‘Gesamtkunstwerk’ is a concept borne of the composer Richard Wagner meaning ‘all-embracing art form’, or in laymen’s terms, the combination of multiple art forms; music, theater, sculpture, dance, literature, poetry and comedy are combined to create an epic that defies medium and is thus a medium unto itself. ‘Der Ring des Nibelungen’ is not just…
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Rare Americans is one of those bands that read the rule book cover-to-cover and then set it alight. New single Cats, Dogs & Rats is testament to this, ticking all the boxes of a pop-punk anthem without regurgitating the tried and tested formula. The pioneers playfully disregard the genre’s tropes, opting for acoustic guitar and horns…
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Separately Hayley Williams and Ben Williams (no relation) have had illustrious careers, but like any duo worth their salt, together, they’re greater than the sum of their parts. Having swapped skills and discovered a mutual love of folk music, the pair formed Son of William in Manchester. The duo’s stock-in-trade is slow burners that place…
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Cut from the same cloth as The Mars Volta/At the Drive-In, Trail of Dead, and Hella, Southpaw Sonata is Prog-Punk with two capital Ps. They’re an inimitable niche in Austin’s emo/pop-punk scene that amplifies the best of their influences and contemporaries and augments the aspects that make them so great. Most songs are totally unrestrained in execution…
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If you were to dismantle the musical DNA of The Statue Thieves, you’d find a handful of key elements. Psychedelia looms large, with every scuzz-drenched chord rippling through the kind of bluesy hazes synonymous with Pink Floyd’s early material, while the elixir of their music has been extracted from the LCD-laced waters of 1967. However,…
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Saint Mars have unveiled a special, limited edition CD for ‘Somewhere, Somebody’. The song is the first single to be lifted from forthcoming album ‘Celesteville’, a concept album centered on the true story of one 13 year-old boy’s tragic experience as a result of sustained bullying. The band enlisted the vocals of viral sensation Tryzdin to give authenticity…
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It’s been a while since we’ve fallen in love with a psychedelic band, but Statue Thieves have put some magic back into the stock-in-trade formula. Psychedelia looms large, with every scuzz-drenched chord rippling through the kind of bluesy hazes that are synonymous with Pink Floyd’s early material. However, it’s the album’s concept that proves to be…
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Hikes is a band from Austin TX that blends math-rock, prog, folk and jazz into a truly unique and bracing sound. Their songs are inspired by the outdoors, and each one is a soundscape on which they reflect their surroundings through pitter-patters of cascading guitar figures, rain-drop pick strokes, riverbed bass lines and the rushing…
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People say three is a magic number but we whole-hardheartedly disagree. Take a peek at these wonderful electronic indie duos and you’ll see why… IDER FFO: MUNA, Westerman, Salen Whatever the dilemma, the queens of soothing synth-pop have the antidote. On-record Meg and Lily deliver endearingly honest lyrics about self-love, vulnerability, and change, wrapped in…
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Ask anyone in a creative industry why they feel compelled to produce art. I’ll hazard a good guess that the answer will be about the transformative powers of creating. For every triumph and tragedy experienced, there’s catharsis to be found for both artist and recipient in the product. But, when in comes to music, it…
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If you’re a fan of late noughties indie-psych, you’re going to love Satellite Ravens. Empire of the Sun, MGMT, and Passion Pit are duly paid homage to on ‘The Equinox‘ – but that’s just skimming the surface of what makes up his complex music DNA. Man-behind-the-music, Carson Rohde, tells Indie Crush how LA life, the transition to adulthood, and his…
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I fucking love Mom Jeans. They’re easily one of my favorite bands of the last few years, both live and on record. However, despite having such a large, devoted following, I haven’t seen many reviews, interviews or features on their music, which speaks not only to the level of grassroots connection they make through social media,…
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