Quench Music’s insightful contributor, Oli Richards, chatted with Battles’ enigmatic, Ian Williams. Have a read of how it went below. Quench Music (QM: One striking element of new record ÔÇÿLa Di Da DiÔÇÖ is its lack of vocals and/or vocal samples. What triggered this stylistic departure after 2011ÔÇÖs ÔÇÿGloss DropÔÇÖ? Ian Williams (IW): Vocals have always been a garnish to the dish; not the main … Continue reading Interview: Battles
Quench’s┬áMark Sweeney called up the busy man that is Ciaran Lavery last week and this is what spoke about…. Quench Music (QM): Hey! ItÔÇÖs great to speak to you! YouÔÇÖre just off the back of a pretty big tour and youÔÇÖre starting Switzerland and Germany, before the UK tomorrow. ┬áHow is the tour going? Ciaran Lavery (CL): The last few weeks have been a blur! … Continue reading Interview: Ciaran Lavery
Sweet Baboo and Co. provide somewhat of a Welsh homecoming as they round off a long and successful string of live performances celebrating the release of fifth studio album, ÔÇÿThe Boombox BalladsÔÇÖ. Stephen Black (as the front-man is also known) thanks everyone for turning up and showing their support. The night had been generously coordinated by Shape Records and a great deal of warmth and … Continue reading Live: Sweet Baboo – The Globe – 03/10/15
ÔÇÿI Cry When I LaughÔÇÖ is the highly acclaimed, debut album for South London based singer, Jess Glynne; who is known for her collaborations with Clean Bandit in their #1 hit ÔÇÿRather BeÔÇÖ and ÔÇÿReal LoveÔÇÖ. The first track on the album is the introduction, ÔÇÿStrawberry FieldsÔÇÖ, which is by far the most different song on the record; not much of a melody, strong drum … Continue reading Album: Jess Glynne – ‘I Cry When I Laugh’
The Norman constructors of the historic Chepstow Castle probably didnÔÇÖt have Newport slice of life, comedy rap ensemble ÔÇÿGoldie Lookin ChainÔÇÖ in mind as future guests when they laid its first stones in 1067, but they didnÔÇÖt seem out of place in front of a busy, if not packed, crowd on August 26th. Performing as part of the Castell Roc Music Festival that evolved out … Continue reading Live: Goldie Lookin Chain – Castel Roch – 26/08/15
Spector first appeared on our radars in 2011, at a time when all of the guitar bands that could afford a synth machine were the soundtrack to an awkward silence on Made in Chelsea. Since their hyped up beginnings, they have been delivering some brilliant anthemic indie-pop hits to a fairly small corner of the internet (see Chevy Thunder┬áfrom their debut,┬áfor example). TheyÔÇÖve recently been … Continue reading Album : Spector – Moth Boys
Talking of their formative years as a band, with members separated by the best part of a three hour drive between Nottingham and Norwich Universities, vocalist of Don Broco, Rob Damiani, maintains that this academic period was when ÔÇ£things really clicked inÔÇØ for the boys from Bedford. Rob appears to recall these years spent moulding their personalities fondly ÔÇô ÔÇ£I remember we got to play … Continue reading Don Broco Go Automatic
Back with her belated second album, follow-up to 2012ÔÇÖs folksy ÔÇÿLike I Used ToÔÇÖ, Lucy Rose returns with a record shaped by countless shows with her four-piece live band that showcases a new emphasis on electric instruments and collaborative arrangements. Lyrically the material follows RoseÔÇÖs previous first person narratives, with the liner notes detailing ÔÇ£the loss of a great love and gain of a newÔÇØ, … Continue reading Album: Lucy Rose – Work It Out
Cardiff’s much beloved Clwb Ifor Bach is playing host to its first ever BYW HAF and it looks like itÔÇÖs going to have a pretty sweet set up. With live music from Welsh favourites Houdini Dax and Zefur Wolves, the event will certainly deliver a friendly local crowd ready to enjoy some classic Clwb tunes. As well as this, Yak return from a blistering festival … Continue reading Preview: Byw Haf – Clwb Ifor Bach
‘Get To Heaven’ is the long-awaited album from the Manchester-based art-rock band, Everything Everything. It follows the success of their previous album ‘Arc’ from 2013, which peaked at number five in the UK. This album has a different feel to ÔÇÿArcÔÇÖ, the band classically have songs that sound similar in ┬ástyle, but this album goes outside of this theme and is more varied. ┬áThe album … Continue reading Album: Everything Everything – Get To Heaven
