Festivals to Combine with a City Break
What better way to extend your festival escape than by planning a city break alongside it? Plenty of the world’s most sought-after festivals offer breath-taking nearby cities just waiting to be explored.
Explore the local area and indulge in culture and cuisine, visit landmarks and tourist attractions. The possibilities are endless, and can make your festival trip even more exciting.
Secret Solstice / Reykjavik
Set in the heart of Iceland’s capital city Reykjavík, Secret Solstice festival is surrounded by captivating scenery. Taking place during the summer solstice when the sun never sets, this unique festival offers an out of this world experience for attendees.
The festival is ideal for combining with a city break, with Reykjavíc offering breath-taking architecture nestled amongst the city’s incredible natural landscape. Reykjavíc is hailed for its incredible nightlife, with a vast array of inviting bars and clubs scattered across the city. Plenty of day trips are also available, including dolphin and whale watching boat trips, volcanic crater and glacier visits, and plenty more Icelandic adventures. The iconic Blue Lagoon is also within travelling distance, offering the ultimate geothermal spa experience. Truly bringing Iceland’s history and scenery to life, the festival even hosts a party inside Europe’s second biggest glacier, something that cannot be experienced anywhere else.
Secret Solstice takes place from 21-24 June 2018. More info available at secretsolstice.is
EXIT Festival / Belgrade
Just a short ride away from the Serbian capital Belgrade, EXIT takes place in the magical Petrovaradin Fortress set high on the banks of the river Danube in Novi Sad provides the perfect setting for the EXIT Festival. Started as a student protest in 2000 fighting for political change and freedom, EXIT continues to spread positive vibes, promoting change and positive education, supporting many community and humanitarian missions, while throwing a damn good party.
Belgrade has a reputation as an all-year party city, with a vibrant and diverse party scene with everything from jazz to Gypsy folk and techno, which has its roots in the 1990s where underground club culture provided a refuge from Milosevic’s regime. Local favourites include Underground Club and Drugstore and in the summer months, the parties move to the city’s waterways – the Danube and Sava rivers – where river boats provide the venues to dance the night away. As well as music the city also has a wealth of culture and mismatch of architecture. It still has many communist tower blocks but is also home to the world’s largest Eastern Orthodox church and the Wander Kalemegdan, which are ruins of a fortress built to defend the city from the Ottomans.
EXIT Festival takes place from 12-15 July. More info available at exitfest.org
Positivus Festival / Riga
Taking place in the picturesque coastal town of Salacgriva in Latvia, Positivus is the transporting chart-topping headliners, underground emerging talent and exciting art and dance stages to their unspoiled atmospheric coastal setting amid stunning woodland. Festival goers can dip their toes in the Baltic sea or take in the atmosphere in a hammock beneath the trees while enjoying a rich diversity of international chart toppers and underground emerging talent in this idyllic holiday location.
With flights into Riga, Positivus is perfect for combining a city break in Latvia’s capital city. Riga is a hotspot of hip, bursting with alluring architecture and compelling culture an has a well-nourished art scene attracts creatives to it’s numerous galleries with Agija Sūna being the best for Latvian contemporary art. The city is also home to many Art Nouveau buildings, many of which can be seen while taking a leisurely stroll down Alberta Street, where the Riga Art Nouveau Museum epitomises the style. There is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Riga with buildings dating back to the 1400s and the old town is full of quaint cobbled streets filled with beer gardens and street cafes.
Positivus Festival takes place from 20-22 July 2018. More info available at positivusfestival.com
Lowlands Festival / Amsterdam
Get ready for A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise, taking place next to the Walib Fairgrounds, Biddinghuizen with impressive installations plus unique covers for all stages so you can enjoy all the music rain or shine.
Just a one-hour car ride from cultural hotspot Amsterdam, Lowlands Festival is the perfect event to combine with a city break. Combining the spectacular festival performances with a trip to The Netherlands’ capital makes for the perfect extended trip. Absorb the city’s rich history in one of the many museums or soak up the location’s vibrant culture in the Van Gogh museum. Enjoy a serene canal boat ride or party the night away in one of Amsterdam’s diverse, intimate clubs.
Lowlands Festival takes place from 17-19 August. More info available at lowlands.nl
OFF Festival / Katowice
OFF is a festival for the discerning music fan and the place to discover the best alternative acts from around the world. A truly unique boutique music festival, OFF Festival takes place in ‘Three Lake Valley’, Katowice – a beautiful green oasis in the heart of industrial Silesia. From the greatest alternative music stars from around the world to the increasingly strong Polish scene, OFF festival has inspiring music in abundance and the organisers and crowd have one serious finger on the pulse when it comes to music.
Katowice, is the capital of the Silesian province of Poland, is famous for its industrial past and excellent art scene. It may not be the obvious tourist destination with no castles, ancient ruins or hip bohemian districts, but what you will find is a stack of Industrial Tourism that will take you underground and through the abandoned factory floors that were once the booming heart of Poland’s Industrial Revolution. The Nikiszowiec quarter offers you the best insight into this kind of architecture and history; it is listed on several heritage registers and there is a big chance it is going to join UNESCO’s World Heritage List in the future. There is a big street art movement in the city thanks to the Streets Art festival with dozens of large-scale murals, which have been created not only by local artists, but also by well-known street artists, such as American Axel Void, Australian Ian Strange (Kid Zoom), Spanish Escifa or SpY. A trip on the trail of Katowice murals is a great alternative way to see the city and its hidden treasure
OFF Festival takes place from 3-5 August. More info available at offsklep.pl
Iceland’s Secret Solstice Announces Final Lineup, Side Party Headliners and Daily Schedule
Secret Solstice Adds All Day I Dream with Lee Burridge and YokoO, Dubfire, Bjarki and more local Icelandic acts + all new geothermal pool party
Iceland’s Secret Solstice Festival taking place for the fifth time this June 21-24 during 96 hours of straight sunlight in the world’s most northerly capital city of Reykjavik is pleased to present its final lineup and daily schedule as well as announcing the much anticipated acts for their incredible once-in-a-lifetime side parties. Adding SCI+TEC techno titan Dubfire and Iceland’s very own Bjarki to the bill, also new to Secret Solstice this year will be a special add-on event, a geothermal pool party set in the stunning surrounds of Hreppslaug swimming pool. WIth several bucket list side events to choose from all boasting top international and local talent as well as the addition of single day tickets for the opening concert on Thursday June 21 and Saturday June 23, there are plenty of options to experience the enchanting midnight sun in the land of fire and ice.
Secret Solstice is pleased to welcome All Day I Dream as it makes its Icelandic debut on Friday, June 22. A further addition to the lineup, this event features as one of their bespoke offsite events. Lee Burridge and YokoO’s vibe perfectly compliments the magical surroundings of Hreppslaug, a geothermal swimming pool. Pool party ticket holders can look forward to complimentary drinks and lunch as well as weaving melodic melodies and infectious grooves under a sun that refuses to set.
