Interview - Slaves - NME Awards Tour

The NME Awards creep up on you each year and you have to fumble to think of deserved winners of the glamorous 'middle finger' award. Unlike some of the winners, which you won't remember in years to come, the NME Awards Show provides some of the finest new talents around to tour the UK around the month of February.

Slaves backstage before their gig in Norwich last year (photo by Cal Beasley).

Traditionally including four acts, although tonight The Amazing Snakeheads have pulled out, the first slot is sacred and held by the likes of Coldplay, Florence and the Machine and the Kaiser Chiefs. This year it's the turn of Slaves to kick off the 2015 NME Awards Tour at The Leadmill in Sheffield, but first they must decipher which is the best flavour of Monster Munch and after settling on pickled onion, they sit down for a chat. Listen to what they had to say through stuffed mouthfuls of stinkin' crisps.

Interview by Josh Shreeve (@JJShreeve)

Slaves Release 'Feed The Mantaray' Video

Slaves have released the surreal video for their latest single, 'Feed The Mantaray'.

The pair, who are currently on the NME Awards Tour, have released their most eccentric video yet, which features, naturally, a giant mantaray chasing them on a sea bed of pick 'n' mix. The track comes of their debut album, 'Are You Satisfied?', which is due for release on June 1st. 

You can watch the video for 'Feed The Mantaray' below:

(@JJShreeve)

Live Review - Slaves - NME Awards Tour 2015 - The Leadmill, Sheffield

You’ve got to give it to Slaves. Not only have they managed to make it to the first night of the tour, when other band on the bill, The Amazing Snakeheads have just dropped out, but they’ve come prepared. They claim they don’t have pre-show plans but armed with a fridge full of ham sandwiches and clenching packets of monster munch, they’re ready for war. 

A giant mantaray lurks behind Slaves as they open the NME Awards Tour 2015.

It’s down to them to get the NME Awards Tour 2015 kicked off with ‘White Knuckle Ride’, the catalyst for the first spews of beer. In between erratic marching, vocalist and stand alone drummer, Isaac Holman, asks the audience what their favourite type of biscuit is but there’s little time to answer as he scrunches his face up once more and batters the skins whilst Laurie Vincent shouts, ‘anyone for a garibaldi?’

Not taking themselves too seriously could be the key to success. Holman is shy yet mischievous off stage, but once in front of a crowd it’s his chance to confront everything that’s ever pissed him off, including ‘Debbie’ in ‘Where’s Your Car Debbie?’, which he says is of a story of searching for her car with a Sasquatch in hot pursuit. When joined in by Vincent’s vocals, there’s shards of The Clash flying about, but the duo claim they’re not trying to sound like anyone, although not even the most acute hearing can draw comparisons to anything from Sex Pistols punk to American garage rock. 

The street poetry tales continue from a shirtless Holman, who turns the ‘Yorkshire’ chants into ‘Feed The Mantaray’ when a roadie joins them onstage dressed as a giant mantaray. It’s all of a sudden turned very Shooting Stars as if Vic Reeves is shredding guitar as Bob Mortimer spits ludicrous venom. The light hearted story telling turns ferocious and politically charged in ‘The Hunter’, as opening lines, ‘the people are freezing and the water is warm, and the ice caps are melting what will happen when they’re gone?’ gather momentum and there’s a riot building in front of Vincent who peers through the mist. Moments later Holman finds himself amongst this mass as he leaps in during the breakdown of ‘Hey’, using them as a human towel to dry every beed of sweat he’s exuded over a short but savage set.

(@JJShreeve)

Zane Lowe Set To Leave BBC Radio 1; How Will They Cope?

The news came out on Sunday that Zane Lowe, Radio 1 DJ and all-round music know-it-all, would be packing his bags and leaving BBC studios in March.

It was no coincidence that in 2003, two phenomenons came out of New Zealand; the Lord of The Rings films featuring the Kiwi's green pastures, and the other a sprightly DJ setting off on his own adventure between the XFM and BBC Radio 1 studios. Twelve years later, after a barrage of sirens and loops of twenty different nationalities pronounce 'Zane Lowe', before each song, and the man has announced that he will leave the BBC studios. The next chapter of his career lies in The States at Apple headquarters, and who can blame him. But what's going to happen to the holy grail of Radio 1; that 7pm-9pm Mondays-Thursdays slot?

The mixing desk is big to fill, but already Radio 1 bosses have found someone willing enough to see if the headphones fits. Annie Mac is no stranger to the radio game, and her shows often sound as if they could be replicated within a live festival capacity, which she often does. She's been at the station for almost as long as Lowe himself and has a firm grasp of what it takes to put together engaging shows and can chat to some of the biggest musicians out there without a starstruck gaze.

Return of the Mac... to a new time slot.

