On the heels of her previously released single, “Rare to Wake,” Shannon Lay shares the official double video for the gorgeous singles “Awaken and Allow “ and “Geist,” from her forthcoming record Geist, which will be available worldwide on October 8th from Sub Pop Records.
Watch the new video for “Awaken and Allow “ and “Geist” now, which was directed by Kai MacKnight. Lay says of the singles “Awaken and Allow” is a prayer and a promise. A quiet moment to reflect on transformation and what it means to me. California represents my comfort zone and in this song, I am urging myself and everyone listening to move out of their comfort zone in order to push ourselves to grow and evolve. We are all in a constant state of change and the way we can learn to move and flow with that change completely elevates our experience with it. The most amazing thing we can do for ourselves is recognize where and how we are standing in our own way and move aside. “Awaken and Allow” your greatness to emerge.
“Geist” is a testament to the power we all have within. We are so much more amazing than we know ourselves to be. With this video, I really wanted to acknowledge some of the incredible people who make shows possible. We filmed at Zebulon in Los Angeles; a venue that has brought so much to the community here and I am so happy they have survived this uncertain time. There is so much going on behind the scenes to create the amazing memories we all have of live music and every part of that took a hit with the pandemic. With all we have been through it has been awe-inspiring to see the strength of the human spirit. Let us move forward with kindness and love toward ourselves and others. Let us see the beauty and wonder in the lives we get to live and appreciate every moment of it.”
Lay has confirmed a handful of live performances this fall in support of Geist. These include appearances at this year’s Huichica Festival in Sonoma, California on October 16th and 17th, and NYC-area shows on October 19th at TV Eye in Brooklyn, and October 20th at the Mercury Lounge in Manhattan. More shows to be announced soon.
Fri. Oct 8 - Long Beach, CA - Living Room Show Thurs. Oct 15 - Sonoma, CA - HUICHICA Festival Fri. Oct 16 - Sonoma, CA - HUICHICA Festival Tue. Oct. 19 - Brooklyn, NY - TV Eye Wed. Oct. 20 - New York, NY - Mercury Lounge
Geist feels like a window - or a mirror - into possibilities of the self and beyond. Lay’s new album is tender intensity, placeless and ethereal. It exists in the chasms of the present – a world populated by shadow selves, spiritual awakenings, déjà vu, and past lives.
“Something sleeps inside us,” Lay insists on the opening track, and that’s the guiding philosophy throughout. A winding, golden, delicate thread of intuition that explores the unknown, the possibility. Its title, Geist, the German word for spirit, is rife with an otherworldly presence, the suggestion of another. The promise that you are never alone.
Lay tracked vocals and guitar at Jarvis Tavinere of Woods’s studio, then sent the songs out to multi-instrumentalists Ben Boye (Bonnie Prince Billy, Ty Segall) in Los Angeles and Devin Hoff (Sharon Van Etten, Cibo Matto) in New York; trusting their musical instincts and intuition. She then sent those recordings to Sofia Arreguin (Wand) and Aaron Otheim (Heatwarmer, Mega Bog) for additional keys, while Ty Segall contributed a guitar solo on “Shores.”
As a whole, Geist is both esoteric and accessible. There’s the concise, pared-back cover of Syd Barrett’s tilt-a-whirl-esque “Late Night,” while “Rare to Wake,” inspired by Dune, is existential and meditative, a circular guitar riff looping at the core of it. “Awaken and Allow,” is ancient-feeling and mainly a cappella, its melody channels her deep Irish roots, a moment of reflection, before a drop happens – its intensity mirroring the anticipation and anxiety that come with taking the first step to accepting change for yourself.
“Time’s Arrow,” with its refrain of heading downhill, was inspired by something a close friend said. Lay notes: “I wanted ‘Time’s Arrow’ to be this gentle reminder that we’re on our way, and we’re moving forward. There is medicine in every moment so don’t rush.”
“Thread to Find,” which Lay wrote after walking into an old hotel in Switzerland and being struck by the feeling like she’d been there before, is a testament to the energy we leave behind and stumble across.
