no-one is going to get a job, everyone splits up, and the community that had formed isn’t sustainable because it’s founded on the membership of Falmouth University. As soon as that’s gone then there’s nothing left, and that sucks for the individuals, and it sucks for the wider society, because that way it stops communities building foundations and everyone becomes alien to each other.

So I really hope New Pantheon Club organically grows into the community that’s there. I have no interest in forcing anything or building anything because it might be it turns out the best thing it can do is to help a smaller community, which might be the student community, but I doubt that’s what’s going to happen. The moment you try to force something on someone, it’s not right, but I’m very confident that because of what I want to do with it and because I know what people who are involved with it are interested in, that it will grow out. I really want to start doing acoustic nights, but acoustic is a word that is so often bastardised because you usually go to an acoustic night and there’s an amp and a microphone and that’s not acoustic at all. So the plan is to get a totally different setting to MONO, maybe somewhere like Beerwolf or Chintz, or maybe somewhere completely unaffiliated in any way, and have a mixture of musicians who can play acoustically, whether that’s jazz or metal or singer/songwriter, classic, folk. The rule is - I love rules because it’s what they imply and the freedom rules give you - the music has to be made acoustically, without amplification. Then also having a bit where the musicians teach things to the audience, whether it’s choruses or three part harmonies. I feel no need to force it, but allow it to enfold and just water it and prune off dead leaves here and there, but actually I think it will do its own thing and be fine. I hope it will be much more appropriate, more accessible, more meaningful and more fun, to then start making a community around music, as opposed to just a music community because I only know the bands I know. There’s a problem there that I could never really easily programme bands until I meet them.

It comes from an understanding that it’s about giving an invitation, and that’s so much more powerful than I could ever imagine. And actually, if you don’t accept the invitation then that’s absolutely fine, but try to actually meaningfully come and join in. It’s a safe space where you will be welcomed, where also if you want to just be quiet and sit at the side and watch that’s fine as well.

NH: You’ve got this MONO gig coming up, how does that fit in with everything you’ve just said about organically taking New Pantheon Club into the wider community?

AJ: On the strategic, philosophical level, which I do really start from, and it can come across in some conversations as a bit conceited, but it does come from a philosophical standpoint. That’s our power as conscious beings, we can imagine things, play out scenarios that don’t actually happen in time and space. Well, they happen in time and space, but there’s also the dimension of consciousness which we can manipulate so much more easily than the other two. So the process of thinking things through, you can play with stuff and you can put it into practice and then it’s easier to guide it when you see opportunities. It’s that moment when you’re leafing through a magazine or Facebook or the library, and suddenly you see exactly the thing you were thinking of and clearly the fact that it’s there and the process in which you notice it is the art of being curious. So that’s the standpoint to it.

MONO fits into the growth because it’s defined and it can be related to by the bands, by the audience. Because MONO is such a small capacity, it is possible that some people will be unable to go - and it’s not about exclusivity, there’s the fire regulations in that space - but for those people, and for the people who might hear about it afterwards, if it’s done with integrity and there’s a reputation of integrity then that hopefully gives a trunk, a sturdy trunk that means doing more projects off the back of the success of something like that is so much easier because it’s starting to build, or at least validate its reputation. Everybody involved will be able to reflect upon it a bit and think actually, where does it go next?

I would love more ideas to grow out of this collective entity and I’d love other people to come in and ask, could we do this? Yes, we could do this. I can’t do it, but if you want to do it and it fits with the culture, then it becomes a way of bringing people together and everyone benefits. The idea that there’s some commercial value to the exclusivity and to the horrible marketing words like branding, personal reputation, I’m really not interested in that, because outside of the tiny community we’re actually in, there’s the student community, then there’s the Falmouth community, then there’s the Cornish community, personal reputation is irrelevant anyway.

NH: So is this kind of thing that’s going to provide the platform for more upcoming student bands as well as local bands?

I hope so. The intention of this is to make it a monthly night, and the format we had in the Warehouse is the same as here; three or four bands, half hour sets. If there’s one thing I could ask to the people who might be coming to this is come at the start, there’s going to be music from 8:15/8:30, four different bands, singer/songwriter, blues rock, electro-indie and post-punk. It’s an eclectic mix but everything you can dance to, and that was the rule for New Pantheon. I don’t care what it is, you have to be able to dance to it. Then after 11, which is when the licence for live ends, Rose, who was very integral to the Warehouse - she was one of the inspirations for wanting to make things like a community - she goes by the name of Woman and DJs this amazing mix of ska, reggae, world and getting heavier as the night goes on, starting to bring in more bass and dub. It’s nice because it’s not what you usually hear, it’s not just a night of music lifted from a chart, it’s almost like coming from cultures where circle dancing and communal music is the only way music exists. So it felt really appropriate to ask her to come and DJ because it’s a lot more inward looking - it’s not about the celebrities or the bands or the producers. But if there’s more DJs who want to DJ then they can do sets. It’s about building into a more communal enterprise where it’s not really about the individual, and also for the bands it’s not really about the individual, it’s about the opportunity to play with an audience safely and play with performance.

NH: Did you ever get to any of the Space 37 events? Because for me this feels like a continuation of that culture, filling the void left by Space 37 as well as the DIY arts nights that came before it.

AJ: There was a moment, probably in late October last year, when we heard about this thing in the garage [Space 37] and me and Ella Squirrell (who is playing in November), saw this group of people who were trying to build this community and we felt like we’d arrived - this is our school, this is where all the things we’ve ever thought or dreamt come together. The openness of Space 37 and also the openness of places like the Poly and the Newlyn Exchange, all the cultural institutions that are there in the community, not so much in the academic community but actually trying to get in touch with the people, they’re all so welcoming and they’re all so supportive, and Space 37 was supportive of me and my peers. Suddenly it reframes it because it’s not third year, second year, first year hierarchy, suddenly it’s not local/student binary opposites, it’s like we just want to share something we feel is really important, because that’s what we happen to believe. If it turns out other people, for whatever reason, believe it too, then that’s sweet and we can work together towards something that’s beneficial to the whole.

Interview by Nicholas Heartland

[cornwallmusicseen]

Waxx Interview

So how did you guys form? Mummy and daddy loved each other very much and they formed us with Plasticine. 

Well, yeah we were in a band together for around three years and within that band it moved from one writer to all three of us and when that came to an end we just kind of thought, why don't we try this on our own?

After Rosie and the Goldbug split we were in a bit of a limbo land. We'd rehearsed a couple of weeks after but we'd always thought about getting someone else in. We never set out to have the Waxx sound that we do, going through two amps or for either of us to do vocals. We just got together because we wanted to make some racket and that somehow has led to this.

