SAMIYAM REVIEW for BLEEP.COM
Serving as a testament to Hyperdub/Brainfeeder affiliate, Samiyam's long standing but somewhat unsung status as a stand-alone entity in the beat scene; Sam Baker's Album is a collection of unashamedly intoxicated cuts gleefully unburdened, but not untouched, by the influence of LA Messrs (and peers) Dilla, Madlib and Flylo. A unique bedroom concoction, cultivated from both sides of the Hip Hop Spectrum, It's as much Master P styled trunk bumping as it is trusted vinyl crackles and post-Dilla compression obsession. Throw in some some Nintendo-patented saccharine square-waves and the woozy funk-bass of robots and you have the one, the only, Samiyam.
Returning to us now with his first full album proper after a period of bubbling under (seemingly at his own digression), this album sees the LA resident ascend from the minimal to the effortless; aptly back, dropping chop after chop of with a only few choice snares, kicks and that certified fatboy bass. It makes for a Beat Hip Hop wading from song to song with a sluggish indifference for atmospherics or cinematics, focused rather on irreverent sampling and the discovery all of Hip Hops rhythms and grooves, big and small, stuttering and staccato. From the Sunday Morning G Funk of 'Lifesize Stuffed Animal' to the Keith Sweatisms of 'Escape's first half; this is a David Attenborugh standard documentation of all things beat and beautiful - with all the uncooked charm of Rap Beats Vol. 1 intact, but all the considered fluency of an art mastered added
Lapalux Introducing
When did you start making music?
Way back in the day when I used to play Music the PS1 game. That thing got me started and ever since then I've been making music.
High points so far you as a producer / DJ?
Probably playing a live set at Boiler Room the other night. that was pretty dope.
What is your set up at the moment in terms of software and hardware?
A cassette recorder, Ableton, KRK 5's, couple of microphones, portable recorder and some sick synth toys. I like to keep it simple.
How hard / easy has it been for you getting your tunes noticed by people /other DJs?
It's not been too bad recently. Been on Xfm and Ministry Of Sound and Red Bull radio I think. People seem to dig it quite a bit. I was up on XLR8R the other day and Platform Magazine and Mint Mag amongst other sick sites /blogs. I think it's because it's quite a fresh sound and people are latching onto it at the moment.
Artists that influence you?
I bang on about this guy far too much but Dorine Muraille was a big influence when I was younger. Four Tet, Prefuse 73, Aphex Twin. Staple diet kind of stuff.
Plans for the rest of this year?
Well, at the moment I've got the Many Faces Out of Focus EP coming out April 18th on Pictures. Doing more gigs etc etc... and just generally fucking shit up!
Blue Daisy Interview
Forward-thinking London based producer Blue Daisy will be dropping his new album The Sunday Gift in less then a month's time. We've already had the privilege of a listen and are happy to report that it's a worthy, and perhaps more importantly refreshing, debut for fans and newcomers alike. In anticipation of the release we sent over some questions to shed some light on what we can expect...
There seems to be a real focus on building soundscapes and cinematic song-writing on this album, much more then ever before, what's motivated you to make an album like this now?
I can't pinpoint any particular reason for this direction other than it being the journey my mind was taking during the making of the album. It represents me from the inside out in that moment in life. It reflects the environment I created around myself, so this is just me opening up to the listener, painting a picture, the unknown, Mona Lisa, Da Vinci spirit and allowing the imagination of the listener curate and relate it to their own.
Also other than the fact that it is me at that moment in time, I feel it does represent alot of shiz that is going on in the world today, from war to segregation and the digital influence that we follow so dearly in life now. Yeah, I suppose it can be depicted as a political record in some ways too..
It's a real diversion from the beat scene that a lot of people are associating you in with since the early Flylo comparison, - have you paid the scene any mind recently? Is it something that has any influence on you all?
