Ichiko Aoba's latest single might be the single most beautiful song we've ever brought you. "SONAR" is a stripped down and lush track that merges classical guitar with pop music. Rarely is a song this minimalist while still sounding as full as Aoba has managed here. The true secret of "SONAR" is how painfully quiet it is. Most songs demand your attention with noise and volume. This one does it by how quiet it is. If you want to listen (and you truly do want to), you'll need to drop virtually everything to focus on this one. By giving "SONAR" your full attention, the listener is heartily rewarded with a stunning piece of art.
You can watch the video for "SONAR" below. Luminescent Creatures is due out February 28 on hermine/Psychic Hotline, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Ichiko Aoba, check out the artist's website. Upcoming tour dates are below the video and include a May 12 date at Berklee Performance Center.
Mon.
Feb. 24 - Hong Kong, CN @ Xi Qu Centre, Grand Theatre [with Musicians from HK
Phil]
Wed. Feb. 26 - Seoul, KR @ Sky Arts Hall (SOLD OUT)
Thu. Feb 27 - Seoul, KR @ Sky Arts Hall
Thu. March 6 - Taipei, TW @ Zhongshan Hall (SOLD OUT)
Mon. March 10 - Barcelona, ES @ Paral.lel 62
Tue. March 11 - Valencia, ES @ Teatro Rambleta
Thu. March 13 - Milan, IT @ Auditorium San Fedele (SOLD OUT)
Sat. March 15 - Zurich, CH @ Mascotte
Tue. March 18 - Hamburg, DE @ Laiszhalle
Wed. March 19 - Berlin, DE @ Urania (Humboldtsaal)
Fri. March 21 - Utrecht, NL @ TivoliVredenburg (Grote Zaal) (SOLD OUT)
Sun. March 23 - Groningen, NL @ Oosterpoort
Tue. March 25 - Antwerp, BE @ De Roma
Thu. March 27 - Paris, FR @ La Trianon (SOLD OUT)
Mon. March 31 - London, UK @ Barbican [with 12 Ensemble] (SOLD OUT)
Wed. April 2 - Manchester, UK @ Albert Hall (SOLD OUT)
Fri. April 4 - Gateshead, UK @ The Glasshouse
Sat. April 5 - Glasgow, UK @ City Halls
Thu. April 17 - Honolulu, HI @ Hawaii Theatre
Sat. April 19 - Vancouver, BC @ Chan Centre (SOLD OUT)
Sun. April 20 - Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
Mon. April 21 - Seattle, WA @ The Moore
Wed. April 23 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Oakland
Sat. April 26 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern [with Wordless Music Quintet]
Sun. April 27 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Wiltern [with Wordless Music Quintet]
Tue. April 29 - Scottsdale, AZ @ Scottsdale Center
Thu. May 1 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre
Sat. May 3 - St. Paul, MN @ Fitzgerald Theatre (SOLD OUT)
Sun. May 4- St Paul, MN @ Fitzgerald Theatre
Tue. May 6 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Wed. May 7 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
Fri. May 9 - Detroit, MI @ Masonic Cathedral Theatre
Sat. May 10 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora Theatre
Mon. May 12 - Boston, MA @ Berklee Performance Center
Wed. May 14 - New York, NY @ Kings Theatre [with Wordless Music Quintet]
Sat. May 17 - Philadelphia, PA @ Miller Theatre
Sun. May 18 - Washington, DC @ Warner Theatre
Thu. May 22 - Mexico City, MX @ Teatro Metropolitan
Somehow Peter Prescott of Mission of Burma and Volcano Suns has another band that I never knew about. Minibeast already released an album that I completely missed back in 2012, and they are currently at work on the follow up, Free Will. Based on a track from the upcoming album, "High Sea," Minibeast shares some common sonic ground with Mission of Burma, but with an added emphasis on the groovy side of things. It's basically the noise and dissonance of Burma but heard through a 60s surf groove, as if Frankie and Annette were punks. You can listen to "High Sea" below. Minibeast currently have a Kickstarter to help fund the final production of Free Will. You can get more information on that here . It should be out sometime in June.
Photo by Annabel Kean For their latest single, New Zealand's The Beths have released "Mother, Pray for Me." This is a heartbreaking ballad consisting of Elizabeth Stokes' vocals and guitar with just the slightest hint of organ. It's a deeply personal song for Stokes, made obvious with how intimately the song comes across. It truly feels almost confessional, and it's quite simply beautiful. The Beths are most known for huge little indie rock gems perfect for bopping along to, but "Mother, Pray for Me" is quite the opposite. Stokes' vocals and lyrics are right up front on this one, and I can't imagine it any other way. Elizabeth Stokes says of her latest single: “I cried the whole time writing it. It's not really about my mother, it's about me — what I hope our relationship is, what I think it is, what it maybe actually is, and what I can or can't expect out of it. “My mother is a first gen Indonesian immigrant, and very Catholic....
Photo by Cecil Sykes Midnight Peg are an Edmonton, AB based band that are referred to as "madhouse punk." Their latest single, "Thirstland," is a just barely under control two minute burst of punk. You have guitar riffs that will make you think of At the Drive In, and somewhat spoken and yelled vocals which create a feeling of chaos throughout. This is a loud and angry track that is completely in your face. But, unlike most tracks this loud and punk based, "Thirstland" still keeps a sense of art in their music. Midnight Peg feel like a higher class of loud, angry punk rock. This one is great, with just enough of an emo undercurrent to make the song kind of melodic and almost palatable to a mainstream audience. You can listen to "Thirstland" below. Skinning is due out in October on Thousand Island Records. For more on Midnight Peg, check out the artist's website .