And the title track “Geist,” a song about the power living in all of us, is a love song to the possibility of healing, an ode to falling into the arms of what you’re becoming. It’s a glimpse into the parts of yourself you have yet to meet. But you can, if you want to.
Geist is now available for preorder on CD/LP/CS/DSPs from Sub Pop. LP preorders from megamart.subpop.com, select independent retailers in North America will receive the limited Loser edition clear with orange and green hi-melt vinyl (while supplies last). Meanwhile, LP preorders in the U.K, and in Europe will receive the limited Loser edition on sun yellow vinyl (while supplies last).
Shannon Lay Geist
1. Rare to Wake 2. A Thread to Find 3. Sure 4. Shores 5. Awaken and Allow 6. Geist 7. Untitled 8. Late Night 9. Times Arrow 10. July
Iron & Wine is excited to announce his return to the stage with a back-to-basics tour of intimate venues that brings him across the Midwest and the Northeast starting this November. Ready to engage with fans once again, these solo acoustic shows follow-up Sam Beam’s recent release of Tallahassee, his critically acclaimed, lost-in-time collection of recordings.
As the touring world began to switch its lights on, Beam was thinking of ways to head back out on the road. He factored in as well the expectation of what fans might want to see and hear after so much turmoil and it became clear that a simple return to roots was the answer. This fall, Beam will load up a van with a handful of acoustic guitars, dust off his trusty songbook and offer up some well needed comfort food in the way of the Iron & Wine catalog each night. These shows will take place in some of the smallest and most intimate venues Beam has played in over fifteen years. And while loads of bands are serving the big markets, Iron & Wine will be taking to the back roads of the Midwest and Northeast to bring its gospel to the heartland.
Predating his debut album, The Creek Drank the Cradle, his latest release, Tallahassee, garnered excellent review from critics. Pitchfork raved “… throughout Tallahassee, Beam demonstrates a knack for devastating succinctness […] understanding how to settle into a song and simply let it breathe on its own,” while Uncut noted, “The songs, while still lo-fi, ring out clearer and more confidently than the bedroom recordings of Beam’s debut proper: six-minute opener ‘Why Hate Winter’ stands among his most gorgeous and evocative work.”
Beam has recognized over the years how much these early recordings, many of which were bootlegged, have meant to long-time fans and Tallahassee is yet another way of thanking them for still being on this crazy journey.
A fan presale for the “Back to Basics” Tour begins Wednesday, July 14th at 10 am EST with passcode backtobasics. Tickets are on sale to the general public Friday, July 16th at 10am EST. Support for all dates by Squirrel Flower.
Fri. Nov. 05 – Appleton, WI – The Refuge Sat. Nov. 06 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel Sun. Nov. 07 – Milwaukee, WI – Back Room @Colectivo Wed. Nov. 10 – State College, PA – The State Theater Thu. Nov. 11 – Homer, NY – Center for the Arts Fri. Nov. 12 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm’s Studio Sat. Nov. 13 – Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Events Gallery Mon. Nov. 15 – Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall Tue. Nov. 16 – Cleveland, OH – Cleveland Museum of Art Wed. Nov. 17 – Detroit, MI – The Chapel at Masonic Thu. Nov. 19 – Bloomington, IN – Buskirk-Chumley Theater
Tallahassee is the fifth entry in the ongoing Iron & Wine Archive Series and is available on LP/CD/CS/DSPs from Sub Pop, select independent retailers in North America, the U.K. , and the EU.
Iron & Wine Archive Series Volume No.5: Tallahassee
Tracklisting: 1. Why Hate the Winter 2. This Solemn Day 3. Loaning Me Secrets 4. John’s Glass Eye 5. Calm on the Valley 6. Ex-Lover Lucy Jones 7. Elizabeth 8. Show Him the Ground 9. Straight and Tall 10. Cold Town 11. Valentine
Sub Pop has signed Bria, the intimate and incisive labour of love from multi-instrumentalists Bria Salmena and Duncan Hay Jennings. Bria has recorded Cuntry Covers Vol. 1, a six-song EP that will be available digitally on September 24th, and on CD, cassette, and vinyl December 10th worldwide from Sub Pop.