How would you describe Waxx's sound? It's always a hard one isn't it? We're quite hard on ourselves on how we want Waxx to sound. We don't want to sound too much like a rock band but we also don't want to sound too much like a pop band which is probably why it's come out in the way it has. We don't want to be a hipster band, or an alternative band but at the same time, we're all those things as well.

It's kind of like pop songs played by people who have heavy music interests in a sense, not heavy in the sense of say Slayer but more so in a sense of mood. Lyrically the subject matter is about things that sound like they are fun but they aren't and musically it's the same and when we play it live it's more angry. There's a bit of weariness for us in putting something out that means a lot emotionally to us, and maybe we get away with it by putting a bit of cheekiness to it. But that kind of sums us up as people as well, some people are just jokers.

So how would we describe our sound...cheeky, loud, indie pop.

As you mentioned earlier, you were both in Rosie and the Goldbug together. What is it about each other that made you want to continue working together? We have a particular approach to music and how we want it to sound and what in music pleases us. We haven't met many people up to this point who we've practiced or played with who have seemed to understand this. But when we met each other, it just seemed to click. We both have to make each other happy in the way that we play music and the things that we create otherwise there's not going to be a complete enjoyment. It's really difficult finding people to make music with because everyone has different tastes and different preferences so to have a band where we have the same preferences and understand how we want to approach music is just rare and something we had to continue with.

And were there any concerns that you'd be continuously compared to Rosie and the Goldbug? Oh yeah in all honesty we were. We wanted to get as far away from it but realised quite quickly that it's not possible when you’re so invested and committed. That's why we started messing with sounds and just trying to get things to sound a bit more gnarly. There isn't anything that we're not doing in spite of Rosie and the Goldbug, we wouldn't write off doing anything just because that band did it.

We're just keen to do things on our own terms, Waxx is a very different attitude, a different sound and approach to song writing. There are no regrets or negative feeling when it comes to Rosie and the Goldbug but Waxx is really different so hopefully the less comparisons the better because if somebody comes to watch Waxx on the basis of having seen us perform in Rosie and the Goldbug then they'd have a bit of a shock.

Since forming you've hit the ground running with slots at Boardmasters, Leopallooza and now a support slot for We Are Scientists. What do you think it is about the band that is creating these opportunities? First and foremost being honest and approachable human beings. If you put the effort into being involved in a local music scene, being positive about it and acting positive within it then it's swings and roundabouts really. We gig as much as possible, go to as many local gigs as possible and try and help out anyone who needs it so every now and then you get something thrown back your way and then that's when your music does the talking for you.

We've been in lucky in that we've been involved in the local scene for a long time and people like Louise Martin and Liam Jolly, we know them, so part of it is down to them giving us a chance at cool festivals and then the other part is coming off stage and having them turn to us and say 'actually, you know that was pretty cool!'

We wouldn't like to say that we're good enough to play these stages yet, that doesn't feel like something that's in our nature to say but if we could say one positive thing about us it's that we've got good songs in there and if that's displayed with the right type of energy then it's probably something that an audience can enjoy, because it's something we'd enjoy if we were in the audience. That's definitely something that we can pat ourselves on the back for.

Being a bass and drums two piece means you're going to be compared to the likes of Royal Blood. Is that that something you think will help or hinder the band? A bit of both depending on the person making the comparison. It's not something we particularly enjoy because it's something that we feel like, if you've just watched us and compared us to Royal Blood then perhaps you weren't listening very much. A lot of it is probably people just assuming what you sound like before you've played. If you tell someone you are a drums and bass two piece right now then they are just going to assume that you are going to sound like Royal Blood. The more you actually look at it the less you'd probably feel inclined to make that comparison. It's always something that's bound to happen though and something that as a musician you just accept.

There are upsides to it all though. There are a whole host of two piece bands who have broken onto the mainstream that have made it acceptable to be a two piece band. Years ago if someone asked you to come and see a bass and drums duo band you'd probably just assume that they were just going to jam and not really have songs. So it's great that there are bands out there that are showcasing that you can create a sound with just two people that's absolutely huge.

Both lyrically and image wise you come across as a band who don't take themselves too seriously. Is that something you agree with? We wouldn't say it was part of an image or anything like that but just our personalities. It's super cliché to say but that really is just the essence of us as human beings. We don't sit together and dwell, ponder and that sort of thing. We are the type of people who just prat around. It's pleasing that we come across like that though, we're having fun and we want people to come to gigs and feel the same. We're not the kind of personalities that can convey emotion in the same sense as say Kurt Cobain or Nick Cave. There's definitely a darkness to everything we do but it will always be underpinned by a cheekiness because that's who we are.

And is that something you wished were more apparent in the modern music industry? Modern pop music is pretty fun but we wouldn’t wish any act to be more like us or anything, all we would wish is that the music you are listening to is honest. Whether someone is super tongue-in-cheek or writing songs about surfing there's no reason why that can't be as enjoyable and relate-able as someone writing about dark serious things, as long as there's a sense of personal honesty within that. Music doesn't have to sorrowful or super sad to be meaningful, although a lot of the time it is. There does seem to be a train of thought that a happy song can't be purposeful and that's something we don't get onboard with.

What are your future plans for Waxx? Firstly, an immediate hug as soon as we get out of here.

We're building a practice room because we realised that we're wasting so much money on rehearsal spaces. We're quite practically minded, we've rounded off this year having done a load of great gigs and in January next year we're going to be analysing what we did this year and then figuring out how we can be better and do better. We're starting to write some more songs and work on adding some things to our sound, maybe more percussion or another amp. We want to take it a level with our sound and improve as writers and players and just gig as much as possible.

Interview and photography by Craig Taylor-Broad

[cornwallmusicseen]

Forgotten Karma & Winston’s Awake @ Charlie’s Bar 23.9.16 (Live Review

If you walk into any pub off the beaten track on a Friday or Saturday night then you'll find any number of bands like tonight's as of yet unnamed opener, churning out their own take on seventies rock. It isn't that these guys are bad per se, it's just that midway through their set I look on bemused as their guitarist/vocalist complains of being sweaty whilst the other band members, unmoved aside from their eye lines at an angle towards their instruments,  look very much like they've just been sat on a sofa watching Eastenders all evening. Add this lack of drama and performance to a set list that musically has nothing emotive or remarkable about it and you have a performance that for me lasted (in slow motion) from the extinction of the dinosaurs, right up until the most recent conflict in Iraq. I've seen more stage presence  in road kill (aside from valiant efforts of previously mentioned vocalist) and regardless of whether there is no-one at tonight's gig, I don't think it's good enough to just stand on a stage and do nothing but play anymore.