I've had this convo with a few peeps, for starters I've never considered myself to be a "beat maker", even though thats what some may derive me as being. I've always made sure that I never got my head caught in that whirlwind, and to be honest there are only a few that I run with, this few I know are not just running with that style of music 'cos its in or trendy, they are running with that style cos it is them. It's their form of communication and their way of expressing what's true to them
You know, it's like the Dead Prez line "If you a fighter, rider, lighter, flame ignitor, crowd exciter, or you wanna just get high, then just say it, but then if you a liar-liar, pants on fire, wolf-cry agent with a wire, I'm gon' know it when I play it".
This is the truth, there's so much "wolf-cry agent" material in the "beat scene" in my opinion. It lacks that inspirational, innovative, unique out the box creative feel it once had. Like what happened with dubstep. But yeah, nah i've never really paid much mind to one genre anyway, i'm pretty slack with that "conforming" attitude. I just listen to whatever fits my fancy.
What's the thought behind the name The Sunday Gift?
Sunday originates from my birthname, which represents a Sunday born child in Ghana (where my parents originate) Alson on top of that interpretation of 'gift' is the fact that my mother's name is Gifty - I was also taught that Sunday is the day of rest, God made the world in six days and rested on the seventh. All these elements put into one make the name "The Sunday Gift" . So it's like saying I've finally reached the day of rest after my journey of creation and that it holds deeper meaning than just music. This is me, my heart, my love and pain depicted via this gift. A gift given unto me by the most high.
In terms of software and hardware, what was used to make the album?
The album was made on FLStudio 5 and Cubase, that's all I'm saying. Ha!
Your Boiler Room live set was too nice, one of my personal favorites. How are you going to incorporate this album into sets like that? Or are you planning to do something a little different?
Definitely planning something different for the live shows for the album. I've been working it out in my head and will be looking to curate a show with a drummer, guitarist, synths, keys and visuals. So yeah that's my next stress point to overcome and I hope I have enough hair left after Haha!
On that note, do you have any notable shows coming up that might want to notify people about?
16th September - Sonic Warfare, Melkweg, Amsterdam; 23rd September - Tempo Clash, Corsica Studios, London; 15th October - Scala, London (W/Stac); 3rd December - Syndicate, Singapore. More dates will be confirmed on later basis, keep up to date onTwitter.
Phaeleh Interview
Bristolian producer Phaeleh has been making waves in the dubstep scene for some time now. Since his first release on his own Urban Scrumping label in 2008, he's had singles on labels like Surface Tension and Wheel & Deal, an album (Fallen Light) on Afterglo and his first single of 2011, Falling, is coming out on Skream's Disfigured Dubz imprint in March. We spoke to him to find out what he makes of it all...
How has the last year been for you?
The last twelve months have been good I would say, I think key events have been being asked to do a second mix on Electronic Explorations for Rob Booth. That gave me somewhere to showcase new material. Enough respect for Rob Booth and what he's done with that, it's an amazing platform for new music. I mean I am usually busy making bits and bobs these days, but I make time to listen to stuff like Electronic Explorations, some of Bun Zero's stuff and The Yardcore Sessions on Sub FM.
Your schedule is looking quite hectic too...
Yeah, the gigs have definitely been good, the album release in October and Falling coming out on Disfigured Dubz has kind of catapulted everything. So yeah, I am in demand now, but I know music has its peaks and troughs...
Have you any favourite places to play?
In terms of the UK, I always seem to get a lot of interest in Manchester and London – especially London at the moment. I think in the UK those two places, but I do have to admit I love playing Europe. They generally make you feel more welcome. They're interested in you as an artist and in listening to your own material rather then just getting smashed. I think it's because we are spoilt for choice; I know in Bristol and most other major cities, you can find a big line-up and still have other options open.
You seem quite detached from any sort of cliques in the scene and wider genre, are there any producers you feel an affinity for?
