EIC's 10Q's w/ Black Hearted Brother

"..[Experimental] Post Rock meets Shoegaze jam session wrapped with elements of Indie [Space] Pop-tronica.."

Black Hearted Brother

Alliance [of] Sound & Influence

Black Hearted Brother Bio:

Comprising Neil Halstead (Slowdive, Mojave 3), Mark Van Hoen (Seefeel, Locust) and Nick Holton (Holton's Opulent Oog, Coley Park), Black Hearted Brother represents a collaboration of sorts - supergroup even - that probably isn't quite sure how it ended up here in the first place. Born from years of writing, recording, deliberating, re-recording, remixing and then no doubt starting all over again from scratch, 'Stars Are Our Home' is a deftly orchestrated album that bypasses all generic templates for a colossal smorgasbord of diversity. Throughout its 12 pieces, there's a range of sounds, styles and ideas far and above any realm of expectation associated with the project. In the press release, Halstead talks about Stars are Our Home being 'a record that was in some ways unedited', before going on to conclude, 'while not worrying about a particular sound or style, but to just go with the flow'..

Hello, how are you?

BHB forgot to answer this one, we'll assume they're doing swell;]

 What are you currently listening to?

Nick: Just waiting for Jonathon Wilson's 'Fanfare' to arrive, but in the meantime; 'The Terror' by The Flaming Lips, 'Hello Nasty' by The Beastie Boys, just dug Sly & Family Stone 'Life' out for a boogie & Mark's been playing me 'Music Is Painting In The Air' by Sensations Fix on his massive (big as small elephants) speakers - beautiful.

Mark: Lots of VU of course, Spiritualized (just saw them in a 400 year old church in Kingston NY) and Tyler, The Creator's 'Wolf' ...somehow as a foil to all this.

How long has the band/project been a concept and did you know what kind of sound you were going for when you began writing for it?

Nick A few years now with some breaks for Neil & I to record Palindrome Hunches & Mark his 'Revenant Diary'. When we began we had no idea really but we quickly got into the idea of working on stuff and doing things that wasn't natural to us. There was a few really crazy (eccentric) tracks that we left off in the end as we realized we did have something cohesive in the end.

Care to shed some light on your debut LP; theme, favourite track(s), etc?

Mark: My favourite track is 'Time In The Machine' but that's probably because I had the least to do with it; just being a fan of Neil & Nick! Another couple of favourites are 'My Baby Just Sailed Away' and 'Oh Crust', probably because these were done in the last few days before mastering the album...so they are much more spontaneous and fresh to my ears.

Will you be touring extensively for said release?

Playing live - yes we think so. Extensively - maybe.

Speaking of touring, Rachel Goswell joined you for a couple of shows right? How did this idea come about and did you end up playing any Slowdive material either of those nights?

Neil: I was just talking to Rachel a while back and asked if she wanted to come sing a couple songs, she was surprisingly keen. I think we played a couple Slowdive songs on the second night and a bunch of Mojave 3 songs as well.

(Speaking of Slowdive/I gotta ask) What are the chances of a full reunion tour/new album??

Neil: Improbable...but you never know.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?

Nick: Big Star's 'Third', couldn't get tired of that.

Mark: Can's 'Tago Mago'.

Are you living your dream?

Nick: Yes, I think so, more or less. I think The Brothers are committed to making music, helping our friends, loving our ladies, not doing too much other work that we hate. There is always a better album somewhere among the stars to be found & recorded though.

Mark: I agree with Nick, although there's no dream or plan...one day at a time (sweet Jesus)

Thanks BHB and Caroline!

Black Hearted Brother recently released their debut, give that a spin as soon as you can...

EIC's 10Q's w/ Melody's Echo Chamber

"..Like a bright haze of confusing color floating like a mist over melted Pop art.."

Melody's Echo Chamber

Psychotropic Confection

Melody's Echo Chamber Bio:

Paris-based musician Melody Prochet worked in various bands before starting Melody's Echo Chamber in 2012 after having a dream that the acoustics of her bedroom projected an infinite delay. No stranger to performance, Prochet had already worked with the twee pop Narcoleptic Dancers and the dreamy My Bee's Garden, a project she was very much central to. When My Bee's Garden supported Australian guitar rockers Tame Impala on a European tour in 2010, Prochet bonded with Kevin Parker, who offered to help with production of her new solo material as Melody's Echo Chamber. The two worked quickly, with some elements of the project's lushly dreamy songs recorded in Parker's makeshift studio and some laid down in her grandmother's seaside home in the south of France. The self-titled album was released on Fat Possum Records in the fall of 2012 and Prochet assembled a live band to fill out her solo songs as plans for tours and live performances started accumulating.

Hello, how are you?

Very good, I just finished a sweet breakie and I'm sitting in my kitchen in the sun.

What are you currently listening to?

I'm in love with the Connan Mockasin record, we just decided yesterday at practice to cover one of his song for our upcoming tour.

Whom were/are your biggest influences when it came to sculpting your music?

Kevin Parker obviously (the Guru that produced it), and all the sweet people living at the house in Perth where we recorded (some guys from Pond like Nick Allbrook or Cam Avery who are fantastic crazy musicians)

When did this project first come about?

