69 – ‘Japanese Fighting Fish’, ‘Ozonna’ and ‘Monarchy of Roses’
Japanese Fighting Fish:
www.japanesefightingfish.co.uk
Ozonna:
“The man getting his regular short back and sides smiles with intrigue at the figure in the doorway. This Camden hairdresser isn’t used to visits from unfamiliar faces. The bespectacled guest, dressed in a faded denim jacket and rolled shorts, begins to strum a Ukulele, giving his adopted crowd a rendition of his latest song, “I love me”. Even the stubborn buzz of the last few clippers has been silenced within moments. Two minutes later he leaves, followed by looks of affection and bemusement.
African-born electro popper Ozonna may have chosen an unusual way to market himself, but in today’s hyper competitive music industry it pays to be original. Even pop queen Lady Gaga used to have to stand scantily clad on tables in bars, screaming along to Black Sabbath records to get noticed. Visiting some of London’s coiffeurs to play impromptu gigs may not hold the same shock-value, but it’s the perfect place for Ozonna to deliver his message.
And that message is simple; he is trying to empower people through his music. “I want people to feel positive about how they look and feel,” he says. “Playing at the hairdressers, I wanted to tell people that they don’t need to spend lots of money to look beautiful, they are already. It is positive music for the soul.”
Ozonna himself even admits that the message can be seen as clichéd. But it’s the way that message is delivered on his new single, “I love me”, that the London-based artist eliminates any sense of been-here-before. An eclectic mix of influences has inspired the record, which delivers pop hooks underpinned with genuine musical ideology. Think Marina and the Diamonds, Madonna and a hint of Gaga, and you begin to get the idea. But Ozonna’s sound is still wholly individual.
On “I love me”, his unique vocal range is laid bare. It is fragile yet captivating. Combined with the Ukulele and boppy synth the track epitomises what the young musician is all about. It strikes at the core of the vanity of society, why people should ignore the critics and love themselves. It is refreshing to hear a passionate edge to an essentially pop-infused track. This theme is continued in “Perfect day to die”, another creation that reveals a strong sense of musicality in Ozonna’s work, with muted strings and a clean cut piano riff providing a perfect foundation for the heartfelt lyrics. “Stupid self” and “I don’t give a damn” are further rebellious outlets. The latter tinged with the sound of an early Annie Lennox track. ”
(Info obtained from Ozonna’s facebook page here)
Monarchy Of Roses:
“Monarchy Of Roses are a new group who were formed in North London with a range of influences including Soul, 60s beat, Blues. Under guidance of singer/songwriter Craig Ingham and now joined by Bassist Alex Montague. Looking for world domination and exposure! Welcome to The Kingdom Of North London Soul!”
(Info obtained from the band’s facebook page here)
56 – ‘The Harlots’, ‘Big Num’, and ‘Shag Nasty’
The Harlots:
“An upcoming band based in the heart of London whose members are Sherwin Claridge (Vocals & Guitar), Enrique Moreno (Lead Guitar), Florent Amador (Bass Guitar) & Adam Szabo (Drums). Their success can be attributed to the fact that having only been together for only half a year have already established a highly coveted and personal sound.
Their style is easily recognisable due to their vast range of influences. From classic British Rock ‘n’ Roll such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones all the way to The Libertines’ punk and iconic bands of the 90’s (Oasis & Blur).
Their set list which has arisen as a results of many rehearsals serves as the strongest evidence of The Harlots’ creativity, performance skills and coordination amongst band members. They have a promising year ahead of them in which they are eager to present their passion and song writing capability.
In brief, The Harlots are a band formed by ambitious young musicians who deserve the opportunity to showcase their talent to the world.”
(Info obtained from the band’s facebook page here)
Big Num:
“An English take on full-size, brash American stadium rock, Big Num putting a completely wonderful modern alternative, heavy scope onto a soulful and honest vocal that sheers Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones with glints of Bono or Jack White. Classic rock in the vein of Billy Idol dazzlingly sped up to a contemporary model with an eccentric overtone of grinding, stirring guitars and lyrics that demand head-bang brutality. They serve shout-a-long enthralment with an accomplished style and batch of finely and expertly arranged songs which sound well rounded and memorable. This band is an absolutely lustrous and gallant gem in the British rock scene.”
