Deep Hit Music

O ff the Wire takes a look at the most captivating new musical releases of the previous month by upcoming acts and bands both within the UK and internationally. In this column we seek to scratch below the surface and draw light on the underground and boundary-pushing alternative artists who's work has roused the attention of ourselves and music fanatics alike.   A round up of April's efforts sees an abundance of exciting LPs and singles that are hot off the press- from the Turkish folk-come-psychedelic sounds of Israel's Satellites to the ambient yet industrial Just Mustard, here are four new musical releases from April 2022 that are a must-hear. Satellites- 'Satellites' (LP) Though only forming two years prior to the release of their astounding debut self-titled LP, Satellites's impeccable unity of trad-Turkish folk and psychedelic pop makes for a sound that appears to have multiple years of practice, writing and experimentation behind it.  As part of Israel...

  Epitomising their sun-drenched Gold Coast surroundings in audible form, Luja Murfi create songs that prove idyllic for lazy, lethargic days in the heat, all the while making room for euphoric moments of sky-scraping bliss that ebb and flow beneath their steady song structures. Their self-titled EP, released at the back end of 2020, perfectly demonstrates their capability to move between different tempos, rhythms and instrumentation not only between songs on the EP but within the tracks themselves, all held down by Luke Johnson's subtle blend of jazz and funk derived percussion.  Luja Murfi's discography thus far incorporates a wide variety of musical influence and genre exploration. While their trademark fusion of easy-listening, soft-rock and psychedelia is of prominence, an all-encapsulating groove that entwines itself throughout the rhythm section is unavoidably detectable, strongly suggesting that this funk and jazz influence is one that is shared amongst ...

  'Spielbergs is about doing whatever we want to do musically' tells Mads Baklien, vocalist and front-man of the Oslo three-piece. 'By the time we started the band and made our first songs, we had already played in bands for many years.' From debut EP 'Distant Star'  to newest works 'Brother of Mine' , both Spielberg's experience as tried and tested musicians shines through- most noticeably now for their care-free attitude when conforming- or failing to conform, rather- to a specific scene or label. He continues,'We have a lot of influences, and maybe not as much musically as philosophically if that makes any sense. We are inspired by bands that do not necessarily belong to a specific scene or genre, but that make whatever kind of songs they want.' It comes as a challenge to pinpoint what it is about Spielberg's material that makes them so distinctive, but one must look no further than the hardcore and post-rock acts of their native, righ...

  Photography-@carlbattamsphoto It is easy to pinpoint the modern renaissance of noise-rock and post-punk bands merely on recurring trends within music. Be it art, music or fashion, what was once attractive and contemporary for the time, and was able to capture the imagination and excitement of a youthful generation is probably able to do the same thirty, forty, fifty years down the line. The common bond between all 'successful' music subcultures is, amongst others, the need to be heard above the voice of authority. However in such dark times, it is only apt that what the likes of the Pistols, Joy Division and The Fall were producing forty-plus years ago has made a resurgence through the likes of contemporary acts like Idles, Fontaines D.C and Shame to name a few. It seems that, through necessity if nothing else, these bands are using noise and energy to promote a positive message during times of political angst and uncertainty. Amongst the various bands falling into this cate...

'Inca Missiles'-   Tibetan Miracle Seeds (2021) It is only in rare circumstances that one stumbles across the likes of  Tibetan Miracle Seeds' debut LP ,  for records such as Inca Missiles   are hard to come by. Rich with spotless production and awash with mind-altering effects, Tibetan Miracle Seeds are able to pull their rawness as both songwriters and musicians to the forefront of their music with absolute clarity. Through a careful cross-breed of stoner-rock and psychedelia, TMS meld the raw energy purveyed by the guitar tones of Hendrix with the progressive song-structures of Pink Floyd, topped off by Stonesy Middle-eastern melody and instrumentation. The polished production of the record as a whole only adds it's overall listen-ability, making Inca Missiles a contemporary psychedelic-rock album, pulling in noticeable prog and psych influences without just being a carbon copy of any other sixties acid-rock record. I spoke with the mind behind the music of T...

  Though only releasing his debut single 'City Living' as late as April 2021, Louie Miles has already made a mark for himself as one to watch for his eclectic mix of dreamy vocals and entrancing guitar and piano melodies. Latest release 'Another Blue' sees Miles continue to adopt the nostalgia-inducing qualities of his initial release, this time opting for a somewhat more up-tempo style, straying slightly from the melancholy that enrobes 'City Living' and carries it from beginning to end. To suggest that Miles' work depicts an atmosphere of isolation, or even desolation may initially appear critical, however it is through this melancholic ambience created by Miles that music takes form and allows for the delicacy and melody of artists like Elliot Smith and Nike Drake to shine through.  I spoke with Miles to talk the creative process behind 'Another Blue', taking inspiration from Roy Orbison to Dusty Springfield, plans for future musical releases and ...

  Copenhagen three-piece The Sonic Dawn do not so much as reinvent the psychedelic sounds of the sixties, nor would it be an understatement to suggest that their four-album long discography is somewhat of a twenty-first century copy of the music of this bygone era. But to such a group as The Sonic Dawn, who believe in this bygone era as, and I quote, 'the peak of rock and roll', their ability to tap into this strange and fruitful amalgamation of folk rock, prog and psychedelic blues is a blessing. Though the conventionality of 'reinvention of genre' is striven towards by majority of bands and musicians around the world, it is a credit to The Sonic Dawn that they are able to encapsulate the sounds of a short yet sweet window of psychedelia from the years of '66 through to '71. From the slap-back delays of ' Opening Night' to the dusty percussion found on 'Summer Voyage' , right through to the Ray Manzarek-esque keys of 'Sun Drifter' , the ...