You can now watch the official video for their lead single, “Green Rocky Road,” which was co-directed by Andrew Matthews & Maitland Austin-Olsen. Bria had this to say about the video, “We wanted the video for “Green Rocky Road” to act as an homage to the concept of Cuntry Covers – a small window into the world in which it was created, highlighting the collaborative nature of the project and the friendships behind it.”
Catapulted by a deep sense of dread and confusion in the depths of 2020, Salmena decided to forgo writing her own music. “I wanted to listen for what might reflect my life back to me,” she says, “six tracks that could be my mirror.” The result is a pointillistic knockout of an EP that weaves a landscape both luscious and a little rogue; showing us exactly what good songs can do.
Bria’s internal turbulence seemed to mirror last year’s external instability. When Jennings and back-up singer Jaime McCuaig moved to The Outside Inn, a hobby farm in Hockley Hills, Ontario, Bria soon joined. The farm’s living-room-turned-studio proved an ideal setting for the long-time friends to compile a record of handpicked country covers. They went searching for songs that could speak to our everyday loneliness; outside and in. Cuntry Covers Vol. 1 houses it all well-worn favourites and lesser-known gems.
Cuntry Covers Vol. 1 opens with “Green Rocky Road,” as performed by Greenwich Village legend Karen Dalton. Jennings’ twangy guitar carries Bria’s original inflection and richly textured vocals, complete with dreamy overlay. “Dreaming My Dreams With You,” a rendition of the Waylon Jennings hit, is followed by John Cale’s “Buffalo Ballet,” a lyrical journey through Abilene, Texas, the endpoint of the infamous Chisholm Trail. Engineered and mixed by Jennings, each song brings desire and sexuality front and center, with all the swagger you’d expect – and more. Bria hopes the record will be understood as a small contribution to the subversion of a genre with deep patriarchal roots. Mistress Mary’s “I Don’t Wanna Love Ya Now,” from the 1969 album Housewife, served as the original inspiration. “It was the first song Duncan and I worked on,” Bria notes. “It definitely set the tone for the other tracks we picked.”
Bria’s voice – described as wavering between “sultry and howitzer” – shines on “Fruits Of My Labour,” written and performed by country great, Lucinda Williams. The Walker Brothers’ “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore” is a harmonic (and hypnotic) standout.
A musical explorer who moves fluidly between styles, Bria doesn’t consider herself a country artist “I feel as though I’m a visitor here, paying respect to a style that has informed a part of my musical identity. Country music, as much as any other art form, should be an arena for representation, expression, and provocation. I have a ton of reverence for artists who came before me and challenged the primarily white-heterosexual status quo.”
Salmena and Jennings have toured for years as members of Toronto four-piece FRIGS, whose 2018 debut Basic Behaviour was long-listed for the Polaris Music Prize. Making a mark in diverse genres from country to punk, both play as permanent members of Orville Peck’s band. Cuntry Covers Vol. 1 was recorded on the territories of the Anishnaabe, the Haudenosaunee, the Wendat, and the Mississaugas of the Credit. The release also features contributions from FRIGS drummer Kris Bowering and vocals by Ali Jennings. Bria’s first release is a gorgeous debut, a homage to the songs that brought solace and relief in the stillness of last year.
Tracklisting: 1. Green Rocky Road (Karen Dalton) 2. Dreaming My Dreams With You (Waylon Jennings) 3. Buffalo Ballet (John Cale) 4. Fruits of My Labour (Lucinda Williams) 5. The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore (The Walker Brothers) 6. I Don’t Wanna Love Ya Now (Mistress Mary)
Today, Clipping will release the fan-favorite Wriggle EP, as a newly remastered and expanded nine-track set on vinyl, available for the first time ever worldwide on Sub Pop. A ten-track digital version is also out today in its new form on all DSPs. Watch the visual for “Wriggle (Homemade Weapons Remix)” directed by Cristina Bercovitz and Jonathan Snipes here.