Yeah, I think with all music genres there's going to be a clique element, and sometimes it does seem to be weighted towards networking. But I am the type of person who would rather stay inside and make tunes then be out networking. That being said I do like to work with people like DJ Madd, Matt-U, TMSV, DJ Rum... anyone on that kind of tip really.
I've seen you praising Kahn as well, he's quite the producer...
Oh yeah, Kahn, he's so sick. I've been playing his beats for quite a bit now, not just for the diversity but the musicality of it – it appeals to people. Punch Drunk in general are doing a lot for the Bristol music scene, I mean I've passed a few things to Tom but generally my sound is a little detached from theirs but still enough respect for what they are pulling out; supporting people like Kahn and Superisk. Should be a good year for them and a lot of other people in 2011.
You've got a quite a slick technical sound, how did that come about?
I think it's coming from a electronic background where it's more about building sounds through intricate layers rather dominant basslines and drums; and also I think learning to play musical instruments helped in a way. But I think it just comes down to sitting in a room for too many years on Cubase pushing yourself.
Would you say you're a software man or a hardware man?
A bit of both I would say. I recently moved house, so I have more room for synths and samplers and that. I've been using them more in the way of experimenting and looking for ideas. Just hitting record and going with it as opposed to edits.
You touched on your history in electronica under the moniker of Preston, when did your sound begin to change and why?
I've always been doing what I wanted really, like I used to make a bit of everything - from jungle to hip hop to stuff veering onto gabba alongside the chilled stuff. But as I got used to doing more live sets and partyesque tunes it kind of met in the middle, as well as me just personally developing as a producer and making tougher basslines and better sounding beats. I think foremost it was about making music that I enjoyed and that I wanted to listen to though. However I think over time you find you can slot parts of yourself into certain genres. I mean, I wasn't with dubstep from the beginning. I think 2006 was when I first heard it. It certainly influenced me but it wasn't a case of 'yeah now I'm going do dubstep', my own personal definition just coincided with it.
That chill vibe does come through first and foremost though, I've heard people compare you to everyone from Burial to Massive Attack...
Well, I've got no problem with people comparing me to them! But yeah, it does surprise me what people come up with. Some people hear the harder stuff, and others hear tracks like Afterglow orRounded which are getting quite a few plays and take opinion from that, but I don't mind.
I see you have been championed by the likes of N-Type and Skream as well, you can't get much higher praise then that, how does that feel?
It's surreal to be honest with you. I have so much respect for their work, they've been doing it since the scene started off, whereas it's taken me time to get out there. But as you say, it's the ultimate big up. Like when you have the vinyl in your hand and you think 'Woah this is N-Type's label', or 'woah this is Skream's label' it takes time to sink in and believe it's happening, but yeah it's amazing. I'm just appreciative they let me put the tunes on their labels – has done me a lot of favours.
Big names comparisons and backing aside, you seem quite humble, one think thing I picked up is that you personally reply to everyone on your social networking pages, that's cool...
Yeah, a lot of people pick up on that. I think it's just because what separates me is that it took me a very long time to get noticed by the scene, so I am just very appreciative of anyone reaching out. I mean there have been times doing it this long, where you're thinking 'pack it in, it's not happening' so I am just thankful for the support.
What about your label, Urban Scrumping, are you going to bring it into the forefront?
Yeah, definitely. It's been going slowly as I've been busy moving house and releasing the album in October. But we do have a few things coming out, a compilation with just with a few artists from the everyone on the label to get the name out there again. We have a new artist as well, J1, really glad to be working with him, he has such a diverse sound - kinda housey, kinda electric, a bit of garage. We are working with Gyu again as well, excited for that.
Do you have side projects then? I heard about the possibility of live elements...
