Category: Penguin Press

Opkomende Leidse grooveband Yachtwerk releaset single Bike

De wind door je haren, de eindeloze race en de obstakels die op je (fiets)pad komen; op 4 augustus brengt de Delftse soul/rock band Yachtwerk het nummer ‘Bike’ uit. Hierin bejubelen ze – hoe kan het ook anders – de fiets! Maar er schuilt meer achter.

Dit oeroude vervoermiddel wordt namelijk gebruikt als een metafoor voor het leven, wat één grote rit vol pieken en dalen is. De onvermijdelijke eindbestemming is aan de horizon maar blijf bewust van het niet-oneindige aantal hoogtepunten in deze reis. Het credo is dan ook ‘just ride the lane of life’ en zo voelt het nummer ook; up tempo, avontuurlijk en vol met onverwachte wendingen. De shuffle, die doet denken aan ‘Reelin’ In The Years’ van Steely Dan, zorgt samen met de baspartij voor een strakke groove, waarover de gitaarpartijen en de speelse zang voortbewegen.

Het nummer ‘Bike’ maakt de EP ‘Light Fantastic’ compleet, na het eerder uitbrengen van singles ‘Fay’ en ‘Wise In Every Way’. Deze drie nummers op de EP zorgen voor mooi geheel, die niet verkeerd zouden klinken, tijdens een autorit langs de Amerikaanse westkust. De EP eindigt een succesvolle eerste helft van 2023 voor de band, met optredens op Westerpop en TivoliVredenburg.

Chabliz & Dizzy Panda brengen speciale EP en videoclips uit

Chabliz bracht op vrijdag 14 juli een gezamenlijke EP uit op de streamingdiensten, samen met de Haarlemse band Dizzy Panda, waarbij elk van deze bands een eigen bewerking heeft gemaakt van een bestaand nummer van de ander.



De inspiratie voor dit project ontstond nadat de bands elkaar ontdekten via de Snob 2000. Dizzy Panda behaalde afgelopen december de 1124e plek, terwijl Chabliz met één van hun nummers (een cover/bewerking van Joy Division’s ‘New Dawn Fades’) vlakbij ze stonden op plek 1122.

Chabliz heeft het nummer ‘Bite My Tongue’ van Dizzy Panda uit 2021 bewerkt. Hierbij zijn de beats weggelaten en is Chabliz-zangeres Petra een duet aangegaan met Ntll, de originele vocaliste van de song. Bovendien zijn de instrumenten deels vervangen en aangevuld met eigen instrumenten, waaronder Pim op piano en Marcel op gestreken contrabas. Het nummer heeft nu een nog meer filmische uitstraling gekregen. Het is een song over liefdesverdriet (ldvd).

Dizzy Panda koos het nummer ‘Glastonbury Grove’ van het nieuwste Chabliz album ‘Heroes and Foes,’dat afgelopen herfst uitkwam. Ook dit origineel betreft een filmisch nummer en is dan ook geïnspireerd op de serie Twin Peaks van regisseur David Lynch. Dizzy Panda heeft geprobeerd om de sfeer van de serie neer te zetten. Het nummer hebben ze volledig opgebouwd uit losse samples van de originele song. Van Chabliz kregen ze 1 voorwaarde mee: Er moest van elke muzikant iets worden gebruikt. En zo komen samples van de oorspronkelijke contrabas, piano en zang terug in de bewerking van het nummer. Verder zitten er allerlei verwijzingen naar de serie Twin Peaks en de regisseur in het nummer verwerkt. Als een Dada collage, net als het artwork van het ‘Heroes and Foes’ album.

Dizzy Panda en Chabliz hebben met hun wederzijdse bewerkingen een nieuwe dimensie toegevoegd aan elkaars muziek. Een mooi experiment!

Noise merchants from Holland release debut EP

Being called the “Noise Merchants from Holland” almost sounded like a dare. So who are they not to live up to the expectation? On july 14 Velveteen Rabbit releases their self titled debut EP. And noisy it is.

