Guy Lloyd’s Blog Audiobeach Editorial Part 2Birdseatbaby’s New Album MyElement’s New EP

© ISSUE 4 • FEBRUARY • FREE

Editor:Jordan Thomas

Email: jordan@brightonunsigned.co.uk

Cover Photography:Emy Lou

Photography

Design:Steven Probets

Writers:Cindy Cheng (CC)

Jessica O’Loughlin (JOL)Lauren Dyson (LD)

Zak Reeves (ZR)

© ALL VISUAL DESIGN AND ARTICLE CONTENT IS COPYRIGHTED BY BRIGHTON UNSIGNED MAGAZINE 2011 AND RESPECTIVE RIGHTS ARE OWNED

This MonthHave you missed us? After our absence with no January issue, we have returned with possibly the most packed issue yet! As per usual, more great music found and a little return from a couple of our previous feature covered bands to hear their latest stuff.

Don’t forget our next gig this month! (see page 16)

- Jordan (Editor)

GUY LLOYD’SBLOG

LAST MONTHS GIG

BAND PROFILE -THREE PENNY THEIVES

AUDIOBEACH STUDIOS -PART 2

PAGE6

PAGE8

PAGE12

PAGE16

LIVE REVIEWS PAGE 4

MUSIC REVIEWS PAGE 13

Proofreaders:James Ogilvie

Adam Highway

Gig Photography:Nola Petherbridge

PAGE 10

LATESTREVIEWS

PAGE7Photography:

Marion Leidig

FIND US ON FACEBOOK ‘BRIGHTON UNSIGNED MAGAZINE’

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @BTONUNSIGNED

Skie

f Pr

omot

ions Skief Promotions is back to fill

The Hope with headbangers, this time raising money for Amnesty International.

We have a fantastic night of rock and indie for you to jump around to. Stunning sets from Rising Tide, Graces Collide and Run Young Lovers are set to get everyone moving and the energetic Loose Lips are the perfect way to cap off an evening.

Live music starts at 8pm and there is a DJ until late.

All profits donated to Amnesty International.

Get your tickets now!

http://skiefpromotions.org/

Fundraiser for Amnesty InternationalRising Tide • Run Young Lovers • Graces Collide • Loose Lips

AudioBeach StudiosBrighton & Hove’s Professional, Affordable Recording Studio

01273 252313 | info@audiobeachstudios.comaudiobeachstudios.com | twitter.com/audiobeachuk | facebook.com/audiobeachstudios-brighton

Unit 7 Lansdowne Mews | Hove | East Sussex | BN3 1FW

£160Recording Session

10am - 5pm7 Days a Week

Discounts on Block BookingsHourly Rates Available, Minimum 4 Hours

£175Recording Session

6pm - MidnightTuesday - Friday

Discounts on Block BookingsHourly Rates Available, Minimum 4 Hours

Clients

Amy Macdonald, One Eskimo, Hazel O'Connor, Simply Red, DavidBowie, Danyl Johnson, The Modern, Wolsey White (Hard-Fi), Clare Maguire,

Stereophonics, Black Gardenias, My Red Angel,Caitlin Stubbs, Mishkin Fitzgerald, Pink Narcissus, Screama Ballerina,

Buffo's Wake

PolydoPolydor, Universal, Melodramatic, V2, Eden Music

LIVE REVIEWSFour piece rock band Rising Tide showcased their brand new single with a launch gig at the Prince Albert in November. The band put their all into an energetic and lively performance so much so they even had their vocalist short of breath between tunes. Their music, which could be generally categorised as alternative rock contains elements of 80s/early 90s rock layered with more modern sounds to create a simple yet versatile style. Their lead singer has a beautiful, strong voice with a great range and switches effortlessly between deep bass notes and falsettos, comparable in sound to Rufus Wainwright. Their drummer deserves a mention, as he battled with the breeze from a nearby fan that attacked his mop of curly hair causing him to drum blind for most of the gig (or so it seemed). Drummers can sometimes risk blending into the background if they provide predictable rhythms for their songs. However, this drummer avoided predictability by contributing original and creative drum patterns to the tunes. He also has an amazing name (you will have to look them up to find it out). The only female member of the band, refreshingly,

was not their bassist. Instead she provided lead guitar and keyboard. There was a prominent sound coming from the bassist also adding nicely to their style. The band are not afraid to have somewhat lengthy instrumental interludes between vocals, which gives you a chance to check out their technique. Their set featured a varied range of upbeat and mellow tunes. One of their more down-tempo songs, which as yet has no official name but the band refers to as the “old piano song”, really stood out as a beautiful piece and is deserving of an official title. Some of the more upbeat and catchy tunes played were “Burn It Down”, “Painkiller” and the star of the night, the powerful new single “Everything has Changed”.