The 2021 edition of Wriggle features new artwork, guests, and previously unreleased remixes. Included are the original versions of the title track, “Shooter,” “Hot Fuck No Love” (Feat. Cakes Da Killa & Maxi Wild), “Our Time” (Feat. Nailah Middleton), along with “Back Up 2021” featuring SB The Moor and a new verse from industrial-rap experimentalist Debby Friday. Wriggle also features remixes of the title track from Drum & Bass/Breakbeat act Homemade Weapons and Classicworks label co-founder Cardopusher, a rework of “Back Up” by producer Dave Quam (formerly Massacooramaan) and a vinyl-only version of “Hot Fuck No Love” from footwork producer Jana Rush.
Wriggle (Expanded) vinyl is now available for through Sub Pop. LPs are available from megamart.subpop.com, and select independent retailers in North America will receive the limited Loser edition on turquoise w/black swirl colored vinyl (while supplies last). Preorders through select independent retailers in the UK and Europe will receive the Loser on turquoise transparent/black marbled vinyl (while supplies last).
Meanwhile, orders through Clipping’s official website will receive the LP on clear w/opaque white vinyl (while supplies last).
The original, digital-only Wriggle was six tracks that weren’t finished in time to make it onto the group’s 2014 Sub Pop debut, CLPPNG. For “Shooter,” Clipping recorded themselves firing fifteen different guns, the sounds of which exclusively constituted the beat’s drums, augmented only by a synthesized tone-row. The verses referenced the well-worn technique of “hashtag rap,” but instead of using it to boast about the rapper’s personal wealth and masculine prowess, Clipping put forth imagistic narratives of three violent encounters. True to much of the group’s music, “Shooter” was an attempt to reframe a familiar style and test the limits of its formal capabilities. “Hot Fuck No Love” contains what might be the most explicit verse to date from Clipping’s favorite New Jersey rapper Cakes Da Killa. The EP’s title track, “Wriggle,” was built around a sample of the influential power-electronics song “Wriggle Like a Fucking Eel” by Whitehouse, transforming William Bennett’s torturous imperative into a instructional dance-floor banger. “Wriggle” and “Shooter” have become classic Clipping tracks and staples of their live show.
Recently, Clipping delivered an incredible at-home performance for NPR Music’s “Tiny Desk Meets SXSW” concert. The remote performance features, quite possibly, the tiniest desks to ever appear in the series, and includes highlights from Wriggle, along with selections from the band’s acclaimed albums Visions of Bodies Being Burned (2020) and There Existed an Addiction to Blood (2019), and debut mixtape midcity (2013).
Clipping’s Visions of Bodies Being Burned, There Existed an Addiction to Blood and CLPPNG, are available now worldwide from Sub Pop. The self-released midcity is also available at all DSPs.
Clipping Wriggle (Expanded)
Vinyl tracklisting: A1. Shooter A2. Back Up 2021 (Feat. Debby Friday & SB The Moor) A3. Wriggle A4. Hot Fuck No Love (Feat. Cakes Da Killa & Maxi Wild) A5. Our Time (Feat. Nailah Middleton)
B1. Wriggle (Homemade Weapons Remix) B2. Back Up (Dave Quam Remix) B3. Hot Fuck No Love (Jana Rush’s Naughty Bitch Remix) B4. Wriggle (Cardopusher’s EBM Remix)
Digital tracklisting: 1. Intro 2. Shooter 3. Back Up 2021 (Feat. Debby Friday & SB The Moor) 4. Wriggle 5. Hot Fuck No Love (Feat. Cakes Da Killa & Maxi Wild) 6. Our Time (Feat. Nailah Middleton) 7. Wriggle (Homemade Weapons Remix) 8. Back Up (Dave Quam Remix) 9. Shooter (Jana Rush’s Face Rearranged Remix) 10. Wriggle (Cardopusher’s EBM Remix)
Cartel Madras is sharing the official video for “FEAR & LOATHING,” from their forthcoming project TheSerpent & The Tiger, the third installment of the Project Goonda trilogy, out August 19th, 2021 on Royal Mountain Records/Sub Pop. The high concept visual is an entry point into TheSerpent & The Tiger multiverse and was co-directed by the duo and Jashan Makan.
