Features
New Noise: Glamour Lakes, Tropical Strength, Hollow Press, Seams
By Mess+Noise
This week’s roundup of Soundcloud goodness features quietly experimental missives from Perth, Adelaide and coastal NSW.
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– Glamour Lakes is Adelaide’s Michael Radzevicius, previously of the duo Bing Goes to Monaco and solo project Glisk. Following January’s 10” Canicule on Silo Arts, he’s just released the free four-song Retention Colour EP. It’s more pulsing and gleaming electronic bliss, with a lot of understated morphing going on. The below ‘Make You See’ has a pleasant drone to it as well, while being no less accessible for it. Also check out his recent mixtape with Generic People, and catch Glamour Lakes live in his hometown in the coming weeks.
Sat, July 20 – Ghost Ships, Adelaide, SA [w/Forces + Major Crimes]
Sun, July 21 – Exeter, Adelaide, SA [w/Sam Nicholson]
Thurs, Aug 15 – Exeter, Adelaide, SA [w/Major Napier]
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– Much less harrowing than the novel and film of the same name, ‘Wake in Fright’ is the serene debut single from Tropical Strength. The duo is comprised of brothers Alastair and Russell Webster from coastal Austinmer, NSW (both also of Shining Bird). The molasses-paced tune previews an EP due later this year on Antelope Recordings, the Inertia-distributed label that released the last Ernest Ellis record. Described as “a meditative journey through spiritual Australiana,” it’s got a good bit of Flaming Lips in it while still sounding like two dudes jamming in the front room.
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– This isn’t the first New Noise appearance from Hollow Press, the alter ego of Adelaide’s prolific Shaun McNamara. But while last November’s album Between Us was strictly a solo affair, the new Night Falls features witchy vocals from PoetryAmenità. On the below ‘Summer Night’, her layered delivery is every bit as foreboding as the discordant, industrial-damaged ambience surrounding it. The limited CD-R of Night Falls can be ordered now from Phantasma Disques. Immerse yourself in the appropriately unnerving video for ‘When All Else Fails’ here.
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– Perth quartet Seams have dropped a fair few songs here and there, but April’s Bad Prisms seems to be their first proper EP. It’s intimate experimental pop shot through with “guitars, synthesisers, drums, machines, Theremins, violins and whatever else we can find in the back shed.” ‘Town Square’ is especially pop-friendly, thanks to its harmony hook and the dulcet lead vocals of Louisa Burton, although ‘Blueberries’ is a close second. Since forming in 2010, Seams have opened for Best Coast, Ouch My Face and Eagle & The Worm. The band includes Lyndon Blue, half of Spirit Level with Erasers’ Rupert Thomas.
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