[SKOA PREMIERE] Patient Hands - "The Poisoner"

Today I am very honored to share the happy news that Montreal based ambient solo project Patient Hands (born Alex Stooshinoff) will be releasing his debut full-length, Stoic, on February 15th, 2019. Along with the announcement comes the goosebumps-inducing single, “The Poisoner”, which is available for your streaming pleasure below.

The story behind Stoic is nothing short of moving. After battling a yearlong sickness and experiencing a brush with cancer, Stooshinoff felt compelled to pour himself into writing and recording the album with the ambition that he would make a record that he would be content with if he were never to record anything ever again. 

As you’ll hear in, “The Poisoner”, the result is nothing short of breathtaking. The snapshot of earnest emotion heard in Stoooshinof’s soothe strumming as his gently sings, “I am my own murderer / The ‘poisoner’/ It's that story I know / It's me / I'm holding onto shadows”, is sure to send shivers down your spine. Speaking on the album Stooshinoff says, “Stoic is a love record. It’s about enduring the dark night, and finding the courage to live with an open heart.”

Tracklisting:

1. At Parting

2. I Shaved My Father’s Face

3. Anaesthetic

4. Envelopment

5. Say Stay 

6. The Poisoner

7. The Pale

8. Something Vanishing

9. Calm

[SONG OF THE DAY] San Scout - "Soap"

After laying low for far too long (imo), San Scout have resurfaced and there is a fair amount to make you aware of so strap in.

Earlier this week, the London duo launched an update to their website in the form of their immersive VR world that they’re referring to as “The Pharmacy”. This wild expanse of pixels is soon to be home to all of their forthcoming releases in addition to showcasing other artist friends of theirs in additional rooms. If you venture about the world in its present state you can click around to find all sorts of San Scout goodies, including links out to their social media accounts and unreleased demos. Spoiler alert: if you click on the pill bottles it will take you to their Spotify artist page. This is because the guys have actually based the concept of The Pharmacy on the topical concept of music as a prescription drug.

I mean, they’re not wrong.

In addition to The Pharmacy, today they released their latest single, “Soap”, which features their signature glitchy melancholic melodies and brooding airy vocals. As I excitedly expressed to the band via DM, these guys always know how to throw a vibe. The way that Freddy’s vocals overlay each track these guys make does often come off like drugs to me if I’m being honest, so I suppose the whole Pharmacy thing is a match made in musical heaven.

More updates from these sweet sweeties soon! In the meantime, if you happen to have free time on your hands, I know on good authority that the band has casually dropped their phone number inside the Pharmacy if you want to dial up these dudes and tell them that I sent you their way. 😘

HAPPY WEEKEND! <💖

[SKOA PREMIERE] Alae - "Home" (Official Music Video)

Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday Fridayyyyyyyy!!!

Fam I am happy to premiere the latest video from Auckland four-piece Alae. On its own, their latest single from their debut full-length, Henry St, “Home”, is a delicate track that speaks to loss and belonging. Today, as you’ll soon see for yourself, the newly unveiled accompanying video will challenge you to reflect on how you present yourself to the world versus who you know yourself to truly be.

There are many takeaways from the video for “Home”, but according to singer Alex Farrell-Davey, it aims to create discussions around what it is to have a life outside of your sexuality. “In my mind the idea of breaking out of jail hand cuffed to your cell mate represents leaving work,” he explained, “chained to the version of yourself that you are when you're there. To then come home and to dedicate your night to trying to break free of how uncomfortable it makes you (in an environment that's loving and comfortable).” He adds, “To ultimately be arrested by the red and blue police sirens that represent waking up to an ominous alarm, knowing you have to do it all over again.”

As you’ll see as the video progresses that the prisoner who is taken along the heartwarming reunion (played by Farrell-Davey) that there’s this slow build of loneliness and isolation that’s portrayed being unable to escape how beautiful and heartwarming the love that exists between the fellow convict, partner, and baby is. The pain in his face as he looks away, unable to embrace this other part of him as one in the same. The underlying powerful message in “Home” is that of self-acceptance and if anything, having this reminder gifted to us from a marginalized voice makes it all the more deeply meaningful.

[SONG OF THE DAY] The Streets - "Call Me In The Morning (feat. Chip & Grim Sickers)"

still taken from the “Call Me In The Morning” music video

I hope you missed me because I def missed having this moment of geeking out every day even if my days were crammed full of quality hangs with my big brother.

ANYWAYS BACK TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING

Y’all The Streets are actually going to be releasing a new album next year and I’ve been so emotional ever since I heard the news. 😭😭😭

Awhile back, Streets mastermind Mike Skinner informed us in his interview with Q that we should be keeping an ear out for this new single, “Call Me In The Morning”. Last week Skinner gave us so so much to be thankful for by finally unveiling the track along with an accompanying video.