Luckily for me Winston's Awake follow and despite an utterly shitty band name, they are not only a great reason for me to stick around, but also an obvious segway into a rant I could have (but won't) into why people should always check out bands they don't know of, especially support bands. Tonight the band create a rock sound that belies the mere two piece. Dynamic, polished and mature, you can tell the two piece have not only spent a large amount of time rehearsing and refining the intricate styling of their music, but also that they have performed in front of people vaguely regularly. And while tonight, the band could definitely be considered more professional than energetic, there is something about them that allows you to close your eyes and imagine a pub full of sweaty punters hanging on their every note. On another night perhaps that would have been the case but not tonight. This doesn't however stop the band from being asked to perform an encore though (which they shyly do with permission from the headliners). Tonight Winston's Awake prove that they are someone worth keeping an eye on.

Headlining band Forgotten Karma haven't been around for while since drummer Ainslie left the UK. Tonight then is somewhat a farewell gig for the drummer as he announces to me before the show that he won't be coming back to the UK for awhile. Given that half the band have been in Europe you can vaguely forgive them for being under-rehearsed and  while the duo's grunge punk sound reminiscent of '68 will always  be tinkering on the edge with rawness often a brief moment from falling apart, tonight it does infact fall apart and several times. While this is met with an over zealously sweaty performance from the band complete with obligatory moving drum kit and blood curdling screams, mixed with laid back and often comical conversations with the dregs of what is now left of the audience, you can't help but feel this is a bit of an anticlimax. Seven or maybe eight songs in and the drums drop out of time and not for the first time, only this time they drop out all together (before much to the bands credit, coming back in time to finish the song) and it's at this point that I leave, thinking on my way home that sometimes things are best left untouched and in the past. Words & Photography by Craig Taylor-Broad

[cornwallmusicseen]

Cross - Self-Titled (Mini EP Review)

Cross are classic. Cross are meaty. Cross are a punch in the face of feebleness. Their live shows are defined by head-banging until you’re disorientated, and their live recordings capture this energy faultlessly. How they do it remains a mystery to me, all I know is that the trio rank very highly in our music scene. With their new self-titled EP Cross, the band have failed to ruin their perfect streak, with grunge offerings that are carefully devised and intelligibly penned. Do you like alt-rock with a kick? Do you like music so winding and edgy that it gives you whiplash? Are you a fan of tasty guitar solos? If so, then this EP is one for you. Opening strongly with Head High, Cross launches into a tirade that channels the likes of Alice In Chains and Nirvana. It’s a strong sound; it’s a bold sound; it’s so typically Cross – and that’s what makes it so powerful in its resonance. It’s a rare ability to pen a track that reveals different qualities upon every listen, but that’s a convention that the band are apt in. Head High is the faultless demonstration of this. What a start! Providing the filling of the 3-track EP is Swallow My Breath – my personal favourite on the record. With resilient guitar riffs and a hefty bass counterpart, the angst-drenched track is a stand-out demonstration on how the genre is going to be saved. Lurid, vivid and harsh, if you’re not listening to it at a deafening level then you’re doing something wrong. This is classic rock in the making! An evolution in sound is also present upon the EP. Closing track Between the Lines is slower, subtler and far calmer than I’m used to hearing from Cross. This, however, isn’t a bad thing at all. The group don’t commit to anything by halves and this pensive track is definitive in its own right, with a quality that displays each band member’s distinct abilities. Theft is illegal, and £2.50 for a slice of grunge bliss is a steal – but I encourage you to take the opportunity while you can. You can aquire the plucky Cross EP here.

 Written by Keira Trethowan

[cornwallmusicseen]

Hypophora, Tinned Fruit & Buffalo Frame – Zafiros, Truro (Live Review)

My Monday nights are typically monopolised by dullness. Fatigue from work is usually squealing at me from the right, whilst the reality of the long week ahead elbows me from the left. However, when spent in the company of three quality bands instead, these tedious evenings can be transformed into something quite magnificent – and here’s the proof. Kick-starting said evening were one of Cornwall’s tasty blues acts. Buffalo Frame may have refused to leave third-gear energy-wise, but their sound was distinct enough not to fall into a stereotypical blues category. The band claim to be influenced by the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Doors and Johnny Cash, and from their sound you can crisply hear elements of these carefully filtrated inspirations. The group certainly possess all the ingredients to be remarkable, but a touch of work on their stage-presence wouldn’t go amiss.

Second to perform were undoubtedly one of the most vibrant and raw bands to thrive within our local music scene. Tinned Fruit are a grungy, punky ball of sizzling vigour that never fail to leave me hopelessly fangirling at the magnitude of their performances. Needless to say, Monday evening was no omission to this rule as they supplied a slice of musical rapture with their quirky dynamics, diverse sounds and sheer passion. They even had me wanting to bawl my eyes out fanatically at the animated altitudes of their performance – regardless of playing to an audience who barely acknowledged their existence!

 As a tough reviewer I’m hawk-eyed in finding small dynamics to critique upon, yet there’s absolutely nothing to criticise about their set, and this is one of their conventions that never fails to blow my mind. The group are already gift-wrapped and ready to be catapulted into a much larger spotlight. My only advice for them is as follows: get out of Cornwall and tour everywhere you possibly can, your mind-blowing talent is utterly wasted in our county and you deserve more.

 It was always going to be difficult to top such an act, yet alt-rock group Hypophora were certainly eager to try. With a focused deliberation, their on-stage dynamics were sharp enough to slice through steel, and their delivery was, unexpectedly, as intense as ever. As is their custom, the band also glistened with their tight stage relationships, and once again, guitarist Karum Cooper demonstrated his ability to make me feel physically ill with his never-ending supply of talent. Is he even human? I’m starting to have my doubts.

 Watching Hypophora’s evolution has been interesting. They’ve delved into pop-punk and seared off into an avenue that’s almost channelling post-hardcore vibes. Yet throughout their transition they’ve never failed to enflame captivating live performances. I’m not particularly fond of female-fronted bands and I still think that they have a bit of work to do on varying their vocal aspects, but Hypophora are a group that I’d eagerly see time and time again until they’re sick of seeing me in the crowd.  Oh, and don’t forget to catch them on tour in November!

