KOYO’s third album, ‘Onism’, (released November 1st) saw the experimental band evolving. The featured material captured many of the complexities of past works, but by introducing a heavier edge in places, the band’s alternative sound embraced more of a post-rock aesthetic. Despite the confident changes and the fact that bits of the material drew from a huge pool of influences, the record proved that KOYO were keen to forge their own musical path.
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Listen: Tulipomania unveil new track ‘I’ve Been Told – Absolution’
Tulipomania have always been a musical act who are keen on crossing genres and pushing boundaries, but with their ‘Dreaming of Sleep’ album (released in the dying weeks of 2023), the art rock duo took a big leap into the unknown. By dispensing with all guitars, the album’s material took an even darker and rather fierce turn, blending post punk, darkwave and goth influences to unleash a very arty collection of songs. It was the kind of record that wouldn’t appeal to a wide audience, and even some of their actual fans would be expected to work a little harder to reap the rewards, but it was never less than interesting.
Watch: Ecce Shnak return with blistering new track ‘Jeremy, Utilitarian Sadboy’
There are plenty of bands out there who claim to break down musical barriers. Quite often, this turns out to be little more than posturing, but sometimes one will come along and share something that transcends genre. You’ll hear various influences scattered throughout this current single from Ecce Shnak, not least of all from the mighty Mr. Bungle, but this truly experimental band combines sounds and influences in a way that feels genuinely inspired.
Listen: Absinthe Green cover The Spice Girls ‘Viva Forever’
In the summer of 2024, Absinthe Green’s ‘Give The Devil His Due’ was given some well deserved re-promotion. Although the track was two years at that point, it hadn’t really connected with a UK crowd. If it happened to be your first exposure to the Greek rock band, it certainly wasn’t a bad place to dive in. The track’s tonal shift from classic sounding doom into a driving hard rock riff showed off the band’s range of rock sounds very naturally, and although the featured vocal could’ve perhaps been a little sharper, the bulk of the track shared a great melodic feel.
Watch: Check out ‘Dark Waters’, the new video from Federale
In July 2024, Federale released ‘Reverb & Seduction’, an album of songs that took the listener on a journey via a world of dark narratives, but also presented some rich and varied musical arrangements. The most complex Federale album yet, the styles covered ranged from goth pop to cosmic country, from occasional indie jangles to a very retro singer songwriter approach with traces of Chris Isaak. It was the kind of album that, no matter where you chose to drop in. would offer the listener something interesting.