This month we’re all about keeping it original, so let me introduce to you an original take on the blues by a duo named Rabbit Foot. Rabbit Foot are Carla Viegas and Jamie Morgan, two very talented individuals. What makes these guys unique is the percussion provided by Carla in the form of three large African drums that the experts called dum-dums. Jamie’s bluesy guitar hooks over this tribal beat coupled with both their soulful voices makes for a wonderful combination of shoe-tapping sounds. Reviewing unsigned bands is all about

giving credit to the musicians who will play for hours to five people in a tiny pub with the same energy and enjoyment they would to a packed out stadium. This is exactly what this pair did; the guys played non-stop for a lengthy two hours to only a handful of people and considering the gig was free, I would say this is a sheer sign of musical dedication. Any guitarist watching Jamie play would appreciate the skill it takes to play such technical riffs with the rhythm, ease and fluidity that he did. The fact that Carla carries out such intricate and instinctive drumming while singing with such a juicy, soulful blues voice with seemingly little effort is also very admirable. They both took turns in singing with Jamie singing most of the tunes, however when they sang together it was really enjoyable to hear the harmonious blending of their voices. Smiling and cracking jokes throughout the gig and playing right up until closing, these two did not let the dwindling Sunday night crowd (or lack of) get them down. Rabbit Foot make a special blend of funky, up-beat, rhythmic blues. However, listening to this kind of music for two hours does have the slight riskof hypnosis and if uninterrupted you may end up in a sort of trance by the end of the night, like I did. However, Rabbit Foot are definitely worth watching, even if just to appreciate their musical skill.

www.facebook.com/Risingtideuk Ris

ing

Tid

e

@

Th

e P

Rin

ce

Alb

eR

T

5

RAbbiT FooT

gen

re: A

lter

nati

ve /

indi

e

@ sT. JAmes’ TAveRn

genre: W

orld / blues

/ Percussion

www.facebook.com/rabbitfootblues

As a society we tend to assume that women are not able to perform male dominated activities as well as men can. Take women’s football for example, or an all female metal band. So it is not surprising that those who have never been to a Vier gig might attend one with a certain pre-assumed scepticism. However, if this is your attitude be prepared to be humbled. Vier are a five-part, all female metal act, who are confident in their ability to the point of intimidation. The girls opened the gig with an electrifying cover of the “28 Weeks Later” theme, which left you in no doubt that they were not going to disappoint. The band is not only aurally enjoyable but visually they put on a great show too. Lead vocalist, Nicky Williams, leapt into the crowd mid-gig singing amongst the spectators with note perfect ferocity. Towards the end of the gig both the lead guitarist and singer abandoned the comfort of the stage to get up close and personal with the crowd. The band also displayed clever song-writing skills with distinctive and original numbers you will want to listen to again and again. Vier are a band who gig extensively too and this is evident in their comfort and confidence on stage as much as it is through the group of burly men with Vier t-shirts on amongst other avid groupies in attendance at their gigs.

vieRgenre: metal / Rock / melodic

@ The hYdRAnT

www.facebook.com/viermusic

LIVE REVIEWS JESSIca O’LOughLIn

4

If you’re looking for something a bit different outside of the sometimes all too ‘samey’ sounding bands populating the Brighton music scene at the moment, then you are advised to give a Whistleblower gig a go. Like them or not, Whistleblower put on an eclectic and varied gig. To begin with, they have a flute player....with dreadlocks. They also use tambourines, maracas, two guitars, bass, drums and keyboards to make their laid back sound. Their general vibe is chilled out and easy to listen to, at times sounding a bit like funked up elevator music with vocals intercepted with odd, more rocky, intervals. This is perfect music to chill out on the sofa to or watch some waves crashing on a sunny beach. The band members showed off their diversity by swapping instruments mid-gig as the flute-player took the bass and the singer manned the keys. Another original token came at the end of the gig as the audience were treated to a little medley of covers which included “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini”, the “Go Compare” theme tune and “Mr. Boobmbastic”, all melded together in a kind of eastern European polka remix. They closed the gig with an even more original composition entitled “Mandela”, a song comparable to a System of a Down track, but with a flute and some polka elements added in. All very original and entertaining, Whistleblower don’t restrict themselves to one genre, bringing diversity and difference to their gigs.