Influenced by the rawness of a early PJ Harvey, with a dash of Bad Brains and a grainy sauce of METZ they operate on the verge of punkrock, grunge and metal. Their live energy is contagious and they tend to surprise you with style shifts and breaks. “Every song is a like a movie scene, and we want to pour it into the best audible shape. No matter the style” In its short life Velveteen Rabbit already played Appelpop Festival, opened for War On Women and Beware of Banshees Festival.

The EP contains four songs and the single ‘My Stitches Itch’ was released as a teaser for the upcoming EP. But due to a change of drummer, and digging deep to give the songs their best sound and mixing, it took a little longer than originally planned. The artwork was custom made by Joost Vervoort (Terzij de Horde) while listening to the EP. So the package is complete now and it’s ready to be thrown out there. After all, it is the year of the rabbit.

More info & shows: https://velveteenrabb.it/

“Serpent” is a must-listen for anyone who loves electronic pop music.

YME is back with a new song: Serpent Rising female artist YME has just released her latest single “Serpent,” which is sure to captivate audiences with its mesmerizing electronic pop sound. The musical style is a unique blend of the above genres, which creates an upbeat and energizing feel, while still maintaining a very soothing ethereal flow. The way a serpent twists and moves is almost hypnotic, so the title of the track matches this vibe to absolute perfection.

With its catchy beats and haunting vocals, “Serpent” showcases YME’s unique blend of electronic and pop influences. The song tells a story of temptation and the allure of the unknown, inviting listeners to dive deeper. The opening notes of the track immediately draw you in, and from there, you’re hooked. What’s interesting about “Serpent” is that it’s both catchy and hypnotic. The melody is relatively simple, but it is the ebb and flow of the track that makes it so entrancing.

YME’s mesmerizing vocals and captivating lyrics are perfectly complemented by the track’s electronic production, which creates an otherworldly atmosphere that draws listeners in and keeps them hooked until the very end. it’s clear that a lot of attention to detail was put into every aspect of the track. The use of synths and drums makes the song incredibly catchy and infectious, while the vocals are delivered with such emotion and power that they really resonate with the listener. The way the music builds and swells, it’s almost like you’re watching a scene unfold before your eyes. It’s the kind of music that transports you to another world, and that’s why it’s so addictive.

“Serpent” is just the latest release from YME, who has been making waves in the music industry with her unique sound and powerful voice. Fans of electronic pop are sure to love this latest offering, which showcases YME’s talent as both a songwriter and performer. To add to that, it is really impressive to acknowledge that YME writes all the lyrics by herself. She also produces music with Marco Roosink, who helps her bring her vision to life beautifully. “Serpent” is an absolutely masterful example of that!

Ultimately, YME is living proof that music has the power to inspire and bring people together. She wants to inspire the audience to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact in the world, creating a sense of community with her beautiful songs. By staying true to her values and using music to make a positive impact, YME is sure to leave a lasting legacy and make the world a better place, one song at a time! “Serpent” is the next in line in a beautiful succession of incredibly catchy songs that are solidifying YME’s place in the music industry.

Nocturnal Chronicles: Nachtwaker’s Ethereal Blend of Genres

What began as a conceptual idea between two friends has evolved into a serious project with a unique sound over the last six years: Nachtwaker. With a passion for dreamy yet bombastic music and drawing inspiration from European medieval folklore for their lyrics, Nachtwaker delivers a distinctive blend of 80s new wave, 90s shoegaze, doom, and progressive and psychedelic rock.

The concept of Nachtwaker emerged six years ago and gradually took shape in the following years. The passing of a close friend and fellow musician from a former band, two years ago, prompted the members of Nachtwaker to approach the project more seriously and further develop it. It became a part of the grieving process, and this emotional journey has imbued Nachtwaker’s music with even greater strength.

For the lyrics of their songs, Nachtwaker draws much inspiration from ancient tales and medieval folklore, and their band name reflects this connection. The Nachtwaker, or “Night Watcher,” was the one who extinguished the lanterns in the city at night and reignited them in the morning, all while keeping an eye on the town in the darkness. This encapsulates precisely what Nachtwaker does: they create dark music but also strive to bring light into the darkness, offering solace and acting as an emotional beacon during somber times.