On Saturday, June 23, Into The Glacier ticket holders will dive deep into Langjökull, Europe’s second largest glacier in a rare chance to catch Dubfire throw down his heavy-hitting techno 80 feet below the surface in a stunning blue ice cave deep inside the glacier.
For those looking for something more downtempo, The Lava Tunnel offers the perfect opportunity to explore the magic hidden inside Raufarhólshellir, a 5,200 year old lava tunnel filled with natural ice sculptures and stalactites soundtracked by some of Iceland’s leading acoustic artists. Saturday, June 23 will see soulful singer/songwriter Una Stef play to the sold out crowd, pop rock and folk singer Birgir and up and comer GDRN with her soothing and hypnotic vocals take to the intimate Lava Tunnel stage. On Sunday, June 24, 6 piece electro indie band Valdimar, the “Norah Jones of Iceland,” songstress Ása and local folk singer and feel good legend Teitur Magnússon will showcase their talents to The Lava Tunnel pass holders in what is sure to be a standout experience of the entire festival.
Rounding out the latest additions to the international lineup are the United Kingdom’s Maxxi Soundsystem back by popular demand, Anton Fitz & Martin Loose-Cuts, DJ Caspa, Cole, Colin Perkins, Daniel Hamilton, Dino Gardiakos, Get Funky DJs, Just William, Martin Marson, as well as Iceland’s Ateria, Intr0beatz, Mókrókar, Orang Volante (Live), PJ Glaze, Rix, Röskva, Skrattar, and Þorri.
Secret Solstice is also pleased to present the day-by-day schedule as well as releasing tickets to the Opening Concert to catch the likes of Bonnie Tyler, Jet Black Joe and Steve Aoki on Thursday June 21. Saturday passes are now also available via the Secret Solstice website (www.secretsolstice.is) for June 23 for heavy-metal fans wanting to catch Slayer on their first and last show ever in Iceland as part of their Final World Tour.
Tickets to Secret Solstice presents: Geothermal Pool Party with ‘All Day I Dream’ 2018 at Hreppslaug on June 22 are on sale now for $145 USD via http://secretsolstice.is/side-events/
Tickets to The Lava Tunnel on June 23, and June 24 2018 are on sale now for $236 USD via http://secretsolstice.is/side-events/
Tickets to Into The Glacier on June 23, 2018 are on sale now for $318 USD via http://secretsolstice.is/side-events/
Tickets to the Opening Concert on June 21 are on sale now for $96 USD via the Secret Solstice website.
Saturday festival passes are on sale now for $145 USD via the Secret Solstice website.
Festival passes to Secret Solstice Festival 2018 start at $241 USD. Camping, and VIP tickets including Odinn and Package of the Gods are also on sale through the Secret Solstice website.
Full tour packages including flights, tickets and accommodation with Iceland’s top services including hotels, rentals, and airport transfers are also available via the Secret Solstice website.
Secret Solstice 2018 Final Lineup*
*Indicates new additions*
Slayer [US]
Stormzy [UK]
Gucci Mane [US]
Clean Bandit [UK]
Bonnie Tyler [UK]
Death From Above [CA]
Steve Aoki [US]
George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic [US]
Jet Black Joe [IS]
6lack [US]
GoldLink [US]
J Hus [UK]
Charlotte de Witte [BE]
Skream [UK]
Kollektiv Turmstrasse [DE]
Masego [US]
IAMDDB [UK]
Högni [IS]
GusGus (DJ) [IS]
Gentleman's Dub Club [UK]
*Dubfire [US]
*Lee Burridge [UK]
*Bjarki [IS]
Agent Fresco [IS]
Ali Love [UK]
Alvia [IS]
Andrea Jóns [IS]
*Anton Fitz & Martin Loose-Cuts [UK]
Aron Can [IS]
Artwork [UK]
Ása [IS]
*Ateria [IS]
Bensol [IS]
Between Mountains [IS]
Birgir [IS]
Birgir Hákon [IS]
Birnir [IS]
Captain Syrup [IS]
Carla Rosemary [IS]
CasaNova [IS]
Casio Fatso [IS]
Cell7 [IS]
*Cole [IT]
*Colin Perkins [IE]
Cosmic Bullshit [IS]
*Daniel Hamilton [ZA]
*Dino Gardiakos [US]
*DJ Caspa [UK]
DJ Frímann [IS]
DJ Karítas [IS]
Dream Wife [UK/IS]
Droog [US]
Earthgang [US]
Egyptian Lover [US]
Elli Grill [IS]
Ern [US]
Fever Dream [IS]
Flóni [IS]
For A Minor Reflection [IS]
Fox Train Safari [IS]
GDRN [IS]
Geisha Cartel [IS
*Get Funky DJs [UK]
Gísli Pálmi [IS]
GKR [IS]
Godchilla [IS]
Grúska Babúska [IS]
HAM [IS]
Helgi B X Igna [IS]
Hildur [IS]
Holmar [IS]
Huginn [IS]
Indigo Theory [HU]
*Intr0beatz [IS]
J.I.D [US]
J.Phlip [US]
JFDR [IS]
Joey Christ [IS]
John Acquaviva [CA]
Johnny And The Rest [IS]
Jóipé x Króli [IS]
*Just William [UK]
Kilo [IS]
Klose One [UK]
KrBear [IS]
Landaboi$ [IS]
Logi Pedro [IS]
Maher Daniel [CA]
MARBS (Desert Hearts) [US]
Marco Faraone [IT]
*Martin Marson [ES]
Matt Tolfrey [UK]
*Maxxi Soundsystem [UK]
Mighty Bear [IS]
Mike The Jacket [IS]
*Mókrókar [IS]
Mushy [UK]
Nitin [CA]
*Orang Volante (Live) [IS]
Petre Inspirescu [RO]
Pink Street Boys [IS]
Ragga Hólm [IS
*PJ Glaze [IS]
Raresh [RO]
The Retro Mutants [IS]
Reykjavíkurdætur [IS]
Rhadoo [RO]
*Rix [IS]
*Röskva [IS]
Ryan Crosson [US]
Rythmatik [IS]
Shaun Reeves [US]
Skaði [IS]
*Skrattar [IS]
Sprite Zero Klan [IS]
Stuðmenn [IS]
Sturla Atlas [IS]
Sura [IS]
Sweaty Records [IS]
Sylvia [IS]
*Teitur Magnússon [IS]
Úlfur Úlfur [IS]
Una Stef [IS]
Une Misère [IS]
Vala CruNk [IS]
Valby Bræður [IS]
Valdimar [IS]
Vicky [IS]
Vio [IS]
wAFF [UK]
We Made God [IS]
*YokoO [FR]
Young Karin [IS]
Yung Nigo Drippin [IS]
*Þorri [IS]
OFF Festival Katowice 2018: It’s OK, this isn’t a cult, it’s just a new batch of artists.
Kult performs the album Spokojnie, cult legends Unsane take no prisoners, and we broaden our cultural horizons with Good Night Chicken, MIN t and tęskno. We’re cultivating quite a lineup for this year’s OFF Festival.
