Category: Music

Interview, Music

DMAÔÇÖS Interview: Tommy OÔÇÖDell on ÔÇÿThe GlowÔÇÖ and finding Creativity during COVID-19

By Katie May Huxtable Quench Magazine last caught up with Australian trio DMAÔÇÖs back in 2017, as a part of our 164th print issue. They had then released their first studio album, Hills End, and seemed to be gaining momentum amongst UK audiences. Now, Tommy OÔÇÖDell, Johnny Took and Matt Mason are about to release their third studio album to a large UK following. This … Continue reading DMAÔÇÖS Interview: Tommy OÔÇÖDell on ÔÇÿThe GlowÔÇÖ and finding Creativity during COVID-19

Katie May Huxtable
Album Reviews, Music

Notes On An Unconditional Form – Review

I have a troubled relationship with The 1975. When I first encountered their work, I was somewhat dumbfounded on how anyone could enjoy it. It was unlike anything IÔÇÖd ever heard before and was profoundly weird. In the following years, I grew to love their music, having seen them live on a few occasions. This, however, has always been matched by a somewhat distaste for … Continue reading Notes On An Unconditional Form – Review

Josh Ong
Music

Aitch Interview: what Buss Down actually means, and the truth about his Chicken Shop Date

By Kate Waldock Aitch is the biggest name in the UK right now. With Strike A Pose, Taste [Make It Shake] and Buss Down, heÔÇÖs pretty hard to miss. I sat down with him ahead of his recent Cardiff gig to chat about his upcoming plans, the slang he uses, and of course, the infamous Chicken Shop Date. Aitch is chilled out and relaxed. I … Continue reading Aitch Interview: what Buss Down actually means, and the truth about his Chicken Shop Date

Kate Waldock
Music

Grimes – An Insight into Women within the Music Industry

By Emily Jade Ricalton Professionally known as Grimes, a female artist paving the way for the world of weird in music, Claire Elise Boucher, in more recent years has been classified and defined by her personal relationships rather than her career as a talented musician – something typical of female artists within the music industry. Releasing her first album, Geidi Primes, back in 2010, Boucher … Continue reading Grimes – An Insight into Women within the Music Industry

emilyricalton
Music

Playlists for Quarantine: 20 songs that encapsulate life in isolation

By Craig Strachan A couple months into our collective banishment to our front rooms, exile from the gig venues, expulsion from the indie discos and the heart breaking cancellations to our festival filled summers, life in isolation seems to have settled into itsÔÇÖ routines and procedures. The arduous late wake up, slipping into the comfy joggers and oversized band tee of the day and the … Continue reading Playlists for Quarantine: 20 songs that encapsulate life in isolation

Contributing Writer
Music

Musical Storytellers

To continue our theme of stories, we delve into a different medium of storytelling – music. Many musical artists choose to tell detailed stories through their song writing which could have personal, fictional, or political messages amongst many others. These stories are conveyed whilst still maintaining a beautiful sound and a pleasing lyrical arrangement which is something definitely worthy of applaud and recognition. In this … Continue reading Musical Storytellers

Contributing Writer
Interview, Music

Hybrid Minds | Interview

By Joshua Jones & James McClements Since their breakthrough in 2011, Hybrid Minds are long establishing themselves as rising kingpins of the Liquid D&B scene. From their debut album Mountains to its 2017 follow up Elements, Hybrid Minds have amassed a devoted fanbase and are some of the most sought after live performers of the genre. Now set to play festival spots and headline shows … Continue reading Hybrid Minds | Interview

James McClements
Music

Spotlight on Little Simz

By Kavan Singh Whether the female rapper Simbiatu ÔÇÿSimbiÔÇÖ Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, aka Little Simz, could be classed as an ÔÇ£indieÔÇØ artist depends on the definition of the word. On one hand, Little SimzÔÇÖs talent has been recognised time and time again by the industry – with Kendrick Lamar shouting her out on a BBC Radio 1 show citing that she may be ÔÇ£the illest … Continue reading Spotlight on Little Simz

Contributing Writer
Music

We Should All Pay More Attention to the Australian Music Scene

By Emily Jade Ricalton Each country has a different representation of ÔÇÿmusicÔÇÖ. Each representation can differ depending on the style they are fascinated on. But, the majority of the time, as music fans, all we do is talk about the same movements, subcultures and industries over and over again. And, I can tell you one thing, Britpop isnÔÇÖt as great as we make it out … Continue reading We Should All Pay More Attention to the Australian Music Scene

Kate Waldock
Album Reviews, Music

‘Manic’, Halsey: Review

By Maja Metera The world gets darker than we all would like to admit. It is full of tragedy, broken hearts, self-hatred and sickness. Mania is one of two phases of bipolar personality disorder which is also known as manic depression. This album is the first in HalseyÔÇÖs career that she, suffering from that disease, has ever written manic. It is one written ÔÇ£By Ashley … Continue reading ‘Manic’, Halsey: Review

James McClements
Music

The rise of Bedroom Pop – is the DIY popstar here to last?