(Info obtained from the band’s facebook page here)
Shag Nasty:
“We are the original UK punk rock band SHAG NASTY not to be confused with later pretenders and inferior US imports. We’ve been gigging and making records since 1977… all for your enjoyment. So lock up your Grans because SHAG NASTY are back”.
(Info obtained from the band’s facebook page here)
50 – ‘Hot Panda’, ‘Rotifer’ and ‘Auction For The Promise Club’
Hot Panda:
“Hot Panda are just two boys and two girls from Edmonton trying to do the same thing they’ve always tried to do: play some kind of rock and roll that’ll make people dance and feel happy…Simple stuff!
These kids -Maghan Campbell (drums), Chris Connelly (vocals, guitar), Catherine Hiltz (bass), and Heath Parsons (keys, accordion) – have toured so much in the past few years that their shabby van, $30 motel rooms, and stranger’s floors feel more like home these days than their own beds. Since the release of their first EP (2008’s Whale Headed Girl) and their subsequent signing to Vancouver’s Mint Records, the band has zigged and zagged their raucous live show across North America (ok, minus Mexico, but still…) and Europe on planes, trains, and automobiles until they thought they might die!
They’ve snapped pictures of themselves under the Eiffel Tower, played on a stage once graced by the Beatles in Hamburg, and visited royal palaces in Vienna, all when they went on tour opening for the Von Bondies across Europe in April, 2009! They’ve also had wonderful times playing at festivals like SXSW in Austin, Texas, CMJ Music Marathon in New York, and North of the border at Pop Montreal, Halifax Pop Explosion, Sled Island in Calgary, and NXNE in Toronto. Along the way, they’ve played with lots of other bands they love, like Art Brut, The Raveonettes, Tokyo Police Club, Chad Van Gaalen, Electric 6, Crystal Antlers, and lots more. So, in short, it’s been some kind of adventure!
Yet, as great adventures often go, this one suffered some moments of ugly struggle. November 2009 marked the departure of one of their founding members, shortly before the band was supposed to record their sophomore release. However, despite this sad and unsettling blow, the band kept their heads held high long enough to snag Catherine Hiltz as their new bass player/multi-instrumentalist. Hiltz’s arrival, however, has majorly revitalized the band- it’s a long story, but in short, Hot Panda is having fun again, and they’re damn happy about it!
How Come I’m Dead? (Out on Mint Records October 12, 2010), a follow up to 2009’s acclaimed Volcano…Bloody Volcano!, was written with Hiltz and recorded at Vancouver’s JC/DC studios during the chaos of the 2010 Winter Olympics. It has a playful sense of humour to it, revealing the band’s sense of relief and the return of ridiculous good times since Hiltz’s arrival. Like Volcano, How Come I’m Dead draws inspiration from music’s most random corners- the album has moments of dreamy noise, circus freak dance, heartbreaking country ballads with screeching metal guitar solos, lovely harmonies, psychadelic drones, and straight up pop/rock numbers. There’s even a hip-hop track, which includes a bass scratch solo and enough f-bombs to earn them an adult content warning sticker- which tumbles directly into a grinding techno song!
Watch for Hot Panda in a town near you this fall- joyfully dispensing their new rock and roll tunes as they tour North America starting in September!”
(Quote obtained from the band’s official website)
Rotifer:
Auction For The Promise Club:
www.auctionforthepromiseclub.co.uk
“Recently listed in the Marie Claire UK Playlist alongside Florence and the Machine and I Blame Coco, 2011 is year proving to be a for the unsigned band,Auction for the Promise Club.
Introduced on BBC 6 Music by Tom Robinson and on XFM by John Kennedy as well as regional BBC Radio Show’s across the country, the female-fronted rock band have garnered critical acclaim for their unique sound, which channels shoegaze through giant hooks and huge choruses.