Kult performing Spokojnie
Kult has never performed at the OFF Festival, nor has the band’s frontman Kazik ever played here with any of his many side projects, and that’s reason enough to catch up with him. But where to start? For us, the answer is clear: Spokojnie, the band’s third album, is regarded by many as Kult’s magnum opus. With music that’s mature, original and touching, the record boasts a post-punk sound and songs that are at once worldly and local, and with wise and timeless lyrics to boot. “Arahja,” recently revamped by the band HEY, stands alone in the history of Polish popular music as likely the best metaphor for the conflict that’s tearing apart our country, our cities and ourselves. “Do Ani” is among the most beautiful Polish love songs. “Patrz” deals with the intersection between the state and religion, a issue that remains as pressing as ever. “Tan”: Do we live to work or work to live? Is the Man subject to the same laws as we are? In the thirty years since the release of Spokojnie, not a single note has lost its urgency. For the first time in the band’s history, Kult will perform the album live in its entirety.
Unsane
Unsane has had a good year. They’ve come out with an excellent new album, Sterilize, accompanied by an enthusiastically-received promotional tour, and the Polish label Antena Krzyku released a double LP titled Shattered, Flattered & Covered — A Tribute to Unsane, featured covers of the New York band’s songs performed by a new generation of noise aficionados. That kind of homage isn’t for just anybody. Unsane is a cult phenomenon, a band uniquely adept at combining the intensity of the Swans with aggressive NY hard core and heavy metal. As we head into tough times again, Unsane’s furious, dirty brand of noise rock once again provides the perfect soundtrack to the world around us.
Good Night Chicken
Can you surf in a garage? You can in Bydgoszcz. Artur Kujawa and Tomasz Gołda have slapped their ridiculous moniker on a totally serious yet energetic and fun project that churns out noise rock with an admixture of rawness. It’s at once catchy and rackety, and there’s hardly a fan of guitar rock that could resist the charm of their new record, You Like the Taste, Don’t You. Just think how caustic these tracks must be live!
MIN t
Martyna Kubicz is a classically-trained musician and an experienced actress, but she plays no role when she takes the stage as MIN t, a project that’s contemporary in both form and content. Her late 2017 debut album Assemblage earned her a GaMa Award nomination and a finalist spot in a reader poll held by the daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. That should be no surprise to anyone familiar with her explosive mixture of riveting r’n’b and dark, dense electronics. It’s got everything from dance rhythms to bold and progressive arrangements — everything MIN t needs to make her one of the most promising acts on today’s Polish music scene.
tęskno
A collaborative effort by Joanna Longić and Hani Rani, with a name that translates as “longingly.” The former is better known as one half of Bemine, a dreamy electronic duo co-formed by Coldair’s Tobiasz Biliński. Rani, or Hanna Raniszewska, is a pianist whose craft spans classical and popular music and who has collaborated with such acts as Domowe Melodie and Dobrawa Czocher, with whom she performs daring reinterpretations of songs by Grzegorz Ciechowski. What do Longić and Rani do together? “We write songs in Polish, combining the tones, melodies, and sounds we long for.” And it’s true: give it a listen, and you’ll always long for tęskno.
This year’s OFF Festival lineup also features: M.I.A., Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ariel Pink, Grizzly Bear, Zola Jesus, Jon Hopkins Live, Aurora, Turbonegro, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah performing Some Loud Thunder, Marlon Williams, John Maus, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead performing Source Tags & Codes, Big Freedia, David August, Egyptian Lover, Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices), Oxbow, Bishop Nehru, King Ayisoba, Housewives, Chastity Belt, Or:la, Jacques Greene, Harry Merry, Gary War, coL, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Mystery Lights, DJ Paypal & DJ Taye, Wednesday Campanella, Sensations’ Fix, Hańba!, Furia, The Como Mamas, Coals, Moses Sumney, Yasuaki Shimizu, Yellow Days, Legendarny Afrojax, Adam Strug, ARRM, Wojciech Bąkowski, Nanook Of The North, Bass Astral x Igo, Sorja Morja, Skalpel Big Band, and Sonbird.
The 2018 OFF Festival Katowice will take place August 3–5 at Three Pond Valley. Three-day passes are now available at the OFF Shop for 330 PLN. This price lasts until June 10 or until the third batch of tickets is sold out! Campground tickets are also available for 70 PLN.
Contact
NIkki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
7 Italian artists you should know
Italy is already well known for its food, wine and culture, now it’s time to get to know their music. The recently launched Italia Music Export are excited to be showcasing Italian music worldwide and have several artists coming to the UK to perform at this years Great Escape Festival.
Some of the artists are already making a name for themselves with JoyCut set to perform at Robert Smith’s Meltdown festival and having previously toured with bands such as Arcade Fire, Editors, Art Brut, Modest Mouse and Sebadoh. Indie folk Singer-Songwriter Fabrizio Cammarata has shared stages with the likes of Ben Harper, Patti Smith, Daniel Johnston, Emiliana Torrini, and his recent album “Of Shadows” was produced with Dani Castelar (Paolo Nutini, Editors, REM). Post Punk Band Husky Loops performed a live session at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studio for Huw Stephens and a session for KEXP at Trans Musicales as well as supporting artists including Placebo, The Kills, Spoon, Sunflower Bean, Yak & Estrons.
As well as the 3 artists playing at The Great Escape, there are also 4 artists performing at the Alternative Great Escape on Tuesday 17th May. Bubbling under are artists such as Joan Thiele, a pop singer-songwriter of Italian, Swiss and Colombian heritage who was nominated Best New Artist at the Italian MTV Awards. Folk singer songwriter Wrongonyou who has featured in Rolling Stone and Billboard and performed at Primavera Sound and SXSW. He also composed the film soundtrack for ‘Il Premio’ directed by Alessandro Gassman. Then there is Bruno Belissimo an Italian-Canadian dj/producer and multi-instrumentalist influenced by Italo/space disco classics and original soundtracks of Italian horror/sci-fi movies from the 70s and Weird Bloom a psych pop band started by singer/songwriter/guitarist Luca Di Cataldo who has also collaborated with Don Bolles of Ariel Pink.
Artist Gigs
Thursday 17th May
Wrongonyou - 12:00pm, BPM Concerti: Breaking Out, North Lane Brewhouse
Joan Thiele - 1:00pm, BPM Concerti: Breaking Out, North Lane Brewhouse
Weird Bloom - 2:00pm, BPM Concerti: Breaking Out, North Lane Brewhouse
Bruno Belissimo - 3:00pm,, BPM Concerti: Breaking Out, North Lane Brewhouse
Husky Loops - 8:00pm, Wagner Hall
Friday 18th May
Fabrizio Cammarata - 8:00pm, The Old Courtroom, 118 Church St
JoyCut - 8:30pm, Queens Hotel, 1-3 Kings Road
Saturday 19th May
JoyCut - 7pm, The Arch, 187-193 Kings Rd
About The Artists
Bruno Belissimo
Bruno Belissimo is an Italian-Canadian dj/producer and multi-instrumentalist. Influenced by Italo/space disco classics and original soundtracks of Italian horror/sci-fi movies from the 70s and 80s, he will bring at TGE his ‘Infradisco’ live show with a bass guitar and programmed audio and video. His new album ‘Ghetto Falsetto’ will be released on May 4th via La Tempesta.
