INTERNATIONAL RADIO SHOWER – Greece Edition Part II (εἰρκτή compilation)

Posted by jayne k on August 14, 2015
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Each month, in the International Radio Shower, we will explore interesting (to us) music from around the world. This feature publishes every Friday. This is Part II in our series on Greece. To read Part I click here.


The εἰρκτή compilation

Now this is something very different from my last post on nefeli walking undercover. And the timing is right. The small Greece label εἰρκτή is releasing a compilation of largely previously unreleased material that is quite extensive. It features primarily artists from the 80s and features 3 full length LPs and 1 7″ of material covering a wide array of the Greek underground scene. The recordings are sometimes pretty raw, but the content is great. Below I highlight some of my favorites from each lp.

βιῶν ἐν εἰρκτῇ (eirme 04 . 1)

Side A features primarily post punk content. Every song is solid. My favorite might be the fifth song from stranded particles y-r, but I think this track from on purpose might have the most appeal. Check it out.

Side B focuses on punk artists from the Greek underground scene. I really liked this track from ήταν είναι και θα είναι. It has spunk.

More after the fold…

βιῶν ἐν εἰρκτῇ (eirme 04 . 2)

On the second lp, the C side focuses on the minimal synth scene. This side really kicks it off well with this track from χωρίς περιδέραιο.

And on the D side, which focuses more on dark wave electronic and experimental. Hang with this track from common sense.

βιῶν ἐν εἰρκτῇ (eirme 04 . 3)

This entire album continues to focus on dark wave material. This might be my favorite song on the comp. Reminds me of something Chris Knox would do and even gets a bit weirder.

The F side gets a bit more ambient and experimental. I really liked this track from κρυπτογράφημα.

βιῶν ἐν εἰρκτῇ (eirme 04​.​4)

Finally we get to the New Wave 7″. The A-side from film noir is a lovely poppy new wave ditty. It’s so 1980s.

And that’s all for this week. As you can see that’s quite a sampler. It’s available digitally from the bandcamp links, or you can buy the box set on vinyl directly from the label here.

Note: A lot of the info is in Greek so if I got anything grossly wrong let me know.

Coming Next Week: Part III on Grecian post rock.

Self-Evident – Trained to Walk Fixed Steps

Posted by jayne k on August 14, 2015
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Hang with this one for a bit. If you like the math rock thing, you will end up in a blob of love. And then it breaks down. And then goes indie rock. It’s great.

I thought about highlighting their new LP but i’ve got my hands full right now with albums worthy of the attention. But here is some newer material from Minneapolis’s Self-Evident.

LP HIGHLIGHT: Deaf Wish’s Pain

Posted by jayne k on August 13, 2015
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I shared something from Deaf Wish sometime last year but I had mostly forgotten about them. I’m really a lame person at times because they are great and their new lp Pain does not fail to disappoint. Deaf Wish, hailing from the down under locale of Melbourne, released Pain just this past week on good ol’ Sub Pop records.

The album opens with a Killdozer slow piece that isn’t quite Killdozer heavy called The Whip. The song is solid but the climax is fantastic (as it should be). The album then builds with the old school styling punk hardcore bit Newness Again and the 90s Sonic Youth-esque They Know, before chilling briefly for the cleanup spot with Sunset’s Fool.

As you can tell, Deaf Wish doesn’t compromise their sound but they do mix up the heaviness, the tempo, and the vocal intensity. The next quartet of tunes goes diaphragm intense with Eyes Closed, gets all title-tracky with the angry (and then catchy) Pain, goes seriously Kim Gordon style epic with Sex Witch, before peaking with the rock’n roll anthem On featured in the video below.

Read more below the fold…
Dead Air reminds me of what we used to have on college radio stations before there was automation options. Sometimes I think actual dead air would be preferable. But I digress because Dead Air is a great song and introduced our finale Calypso quite well. Calypso slows things down and goes a bit more standard indie rock in a way that matters and makes me happy.

Basically, I cannot approve of Deaf Wish’s new album enough. I even broke my moratorium on buying new records and instantly bought this album upon completing this review. The marbled colored vinyl version of course. Damn, I suck.

Dilly Dally – Desire

Posted by Feige on August 13, 2015
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What the hell is going on in Toronto that has everybody so loud and angsty? Dilly Dally seems to be the latest in a long line of very good, very raucous bands crossing over from north of the border.

The Beverleys – Bad Company

Posted by jayne k on August 12, 2015
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Some Canadian goodness from 2014…

If you liked the video, check out their bandcamp page for more including this great song from last year’s split 7″ with HSY.

7″ HIGHLIGHT: Chorusgirl 100 Club Series Single

Posted by jayne k on August 11, 2015
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I had a little trouble deciding on this week’s pick. There are plentiful good 7″s coming out on a regular basis but i’d lost track a little of what was released when. And the summer does seem at least a little quiet.

This week’s highlight was released in July as part of the 100 Club Series featuring London indie pop artists Chorusgirl. The 100 Club Series is a series of singles released by Odd Box Records. Sadly, actual physical records are sold out, but you can still get this single digitally.

This standard single features No Moon on the A side. This catchy, light twee song is quite delightful. It’s a great relaxing song to sit back and enjoy. The B side track Dream On, Baby Blue is also well executed. I actually prefer it. On both sides, the single has an almost shoe gaze backing. It’s a great single and well worth a listen.

Ghetto Ghouls – Hezbollah

Posted by Feige on August 11, 2015
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Real talk: I’m scheduling pretty much the entirety of my August SOTD’s in advance since I’ll be on the road most of the month, and I’m about zonked out on describing music. If I’m putting it up here, then I like it. Good? Good. This one will appeal to fans of the Black Lips and Parquet Courts and the like.