2016

We bridge the new year with a fusion of new and old. American artists Brooklyn Ghosts return with their new album Famous Ghost Writers, Transylvania burst onto the show with their larger-than-life TEDM, and we bring you an exclusive preview of Mama Sonic's debut EP. And naturally, Cam fills us in on what the year will hold for the network.

After a two year hiatus from the ADSRecords sphere, these American songwriters return with Love Pains. They have just released their latest album, Famous Ghost Writers, in which each song is composed from little-known writings of famous people. Love Pains itself is taken from an acrostic poem by a young George Washington, treated with Brooklyn Ghost’s unmistakable signature

In January we give you a sneaky listen to Hornstreet Strut from their upcoming EP, Plonk. It’s a track all about compelling rhythm and bass, with relentless pace and charisma. It stands as the third track of their five track debut, due to be released this month, and along with their signature single Grapefruit brandishes their range and irresistible identity.

Transylvania have fused together electronic dance music and Balkan folk music. The result is a contagious blend that has the danceable force of Caravan Palace with all the charm of a folk jig. They are gaining traction in their Transylvanian home and are slowly spreading their sound across Europe. Music with a sense of humour: it is, in their own words, 'damn fun'.

2015 is over. It was a momentous year for ADSRecords, with a new signing and a whole new website topping the bill. 2016 is all about the music. We’ve got a collection of singles and EPs lining up for release, plenty to keep our ears entertained. But it doesn’t stop there - our composing house is working like a Victorian foundry and our search for new, underheard music expands ever outwards. Bring it on!

After their EP release and launch party in Stockholm this January, Mama Sonic will dive deep into preparations for their tour. It will span Scandinavia, beginning in their home city of Stockholm and visiting Malmo, Gothenburg, Oslo and Copenhagen, among others. It will be a voyage of epic proportions, crossing borders to bring plonk to ears it has not yet touched. A noble cause.

There’s an electric buzz in the air this February with three very different electronic works. Transylvania share with us their fun and humour, Jorgalad endows us with his atmospheric edge, and Souvenir Season strike the balance with their soft and anthemic song. Between this electronic music panorama, get up to date with Mama Sonic and the label’s flowering identity.

Since Jorgalad’s edgy electronic piece Monotonous Catan caused such a stir in December, we’re excited to welcome in his new EP Animator’s Front with its driftingly ominous third track, Metaphor. It is, in fact, a sampled and mangled version of an early Jorgalad composition - see if you can recognise it here. Jorgalad himself is an extremely busy fellow, recently moving around the world, tutoring and venturing, but still the Spartan worker is writing new material. For the music so far, view the website.

Souvenir Season are fresh from performing at the Cologne Music Week late last month where they went down a storm. As they plough on with their glittering journey, they drop by to give us Parachute, from their album Into The Black. That album, by the way, is now available on vinyl. The connoisseur need only visit their page for all the information they need.

Transylvania join us for a second month with their damn fun blend of Balkan folk and electronic dance music. This time around, Guitar gives us a more mysterious vibe than last month, full of Transylvanian charisma and dancey beats. But that’s not to say there’s any less of that signature tongue-in-cheek - this month’s track has humour and personality by the gallon.

The long-anticipated EP Plonk is finally here! Head to Spotify, iTunes or many other platforms to treat your ears. There’s no time for the Swedish four-piece to rest though, with the EP launch party lined up for the 17th, a music video out in March and preparations underway for spring’s Scandinavian tour. Head to their website and social media to keep up with the crowd.

Dedicated to the memory of Viola Beach. The show is shifting as we leave our electronic season behind and head into new areas. Jorgalad sees us off beautifully with Danaë, and we welcome Pwned By Gravity onto the scene with their Brit-indie inspired Swedish sound. Developments in the industry are explored, and we sign off by remembering a landmark event in our new music network - the launch of Independent Of Time.

From the small town of Nykoping in Sweden, Pwned By Gravity are playing Brit-indie inspired songs in any space they can make a noise - bars, clubs, shopping malls, churches, public squares - filling them with carefree guitars and vocals. It sounds to us like good, honest indie-pop. In their own words, the lyrics “use their finest colours to paint a light picture of not so often dramatic life on the frigid eastern coast of Sweden”. Their feet may be firmly on the ground, but they also have their heads in something bigger - embarking on their first international tour in the autumn following imminent new releases. Introduce yourself with their first track on the network, Answers Foretold.