2010 saw Auction for the Promise Club support Paolo Nutini and Martha Wainright at the Eden Sessions and also Reverend and The Makers. The band has racked up performances at some of the country’s most renowned venues, including Liverpool’s Cavern Club, Birmingham’s Gatecrasher and the ICA in London, as well as headlining a closing show at London Fashion Week, Jalouse, Mayfair. ”
(Quote obtained from the band’s official website)
42 – ‘The Lost Boys’, ‘The Doll Mechanics’ and ‘Sam Batt’
The Lost Boys:
www.myspace.com/officiallostboys
“Witty and catchy Indie Pop from Southampton. If you like your music short, sharp, quirky and yet touching, then hopefully you’ll like ours.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
The Doll Mechanics:
“The band was formed by lead singer/songwriter Lauren James. Drummer Sam Wilmott and Lauren attended music school together and had been playing in various band formations in London over the last year. In February 2011 they welcomed new guitarist Daniel Jones and bass player David Rudin to their new identity… The Doll Mechanics!”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Sam Batt:
“Her songs have an unusual quality of honesty, depth and humour very much belonging to the craft of songwriting and what it takes to move someone, mixing heartfelt story-telling with catchy melodies and clever quirky lyrics that make you smile and stand strong enough alone to carry a solo acoustic performance.
Her voice is emotive and charismatic, sweet seductive tones that can break your heart, make you laugh and turn you on all in the space of 20 seconds.
Live she makes you feel that the songs are written and performed just for you, even in a crowd of thousands. Sam Batt’s unique sound lives in the spaces between Chrissie Hynde, Jamiroquai, Manu Chao and more traditional acoustic flavours of artists like Jack Johnson, Joni Mitchell and Mouse – her voice also has a raw, dynamic quality more akin to Cerys Matthews or Stevie Nicks.”
(Biography info obtained from the artist’s website)
37 – ‘Eliza Jaye and The Tarts’, ‘Codes’, ‘Air Castles’ and ‘The Good Suns’
Eliza Jaye and The Tarts:
www.myspace.com/elizajayeandthetarts
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
Codes:
“C O D E S . are an alternative/electronic quartet from Dublin, Ireland. Expansive yet melodic. Powerful yet delicate, their music colours the void between the ambience and longevity of soundtrack music and the energy and immediacy of live music..
Soaring vocal harmonies, dreamy arrangements and a calculated cryptography of electronic beats, piano, glockenspiel and analogue synths permeate their sound.
Codes debut album “Trees Dream In Algebra” which was recorded in Gloucestershire UK & mixed in Auckland, New Zealand with acclaimed producer Greg Haver (Manics, SFA) and mastered in NYC by Greg Calbi (U2,Interpol,Kings of Leon) is out now. It was the winner of Best Album 2009 in Phantom FM Dublin’s annual awards, is featured in hotpress magazine’s top 200 Irish albums of all time and was nominated for The Choice Music Prize 2010.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Air Castles:
“Air Castles is a London based band led by Swedish born singer-songwriter Max Mansson.
Starting off as a home recording project in 2008 by the then 19-year-old Mansson, Air Castles has since recorded an EP and an album together with Magnus Lindberg of Cult of Luna.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
The Good Suns:
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
35 – ‘The Kabeedies’, ‘Town’ and ‘Fractures’
The Kabeedies:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
Town:
“Formed on a love of iconic British bands like the The Clash, The Undertones and The Jam (to name a few), a working class work ethic and no-nonsense approach; South Wales quartet TOWN’s debut offering, the ‘Original Design’ EP, documents the knocks and scrapes of being a youth in modern day Britain.
It’s certainly not all doom and gloom though, lead single ‘Eighteen’, as frontman, Alex Nash explains, “focuses on a prime time in our teenage years, where you’re expected to follow the system and fall into the generic nine-to-five lifestyle, having only 48 hours on the weekend to let off steam. You don’t have to take a journey on that conveyor belt, and can do whatever you want to do, be whoever you want to be.”
