Last night, Clipping dropped these dizzying visuals for new track “Baby Don’t Sleep” and details of their new full-length Splendor & Misery, a Sci-Fi/dystopian concept album due out September 9th on Sub Pop/Deathbomb Arc.
Clipping are producers Jonathan Snipes and William Hutson, along with rapper/lyricist Daveed Diggs. [Yes THAT Daveed Diggs: Originator of the roles of the Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in acclaimed Broadway musical Hamilton AND winner of the 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.]
“Baby Don’t Sleep” is Clipping’s collaboration with multi-disciplinary artist Cristopher Cichocki. The new video is an electrified vortex of visual art that jolts into the core of the group’s commanding noise-rap and musique concrete aesthetics. Captured within the industrial bellies of New York and Los Angeles, this meticulously detailed work is comprised from Cichocki’s visual experiments with interference static, oscilloscopic wavelengths, and flicker-frame animation.
Splendor & Misery is an Afrofuturist, dystopian concept album that follows the sole survivor of a slave uprising on an interstellar cargo ship, and the onboard computer that falls in love with him. Thinking he is alone and lost in space, the character discovers music in the ship’s shuddering hull and chirping instrument panels. William and Jonathan’s tracks draw an imaginary sonic map of the ship’s decks, hallways, and quarters, while Daveed’s lyrics ride the rhythms produced by its engines and machinery. In a reversal of H.P. Lovecraft’s concept of cosmic insignificance, the character finds relief in learning that humanity is of no consequence to the vast, uncaring universe. It turns out, pulling the rug out from under anthropocentrism is only horrifying to those who thought they were the center of everything to begin with. Ultimately, The character decides to pilot his ship into the unknown—and possibly into oblivion—instead of continuing on to worlds whose systems of governance and economy have violently oppressed him.
The album is led by the highlights “Baby Don’t Sleep,” “A Better Place,” and “Air ‘Em Out,” was produced by the band, and mixed by Steve Kaplan in Los Angeles. The announcement of said album comes hot on the heels of the group’s just released Wriggle EP [see the GIFtastic title track video right over here].
Splendor & Misery will be available worldwide on CD/LP/DL/CASS, and is now up for preorder from Sub Pop and Deathbomb Arc. Preorders through Sub Pop Mega Mart and independent retailers near you will receive the Loser edition on crystal clear vinyl (while supplies last).
Clipping’s current tour schedule in support of Wriggle and Splendor & Misery includes: August 4th in Seattle at Neumos (with Cakes Da Killa and Porter Ray); August 19th in Los Angeles for the Perpetual Dawn Anniversary; A hometown release show on September 8th in Los Angeles at Highways Performance Space* (with Busdriver and Pedestrian Deposit); And September 11th at the San Francisco Electronic Music Festival.
*The September 8th show is presented by Highways Performance Space, Artistic Directors, Leo Garcia & Patrick Kennelly.
Additional tour dates will be announced soon. For now, please find a current list of dates below.
Tour Dates
Aug. 04 - Seattle, WA - Neumos*
Aug. 19 - Los Angeles, CA - Perpetual Dawn Anniversary Show (venue TBA)
Sep. 08 - Los Angeles, CA - Highways Performance Space**
Sep. 11 - San Francisco, CA - San Francisco Electronic Music Festival
* w/ Cakes Da Killa & Porter Ray
** w/ Busdriver, Pedestrian Deposit
Ticket links don’t sleep here.
Mass Gothic will release their Sup Goth digital EP on August 5th worldwide through Sub Pop Records (that’s US!). The 5-song effort was recorded in New York this past spring, shortly after the release of Mass Gothic. Where the group’s self-titled debut chronicled the depths of depression, Sup Goth is the resulting catharsis. The EP is also a collaborative affair between Noel Heroux and partner / bandmate Jessica Zambri, as it is the first Mass Gothic recording the pair have completed together.
Says Heroux, “I followed my previously usually-ignored instinct to allow the noise and color in my head to inform a specific, intentional sound as opposed to ‘throwing it all at the wall’ as I’ve done a thousand times before. It’s lyrically loose and conversational, informed by sonic landscape and stream of conscience. Jess approached her vocals similarly, although we hadn’t talked about it prior. We ended up with all these semi-hidden communications between us in the songs.”
Brooklyn Magazine says of “A Run“: “It’s expansive and positive and shimmering and anthemic, coming from a brave place populated by two people for whom love really does conquer all (see feature July 25th).”
Mass Gothic have also scheduled a short east coast tour in support of the EP and it’s self-titled debut, with label mate Kyle Craft. The trek begins August 9th in Montreal at La Vitrola and ends August 13th in Philadelphia at Boot & Saddle. There will be additional live dates announce soon, but for now… see below.
[Photo Credit: Shawn Brackbill]
ICYMI, watch Mass Gothic’s recently released, stark visual for the song “Nice Night,” from their self-titled debut, directed by returning Mass Gothic visuals director Addison Post (“Every Night You’ve Got To Save Me”).