Website: http://brunobelissimo.tumblr.com/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aao9DkqGeO8
Fabrizio Cammarata
Singer-Songwriter Fabrizio Cammarata from Palermo tells intimate stories of love and loss through his distinctive soulful voice and elegant guitar mastery, mesmerizing audiences from stages great and small across the globe. Sharing stages with the likes of Ben Harper, Patti Smith, Daniel Johnston, Emiliana Torrini, he has honed his uniquely romantic interpretation of indie-folk. A life lived is condensed into the new album “Of Shadows”, that was produced with Dani Castelar (Paolo Nutini, Editors, REM) and released on 800A/Kartel Music Group and Haldern Pop Recordings on November 17th, 2017. Fabrizio’s songs have gained international radio airplay and led to media attention from Drowned in Sound, Clash, Popmatters and Paste Magazine. His new single '“You’ve Been On My Mind” + bside (Bside - “Case of You” cover) are scheduled to be released on May 4th.
Website: http://www.fabriziocammarata.com/about/
Live session at Paste Magazine’s studios: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEE2OGae-JA
Husky Loops
Made up of Danio (vocals & guitar), Pietro (drums & samples) and Tommaso (bass), Husky Loops first met at school in Bologna, Italy. Fast forward fifteen years to a relocation to London to study at music college and the Royal College of Art, they joined forces to form their ultimate creation, which started just over two years ago. Since putting their debut track 'Dead' online at the start of 2016 they immediately gained interest and attention for their unorthodox take on modern rock music, which was followed by their debut EP 'Husky Loops' and their latest brand-new single ‘When I Come Home’. With hugely successful tour supports with Placebo, The Kills, Spoon, Sunflower Bean, Yak & Estrons, Husky Loops have gained a lot of attention for their ferocious live show performing various headline shows.
Website: https://huskyloops.com/
Live performance for KEXP at Trans Musicales https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXvVK7tGB_E
Joan Thiele
Joan Thiele is a singer-songwriter of Italian, Swiss and Colombian heritage. As soon as she finished high school, she moved to England to make music, where she developed a unique artistic personality, also thanks to the music she listened to when she was a child (Led Zeppelin, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young). Her first EP was published in 2016, and that same year she was nominated Best New Artist at the Italian MTV Awards. In 2017 she has been chosen by the Italian National Radio Rai Radio Due to represent the country at the Eurosonic Noorderslag Festival in Groningen. “Polite”, her latest single, anticipates the new album set for release in 2018.
Website: http://www.joanthiele.com/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5scUQ32baDg
JoyCut
JoyCut makes music for the future, weaving its sound from a mass of electronics and two drum kits. Orchestral breathings, cinematic saturations, tribal drumming and industrial percussion. The three-piece Italian band design atmospheric layers of sound with a dark edge, a massive beat, a twitching melancholy and inventiveness that makes them hypnotic in their power and imagination. The last album, PiecesOfUsWereLeftOnTheGround took the band to new heights, evidenced by the album’s continued success, with a never-ending tour of over 300 dates across North America, Asia and Europe. With the digital mantra #JoyCutNeverStops the band touched more than 60 countries, culminating in a Top 5 European Talent Exchange Programme [ETEP] position. Following a successful TEDx performance in Verona and inspired by their recent vivid travels to the East, JoyCut played a sold-out Venice Biennale show debuting their new six-act “Opera” K O M O R E B I, a soundtrack tribute to Japan: a combination of their dramatic music with visual art chapters that created a world to get lost in. JoyCut will be honoured to bring all the shades of their dreamscapes of blue-tinged beauty to Robert Smith’s Meltdown Festival. Commitment to environmental issues has led JoyCut to participate in many sustainability green projects and campaigns. The band are now working on their fourth album and plan to release in 2019.
Website: http://www.joycut.com/?page_id=2
Live performance at Audiotree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOy6av_whO8
Weird Bloom
Weird Bloom started in 2015 with the original name of ‘Weird Black’ by singer/songwriter/guitarist Luca Di Cataldo. With the former name, the band released their debut full length “Hy Brazil” in 2016. He collaborated with Don Bolles (of Ariel Pink) as the co-producer of an album still being developed. In the meantime, Luca composed ‘Blisstonia’, eleven tracks of psychedelic-pop so perfect to make it difficult to believe the band is actually based out of Rome, Italy. ‘Blisstonia’ was released in January 2018 and the band is now touring clubs and festivals worldwide. Having recently performed at SXSW Weird Bloom were also selected by NPR as one of their favorite acts at the event.
Website: http://weirdbloom.com/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLQsV0yupT8
Wrongonyou
Wrongonyou fell in love with folk music and managed to give voice to his heart. His first EP “The Mountain Man” was published by Carosello Records in 2016, while at the beginning of 2018 the single “Prove it” anticipated his first album “Rebirth” which came out on March the 9th 2018. This album is the result of a satisfying journey among many festivals and venues through Italy and abroad: he had the chance to play at Eurosonic, Primavera Sound, Europavox, Bime, SXSW and Home Festival.
Website: http://wrongonyou.tumblr.com/
Live performance at Spotify Italia: https://www.facebook.com/wrongonyou/videos/1710537889023879/
For further information, showcase guestlist or interview requests, please contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About the Italia Music Export - SIAE
Italia Music Export is Italy’s first music export office, founded by SIAE in Novembre 2017. Its aim is to promote Italian music worldwide, boost music export revenues and to support Italian music companies going global. While supporting the Italian music business, Italia Music Export also advises and assists international professionals interested in working with Italian artists and companies. We can:
- Provide access to information on Italian artists and companies
- Put you in touch with Italian artists, management, booking agencies, labels and other companies
- Organise networking events with Italian industry professionals (in Italy and abroad)
- Invite you to Italian festivals and conferences
- Keep you updated on the Italian music industry and help you discover new Italian music (subscribe to our newsletter and listen to our playlists!)
- Give advice and information on the Italian music industry
More info here: http://www.italiamusicexport.com/
OFF Festival Katowice 2018: M.I.A Joins Line Up
She’s controversial, bold, and original: M.I.A. is sure to be a highlight of this year’s OFF Festival
Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, known to the world by her stage name, M.I.A., is a British singer, composer, songwriter and producer. Her Tamil heritage and pugnacious personality have made her a vocal supporter of what some might consider lost causes. She speaks up for immigrants, women’s rights and the environment while decrying excessive consumerism. Unabashedly outspoken, M.I.A. is the bane of the music industry as well as the media, which only thrives on controversy that it can control. A musician showing her middle finger to millions of TV viewers at the Super Bowl halftime show doesn’t fall into that category.
