Another batch of sweet sweet vibes emanating out of Scottish shores. Including new music from JR Green and Black International plus a killer Re-Mixing It Up track by way of CHVRCHES.
I also run through the Scottish Alternative Music Awards nominees with a track from each category.
In session this week was the delightful Be Charlotte. With her inventive use of production and spoken word, Charlotte is one of the most exciting prospects currently honing her craft in Scotland at the moment. We got to chatting about influences, observational lyrics, transitioning to a live stage, and how she is working with the brains of Hector Bizerk to push things forward.
Oh my lordy lord, what an evening was had on Wednesday at the fourth annual SAY Awards ceremony. Despite the humiliation in revealing my new hairdo to the world - yes I did manage to shave a chunk out the front of my hair - it was a truly spectacular evening thanks to fantastic performances from Tuff Love, Golden Teacher, and Loki and the Kartel, some on-from DJing from the TYCI crew at the after party, and the small matter of Kathryn Joseph winning the award!
In this week's show all that is covered, plus some more tracks from our recent Almost Scottish Fiction Vol. 3 EP. Catholic Action are added to the Scottish Fiction Playlist, and there's room from new ones from Martha Ffion, Halfrican, Fiona Soe Paing, Siobhan Wilson and more.
Released for Record Store Day on 18th April, Groucho is the latest single from the ever veritable Glasgow duo Tuff Love. It's hot on the heals of their last EP Dross which came out via Lost Map back in February, proving the bank don't wait around to make the next impact.
Groucho bursts out with intent. An short intro that wouldn't be out of place in a Cure track, warps into a sun-baked, forceful track, which retains a 'laid back' vibe throughout partially thanks to those lazy vocal harmonies. Suse and Julie recorded this track at the same time as the Dross EP but left it off. Listening to the tracks together you can tell why, and as a stand alone single Groucho really hits home.
The track is available on a split 7" backed by Portrait from London's Lazy Day. Go grab a copy from your local record shop or direct from Lost Map.
Another week, another dose of Scottish Fiction to serve up. Get some electronica with new tracks from Django Django and Babe, enjoy some folk and singer-songwriter fare with new ones from Lidh and Siobhan Wilson, and dip into more DIY alt-rock with Polarnecks and The Bellybuttons. And more. There's always more. Enjoy!
Last August we dabbled with an all vinyl podcast which went down pretty well. So naturally I thought it was time to dust off some records and do it again; but this time live in the studio for two hours! Which given that our wee radio studio is not set up to play vinyl at all was a fun challenge! So if you'll forgive the odd RPM mishap and some crackles, then dig into music from Errors, Jonnie Common, Withered Hand, Le Thug, Frightened Rabbit and more!
Tuff Love's debut EP Junk, released back in May last year, was a riotous blast of guitar pop that was simply fantastic. Now, rather splendidly, the band have followed that up with a new EP which goes one step further. Dross is released via Lost Map Records on 9th February and the title is happily no pointer at all to how the EP sounds.
Kicking off with Slammer, as good a guitar pop song as I’ve heard in years, which mixes wonderful 'butter-wouldn't-melt' harmonies with guitars lines that remain tense and almost threatening during the verses before exploding into life in the chorus. Slammer combines the best parts of Nirvana and Pixies before signing off with a Peter Buck-esque guitar line reminiscent of R.E.M. at their Document era peak. It’s a tremendous track that is impossible not to fall in love with.
That's Right follows and shows an intriguing, spikier, almost post-punk side to the band that has a more sinister edge than Slammer but one that still retains the band's innate ear for a ridiculously catchy melody. Sebastian and Doberman follow, both slices of Throwing Muses or Belly like loveliness, the former containing some beautifully ethereal harmonies that are a highlight of the EP. Cum rounds proceedings off, swaying along in a beautiful way, underpinned by lyrics speaking of regret and loss.
It perhaps seems unfair to previous EP Junk, but Dross is a significant step forward for Tuff Love as it showcases the full range of their talents perfectly. What is most impressive is the stupendously catchy opener Slammer and if that song points the way forward for Tuff Love, there are exciting times ahead.
