Artist: Bend The Future
Title: Sounds So Wrong
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Tonzonen Records
Distribution: Soulfood Music
Genre: Progressive/ Jazz-Rock
Release Date: 19/05/2023

The Grenoble quintet’s spectacular third album is all about stylish surprises, elegant harmonies shaped by variety, and passion. What Bend The Future offers is not a jazz-rock album that transcends the genre, but an unforgettable adventure that expands over thousands of kilometers.

Formed in Grenoble, France almost exactly four years ago, Bend The Future hits hard once again with their third studio album Sounds So Wrong. Emerging from the fusion of progressive rock and contemporary jazz with Eastern European influences, the band had already established their sound with their first two records, particularly with their sophomore album Without Notice released via Tonzonen Records. Utterly distinct from every other band on the label in terms of sound, the band continues to showcase their fearless and ingenious approach in the new album, SSW. Evolving anew, Bend The Futurebuilds up on their sound, stoically moves forward along their distinctive path, and boggles minds in the process.

Artist: Ashinoa
Title: L’Orée
Format: LP, Digital
Label: Fuzz Club Records
Distribution: Cargo
Genre: Krautrock, Experimental, Psychedelic Electronica
Release Date: 12/05/2023 (EU)

Ashinoa is a french band born in Lyon in the closing stages of 2015. Since forming, the French four-piece comprised of Stefan Chamolt, Matteo Fabbri, Jérémy Labarre and Mathias Chirpaz have been at the forefront of the alternative scene in their home city of Lyon. Influenced by Krautrock and electronic music, they create a vaste universe centered around psychedelic synthesizers and guitars, percussive and kraut rhythms, and galactic visuals.

At times percussive and dancey, at others hypnotic and cinematic, the largely synthesiser-driven soundscapes of L’Orée feel both of the past and the future. It’s the sound of two different worlds – a record capable of being as primal and ritualistic as it is synthesised and digitally manipulated. Where the band’s prior minimal Krautrock (see their 2019 Sinie Sinie LP) might have brought to mind cold, dark post-industrial cities, L’Orée‘s kosmische experimentalism takes you instead on an instrumental journey through the the natural wilderness via the medium of shape-shifting psychedelic electronics.

Artist: The Upland Band
Title: Living In Paradise
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Kapitän Platte
Distribution: D/AT: Cargo Records, Benelux: Sonic Rendezvous FR: Differ-Ant, CH: Irascible, IT: Goodfellas 
Genre: Psychedelic Guitar Pop
Release Date: 12/05/2023

The Upland Band is the one man band of Michael Beckett (aka kptmichigan, Super Reverb and ex- Tuesday Weld) who also produced, recorded and mixed the album, aided considerably by Dirk Kretz (Old Men Group, ex-Tuesday Weld) and Christian Obermaier (Eagle Boston, ex-The Innits). 

A small village, somewhere in the soft hills of Germany`s East-Westphalia, is where the stories from Living In Paradise take place, with the lyrics being informed by historical facts, objective observations and good old down and dirty village gossip. A concept album so to speak. 

The cast of characters ranges from a poorer than poor ragpicker, to a retired cop, nazi neighbours and the ghost of an unknown, downed Canadian bomber pilot to name just a few. The stories told involve, among others, a historical paper mill which was used for Methamphetamine massproduction, the hardships of life in the 17th century, a steam powered train on which you can eat Kale and sausages and get wasted to pleas for the villagers to try just a little harder. 

Artist: Howlin’ Sun
Title: Maxime
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Apollon Records 
Distribution: Plastic Head Distribution
Genre: Southern/ Blues Rock
Release Date: 05/05/2023

Howlin’ Sun is finally back with their highly anticipated 2nd album. The sound is familiar for fans of the first album, but this time it is crisper, darker and bigger. The dark and heavy title track Maxime – a homage to a legendary former venue in Bergen, sets the stage for the album.