There's probably few other options the heads at Radio 1 thought of, so Mac is a reassuring choice. However, with all her expertise in the field of electronic dance music, which she already presents at 7pm on a Friday, you can't help but feel this could be a bit limiting when tuning into her first show on 9th March where you're greeted with a soothing voice and the intro to Route 94 instead of an ecstatic Lowe drilling Metallica to your core whilst whizzing onomatopoeic words over the airways.

The point is that Zane Lowe has built more than just the foundations for many acts and much of the music the nation, let alone other nations listen to today. Yes, he has his favourites; Enter Shikari often get more than their fair share of the pie but the enthusiasm that oozes from the New Zealander's twangs towards a largely versatile amount of music is unrivalled. It's whether genres such as rock, which is only just resurfacing due to the success of bands such as Royal Blood, also championed by Lowe, will continue to get the coverage they deserve amongst the dance and R'n'B scenes which have thrived for the past decade or so under Radio 1.

For all his annoying twists and fizzes, it's hard to name someone with quite so much enthusiasm and knowledge of the past, present and future of music. He's been capable of capturing some exclusive interviews with people such as Jay-Z and Chris Martin, right through to giving some of the smallest names a go on his show. Annie Mac is likely to mould the two hour slot in a way which probably reflects more on Lowe than herself, but will she still keep features such as 'hottest record in the world' and 'next hype'? Most probably not, but so long as Lowe passes on the baton of versatility and all things future, Mac should settle into the big chair soon enough. The question for everyone right now though is, Mr Lowe, which song shall you choose to play you out one last time?

(@JJShreeve)

Palma Violets Return With New Song 'Danger In The Club'

Palma Violets premiered their new track on Zane Lowe's show last night ahead of a prospective new album in 2015.

'Danger In The Club' is the first track to be released since their 2013 debut album, '180'. It's distinctly still Palma Violets with a plodding melody not dissimilar to Iggy Pop's, 'The Passenger'. You can listen to the track at about 53 minutes by clicking here.

(@JJShreeve)

Metronomy, Ben Howard and Jungle Announced For Parklife Festival

Parklife have announced their biggest line up to date for this year's festival at Heaton Park in Manchester.

The line up, which is usually predominantly made up of DJs, has more than a sprinkling of alternative musicians this year to make up an impressive looking weekend. Joining the likes of Ben Howard, Metronomy and Jungle will be; Disclosure, George Ezra, Mark Ronson, Fatboy Slim, Caribou and Mac Demarco.

There's also a return to the stage for Everything Everything and an appearance from The Brits Critic Choice winner, James Bay on the weekend of June 6th & 7th. Tickets go on sale here from 9am, Friday 13th.

(@JJShreeve)

Single Review - Swim Deep - To My Brother

It'll take a listen or two just to get your head around the fact this is the same Swim Deep whose debut album was fronted by the lyrics, 'don't just dream in your sleep it's just lazy'; a lethargic approach to a debut which at the time was filled with such promise.

Previous tracks weren't dreadful, no. After all, 2013 saw a lot of attention on Swim Deep, probably only due to radiation of praise towards fellow B-Town mates, Peace. The problem though was that songs with the lyrics, 'Fuck your romance I wanna pretend, that Jenny Lee Lindberg is my girlfriend' are unlikely to stand the test of time and a superficial growing hysteria around the band. After twelve tracks it's been hard to see where Swim Deep could go from debut album, 'Where The Heaven Are We' and progress to a more serious level, until now.

You always knew 2015 was the natural, two-year cycle, return for Swim Deep and here it is. Disguised under a gown of synth-pop, new addition James Balmont has revived the band, with new track, 'To My Brother', crying out to be an early contender for summer indie anthem. Frontman, Austin Williams', vocals are obscured by the greater focus on 80s melodic synth and thicker guitar riffs. It's what The Klaxons latest record should've sounded like and any bullshit lyrics are quickly rid of, with 'All I do is preach for my brother', being the main loop which blissfully echoes through a much richer track which only gets better throughout.

To have moved away from their previous sound is something that'll reinvigorate crowds and some love-lost fans. Quite what the rest of the new album will sound like though is open for debate.

Swim Deep - 'To My Brother'
Out of 10: 8/10

Album Review - All We Are - All We Are

All We Are aren’t your usual suspects and neither is their self-titled debut record. The trio, originating from Ireland, Norway and Brazil, not only represent diverse nationalities, but also influences in an album that draws comparisons to a number of likely names but often falls short of completing their own package.