I've always been writing songs and loved collaborating with different People. This project started when I played some of my new material to Kevin when I supported his band in Europe two years ago.

Do you have a personal favorite track?

I think "Bisou Magique" because it's one of the first songs I wrote in French that I am sincerely proud of lyrically.

If you could choose any artist to do a split record with (dead or alive) whom would it be?

I don't know about a split record but I dream to work with Geoff Barrow from Portishead and also always dreamt to have Jonny Greenwood play some Ondes Martenont on one of my songs.

Got any other projects we should know about?

 I started a band with my band mate Maud where I play drums, it's called CIDER, I'm really excited about recording some jams soon. We didn't have the time yet. It's just a duo, her on guitar and singing and me on drums and I sing too.

What movie would work best on mute while listening to you music?

Maybe this last scene of Antonioni's ZABRISKIE POINT

 You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?

NOooooo you can't do that to me! Maybe 'Ladies And Gentlemen We're Floating In Space' by Spiritualized.

Are you living your dream?

Definitely, I couldn't dream of a better life..

Thanx Daniel/Melody!

Melody's Echo Chamber is currently touring the US, if you get a moment make sure to check out a show (or two)...

If only I lived here..

Amazing/Lengthy line up + the return of Sigur Ros live. ..Who wouldn't want to go to this?

EIC'S10Q'S w/Rotten Tropics

"..reminiscent of a garage band with focused energy on Gothic tones melded with Post Modern soundscapes. There is also a bit of Industrial sludge there, as well as a throwback to the early days of simple/elegant Post Punk music.."

Rotten Tropics
Opaque Derelict Methodologies

Rotten Tropics Bio:
Rotten Tropics is a hybrid of Dark/Grimey Post Punk Shoegaze music formed from the afterbirth Lo-Fi Industrial tones. Rotten Tropics is also Jakub Tywoniuk. So far RT has released "Bukowski" (single), and "Corrose Tropes EP", both of which are FREE on his bandcamp site. This is only the beginning of this young artists career, but a bright start with a promising future none-the-less.


Hello, how are you?
Hey, I am fine at the moment.

What are you currently listening to?
My next-door neighbour likes to blast Hip Hop very early in the morning. Lately I have been battling him with some Spiritualized, Spacemen 3, Aphex Twin, and Swans.

Where does the name Rotten Tropics come from?
I would like to keep that one vague. It is not an interesting story. Just a good strong mental image.

Can you please explain your sound in five words or less?
Dread Fog Panic Shoegaze Kafka

What is the overall theme/feel you were going for with your "Corrosive Tropes" EP?
Its about those unpleasant feelings of sublime awe, ominous anxiety, the ambiguity of communication, self loathing. I have no idea if using music as a means of catharsis helps the mental state of the artist at all. I might just be digging a deeper grave for myself. Each song has to send shivers down my spine. That way I know it is saying something.

Is there a title/tentative release date for your debut LP?
I think I will keep doing EP's. The length of an album seems kind of arbitrary and CD's are dead. Composing five decent songs took me about a year to do. Less is more!

Are you guys officially signed to any label yet?
No, It seems pretty damn unlikely to me. Maybe even pointless.

Can you please name a few current bands that should be bigger by now?
Hmmm... Hildur Gudnadóttir from Iceland, Xinlisupreme from Japan. As for local bands in Toronto... Actual Water and Noble Savage.

You can only keep/listen to ONE album for the rest of your life ..which album would it be?
Uhh, something without vocals. It changes every five minutes, man. Maybe "Amber" by Autechre.

Are you living your dream?
No. I am a mess. That makes for good tunes, though. All I want is to write interesting songs and occasionally shout them to a room full of people.

Thanx Jakub!

Rotten Tropics is currently working on his next EP, look for that in the near future... What's that? Can't wait?

Here's a FREE track ("The Stranger") from the upcoming album (so far unnamed--as far as I know) for your listening pleasure...

REVIEW: Ikons - Ikons

7.25 out of 10

Find it here.

Ikons are an up and coming 6-piece Krautrock group from Sweden. Their debut s/t album was produced by D Lissvik (Studio), and they've opened for the likes of Spiritualized (whom they kind of sound alike at some points). Ikons are the soundtrack to a lost astronaut floating adrift in space.

Their debut album "Ikons", is the equivalent of a slow motion trip through parallel galaxies. Or, more specifically; like cross between Can and Zombi. Synthesizers set the main tone/theme behind the music (which is definitely "space" oriented"), next would be the bass lines (which are danceable and relaxing), after that the guitar fx (which give the album the perfect amount of white noise that it needs), and then the drums (which as simplistic as they sound give the album the feel of a finely crafted Pop song). There are (usually) no vocals, this is (mainly) an instrumental band. A sort of Space Rock free form Jazz session if you will. But the tracks that do have vocals fit in perfectly, in-fact those tracks are usually my favorites. Within the thick walls of "Kraut-inisms" there are also moments of dark Post Punk, Shoegaze, Jazz, and Psych Rock. So, basically what I am saying is, just calling it a Krautrock album seems "unfair", let's just call it good music.

If you love Space Rock/Krautrock you will probably be pretty obsessed with Ikons. If you're looking for some chill background noise with a little bit of beat and some "far out there" atmospheres look no further. Recommended

Standout Tracks: Africa, Honey, Domine