Tour Dates
Aug. 09 - Montreal, QC - La Vitrola*
Aug. 10 - Allston, MA - Great Scott*
Aug. 11 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge*
Aug. 12 - Washington, DC - DC9*
Aug. 13 - Philadelphia, PA - Boot & Saddle*
* w/ Kyle Craft
Go here for up-to-date ticket links.
Sub Pop is pleased to announce the release of Requiem by Swedish psych-rock collective GOAT. Requiem is the band’s third full-length and their second for Sub Pop, and the 13-track album features the songs “Try My Robe,” “Alarms,” and “Union of Sun and Moon.” Requiem finds GOAT focusing more on their subdued, bucolic ritualism than psilocybin freakouts, with a pronounced folk-rock influence pervading the album. But Goat hasn’t foregone their fiery charms—tracks like “All-Seeing Eye” and “Goatfuzz” conjure the sultry pulsations that ensnared us on 2012’s World Music and 2014’s Commune.
Requiem is available to preorder now, and LP pre-orders through the Sub Pop Mega Mart and independent retailers near you will receive the limited Loser Edition on translucent red vinyl with black streaks (while supplies last).
GOAT have also announced upcoming European shows, as follows:
Tour Dates
Jul. 22 - Barcelos, Portugal - Milhoes de Festa
Jul. 23 - Barcelos, Portugal - Milhoes de Festa
Jul. 24 - Barcelos, Portugal - Milhoes de Festa
Sep. 03 - Wiltshire, United Kingdom - End of the Road Festival
Oct. 07 - Malmö, SE - Babel
Oct. 08 - Köpenhamn, DK - Den grå hal
Oct. 10 - Köln, DE - Stadtgarten
Oct. 11 - München, DE - Ampere
Oct. 12 - Berlin, DE - Berghain
Oct. 13 - Heidelberg, DE - Karlstorbahnhof EnjoyJazz
Oct. 14 - Paris, FR - Cabaret Sauvage
Oct. 17 - Brighton, UK - All Saints Church
Oct. 18 - London, UK - Coronet
Oct. 19 - Bristol, UK - SWX
Oct. 21 - Glasgow, UK - 02 ABC
Oct. 22 - Manchester, UK - Albert Hall
Ticket links are here.
Southern gentlemen Arbor Labor Union share the stage with notorious knuckleheads The Gotobeds for the rest of this week (July 19-23), as they shred their way through the sultry South. What could go wrong?
Shows begin tonight, July 19th at Cats Cradle in Carrboro, NC and wrap Saturday, July 23rd in Nashville, TN at Foobar.
The Gotobeds fans can also catch them in the daylight hours; they’ve got TWO live in-store performances coming up 7/23 at Grimey’s in Nashville and 7/24 at Shake It Records in Cincinnati. And in that meantime, Arbor Labor Union continue on the road supporting the one and only Dinosaur Jr.!
All the tour dates and links you can handle are here: Follow The Gotobeds on tour, and follow Arbor Labor Union on tour, and win at music forever.
Please to peruse the musical offerings of both fine foursomes:
Full Album Streams are yours for the listening, including Arbor Labor Union’s I Hear You and The Gotobeds’ Blood // Sugar // Secs // Traffic.
While yr at it, follow Sub Pop’s Snapchat (@subpoprecords) for behind the scenes shenanigans…
As the days get warmer, and the airport gets busier, I can’t help but think about all of the Sub Pop bands tearing it up on tour and crushing the summer music festival circuit. While many great festivals have already occurred this year, such as Coachella, Sasquatch, and Bonnaroo, there are still plenty more to discover, some in your own backyard, others in far-off locales. You might be saying to yourself, “Sure, I want to get my fest-vibes on this summer, but how do I distinguish between all of these authentically-curated music festivals?” Well, I have taken it upon myself to synthesize some of the information located at https://www.subpop.com/tours and compile a list of 10 music festivals worth attending this summer. For each festival, I’ve included information on current and former Sub Pop recording artists on the bill, other notable musicians to see, and a unique Festi Fun Fact™. Starting with two festivals right here in Seattle, followed by eight others around the world, let’s dig in!
ARRIVALS:
July 22 - 24
Seattle, WA
Sub Pop Bands to See: Washed Out, Porter Ray
Other Artists I’d Check Out: Clams Casino, DoNormaal, Dude York, Nail Polish, Mommy Long Legs
Festi Fun Fact™: This three day music festival takes place in Seattle’s funky and hip Capitol Hill neighborhood. (If you want to talk like a local when you visit, be sure to call it ‘Cap Hill.’) MTV’s The Real World is currently filming its newest season in Cap Hill, and locals are excited at the prospect of even more people filling up their bars and restaurants every weekend, hoping to see the cast members in-action.