It seems like┬áan age since Wolf Alice released their self-titled EP in early 2013. Two further EPs have followed, but finally their long awaited first full length LP is out. My Love is Cool. The record starts softly, showcasing Ellie RowsellÔÇÖs crystal clear voice on opener ÔÇÿTurn To DustÔÇÖ. Next up is ÔÇÿBrosÔÇÖ, anyone familiar with Wolf Alice will know this song as it was … Continue reading Album: Wolf Alice – My Love Is Cool
For those of you who arenÔÇÖt aware, Get Inuit are a funky indie-pop quartet from Kent. TheyÔÇÖre pretty fresh and are tipped to be one of the hottest newcomers of 2015. The ingeniously titled 001 is a four track package of fun hooks and catchy lines which are bound to get you bopping your head at the very least. EP opener, ÔÇÿDress of BubblewrapÔÇÖ is … Continue reading EP: Get Inuit – 001
In celebration of LGBT+ History Month, Quench Music take you through some of the communityÔÇÖs most influential musical figureheads FRANK OCEAN In the build-up to his eagerly anticipated 2012 debut Channel Orange, rumours surrounding Frank OceanÔÇÖs sexuality began to circulate. Critics, who were able to listen to the album prior to its release, noticed that gender pronouns implying a male love interest were used on … Continue reading History In The Making
Dillon Eastoe chats to Menace Beach singer and guitarist Ryan Needham about their freshman release, reading the reviews and keeping it real Two years after playing their first show, Leeds five-piece Menace Beach released their debut album, Ratworld. a raucous half hour of pop-infused grunge. Ahead of the bandÔÇÖs show at BristolÔÇÖs Louisiana, singer and guitarist Ryan Needham is nonplussed at the time taken to … Continue reading Interview: Menace Beach
Quench Music talk┬áBuckingham Palace, Barack Obama and opening the show with alt-rockers Beartooth So, Beartooth, coming from an alternative background, how would you describe yourself to people who havenÔÇÖt heard you before? Taylor: Fast and loud. Caleb: WeÔÇÖre like a mixture of Pantera and The Beatles. IÔÇÖm just kidding, weÔÇÖre nothing like that. I donÔÇÖt know really. WeÔÇÖre loud, intenseÔǪ Taylor: Fast and loud like … Continue reading Interview: Beartooth
In a packed-out and jumper-worthy Motion, Kate Tempest holds court to the second date of her live tour, the largest venue she confesses to have played so far. Support act Loyle Carner rips out some mellow jams for the first half of his set, sticking blissfully to recorded material, making sure his presence is heard for the crowd-participation of the final minutes. Carner is new … Continue reading Live: Kate Tempest – Motion – 8/2/15
Ibeyi, a French Cuban duo whoÔÇÖs music is eclectic as theyÔÇÖre cultural backgrounds, arrive with their self titled debut. Singing in English and Nigerian Yoruba languages, the album sees a fusion of modern music styles and cultural clashes; on paper, inconceivable to work coherently. On whole however, the album completely quells these fears. Each track flows into the next, creating a wholly fluid sound to … Continue reading Album: Ibeyi – Ibeyi
Waifish indie boys Peace return with the follow up to their 2013 debut, In Love. Similarly optimistic in title, Happy People is what the media would call the ÔÇÿdifficult secondÔÇÖ album, yet Peace have managed to create something that feels easy and natural. The album, which juxtaposes unhappy lyrics with happy melody, is full of buoyant beats and joyful vibes: the trademark sound of the … Continue reading Album: Peace – Happy People
Y Plas has always been home to weird and wonderful sights, but tonight it bears witness to a whole new one: a floor-wide mosh pit as hardcore madmen, Enter Shikari come out to play. Before the carnage begins, Fatherson play some whole-heartedly pretty songs, which lull the crowd rather than rile them. Following are the inherently strange Allusondrugs. Bizzare movements and faces galore, the boys … Continue reading Live Review: Enter Shikari – Y Plas 17/2/15
As the rumbles of ‘Ni**as In Paris’ roll out, All Time Low scuttle playfully onto stage at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena to an ear-piercing reception which, alongside a fun-fuelled rendition of ‘A Love Like War’, sets the benchmark for the nightÔÇÖs proceedings. What follows is by no means revolutionary; All Time Low are a band that wear their influences proudly on their sleeve. The onstage … Continue reading Live: You Me At Six & All Time Low – Cardiff Motorpoint 9/2/15