Cartel Madras’s Eboshi and Contra share this about the video, “‘FEAR & LOATHING,’ is composed of several stories and represents the heart of our upcoming project, The Serpent & The Tiger. The song is an exploration in duality, a major plot point in our story, and our most ambitious filmmaking experiment yet. We teamed up with Toronto producer Dom Dias again to bring our audience a cinematic track, and dynamic music video that pushes us both as artists.
“We filmed ‘FEAR & LOATHING’’ over the course of one month and three cities: Calgary, Alberta, Toronto, Ontario, and London, UK. We were inspired by Season 1 of True Detective (2014), and the films Dark City (1998), Skyfall (2012), and La Femme Nikita (1990). Taking visual cues from Brian De Palma, and studying the pacing of works by Marisha Pessl, ‘FEAR & LOATHING,’ is a culmination of our influences and love of artful storytelling with striking cinematography.
“This music video stars UK-based, Tamil model, Sheerah Ravindren (Black Is King, Primark, Queer Possible) as ‘The Serpent.’ Sheerah is an incredible force, and a rising star; we’ve all wanted to work together since we found each other online a year ago. Sharanya M takes on the mysterious role of “The Tiger.” She is from our other home state, Kerala, and a collective member of Sansfucss, a collective of multidisciplinary BIPOC artists from Canada. Meanwhile, Eboshi and song Dom portray the two hostages, and Contra tackles the role of ‘The Defector,’ alongside Bear, her canine companion.”
“FEAR & LOATHING” is Cartel Madras’s third single of 2021, and follows the release of “Dream Girl Concept” in June, and “DRIFT” in January. The tracks are from their forthcoming project TheSerpent & The Tiger, the third installment of the Project Goonda trilogy (which includes 2018’s Trapistan and 2019’s Age of the Goonda). The Serpent & The Tiger features guest appearances from Backxwash, Dom Dias, Airospace, Tyris White, Jide, and Shiro Jackson, with production by Dias (tracks 1-4), Naphi (track 5), White (tracks 6-8), and Jide (tracks 9-10), and will available on all DSPs August 19th, 2021 from Royal Mountain Records/Sub Pop.
What people are saying about Cartel Madras: “They’ve got an absolutely wicked flow — think M.I.A. meets Cardi B. Hints of traditional Tamil music are sprinkled throughout.” [“Goonda Gold”] - Stereogum
“Cartel Madras are smashing barrier musically and are sure to blow your mind with their uniqueness.” [Age of the Goonda] - CLASH
“Full of raw, powerful, nonchalant energy” [“Goonda Gold”] - Gal-Dem
“Age of the Goonda is an invigorating five-track blast…More, please.” - The Wire
“Comprised of six tracks, the EP possesses layered bass lines pumped with adrenaline, a range of Indian classical instruments weaved in and hooks that stay in your brain for days.” [Age of the Goonda] - NME
“Age of the Goonda provides an electrifying burst of the duo’s live show energy in concentrated form.” - Loud & Quiet
“In pop analogy, this hip-hop duo comprising Calgary-bred, Chennai-born siblings Bhagya and Priya Ramesh is somewhat like a Tamil Pulp Fiction-meets-MIA. With a carousel of bad-ass, no-fucks-given, brown girl anthems, Cartel Madras is brought to life by two sisters who don’t shy of braggadocio (you can’t miss their stack of gold jewelry) as they spout songs about feminism, empowerment and inclusivity.” [“12 New Musicians Set to Breakthrough in 2020”] - Vogue India
Cartel Madras The Serpent & The Tiger
Tracklisting: 1. FEAR & LOATHING 2. The Green Scare (ft. Airospvce) 3. EBOSHI’S NEVADA 4. DRIFT 5. DEEPINTHEJUNGLE (ft. Backxwash) 6. LAVENDER NIGHTZ 7. Dream Girl Concept 8. CONTRABAND 9 WORKING 10. MOON DRILLE (ft. Shiro Jackson)