September 2 - 4
Seattle, WA
Sub Pop Bands to See: So Pitted, Father John Misty
Other Artists I’d Check Out: Tame Impala, Run the Jewels, Kamasi Washington, Anderson Paak and the Free Nationals, Chastity Belt
Festi Fun Fact™: This annual Labor Day weekend festival has been running in Seattle Center every year since 1971. The word ‘Bumbershoot’ is a dated and humorous term for an umbrella, and the festival gets its name from the large wooden effigy of a bumbershoot that is constructed every year, and then burned to the ground, in a ritualistic sacrifice to the rain gods.
DEPARTURES:
July 23 and 24
Detroit, MI
Sub Pop Bands to See: Father John Misty (solo set), the Head and the Heart
Other Artists I’d Check Out: M83, Twin Peaks, Mac DeMarco
Festi Fun Fact™: With this year’s special solo performance by Father John Misty (aka Josh Tillman), Mo Pop continues its legacy of hosting talented male performers, as previous festivals have seen the likes of Brandon Flowers, Andrew Bird, and J Roddy Walston grace the West Riverfront Park stage.
July 29 - 31
Montreal, Canada
Sub Pop Bands to See: Wolf Parade, Foals
Other Artists I’d Check Out: Grimes, Kurt Vile, Vince Staples, Radiohead
Festi Fun Fact™: While many famous musicians have called Montreal, Canada, home, members of the indie-rock band Of Montreal are not, in fact, from there. They are proud Americans from the city of Montreal, Wisconsin.
August 5 - 7
San Francisco, CA
Sub Pop Bands to See: Heron Oblivion, Beach House, Rogue Wave, Foals
Other Artists I’d Check Out: Chance the Rapper, Lana Del Rey, Third Eye Blind, Radiohead again.
Festi Fun Fact™: With their top-billing at this year’s Outside Lands festival, local San Fran band Third Eye Blind will be celebrating their 20th anniversary of opening for Oasis at the Frisco Civic Auditorium, by playing an identical song-for-song setlist.
August 5 - 7
Happy Valley, OR
Sub Pop Bands to See: Beach House, Wolf Parade, Fruit Bats
Other Artists I’d Check Out: Julia Holter, Thee Oh Sees, BADBADNOTGOOD, La Luz, Protomartyr
Festi Fun Fact™: La Luz and Protomartyr have both released albums on Hardly Art, everyone’s favorite scrappy upstart record label in Seattle, who will soon celebrate 10 years of being a scrappy upstart record label in Seattle.
August 12 and 13
Eau Claire, WI
Sub Pop Bands to See: Shabazz Palaces, Beach House, Melvins
Other Artists I’d Check Out: Bon Iver, Erykah Badu, James Blake, Jenny Lewis, William Tyler
Festi Fun Fact™: If you go to the Eaux Claires festival by yourself, one way to make a lot of friends would be to walk around the grounds saying, to no one and everyone in particular, “For an éclairs festival, I thought there’d be more pastries haha.” Repeat as necessary until people start recognizing you as the really funny éclair guy.
August 27 and 28
Los Angeles, CA
Sub Pop Bands to See: Beach House, Father John Misty, Wolf Parade
Other Artists I’d Check Out: Kendrick Lamar, Sheer Mag, AIR, Anohni, Charles Bradley
Festi Fun Fact™: Despite repeated excavations at the historic Los Angeles Sports Arena and Exposition Park, in Los Angeles, California, F.Y.F Fest organizers have failed to recover the original tableaus that contain the translation, and meaning, of the initials “F.Y.F.” This year, it was decided that festival goers would vote for a new original backronym, and “Family friendlY Fun” was recently declared the top vote getter.
September 1 - 4
Wiltshire, England
Sub Pop Bands to See: Sam Beam & Jesca Hoop, GOAT, the Shins, Kelley Stoltz
Other Artists I’d Check Out: Animal Collective, Cat Power, Broken Social Scene, Savages
Festi Fun Fact™: If you are from the U.S. and plan on going to the festival, be mindful that many attendees from the surrounding area might be sensitive about the recent ‘Brexit.’ It would be unwise to ask the nearest person with an unfamiliar accent about their thoughts on the U.K. leaving the European Union, but if you still want to be informed, be sure to stop by the End of the Road official ‘Brexit Information Tent presented by Tesco’ where volunteers are eager to fill you in on this unprecedented development in global politics.
Sept 23 - 25
Long Beach, CA
Sub Pop Bands to See: METZ, Iron and Wine, Melvins
Other Artists I’d Check Out: The Specials, Sylvan Esso, Living Colour, De La Soul, Warpaint
Festi Fun Fact™: Synesthesia is defined as “a sensation produced in one modality when a stimulus is applied to another modality, as when the hearing of a certain sound induces the visualization of a certain color.” Studies have shown that 86% of people who claim to regularly experience synesthesia are liars.