Written by Keira Trethowan Photos by Craig Taylor-Broad

[cornwallmusicseen]

Julian Gaskell & his Ragged Trousered Philanthropists - Carvery of Blight (Album Review)

When I first listened to Carvery of Blight I thought that I hadn’t plugged my headphones in properly, so I spent a good ten minutes meddling around with the lead wondering why I couldn’t get it to sound right. Then the reality hit me: It’s meant to sound like that; and once that slab of stone cold sobriety hit me, I managed to see the album for what it is and somewhat enjoy its quirky offerings. Julian Gaskell has an extraordinarily distinct voice. For me, the brusque, gruff resonance of it makes me feel instinctively uneasy. Yet it’s still refreshing to hear an artist with such a stand-out voice, and if you can overcome your innate oppositions about this factor, then you’re in for an intriguing listen I assure you. Another aspect I found refreshing is the concoction of genres that are so manically tossed into its sound. There’s a jazz element to it, some psychedelia thrown in for good measure, a country vibe, and even a punk aspect. A vast majority of instruments are hurled into the mix likewise: a desperately tuned fiddle, a manic banjo, a fanatic piano, and a brass band feature. This fusion may cause listeners to suffer from a chaotic bout of whiplash, and the album may feel like a broken bowl not glued back together properly, but its experimental sensations deserve praise nonetheless. I have all the time in the world for artists pushing boundaries and creating an artistic experience in their music. One highlight of the album is Boss Armadillo which will have you swaying feverishly from its titillating disposition before you know what’s even happening. The same can be said for the title-track Carvery of Blight which will lodge itself in your head for days to come like a warped vine contracted of fanatical instruments and gypsy vibrations. Similarly however, there is one track that I can’t muster any gratitude for because of the vocal dimensions as previously stated. Herbs And Spices From Afar may sound like a charming klezmer creation instrumentally, but the desperate vocal straining had me squirming around in my seat uncomfortably, whilst wincing my face in discomfort. Not being able to sing is a convention that works for the rest of the album, but this track could be used as a method of torture. Carvery of Blight is an album that mainly grows on you, (potentially like a fungus, I’m still not quite sure). However, in some areas you’ll be so rapidly clutched into its colourful world and forced into the nomadic party. Julian Gaskell & his Ragged Trousered Philanthropists may be a mouthful for band name, and Carvery of Blight is certainly a head-full. But if you’re a fan of all things esoteric and uncomfortable then this one is for you!

Written by Keira Trethowan

[cornwallmusicseen]

Tinnedfruit - Sunsucker/Yeti (Single Review)

Sunsucker introduces itself with a fairly 'safe' garage-esque chord sequence and a hook line that doesn't seem to want to leave your head. Initially the track feels like it opens too mildly leaving me slightly disappointed on my first listen as I expected much more of a punch to the face – something that the band carry out effortlessly in their live sets. However, almost eating my words straight away, the band unleash this brash and rather garish two-chord bridge section that feels like an impudent slap to the cheek. It’s here that really shows off drummer Alex's wild side – whilst making an evident point of Tinnedfruit's punk roots – something that sits them rather comfortably alongside other Falmouth born bands. What follows next is by far my favourite part of the song with guitars and vocals drenched in reverb and some incredibly simple but endearing vocal lines courtesy of guitarist Danny proving that the band really know how to work with the dynamic structure of a single. To conclude, Sunsucker is a song is fueled by some seriously summery melodic vibes that beg to be played on the main stage of a summer festival with blue skies overhead.  

The opposite side to Sunsucker on the other hand, is much less of a sunny, summer masterpiece. Shorter than the time it takes for me to write this paragraph, Yeti takes the punk fuelled side of Tinnedfruit's sound and compiles it into a short but hubristic powerhouse of a garage punk anthem, just shy of 2 minutes. Having seen Tinnedfruit play in Falmouth before;Yeti really is the crowd pleaser, the song towards the end of the set that just makes everybody unapologetically move. All in all, this is a really strong double a-side from the Tinnedfruit boys. It will be intriguing from here on to see if they plan on taking their sound elsewhere during the course of their time as a band or whether they play it safe and decide to stick to their distinct garage sound for the remainder of their careers.

Written by Karum Cooper.

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Rock Against Hate @ The Ritz, Penzance (Live Music Review)

First off, the venue: what a magnificent den of creativity and sleaze! Not the Ritz you might expect from the name, but an old bingo hall filled with discarded theatre props and now home to some of Cornwall’s finest acts and a chattering crowd of local young people. It’s the perfect setting for a gathering of socialist intention, now more important than ever as Cornwall suffers post-Brexit. But enough of politics. Organiser Owen Davies (AKA Escape Wave) told me his choice of bands was intended to be as eclectic as possible, and he achieved that and then some. Youngest of the lot and openers of the night (after my own spoken word set and an open mic slot featuring the tiny but mighty Georgie Biggin) were The Phloozies. Impeccable timing and doing well for a band of their age (due to perform Boardmasters this month), I couldn’t help but think that with only some confidence on stage and some original songs they could’ve kept the crowd’s attention better with the highlight being the gutsy vocals of Natalie. Next up was the man of the hour Escape Wave (Owen Davies), who after dancing like a penguin on speed to The Phloozies belted out his brain blowing synthpop. After seeing him play a number of times (and failing to provide the adequate tech for him), this was by far the best performance yet. Opening up with debut single Light Years, Owen proceeded to blast the crowd with tunes that at their best resembled full on acid electronica, and finally the big bass provided by a good enough system. Next, Penzance musos and Slade lookalikes Blank Panda kept the vibe going with a hearty set of indie pub-rock. Not entirely my thing but a great performance with their signature ‘huge grooves’ (as quoted in the West Briton) coming through loud and clear. The penultimate and most accomplished set of the night came in the form of Flashes, a 5 piece notorious for their noise and nonsense, at worst resulting in the loss of their rehearsal space and at best the support of Amazing Radio and gigs like this. Snippets of 90s Britpop a la Ride and Slowdive are in the mix along with the darker tones of Joy Division and My Bloody Valentine, forming a heady recipe that you can’t help but lose yourself to. Like Radiohead on crack Flashes brought us up and bought us down with tunes old and new including my personal favourite Lush Surrounded to seal the deal. Sadly not quite the icing on the cake was Night Motor, their typical Suicide-esque electro punk somewhat mellowed by the absence of their Synth player, meaning that the whole sound was (admittedly impressively) manufactured almost wholly by guitarist Mawgan on various devices to backup vocalist Mat. Not at their best this time, but nonetheless a band worth checking out who still delivered a decent line of industrial noise.  All in all, a triumphant victory for Cornwall’s lefties and punks, with over £250 being raised for the anti-right charity HOPE Not Hate. Written by Tom Stockley   

[cornwallmusicseen]

Wolf Note, Waxx & Fire&TheBrain @ Charlies Bar (Live Review)

Bands are notorious for being unpunctual, highly laid-back, and gigs never ever usually begin on time. But Friday night ran like a well-oiled, meticulous machine as three bands took on the challenge of Charlie’s Bar.