WhisTlebloWeRgenre: Folk / Funk / indie

@ The PRince AlbeRT

www.facebook.com/whistleblowermusic

Birdeatsbaby has been a part of Brighton Unsigned in the past, with playing on the Launch Night and being a featured cover for November issue. It is no surprise they’ve received a huge following with their very specific genre of “Dark Cabaret”, gaining over 100,000 viewers on YouTube for The Trouble music video. Now, they are due to release their second album, Feast of Hammers on February 20th. It consists of 13 tracks including an intro, interlude and a finale, which treats you to the bands talented instrument plays.

Keeping their signature sounds of the talented electric piano and violin playing, Birdeatsbaby has vastly improved with experience and giving themselves a more trademark sound that you would pretty much won’t be able to hear from anyone else currently. Most noticeably,

the track (and their first single) Feast of Hammers stands out the most. It is gloomy and with the whisper-like singing at the introduction, it brings you in - yet it is so catchy at the same time bringing in dark beats that is almost tribal, but makes you want to join in. To keep up with the theme, the music video for this track is just as creepy in 70s horror B-movie style. For an unsigned music video, it may get a bit too much for those with weak stomachs, therefore offering a censored version! The track and video alike, it’s one of our personal favourites within Brighton Unsigned and our top favourite in this album.

Incitatus is another noticeable track on this album (and is also Birdeatsbaby’s next single), which treats to impressive bass riffs at the introduction. The collaboration of singing with Keely (violinist) and Mishkin (keyboards) makes you want to sing with them also. For this track, a music video will be released too and from the looks of it, it will be just as creepy as Feast of Hammers in a similar theme, perhaps more so! Either way, we can’t wait for it.

Birdeatsbaby will be holding a Launch night on 18th February in London (details on Facebook fan page and official website). Details on how to order/download Feast of Hammers, check out www.birdeatsbaby.co.uk. Especially if you’re bored of the sounds of mainstream genre, you will not be disappointed with this album and of course, the talents of the band. Another band that we are proud to have with Brighton Unsigned. - Editor Review

You may remember MyElement’s review from our first issue and of course, our previous issue with the band being a featured cover. They have recently released their third EP Tonight after their two previous EPs The Gift and Just Believe It. Whilst all their previous material are awesome, their latest stuff is really showing their experience as a band together, collaborating to the best they can.

Impressively, after their coverage in this magazine, Concorde2 gave them the chance to release their EP and headline on January 14th at their venue. Which at the end, was met by audience pleading for more songs. MyElement has gained themselves even more fans and this EP could just be what sends them into the Brightonian’s conscious minds.

Their single of the EP Place for the Mended is a personal favourite of many, was released with an impressive music video back in May has shot nearly to 3,000 views. It’s not surprising really; the song uses a collaboration of quirky riffs from all instruments at the introduction before the modern rock tunes joins together and easy to sing-a-long chorus lyrics. The namesake track Tonight carries on the upbeat sound like the previous song, yet it’s more mature and dense with a lot of depth. The third track is a mellow, chilled out song that just has a signature sound not too unlike Snow Patrol but different enough to call it their own.

You can check out Place for the Mended music video and download Tonight EP or £1.40 (or more if you’re feeling generous!) at www.myelementmusic.co.uk. Brighton Unsigned is proud to have MyElement on the bandwagon and watching their popularity grow since the first issue, we seriously recommend that you readers check them out! - Editor Review

ALBUM REVIEW -FEAST OF HAMMERS

EP REVIEW - TONIGHT

6

Well hello there. Here we go again; my first blog of 2012. Thanks for dropping by. There are a few additions to my website, hope you like. I’ve finished the Baileys, so let’s crack on with another year.

Things are a little calmer at the radio station after a manic December. We’ve got a few new artists coming through in the next couple of weeks, some of them with the poison chalice that is ‘hotly tipped for 20… (fill in the blank)’ Always a good/bad thing for a band. It’s a tough industry as we know but hype can work for or against you. There’s really no telling.

