CULANN - SWEET RELEASE

Cowbells and three songs rolled in to one, can never be a bad thing, unless it’s some sort of turgid Steps/Aqua/Vengaboys medley.

‘Sweet Release’ by Culann does not disappoint, and is a hybrid of funky keys, atmospheric guitars with a serene ending. The quintet from Irvine have successfully put a whole heap of genres in to a melting pot and somehow fused them together with ease. The line up and name has evolved over the five years they’ve been in existence and they look set to get stronger.

Myspace

Submitted by Andrew Thorne

TRACK 12 by GALCHEN

There’s something about a lot of instrumental music that puts people off. It’s probably easy to lose that ‘connection’ with a song if that human element of a vocal is nowhere to be seen. But this Glasgow lot have created something that works on an entirely different plane. It’s a sweeping soundscape of new age beats, electronica and seething guitar that paints epic pictures in your mind. It’s imagination music.

Live is where their sound really comes into it’s own, and there’s the Brucie bonus of a dazzling visual effects and light show too. Well worth a check out at http://www.myspace.com/galchen

NEON HEARTS by X LION TAMER

When Tony Taylor meandered into Edinburgh a decade and a half ago, he was astonished by the lack of lions prowling the streets. With no beasts to tame, and void of the adrenalin that his previous profession channelled, he soon became bankrupt both financially and emotionally. Fortunately, it wasn’t too long before he discovered that he was a one-man electro pop phenomenon and started liberating people’s eardrums under the guise of X Lion Tamer.*

Currently he’s wallowing in massive, and well-deserved, coverage, with Vic Galloway and the List trail blazing the way. Proudly pop tastic, Neon Hearts is what the song would look like if the song was in a tangible form. Bright, glowing, electric loveliness – yes please.

*Alternatively he named himself after Wire’s song ‘Ex Lion Tamer’ before discovering someone else had already done this, then resorting to a single, powerful, consonant. Both stories are equally plausible.

To make your heart all warm and neon-y (though I’m not sure how healthy that is) visit http://www.myspace.com/xliontamer

SCHNAPPS - CROSSDRESSER

Involuntary movement inducing single Crossdresser by Schnapps is a steer away from the Tuesday trend of romances gone bad. This toe tappin’, head boppin’ delight is the debut single (release date - 5th April) from the four piece that formed just one year ago. Pulling talent from the four corners of Scotland, and settling in Glasgow to make up a garage/indie/rock troupe, described by The List as, “…looking part art-school, part old-school rockers…” the sound is not a stones throw from Iggy and the Stooges with a smattering of Travelling Wilburys.

With backing from Vic Galloway and NYLON magazine as the ones to watch in 2010, Schnapps are burning bright and with a handful of live shows coming up, you’d be daft to miss them.

Have a listen and for more info, check out MySpace and Facebook.

SWIZZLESTICK by LIGHTGUIDES

It seems that every man and his dog’s making music these days. And that’s not even a euphemism, look…

Anyway, the point is, it’s hard to get a sound that sounds different and cuts through the noise. These guys aren’t radically different, but they’ve drawn a well placed line between indie and a harder edged almost emo type thing, that should appeal to fans of both. They seem to have a knack for carving out catchy-as-hell songs that get right in yer lug’ole and stay there. Check them out (and for god’s sake sign them if you have the power to do such things) at http://www.myspace.com/lightguides

Slide Away by Six Storeys High

Six Storeys High met at Edinburgh’s Craigmount High School in 2006. Since making the finals of Xfm’s Winter Wonderland contest and winning the Edinburgh Schools Battle Of The Bands, they have been bringing their robust, energetic and melodic rock sound to many of the capital’s most prestigious live stages, including Studio 24, Liquid Rooms, and the city’s biggest venue, the HMV Picture House.

The four-piece have been building a loyal fan base with support slots for the likes of Flood Of Red, Dividing The Line and Survive Atlantica. With a shared love of Biffy Clyro and fellow Edinburgh band We Were Promised Jetpacks, the guys are kicking off 2010 with new songs, new recordings, and at least one eye on the festival season. In fact they are playing the Leith Festival this Friday and then hanging out with the Leith Records gang.

Check them out at www.myspace.com/sixstoreyshigh

REFUGEE ORCHESTRA by GOODBYE LENIN

Featuring the first ever band to send us in not just one CD, but two freshly pressed demos right to our offices at Leith Records HQ. After such an effort, it felt only right to make it worth the cost of postage. Plus it made us feel like a real record label, which we’re technically not, in spite of what the Sunday Times said about us.

It helps that the music is top notch, especially this tune in our humble opinions, which has a totally jangly and upbeat groove of its own. They’re from Edinburgh (which helps), and they’ve gigged all over, proudly counting a certain Ed O’Brien from Radiohead as one of the audience. Whether Ed was just there to cop off with tipsy teenagers was never confirmed.

Please take the time to absorb further melodies such as this at their MySpace and Facebook locations.