VLURE ‘Escalate’
Since they first burst onto the scene with the incendiary ‘Shattered Faith’, we’ve watched VLURE’s every move. From dark and dingy Glasgow basements to those early recordings that emerged from their DIY studio, it was clear that something special was afoot. Now the band have fully realised that huge potential with the release of their debut album ‘Escalate’ – one of the best debuts, if not the best debut of the year. At their core, they are still that same band – shaped by catharsis, euphoria, love, friendship, and, of course, Glasgow. Those early singles were a blend of jagged post-punk, euphoric synths and industrial influences, led by Hamish Hutcheson’s distinctive, commanding delivery – but on ‘’Escalate’, they take everything further. Channelling the spirit of Faithless and The Prodigy, they climb even higher – bringing scintillating electronic influences together with raw emotion, dense guitars and gripping turns of pace. Evoking nights on the dancefloor, it’s explosive, cathartic, euphoric and absolutely inspiring. A band who have put in the hours, blood, sweat and tears, they leave nothing behind on this thrilling debut – meeting all lofty expectations and then some.
Brogeal ‘Draw The Line’
‘Draw The Line’ is the new single from Brògeal, taken from their upcoming debut album Tuesday Paper Club, out 17th October. The latest release is an accordion-led roustabout, and is a portrait of Falkirk’s sketchy local characters, lyrically destined for either “the jail or in the ground”. Singer Daniel talks about the track:
“‘Draw The Line’ is a song I wrote about the sort of people you get in small towns who deludedly think that they run the place because they sell drugs and think they’re the hard man, the sort of love island looking coke heads, everybody knows one. It’s a strange subject matter but it’s full of tongue in cheek lyrics and has a certain melancholy about it because at the end of the day I can’t help feel sorry for these guys. It was written to sound like an Irish Rebel song and it still does in ways but when the boys jumped on it’s adapted this Libertines, The Clash sort of sound which we love.”
Scotstown Dance Band ‘Dainty Davie’
Following the release of their debut EP ‘post-Ceilidh’, Scotstown Dance Band have shared a new single called ‘Dainty Davie’. Described as their version of a Scottish folk song, it’s often featured their live shows – effortlessly combining their knack for rich storytelling and traditional folk influences. Led by Jacob Green’s raw, raspy vocal, it’s a warm, infectious return that gives the accordion its chance to shine.
Tomorrow Kid ‘Take The Dive’
After cutting his teeth in indie pop band PLASMAS, Dundee-based songwriter Ross McQueen is now releasing music under his new moniker Tomorrow Kid. After taking some time out to deal with a rare hearing condition, he retreated to the studio to hone in on his sound and refine his songwriting with more purpose. Now ready to show the results of these sessions, he’s sharing a new single called ‘Take The Dive’ – written alongside the prolific Johnny Madden. Full of hooks, heart-on-sleeve lyrics and raw, punky energy, it’s a soaring return that indicates a bright future ahead.
Mairi Sutherland ‘Uncanny Comparisons’
We first saw Mairi Sutherland support Lizzie Reid at our TTV gigs at Paisley Arts Centre earlier this year, where she held the room to a standstill with her delicate folky tunes and lyrical storytelling. After performing some if its material at that show, she unveiled her new EP ‘Uncanny Comparisons’ last week – a beautifully produced five-track project that showcases her huge potential. With clear inspiration from the likes of Laura Marling, Nick Drake and Joni Mitchell, there’s something incredibly timeless about her carefully crafted sound – from her warm, full vocals to her intricate, finger-picked melodies, exploring personal themes through her poetic lyrics.