It’s attitude like that, that has seen the band begin to make waves up and down the UK with their relatable subject matter, no matter what bill they’re playing on, following shows alongside the likes of The Buzzcocks, The Bluetones, Kids In Glass Houses and One Night Only.
Produced by Romesh Dodangoda (Motorhead, Manic Street Preachers, Lostprophets) at Long Wave Studios and the legendary Rockfield Studios, ‘Original Design’ is both anthemic and ambitious, serving as a perfect introduction to TOWN and should whet the appetite for what will surely be an exciting future for the Newport outfit.”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Fractures:
www.soundcloud.com/wearefractures
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
34 – ‘Jax Walker’, ‘Chaser’, ‘Some Skeletons’ and ‘Wyndham North’
Jax Walker:
“A culture clash, Jax Walker is a musician / producer & illustrator interweaving a deadly combo of classic Hiphop with sprawling, electronic indie. A brain blast of Pulsating Basslines, Bulletproof Beats, Trashy Keyboards and Human Voice, the most fun you can have with your own ears!
Backed by his head turning live band, Jax regularly packs out some of the most notorious haunts across the country, recent gigs include the Waterats, The Deaf Institute, Nottinghill Arts Club, Antwerp Mansion, Proud Camden, the Night & Day et al. With future ear bursting releases on the agenda, expect big things over the coming months.”
(Quote obtained from the artists’ myspace page)
Chaser:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
Some Skeletons:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
Wyndham North:
(No biography info available)
29 – ‘The Touch’, ‘Vetoes’, ‘The Recusants’ and ‘Pharaohs From The Grave’
The Touch:
“The Touch initially made a name for themselves with their party inducing Dance-Punk sets around Adelaide in 2008. Since then the band has expanded their sound adding ethereal vocal hooks, multi-layerd washes of synth and intricate guitar interplay whilst loosing none of their energetic delivery. The band has played numerous high profile Australian festivals (Big Day Out, Parklife and One Movement) and supported bands like Phoenix, Ladyhawke, Miami Horror, The Swiss and many more. ”
(Quote obtained from the band’s facebook page)
Check out The Touch‘s music video for ‘SHOT’:
Vetoes:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
The Recusants:
(No biography info available on the artists’ website)
Pharaohs From The Grave:
www.myspace.com/pharaohsfromthegrave
“An alternative punk rock band of London musicians Emily Wolf O, Katharine Kibela, UJ and Par Mahn. Formed in 2009. Set to release their EP ‘Machines’ in June 2011.”
27 – ‘Boy Mandeville’, ‘Safari’, ‘Raquels’ and ‘Lion Tops’
Boy Mandeville:
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
Safari:
(No biography info available on the artist’s website)
Raquels:
www.myspace.com/raquelsofficial
“Raquels are are four piece indie band based in Basildon, Essex. Being from a place so sinonymous with crime, violence and all the spoils of the nouveau riche you can’t help but feel it has had an unquestionable influence on their music. Dark and brooding like the history surrounding the Basildon club from which they take their name with sharp glacial guitar sounds, drum beats faster than a Ford XR2 & a vocal delivery so honest you cannot doubt the twisted tales of everyday life in a typical new town.”
Lion Tops:
20 – ‘The Bright Young People’, ‘Healer/Monster’, ‘Tin Pan Gang’, and ‘Paperface’
The Bright Young People:
www.myspace.com/thebrightyoungpeople
Healer/Monster:
Tin Pan Gang:
http://www.myspace.com/tinpangang
Paperface:
http://www.myspace.com/thisispaperface
14 – ‘The Savage Nomads’, ‘The Method’, ‘Hi-Life Wedding’, and ‘Letters To Fiesta”
The Savage Nomads:
www.myspace.com/thesavagenomads
The Method:
www.myspace.com/methodofficial
Hi-Life Wedding:
Letters To Fiesta:
www.myspace.com/letterstofiesta
London Unsigned Music 