Running rather effortlessly from start to finish, occasional relapses into unconsciousness are not uncommon but alerts of bombarding funk hiding behind their shy exterior do get their turn to peek out from behind trembling strings. At times it feels as though the band are on the verge of tripping into a coma rather than conquering 2015 but previously released tracks, ‘Feel Safe’ and ‘Stone’ though, they could be on to something. The latter graces with deep soulful tones provided by Guro Gikling, which verge on Florence Welch vocals that spring free from the restrained shackles of tracks such as ‘Something About You’ which sound more like Snakadakatal on the brink of their break up. Similarly, ‘Go’, never really takes off until it ditches the usually impressive male and female vocal overlaps for the tickles of Casio keyboards.

‘Honey’ comes out of nowhere. It’s an indie dance floor gem strutting in platform shoes across a 70s dance floor shimmering in Bee Gees spandex. ‘I Wear You’ takes more of a backseat approach, luring to the plucky bass of Metronomy and the forward yet smooth lyrics; ‘I wear you right up on my shoulder, I wear you like this is all we had’. This awkwardly clingy nature finally blossoms as soul ridden rock riffs ooze from a shy guitar fret board. The hesitant vocals only continue in, ‘Keep Me Alive’, with lyrics, ‘I need you baby, to keep me alive’, left ringing in the ears like an uneasy outcome of a couple’s marriage therapy. If the slower tracks sounded more like a heartless break-up, this is the mending of the pieces to form an unstoppable sound.

Perhaps the most intriguing turn of all though is, ‘Utmost Good’, where funk weaves into deep psychedelic plunges and vocals are kicked way out of reality. Tame Impala lethargic wooziness comes to mind, but above all, it shows that on their debut album, when All We Are really reach out, they’re worth holding onto.

All We Are - All We Are

Out of 10: 7/10

(@JJShreeve)

Ben Howard and Bombay Bicycle Club To Headline New Festival, 'Citadel'

Ben Howard and Bombay Bicycle Club have been announced a the headline acts for new festival, 'Citadel', which will be held in Victoria Park, London on Sunday 19th July.

The one day festival comes from the creators of Lovebox and Wilderness but Ben Howard and Communion record label themselves are the ones sorting out the rest of the bill and judging by their appointment of Bombay Bicycle Club, there could be plenty more big names to come!

Tickets are only £45 and which you can purchase from this Friday at 9am. Alternatively, if you pre-register, tickets will be available from this Thursday at 9am. Click here to find out more about Citadel festival.

(@JJShreeve)

Live Review - Peace - Queen's Social Club, Sheffield

You’d be mistaken for thinking Peace aren’t a big deal judging by the venues they’ve picked to play in over the next few months. The B-Town band have left academies to one side to showcase material from their second album, 'Happy People', in front of more intimate audiences. 

Queen’s Social Club is their residency for the next two nights and follows suit with it’s beer stained carpets and tinsel covered walls. Filled with a few hundred teenagers, and couples sat on laps around the fringes, it feels like a weird school disco, where the wacky kids stick out like a sore thumb. 

Once upon a time Peace would have fitted into that category, but having stuck it out in their mum’s garage and donning dubious haircuts, they’ve now grown into something everyone craves. Bodies swirl in a swollen mass towards the feet of singer Harry Koisser’s trailing fur coat as the band rattle off ‘Higher Than The Sun’ and ‘Follow Baby’ from first album, ‘In Love’. The opportunity to play new material is latched to as ‘O You’ and ‘Perfect Skin’ are heard for the first time, the latter opting for the chance to console niggling anxieties; ‘I wish I had perfect skin, I wish I was tall and thin’, not the first unusual lyric choices we’ve become accustomed to.

Other new tracks, ‘Money’ and ‘Lost On Me’ are already instant B-Town classics and send the crowd into a frenzy, but it’s ‘1998’ at full thrust which really sorts the tie-dye from the die-hards. The twisted version of Binary Finary’s dance hit isn’t the only 1998 floor filler to leak from their guitars though as ATB’s, ‘9PM [Til I Come]’ ,rings around the room amongst woozier tones of ‘Float Forever’ and ‘Sugarstone’. The band opt for a different pre-millennium sound though in romanticised ‘Someday’, where Koisser’s vocals slip in and out of Liam Gallagher whines, whilst he stands unashamedly in some sort of rat onesie - a questionable choice of dress even for him. Thankfully one of the stronger new additions to Peace’s set comes in the form of ‘World Pleasure’, an unassuming savior to Brit-pop which is meant for stadiums but stands glorified amongst sticky condensated walls. Bass player, Samuel Koisser even takes a step into the crowd to show off his funk-fueled riffs, as Harry hails the crowd, ‘one of the best we’ve ever had’.

If there’s any proof needed that Peace are one of the most important bands in British music right now, it’ll be seen this year. Shows of all sizes and a second album which teeters on the consistency of their debut could bring about the revival of Brit-pop to guitar-thirsty crowds.

(@JJShreeve)