Maxime is a broad exploration of the rock genre going from southern country rock to gritty garage, complimented by the indie intermission Jayne and the americana album closer Bittersweet Morning Sun.

Artist: Chris Staples
Title: Cloud Souvenirs
Format: LP, Digital
Label: Hot Tub Recordings
Genre: Singer-Songwriter/ Indie
Release Date: 26/05/2023

Cloud Souvenirs is the sixth full length album by American songwriter Chris Staples, ten songs spun from accumulated memory and flashes of insight into the hidden corners of life. Recorded in the midst of travel back and forth to Florida to deal with his mother’s declining health, Staples built an unselfconscious masterpiece, a cathartic and complete expression of his craft. Cloud Souvenirs is a parade of sculpted moments, some light and airy, some gray and heavy with rain– variations on beauty, tenderness, grief and unexpected joy. 

What is gone is all still here. Florida is a place steeped in memories and significance for Staples, landscape, humidity, shapes in the sky, intangible tokens of youth. He worked on the album intermittently during these visits, but had to cancel recording sessions to take his mother to the hospital. Her ever present piano playing around the house was a key to finding music. Her loss is a reality impossible to express. 

Cloud Souvenirs is laced with insistent phrases and melody lines that linger long after listening. Songs that hint at narrative without being weighed down by unnecessary detail. Evocative and economical, melancholic and magical. Songs that nourish life and encourage self-reflection. Pulsing electronica, acoustic strummers, synth stabs, dry snare drums setting the pace, clear melodies fill the sky, no rain for days. 

Artist: SEVEN IMPALE
Title: SUMMIT
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Karisma Records
Distribution: Plastic Head Distribution
Genre: Progressive/ Heavy Jazz Rock
Release Date: 26/05/2023

We’ve waited long for life signs from SEVEN IMPALE, meanwhile the members have been busy with life. Vocalist/guitarist Stian graduated from the Grieg Academy as an opera singer and launched an international career. Keyboardist Håkon joined Enslaved. Some got kids, and some finished their education. Life happened. Though, truth being told, the guys have kept the band, if not warm, at least lukewarm. And now, the long-awaited third album from SEVEN IMPALE is finally here, seven years after Contrapasso. 

Artist: Big Red Fire Truck
Title: Trouble In Paradise
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Bird’s Robe Records
Distribution: MGM
Genre: Hard Rock
Release Date: 04/08/2023

Australian hard rock group Big Red Fire Truck have announced their new record Trouble In Paradise will be released on August 4, 2023.

Lead single Trouble In Paradise recently premiered on triple j radio to strong fan support and has already reached the ears of and earned praised from the members of Steel Panther:

Michael Starr: “I rate it. A strong 4 out of 5 Eddie Van Halens. It’s commercially awesome. The chorus is catchy, the pre-chorus is catchy, there’s a killer guitar solo in it, the backgrounds are big and juicy and wet and the guitar tone is pretty bitchin. His vocals are fn killer too. I was stoked to hear it… There’s so much 80s dripping off that track, I couldn’t get enough of it.”

Artist: Magnify The Sound
Title: Don’t Give Us That Face
Format: LP, CD, Digital
Label: Crispin Glover Records
Distribution: Stickman Records
Genre: Experimental/ Improv
Release Date: 21/04/2023

Magnify the Sound has been performing their unique sound since 2010. The band consists of two renowned musicians who join forces in an improvised interplay between guitar, drums, and electronics. Trond Engum, one of the founding members of the legendary The 3rdand The Mortal and The Soundbyte, brings with him his expertise in guitar and electronics. Carl Haakon Waadeland contributes with his signature style of playing, evolved over several decades of developing his drumming expression in numerous different musical constellations. 

The album Don’t Give Us That Face captures the essence of this constellation.  The result is a unique blend of improvisation and composition, creating a dynamic and captivating musical experience that is truly one-of-a-kind.