First up were Fire&TheBrain, a dub-rock band that I don’t think I’ll ever fully understand. Musically they have a lot of potential, with their hallucinogenic influences. But energy-wise they’re simply dull and the looks upon their faces told me that it was an inconvenience for them to even be there. Their set left me with one question: If you can’t be enthusiastic about your own music, then why the hell should anyone else care?

Next up were the first two piece band of the night, WAXX, and given that both members originate from pop-group Rosie and the Goldbug I wasn’t sure what to expect. Superficial vocals? Pure pop indulgence? Hell no. The twosome only had tasty rock indulgence on the cards with tempting traces of psychedelic sauciness and a cheeky measure of grunge.

As a virgin to the band I found their set to be a revelation to the rock genus, and if more bands would take note of their exhaustive energy then the world would be a much sweatier place. My ears have never been so grateful to be filled to the brim with WAXX!

Finishing the nights were a band that have my made my top five in the Cornish music circuit. Wolf Note only ever bring perspiration and penetrating grunge to the stage, and Friday night was absolutely no expectation to rule.

The duo have an energy that even the most seasoned gig attendee would swoon over, and the sticky atmosphere in Charlie’s Bar couldn’t take anything away from that. I’ve witnessed plenty of reasons to doubt the capabilities of two-piece bands over the years, but there is nothing negative that could be conveyed about their performance that night. They were simply on a mission to perform loud and be heard.

Some people are merely born to perform upon a stage, and at the top of the list are the sickeningly talented guys from Wolf Note.

Written by Keira Trethowan Photography by Craig Taylor-Broad

[cornwallmusicseen]

For The Oracle (Interview)

So how did the band first start? Well, myself (Sam) and Karum had known each other for a short while as we had worked on a few different ideas together in the past. I really admired his playing and being a mutli-instrumentalist aswell I knew I wanted to keep him around. Charlie just got in touch with me one day and introduced himself and mentioned that he played the bass. The three of us alongside an old friend of mine put the group together to begin with but my friend, the guitar player, had a different idea about the genre we should play so we went our separate way.

After a little while the idea just kind of faded out but Charlie brought it back up to me and Karum and said he knew a guitarist called Lewis who loved the same bands, Lewis knew a guy called Tyler and said the same things. Then Emile and James came into the band at a later date.

How would you describe your sound? Progressive rock is probably the best way to do it. Although we have been criticised for "not being progressive enough" because we don't use odd/shifting time signature riffs in every single song. I think if a song is good and it's just two chords and all 4/4 time, then leave it alone, you know?

The progressive element of what we do would come from more of a storytelling standpoint, given that we utilise looping albums, concept stories, multiple tracklists and whatnot. Not to mention harmonically Tyler brings a lot of very unique ideas into the sound of the band. We do have some odd time signature parts though, of course. Having seven members must be challenging at times. What evoked the decision to be more than a guitar band? Well, when we recorded the album we decided that we definitely wanted to have some saxophone parts throughout. James has always been an important part of the local music scene in the younger generation and we knew he could play so we asked him to feature on the record.

Originally he was going to just do it as a session player so we tried to find someone else to play his parts at live shows. Karum knew Emile from a few jams he had done previously and it turned out that at just fifteen years old he could play sax and piano like an absolute wizard. And does that make creating songs difficult? Well, the music for the debut album wasn't written with Emile and James in mind, and we wrote the songs as a "guitar band" basically. But we made sure to leave the room for those elements and since the guys have joined the band, we've re-worked all of our content to include them. We've also started writing some new tunes and working some parts out with all seven of us and I'm comfortable in saying I think it's the best we've ever sounded.

Will your new material as a now seven piece be a continuation of your current sound or an evolution? It will be how I think we have wanted to sound since day one. Kind Child is one form of For The Oracle but what's coming next is going to be similar in the ways it should stay the same and different in the places we have felt need to be altered. I think fans of the album will go nuts for the new single. Releasing a debut album feels brave for such a young band. Why an album rather than an EP or single? I find EP's to be a real pain in the ass, honestly. The reason being is that most bands release EP's or single's with the intention of then putting them on an LP, but by the time they're ready to hit the studio for their full length, they've already written a brand new batch of songs. I wouldn't ever want to leave good music that I worked hard on behind.

And let's be honest, the only bands who's EP's are ever getting heard 20 years or so after the release are bands who are huge because their fans are so invested into the band they will buy anything that band releases. What inspired the album lyrically and musically? Lyrically the songs were all improvised and nothing ever got written down. After a while the rhythms, melodies and lyrics just stuck and we had songs with proper lyrical content ready to record. Meanings are all interpreted afterwards. I like to look back on songs and figure out what I was talking about!

Musically, we're inspired by all sorts. You can hear a lot of classic heavy metal riffing throughout and hard rock stuff also. The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pantera, Deftones and System Of A Down influence is all in there. We also took from a lot of progressive bands of course, artists like Tool, Karnivool, The Mars Volta. We're all huge jazz/blues/funk/soul/hip hop/EDM fans too and you're slowly going to be able to hear more and more of that now that we've got our extended ensemble. You've got a great live energy. How do you think people should be introduced to For The Oracle, through a live or a recorded setting, and why? Well as of this point, more people are hearing of us through this record. That's cool, I think it's a great representation of what we are however, now that we're playing these songs in a new way with Emile and James, it's a totally different experience live. We've always been about live improvisation, and it is everywhere throughout our set list. You won't ever hear one of our songs exactly identical to the way it's recording.

In terms of our energy, a lot of people are really shocked at the way we perform because we get into it. We're not in anyway afraid to flail about and really express ourselves. Says an awful lot about how much peer pressure has stunted local performers into just being still and all "thanks guys this next song is called ____ we hope you kinda like it or whatever you don't have to that's alright, okay".

The energetic element of your performance, was that thought out, or something driven by the music, or even the audience? It's never thought out, that would be false and unfair on the crowd. If the crowd are happy and good I will dance around and have a smile on my face. The last time we played Studio Bar in Penzance the floor was full but there was room on the stairs and the smoking area was full too and it just wound me up. What a waste of your evening?! I had a friend open the double doors and I took the show to them.

Is that the most frustrating thing for a gigging band? Not a lack of audience but more so one that doesn't even attempt to engage? It can be, depends on the band and their motivation I would guess. For me the primary goal for this band is making sure we find the audience right for us who are going to get as much out of our music as we do from the music we enjoy. How has living in this area helped support or hinder your musical endeavours? Hmm. Good question! It's done a few things for us. We recorded our album here, we've played all of our shows to date here. We are packing rooms when we play and trying to avoid hitting the same venue/town/city twice but after a while it's time to fly the nest. I don't feel like we're meant to be caged.