By Rhiannon Humphreys With the rising popularity of social media platforms such as YouTube, Soundcloud, and even TikTok, itÔÇÖs becoming increasingly easy for artists to share their creations with hundreds, even thousands, of strangers on the internet. But how much power do these platforms really hold for self-made musicians who want to bypass the record label grind?┬á Clairo is perhaps one of the most successful … Continue reading The rise of Bedroom Pop – is the DIY popstar here to last?

James McClements
Music

Independent Record Label Resurgence: Are major labels now less relevant?

By Craig Strachan The record label industry reached an oligopoly over the wider music industry not really seen since the times before The Beatles and of Frank Sinatra in the 1940s and 50s. Universal, Sony, Warner and EMI make up 88% of the market today and have dominated the music industriesÔÇÖ output like this for nearly the last 20 years.  However, the last few years … Continue reading Independent Record Label Resurgence: Are major labels now less relevant?

cstrachan
Live Reviews, Music

Live Review: Frank Turner – St. David’s Hall (24/11/19)

By Kirby Evans The first half of his show was stripped back to the acoustics, with just Frank, his guitar, and dark, moody lighting. Opening with the folk-punk ÔÇÿJinny BinghamÔÇÖs GhostÔÇÖ, Frank Turner has set the somewhat underwhelming, monotone scene. His latest album revolves not around stories from his own life, but those from influential women in history. With lyrics and meaning aside, the setlist … Continue reading Live Review: Frank Turner – St. David’s Hall (24/11/19)

James McClements
Live Reviews, Music

Live Review: Larkins – Clwb Ifor Bach (20/11/19)

By Maja Metera When you enter the Clwb Ifor Bach, forget about the reality of the XXI century. You get magically transported to an alternate reality as the dimmed lights and big reddish carpet in the place of the stage create the atmosphere of Nirvana’s music video. It was my pleasure to experience a bit of this magic when I visited this place on occasion … Continue reading Live Review: Larkins – Clwb Ifor Bach (20/11/19)

James McClements
Live Reviews, Music

Live Review: Willie J Healey – Clwb Ifor Bach (14/11/19)

By Bethan Willis Whenever I think of Willie J Healey I am transported back to my first year of university, when I would listen to his debut album, ÔÇÿPeople And Their DogsÔÇÖ, on repeat whilst walking down Colum road to my dreary university halls. Two years pass and I find myself watching him at the dream like place which is Green Man Festival and I … Continue reading Live Review: Willie J Healey – Clwb Ifor Bach (14/11/19)

James McClements
Interview, Music

New Artist Corner: Azere

By James McClements Some artists are brilliant in their ability to capture a scene, feeling or poignant moment in time. Azere, or Rowan Lees as he’s better known by his many friends in Cardiff does all three whilst still feeling distinctly authentic and British. His tracks are a timeless cocktail of ambient and acoustic laments with urban and hip-hop flavours drawn into the mix. His … Continue reading New Artist Corner: Azere

James McClements
Live Reviews, Music

Live Review: Bear’s Den – Tramshed (05/11/19)

By Polly Denny BearÔÇÖs Den have been on the rise in the UK indie scene since the release of their first album ÔÇÿIslandsÔÇÖ in 2014. Since then they have gathered something of a cult following and brought out two more albums, ÔÇÿRed Earth and Pouring RainÔÇÖ in 2016, and most recently ÔÇÿSo That You Might Hear MeÔÇÖ earlier this year. It is this new material … Continue reading Live Review: Bear’s Den – Tramshed (05/11/19)

James McClements
Interview, Music

Matt Maltese | Interview

Matt Maltese is back. This time empowered with another 10 track record, and it’s not one to miss. Riding off the success from ‘Bad Contestant’ released last year, Matt Maltese’s pithy one liners and self deprecative style is definitely one to watch. Ahead of his show at Clwb ifor Bach this weekend, we caught up with the 22 year old songwriter to chat about his … Continue reading Matt Maltese | Interview

James McClements
Live Reviews, Music

Live Review: Loyle Carner – Y Plas (05/11/19)

By Ella Clucas With tickets selling out in just a matter of minutes, Loyle CarnerÔÇÖs latest tour for his second album Not Waving, But Drowning has been highly anticipated since it went on sale in the summer of this year. Having signed up for presale, as all dedicated fans do when tickets fly that fast, I was over the moon when I managed to cop … Continue reading Live Review: Loyle Carner – Y Plas (05/11/19)

James McClements
Music

New Artist Corner: Andr├®s Volkov

When we write about music, we are bound to encounter subjectivity ÔÇôan element that we constantly try to supress in order to remain impartial. However, even if we do a great job at concealing it, it is always there. Imagine what would happen if we only wrote about music that we donÔÇÖt have some sort of emotional connection to. We would ultimately end up with … Continue reading New Artist Corner: Andr├®s Volkov

Luisa De la Concha Montes