Jorgalad has shaken up our electronic scene with his experimental edge. Danaë reveals his most melodic sound, the synthetic textures and jagged rhythms being supported by compelling chord sequences and creative structure. Taken from his second and most recent EP, Animator’s Front, it completes our recent tour of his spectrum and is the perfect way to round off our electronic season in general. His work is available on a pay-as-you-will basis from his website and bandcamp. If you want to watch the boundaries of electronic music evolve, you want to watch this artist.

The news is widespread about Viola Beach, the four-piece indie band who died with their manager in a car accident in Sweden. If you’re not up to speed, you can read about it here. As players in the new music industry and with strong ties to Sweden, it strikes us uncomfortably close to home. Take a moment to view their Spotify, proceeds of which are now going to their families as their fans rally behind them. This month’s podcast is dedicated to their memory.

Every so often, it’s good to remind ourselves of the incredible tracks we stumble across on our voyage through the unknown. Released and aired in 2014, Independent Of Time is one of those EPs that pushes music in new directions. Ethereal, original and unrestricted, it stands as a welcome antidote to chart bombardment. Celebrate new music past and present with its final track, Capsized, offering probably its most emotive and instantly accessible sound.

Swedish Plonkers Mama Sonic have always picked up awestruck fans with their intoxicating songs and performances. They’re now working to give us even more, pampering fans with their first music video and personalised merchandise, which hit sale during their sensational launch party on the 19th February. They have little time to celebrate their acclaimed debut EP, though, before they must look to the skies and their long-awaited international tour. And now it seems there is a second deep European festival tour taking shape for late summer. If these guys ever rest, we’ll let you know.

The podcast continues to move away from electro and towards indie rock. Alongside German House Rockers, enjoy heavy and erratic hooks from Swift Arvel and Mama Sonic’s signature upbeat sound. Cam fills in the gaps with industry news and label updates, leading us towards a hectic spring and summer for new music.

Our first foray into math rock has led us to South Wales - something of an ancestral homeland for ADSRecords. It’s where so many of the team met - Alex, Will, Cam - and now it’s given rise to Swift Arvel. It’s heavy, full of character, and fills a corner of the genre spectrum left vacant for some months. Its main pull, though, is an erratic rhythm and structure formed with exotic time signatures. Unpredictable, ballsy, math rock.

Alongside their phenomenal music video, we're celebrating Amasonic, the opening song of the acclaimed EP Plonk. Carefree indie-punk stuffed with youth, optimism and energy from the Stockholm four - two minutes of music from these guys is like having a shot of caffeine injected aurally. Infectious is a word that gets thrown around a lot, but it never fails to apply to Mama Sonic.

As we move into rock and indie, we thought it would be nice to counterpoint the guitars with some keys and a little taste of summer. German House Rockers, from Duisburg in, well, Germany, give us their track All Of These Days to inject a little house into our homes. It caught our ear for having more structural changes and shorter sections than a lot of the house we hear. Listenable and easy-flowing, it’s the perfect backdrop for a chillout and a hard drink. Party in the park, anyone?

Every day brings us closer to the outbreak of Plonk across Scandinavia and beyond. That means it’s time to break radio silence. We are pleased to confirm the first of many dates to be released over the next month - 27th April, Tijili Pop, Copenhagen, 10pm. It’s in Nørrebro. Get there by boat, train or plane. In the meantime, grab the EP from Spotify if you haven’t already or catch them on Amazing Radio.

The final touches are being placed on indie filmmaker Tom Tremayne’s upcoming release, Cupboard, as composers Alex and Will head up scoring the picture. It’s another exciting opportunity for the composition house to express its identity and flex its skills, and will be the debut full-length score for the team. “We’re building a really strong atmosphere for this film,” says Alex, “and it’s very rewarding to help this guy create his vision.”