You mentioned that you seem to be packing out local venues that you play. Cornwall can be notorious for a lack of audiences, what is it about the band that gets people into venues do you think? I think it has been luck and knowing our spot really. Sometimes the audience is there for another band or recently, an engagement party but we always make sure they stay for our set. I think we have a "car crash" element to what we do. You might not want to watch but you still do because you want to see the silly fucker with the microphone fall on his ass!

From here what are your future plans for the band, and how do you think general life will affect that? Well, four of the guys are off to Bristol for university in October, one in Brighton, while myself and Emile are staying in Cornwall to complete courses we are attending. We're going to be operating our of Bristol mostly, I have a lot of really great friends and contacts there and the Tech/Prog Metal community of the UK have really taken to us and vice versa, so good things are to come.

Right now we're getting some bigger shows organised, hopefully going to record a new song over the next few months for a single release, bring out the debut music video and then get out on lengthy tours! Interview and photography by Craig Taylor-Broad.

[cornwallmusicseen]

Blue River – Anyday Tomorrow (Album Review)

In my humble opinion, the whole 90s revitalisation has been done to death, and no more life should ever be breathed into the cold, dead lips of anything Oasis related. Unfortunately, Blue River share a striking sound resemblance to the Mancunian band, with Perran Nicholls’ vocals playing a dead ringer to those of Liam Gallagher’s – but don’t that put you off, as the band possess virtues of their own as well.

On the first listen to Anyday Tomorrow my initial thought was “well, this is nice”, yet the inclination of its music made me feel absolutely nothing else at all. After subsequent listens though I understood it more; I realised that its intentions reside around being feel-good, easy-listening music, and that’s okay. It’s not for me, but that’s okay too.

The album flirts with tempos and tones, varying from slow-paced soft tracks like X Marks the Spot to more upbeat songs like Everybody Needs at Least One (La La La), which could have been lifted straight from the depths of Noel Gallagher’s mind.

A rabbit warren of twists and turns, Anyday Tomorrow is also highly eclectic without straying away to a point of being incompatible. This is demonstrated ideally by the album’s first track Start It, which toys with an experimental and heavier edge yet leads into Dance Like No One’s There, a typical indie-inspired creation. It takes great talent to be able to achieve such a formation, so acclamation to Blue River for their intelligible song-writing skills.

Anyday Tomorrow has heart, soul and a quality of professionalism that makes me wonder why the band haven’t hit the big time yet. Critically speaking, it’s not an album that tackles any heavy subject matters or emotions, but it is very listenable and I can foresee the band having a shiny future in the mainstream indie music scene.

Blue River will be playing Boardmasters Festival on Sunday 14th August and I can see why. Their music is destined to be performed upon a festival stage, so check them out!

Written by Keira Trethowan

[cornwallmusicseen]

O'Deus....newcomers with a stoner styling featuring some familiar faces in the lineup forming a formidable lineup of musicians. Being a huge fan of band's like Clutch, Kyuss, Queens of the Stone Age and Red Fang in more recent times, this is right up my alley and with new release Ricketts, O'Deus bless us with a real hearty slab of meat served up on a platter of sludge and filth. Greasy, heavy, dirty rock means you should probably have a wash after getting down with this tune. Solid, to the point and no bullshit which is just how music in this genre should be. With a sound that  is razor sharp blues rock, but wielded riffs that are blunt force trauma inducing and ready to smash your teeth out O’Deus have a different approach to the sound being created, clever, less abrasive and more thoughtfully put together meaning it is both musical and weighty enough to make you gurn. In addition to this the video is shot in tasteful black and white with a great narrative, produced by Crashburn Media and shot in Charlie's Bar, Redruth. So what we’re left with is a quality tune by a quality band presented professionally and something very special indeed. Written by Jim Rotheram.

[cornwallmusicseen]

Jack Fordham – V.H.S (E.P Review)

With John Frusicante cruising down an electronica route, I’ve been searching far and wide for a replacement to pick up his reigns and deliver some hard-hitting, emotionally dense alt-rock. But who knew that a local artist would be the one to do this?

Jack Fordham’s music is the seamless equilibrium of said John Frusciante with an added Nirvana-esque kick; and V.H.S is an E.P forged from the shattered daydreams of artists who so desperately strive (and fail) to achieve anything of this calibre.

With a fiery frisson, the E.P draws you in right from the get-go, opening with title-track V.H.S. With an impenetrable force the song kicks the seat from beneath you, and leaves you immersed in a world of raw, brusque vocals and genuinely emotive instrumental solidity. The Strange follows on from this, and frankly, it’s refreshing to be made to physically feel a song, rather than having shallow lyrics and forged emotion forced upon me.

Upwards is the only direction that the remainder of the E.P goes, and it’s clear to anyone that Jack Fordham is a highly intelligent man. With every track penned with an elite precision, the E.P plays host to no space-fillers or areas of weakness. My personal highlight is Shake Until which will suitably scratch any angst-ridden itch that you’re contending with.

You can head to Soundcloud or Bandcamp to check Jack out. Now excuse me whilst I skulk amongst the depths of his musical archive.

Written by Keira Trethowan

[cornwallmusicseen]

Sleep Cycles Interview

How did Sleep Cycles start? I was in a band called Goodbye Joel and when we started I didn't sing because I had never really sung before but slowly that changed. In school I wasn't even allowed in the choir. They did full on auditions and I didn't get in. When it was choir time at school, it was me and a couple of other people in a different room while everyone else was in the choir. I don't think it was cruel but more a 'well, if you're not going to apply yourself...'

So anyway I started to sing and that led to me doing acoustic things and as Goodbye Joel started winding down began to do my own thing, got interested in electronics and then just mushed it all together. Sleep Cycles only really started when I had three weeks off work because I was really sick though. That's when I wrote my first album, Hibernation.

How much of Sleep Cycles sound is a reaction to the sound you had in Goodbye Joel? It's quite opposite isn't it? Goodbye Joel was always four guys in a big room, everyone putting ideas in where as in with Sleep Cycles I started writing songs in my bedroom, then just adding electronics afterwards on my own because you know, I wasn't feeling very well and didn't want to see anyone. It's completely opposite but at the same time, structurally there are similarities because I like crescendos and that was a big thing in Goodbye Joel. I think with Sleep Cycles it's creating an emotional crescendo rather than a musical one.

There's always been a crossover though. Even at Goodbye Joel gigs, we would play adaptations of Sleep Cycles songs because the rest of the band always liked and supported my solo music. Sleep Cycles kind of just feels like a continuation of Goodbye Joel's quieter bits for me. I never wanted to stop Goodbye Joel and do something different from it though, I've just always wanted to be creating as much as I can.