I am someone always floating around ideas, and I mention them to people, and they get passed around. Some people have been asking me if I was going to back the live element as I used to bring out a lot of hardware before I became more laptop based, but I don't know, I prefer DJing now, it's more fun. I did used to do lots of crazy electronics, live looping and sampling to create these layers, so yeah, I might look to put more of a performance element in but there is no rush. My two main things for the year is getting Urban Scrumping on track and getting the artists exposure and a collaboration with DJ Madd. Just getting a few tracks along but again no rush, just trying to define the sound.
That being any said, any chance of a full length from Phaeleh?
I would like to get another album in October. Obviously it's down to time restraints but I did most of the work on the last album with a few tunes already made in a few weeks. I am itching to get down and invest some time in it though, to make it exactly how I want it, and to release it by the end of the year.
Finally, what you can tell us about the guest mix?
It's a mixture of a things that I have been playing out recently, just what I have been listening to as well. Releases from Box Clever, Black Box and few others' bits and pieces.
KWAM: Truth Hurts Mixtape
Kwam is an MC from Alien Muzik, a collective consisting of Rival, Marger, Rudekid and others. A collective who amongst others such as Family Tree and Butterz are breathing life into grime, each one bringing different things to the table like some kind of Grime Triforce. He himself, alongside the likes of Kozzie, and the aforementioned Rival, have stepped up the game with their consistency and competence on the mic. We had a little natter about his new mixtape.
How long have you been doing grime, and where did it start for you?
I’ve been doing grime for around 4 years now, and it started with me locked into Raw Mission hearing an MC WHO WILL REMAIN NAMELESS, but long and short of it is I thought the guy was shit and I could do better ha.
First grime track that you heard, that you thought was hard.
The first track I can remember clearly? Probably the Ice Rink version excursions, that was beat was messed, I always said to myself I would do a freestyle over that Ice Rink beat.
In terms of Grime, would you say it’s been a better year for producers than MCs? There is so much talent on the buttons at the mo.
I just think generally it’s been a good year for breakthrough artists; we’ve seen new producers and new spitters come through so I wouldn’t like to say any one side’s particularly stronger than the other, particularly since the two groups come together so well on good grime tunes!
Do you consciously try and keep grime grimey, or are you open to new paths and progressions?
I just do tunes I like the sound of, to be really honest with you. Generally it will be that grimey sound but as my mixtape demonstrates I do veer off that path at times.
Is there any sound or concept that you tried to achieve with ‘Truth Hurts’?
With Truth Hurts, my big thing was trying to maintain an underlying theme of truth; its effects on people, its effects on myself etc. With that achieved I was most pleased about the way in which all the other aspects of the mixtape’s structure fell into place of their own accord; it was as if, having created the spine for the work, the rest almost did itself haha!
Anyone you think is going to be big in 2011?
Alien Muzik. We’re a very talented collective of MCs, Rival and Marger need no introduction, and next year I’m hoping to see Deathstar, Nutcase and Danny D also come to the fore within the collective.
What do you think the future has in wait for grime? Is it gonna come back again, or is just gonna stay bubbling in the underground?
There are indications that grime may have a place in the commercial arena, but I’m the kind of person who MCs with the same amount of energy whether I’m in a disused toilet in a pirate radio station or standing a few feet away from Tim Westwood, so until I lose that desire I’m not overly bothered whether grime remains underground or becomes commercial; in my eyes no other genre comes close to grime’s energy.
kwammc.bandcamp.com/truth-hurts
CHAD VALLEY
We heard some of the older kids at school bandying about the term 'Chillwave'. So in the spirit of curious youth we asked Oxford bsaed Chad Valley what exactly a chillwave is and where we could score some. He wasn't to sure about it either; which is appropriate because he is far too nice to be selling drugs to children - economic sense as it makes. However he is taking his dreamy pop up and around the country with The Mountain Goats amongst others. We caught him (and washed our garmz) before he played little shingdig at a Hackney launderette. FYI for any promoters out there, my nan's garage is going too if you are running out of places for gigs. One catch though - it's proper shit.
London's the greatest city in the world right?
(laughs)
I ask that to everyone they always say no.