In other news, congratulations to Latest TV, who have been granted a licence to have their very own telly channel for our glorious City. There’s a long way to go but it’s looking good so far. I’ve really enjoyed presenting for them over the last year and we’ve got some great documentaries coming up. I’m about to embark on an 8 week programme with a personal trainer from next week, with the goal being to ‘lose the paunch’ and ‘install some significant lifestyle changes.’ I’m scared. And missing cake.

Almost done and up on the website in the next couple of days is ‘Guy does Brighton Wheel (terrifying)’ and ‘Guy does street dance.’ Yes, street dance. Keep an eye on http://thelatest.co.uk/7/latest-tv

I’m back hosting all the regular stand-

up comedy nights around Brighton from next week, including the Foragers and Alibi in Hove and kicking off with the Whistlestop Inn in Portslade next Wednesday. Check out my events at the bottom of my website for more details of upcoming gigs. We’ve also got big plans for Brighton Fringe Festival with comedy crew, filthy gig dog in May. I’ll let you know more nearer the time.

Finally...

I’m really enjoying hosting the Brighton Unsigned nights at the Latest Music Bar. The boys from the magazine are doing a fine job and putting on some great live band nights. I don’t really see it as work, hosting these nights, just a real pleasure to hear such diverse music from such talented artiists.

If you haven’t been yet, get yourself along to forthcoming events at the Latest music bar (see mag for details) and get there early as the one I hosted last month was rammed. It’s was easy to see why, with an eclectic and briiliant line-up of Brighton’s finest. Get ya ass down to Brighton Unsigned, before their bands, erm...get signed.

..BLOG ABOUT STUFF AND NONSENSE

GUY LLOYD’S..

HELLO 2012. Shall We Do This?

cATch guY’s blog AT: guylloyd.co.uk

TWiTTeR: twitter.com/guy_lloyd

Au

dio

Bea

ch

Stu

dio

s

Recording & Production in a Studio Environment

9

Arrive on time. If your session starts at 10am, arrive at 10am. Drums will take the longest to set up so get your drummer there first, especially if you’re not using the in-house kit. Your engineer should be prepared for you, having space cleared for your equipment, making the setup and levels check as smooth and quick as possible.

The first mix you hear won’t be perfect. Leave your engineer to work when the first review mix is being prepared. A lot goes in to the mix of a track and getting the initial levels right is half the battle. Leave your engineer to work for a few moments so he can be happy with what has been recorded and present and initial mix to you. It’s at this point you can start playing around; more bass, less toms, bring up some mid on the kick, how about some delay on the middle eight......

Your engineer will know what works best in their studio to get you the best sound. However, don’t be afraid to ask questions or make suggestions. It’s YOUR music and your engineer should be open to ideas, suggestions and changes.

Listen to Your

Engineer

Playing to a click can save time when it comes to editing and re-takes. Imagine doing a perfect take apart from ONE bar. Without a click, dropping in to re-do that bar is nearly impossible. With a click? GREAT! Four clicks and in, re-do it. Perfect! Copy and paste that riff from Chorus 1? Not a problem! That’s 15 minutes saved right there!

Three takes = 5 minute break. Reflect, listen, assess, discuss. Talk it out; ask your engineer his opinion. Your engineer should be able to pin-point improvements and areas that need to be re-done.

Take Breaks

Your bassist is laying down a few takes. What’s next? Probably rhythm guitar. TUNE UP, WARM UP, GET READY! Make sure that once its your turn to record, you’re ready. Valuable time could be lost if your engineer is waiting for you to uncase your guitar and tune up!

Three takes = 5 minute break. Reflect, listen, assess, discuss. Talk it out; ask your engineer his opinion. Your engineer should be able to pin-point improvements and areas that need to be re-done.

Be PatientMixing is an Art

Tidy as you go. Finished drums? Tear the kit down. Finished guitars? Pack away, move the amps and tidy up leads. Clean up rubbish & any mugs/glasses/plates.