Tuff Love – Dross is released on Monday 9th February via Lost Map Records on download and 10" pink vinyl available here. Pre-orders give you automatic membership of the Tuff Love Friend Club. The band are also hosting a release party on Friday 6th February at Nice 'N' Sleazy's, Glasgow.
The second track to be lifted from Tuff Love's forthcoming second EP Dross (out on 9th February via Lost Map Records), That's Right is a fuzzy, slightly distorted track with the beating heart of a pop melody.
Clocking in at just under two and a half minutes the track showcases the two piece's music in a whirlwind manner, with a hugely infectious climbing bassline to boot. The band are catching the ears of all the right people, with BBC 6Music huge fans, and this track, and parent EP, is another solid footstep in the band's career. This is my jam and That's Ri... No I can't do it, it's too obvious.
Blog favourite Michael Cassidy returns to Scottish Fiction as our session guest for a record 4th time, ahead of the release of his debut album My Electric Heart on Monday 2nd February, a sentence which gives me a great deal of delight having waited for it's release to close on two and a half years. Chatting about the album, and the launch gigs, it's the three live tracks; all taken from the album; which are the real treat.
The show is also packed out with new music from Kapil Seshasayee, Kathryn Joseph, Monogram, and a Song, By Toad booster pack of Supermoon, Garden of Elks, Numbers Are Futile and digitalanalogue. Plus there's a Re-Mixing It Up track from a well known artist who I've never played on the show before.
2014 had so much incredible music that we can't quite cut the apron strings just yet, which is why on this first new Scottish Fiction show of 2015, we've plumped for playing a whole heap of our favourite tracks from last year. A little late perhaps, but don't think of this as a definitive list (as I could easily fill another two hour show with great songs from last year) but as a selection of some of the music that floated our audible boat in 2014. Tunes from Campfires In Winter, Prehistoric Friends, Monogram, Tuff Love, ULTRAS, Hector Bizerk and much much more are all nestled in this episode.
Having live music on the show is one of my favourite aspects of doing Scottish Fiction, and it was an absolutely delight to finally be able to bring in electro trio Machines In Heaven for a chat and some live tracks. In what may be our most intricate session to date, the band played tracks from their brand new EP Hindu Milk as well as elaborating on their approach to writing and recording.
As well as that, the show is packed to the gunnels with new music from the likes of Hector Bizerk, Ultras, Deathcats and Mogwai, not to mention a brilliant Frank Ocean cover from IndianRedLopez, a 'Classic Track' from the '80's, and much much more.
After a few weeks of live sessions, it's just me on my tod this week. And of course you joining me to listen to some of the best new tracks about at the moment. Which is pretty much what this week's podcast is all about with new tracks from Machines In Heaven, Prehistoric Friends, Bellow Below, C Duncan and a whole heap more. Slàinte!
For someone with his fingers in so many creative pies, Johnny Lynch; a.k.a
The Pictish Trail, a.k.a. head honcho at Lost Map Records; is one laid back man.
It's over a year since Lynch, along with the active members of the 'Fence Collective' splintered from the Fife based label of over 15 years, and struck
out on their own trail. It's for this reason that I'm chatting with
Lynch; him holed up in Stirling following a show at the Marcobert Arts Centre,
me in a cosy yet glitchy radio studio on Glasgow's Southside.
"It was really good yeah" opines Johnny as I ask him how the
previous night's antics had gone down. "The crowd was lovely and the
set went down really well. And it was a beautiful venue as
well" The gig was part of Stirling's Fringe and was a Lost Map
showcase, where The Pictish Trail and members of the label played stripped down acoustic sets. Was that
gig then designed specifically to mark one year of Lost Map as a label?
"No not really" answers Johnny. "It's strange because
we announced the new label at the Green Man Festival last year (August 14th
2013), and I found myself down there again this year, so that was kind of
fitting. We are planning however to mark the year with a new feature on
our website, as well as some new music and a video from our Howlin' Fling
festival." I'm also assured that Johnny, and fellow label organisers
Kate Canaveral and Malcolm Jack, are making plans for Lost Map's second year.