Well, yeah... to be fair I have not been to a lot cities, so I don't know. I have been to the continent but not much elsewhere. Actually I have been to Istanbul, I liked that.
Yeah I was going to say, big in Turkey, what music do they listen to?
They have a great music scene there! They love their psychedelic music. In Turkey generally, there is a culture for really weird music.
And now you're playing a launderette, thoughts?
I like it a lot, I have heard of a few other things happening. I think it's a great idea, I love the idea of gigs in different venues...because most venues are really shit. Most small venues are just shit (laughs). I like medium sized venues. I don't know the whole small sized venue circuit is just really...bad.
Well your playing the Kentish Town Forum for new years, that's pretty big.
That's a whole different story as well, because they are like so cavenous. You play a note and it lasts for thirty seconds.
You're playing that with Foals too, old friends?
Yeaht there is a whole Oxford scene, happening with them, myself and my other band Jonquil(they're good, truss') it's an exciting time for the Oxford music scene. It's strange, because it's so small. It's definitely smaller then Hackney, it's like a really small place in London. And people don't really partake that much, they just tend to get on with their lives.
We heard some of the older kids at school bandying about the term 'Chillwave'. So in the spirit of curious youth we asked Oxford bsaed Chad Valley what exactly a chillwave is and where we could score some. He wasn't to sure about it either; which is appropriate because he is far too nice to be selling drugs to children - economic sense as it makes. However he is taking his dreamy pop up and around the country with The Mountain Goats amongst others. We caught him (and washed our garmz) before he played little shingdig at a Hackney launderette. FYI for any promoters out there, my nan's garage is going too if you are running out of places for gigs. One catch though - it's proper shit.
London's the greatest city in the world right?
(laughs)
I ask that to everyone they always say no.
Well, yeah... to be fair I have not been to a lot cities, so I don't know. I have been to the continent but not much elsewhere. Actually I have been to Istanbul, I liked that.
Yeah I was going to say, big in Turkey, what music do they listen to?
They have a great music scene there! They love their psychedelic music. In Turkey generally, there is a culture for really weird music.
And now you're playing a launderette, thoughts?
I like it a lot, I have heard of a few other things happening. I think it's a great idea, I love the idea of gigs in different venues...because most venues are really shit. Most small venues are just shit (laughs). I like medium sized venues. I don't know the whole small sized venue circuit is just really...bad.
Well your playing the Kentish Town Forum for new years, that's pretty big.
That's a whole different story as well, because they are like so cavenous. You play a note and it lasts for thirty seconds.
You're playing that with Foals too, old friends?
Yeaht there is a whole Oxford scene, happening with them, myself and my other band Jonquil(they're good, truss') it's an exciting time for the Oxford music scene. It's strange, because it's so small. It's definitely smaller then Hackney, it's like a really small place in London. And people don't really partake that much, they just tend to get on with their lives.
-
- Washing machines live longer with Calgon though...just saying.
I see everyone is calling you Chillwave, what is this. What are you.
(laughs) Well..it's a pretty silly term itself, in terms of what it means. It's like any term you put on on music - it's completely redundant. Especially chillwave because they apply to it everywhere in the world. People in America, people in the Far East, as if it's a movement, when it isn't.
It's just people making music.
Yeah, definitely. People just sound like others coincidently. I don't know what it is to be honest, personally I am getting into 80's music, like funk though, in what I'm sampling. That lo-fi sound.
Is that the new sound then, lo fi? You're pretty lo fi as it is.
I'm trying to up the fi. I think guitar bands should be recording well, you shouldn't record guitars with a fucking desk mic. I think you should get a fucking awesome studio for guitar bands. It's really interesting, that when I was starting it off, it was focused towards the techy side, like Warp records with Apex Twin. I would have never guessed that the it would curve towards the other extreme, of making it sound old.
It's a trend thing. You seem to be quite detached from all that. You're your own man.