Three very different songs adorn May’s music mayhem. From old-school rock, through British electro-pop to Swedish indie, Bottlecap, ALSKR and Pwned By Gravity should leave you properly fulfilled. Alex brings us a taste of Mama Sonic’s recent Scandinavian tour, and Cam binds it together with news and insights from all things new-music.

Bottlecap play a well-loved style of old-school rock. Their live performances are famously chaotic, and their music is just as unchained. They describe themselves as “juicy in-your-face rock with a touch of ADHD”. After listening to I Don’t Like You Anymore, I couldn’t agree more. The full EP You Know I’m Walking On Ice comes out on the 18th. Go to their website for details. Thanks again, Sweden!

ALSKR (pronounced: Al-Skir) produce a massively uplifting sound with cathedral-like electronic textures and passionate vocals. While they put a final coat of polish on their album, their next single City Lights will be out this month. In the meantime, enjoy their first single, Puzzles. Doctors should prescribe this stuff.

Pwned By Gravity are back with It’s Got A Hold Of Me. The hypnotic and spacious guitar refrains play tennis with a restless bass, as laid back vocals deliver their signature indie sound. But the group are already moving on - their extremely maritime new single Shipshape And Bristol Fashion has just been released. We have a feeling these guys are just getting warmed up - watch this space.

The Chovas Roadtrip rages across the Danish border in a five-gig raid that finishes back in Stockholm in the legendary Baba Sonic outfit at the Sodra Teatern. The four have enjoyed a range of set-ups, including an acoustic session which, naturally, they turned into a rip-up. They have been busy spreading joy and converting unfortunates who hadn’t yet heard of Plonk. Now their eyes now turn to the continent, which will discover them in August.

Cam Snell’s newest article is here. As podcast host, Cam has spent the last three years busily trawling under the radar for brave new music. Having described music scouting as one of the greatest joys of his life, he has pieced together his experiences on paper. Getting The Pitch Perfect offers a short guide to artists who want to be something more.

The 2nd of May marks a major Partnership meeting for ADSRecords. Somewhere between the drinks and music celebrations, the talks of goals and technicalities, the trio will discuss major changes in the industry, long-term strategy and further refine how our label and its mission fit into this rapidly changing landscape.

It’s all about touching base this month with three tracks from the UK. Natasha-Leigh shares her new pop from Manchester, Swift Arvel return from our ancestral home in South Wales with their Math Rock, and our composition house brings you something orchestral from the upcoming horror short, Cupboard.

Natasha-Leigh Smith has only recently begun releasing material, but it’s already enough to catch our attention. In this month’s Never Fall In Love, her rich vocal tone and impeccable sense of rhythm weave into something that just gets into your bloodstream. Not to mention the dash of up-to-date electronics to lift it away from its influences. The music video is pretty cool, too.

Swift Arvel continue to plough a trail through the network with their ballsy math rock. Vex’d might come across as a little more regular and commercial than April’s track Splintercat, but look more closely - you won’t find a 4/4 or a 3/4 in sight. Pounding and irrepressible, rock fans looking for something different can find it here.

All things being equal, Tom’s horror short stands at about a month from completion. We’re proud of the role we’ve played in scoring the film, and we share with you a taster of that work in this month’s show. We’ve gone for a majestic and enveloping sense of intrigue, in keeping with the aura of Tom’s creation. Watch this space for the full release.

The epic Chovas Roadtrip reached its conclusion with their final gig at Gothenburg Studios (it’s in Gothenburg). Taking in Malmo, Lund, Copenhagen, Stockholm and now Gothenburg, they’ve torn up stages, amazed converts and brewed up a flurry of critical acclaim. Their next adventures promise to be another evolution, with new content and artist collaborations being formed.

If you enjoy the music we share, it’s worth checking in on your favourite artists, many of whom have released whole albums since we last crossed paths. Follow The Sea spring to mind. Even since last month, two of our featured artists, ALSKR and Bottlecap, have both had new releases - ALSKR releasing City Lights, and Bottlecap giving their EP You Know I’m Walking On Ice.

What better way to celebrate the label’s anniversary than to welcome back old friends alongside exploding newcomers? For this, you can hear Vio’s Foreshadow from upcoming EP Black Violet, Jacob Speake’s laid-back Not Today and the exhilarating sound of Bottlecap’s Go Home. We also manage to sneak in a clip of founder Alex Dale-Staple’s annual interview.