In some ways Lost Map is a continuation of what Fence Records was in its latter
years. Lost Map's roster includes Kid Canaveral, eagleowl, Monoganon,
Seamus Fogarty, Rozi Plain, and of course The Pictish Trail. The label
also continues the tradition of hosting its own secluded festivals and gigs, as
well as a love for unusual releases. Where Johnny has looked to
differentiate from Fence is the latter's perceived tendency to veer towards
singer-songwriters.
"I mean I've no problem with singer-songwriters, it's what I do
myself. But I felt that by signing Tuff Love, we were really staking a
claim that Lost Map isn't purely for bearded songwriters."
Tuff Love, the fuzzy three-piece championed by the likes of Ally McCrae and Jen
Long, were the first 'new' act to Lost Map, who hadn't been associated with
Fence before. Lost Map approached the band and offered to work with them,
essentially pushing the band and their music out to the wider public, a plan
which has seen debut EP Junk released earlier this year as well as
numerous gigs across the UK.
Other notable releases seen on Lost Map this year have been a re-release of
eagleowl's album This Silent Year, F A M I L Y by
Monoganon; which had been planned for release on Fence; and the debut album
from indie-folk prodigies Randolph's Leap. I ask how Lost Map came to
release Clumsy Knot, an album which has been eagerly awaited by
local music fans for some time now.
"Well I had been in talks with Randolph's Leap for a while about putting
out an album. We released Hermit on Fence, and I just think
that Adam [Ross - lead singer of RL] is a really special songwriter. It
just pours out of him and he's a really exciting guy to be involved with."
Another new act to be signed to the Lost Map roster are Insect Heroes, whose
album Apocalypso was released earlier this month. Having
known George Thomas, the man behind Insect Heroes, for a number of years.
Johnny felt that Lost Map could give Apocalypso the release it deserved.
"When I first heard the album [Apocalypso was self released in
2013] I thought 'Oh my God, this is amazing!' It's pop music that is
really fun, and George was doing it all himself, which I know can be really
daunting and exhausting. So when we signed the band to the label, I felt
that re-releasing the album on vinyl was a good introduction to their music. Plus it's kind of an endorsement to have your
music released on vinyl. I mean there's still an audience who want a
tangible product. As an artist having your album out on vinyl is a good
expression of your music. It pays the artist respect I think."
The label have also continued Fence's love of the physical product, with all
releases thus far being granted a vinyl release, plus a continuation of the
Postcard singles, as well as the elusive Lost Cat Cassettes.
"They are secret cassettes, which are not listed on our website"
enthuses Johnny. "We've done three Lost Cat's [with eagleowl &
Woodpigeon, Monoganon, and Monogan and WeGoda] and they are great because
there's a sense of discovery with them. We don't list them on the site
and they are only available in actual record shops, meaning they are harder to
get. There's maybe a sense of achievement if you find one, which I think
is important for the appreciation of music. Not that it's incredibly
difficult to find them mind you!" Each Lost Cat tape contains
exclusive tracks from Lost Map artists, and, highlighting Johnny's sense of fun
and word play, the artwork is a genuine lost cat poster.
"Yeah we just took some posters off the street to use as art work"
laughs Johnny. "Actually I've secretly been kidnapping cats, just so
their owners will put up posters which we can then steal! What happened
to the cats? Oh we used them as food at the Howlin' Fling. It's the
secret life of a record label boss; kidnapping and killing cats!
As we talk, and uncontrollably laugh, it's clear why Johnny Lynch is able to
run Lost Map as a close knit family rather than an ‘at distance’ label.
Johnny exudes confidence and warmth, laughing throughout our chat, and giving
out the sense that he genuinely loves the music and artists he's so closely
involved with. I ask him if that sense of community is an important ethos
to the label.