When it comes to her music, M.I.A. is just as self-confident and impossible to pigeonhole as she is offstage. Her 2005 debut Arular radiated with all the colors of the London underground, from the exotic sounds of faraway lands to hip-hop and electro. She’s come a long was since then, releasing her last album to date, the catchy LP AIM, in 2016, with collaborations by EDM heavyweights Diplo and Skrillex. But whatever genre you want to pin on her, the overall style of each release is ultimately her own. M.I.A. is an artist who really cares about her music, and it shows.
This year’s OFF Festival lineup also features: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ariel Pink, Grizzly Bear, Zola Jesus, Jon Hopkins Live, Aurora, Turbonegro, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah performing Some Loud Thunder, Marlon Williams, John Maus, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead performing Source Tags & Codes, Big Freedia, David August, Egyptian Lover, Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices), Oxbow, Bishop Nehru, King Ayisoba, Housewives, Chastity Belt, Or:la, Jacques Greene, Harry Merry, Gary War, coL, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Mystery Lights, DJ Paypal & DJ Taye, Wednesday Campanella, Sensations’ Fix, Hańba!, Furia, The Como Mamas, Coals, Moses Sumney, Yasuaki Shimizu, Yellow Days, Legendarny Afrojax, Adam Strug, ARRM, Wojciech Bąkowski, Nanook of the North, Bass Astral x Igo, Sorja Morja, Skalpel Big Band, and Sonbird.
The 2018 OFF Festival Katowice will take place August 3–5 at Three Pond Valley. Three-day passes are now available at the OFF Shop for 330 PLN. This price lasts until April 15 or until the third batch of tickets is sold out! Campground tickets are also available for 70 PLN.
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
World DJ No. 1 Martin Garrix Joins David Guetta for Epic Closing Show at EXIT Festival
To celebrate the Best Major European Festival title, EXIT will throw a massive party for its grand finale! The closing night of the Serbian mammouth festival, scheduled for Sunday, July 15th, will feature shows by powerful acts such as invincible global hitmaker David Guetta at Main Stage and the leading techno star Nina Kraviz at festival's Dance Arena. However, this party could not be the same without the officialy World No. 1 DJ Martin Garrix, who decided to follow up his Winter Olympic Games with the closing of the Best Major European Festival. The Dutch will bring his spectacular show to the movie-like setting of the colossal Petrovaradin Fortress where EXIT takes place for almost two decades now, featuring some of the world's biggest stars this year like Migos, Grace Jones, Fever Ray and hundreds more on 20+ stages. This will be one of only few opportunities this year to see Guetta and Garrix play the same stage on the same night, while their two recent collaborations "Like I Do" and "So Far Away" are dominating radio airplay throughout the world!
Martin Garrix & David Guetta - So Far Away: https://youtu.be/o7iL2KzDh38
Being the youngest to receive the recognition, for two years in a row, Garrix has held the prestigious first place of DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs list, ahead of the artists like Tiesto, Calvin Harris, Armin Van Buuren, Hardwell, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike, Eric Prydz and many more. Not even 22 yet, he managed to accomplish much more than some musicians do for their entire career, and unlike a large number of young stars, Martin Garrix expertly leads his way through the labyrinth of the music industry, releasing dancefloor hits which together have several billion YouTube views! His influence was recognized by the “Bible of Business”, Forbes magazine, which placed him on the list of the most influential people under 30 years of age, while he is also among the Top 10 most paid DJs on the planet.
Martin Garrix & David Guetta - So Far Away: https://youtu.be/o7iL2KzDh38
Garrix exploded on the music scene in 2013 with the gigantic dance hit “Animals” which conquered the international top lists and has over billion YouTube views! This lead to residencies on Ibiza and Vegas, but also collaborations with stars such as Tiësto, Avicii and Usher. With the hit titled “In the Name of Love” a collaboration with Bebe Rexha, published in 2016, his horizons significantly expanded. The video and audio recording of the song on the YouTube gathered the total of 600 million views! The catchy number proved the versatility of this guy from the suburbs of Amsterdam as well as the fact that he does not follow trends – he creates them. He was invited to perform on one of the most famous US talk shows, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” – an honor not frequently granted to the artists in his profession, and Garrix once again proved his talents when he appeared on the stage with a guitar! One of the last year’s highlights for Garrix is certainly his collaboration with pop star Dua Lipa on the hit titled “Scared to Be Lonely”, which has been streamed almost 350 million times.
EXIT festival will take place from July 12th to 15th at the Petrovaradin fortress in Novi Sad, featuring some of the most popular world stars such as Migos, Grace Jones, David Guetta, Ziggy Marley, Fever Ray, LP, Alice Merton, Nina Kraviz, Richie Hawtin, Adam Beyer b2b Ida Engberg, Maceo Plex, Solomun, Amelie Lens, Ben Klock, Dog Eat Dog, Slaves, Jax Jones, Carl Craig, Tale of Us, Sevdaliza, Idles, Burak Yeter, Madball, Brujeria, Mahmut Orhan, Ofenbach, Slapshot, Asphyx, Bombers and many others.
Tickets are at exitfest.org, while the official tourist agency exittrip.org has tourist packages with tickets, accommodation and transfer options.
Iceland’s Secret Solstice Announces $1 Million Dollar Ticket With All New Perks
The world’s most expensive festival ticket is back and better than ever
TIME Magazine Exclusive Video: Celebrate 96 Hours of Straight Sunlight at Iceland's Secret Solstice Festival - watch now!
Iceland’s Secret Solstice festival, set in 96 hours of continuous daylight June 21-24, is excited to once again present the world’s most expensive festival ticket retailing at $1 million USD with all new uber luxurious perks. From private jet travel to extravagant Icelandic dinners and luxury sightseeing to private parties with headline artists, this is without a doubt the most exclusive festival pass ever offered on the planet.
With just one golden ticket up for grabs, the princely priced pass gets roundtrip pick up via private chartered business jet for six people, as well as luxury accommodation for the entire festival week including an exclusive private party with a Secret Solstice headline artist. Other standout benefits include daily pampering with luxury spa access and a personalized glam squad, private dining with prominent Icelandic chefs in unique Icelandic locations, chartered helicopter tour over the stunning landscape of southern Iceland across volcanoes and glaciers, horseback riding, catered World Cup viewing parties, 24/7 access to personal drivers, sledding across the world famous Langjökull glacier, complimentary gear from 66North, and all the usual VIP perks like priority festival and backstage access, an on-site fully-stocked private lounge, and plenty more.