What influences your sound? I've always been influenced by Sigur Ros and Devendra Banhart was someone who I was really influenced by when I wrote my first album which I think you can hear from the guitar style that's on that album. I'm quite influenced by Paul Simon’s percussion sounds. Even though a lot of his stuff is almost samba like and I don't have those type of instruments, it's the rhythmic nature of it. They are fun rhythms....yes, I am influenced by fun rhythms.

What encouraged the use of electronic elements in your music? I think that's because I'm heavily influenced by the likes of Four Tet and Bonobo but I cant afford the sort of equipment that they have. I'm kind of glad that I'm poor though, if I had money I would probably just make myself sound exactly like them. I'm a fan of hip hop as well and I think that comes through. Not like, NWA or anything, but the later stuff that Beastie Boys did especially the Hot Sauce Comittee album. I like electronics that you aren't expecting to go with the music.

What do you use in order to achieve the electronic aspects of your music and do you have any plans to expand your sound? My set up isn't very professional. I learnt how to record on Cubase while I was in college and I've just kind of been picking stuff up since then. The only programs I really used for Hibernation were VST's and it was all done using one keyboard but for the new album I've been branching out and getting new samples and pitch shifting them and stuff.

There aren't many Cornwall based acts creating a hybrid of electronic and acoustic sounds like you do. Is that something you want to see more of at a local level? I do think about that sometimes. There's a very select few people who support and put me on gigs. I think that if there was more of it going on then maybe that would change. But then if there were more people doing it, they'd probably all be better than me so I'd have my toes stepped on.

I think there's a bit of a culture of singer-songwriters just being on acoustic guitar and playing covers in Cornwall and I don't really fit into that. When I turn up to play a gig with a laptop and stuff it just confuses people a lot of the time and they don't like it. There needs to be a shift because I think there are a lot people who are showcasing local talent and doing a great job but no-one is getting behind local creativity as much as they should.

You just released your second album, how has the reaction to it been? People that I know have liked it. I've had messages to say they liked the new stuff and that they've bought the album but I'm struggling to find a market beyond that. I don't think that there's been much of a reaction really to be honest. It's hard to know how best to get people to listen to something, but then if someone I hadn't heard of had released an album then maybe I wouldn't check it out either.

I don't know where to go from here really. I'm thinking about just moving to doing one off songs with videos for awhile. I don't think the album format is dead but for small artists I don't think it's really the way forward anymore. I don't think I have any intention to create another album for awhile yet now, I just need to find a way to create more opportunities for myself through my music.

How do you think the new release compares and differs from your debut album, Hibernation? I haven't listened to Hibernation in a very long time. I think it was a lot more insular though. I was really happy with that when I wrote it because it felt like an achievement because I had never written an album before. With the second one I thought it was a good album that I'd created, rather than something I had just accomplished. If I wasn't me, I'd definitely prefer the new album. I think the new one feels more eclectic in its emotions.

A lot of the second album was written differently with the electronic bits written first rather than guitar. When I think of song ideas now, the electronic element always comes first so I think eventually I will stop playing guitar with Sleep Cycles completely but then if I lose the guitar I might look like an absolute turd onstage. So anyway, the beats come first and I experimented a lot more electronically with this album because I was more confident in approaching it this time around. Structurally the album is different as well. I think that maybe with Hibernation the songs relate to each other better where as with Lisp every song is different. It's difficult when you're so involved with something, I don't think I have the fresh ears to be able to really tell you.

You have a DIY lo-fi aesthetic to your recordings. Is that something that you think will continue within your music or can you see yourself in a recording studio in the future? I don't know how it would work in a studio for me to be honest. They would probably be able to record my guitar better for me. I've never really been happy with how my guitar is mic'd up. I think I'd only really want to record guitar parts in a studio. I'm happy in my bedroom for the minute. It's cheaper and I don't have to confront what my voice sounds like completely clean. I just record the vocals myself and put on a cringe gate. Maybe one day a studio would be nice, just for the experience at least.

Your live performances tread a line between intimate sadness and awkward humour. How do you view your own performance? Live performances are all I'm thinking about at the moment. How I can basically avoid talking between songs. It's really hard to put on an interesting gig when you're on your own and aren't very good at talking between songs. I bet Olly Murs is a whiz at talking between songs. I never really know what to say but I always want to say something interesting because if you don't then it's harder for people to relate to you. It's tough though because you're just thinking of how to get people to stay and be interested in you aside from having good songs. I'm always just so worried about people getting bored of me while I'm still playing. I don't want to bore people to tears, that's not what I'm there for.

What are your future plans for Sleep Cycles? The immediate future plans are Leopallooza in late July and Boardmasters In August. After that it's scarily open ended. I want to do new songs, want to work more on my live set, do more videos and gig more. I just need to work a bit harder and keep plugging away. Interview and photography by Craig Taylor-Broad

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Tony Njoku - In Greyscale (Album Review)

Where to start with Tony Njoku? There’s a duality to his music, a Jekyll and Hyde syndrome of an artist existing between classical training and experimental electronica – it’s a dynamic combination that we need more of. His influences are (self-professed) hard to pin down, extending to “any music that sounds original”, but to a virgin listener it could be compared to the wooziness of post-dubstep godfather James Blake by way of Antony & The Johnsons and Radiohead. But that doesn’t do it justice and with dabbling from a young age with a myriad of processes from acting to visual arts, you could say that he’s learnt to paint with sound. After a head clearing journey to Lourdes in 2014, In Greyscale (in its embryonic state) was formed. After months of editing and a year in the musical closet, it’s only now that it’s released to coincide with the completion of its creator’s music degree. Proof of his perfectionism, this is a release that was worth sitting on; a 10-track strong collection of classically informed pieces put through an electronic spin cycle that, showing an impressive leap into the avant garde from Tony’s earlier work such as the To Escape EP.

