This week's show sees the welcome return of our Cover Lover feature with Robert Smith covering a recently released single from The Twilight Sad. Oh and there's an interview with James from the band on the show too. See how everything links together!
Additionally we add a new track from WOMPS to our playlist, plus there's new music from CHVRCHES, Inspector Tapehead, Earths and dune witch trails.
There's something to be said for mountain retreats when the results they produce are gorgeous electro-pop like Think This Way by Stillhound. The track is available online now as a free download, and is the second to come from the Stillhound stable.
Structured synths and match up perfectly with layered vocals as the quartet - Fergus Cook, Laurie Corlett-Donald, Dave Lloyd and Cat Myers - provide a slice of dreamy electronica which captures the spirit of M83, the vastness of Boards of Canada, and the pop sensibilities of CHVRCHES. The track is no drab imitation however, and worms into your subconscious like an old friend.
Boots have already trudged the ground, tent pegs and guy ropes put in completely inappropriate places, and cans of Tennents lager cracked open to the cries of "T IN THE PAAAAARK". Yup, Scotland's biggest music festival is about to begin, this year in it's brand new home at Strathallan Castle.
While the site will be new, there's a few things that will stay as loyal fans to the festival have always known. Food and drink will be plentiful, the weather will be unpredictable, and there will be over 100 acts playing across three days and six stages catering to all tastes.
There's some big hitters on the bill this year, but as always here at Scottish Fiction we have our eyes on the home grown talent, and so present to you our top tips of acts not to miss during this year's festivities.
One of the hottest tipped bands about at the moment are Catholic Action. Fronted by former Casual Sex, and current Pinact, member Chris McCrory the band are prolific with recent single The Real World released via Fuzzkill Records. Check them out on Saturday on the T Break Stage.
I was very impressed last month when I caught Edinburgh duo Man of Moon performing at the BBC at the Quay event. Their single The Road is catchy as anything, with chuggy guitars and crashing cymbals creating a steady pulse throughout. The band are playing the BBC Introducing Stage on Sunday.
The Sad of course need no introduction, and are primed to play their fourth T in the Park set to date in King Tut's Tent on Friday afternoon. The band have progressed up through the stages, T-Break to BBC Introducing to King Tut's Tent, and of course this summer's festival appearances come fresh of the back of the critical success of fourth album Nobody Wants To Be Here And Nobody Wants To Leave.
Exciting times surely lie ahead for Stillhound, a Glasgow foursome, who play only their second live gig to date on the BBC Introducing Stage on Saturday. Their brand of artful, electronic pop harks to the soundscapes of Boards of Canada, but is more accessible with instant appeal making them potentially the discovery of the festival for you.
The duo of Corrie Gillies and Chris McCrory released one of our favourite albums of the year back in May via Brooklyn label Kanine Records. With a well-honed, energetic, and passionate live act, plus seriously infectious melodies and a raucous guitar/drum combo, Pinact are a band to lose yourself to. They'll be on the BBC Introducing Stage on Saturday.
Another band with real promise on the T-Break stage are twin sisters Chloe and Hannah, better known as The Van T's. Their grungey, garage rock style twists in surfer-pop, and reverb soaked '90's alternative rock for an altogether enthralling sound. It's completely plausible to see The Van T's follow in the path of Honeyblood or PAWS, and their set on Sunday will be a good marker for that.
Conflicted over whether to see headliners Kasabian or David Guetta? It's not a problem for Hector Bizerk, who were a late addition to the bill and take up headliner duties on the Transmission Stage on Friday evening. Guaranteed to be the top pick here at Scottish Fiction, their set can be guaranteed to be full of energy, sing-a-long raps, and body draining bounce alongs. NOT TO BE MISSED.
Someone call Daft Punk and Pharrell. Miaoux Miaoux has taken the 'sound of summer' mantle from them with his new album School of Velocity. The new LP, out now on Chemikal Underground, was made with sun and good times in mind, and hopefully that's exactly what we'll get from the band's set on Sunday in the BBC Introducing Tent. Prepare to dance, sway and vibe.
Last but not least is Monogram, another electro-pop act from Glasgow who strive to make infectious tunes that extract dancing from listeners. Fronted by Liam Rutherford, and backed with Gordon Skene and Ben Singer, the band have been working hard to bring their polished studio sounds to a live environment. Catch them on Sunday in the BBC Introducing Stage to see how well they've managed it.
Having had the idea of doing a live review show for the best part of six months, it was great to finally get the Scottish Fiction Roundtable off the ground and on the air. Not that it was overly difficult mind you. Step 1: Ask a blogger to come on the show and review records. Step 2: Do it.
So I was delighted to be joined by my monthly EP series partner in crime David McElroy from Almost Predictable. Almost to run through tracks from Deadly Rides, Reverieme, Ambassadeurs, Holy Esque, Hudson Mohawke and Pinact. There's also a BBC Introducing Stage slant to the show, with no less than 7 acts playing the T in the Park stage featured on the show. Wrap that up with a Re-Mixing It Up track and new music from Miracle Strip, Outblinker and Big Cloud, you've got yourself two hours of Scottish Fiction.
