Perhaps Contraption

Perhaps Contraption are an astonishing 8 piece, twisted brass, art pop marching band. 
  
You can see what they do & how they look in this wonderful video for their single, Cousin/Grandma: 

 There’s a Chameleon, a mutant-pram-kit, and a giant millipede scuttling across a pretty girl’s face (amongst other curious sights and sounds).

Completely DIY & independent, Perhaps Contraption had an incredible summer establishing themselves on the UK Festival scene - Glastonbury, Bestival, The Secret Garden Party, Lovebox, Wilderness, Playgroup, and more.......and you can certainly understand why.

 
http://listen.perhapscontraption.co.uk/album/listening-bones-excerpts

The most extreme of  Manchester's Metal bands, Not Above Evil, released today a new video to accompany "Legion" a track taken from latest album "The Transcendental Signified."

It's a brutal piece of technical brilliance, enhanced by the claustrophobic atmosphere to the film. Enjoy.

Stream "The Transcendental Signified" here.

http://www.reverbnation.com/notaboveevil

Enter Shikari - A Flash Flood of Colour

ENTER SHIKARI 

A Flash Flood Of Colour

Released: January 16th 2012

 A Flash Flood Of Colour is the new album by Enter Shikari. It’s an urgent state-of-the-world address, an impassioned call to arms, an empowering liberation transmission aimed at the head, heart and hips. It’s an album about community, about love and friendship, about self-determination and self-respect. And if we might be so bold, in simple terms, it’s the first great album of 2012.

Co-produced by the band and Dan Weller (Young Guns, Gallows) in Bang Saray, Thailand and London, England during May/June 2011, and mixed in Vancouver, Canada by Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica, Biffy Clyro), A Flash Flood Of Colour is Enter Shikari’s third full-length studio album, the follow-up to 2009’s acclaimed Common Dreads. 

An incandescent snapshot of the modern age – of globalisation and recession, repression and protest, commerce and control, activism and engagement – it’s music for a newly jolted generation, a soundtrack for the mosh-pit, the dance floor and the front lines.

A Flash Flood Of Colour is 11 tracks of adrenalised, beats-heavy punkrockdubstephardcoremetalambienttechnonoisecore, custom-built to shake foundations. Preceded by first single Sssnakepit, a mind-melding amalgam of old school drum and bass and thrillingly propulsive disortopunk riffing which Zane Lowe immediately hailed as his Hottest Record upon its September release, it's an album which distills the sound and fury of the modern world into a compelling, unified, slamming and utterly vital whole.

From the stirring wake-up call of opening track System… ('Our generation's got to fight to survive...') through to the atmospheric, emotive kiss-off of Constellations (both an optimistic signpost to a brighter tomorrow and Rou’s open-hearted ‘thank you’ to the people, books, records and films that have shaped and guided Shikari on their journey thus far), A Flash Flood Of Colour throws up a dizzying, kaleidoscopic range of moods, tones and hues.

Enter Shikari are:
Rou Reynolds (Vocals / electronics)
Rory Clewlow (Guitar / backing vocals)
Chris Batten (Bass / vocals)
Rob Rolfe (Drums)

http://youtu.be/DSiOeyKMPLo

TOP HEAVY ROBOTS

From the makers of The Phoenix Experiment :)

Many people believe the world will end in December 2012. These are the same people that believe Hollyoaks, Eastenders, and other such fictional programmes are real. This IS NOT the end of the world. it is just the End of the World DISCO...

Beware my friends if the world doesn't end in 2012, there's a strong chance "End of the World Disco" could be lodged in your brain until your end is nigh.

http://youtu.be/aGfwdHws2yU

First Aid Kit

Extremely lucky to catch the wonderfully talented First Aid Kit at The Deaf Insitute in Manchester at the beginning of last year and certainly looks as though the new material will be excellent.

http://soundcloud.com/wichita-recordings/first-aid-kit-the-lions-roar-1

Jaime N Commons

A big thanks to my son, Callum, for pointing me in the direction of Jaime N Commons.  On first hearing, you would be forgiven for thinking the young Londoner to be an aging Bluesman from Mississippi, such is the nature of his voice and the sheer intensity of his music.  Check out an incredible track "The Preacher," you'll see exactly what I mean.   Both the BBC and Q magazine have highlighted him as one to watch in 2012 and it's nigh on impossible to disagree.

http://youtu.be/orivEatc2fw

http://soundcloud.com/jamie-n-commons

Whales in Cubicles

New Year and a new band for your ears.  Whales in Cubicles have just dropped a couple of links on me and I'm so impressed, I needed to get their music out as soon as I could.  Disjointed but melodic, intense but accessible, I think you're going to like these a lot.

 http://soundcloud.com/whales-in-cubicles


http://youtu.be/SpYE0nr1ehw