Respect your Surroundings

That doesn’t mean boxes... USB sticks, hard drives; any decent studio will always offer you a CD of your track(s), but having the option to drop a WAV or mp3 on to a USB device is always appealing especially if you decide you want your own back-up of the entire session. It’s always a good idea to take your session files with you anyway but don’t expect a studio to release these on to a DVD free of charge. Bringing a hard drive means you can have the files dropped in quickly and not overrun your finish time.

Ask the studio how long they keep sessions. Ask the studio to promote your music by putting it on their Facebook or SoundCloud. Don’t be afraid to ask for a re-mix a few days later. It’s easy to become blind to the sound of a track if you’ve been working on it 7 hours straight. A decent studio and engineer will be happy to offer one further “offline” remix for you within reason. Asking for the vocals to be raised a little and the WAV file resent should not cause drama! You have to be happy with what you’ve paid for as much as a studio has to be happy with their name on your track. An

d fin

ally

...

PART TWO - IN THE STUDIOGetting the most out of your time in the studio is important. Last month, we told you how to prepare yourself and your band before your session. This month, we’ll guide you through how to get the most out of your time on the day.

Be P

rom

pt &

Pu

nctu

al‘C

lick

Trac

ks’

are

your

Fr

iend

s!

Thin

k Ah

ead

Bring Storage!

10 11

Trip to Dover is an alternative rock band blended with electro and synths. We were introduced to this band at the Brighton Unsigned Launch Night in October and just had to ask them back for feature!

PH

OT

OG

RA

PH

Y: E

my Lo

u P

ho

togra

ph

y

How did you guys get together?

Johannes: Me and Olga met in a school play at high school. To start off with Olga didn’t like me at all but when we finally came together it was forever! In 2007 we moved to the UK to do a 1-year music course in Coventry. There we met an English drummer and bassist and although nowadays we work with different musicians and that’s how we all ended up in Brighton.

What are your musical influences?

Johannes: Opera and a scaringly lacking knowledge of contemporary music is my background really.Olga: As a little girl I really used to be into Elvis and the Swedish pop formation Roxette. I was a die-hard fan and would argue with my friends until they would “agree” with me it WAS indeed the best band on earth, haha! When I grew older the music I was listening to grew gradually louder & heavier. I started going to gigs with friends and digged punk-pop bands like NoFx, GreenDay. As a 16-year old I was into Straight Edge Subculture and listened to punk-hardcore bands like Ignite, Crivits, Undertow. It’s fun to now see glimpses of all those styles back in the music we write.Johannes: The first cassette tape we exchanged was a bit of a shock, for both of us.Olga: For Trip to Dover, we are heavy on electro synths sounds and melodies mixed with guitar-driven alternative rock. Bands like the Foo Fighters or Switchfoot are close to our hearts. These are bands that have something raw and genuine. To us it feels that they express honesty and they also make a connection with the audience. That is something we find very important too.On the electro side of things we are inspired by artists like Moby, Daft Punk, but also 90’s dance music.

You’ve managed to play quite a lot of dates, not only in the UK but inEurope and America too. How did you manage to achieve this?

Olga: Work hard! That might sound like a very typical and boring answer, but it’s true. When we started out the only thing we knew about being in a band was “We need to play shows!” So we sat down and e-mailed for a loooong time and that’s how we got our first little tours to the Czech Republic and Holland.Johannes: In the first summer, we toured through Europe for about three months. That’s when we started to have this idea... can we do this in the USA too? So we started sending e-mails across the Atlantic. In the end we have been over there for 30 days and played 25 shows.Olga: We didn’t make any money, but didn’t lose a lot either, saw the Grand Canyon, made amazing new friends, swam in the Pacific Ocean and learned a lot in the process. It was awesome!Johannes: Having said all this there is the danger of digging holes everywhere and not really establishing yourself. Some people we trust talked some sense in us and now our main

focus is on the UK, Holland and Germany. We have also learned to cherish the local scene a lot more as it’s so much easier to be engaged and support each other when you’re living close.

How does the UK and non-UK gigs compare?

Johannes: The UK can be a bit tough. We recognized the stories of Birdeatsbaby in the November issue. You just come back from Germany where you were fed, put in a hotel and even got a homebaked cake for on the road... To arrive in the UK, hear that your set is cut short because the venue’s sound engineer is late, the monitors were nicked last week and the place to sleep... well at least the puke on the carpet is fresh and not two days old. Having said that, there are some great venues in the UK and possibilities to tour are endless.Olga: Haha! So harsh.but unfortunately kind of true. But, we love people in the UK!