For those who’s pockets aren’t quite as deep as $1 million dollars, Secret Solstice also offers two other more affordable in comparison luxury ticket tiers, Package of the Gods for $14800 and Oðinn for $1865. What’s included? For Oðinn, purchasers enjoy perks like entry to the new Oðinn pop-up lounge, complimentary food and drinks at the festival, side event discounts and more. With only three Package of the Gods passes available, the festival ticket is perfect for fans wanting to enjoy their favorite artists in style. Encompassing everything offered to Oðinn members, the pass also includes helicopter transfers to glaciers and lava tunnels, complimentary access to all side party events, luxury accommodation for two, a private Icelandic dining experience and more. While not quite in the same league as the seven digit $1 million ticket, it’s a perfect option for those wanting to splurge.
Boasting one of the most eclectic lineups of 2018, the festival now in its fifth year is pleased to welcome Slayer who are on their final world tour to the Secret Solstice stage alongside Stormzy, Gucci Mane, Bonnie Tyler, Clean Bandit, Death From Above, Steve Aoki, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and more top names in rock, hip hop and dance music from Iceland and around the world. Throw in spectacular add-on side events inside glaciers and lava tunnels as well as the country’s magnificent scenery complete with volcanic beaches, jaw-dropping waterfalls, ginormous glaciers, and the infamous Blue Lagoon, there are so many reasons to check out Secret Solstice this summer.
For $1 million ticket inquiries please send expression of interest to: odinn@secretsolstice.is
With more amazing experiences still yet to be announced, the full $1 million ticket package includes the following:
● Fly round trip to Iceland in a private chartered business jet (Gulfstream G300 or similar) for six people from any destination on Earth
● Luxury accommodation for the Secret Solstice 2018 festival week
● Welcome Villa party with unlimited champagne and Icelandic delicacies prepared by a private chef
● Party with an international music artist at an exclusive private concert party for you and your select invited guests.
● An exclusive mini 66North hotel pop-up so you can have the VIP personal shopping experience from the comfort of your room with an outfit from 66North
● Private glam squad to provide personal hair, makeup and grooming everyday
● Premium luggage set so you travel to the festival in style
● Icelandic skincare treatments on-site at the festival everyday
● Access to spa treatments throughout the duration of your stay
● 24/7 access to two deluxe cars, personal drivers, and private escort for the entire week in Iceland
● Daily relaxation massages for you and your guests
● Catered private World Cup viewing party with prominent Icelandic chef for any game of your choosing for you and your friends
● Private helicopter tour over the glaciers and volcanoes of South Iceland
● Special Secret Solstice summer picnic and a night at a luxury hotel in the lush ambience of the Icelandic countryside
● VIP midnight sun yacht party for you and your friends with artists on the lineup
● Premium treatment, backstage access and priority fast-track access during the festival
● Boutique festival tent on-site fully stocked and serviced including wi-fi, electricity and a complimentary weather pack to enjoy the festival in complete comfort
● Lavish Icelandic gift hamper on arrival on-site at Secret Solstice 2018
● All food and drinks served at Secret Solstice, including hyper-premium drinks and bespoke exquisite cocktails
● All you can eat Icelandic hot dogs at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, “a world-famous hot dog stand”
● Journey across the Langjökull glacier by snowmobile and sledding
● Capture your glacial experience with a well-known Icelandic photographer
● Explore the natural geothermal hot springs
● Private dinner + chef’s table at Iceland's top exclusive restaurants specializing in Icelandic cuisine
● Private yacht safari among floating icebergs
● Private horseback riding session with purebred Icelandic Horses
● Sensory dining experience by candlelight inside a cave
● Access to all sold out Secret Solstice side event music experiences including Into The Glacier and The Lava Tunnel
● Plus more speciality services to be released for our 1 million dollar guest
OFF Festival Katowice 2018: Ariel Pink’s Uncanny Guests
Wojciech Bąkowski, Sensations Fix, Harry Merry, Gary War and coL are a motley crew even by OFF standards. See them perform at the Experimental Stage when Ariel Pink takes over as curator for one day. Our thanks to Ariel for this musical adventure!
Wojciech Bąkowski
You’ve definitely heard of this guy. While Bąkowski is more popular nowadays as a visual artist, especially after the dissolution of the duo Niwea, he’s still very much a musician. On Kształt, Telegaz and Duchy kotów he reveals himself to be an explorer who never reaches his goal, branching out and eschewing stylistic self-determination, and avoiding narrative structures, refusing to give a foothold to a broader audience. He speaks or stays silent. He can be lyrical or repulsive. He is elusive. And the more elusive he gets, the more you want to follow him.
Sensations Fix
A forgotten gem of the Italian prog-rock scene. Franco Falsini traveled across Europe and the United States in the 1960s in search of inspiration, and eventually returned to Florence, where he recorded a handful of albums that would achieve cult status upon their reissue at the start of the present decade. The reemergence of these long-coveted recordings sparked a resurgent interest the band’s dreamy variety of prog rock, one heavily steeped in electronic sounds, and Sensations Fix came back as a live act.
Harry Merry
This artist claims to take inspiration from rock’n’roll and blues as well as schlager music and French chansons, Slovenian pop and Serbian turbo folk. He also credits the novels of Charles Dickens and the music of Mozart, Beethoven, Wagner, Mahler and Sibelius — particularly renditions conducted by Herbert von Karajan — for influencing his work. Harry Merry, the Dutch underground’s best-kept secret, is among the most original and quirky artists ever billed for the OFF Festival. This is one show you’re never going to forget.
Gary War
Greg Dalton is a friend and alumnus of the Experimental Stage and a former member of Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti. The apple falls not far from the tree, it seems, as Gary War’s music is a blend of psychedelic rock, shoegaze, and synth-pop, all veiled in a mist of nostalgia. He’s just come back from a five-year break with the album Gaz Forth, a record that’s partly a reminiscence about the golden days of radio, and partly a trip into outer space.
coL
If you missed this artist, you’ve got plenty of catching up to do: between 2001 and 2008 alone, coL churned out no fewer than 47 records on his own label, JesusWarhol. He’s collaborated with other artists (including Ariel Pink, under the moniker Atheif), shot movies, and produced albums. Unsurprisingly, one of his albums is titled The Prince of D.I.Y. It’s impossible to sum up his art in just a few sentences: this cool, dreamy music is one of a kind, a genre all of its own — and so are his live shows.
This year’s OFF Festival lineup also features: Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ariel Pink, Grizzly Bear, Zola Jesus, Jon Hopkins Live, Aurora, Turbonegro, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah performing Some Loud Thunder, Marlon Williams, John Maus, …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead performing Source Tags & Codes, Big Freedia, David August, Egyptian Lover, Le Mystère Des Voix Bulgares (The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices), Oxbow, Bishop Nehru, King Ayisoba, Housewives, Chastity Belt, Or:la, Jacques Greene, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Mystery Lights, DJ Paypal & DJ Taye, Wednesday Campanella, Hańba!, Furia, The Como Mamas, Coals, Moses Sumney, Yasuaki Shimizu, Yellow Days, Legendarny Afrojax, Nanook of the North, Adam Strug, Bass Astral x Igo, Sorja Morja, Skalpel Big Band, and Sonbird.