I think that's what I like about coming from Oxford, that you are detached. I think London is amazing, but it's nice to have that outside perspective.
By the way, is you're real name Hugo Manuel?
Yep.
That's a fucking awesome name.You sound like a bad guy from Lethal Weapon, why didn't you keep that?
(laughs) It's because no-one ever pronounces the Manuel bit right, people pronounce it MAN-WELL, and also it's a really popular Portuguese name. When I played Portugal, people kept asking if I was...but I might have to anyway. It's (Chad Valley) the name of a toy company, that started in Victorian times.
Yeah but if you do then some Columbian Drug Lord might come out of the woodworks and sue.
DUN NOE BAAT' THE IMAGES/PHOTOS BY: CURTLY THOMAS
HOLY ROAR
HOLY ROAR
If Holy roar defecated in a Tupperware container and then told me it was the best new 'proto-mathcore' or 'Screamo Jazz' band out there, I'd believe them. I've had sufficient education/I went to school to know that shit can't actually have a creative input, because it's shit, but because it's Holy Roar, a label which has steered me in right direction of the high grade many time before, I feel obliged to believe them. So semis around when he agreed to have a chat and have a look at his modest office/bedroom. Anyway why listen to my fawning when you can hear it from the horses mouth, Mr Roar himself, Alex Fitzpatrick.
Whilst Holy Roar essentially seems to be the 'thinking mans hardcore label' or the hardcore label for kids who dont wear black and have silly hair, I think Holy Roar has a hugely varied catalogue - from progjazznoise (Kayo Dot), funeral doom (Bloody Panda) to dance-punk (Youves), scuzzy indie (Dananananaykroyd/Pulled Apart By Horses), black metal (Livimorket), grindcore (Ergon Carousel) and screamo (Maths). Our ethos is simply to release great music in great packaging from hardworking, intelligent people. We get it wrong sometimes, like everyone does - but I think our track record speaks for itself. I think it often, perhaps rightly, seems like there is two 'tiers' to the label - there are the bands we work with continually, trying to build up and progress (Throats, Maths, run,WALK! recently....) and those we have done one-off releases for (Ghost of a Thousand, Gallows, Pulled Apart By Horses, Dananananaykroyd). The cynic has suggested that with the one-off releases these bands have used us for kudos and credibility before signing to a bigger label. This isn't true - we are always friends with the bands we work with and know them personally. We think its cool to do interesting projects with big bands and it perhaps has gained us more recognition and notoriety. Holy Roar is run by me 95% of the time, with Ellen Godwin more of a silent/behind the scenes kind of partner (she has a 9-5 job) and occassional help from a couple of interns.
So in terms of the highs and lows, pros and cons has it all been worth it? running a label that is. I know that sounds like a stock question with a stock answer but I read an interview with the Profound Lore label chief and he was really honest about it all and said if he had a choice he wouldn't have got into it, state of the industry etc.
The label has definitely been worth it. I couldn't imagine my life without it. It has defined who I am and how I spend nearly every waking moment essentially. We have never been given a pile of cash, early on we were ignored by press and radio and our bands could barely get any good shows. It is nice, through sheer dogged determination and hardwork (both ourselves and our bands) that we now do get some recognition, get asked to make our presence felt at The Great Escape, Offset and other festivals, as well as getting some of our bands on more major festivals. There is downsides - I have no money, everything goes back into the label, it can get lonely working from home sometimes and no-one is there to kick your arse into gear. Some bands also think its fine to ring you in the middle of the night, at weekends etc just for the sake of it - which can be annoying, but unfortunately running a productive labe does somewhat consume your life 24/7. I often get most of my ideas in the shower or in bed at 1am - not ideal at all!
- this is our stockroom. Its literally a cupboard built into the ceiling of my flat, within my bedroom. Its the perfect space for all our stock/tshirts/bags etc!