It’s not too unusual to have married couples in bands, does your music benefit from the relationship?

Olga: Good question! But yes, I think it makes

the Trip to Dover sound to what it is. Johannes & I are musically very different, but our marriage magic makes this work and gives an answer to the question: How can we combine classical melody ideas, opera & DJ nerdiness with guitar-driven punk-rock with a Swedish pop-twist? Well...the answer to that would probably be Trip to Dover?Johannes: Also, we don’t know any better haha... but we love being around each other 24/7. I think it definitely helps our band! There is just no conflict of interest. We both want the same and absolutely trust each other. That’s just a great way to work. The only time we fight is during song writing. We have such a different approach. I like to spill out an idea instantly long before it is carved into something useful whereas Olga incubates a phrase or theme till it has almost reached perfection. Songwriting is a very vulnerable process; you have to be absolutely honest with each other but not too blunt either.

Because of your name Trip To Dover, why Dover?

Johannes: I really like it when a band is not just a fancy word but has a meaning or reminds you of something. For us the first trip to England was such a moment. We both had a good career in Holland. Olga was an architect and I worked at Leiden University. On the Calais-Dover ferry, on our way to the Music school’s audition, we saw France disappearing in the fog and a new country on the horizon. Although neither of us spoke at the moment it became a symbol for leaving our families, friends, securities and old life behind and following our hearts towards a new adventure. Too cheesy? Perhaps, but it’s real for me.

What is your biggest highlight?

Olga: I guess there’s a few... our USA-Tour was definitely one. We weren’t sure if it was possible. I still remember the moment that we booked our flight tickets and said: “Oh my days, we are really going to America!”And then the USA-Tour itself was awesome too. It was my 1st time in the USA and despite long drives and late nights it kind of felt a little bit like a holiday too. The Californian sunshine helped that feeling probably...Johannes: We have just come back from Stuttgart where we played a sold out show to 1200 people that was

13

MuSIc REVIEWS

I began my discovery of new, unsigned bands this week finding myself increasingly disgruntled by the number of bands ‘signed’ to an absurd, independent record label; usually a self-invented one with an equally pretentious-sounding name. It was a relief therefore, and refreshing to find a band that sounded this good and was not afraid to announce that they were unsigned. Having played in just about every venue in Brighton, they are now recording and working on new material. This sounds like a dedicated, traditional-working band and their sound is made to fill gritty venues, with sweaty crowds in cut-up tee-shirts throwing cups of lager about.

The Vampire Weekend intro of “Us We’re From Brighton” gives off a happy, holidaying, seaside vibe with its simplistic, swift, jangly guitar. This is well and truly a home-grown band and this song exhibits their pride in their roots and their city.

“A Cliché” contains steady drums gradually getting more rapid and raucous in the chorus, while the vocals are softer in the verses, showing off another dimension to the band; making it this song that cemented my fondness for the band. “Hour Time” is delightfully dancey and upbeat; “She’s Called Keith” is the typical indie tune, with that half sung-half spoken casual delivery, full of personality.

There is a grey cloud that is the accustomed stigma which follows the ‘indie’ genre around, hovering over its head as bands of this variety are seen as generic-sounding. Here is Brighton’s answer to Foals, with strokes of The Holloways and The Rifles.

And as the saying goes, don’t fix it if it ain’t broke...CC

www.facebook.com/FitsRoy

Genre: Indie / Alternative

Lostaura have adopted atmospheric rock, with crashing cymbals, dramatic keys and soaring guitars in abundance creating a vibrant, spectacular sound that accompanies visions of starry explosions in space juxtaposed with a forest of long-grass and blue-y-green misty hues seen through a psychedelic kaleidoscope.

As their name suggests, they have created engulfing, melodic moods for listeners to get lost in. The name derives from the impulsive Princess Aura’s sacrificial romance with Flash Gordon and the band’s songs are of equal depth, emotion and storytelling.