Our new introduction from Copenhagen, Jacob Speake, has given rise to a full album, Listen To Jacob Speake (oh yes, he did), and he will soon release another. From the first, check out Not Today. The concrete Brit-punk influence swaggers it’s way through the track like a merry English football fan stumbling across something profound. And who doesn’t love music that doesn’t take life too seriously? Isn’t that what life’s all about?

Bottlecap have one of the strongest identities I’ve ever smacked into. Each of the tracks on their very-new EP You Know I’m Walking On Ice is unique, and yet so pungently Bottlecap. Go Home has all their usual good stuff - energy, a sense of fun, attitude - but turns up the intensity and the taurine. This is where the term ‘explosm’ would come in.

We’ve been following our artsy Californian friend since her first appearance with us in early ‘14. Since those experimental days, her musical genre has coalesced into something pointedly Vio, a niche of traditional electro-pop echoing everything from Tiffany to The Birthday Massacre. She is preparing for her upcoming EP Black Violet, from which we take aptly-named frontrunner Foreshadow.

As is traditional on the label’s birthday, ADSRecords founder Alex Dale-Staples joins podcast host Cam for a chit-chat. They look over our third year in operation and try to peer into the future, before getting very distracted by the follies of the music industry and the oddities of British musical exporting. You can catch an excerpt on the podcast, but for the full deal, check the extended interview on Soundcloud.

It wasn’t long ago that we first brought Swedish group Pwned By Gravity to your attention. Already they have developed a close relationship with us, wielding a formidable work ethic and musical signature. The team will be meeting them soon in their hometown of Nyköping to further offer our support. Rumour has it (and don’t even think about that track) that things could even get formal in the coming months.

With all the news Cam has to take us through, an ambient musical theme seems like a good backdrop. Tracks from Beyond Rare, Eldé and Follow The Sea spanning three countries, two continents and a trio of very different styles. Together with all the updates from the ADSRecords network and beyond, it’s also a good chance to sample the recent EP, Blue Joy.

Picture a gothic cathedral - spacious, warming, ethereal. Are you feeling that? Now transport your cathedral into an electronic future, with glowing neon candles and a deep space aura. The place where the techno-monks worship. They like to play Beyond Rare there - you know, when they’re holding space-mass or whatever. The duo from L.A. certainly have an atmosphere you could swim in.

Melodic hip-hop meets chillwave. London artist Eldé forges a nostalgic sound and shoots it through with a very modern roominess. Running might be solid home-grown music, but it takes us to sunnier places (in America, mostly). We’ve not forayed into hip-hop for a long time, and it’s proof-positive that the mega-genre is alive and well in the hands of songwriters like this.

Shoegaze, albeit a recent genre, has a steady and loyal following. It’s a fuzzy place where rock and ambient, two somewhat oxymoronic genres, dissolve together. Characterised not by lyrical melody but by mood, Follow The Sea are purveyors of the finest shoegaze. From their recent album Blue Joy, you should also check out Virhe’s hypnotic video.

Mama Sonic’s year with us has been earth shattering. From singles to EP releases to international tours and music videos, from unknown to stacks of critical acclaim, their journey so far has been jet-propelled. They now move on to bigger things, forming links with Swedish label Substitute Music and waving their goodbyes.

Our ties with Sweden go deeper by the month. We are working closely with indie-rock group Pwned By Gravity from Nyköping, and if we’re not careful, things could get very fruitful. It could be the start of another stellar journey. It could be that artist manager Alex is heading to Sweden imminently to sort it all out. You could check back next month to get updated.

It’s finished. Done. All over. We’ve written the score for Cupboard, the upcoming horror short from indie filmmaker Tom Tremayne. The post-prod team are dotting the eyes and drinking the teas, and a launch date is imminent. In this last moment before the film’s release, hype yourself up by looking up his previous work, or hearing the previous works of our composition house.

Three very different tracks on this month’s show - shoegaze, hip-hop and electronic all feature. If you think previous podcasts have displayed a spectrum, then this is a Picasso. Our world buffet includes newcomers Orchin, Beyond Rare and Eldé with music from here to the Pacific. Grab a little bite of our new signing Pwned By Gravity, and catch up with all the latest.

