ALBUM: ANCHORSONG •
Chapters (Tru Thoughts)
To Brighton from Japan via London comes Anchorsong. A YouTube sensation with a string of impressive support slots so far, this album looks set to spring him fully into the public consciousness and the background of every TV drama needing a heart-wrenching, gazing-into-the-distance moment. His glitchy, mesmeric tunes are reminiscent of Amon Tobin, sprung with organic sounds and unexpected melodies. There’s a characteristic intensity that’s unusual in electronic music, as this versatile talent plays innumerable instruments and creates his own samples, full of warmth and layered depth. (JMM)
EP: BIRKWIN JERSEY •
Aurora & The Moon (Absent Fever)
The chillwave tones of Birkwin Jersey have been echoing around the Brighton party scene for the last couple of months, so the release of this debut EP ‘Aurora & The Moon’ coincides nicely with the season of early sunsets and long nights. The liquid mix of melancholic beats, breaks and a vocal collaboration with Ian Keteku creates an organic aural smoke that seeps into your ears and drugs your brain into losing track of time. Which is perfectly fine. (DC)
EP: THE BLACK FIELDS •
The Black Fields (facebook.com/theblackfields)
You might know these bluesy rockers by their previous guise, The Black Hats. Whether as Hats or Fields, they’re indisputably dark – atmospheric, raunchy stories soar over folk guitars and strutting drums. They’ve been impressing the home crowd for a couple of years, and standout track ‘The Fantasist’ proves they’re capable of softer, mournful material as well as their rollicking live performances. Their EP launch is at the Hope on December 17th. (JMM)
EP: CAVE PAINTING •
You’ll Be Running Soon (Hideout Recordings)
The ethereal Cave Painting are conspicuously quiet on the social media front, which can’t be said for many Brighton bands, but it seems they don’t need endless self-promotion to be building up an adoring fanbase. Their first EP reveals a sound that’s far from primitive: soft vocals echo over catchy riffs on sparse, synth-laden ‘So Calm,’ creating soundscapes their contemporaries can only strive towards, and the glowing warmth of ‘Our Click Say Yeah’ features haunting wails and contrasting tempos. This is vast, expansive, and thoroughly modern music. (JMM)
lp: AMY HARRISON •
Album Sampler (secondhandstringband.com)
Having built up a loyal following playing around town for the past few years, with wider recognition coming from appearances at several large bluegrass festivals, Amy and her Secondhand String Band have finally found time to record the album that this sampler introduces. Featuring live favourites such as original live-fast-die-young wild man Charlie Poole’s ‘Leaving Home’ and the amazing vocal ping-pong of gospel stomper ‘Set Your Fields On Fire’, these are classic songs from a class act. Available from their website and gigs. (SC)
BOOK: BRIGHTON BOOK •
Brighton Book (NM Productions)
From the good people who bring you the splendid Brighton calendar comes a book. A really big book, full of photographic delights from every strata of Brighton’s eclectic personality. Yes, there are the compulsory shots of transvestites and piers, but across its 328 pages you’re treated to a much wider representation of what living here really looks like through a lens. From the mundane to the eccentric, the drab to the colourful – this has to be Brighton’s definitive visual guide. (NC)
ZINE: VAMPIRES IN BRIGHTON! •
What would you do if Brighton was attacked by vampires? This illustrated storybook lets you make the choices as you try to evade the hordes of bloodsuckers stalking the Level and Pavilion Gardens. It’s basically a bigger and better version of last year’s ‘Zombies In Brighton!’, which sold over 1,000 copies just through local shops. The sequel piles on the satire and the gore, making fun of both Brighton and vampire clichés. A perfect gift for anyone who needs to be weaned off Twilight. And they do need to be. (JK)
WORDS BY STEVE CLEMENTS, DANIELLE COLYER, NICK COQUET, JAMES KENDALL,
JESSICA MARSHALL MCHATTIE