“Beside You” is reminiscent of Temper Trap’s recognisable “Sweet Disposition”, trance-y and dramatic; demanding a movie to discover it for their soundtrack, just as the former achieved. “Chevron” is buoyant and more direct with the sounds of pop-punk bleeding through, while “One In A Million” is captivating and powerful. This is definitely one for fans of the likes of Coldplay, White Lies, The Killers and best played ringing throughout the impressive structures of a stadium. Alternatively - for now at least, on full volume filling your bedroom with sound or in pitch black, with your eyes shut and Lostaura’s sound immersing and satisfying your ears, encouraging dreams of made-up worlds you can escape in.CC

www.facebook.com/Lostaura

LOSTAURA

Since going to print ‘Lostaura’ are now known as ‘Half Hour Hotel’ with new material

Genre: Atmospheric Rock

12 facebook.com/threepennythieves

BAN

D PR

OFI

LE

Who are Threepenny Thieves?

Think: Biffy Clyro teaming up with The Cribs and fighting Two Door Cinema Club. Got that sound in your head? That’s them!

Threepenny Thieves formed in February 2011. Unlike the common convention of forming the band and getting the gig, they had their first show before even knowing they were a band. They have been playing the circuit and both public gigs and private parties in Hampshire and Sussex - and now they are set to conquer Brighton with their own style in 2012.

What are their influences?

Their influences range through so many different genres from lad rock to hip hop to heavier stuff, so there is something for everyone within their songs! With vocals, guitar and songwriting from Mortie Pockett, slick, funky bass lines from Jake ‘Dreads’ McLewee, shredding, jumping guitar by Mikey Digby and the the fastest, coolest drumming from Nick Gray there is no reason why you shouldn’t come along and see their next show!

Who are the band memebrs?

The 4 strong band members are :-

Nick Gray - DrumsJake McLewee - Lead/Bass GuitarMikey Digby - GuitarMortie Pocket - Lead Singer/Guitar

They are now under management of Jamboola MediaWorks, the sister company of DarenDino Productions who have merged with a new Sussex talent agency, Loaded Talent Artist & Band Management. To book Threepenny Thieves, contact their management agent Jamboola MediaWorks.

jamboolamediaworks.co.uk

PHOTOGRAPHY: Katja Heimann

pretty cool. Some of the people we met at that festival asked if we wanted to play in their local village the next day. We did and played in a small hall without a stage for about 20 people, but it was the night of the year for them. To me music comes alive when you connect with the audience! That never bores me.Olga: Every new song we write feels like a highlight for a while...until the next one is written. :)

What does Trip To Dover have in store for 2012?

Johannes: Our new EP Vegas & Berlin comes out in February! And with it we’ll play our first Brighton show in 1½ years! We’re so excited. From the start we have been a touring band and so busy with it, that we almost forgot to bring out a new EP. I think we have really developed our sound since our first EP and I’m eager to hear what people think of it. But the rubber won’t be off the road for long with more UK dates this winter, plans for Holland and Germany this spring... festival season. This year will be over before we know it.Olga: When things pan out as we hope, we might release a live music video of our song “Be Juliet” soon. We are also planning another Brighton gig for the spring. This will be a “Pelirocco presents.” Showcase gig in the Green Door Store. And well, we are secretly dreaming of another USA-Tour. Although it wouldn’t be “wise” to invest a lot of time and effort in something like that now. We’ll see. Maybe we’ll do it anyway when we feel like we need a holiday, hehe.

TRIP TO DOVER’S NEW EP IS RELEASED

ON THE 20TH FEB

catch them on their websitewww.triptodover.com

MuSIc REVIEWS

Genre: Brit-hop / Rap / Hip-hop

Brighton has a perpetually progressive hip hop scene that is rapidly making a name for itself. Many bands have grafted their way through to national and even international recognition. Astro-Physics are a band in that limbo stage, desperately hoping to squeeze through the clouds and into the stars. Astro-Physics really embody the evolution of UK hip hop: tall tales of guns, money and women are being drowned out by intelligent articulation of ambition and self improvement. This six piece Brighton outfit have found success in the festival scene, most notably with a performance at ‘The Big Chill’ festival. The New Year’s busy schedule kicks off with highly anticipated local gigs around London and Brighton. Utilising genuine musical talent and sharp lyrical flow creates an exciting concoction that should make for an incredible live show. ‘Chances’, a more recent track, is an affectionate soulful track and really embodies their sound. The song amalgamates soul-funk elements, insightful lyrics and tuneful singing. As a hip hop fan it is extremely exciting to live in a place so bursting with talent - and Astro-Physics are no exception. Brighton has recently produced real hip hop talent in acts such as ‘Mole and Iris’ and ‘Dr Syntax’ and there is no reason why Astro-Physics cannot reach the same heights. If hip hop tickles your fancy, or even if it doesn’t, I would recommend, purely as a fan of music, to give Astro-physics a listen and immerse yourself in hip hop’s new sound.ZR