The album begins tentatively with In The Loop’s offbeat percussion and it’s midway breakdown to bass-laden synths worthy of a Jamie XX comparison. It turns out this sets a precedent for the rest of the record. Ever more tenderly comes A Moment To Gather with its opening line of “there’s a gathering in the chasms of my heart”. We’re taken to the space between, pulled in to what Tony calls “the transition period full of uncertainty and ambiguity”, a theme within his work that compliments the knife like cut of his vocals into the hip hop rhythm and sticky R’n’B  flavouring that ice the classically informed skeleton of tracks like this. In Greyscale with its tribal beat, ominous tap and bounce and layers of sound that expand and contract, would be my recommended track if you were unfortunate enough to be in the position of listening to only one with the artist outdoing himself here. Then we are taken into the abyss of It Shattered Me. Anguished, poignant and honest, we are reminded that Tony’s music is not just to dance to. The opening of final track Once Again will appeal to fans of Mac Demarco as Tom Armstrong (of Shipping Forecast) guests with veins of tremulous guitar. It’s a perfect end to the record, a lullaby of grandiose proportions that culminates in near-tribal chanting perhaps influenced by the Jamie XX remixes of Gil Scott-Heron. It’s when Tony experiments like this and uses sounds outside his comfortable range (like Armstrong’s guitar) that he most comes into his own. Although it could be said that some of the 10 tracks follow a similar formula, when performed live (the album launched at Mono in June – the most compelling music they’ve had there for a while) they vary dramatically in a set list that includes past numbers and moments of improv. An unassuming presence on stage, the audience is thanked at regular interviews and closes their eyes, not from boredom but mesmerized as we are reminded that this is music to breathe to. Catch Tony perform songs from In Greyscale and more on Green Man Festival’s Mountain Stage in August. Written by Tom Stockley

[cornwallmusicseen]

Hypophora Interview

So how did you form? Four years ago we were in year nine in secondary school and we were asked to do a gig at a primary school. Katie (who was in year ten) wasn't in the band at the time but we asked her if she could sing for us and yeah, we played four songs for that gig, which were all covers. It was probably really awful. Lewis joined Hypophora later, about a year ago after our other bassist left.

You've been together for four years now and haven't released an album yet. How important do you think it is for bands to craft their sound before releasing chunks of material? Really important, definitely. You want to be proud of the things you create and you have to develop as a band. You have to find your unique niche and refine that. When we started writing original music we'd go from creating a funk song one week, to working on a metalcore riff the next week and it's taken us awhile to find our sound and where we want to be heading musically.

And how has your sound developed with each release would you say? The new double a-side singles have a lot of different influences within the songs. So you have the slap bass and more funky elements on it, but also a harder more heavier guitar side to them too so our own personal influences are shining through onto record than before. There's more variation as well. When we used to write songs you could say that's definitely a punk song or that's definitely a funk song but now, with these new tracks it's more, that's got a bit of everything in it, that's a Hypophora song. So the influences are sitting a lot more comfortably than what they may have beforehand.

So you've been in talks with Carlton from Easy Action Records. Can you tell us what's going on there? Yeah, we think so! We've been relentlessly messaging him for awhile to check out our music and he finally did. He seemed super keen on us just from hearing our recorded tracks and then he came to see us live recently and he said he was impressed. Our relationship is cool and progressing but we haven't signed anything yet. He has said they that he tentatively wants to sign us and put out something new on the label. It was cool when he said that he wanted to work with us but we are still really surprised by it. We're potentially going to get another single out, hopefully on vinyl, and there's some talk in the future of putting an album out on his label.

When you play live, you always seem to get a great crowd. What is it about the band that is drawing people to watch us? Initially we've been really lucky that we have a fair amount of friends that actively support us. Especially if we have a Truro gig, they come down en-mass and it's really cool. And you know word of mouth helps as well, our friends are bringing their friends and they are bringing their friends and so on. Friendship is such a big thing in music initially until you've been on the scene for a few years and have built up a bigger fan base.

When we spoke before you implied that you were looking for something polished rather than raw. With the new singles were you conscious on the mainstream and wanting radio play? Being in a female fronted band it kind of fits more vocally to be that way. We aren't compromising ourselves by releasing a polished recording, we're not a punk band, so if it sounds polished then great.

The amount of ideas in terms of guitar parts that are in the recordings probably wouldn't have worked in a raw recording style anyway. There are around six or seven different guitar tracks on both singles and in a raw sort of setting it would probably just sound like mud. The difference is, in a studio you can do different things you wouldn't do live to create a better sound. There are some people who will criticise you for that and say it's not a real representation of the band but it's not true. The bits you add aren't main parts, they are little embellishments, you know, if you eat a cake you don't just focus on the icing and not eat the rest. So sure there's more potential for it to reach out to more people if it's polished but that's not a conscious thing, we just want to represent our music in the best way possible.

There aren't many female fronted rock bands in Cornwall. How would you encourage more women into the alternative Cornish music scene? It's a tough one. It isn't right but there seem to be a lot of stereotypes in music still. Rock and metal particularly is still very testosterone fueled and there's definitely stigma's out there which say that certain genres of music are no place for a woman. You'll see it at metal gigs where the women are looked after and pushed to the back while the guys are at the front moshing. It's actually kind of patronising in a way. It's a level of sexism that we haven't managed to break through yet but the next generation is going to be better. It's the older generation that put these views in our heads, people are slowly breaking out of that and starting to think in their own terms. So with that there will be more women in rock bands in Cornwall, hopefully.

You won the battle of the bands last year. What are your thoughts on music competitions? We don't really think you can judge it. Music and art is subjective, you can kind of judge performance and stage presence and song craft but it does ultimately come down to personal taste. When we played the battle of the bands last year there were all different genres of bands from punk to prog to indie and in their own right, if you had genre based competitions, they would have all deserved to win. It was great taking part though and having the experience of playing in-front of a lot of people, on a big stage, with good sound and having the opportunity to create music contacts was worth it above all.

Karum and Lewis are in other bands so what is it about Hypophora that keeps you making music with the band? It's great fun and it's also chilled out and relaxed. We have a great combination of people involved in this band. We're lucky with Hypophora because we were friends before we formed this band, whereas in many situations you form a band and then try to form friendships through that and sometimes that doesn't always work out. With Hypophora there's no judgement, or pressure and we're all allowed to express our individuality through the music which is a massive thing for us. There's a very organic and healthy relationship in Hypophora which you don't always have in bands so the process for writing songs and just being a band is easier because of it.

Some of you will be leaving Cornwall to go to university soon. What does that mean for the future of the band? We aren't really sure as to what is happening at the moment but we want it to work even though we're going to be torn between Cornwall and Bristol. We're always going to try to keep Hypophora going and now that the gears are moving a little more with the interest from Easy Action Records that's probably going to make it easier to have the incentive to make it happen. Obviously we're not going to be able to play as much as we have been but we're hoping that the type of shows that we'll be doing will be bigger and hopefully with higher profile bands. There are going to be opportunities that are going to arise from being in Bristol that could work out quite well for us.

Looking at the immediate future we're headlining Bands in the Barn on the 16th of July and then we're playing the Penryn Festival on the 23rd of July. We're going to shooting a music video with Mawgan Lewis of Purple Knif soon, and after that we'll be looking to record a couple more singles soon which should be out by the end of the year.

Interview and photography by Craig Taylor-Broad.