In addition to the new single, Skinner has also promised us a mixtape in 2019 in addition to playing a string of music festivals and releasing a film, which apparently was one of the main reasons he quit doing The Streets to begin with. As Skinner explained to Mr Porter in an interview back in March, “The reason I finished The Streets was to make a film, and the reason I started The Streets up again was to make a film.” The film, which has a lofty but all familiar title for true Mike Skinner stans: The Darker The Shadow, The Brighter The Light, which was the side project he used to release 19 tracks over the course of last year. At any rate, the film is allegedly, “a Streets musical, like Casablanca but not as much as La La Land” but with heady dialogue a la the days of Dawson’s Creek, according to Skinner. He also shared that the script is “very like a Streets album”.

Um. This me rn:

But really tho, 2019 is gonna be my fuckin year even if it’s just because I get to stan extra hard for one of my favorite all time artists.

Do we think he’d cross the pond and do some shows in the US of A or am I really gonna have to sell some organs to get to one of these upcoming shows? I’m prepared either way tbh.

The Streets 2019 Tour Dates:
01/17 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
01/18 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
01/19 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
01/21 – Glasgow, UK @ O2 Academy
01/22 – Leeds, UK @ O2 Academy
01/24 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
01/25 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
01/26 – Manchester, UK @ O2 Apollo
01/28 – Newcastle, UK @ O2 Academy
01/29 – Sheffield, UK @ O2 Academy
01/31 – Bournemouth, UK @ O2 Academy
02/02 – London, UK @ Academy Brixton
02/03 – London, UK @ Academy Brixton
02/05 – London, UK @ Academy Brixton
02/06 – London, UK @ Academy Brixton
02/07 – London, UK @ Academy Brixton

[SONG OF THE DAY] Blanche - "Moment"

Photo credit: Chloe Sheppard

Belgian alt-pop artist Blanche (born Ellie Delvaux) released her latest single, “Moment” late last week along with an accompanying music video.

Speaking on the track, Blanche explains that "Moment" is about the struggle with, “living in the present, trying to forget about any doubts and fears you have…” She goes on to say, “We have to let ourselves live. If we don’t learn to enjoy the present moment, then we might regret it when it’s over.” This theme is reinforced in the music video, which features her and her friends letting go of their inhibitions while focusing on the excitement and purity of youth.

Fun fact about the track: the hook for “Moment” was actually written by Delvaux’s boyfriend for one of his rap tracks, but they quickly saw the potential in collaborating on making a new Blanche song with it. It would be cool to hear the original to fully understand the journey that the track took before being blessed with the alt-pop star’s powerhouse vocals, but an awesome factoid nonetheless.

[SONG OF THE DAY] SATICA - "Agave Nights"

Long Beach based songstress SATICA unveiled her latest single, “Agave Nights” along with her first ever music video. I stumbled into SATICA when she teamed up with SKOA favorite SAKIMA for their song, “Dysfunctional”. Since then the siren has been stringing us along with more bops like “Drippin’”, “Inner Child”, and my personal drug of choice (pun intended) “miss yr high”. According to SATICA, “Agave Nights” is, “probably the most honest/emotionally driven things I’ve written.”

LA fam can catch her on December 8th at The Roxy with Shawn Wasabi. Tickets available here.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Bronze Whale - "Never"

On Friday Austin based duo Bronze Whale unveiled their latest single, “Never”. The electro-pop outfit have been working diligently on their upcoming full length, The Shape of Things, and have been sharing some tastes of what’s to come along the way with songs like, “One”, “Gold Grain”, “Patterns”, and “Warm”.

Speaking on the new single, the band shared, “‘Never’ is about grief, loss, and the stages we go through to bring our head above water.” They added, “we wanted the music to represent these feelings just as much as the lyrics, so we built this song with the idea of muted melodies that erupt with emotion in the choruses.”

In addition to working on the new album they also recently returned from a trip to LA trip and are finishing up some collaborations they worked on with Khai, Pronouncedyeah, and Aire Atlantica. 

If you happen to be in the Austin area you can catch the band on December 2nd at Sweater Beats.

[SONG OF THE DAY] Slum Sociable - "Afterthought"

Slum fam are back! When last we ran into the dynamic duo that is Slum Sociable it was back in June with their single, “Can’t Figure It Out”. During their downtime they managed to team up with Kim Moyes from The Presets along with producer Konstantin Kersting (The Jungle Giants, Mallrat) for their brand new single, “Afterthought”.

As you may recall, their self-titled sophomore full-length saw a slight delay in release due to singer Miller Upchurch’s struggling with depression but ultimately ended with them dropping a heart wrenching album (and if I’m being honest, one of my favorites of the year). With every single that they’ve dropped since then it’s very obvious that Upchurch is in a lot better place than he was previously. Their latest single, “Afterthought”, is a moment of reflection where Upchurch wishes he had done certain things differently. “Looking back on them can be frustrating”, he explained, “so I channeled my frustrations of not acting sooner into this song.”

Given that Upchurch’s voice has quickly climbed the ranks as one of my favorite all time voices, it is to be expected that I am so happy to hear that things seem to be going better for him.

In addition to this new song, the band has announced that they’re going to be hosting The First Annual Slum Sociable Xmas Special along with guests Two People and Ro at Corner Hotel in Richmond, Victoria (Australia obviously).

If anyone would like to pitch in for plane tickets this may legitimately be all I want for Kibbmas, especially if they’re actually planning on playing “Last Christmas”. Sigh.