In their live performances, Nachtwaker takes the stage with a 7-piece band to fully convey the layers of their music, creating a wall of sound that is as grandiose as possible and captivating the audience to the maximum.

The members of Nachtwaker are no strangers to the Dutch music scene. They have previously played in bands such as TWINS, Nowhere Near, Rogue Minor, and Karmic Seeds. They have performed at notable venues like TivoliVredenburg and won the Utrecht Popprijs 2018 while also being semi-finalists in the Grote Prijs van Nederland. With Nachtwaker, they are ready for the next big step, adding a new chapter to their musical careers.

In the coming period, Nachtwaker aims to focus on releasing their first three singles, followed by their debut EP, titled “1374.” Their wishlist includes touring various music venues and festivals, with medium-sized stages across the country as their main objective. The groundwork for a second EP has already been laid, and with this material in hand, Nachtwaker plans to release a follow-up EP in 2024.

Nachtwaker is:
Jorrit de Boer – Lead Songwriter, Vocals, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Keys
Menno Ansems – Producer, Sound Engineer & Drums
Freya Weijkamp – (Backing) Vocals and Illustrator/Graphic Designer

 

 

The Stone Souls – All I Want

We have arrived at a new chapter of the musical journey of The Stone Souls: together with their traveling companions they will make a short movie! The new single “All I Want” is the first track from “Splinter”, their upcoming Original Soundtrack EP. Big Led Zeppelin style drums, accompanied by The Stone Souls’ classic dobro slide guitar, immediately set the mood. On “All I Want” Theodor provides the vocals.

The Song
‘All I Want’ is a rocksong about trauma: breaking into a million pieces, like glass smashed on the floor. Musically influenced by both Jack White and Jimmy Page but also All Them Witches, Queens of the Stone Age and 16 Horsepower.
“The depths of darkest days are tough but also start of healing and eventually growth. The only way out is to go through…”

Bio
The Stone Souls take you on a sonic road trip with their heavy stoner rock riffs, rootsy tracks and subtle americana songs: straight from the meadows of Old-Zevenaar (NL).

Lowaddicts – All The Dreams You Took

‘All The Dreams You Took describes a dark period for us, where we couldn’t look forward and dream for a while. Getting up, doing your daily routines, getting to bed but without the ability to dream. We’ve tried to capture that feeling of roaming in the dark and turn it into a track with a dreamy feel but at the same time gives you the feeling that you can’t move forward’.

Listen and read more about Lowaddicts.

Bayline – Trophy Heads

Trophy Heads is a song about the ongoing trophy hunting. Written through the mind of an animal that is telling the hunter what he thinks about the fact that he is being used for people to get high esteem, while pretending to care about the animals they kill. If this doesn’t stop… Soon they will all be gone.

Trophy Heads is the third single of the upcoming debut album of Bayline which will be released in collaboration with Suburban Records.

STEEV – Morgen

‘Morgen’ is de laatste single van STEEV en de eerste van een serie singles en videoclips die deze lente en zomer verschijnen. Met ‘Morgen’ kijkt STEEV in volzinnen vooruit en beschrijft hij de hoop en wanhoop die in iedere toekomst schuilt. Het uitstellen van wat gedaan moet worden; het werken om in het vervolg beter te zijn; het klaarmaken voor dat wat komen gaat.

De kennis dat ‘Morgen’ alles anders kan zijn. Een introspectieve track met een herkenbaar thema voor velen.

Dada’s Troost releases “Time Of Need”

The single Times of need is the successor to their single Visit From A Friend, which was released March 17th 2023. Where Visit From A Friend was about reflecting on the past, this song is about the here and now. The song describes the short period of bliss when one is clean for a few days.

“It is always a moment of high energy, excitement, creativity and big plans. But on the other hand, there is always the risk and even the acceptance that there will be a relapse” Musically, Times of Need can best be described as an Alt-Rock song with a strong 90’s vibe, mixing electro, rock and funk-rock.

The combination of uplifting composition and dark vocals creates a melancholy atmosphere.

Link to video: https://youtu.be/II5ST7lXLMc