The 2018 OFF Festival Katowice will take place August 3–5 at Three Pond Valley. Three-day passes are now available at the OFF Shop for 330 PLN. This price lasts until April 15 or until the third batch of tickets is sold out! Campground tickets are also available for 70 PLN.
Contact
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
OCTAVE ONE PRESENTS | RANDOM NOISE GENERATION ‘ENDUSTRY’
Octave One drop a album under the much loved Random Noise Generation guise. The first RNG release was 'Falling in Dub' in 1991 and sounding just as fresh 27 years later, ‘Endustry’ is due for release on 27th April 2018.
Something of a new take on their creative process the Burden brothers made most of this music on the road while they toured over the past year, using the country they were in at each time they recorded to influence and inspire each track. “We were tucked away in so many hotel rooms that we decided to make sure we brought enough extra equipment so that we could set up a true lab to create from country to country and make the grooves that we wanted to experiment with on the dance floor.” comments Lawrence.
This body of work encompasses 7 full length cuts, naturally all with that classic Octave One emotion. “'Alkaylze', more than any of tracks on this project, embraced the original spirit of Random Noise Generation in so much as the “machine” seemed to be really guide the creative process.” Adds Lenny “Much of the foundation of the composition was very accidental, but inspirational, with various musical devices interpreting data in a very unexpected results. It actually came together quite quickly but things just fell into place so naturally.”
After touring and making music for decades the spirit and essential energy of the craft is what keeps them eternally inspired to keep creating and touring the globe… ”Once it takes hold of you you can’t stop even if you wanted to.” says the pair, and so 'Endustry' is born.
TRACK BY TRACK:
Endustry - Mechanical percussions enforce the futuristic psyche leading into a robotic lead, whilst a warm bassline overlaid with intensely digitalised synths. Ominous and perfect for when the dance floor needs toughening up sonically.
Alkalyze - Mesmeric drums underlaid with filtered low swung jolting percussions pave the way for resonating sci-fi melody with fleetingly glide in and out throughout the track. Hi-tech trippy shakers, hi hats and timbral toms weave and cosmically oversee the development of this minimalistic sonic thunderstorm.
Crank - A throbbing, reverberated and slightly detuned percussive bassline roars in advance of a tangled and contorted synth lead punishingly arrives. Ride cymbals constantly lift and bridge whilst in the background obsessed vocal stabs give a sinister edge.
N2 The Enfinate - Definitive sharp snares, well rounded precise kicks give a solid backbone, a perfect platform for questioning synth keys. An enticing icy melody provides the answer to the prodigious lead melody which towers later in the track.
Refraction - Astronomic basslines, gargantuan drums with a space age groove.
Soul Xchange - Motorised synth melody lines. Agitated percussion. Crystal clear harmonies.
Thee Arrival - Off tangent rhythms, un-conforming synth line melody. Drifting bass, spiralling percussions.
DIGITAL ALBUM:
Artist: Octave One presents Random Noise Generation
Title: ‘Endustry’
Cat No: 4WLP710
Label: 430 West
‘Endustry’
‘Alkalyze’
‘Crank’
‘N2 The Enfinate’
‘Refraction’
‘Soul Xchange’
’Thee Arrival’
DOUBLE VINYL EP ALBUM
Artist: Octave One presents Random Noise Generation
Title: Endustry
Cat No. 4WLP710
Label: 430 West
Disc 1 - Side A
1.(Age Of) Endustry
2.Refraction
Side B
1.Soul Xchange
Disc 2 - Side C
1.Thee Arrival
Side D
1.Alkalyze
2.Crank
FORTHCOMING LIVE DATES:
April 2018
Fri 6 April - Jaeger, Oslo - Norway
Sat 7 April - Dude Club, Milan - Italy
Sat 14 April - Le Petit Salon , Lyon - France
Sat 27 April KINGSDAY ROTTERDAM x KRALINGSEBOSFESTIVA, Rotterdam - Holland
Sat 28 April - Nitsa, Barcelona - Spain
Sat 30 April - Ploink Festival, Bergen, Norway
May 2018
Fri 04 May - Baum Clib, Bogota - Colombia
Sat 05 May - IMAGINE LAND, Medellin - Colombia
Wed 09 May - Pal Hamburg, Germany
Thur 10 May - Losjes Hemelvaart 2018 - Tramkade Terrain, ’s-Hertogenbiosch - Holland Sat, 12 May ´18 - Khidi Club , Tiblisi - Georgia
Sat 19 May - Berghain, Berlin - Germany
June 2018
Sat 09 June - Picnic Fonic 2018, Bucharest
Thu 14 June - Detroit Love @ Off Sonar, Monasterio, Poble Espanyol , Barcelona
Thu 14 June - Detroit Love @ Off Sonar, Monasterio, Poble Espanyol , Barcelona
Sat 16 June - Dock Pullman, Paris
Fri 22 June - Sheaf St, Leeds - UK
Sat 23 June - WATERFORD & TRAMORE RACECOURSE, Dublin - Ireland
Sat 24 June - Parco Ippodromo di Agnano, Naples - Italy
August 2018
Fri 17 August - Tresor Berlin, Berlin - Germany
Sat 18 August - I Boat, Bordeaux - France
Sat 25 August - jikajikafestival Derry, Ireland
CONTACT:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk
First Russian Artist Showcase at The Great Escape Festival
RUSSIAN ACTS TAKING CENTRE STAGE AT THE GREAT ESCAPE
Kate NV, Kirill Richter, SADO OPERA, Wet Red
This year the Great Escape will host its first Russian music showcase, with 4 exciting acts presented by RUSH initiative, introducing the best of contemporary Russian music scene. Spanning a wide range of genres, including electronic avant-pop artist Kate NV, neoclassical composer and pianist Kirill Richter, postpunk glam rockers Wet Red and Berlin-based Russian queer electro punk cabaret SADO OPERA these acts are already generating a lot of attention amongst media including Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Esquire, Vogue and Pitchfork and music industry professionals.
RUSH is a unique initiative that has brought together key domestic music experts to select the most promising Russian performers, present them to international music professionals and integrate them into the global music community. In 2017, the first 6 acts were selected to promote internationally to showcase the diverse and talented artists the Russian music market has to offer.