Welcome back to ambient rock, fuzz rock, or shoegaze - they all amount to a similar thing: a diversion from the tradition. This isn’t the old rock that screams in your face or tries to recreate the haka. This is a mood, a background of chilled confidence expressed with distortion and drums. Minty fresh from its release last month, listen to One from their upcoming EP If I Ever.

Hip-hop, home-grown, proper and old fashioned. Except for those post- noughties electronics. Eldé is a newcomer and a Londoner. This month’s Rock With Me is melodic and hypnotic. There’s no ‘try the first 30’ with this; once the music starts, you’re on an irresistible and silky slide to the end. The whole thing is one big hip-hop hook.

We mentioned last month that Beyond Rare’s Cold sounded a bit like a space monastery. This month’s Sun Turns takes us away from that comfort and floats us into the black beyond. It still has the electro-gothic spaciousness that makes them so entrancing, yet flavours it with an uncertainty, a darkness and an experimental edge that is less anthemic and so much more intriguing. Check out their latest release High Like too, featuring King Courtney.

It’s happening - Pwned By Gravity, our latest find from Nyköping in Sweden are due to sign on the dotted line in early September! Well, it’s not dotted, it’s just sort of a line, but I’m being, you know, “proverbial”. We’re very excited to be working with our next international artist. In the immediate future, there is an international tour taking in three European capitals, and a new EP well underway. Another two reasons to be keeping up with their social media.

Harry Goulding, the talent behind the legendary Talisay Nights, returns from his philanthropic expeditions to the Philippines, his head brimming with new song. He will be returning to our studios shortly to put pen to paper, or should I say mouth to mic. If you want to know what all the fuss is about, listen to his previous Music Past Midnight collection - a serene reflection expressed in intimate vocals and a paradoxical blend of calm and life.

Three brand new artists all in 20 minutes. Jake Brett, Local Enemy and Fur Cough. It doesn’t get much more diverse or original than that, and in the gaps where you digest what you’ve heard, Cam will tell you all about Pwned By Gravity’s grand European tour and the return of some old ADS magic.

Brighton did well to forge Fatboy Slim, but that was a while ago, and so the city saw fit to spawn Jake Brett. Free and creative, with echoes of The Darkness, Queen and Muse all rolled into one structured chaos. It’s a harmonic sprawl that catches you by the ear and doesn’t let go. This is a musician that clearly loves what he does, and it bursts from the seams of Jake Brett And The Boleen Modifier, his new EP. Also check out Lo Fidelity, his regular podcast.

Valleys riot Local Enemy have come to our attention. Their style is as hard and clear-cut as the rocks of their homeland. From their new EP Something For The Weekend, Sir? we bring you Revolution, because hearing it feels like your soul is drinking Red Bull. Modern rock at its purest - just another gem in Wales’ reputation for the genre. Certainly enough for the weekend.

Fur Cough are a band from London. See what they did with the name there? And it continues - The More You Do It, The More You Do It opens with a mellow guitar. It’s soft. Timid even, and placed with glorious sadism before a distorted wall of rock. After working with the legendary Joe Foster (Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine… ) they have hit us with this foursome of new rock from their new EP, E.P. 2. Go and listen!

Amsterdam. Paris. Bremen. Copenhagen. Berlin. These are just some of the stops our Swedish troupe are playing on their voyage this month before they return home, wiser and louder and full of new EP. That’s right - a new EP, and it should be out by the end of the year. Make sure to follow their social media and catch their Swedish Radio feature in the meantime.

Talisay Nights will return to the studio this year with a great tide of new material. And he’s not the only returning veteran. Although nothing can be made concrete at this stage, we also have heard happy rumours of Will Bugden, our in house composer now free of his Cupboardly duties and set loose on a piano EP. Did I say that out loud?

Introducing three artists to keep an eye on, straddling; rock, acoustic and pop. This is your introduction to Waiting For June, Stephanie Cheape and Marching Band - three very different textures woven together with news and waffle from everyone’s favourite ADSRecords Podcast host, Cam.