Has being in multiple bands (Alex has been in deadnaut, crawl back in, if i started killing..., rheic, numinor, seducedwomandead, cutting pink with knives, (the sublime) betty pariso) helped you run the label?
think being in bands has given me a perspective of what bands need and want and also shows me how NOT to fuck a band over. That's about it really. I feel like a friend who is in bands and puts out records rather than some 'label guy'.
You ever fucked up/been fucked over bad then?
We fucked up the pressing of the Pulled Apart By Horses/Holy State 7" picture disc - the Holy State track on the vinyl is a demo version of the song they wanted on the vinyl. Purely my fault - i don't think the band ever forgave me truly! As for being fucked over - we lost over a thousand pounds to a pressing plant that went into liquidation, so that left us pretty broke at the time and missing 2000 Dananananaykroyd cdeps. That was tough times.
- This is 'Happy Holy Roar 1.1' sealed, opened and promo versions. This was a Japan only license/release via Fantome records. We essentially adapted and updated our tape release 'Happy Holy Roar' onto cd for Japan. They never released anything else by us and stopped replying to our emails, which I found a bit upsetting, but this is a cool artefact/curio nonetheless
So how would another band come about getting signed by Holy Roar? Do's and Don'ts
We don't like 'signing' bands. We just want a relationship of trust - if we want to carry on working with a band we say so and hope they would too. Often ourselves and the band in question know what they are getting into - we are as transparent as fuck and try to be honest, always. As for tips - I have none really. If you are good, you will be found or you will be heard. Great bands dont have to chase labels. My only advice is - be fucking good, listen to our labels output and try and think objectively whether you are musically suitable/good enough, and thirdly and most importantly play LOTS of shows and work hard. I've heard a bunch of great bands who cant be bothered to play shows and tour - which makes it pointless for us and the band to work together. A band like that should release themselves and if they want us to carry a few copies in our shop then we are happy to do so.
Whats been the most popular release? I know your not meant to have favourite kids, but do you have a favourite release?
Our biggest sellers have been Rolo Tomassi and Dananananaykroyd. Throats are the biggest band currently on the label - all their stuff sells well. We have also sold out of limited releases by Kayo Dot/Bloody Panda, Gallows, Pulled Apart By Horses and Trash Talk. Our Christmas tapes - the 'Happy Holy Roar' series always sell out quickly too. As for favourites - the Phoenix Bodies album 'Raise The Bullshit Flag', Maths album 'Descent' and the new Throats cdep are my favourite so far if i'm honest
- This is a cd-r of early Rolo Tomassi songs sent to us as we started working with them, in tandem with the label starting. Note the 'ps' section saying the band were writing for an album.....this actually became the self-titled EP that we released.
Would you be prepared to sign someone outside of the hardcore/metal genre now or in the future? I say this because to me Holy Roar is a roster of free thinkers who listen to a lot of music who just happen to play hardcore or metalcore etc, but could be doing anything, but just at the moment are breaking faces and taking names.
think we have signed, or worked with, people outside of hardcore/metal - Youves, Kayo Dot, Dananananaykroyd, Gallops (we are doing their ep in August), run,WALK! etc etc - and we will continue to work with different musical styles. I think what you say about the hardcore/metal acts we do work with is bang on though - it is indeed, like myself, a bunch of people who listen to a wide variety of music but chose to perform heavy music. Anyone who has truly ever been into heavy music will always have it within them. Ha.
- Holy Roar Have Love For The Tapes
What is the future for Holy Roar for the near future? releases, festivals,? you got any big plans.
The future at the moment involves trying to do something ridiculous with 'Happy Holy Roar 4' this Christmas, releasing albums by Brutality Will Prevail, Hang The Bastard, Crocus and Ergon Carousel as well as other releases by Maths, Gallops, Last Witness and a bunch more. I will be attending many of the major festivals this year and we will be sponsoring the hardcore tent at Offset festival again. The line up for that will be absolutely killer.
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