"One of the things I've tried to do is to be as involved with the music as
much as each artist wants me to be. I will make suggestions and changes,
but I've already got 100% belief in all the releases already." I ask
if Johnny had a sense of where he wanted the label to go when he started to
which he verbally shrugs his shoulders. "There were no set plans;
however I wanted to work with people that I like, and with music that I
like. I'm chuffed with how it's gone, and it's largely due to trusting my
gut."
That sense of community seeps beyond the label collective and into the fans as
well, with events such as Howlin' Fling on the label's spiritual home of the
Isle of Eigg developing a sense of togetherness and showcasing all the label's
wares at the same time. It's an ethos which Johnny is keen to pass onto
the bands, and has seen Randolph's Leap host their inaugural I Can't Dance ToThis Music event, while Kid Canaveral's Baubles now rolls into its fifth
year. Elsewhere eagleowl host a night branded Irregular Owl Movements,
further showcasing the lack of taking things too seriously at Lost Map.
"It brings fans together" states Johnny. "Ideally I'd like
all our artists to curate their own events and build things outside of just
their recorded music, whether that's live or online. Each act will express
themselves differently, but I feel it gives the artists a lot more
involvement"
Unwittingly that may have been an insight into why Fence fell apart, however
it's clear that with Lost Map, despite professing otherwise, there's a clear
plan ahead for Johnny and the team. Build each act up, encourage them to
take on board other duties, and in a way help them learn the way that Johnny
himself learned at Fence. It's certainly worked for him, as this year's
reissue of Secret Soundz Vol 1 & 2 on Moshi Moshi Records
shows. It's important to remember that whilst running a label, Lynch is
still a writing, performing and touring artist in his own right, and the
"seal of approval" from Moshi gave him a self-admitted confidence
boost.
"I was chuffed when they took the record on board, and it's also
interesting to see how they do things, which is completely different from Lost
Map." Is there another Pictish Trail album in the works I ask?
"I'm currently working on the next record. I've got lots of ideas, and
Moshi are very supportive.”
So what lies ahead for Lost Map? Well as you'll guess of course there's
things under wraps that can't yet be disclosed, but Johnny confirms there's a
few records lined up for 2015, and that the plan remains to work with the
artists on the roster already. More of the same seemingly, although don't
write out anything just yet.
"If an amazing record comes our way, then yeah we'll look at it. But
if not, we'll stick with what we have, getting our artists more involved and hopefully
a lot more aware of their surroundings too."
- Neil Wilson For more about Lost Map, and to buy any of their releases check out lostmap.com
Lost Map celebrated its first year anniversary on 14th August 2014, and has
released material from Randolph's Leap, Monoganon, eagleowl, Insect Heroes,
Tuff Love, Seamus Fogarty and Kid Canaveral. To celebrate the label have
unveiled Clumps, a new section on their website which promises a mix of
podcasts, photos, gossip and other stuff. Clumps kicks off with Lost Map
label sampler, and a short film; by The Forest Of Black; about the legendary
Howlin' Fling festival.
An all vinyl show? Is this the '70's? Am I mad? No, and quite possibly, but that's neither here nor there. For a change I decided to do a special show this week featuring tracks from Scottish artists played entirely on vinyl. And an inspired decision it was too, as it has resulted in this little beaut of a podcast you are now listening to. Let's call it the b-side to our usual offering. And like all good b-sides there's some rarities and surprises in store, from artists such as Meursault, Franz Ferdinand, The Twilight Sad, Belle and Sebastian and more.
Consistently offering opportunities for smaller Scottish artists to get on the T In The Park bill, develop their onstage performance, and get festival experience under their belt, the T-Break stage has announced the 16 acts playing at this year's T In The Park.
It's one of the best line up's for a few years on the T-Break stage. Our personal picks include Atom Tree, Birdhead, Blood Relatives, Deathcats, Fat Goth, NAKED, Secret Motorbikes, TeenCanteen, Tuff Love and We Came From Wolves.
Congratualations to all the acts playing, and if you are heading up to Balado on the weekend of 11th, 12th and 13th July, then be sure to check out as many of them as possible. There's also a free track from each artist available via the T-Break website.