Their new E.P - ‘It’s A Mindstate’ is released on March 12th. Availible at iTunes, Amazon mp3, Play, HMV etc..

www.facebook.com/astrophysicsband

15

The intro to ‘Funky House’ automatically makes me tap my toes. The vocals are fast and almost rap like. Its catchy and he sings about his life experiences. This song presents a hybrid of rap and funk and it works pretty well. The chorus is going to be in my head all day! The next track ‘girlfriend’ isn’t so funky but the use of percussion is kind of salsa like and its gentle lack of a loud harsh drum kit is relaxing. I can’t imagine dancing to this, but this isn’t a bad thing. This is easy listening feel good music and they sing about life-experiences and relationship trouble that I think all young people can relate to. The lyrics are genuine and easy to relate to. The guitar in ‘Click’ is nice on the ears and the harmonies of the backing vocals create a ‘sway and hold your lighters in the air ambience’. There’s a lot going on in this music. They pull all the different sounds off and - although each track has a different kind of genre attached - they all come together to create a great listening experience.LD

Genre: Alternative / Funk Rock

www.facebook.com/jipsymagic

MuSIc REVIEWS

Genre: Mellow / Acoustic / Indie

sTuART neWmAn This guy automatically gives me vibes of Radiohead and Joy Division. His track ‘(We’re living) in another dimension’ is kind of epic - it’s got that close your eyes and nod your head slowly feel to it. It creates an empty feeling in the bottom of my stomach - but it’s not a bad feeling. Although his voice seems monotone at first it seems to compliment the down-tempo, prominent drums. The echo on his voice is eerie - and this eeriness is also present in his track ‘Feel the temperature rising’. His song ‘Pandora’ has a memorable folky acoustic riff and a catchy chorus. My favourite track is ‘The decade’, purely because of his groovy country acoustic guitar and his clever lyrics. This song is less mellow - and more likely to be a danceable track. He describes his genre of music as ‘mellow’ and from first judgement it was questionable whether this was a genre - but from the first few seconds of listening to this artist, it becomes obvious that it is .This is floaty, soft, melodious music that I think would accompany a nice walk along Brighton seafront. I like this guy - he seems to know what he’s doing; his website shows how much he is getting himself out there and how much he is getting involved - and I like that he is offering his well-produced, talented music for free. LD

www.stuartnewmanmusic.com

14

Genre: Funk / R&B / Soul

www.facebook.com/fresh.like.dexie

Photographer: Nicolai Amter

‘Fresh Like Dexie’ are a fervently funky five-some hailing from Sussex’s rolling hills. Their feel good, soul funk stylings have an extremely instinctive sense of rhythm that you can’t help but bop along to. The band has successfully been broadcasting their sound around Brighton with a series of recent local gigs. The New Year sees more Sussex-based gigging for the promising outfit. The ‘Prince Albert’ and ‘The Hope Live’ in Brighton, as well as the ‘Laser’ in Crawley, will play host to ‘Fresh Like Dexie’ to well and truly kick off the New Year with a bang. Their debut EP ‘Step In The Sun’ is out now and showcases their talent in a short but sweet collection. The band’s distinctive take on a Jamiroquai- esque sound is an undeniably unequivocally unadulterated enjoyable musical experience. My dance moves are at best questionable offerings, despite my full knowledge of this - a good bit of funk leaves me no option but to show the world the best deep sea diver this side of the Sussex. As disturbing as that image may seem, it was in fact a convoluted gesture of praise. While I desperately wrestle to stay on track I will conclude by saying that it was very uplifting to see a band with such promise, owed to a genuine musical talent and understanding. So if you want to start the New Year in style, catch up with the funky ‘Fresh Like Dexie’ and show everyone the best Egyptian they ever did see. ZR

WONDERBUS

RIS

ING

TID

E

PH

OT

OG

RA

PH

Y: N

ola

Peth

erbrid

ge

DERIDER

DERIDER

JIPSY MAGIC

POCKET DRUMMERS