The RUSH acts will perform on Friday 18th May from 12:30 - 16:00 at the Queens Hotel
Showcase schedule:
12:30 : Kate NV
13:30 : Wet Red
14:30 : Sado Opera
15:30 : Kirill Richter
Date: Friday 18th May 2018
Stage Host : RUSH initiative
Venue: AIM House (Queens Hotel)
Address: 1-3 Kings Rd, Brighton BN1 1NS
Other shows where you can see the Russian artist playing during The Great Escape:
KATE NV
Performance Day: Thursday 17th May 2018
Performance Time: 22:30
Venue: The Volks
Address: 3 Madeira Dr, Brighton BN2 1PS
SADO OPERA
Performance Day: Friday 18th May 2018
Performance time: 02:00
Venue: Bau Wow
Address: 77 East St, Brighton BN1 1NF, UK
KIRILL RICHTER
Performance Day: Friday 18th May 2018
Performance time: 19:45
Stage Host : Royal Albert Hall
Venue: St Marys
Address: Surrenden Road, Preston Park, Brighton
WET RED
Performance day: Saturday 19th 2018
Performance Time: 18:00
Venue: The Arch
Address: 187-193 Kings Rd, Brighton BN1 1NB, UK
About the artists
Kate NV /RU/
A Moscovite who makes glittery avant-pop with a Japanese slant
With her solo project “Kate NV”, the leader of Moscow avant-garde post-punk band GSh/Glintshake Katya Shilonosova explores an entirely different musical terrain. Having completed an internship at the Red Bull Music Academy in Tokyo, Katya transformed her musical passions into inventive pop music that manages to be both complex and accessible. Released on the US record label Orange Milk, her album “Binasu” (meaning “Venus” in Japanese) gathered enthusiastic critical acclaim from the likes of The Quietus, Pitchfork and The New Yorker. After a successful 9 city North American tour last year, Kate is set to conquer Europe this summer, with several bookings in France that include a performance at Vilette Sonique Festival and a premiere of “Decisive Pink”, a new collaboration with Angel Deadoorian at Sonar Festival in Barcelona. The Russian experimental producer has also announced the new album ’для FOR’ which will be released this spring on RVNG Intl.
Website: https://katenv.bandcamp.com/music
Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1OkYyMwTFtCIl6Jn664Xtx?si=HsruJrxqT2G0Nss7vYilpw
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPU0TAwxKM8
Kirill Richter /RU/
A composer and pianist at the forefront of Russian neoclassical music
Before starting a career in music, Kirill Richter studied graphic design at the Nuclear Physics Institute and later Fashion Design. Lasting only a year, his musical education was a short-lived but crucial experience that’s made this mostly self-taught artist one of Russia’s most celebrated neoclassical musicians, with credits in film, theatre and TV as well as critical acclaim for both solo piano compositions and orchestral pieces. With coverage in Russian Vogue, Elle and Esquire’s description of Richter as ’a hero of our generation’ and ‘an apostle of modern times’, the pianist regularly attracts audiences of over 1000 people at his concerts in Russia. Over the past 12 months, Kirill Richter’s career has taken an international turn with invitations to play at major showcase events and venues including Classical:NEXT, Elbphilarmonie and Reeperbahn and Fox Sports commissioning Richter to compose the title music piece for the World Cup’18, with the piece being aired in the US and Canada during the championship. His current project is a collaboration with a cellist August Krepak and a violinist Alena Zinovieva. Together they’re experimenting with articulation of classical instruments. Singles from their new album Chronos are set for release in May 2018, with the LP due out later in 2018. Chronos seeks to express the sincerity of life, bridging together physics and philosophy.
Website: https://readymag.com/u48367288/kirillrichter/
Music: https://soundcloud.com/kirill-richter
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBbvnfyRakk
SADO OPERA /RU/
Berlin-based queer band famed for extravagant and risqué live shows
Inspired by Parliament Funkadelic, Prince and Liberace, SADO OPERA hail from St. Petersburg. Now based in Berlin, this queer collective has become one of the city’s most provocative and eccentric music imports. The legendary US talk show host Conan O’Brien selected SADO OPERA as a musical symbol of Berlin and joined them onstage for his TV special about the German capital. The resident band of Wilde Renate – one of Berlin’s most notorious nightclubs – SADO OPERA also play shows across Europe, spreading their message of unrestrained, gender-fluid love. For SADO OPERA, love is the ultimate act of subversion in our globally compromised political climate. Their songs offer a mix of disco, boogie and electro-funk fused into a high energy live show experience. With a debut LP due out later this year, SADO OPERA are putting the finishing touches to new singles and videos, ahead of their TGE appearances in May.
Website: http://www.sado-opera.com/
Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5B2HLv6QtpBXFFav0J82xW?si=AwS_AdwnQ0Ghj89GZjZ6pQ
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_ctinue=1&v=AhLqTOFQDNw
Wet Red /RU/
Fashion-conscious disco punks from Moscow
Wet Red are an eye-catching disco punk band from Mowcow, featuring Eva Vostroknutova, the star of Moscow nightclub scene as their frontwoman. Combining viral melodies with bold postpunk rhythms and glam rock stage personas, the band have become favourites of Moscow fashionistas, securing their haute couture pop reputation with whirlwind live performances and spectacular videos. In love with synth-pop melodism and post-punk pressure Wet Red develop and sharpen their own sound that explores the expressive limits of pop music. In the band's testosterone-fueled sound the true aficionados would unmistakably recognize the catching krautrock beat and a modern variation of the new wave aesthetic. Others would simply enjoy dancing to the punchy beats and agile basslines accompanied by Eva's powerful vocals. Having a love affair with Asia, Wet Red became the first Russian group to perform at the Taiwanese festival Love Love Rock in 2016 and played 2 successful live shows at V-Rox in Vladivostok last summer. Now band is planning to expand their fanbase in Europe with shows at BUSH festival in Budapest, Tallinn Music Week and The Great Escape festival.Throughout their three-year history, Wet Red have played numerous shows, ranging from invitation-only parties of international fashion brands to major Russian festivals. With five singles in their arsenal already and features on Eva in Russian Vogue, Rolling Stone and Tatler, Wet Red are currently working on a debut album scheduled for release in 2018.
Website: http://www.wet.red/
Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4xEagNQOpqbD1VW7tzpyQT?si=I9oIWfqSSGi_S7wOgdfF3w
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6NPhAG-uhA
About RUSH
RUSH is a unique initiative that has brought together key Russian music experts to select the most promising Russian performers, present them to international music professionals and integrate them into the global music community.
Forged at the heart of the Russian independent music scene, RUSH initiative is a non-profit organization that finances its work through crowdfunding as well as working with sponsors, art patrons, and cultural foundations.
RUSH operates on democratic selection principles, where the initiative's panel of experts, once a year, compile a list of Russian musicians across all genres with the greatest export potential. All final selections are made by internal ballot. To promote selected musicians, RUSH aims to secure its presence at key international music events, organise showcases of Russian music abroad, liaise with international music industry organisations on behalf of Russian artists, and assist with promotional campaigns on international markets.
RUSH is open to cooperation with experienced international music industry professionals with an interest in promoting and developing emerging talent from Russia.
More Info: https://www.facebook.com/rushmusicru/
RUSH Export Pool 1/2017
The first, 2017 export pool includes 6 acts: Siberian garage rockers The Jack Wood, avant-garde rockers Glintshake, neoclassical composer and pianist Kirill Richter, Moscow-based dance punk band Wet Red, electronic avant-pop artist Kate NV, and Berlin-based Russian queer electro punk cabaret SADO OPERA.
CONTACT:
For further information, showcase guestlist or interview requests, please contact:
Nikki McNeill | Global Publicity
nikki@globalpublicity.co.uk